Unisa - Department of Public Administration and Management Research focus area for 2015: administrative justice and ethics Discipline Supervision team Name Dirk J Brynard E-mail: brynadj@unisa.ac.za Public Administration Proff DJ. Brynard & M van Heerden Capacity: Up to 3 master s students and 1 doctoral student Academic profile Capacity Dirk J Brynard is a Professor of Public Administration. He Up to 2 obtained the Bachelor of Arts degree (in Political master s Sciences) at the University of Pretoria with Public students Administration and Politics as majors in 1979. In 1980 and Up to 1 1982 he obtained the Bachelor of Arts Honours and the doctoral Master of Arts degrees (both in Public Administration) student respectively at the same University. Name Mike van Heerden E-mail: vheerm@unisa.ac.za He furthered his studies at the University of South Africa, obtaining the Doctor of Literature and Philosophy degree (in Public Administration) in 1987, a Bachelor of Law degree (BIur) in 1996, a Baccalaureus Procurationis degree (B.Proc) in 1998, a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) in 2000 and a Master of Laws degree with specialisation in labour Law (LLM) in 2002. He started his career in 1975 as a public servant. He joined the University of South Africa as a lecturer in 1982. Professor Brynard has published numerous contributions in national and international journals on topics mostly related to administrative justice. He is the co-author of INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH 3rd Edition, Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers, 2014. He has made numerous presentations at national and international conferences. His fields of specialisation are administrative justice and the ombudsman concept. He is currently engaged in research on the effect of administrative justice on public administration. Academic Profile Mike van Heerden is a Professor of Public Administration. He holds qualifications in law and public administration, namely the following: Diploma in Law - Free State University Baccalaureus Iuris - University of South Africa Honours-Baccalaureus Artium - University of South Africa Magister Artium - University of South Africa D Litt et Phil - University of South Africa. Prof Van Heerden was employed as a civil servant from January 1972 until August 1996 and served in various government departments. He joined the University of South Africa in 1996 where he was involved with the Unisa Tutorial Support Programme. In January 2006 he entered the Unisa academic field as a lecturer in the Department of Public Administration. Besides experience in public sector organisational management and administration, Professor Van Heerden Capacity Up to 2 master s students Up to 1 doctoral student
has extensive experience in drafting new and amending legislation. He has published several contributions in national and international journals on topics mostly related to ethics, constitutional matters and administrative justice. He has made several presentations at national and international conferences. His fields of specialisation are ethics, constitutional matters and administrative justice. He is currently engaged in research on aspects relating to the regulation of ethical conduct and the influence of amendments to the 1996 Constitution. Model of Supervision Selection Criteria: MAdmin (Public administration), MPA, DAdmin (Public administration), DLitt et Phil (Public administration), DPA and DCom (Public administration) Selection Procedure Candidates will be allocated to a supervisor, but will be required to work independently within the requirements of higher degree studies. In addition, students will be expected to present their work at topic-specific colloquia. Colloquia will be scheduled for: 1. Research proposal 2. Literature review 3. Methodology 4. Findings Students working in this track will also have the opportunity to attend the colloquia of their peers. In addition to the admission criteria on the Unisa website, potential students are required to prepare a five-page expression of interest essay 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 in this topic 7. List of references (use Harvard referencing method) 1. Apply for a student number follow the steps outlined in http://www.unisa.ac.za/default.asp?cmd=viewcontent&contentid=2 6708 2. Apply for a space in the strategy-as-practice research focus area using the online application process. 3. Once acceptance in the research focus area has been confirmed, you may register for your studies. Selection of candidates will be in line with Section 37 of the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997 to provide appropriate measures for the redress of past inequalities and to provide clear assessment criteria to avoid any unfair discrimination. Applicants will also receive feedback on their submissions to empower unsuccessful candidates to improve future readmission submissions. The following criteria will be applied 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, synthesizing, applying, and evaluating information. c) Academic writing skills: The extent to which the essay convey coherent and well-developed arguments that are supported with relevant, detailed and convincing evidence; the logically sequence of paragraphs with content-based transitions; the use
