Master’s Programme

Admission Requirements

Persons shall be eligible to be admitted to study for the degree of Master programme (120 credits) if they have obtained an appropriate Postgraduate Diploma from USP worth at least 60 credits with a GPA of at least 3.0.

Master’s by Thesis /Coursework

Persons shall be eligible to be admitted to study for the degree of Master by Thesis/ Coursework (120 credits) if they have:

1. A Bachelor’s Degree from USP with a GPA of at least 4.0 in the courses in an appropriate major(s) at the 200- and 300- levels. They may then bypass the Postgraduate Diploma (at the assessment of the DHoS) and proceed to complete the Master’s programme by
   thesis. The candidate may be required to complete Postgraduate course(s) as specified for admission to the Master’s programme.
2. Obtained an appropriate Postgraduate Diploma from USP worth at least 60 credits with a GPA of at least 3.0.
3. A student who has obtained a GPA of 4.5 after attaining at least 30 credits in a Postgraduate Diploma programme may be admitted to the Master’s Degree programme provided one of the courses is Research Methods.
4. Obtained from another tertiary institution a qualification deemed by the relevant Academic Unit Research Committee to be equivalent to a USP Bachelor’s Degree worth at least 180 credits with a GPA of at least 4.0 in the 200 and 300 level courses of the relevant discipline.

Responsibilities of Master’s Students

1. After enrolment, every student of Master’s by Thesis shall be required to:

• • register every semester until the thesis has been submitted for examination;
  • be enrolled for a period of candidature prescribed in clause 7.1.1(c)
  • Submit a thesis embodying the results of the research and satisfying any requirements for oral, written, practical or other work that may be required by Senate or its delegate.

2. Students enrolled for a thesis shall submit to the relevant Academic Unit Research Committee at the end of every 6 months a report on their progress during the semester just ended. The report shall include a brief plan agreed to by the supervisor and student for remaining work.

Candidature

Students may be allowed during their candidature to suspend their studies for up to six months (being one semester) on application showing sufficient cause to the Chair of the Academic Unit Research Committee through their supervisor. Any appeal arising should be pursued through the Student Grievance Policy. A student suspending his/ her studies without prior approval will be considered to have withdrawn from the programme.

A student who has been granted suspended candidature and does not resume in the following semester will be considered to have withdrawn from the programme

The normal period of candidature for the degree of Master shall be 120 credit points (two years full-time or four year part-time study) or Postgraduate Diploma (60 credit points) plus thesis (60 credit points).

The minimum period of candidature for the degree of Master shall be one year full- time study and shall be two years part-time study.

The maximum period of candidature for the degree of Master shall be three years full-time study and six years part-time study.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Admission Requirements

1. Any person who has been awarded a degree of Master’s by Thesis by a Senate-recognised university shall be eligible to apply for admission as a student of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and, if the application is approved, to be so registered.
2. An applicant having a Master’s by Coursework shall be required to complete a Directed Research Project as a prerequisite for admission to
   PhD

Responsibilities of PhD Students

After enrolment, every student of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be required to:

1. register each semester until the thesis has been submitted for examination;
2. pursue courses of advanced study or research at the University to the satisfaction of Senate or its delegate and the Principal Supervisor;
3. be enrolled for the period of candidature;
4. The Chair of the Academic Unit Research Committee may permit a student to pursue studies at another institution for such period as may be determined:
5. have at least one (joint) ranked publication (journal or conference proceeding paper) accepted during his or her candidature.
6.  submit a thesis embodying the results of the research to satisfy any requirement for oral, written, practical or other work that may be required by Senate or the relevant Academic Unit Research Committee.

Students enrolled for thesis shall submit to the relevant Academic Unit Research Committee every 6 months a report on their progress per semester just ended. The report shall include a brief plan agreed to by the supervisor and student for remaining work.

Candidature

• Tenure of candidature for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be from the date of registration and shall not include any period during which, with the prior approval of Senate or its delegate, students have been allowed to suspend their studies.
• Students may be allowed during their candidature to suspend their studies for up to 12 months in total (being two semesters, which need not be consecutive) on application showing sufficient cause to the Chair of the Academic Unit Research Committee through their supervisor. Any appeal arising should pursued through the Student Grievance Policy. A student suspending his/her studies without prior approval will be considered to have withdrawn from the programme.
• A candidate who, having suspended candidature with approval as provided for in clause 8.1(c)(ii), does not resume in the following semester will be considered to have withdrawn from the programme, and candidature will lapse automatically.
• The normal period of candidature for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be three years full-time study and six years part-time study.
• The maximum period of candidature for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be five years full-time study and ten years part-time study.
• In exceptional cases, a thesis may be submitted before the normal period so long as the credit points requirements has been met and with the approval of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Innovation & International) (DVC(RI&I)) on the recommendation of the relevant Academic Unit Research Committee.