Critical Diversity Studies

Enhance your abilities to analyse, interpret, challenge, and contribute to the crucial issues of diversity and their relation to social justice.

Overview

The MA in the Field of Diversity Studies is an interdisciplinary programme undertaken by students from various disciplines (although most come from disciplines within the Humanities and Social Sciences). The content of the course can be applied to a variety of fields and professions, and the robustly critical approach to issues of diversity, difference, and otherness that the programme teaches will give you an ‘advantage’ to just about any field or profession as diversity is an aspect of just about any contemporary context. 

Many of our students have gone on to work in areas such as the media, non-governmental organisations, advocacy, research consultancies and have pursued PhD’s and academic careers. The programme is also ideal for individuals who seek careers in the transformation sector or who are already working in it and wish to deepen their critical skills to improve their practice. There is no internship requirement for the completion of the course, and the degree does not involve professional registration.

Curriculum

MA (Plan code: AFACRIT60):

The requirements are that you do two core courses, an elective and a research report. Core courses are:

  • Theorising Diversity, Difference and Otherness (SOSS7074) (semester 1);  
  • Critical Diversity Literacies (SOSS7073) (semester 2)

The course codes for Methods for Critical Diversity Studies (Masters) and the Research Report are:

  • Methods for Critical Diversity Studies (Masters) (SOSS7086A) (Semester 1)
  • Research Report (SOSS7010) (Semester 2)

Electives: Electives are chosen from cross-listed courses in disciplines across the Faculty of Humanities which you can do in either semester.

The research module: You will register for the research component of the programme, and a research report based on the fieldwork you have conducted and it will be submitted in February of the following year (example: February 2019 if you register in 2018).

When you go online Diversity Studies appears on the system as an option under the programme AC000. Choose AFACRIT60 Diversity Studies (MA).

If you received a scholarship from the Chair, you will be required to align your research with the general thrust of the Chairs research programme. If your research interests are not in line with the Chair’s research, you will work with your supervisor to identify a research topic.

Entry Requirements

Masters by Coursework and Research Report:
  • A bachelors degree with honours from Wits or another university with a 65% total mark aggregate.
Masters by Dissertation:
  • A bachelors degree with honours from Wits or another university with a 65% total mark aggregate.
  • A supervisor from the Faculty of Humanities must be identified and approached prior to application.
  • Requires a suitable Honours degree in Humanities / Social Sciences and the selection process is based solely on the strength of your application (i.e. there are no interviews or assessments), but you will be required to submit a letter of motivation when you apply.

University Application Process

  • Applications are handled centrally by the Student Enrolment Centre (SEnC). Once your application is complete in terms of requested documentation, your application will be referred to the relevant School for assessment. Click here to see an overview of the Wits applications process.
  • Please apply online. Upload your supporting documents at the time of application, or via the Self Service Portal.
  • Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications via the Self Service Portal.
  • Selections for programmes that have a limited intake but attract a large number of applications may only finalise the application at the end of the application cycle.

Please note that the Entry Requirements are a guide. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee a place. Final selection is made subject to the availability of places, academic results and other entry requirements where applicable.

International students, please check this section.

For more information, contact the Student Call Centre +27 (0)11 717 1888, or log a query at www.wits.ac.za/askwits.

University Fees and Funding

Click here to see the current average tuition fees. The Fees site also provides information about the payment of fees and closing dates for fees payments. Once you have applied you will be able to access the fees estimator on the student self-service portal.

For information about postgraduate funding opportunities, including the postgraduate merit award, click here. Please also check your School website for bursary opportunities. NRF bursaries: The National Research Foundation (NRF) offers a wide range of opportunities in terms of bursaries and fellowships to students pursuing postgraduate studies. External bursaries portal: The Bursaries South Africa website provides a comprehensive list of bursaries in South Africa.