Postgraduate. For more information on. Postgraduate Studies visit us at.

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1 Postgraduate Prospectus 2014 For more information on Postgraduate Studies visit us at T: +27(0)

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4 Welcome 2-3 Bloemfontein, the Heart of the Free State 4-5 Main Campus: Bloemfontein 6 Qwaqwa Campus 7 Our Distinctives 8-9 Leading Research at the UFS UFS Research facts and figures 14 Vice-Chancellor s Prestige Scholars Programme 16 Research Centres Ethics 19

5 Funding your Postgraduate Studies 19 Application Process Fees Student Accommodation Postgraduate Student Services and Support Postgraduate Programmes Important contact information 45 Glossary 45 Prospectus 2014 PostGraduate 1

6 Professor Jonathan Jansen Vice-Chancellor and Rector

7 WELCOME In a 21st century knowledge economy, a first degree is no longer enough. Postgraduate studies carry at least six key benefits. One, it strengthens your competitiveness as a graduate in a specialised job market. Two, it extends and deepens your knowledge and skills in a fast-changing global market. Three, it offers you research preparation that enhances your capacity to access, make sense of, and deploy new knowledge in a complex society. Four, it builds your confidence, capacity and credibility as a highly skilled graduate. Five, it provides real-time professional development and learning even as you reach for the degree, and six, it often provides personal satisfaction and reward especially for working students seeking to enrich their lives and pursue their dreams. The University of the Free State recently decided to make major investments in postgraduate education as the institution becomes a hub for students from all over the world who wish to advance beyond the first degree. We have increasingly attracted top professors from across the globe, who in turn attract some of the smartest postgraduate students from everywhere. We have built new laboratories and institutes that undertake advanced research in the sciences and humanities. We have setup a specialist Postgraduate School with the singular function of responding to the academic, social and material needs of Honours, Masters and Doctoral Students. We have secured stateof-the-art accommodation for postgraduate students. And the multiplication of seminars, conferences, webinars and workshops on research and scholarship has transformed the UFS into an exciting intellectual space for postgraduate students. I am excited to therefore introduce this new Prospectus which makes available in one place, online and in hardcopy, all the critical information required by a prospective postgraduate student considering studies at the University of the Free State. The Prospectus attends also to the information needs of international postgraduate students whose presence on our campus enriches both social and academic life among us. We include information for students with disabilities, another vital segment of our postgraduate student community. Since postgraduate students tend to be older adults, and some with children, we also include information for mature students including an announcement on lactation rooms for birthing mothers and childcare facilities. In other words, you will not only discover in this Prospectus information on what we offer new postgraduate students, you will also discover our values as we seek to provide a world-class education to senior students. You will accordingly see in the Prospectus that the vision of the University of the Free State rests on two pillars which we call the academic project and the human project. Through the academic project we commit to the highest standards of academic endeavour through research and teaching. In this regard, we have raised the standards for admission for all our students and raised the standards for promotion for all our academics. As a result, we attract top academics and top students in record numbers because, we believe, people wish to work and learn in a place where academic standards matter. Through the human project we commit to using our knowledge to improve the human condition. You will notice, therefore, that many of our research projects and programmes are linked to addressing complex social problems such as enhancing the nutritional value of crops or improving access to quality preschool education or alleviating eye disease in poor populations or addressing trauma in post-conflict societies. I invite you to join the more than students who every year call the University of the Free State their home. I especially invite you to become part of the small classes of postgraduate students who seek advance knowledge and skills for work placement anywhere in the world. This Prospectus offers a roadmap for how to become a successful postgraduate student at South Africa s boldest experiment in higher education, the University of the Free State. I invite you to take on this journey into postgraduate studies. Once again, welcome! Professor Jonathan Jansen (Vice-Chancellor and Rector) Prospectus 2014 PostGraduate 3

8 Bloemfontein the Heart of the Free State Bloemfontein, the home of the University of the Free State, is the sixth-largest city in South Africa and situated in the Mangaung Municipality, which covers about km 2 with approximately inhabitants. The citizens of this city are renowned for their generosity and make the Free State s capital a very special place. Bloemfontein (direct translation: flower fountain) is officially known as the Judicial Capital of South Africa, but over the years many names have been attributed to the city. The best-known name is central city, followed by the City of Roses because of the abundance of beautiful roses in the municipal and residential gardens. The natural, architectural and historical legacy of central South Africa is interwoven inside this modern, developing city. The pride of Bloemfontein is, however, its friendly and hospitable people. The citizens enjoy strong family networks. This results in a peaceful atmosphere, distinctive to the heart of the Free State. Today this vibrant city, with the caring character and tranquillity of a big town, is the economic, educational and medicalcare hub for a vast inland area of South Africa. The central location of Bloemfontein plays an important role in the transport network of our country and offers the opportunity to travel comfortably to any location. It is often said that anything in the country travels either through or past Bloemfontein. Through its connection to our University, the provincial health facilities are

9 characterised by sophisticated technologies and dedicated staff that ensure an enjoyable patient experience. High standards of excellence can be found in the Universitas Hospital which is not only a training centre but also a research base for the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State. Besides an active theatre there are many clubs, restaurants, coffee bars and other spots to hang out for students who wish to enjoy the nightlife of this city. The city s excellent highveld weather and good sports facilities are the best testimonial for sport and outdoor enthusiasts. Bloemfontein is a national centre of excellence where different sporting codes use the state-of-the art facilities of the Sport Science Institute in preparation for elite events such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the All Africa Games. Some of the facilities include a boxing academy, athletics track, Olympic-size swimming pool, astroturf hockey fields and accommodation. Many surprises await the newcomer visiting Bloemfontein, including art and music, culture and history, and all kinds of major sports. The South African War Museum, the National Museum and the Women s Memorial are prominent sites for teaching, research and memory work. For those interested in Astronomy, the new Naval Hill Planetarium and Boyden Observatory are used regularly by students and tourists alike. Bloemfontein will in fact host the first digital planetarium in Africa, a model partnership between the city, the government and the university. The annual entertainment calendar includes Macufe and the Vryfees Arts Festival, a veritable melting pot where a rich diversity of art and culture comes together. We trust that our affordable city with its fascinating mix of diversity and tradition will enchant you as a student of the University of the Free State. Prospectus 2014 PostGraduate 5

10 Campus Bloemfontein Visit our Bloemfontein Campus: University of the Free State 205 Nelson Mandela Drive Park West Bloemfontein T: +27(0) The University of the Free State The University of the Free State The University of the Free State The University of the Free State The The Bloemfontein Campus dates back to 1904, making our university one of the oldest higher education institutions in the country. The Main Building, and other buildings of historic and architectural import, portray the calm though vibrant atmosphere appropriate to an academic institution of more than 109 years of age. It is a vast campus where staff and students are encouraged to walk in order to enjoy the beautiful buildings, parks, lawns, artwork and other facilities. Every effort has been made to make the campus user- and experience-friendly including brailleguided areas for blind students, and additional ramps and elevators for students with disabilities. When on the campus, stop and rest under one of the shady trees. You will find that many of the benches represent artwork by a famous South African artist. Walk through the Thakaneng Bridge and the Student Centre where you will find everything from eating facilities to shops selling the latest academic text books. Our Bloemfontein Campus and Qwaqwa campus are immaculately maintained and provides a safe and secure environment for our more than students who study here. Through an active programme of sports, cultural and social events, our students are also given the opportunity to develop into competent and compassionate future leaders. Student accommodation is very popular and our residences are within walking distance of all facilities. Our Bloemfontein Campus is regarded as one of the most integrated campuses in South Africa with a very diverse group of students. The campus is situated in one of the main roads through Bloemfontein, Nelson Mandela Drive, and is within walking distance of shopping centres, schools and other places of interest.

