PhD (Education Management)

To be admitted to the PhD programme, you must:

• have a master’s degree from this University (for which you obtained at least 60%),
or
• have another master’s degree that Senate has approved for such purpose (for which you obtained at
least 60%),
or
• have in some other manner attained a standard of competence in a particular field of study deemed
adequate for such purpose by Senate.

Application procedure

If you wish to register for the PhD, you must formally apply to SU. Only then will you be able to call on services or receive guidance in preparing a research proposal.

Selection process

Please note that application and registration are two separate processes. Your research proposal will be used to determine whether or not you may register to be admitted.

The relevant postgraduate committee will evaluate your research proposal and then recommend to the Faculty Board whether or not you may register for admission. Your research proposal may therefore be accepted or rejected. If it is rejected, you will not be admitted to the programme. Normally it may not take more than one year to vet a proposal. If a proposal is considered for more than a year, the departmental chair will have to make a special case.

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

49255-978 (360) Education Management

You have two options:

PhD by thesis and PhD by publication.
• A PhD by thesis (monograph) typically contains separate chapters that form a coherent whole. The length is approximately 70 000 – 90 000 words.
• A PhD by publication should contain at least three publishable articles/book chapters or peerreviewed conference proceedings with bookend chapters to contextualize the study and provide detailed information about methodology and theoretical framework(s).

The length depends upon allowed word count for different publication types. Included chapters (except for the bookend chapters) are suitable for publication, have been submitted for publication, or have already been published as published conference proceedings, journal articles, and/or book chapters. The authorship of each article needs to be clearly indicated in accordance with the regulations of Part 1 of the Yearbook (General Rules).

For more information regarding the format and processes to be followed, please see the Faculty Guide for Postgraduate Studies.

Assessment and examination

The statutory requirements and other provisions relating to doctoral degrees in Part 1 (General Rules) of the University Yearbook also apply to this degree.

The Faculty of Education will confer the degree if:

a) you have the master’s degree mentioned under "Admission requirements" above and
b) your PhD research project was approved by Senate.
c) since the above approval, you have conducted original research:
• under the supervision of a supervisor,
• for a period of at least two years, and
• to the satisfaction of the University.
d) have completed any other subjects that may have been required by Senate to the satisfaction of the University.
e) have submitted a dissertation which:
• represents an original conceptual and/or methodological contribution in your chosen field of study
• to the satisfaction of Senate shows that you have made a distinct contribution to enrich the knowledge in this specific field of study.

Also note:

• The dissertation is normally between 70 000 and 90 000 words in length.
• The dissertation should be of sufficient quality to be published as an article in a suitable professional journal or as a book.
f) have undergone an oral examination to the satisfaction of the University. In special cases exemption from such examination may be granted if approved by Senate.