UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Education by Dissertation (MEd)

The PhD

The PhD is the highest qualification which a student can earn at the university and is earned by conducting independent research under the supervision of faculty mentors. The thesis should make a recognizable contribution to knowledge in the field of study, as well as contain material of publishable quality. Achieving a publishable standard is essential for the acceptance of a doctoral thesis.

Students are accepted into the degree if they have achieved high enough marks in their Masters degree, which indicate that they have the knowledge background and the capacity for independent research in their chosen research area, and if there is supervision in their research area capacity within the School. On acceptance students are allocated a supervisor or co-supervisors with whom they work closely over the course of their studies.

While producing the thesis is the final culmination of the degree and the method by which it is earned, in fact learning to do research requires engagement with academic staff and peers on an on-going basis – beyond supervision discussions. In the Wits School of Education, we have a Community of Practice model that provides opportunities for students to engage with research in such communities. The PhD is often an entry point into an academic or research career and forming such communities as students models how academics and researchers do their work in the real world. So part of the learning process is learning to present, accept feedback, give feedback and engage intellectually on developing work.

The MEd by Dissertation

The dissertation serves as the sole ground for the award of an MEd by dissertation degree. While it is placed at the same level in the HEQF as the MEd by coursework and research report, its larger scope will inevitably entail greater complexity, thus imposing more stringent demands on the successful completion of this research enterprise. In the School of Education, it is generally students with very strong Honours results and a clear sense of their field of research interest, who are accepted into an MEd by dissertation. On acceptance students are allocated a supervisor or co-supervisors with whom they work closely over the course of their studies.

While producing the dissertation is the final culmination of the degree and the method by which it is earned, The School of Education sees it as important for students at this level to engage with the peers, with PhD students and with academics in communities of practice. Learning to do research requires engagement with academics and peers on an on-going basis – beyond supervision discussions. Since MEd by dissertation students spend their time doing research and their experience is therefore similar to PhD students – we combine MEd dissertation and PhD activities.

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