11 Visit our Qwaqwa Campus: University of the Free State Kestell Road Phuthaditjaba T: +27(0) Qwaqwa Campus University of the Free State The University of the Free State The University of the Free State The University of the Free State The Uni There is little doubt that the UFS Qwaqwa Campus in the Eastern Free State is one of the most picturesque in the country, nestled as it is between the Free State sandstone mountains and the open veld. This campus, previously under the auspices of the University of the North, was built in 1980 and incorporated into our University in January The Qwaqwa Campus offers primarily undergraduate degrees and diplomas and a few specialist postgraduate programmes. The campus has about students and more than degrees and diplomas have already been awarded. Our Qwaqwa Campus therefore plays an important role in bringing higher education to the rural Eastern Free State. The Eastern Free State is synonymous with the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, the majestic Maluti Mountains, and the picturesque town of Clarens. Golden Gate gets its name from the shades of gold cast by the sun on the sandstone mountains. The park is home to a variety of animals and birds like the rare bearded vulture (lammergeyer) and bald ibis, which breed on the ledges of the sandstone cliffs. Prospectus 2014 PostGraduate 7

12 The Postgraduate School The University of the Free State s Postgraduate School was launched in May 2011 as part of the University s commitment to excellence in postgraduate education and its goal of becoming a research-led institution. The Postgraduate School represents a hub of postgraduate services intended to create a stronger identity for postgraduate students and provide a more comprehensive and user-friendly facility for senior students. This hub for postgraduate education offers research capacity building, academic writing, statistical consulting services, a postgraduate careers office, and a funding advisory desk. In sum, the goals of the Postgraduate School include the following: To enhance the quality of postgraduate student life To generate competent young researchers who are equipped for life and careers To elevate the standards of postgraduate student research To enable students to graduate on time To produce graduates committed to research that improves the human condition

13 In 2012 the Postgraduate School offered more than fifty workshops and seminars to enrich and empower postgraduate students for research. The workshops include training in the latest research software, advanced methods in qualitative and quantitative research, ethics and plagiarism, conducting literature reviews, and testing conceptual frameworks in different fields. A calendar of training events is listed on the Postgraduate website. In the light of the significance of supervisor support for research education, the School hosts campus-wide discussions on supervision. It offers face-to-face supervisor training and we are exploring the use of appropriate measures for the licensing of supervisors. A Postgraduate Student Council has been created to enable students to raise their voice and opinions in shaping what the University does in postgraduate education. The Council serves, moreover, as a forum for all postgraduate students and hosts its own programme of academic, cultural and social events. Social events allow postgraduate students to integrate with fellow scholars as well as the rest of campus life. Standing from left: Anastasie Sehlabo, Cynthia Spies, Neels Redelinghuys, Adrai Benni, Khethiwe Biyo Sitting from left: Ambrose du Plessis, Hannerie Hay, Toba Fadeyi The Postgraduate School distributes a monthly newsletter with information about social, academic, training and funding opportunities. The Postgraduate Careers Portal and International Office also disseminate important information for postgraduate students in the newsletter. If you are interested in receiving the newsletter, let us know at postgrad@ufs.ac.za. Browse our website, for updates and announcements, and contact the Director, Dr Henriëtte van den Berg on: T: +27(0) E: vdberghs@ufs.ac.za, Prospectus 2014 PostGraduate 9

14 Leading Research The University of the Free State has made major investments in postgraduate education in order to attract the best Honours, Masters and Doctoral students from all over the world to embark on research-based careers. Join some of the leading professors in the world as you pursue an advanced degree in your field. Professor Philippe Burger (PhD, University of the Free State) (Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences) Philippe Burger is Professor of Economics and President of the Economics Society of South Africa. Until recently he was Associate Editor of the South Africa Journal of Economics. In addition he is a member of the OECD Advisory Panel on Budgeting and Public Expenditure. His publications include three books on fiscal rules and fiscal sustainability, public private partnerships and macroeconomic policy. He was seconded at various times to the OECD in Paris to work on public private partnerships and capital budgeting, while in October 2011 he joined an OECD mission to Indonesia to conduct a regulatory review of Indonesia. For more information, contact Prof Burger on T: +27(0) or E: BurgerP@ufs.ac.za Professor Hasina Ebrahim (PhD, University of Kwazulu Natal) (Faculty of Education) Prof Hasina Ebrahim s research in the field of early childhood education is highly regarded across the world. She leads a large European Union research project on Early Childhood Development and has also been one of the leaders in developing the South African Birth to Four Years curriculum. Her passion in working with the young child is evident through her community involvement with pre-schools and early education, as well as through her research and scholarship on child development in developing countries. For more information, contact Prof Hasina Ebrahim on T: +27 (0) or E: EbrahimHB@ufs.ac.za

