Postgraduate Studies

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences places a strong emphasis on research and postgraduate teaching as part of its academic mission. Around one third of the Faculty’s students pursue postgraduate studies each year across its diverse programme offering. The Faculty’s postgraduate programmes are closely aligned with the research focus areas of its departments and academic staff, and student research often leads to publications in respected national and international journals.

The Faculty’s eighteen departments offer both discipline-specific and interdisciplinary programmes across three core areas: Language and Culture, Social Sciences, and Performing Arts. These programmes are designed to develop graduates who are not only knowledgeable and critical thinkers but also professionals capable of making meaningful contributions to cultural enrichment and the knowledge needs of communities in South Africa and across Africa in the 21st century.

Students benefit from a combination of conventional contact teaching and innovative use of technology, guided by a team of highly qualified supervisors and lecturers. In line with the University’s strategic policy, English is the primary medium of instruction for postgraduate study.

The Faculty’s student body is both nationally and internationally diverse, and well reflects the demographics of South Africa’s wider student population.

For more information about the Faculty’s programmes, see further information below: