MEd (Education Policy Studies)
The Master of Education in Education Policy Studies by coursework, aims to assist you as an educator to:
• develop your critical understanding of education policy in the context of democratic transformation;
• challenge you to analyse, reflect on and question educational theories, policies and practices;
• enhance your skills and leadership to enact change; and
• encourage you to explore creative responses to diversity.
A secondary aim is to equip you with the necessary research skills to undertake further advanced studies at doctoral level and to do research on Education Policy Studies. These aims include the competence to function as researchers of educational policy in professional contexts.
The themes that are explored include:
• Democratic praxis and educational transformation, including policy developments within the South African political context
• Values in education, including equality, liberty, diversity, justice, shared compromise, practical reasoning and community
• Globalisation, internationalisation and free market ideology
• Centralisation/decentralisation dynamics
• International comparative studies on learner achievement and school effectiveness
• The learning institution and the nurturing of quality within instructional change
• Developing supportive processes, systems (organisation building) and funding
Contact information
Programme overview
More information
When applying
Please note that selection for postgraduate programmes is highly competitive. Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the programme.
Minimum admission requirements
To be admitted to the MEd programme, you must:
• have a BEdHons degree from this University, or another four-year bachelor’s degree in Education approved for this purpose by Senate;
or
• have obtained an honours degree at level 8 approved for this purpose by Senate, and an approved education diploma/certificate (additional studies in Education may be required of you);
or
have obtained a pass in another combination of studies both academic and professional, deemed appropriate by Senate for the purpose of joining the intended programme, including the combination of a four-year professional degree that has no Education component and an education diploma/certificate (supplementary study in Education will be required of you);
or
• in some manner have attained in your particular field of study a standard of competence deemed adequate by Senate (supplementary studies in Education will be required of you).
Conditions for admission
You will be considered for admission based on your above qualification on the following two conditions:
• You must have obtained an overall average of 60% in your BEdHons or equivalent study
• The relevant department must have the capacity to offer the programme.
Research methodology at honours level
• For the structured MEd programmes, you must preferably have passed a module in research methodology at honours level.
Supporting application documents
Departmental form
Download and fill in the following departmental form, and submit with your application:
https://files.su.ac.za/public/postgraduate-studies/documents/2026-03/de…
Document placeholder name on application portal:
Departmental form
Programme structure
You must:
o complete a programme of advanced study as prescribed by the particular department;
o pass an examination of written question papers; and
o submit a thesis which furnishes proof of competence in research.
• In certain fields of study, a practical examination may also be required.
The thesis may be replaced by a research component in the form of a portfolio of assignments, case studies, etc. Each of these portfolio pieces must comply in scope and content with the minimum requirements conventionally set for scientific articles.
All structured MEd programmes make provision for one or more of the following options (at the department’s discretion):
• A thesis plus a structured component.
The thesis:
o is normally between 20 000 and 30 000 words long,
o presents a substantiated argument based on research of limited scope, and
o contributes 50% of the final mark.
The structured component:
o includes written and/or oral examinations
o contributes 50% of the final mark.
• A research portfolio instead of a thesis.
The research portfolio:
o is made up of assignments and/or case studies and/or research projects and
o counts 50% of the final mark.
Each of the portfolio pieces must comply in scope and contents with the requirements
conventionally set for scientific articles.
• A research portfolio and a larger taught component.
The research component:
o is made up of projects and/or case studies and/or research
o counts 34% of the final mark
Each of the portfolio pieces must comply in scope and contents with the requirements conventionally set for scientific articles.
The structured component:
o includes written examinations
o constitutes 66% of the final mark