15 at the UFS Professor Vernon Louw (PhD, University of the Free State) (Faculty of Health Sciences) Vernon Louw is an Associate Professor and Head of Clinical Haematology within the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Health Sciences. His research focuses on laboratory and clinical research with emphasis on the study of haematological malignancies, transfusion medicine education, and HIV-related haematological diseases. He established online learning platforms for haematology and transfusion medicine which will benefit healthcare in Africa and the world. This is part of the Sub-Sahara Regional Expertize (SHaRE) initiative. He initiated the development of the first Anglophone Postgraduate Diploma and Masters Degree Programmes in Transfusion Medicine in Africa. For more information, contact Prof Vernon Louw on T: +27 (0) or E: Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela (PhD, University of Cape Town) (Faculty of the Humanities) Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela s work on trauma and forgiveness is recognised internationally as one of the major contributions to scholarship on the subject of forgiveness in the context of gross human rights violations. While scholars in psychology tend to focus on the cognitive dimensions of forgiveness, Prof Gobodo-Madikizela works on the emotions and interpersonal dimensions of forgiving. Prof Gobodo-Madikizela s contribution to the field of trauma and the psychology of forgiveness draws largely on her experience of serving on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). For more information, contact Prof Gobodo-Madikizela on T: +27 (0) or E: pumlagm@ufs.ac.za. Prospectus 2014 PostGraduate 11

16 Professor Helene Strauss (PhD, McGill University) (Faculty of the Humanities) Prof Helene Strauss is an expert in literary and cultural studies. She works on the critical literacies required for the formation of an engaged citizenry at the UFS and in contemporary South Africa. Prof Strauss s other research on intimacy and responsibility is set to contribute to this project through a sustained analysis of what intimate human communication might reveal about the possibilities for political agency that emerge from people s everyday lives. For more information, contact Prof Strauss on T: +27 (0) or E: strausshj@ufs.ac.za. Professor Hussein Solomon (PhD, University of South Africa) (Faculty of the Humanities) Prof Solomon conducts research on the rise of Islamist movements on the African continent and how these interplay with other deeper sources of identity such as ethnicity and clan affiliation. Much of his current work examines the rise of Boko Haram in Nigeria, Ansar Din in Mali and Al Shabab in Somalia. Prof Solomon is also Senior Research Associate of Research on Muslims in Africa (RIMA) based in Jerusalem, Israel, and is a Visiting Fellow of the Mackinder Programme for the Study of Long-Wave Events at the London School of Economics (LSE). For more information contact Prof Solomon on T:+27 (0) or E: solomonh@ufs.ac.za. Professor Jan Coetzee (DPhil, University of Pretoria) (Faculty of the Humanities) Prof Coetzee s research interests concern the sociology of developing societies and more recently the use of qualitative life histories and biographical inquiry. His award-winning books include Plain Tales from Robben Island (2000) and Fallen Walls: Voices from the Cells that Held Mandela and Havel (2002). Other publications dealt with Life on the Margin, a book on the life stories of people living in informal settlements (2003) and The Fragmentary Method in Biographical Research (2005). In 2012 he launched a new Masters Degree on The Narrative Study of Lives. For more information, contact Prof Coetzee on T: +27 (0) or E: CoetzeeJK@ufs.ac.za.

