Admission requirements for Doctoral of Business Leadership qualification: Graduate School of Business Leadership (2015)

Transcription

1 Admission requirements for Doctoral of Business Leadership qualification: Graduate School of Business Leadership (2015) 1

2 Admission requirements for Doctoral of Business Leadership qualification: Graduate School of Business Leadership (2015) 1. Introduction Following Senate s decisions of 13 March 2013 on selection criteria for Master s and Doctoral Degrees, this document provides the selection criteria applicable to the Doctoral in Business Leadership (DBL) qualification offered by Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL). These selection criteria consist of: the entrance requirements for students in the Graduate School of Business Leadership (in order to ensure that the quality of incoming students is as such that they have an optimal chance of completing their qualifications) the capacity of the School to provide postgraduate supervision in specific areas of research specialisation. 2. The philosophy underlying the selection criteria The SBL recognizes that the opportunity to increase the rate of student through-put in DBL studies begins with the selection and admission process. Recruiting talented candidates from diverse background with the potential to succeed requires a process that will attract those that are likely to thrive within the business school culture. A fit or match between the potential candidate s research interest and supervisors expertise is also a key requirement. The selection criteria for DBL candidates are thus founded on the following two pillars: 1. A transparent, fair, realistic and academically well-founded admission procedure 2. Creating a good fit between DBL candidate s research interest and the supervisor s expertise In line with UNISA practice, the SBL is convinced that the number of Doctoral registrations should be informed by the availability of suitable supervisors to ensure that available supervisory capacity is not exceeded. This will maintain supervisor/student ratios that would be conducive to high-quality results. Currently, SBL implements various interventions to improve internal capacity for supervision in order to plan for growth. In addition, SBL has embarked on a process to identify what the school has to offer in terms of high level research expertise and supervision capacity. The focus in SBL is to increase the number of DBL registrations in key research areas in line with current research flagship projects as well as supervisors areas of specialisation. This process: assists the matching between prospective DBL candidates and its own capacity, prior to admitting a candidate suggests future prospects, if applicable, for candidates who are not accommodated or are not admitted 2

3 3. Proposed selection criteria for Doctoral studies in SBL The DBL programme has been structured to guide and support selected students to make a significant contribution to business and leadership studies. The DBL takes 2 6 years to complete. In the first year, the DBL candidates have to attend the compulsory Research Design module. The outcome of the research module is an approved research proposal. After the research module has been approved, candidates are officially registered for the thesis. The admission criteria for the Doctoral programme in SBL are informed by section 37 of the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997 (as amended), which states the following: 37. Admission to public higher education institutions (1) Subject to this Act, the council of a public higher education institution, after consulting the senate of the public higher education institution, determines the admission policy of the public higher education institution. (2) The council must publish the admission policy and make it available on request. (3) The admission policy of a public higher education institution must provide appropriate measures for the redress of past inequalities and may not unfairly discriminate in any way. (4) Subject to this Act, the council may, with the approval of the senate (a) determine entrance requirements in respect of particular higher education programmes; (b) determine the number of students who may be admitted for a particular higher education programme and the manner of their selection; (c) determine the minimum requirements for re-admission to study at the public higher education institution concerned; and (d) refuse re-admission to a student who fails to satisfy such minimum requirements for re-admission. The SBL acknowledges the importance of the italicised phrase in subsection (3) above and will consequently adopt a very flexible approach regarding admission to doctoral studies. Responsible, feasible, flexible and transparent selection criteria will promote proper and effective management of postgraduate students in the Graduate School of Business Leadership and for this reason, the selection criteria identified by the SBL aim to foster inclusivity instead of being too prescriptive and exclusionary. The current approved admission criteria for the DBL degree are: A student: Must hold a three-year Bachelor's degree with 360 SAQA credits and an MBL or MBA, or equivalent degree from an approved tertiary institution which is above 60% for the master's degree. Relevant working experience will be an added advantage; Must submit a personal letter providing reasons for wishing to enroll for the DBL; Could be requested by the Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL) to pass one or more departmental examinations or to complete additional MBL or MBA modules if deemed necessary; Will be selected based on his/her academic performance; Must submit a proposal on the topic he/she intends to research. Admission will be granted based on the outcome of the evaluation of the proposal; Has to apply for admission using the DBL application form available in this brochure or visit the SBL website: 3

4 A clear photocopy of the form can be used. The application form must be completed, signed and accompanied by the required documents as set out in section 24 A-H of the application form. All correspondence will be done via . Please ensure that all details are correctly recorded on the application form. In order to introduce a transparent, fair, realistic and academically well-founded admission procedure and assist the matching between prospective DBL candidates and its own capacity, the current admission criteria is proposed to be altered. Requirements listed below provide potential candidates with clear assessment criteria and admission instructions. Proposed admission criteria for the DBL degree: A student: Must hold a three-year Bachelor's degree with 360 SAQA credits and an MBL or MBA, or equivalent degree from an approved tertiary institution. Relevant working experience will be an added advantage; Could be requested by the Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL) to pass one or more departmental examinations or to complete additional MBL or MBA modules if deemed necessary; Must submit a five page expression of interest essay (in line with the requirements listed below), original certified copies of academic records as well as a Curriculum Vitae; Has to apply for admission using the DBL application form available in this brochure or visit the SBL website: o A clear photocopy of the form can be used. The application form must be completed, signed and accompanied by the required documents as set out in section 24 A-H of the application form. All correspondence will be done via . Please ensure that all details are correctly recorded on the application form. Prospective DBL candidates will be considered for admission to the respective research focus areas in the in the School. The selection of candidates for Doctoral studies will be done through the assessment of a five page expression of interest essay (maximum of 2500 words) describing the following: 1. Topic 2. Short literature review 3. Potential contribution of the study 4. Potential unit of analysis 5. Access to the research context 6. Personal motivation to pursue studies on this topic 7. List of references (using the Harvard referencing method) The following criteria will be applied equally to assess the expression of interest essay: a) Academic merit: Quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour and impacts in terms of their reach and significance. b) Evidence of higher order thinking: The candidate s skills and abilities in analysing, synthesising, applying, and evaluating information. 4

