Procedure for Postgraduate Applications

Honours

Requirements

A student must achieve an average pass mark of 60% for all Geography modules (64 credits) at third-year level to be admitted to the Honours degree. In addition, duration study and the results of the Test of Academic Literacy for Postgraduate Students (TALPS) will be considered in selection. In exceptional cases, the department may grant admission by virtue of an oral or written evaluation in which the student displays up-to-date knowledge of the theory and principles of the subject. Depending on a student's academic background, additional modules may be prescribed by the department. Proof of computer literacy is a prerequisite. A student's skills in English will be assessed through TALPS. If the student does not meet the required standard, additional modules (such as ALN108) will be prescribed.

As the UFS is a contact education institution, you must either live and work in Bloemfontein or Qwaqwa or be able to travel to classes at least once a week.

Procedure

Write a letter of application to the head of department. In the letter, state your possible field(s) of interest (eg Environment, GIS or Urban, etc). Refer to the relevant faculty calendars, either that of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) or The Humanities, for detail. Include a certified academic record if you are not a UFS alumnus, or your student number if you were a student in this department. This letter should reach the department not later than 30 September of the year preceding the intended year of study. Your application will be evaluated and you will be informed of the outcome before the last date of application at the UFS (normally 30 November).

If your Baccalaureus degree was conferred more than three years ago, you will have to convince the department that you have kept abreast of recent developments in the discipline by submitting a typed essay of 5 000 words on Geography – the state of the discipline.

Master's and PhD

Requirements

An Honours (for master's) or master's (for PhD) degree in Geography.

Procedure

You need to submit an extensive research proposal to the head of department, including:

• Proposed title
• Problem statement
• Motivation for the topic
• Initial literature review
• Methodology
• Expected results

This will be evaluated at a departmental meeting and a supervisor/promoter will be nominated, PROVIDED that the necessary expertise exists in the department. Only then can you apply for admission to the university. We require our senior postgraduate students to submit regular progress reports, some of which will be in the form of oral presentations. Therefore, you will have to be prepared to travel to Bloemfontein at some point in your studies. If the topic is relevant to one of our staff member's research, there is also the possibility of funding.