17 Professor Lodewyk Kock (PhD, Rhodes University) (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences) Prof Lodewyk Kock s world class nano research discovered that cells consist of a maze of small tunnels or blisters which are the lungs of the cells. This new nanotechnology for biology can assist in the study and development of nanomedicine that can be used in the treatment of cancer and other life threatening diseases. Nanomedicine uses nanometal participles that are up to one billionth of a metre in size. With the new nanotechnology capacity of the UFS, it is possible to do nanosurgery by slicing the cells in nanometre thin slices while studying the processes of nanomedicine. For more information, contact Prof Kock on T: +27(0) or E: kockjl@ufs.ac.za Professor Esta van Heerden (PhD, University of the Free State) (Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences) Two decades ago, single cell organisms were detected extending more than three kilometres into the Earth s crust in ancient water captured through geological time scales and comprising a significant fraction of the global biosphere. Prof Esta van Heerden and her research team, described the first multicellular organism (nematode), discovered at these great depths. The biogeography of subsurface microorganisms in the fractured rock of the continental crust is controlled by the interconnected, fluid-filled fractures that create a habitable matrix. The genome sequence is being assessed and assembled in collaboration with Princeton University. For more information, contact Prof Esta van Heerden on T: +27 (0) or E: vheerde@ufs.ac.za. Professor Johan Henning (LLD, University of the Free State) (Faculty of Law) Prof Johan Henning is a distinguished professor of mercantile law and an eminent and internationally recognised scholar and researcher in the fields of specifically company law, law of partnership and close corporations law. He was a director of the Centre of Comparative Company and Partnership Law of the University of London and a member of the SA Standing Advisory Committee on Company Law for more than two decades. He is also lecturer and researcher at various institutions abroad, for example, the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (United Kingdom) and BPP University School of Law, London and the University of Cambridge. He recently received the National Research Foundation s highest rating among scholars in the field of Mercantile Law in South Africa. For more information, contact Prof Johan Henning on T: +27 (0) or E: henningj@ufs.ac.za. Prospectus 2014 PostGraduate 13

18 Professor Jan Albert van den Berg (PhD, University of the Free State) (Faculty of Theology) Prof Jan Albert van den Berg has specialised in the field of narrative pastoral family therapy. After starting research in the field of futures studies, his focus is currently on tracing and describing authentic Christian expressions in the evolving mobile virtual world. It is envisaged that this practical theological research would generate insights into new and more relevant descriptions of lived religion. For more information, contact Prof Jan Albert van den Berg on T: +27 (0) or E: UFS Research Facts and Figures >25 Scholars in the Vice-Chancellor s Prestige Scholars Programme 50.4% Growth in research outputs (Masters) ( ) 39% Growth in research outputs (Doctoral) ( ) 21% Rated Researchers as % of permanent academic staff (PAS) >R50 million Funding for School Change Research and Development 555 Research outputs in accredited journals 555 Staff with PhD Masters students in Doctoral students in 2012

19 Professor Andre Keet (PhD, University of Pretoria) (Director of the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice) Prof Andre Keet is a world expert on human rights education and does extensive research on concepts of race, identity, culture and democracy in higher education. He uses his skills in concept analysis and, in particular, the philosophy of education and society to construct and question the links between reconciliation, social justice, democracy and human rights. As Director of the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice, Prof Keet regularly brings together leading scholars and practitioners of reconciliation studies, including victims and perpetrators of violent events, to pursue the meanings of social justice in human but also academic terms. Under the leadership of the Institute, a Masters Degree in Reconciliation and Social Justice will be offered from For more information, contact Prof Andre Keet on T: +27 (0) or E: keeta@ufs.ac.za Prospectus 2014 PostGraduate 15