5 c) Writing skills: The extent to which the essay conveys coherent and well-developed arguments that are supported with relevant, detailed and convincing evidence; the logical sequence of paragraphs with content-based transitions; the use of appropriate diction and tone, constructively varied sentence structures, and the use of correct grammar, punctuation, spelling and syntax. d) Academic and professional experience: Strengths and relevance relative to the candidate s opportunities (impact). Short-listed candidates will be required to meet with potential supervisors and present their expression of interest in person or via an electronic medium such as SKYPE. Successful candidates will be informed in writing that they may register for the DBL research methodology module. The names of unsuccessful candidates and the reasons for their rejection will be submitted to the SBL Quality Assurance and Planning Committee for validation. Applicants have the right to appeal to the College Executive Management if admission is refused. Reasons for such refusal must be furnished to the applicant. The following possible alternative opportunities exist for applicants who do not meet the generic admission requirements for SBL: a) Applicants with degrees that have different structures from normal South African MBL/MBA degrees, applicants whose degrees do not clearly correspond to generic SBL admission requirements (e.g. no mark awarded for previous dissertations, no clear evidence of having completed a research-related module as part of the previous qualification, etc.), or applicants who do not meet generic admission requirements but who have applicable experience in research that may qualify them for admissions to a DBL degree will be required to apply for recognition of prior learning (RPL). Prior academic and research activity by the applicant will be evaluated in accordance with formal Unisa RPL procedures and the outcome of the RPL process will be submitted to and approved by the SBL Executive Committee. If the approved outcome of the RPL process is positive, the applicant will be allowed to proceed with an application for admission, subject to all terms and conditions governing the admissions process. b) Students who have been refused admission because of limited capacity within the academic department where the application was made may reapply in subsequent years. c) In instances where a student has a weak academic record a submission may be made to the department to allow such a student admission. Students must provide a written motivation of no more than three pages requesting admission to the department. The department will consider the application, taking into account: the relevant experience, work or otherwise of the student alternative options for access into the programme any other factor deemed necessary by the department Students are encouraged to pursue their research in the listed focus areas below. However, all applications will be considered but are subjected to the availability of suitable supervisors. 5

6 GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS LEADERSHIP: FOCUS AREAS AND SUPERVISION CAPACITY Focus Area Supervision Team Capacity Agricultural Businesses and Resources Management Prof Cyril Mbatha Prof Douglas Boateng 5 Agricultural Businesses and Resources Management.pdf Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Prof Angelo Nicolaides 4 Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility.pdf Contemporary leadership research Contemporary leadership research.pdf Corporate Governance, Citizenship and Social Responsibility Prof Anton Grobler 14 Prof Renier Steyn Prof A Nicolaides Prof Peliwe Mnguni Dr Allan Feldman Dr Sanchen Henning Prof Sasha Monyamane 4 Corporate Governance, Citizenship and Social Responsibility.pdf Development Economics Prof Phillip Serumaga-Zake 8 Development Economics.pdf Development of Information, Communication and Technology Prof V Naicker Prof JA van der Poll 10 6

7 Development of Information, Communication and Technology.pdf Environmental Costing and Management Prof Breggie van der Poll Prof JA (André) van der Poll 5 Environmental Costing and Management.pdf HR as strategic function and enabler for organizational performance Prof Anton Grobler Prof Renier Steyn 4 HR as strategic function and enabler for organisational performance.pdf Human Capital and Skills Development for Business Growth and the Labour Market Prof Cyril Mbatha 5 Human Capital and Skills Development for Business Growth and the Labour Market.pdf International trade in goods/services/finance - Regional trade integration Prof Cyril Mbatha Prof Bart Smit Prof JW Kruger 10 International trade and regional integration.pdf Investment Modeling Prof JW Kruger 10 Investment Modeling.pdf Law in the Workplace Prof Stella Vettori 5 Law in the workplace.pdf Management Education in Emerging Markets Prof Neha Purushottam Prof PD Rwelamila 7 4

8 Management education in emerging markets.pdf Managing software development projects Prof JA (André ) van der Poll Prof JW Kruger 15 Managing Software Development Projects.pdf Marketing and strategy related issues and applications of project management Prof Neha Purushottam Prof PD Rwelamila 4 Marketing and strategy related issues and applications of project management.pdf Organisational Behaviour and Leadership Organisational behaviour, dynamics and ethics in the workplace.pdf Practices and Processes in Strategy and Marketing Practices and Processes in Strategy and Marketing.pdf Project Management Prof Angelo Nicolaides Prof Anton Grobler Prof Renier Steyn Prof Peliwe Mnguni Dr Allan Feldman Dr Sanchen Henning Prof Peet Venter Prof Mari Jansen van Rensburg Prof Bart Smit Prof PD Rwelamila Prof Roy Ramphal Project Management.pdf Public Private Partnerships Prof PD Rwelamila 10 Public Private Partnerships.pdf Quality and Operations Management Prof Roy Ramphal 5 8

9 Quality and Operations Management.pdf Sustainability and Management Sustainability and Management.pdf The Strategic Perspective on Relationships: Interpersonal and Commercial Prof Neha Purushottam 10 Prof PD Rwelamila Ozias Ncube Prof Sasha Monyamane Prof Peliwe Mnguni Dr Francois du Toit 6 The strategic perspective on relations interpersonal and commercial.pdf 9