of appropriate diction and tone and constructively vary 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). Possible Alternative Opportunities for Unsuccessful Candidates The names of unsuccessful candidates and the reasons for their rejection will be submitted to the College Executive 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 CEMS: (1) Applicants with degrees that have different structures from normal South African honours degrees, applicant s whose degrees do not clearly correspond to generic CEMS admissions 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 admissions requirements but who possess applicable experience in research that may qualify them for admissions to a master s 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 College 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. (2) Students who have been refused admission because of limited capacity within the academic department where the application was made may reapply in subsequent years. (3) In instances where a student does not have an average of 60% or more a submission may be made to the Department to allow such a student admission. Students must provide a written motivation of not more 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 Documents to Support Application Research Agenda One-page abbreviated CV, including: Academic qualifications Work experience Contact details Expression of interest (see selection criteria) Administrative justice and ethics is a narrow and very distinct research field. The focus area has two areas of concern, namely the study of administrative justice in public administration and the study of ethics in public administration. The study of administrative justice in public administration deals with the demands made by administrative justice on public institutions and on public officials as individuals. Here the importance of administrative justice, as a determining factor in administrative action and decisionmaking as well as the exercise of administrative discretion, is driven
home. The purpose of the focus area is to stimulate thinking and research on matters of administrative justice and public administration issues that have implications for justice. This is an opportunity to embark on comprehensive research of administrative justice in all its fascinating facets. Consequently, research proposals related to the principles of administrative justice namely lawfulness, reasonableness, procedural fairness and the duty to provide reasons for administrative action in public administration will be welcomed in this focus area. The study of ethics in public administration brings the question of an integrated concept of ethics to the fore. As role players exercising public administration, public officials and public office bearers, need to master the theory, methodology and laws relating to this practice in order to function within the boundaries in which government action can take place. Public officials have a professional responsibility towards society to provide the highest level of service at all times. The purpose of the focus area is to stimulate thinking and research on matters of whether public administration, as exercised by public officials, adheres to traditional values of democracy such as responsibility and accountability as stated in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, and whether public officials are aware of their actions being ethically correct and permissible. Consequently, research proposals related to the principles of democracy such as responsibility and accountability in public administration will be welcomed in this focus area. Reading: Subject Field Brynard, DJ. Reasons for administrative action: what are the implications for public officials? Journal of Public Administration. 44(3.1), October 2009, Brynard, DJ. The duty to act fairly: a flexible approach to procedural fairness in public administration Administratio Publica. 18(4), November 2010, Brynard, DJ. Procedural fairness to the public as an instrument to enhance public participation in public administration Administratio Publica. 19(4), December 2011, Brynard, DJ. Justifying administrative action for reasonableness: a quest for accountable public administration Administratio Publica. 21(1), March 2013 Brynard, DJ. The right to lawful administrative action: a public administration perspective African Journal of Public Affairs. 6(1), March 2013. Burns, Y. and Beukes, M. 2006. Administrative law under the 1996 Constitution. 3rd edition. Durban:LexisNexis. Corder, H & van der Vijver, L. 2002. Realising administrative justice. Claremont: Siber Ink. Currie I & De Waal, J. 2001. The promotion of administrative justice Act benchbook. Claremont: Siber Ink. Currie, I & De Waal, J. 2005. The Bill of Rights Handbook. 5 th edition. Wetton: Juta. Hoexter, C. 2012. Administrative law in South Africa. 2nd edition, Claremont: Juta. Lange, C & Wessels, J. 2004. The right to know. Cape Town: Siber Ink. Van Heerden, M. The 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa: Ultimately supreme without a number. Politeia. 26(1), 2007. Van Heerden, M. The Constitutional obligation on government to perform public administration efficiently and effectively. Politeia. 28(1), 2009. Van Heerden, M. "Promotion of Administrative Justice Act 2000: Three types of administrative actions." Journal of Public
Reading: Research Methodology Administration. 44(1.1), 2009. Van Heerden, M. "Parole board administrative action: an encroachment on the judicial decisions of the courts of law of South Africa. Acta Criminologica. 24(2), 2011. Van Heerden, M and S. Steyn. Mechanisms to Improve Accountability in the Public Sector. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. 3(12), November 2012. Brynard, DJ, Hanekom, SX & Brynard, PA. 2014. Introduction to research. 3 rd edition. Pretoria: Van Schaik. Mouton, J. 2001. How to succeed in your master s and doctoral studies: a South African guide book and resource book. Pretoria: Van Schaik.