20 VICE-CHANCELLOR S PRESTIGE SCHOLARS PROGRAMME The Vice-Chancellor s Prestige Scholars Programme accelerates the pathway to professorship for young academics with recent PhDs. Through intensive research support and academic training the programme focuses on the next generation of top researchers. This fast-tracking of the next generation of professors involves an intense mentorship programme at the UFS and an international placement with a leading scholar in a leading international university. This prestigious cross-disciplinary programme for the next generation of UFS professors in the last two years produced Fulbright scholars; NRF-rated young scholars; and recipients of NRF Blue Sky research grants and Thuthuka scholarships. Scholars on the programme have created partnerships with leading universities in Japan, Europe, the UK and the USA. Within the South African academy, the PSP is a novel approach to the advancement of scholarship and the development of future professors. The PSP positions the University of the Free State as an innovator among research universities in the country. For more information, contact: Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector Research on T: +27 (0) E: WitthuhnRC@ufs.ac.za or Prof Jackie du Toit on T: +27 (0) E: DuToitJS@ufs.ac.za or Prof Neil Roos on T: +27 (0) E: RoosND@ufs.ac.za. THE GENERATION OF YOUNG RESEARCHERS Farzana Samuel Jurie Swart Sibusiso Tshabalala DW Bester Named by the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) as the top student in Quantity Surveying for 2012 Nominated for the Archiprix International Award covering the World`s Best Graduation Projects 2013 Chosen as one of the Top 10 Google Young Minds for 2012 Awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Currently doing a D.Phil. at Oxford University, United Kingdom

21 RESEARCH CENTRES The UFS Research strategy has as its primary goal the cultivation of highly capable researchers who are able to compete at the cutting edge of global scholarship while at the same time addressing the challenges of national, regional and continental development. The move towards applied scholarship and knowledge that transcends the horizons and methodologies of traditional scholarly disciplines is most clearly manifested in the importance attached to five strategic academic clusters. Each cluster has a central theme around which it organises a critical mass of researchers working in associated focus areas. These clusters recognise institutional expertise and mobilise resources which provide platforms for interdisciplinary research, the training of postgraduate students, and community engagement. The clusters have an outward-oriented focus and seek alliances with other universities, funding agencies, government departments, non-government agencies and the private sector. The strategic academic clusters are as follows: Materials and Nanosciences: Headed by Professor Andre Roodt, this cluster focuses on the fascinating nanoworld of chemical and physical processes. Focus areas in this cluster are: Nano Solid-state materials (green) Petrochemicals Polymers Contact Prof Andre Roodt on T: +27 (0) or E: RoodtA@ufs.ac.za Advanced Biomolecular Research: Headed by Professor Hugh Patterton, the aim of this cluster is to foster cutting-edge research in its focus areas of: High throughput biology Bioinformatics Novel drug discovery Advanced cloning systems Contact Prof Hugh Patterton on T: +27 (0) E: patterh@ufs.ac.za Prospectus 2014 PostGraduate 17

22 Water Management in water-scarce areas: Headed by Prof Maitland Seaman, the Water Management cluster builds on our existing strengths in water-related research to position the University as a magnet for research and teaching this field. Its focus areas include: Management of Aquatic Ecosystems in water-scarce areas Climate change and variability in water-scarce areas Optimal water use in water-scarce areas Contact Prof Maitland Seaman on T:+27 (0) E: SeamanMT@ufs.ac.za New Frontiers in Sustainable Development and Poverty Alleviation: Headed by Professor Doreen Atkinson, this cluster promotes partnerships across disciplines and sectors, and between university, government, civil society and business to advance understanding around issues of poverty, unemployment, ill health and social deprivation. Its focus areas are: Community resilience Regional and local economic development Sustainable human settlements T:+27 (0) E: karoo@intekom.co.za Technologies for sustainable crop industries in semi-arid regions: Headed by Professor Wijnand Swart, this cluster investigates socio-economic, environmental and agro-ecological factors that impact on food supply chains. The goal is to devise sustainable crop production systems for semi-arid regions or drylands. The cluster focus areas are: Production technologies for managing crop environments Genetic technologies for managing crop improvement Technologies for improving crop product quality and valueadding. Contact Prof Wijnand Swart on T:+27 (0) E: swartwj@ufs.ac.za See the website for more detail on interdisciplinary research at