GENERAL ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES

Prospectus (PDF) (WORD)

1.1     ELIGIBILITY FOR ADMISSION
1.1.1     Postgraduate Diploma
(1)        Prospective candidates must be in possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

(2)        Candidates who do not comply with (1) above, but whose field experience and work accomplishments have been certified by the relevant Faculty/ Department/ Institute to be equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree, may, under special circumstances, also be considered for admission.

1.1.2     MASTER’S DEGREE
(1)        Prospective candidates must be in possession of a very good Bachelor’s degree with at least a B-grade average (i.e., 70-79% average), or a good Postgraduate Diploma from a recognized Institution.

(2)        Candidates without a Bachelor’s degree or a Postgraduate Diploma, but who hold qualifications from an approved institution of higher learning, deemed to be equivalent to a very good Bachelor’s degree or a good Postgraduate Diploma from UNAM, may also be considered for admission.

(3)        Prospective candidates must also satisfy specific requirements of the Faculties where they intend to enroll (e.g., teaching experience for M.Ed. admission.)

(2)     Prospective candidates must also satisfy specific requirements of the Faculties where they intend to enroll (e.g., teaching experience for M.Ed. admission.)

1.1.3     DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE AND OTHER DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES
               (1)      Candidates for admission to doctoral programmes of UNAM must be in possession of a Master’s degree or equivalent from a recognized institution of higher learning in the chosen field of study.

               (2)      Candidates with only the Bachelor’s degree may initially be enrolled for a Master’s degree by research only.  If, during the first year of research they demonstrate exceptional abilities, they may be considered for upgrading into the Doctoral Programme.

1.1.4     HIGHER DOCTORATES
               (1)      To qualify for a Higher Doctorate candidacy of UNAM, the scholars should be:

                         (a) graduates from the University of Namibia with the following minimum qualifications:
                               *        Bachelor’s degree of at least 15 years standing; or
                               *        Master’s degree of at least 10 years standing; or
                               *        Doctoral degree of at least 8 years standing; or
                         (b) graduates from any other recognized institution of higher learning, who have served at UNAM for at least five years in teaching, research or other approved academic roles, and who satisfy the criteria equivalent to those set under (1) (a) above.

               (2)      Only outstanding scholars whose contributions have attained national and international recognition will be considered for Higher Doctorate awards.

1.2     PROCEDURES TO APPLY FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDIES:

UNAM welcomes students with a range of qualifications from all over the world.  You are advised to fulfill the minimum admission requirements for entry as well as English Language requirement (if relevant) as indicated. Please note that competition for places in some programmes is extremely high, and that the minimum requirement given may not be sufficient to secure an offer.

Before completing our application form, please familiarize yourself with all aspects pertaining postgraduate studies as set out in this prospectus.  You are strongly advised to ensure that you send all relevant documentation with your application form, together with a non-refundable application fee. Receipt of your application will be acknowledged by mail.  Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Postgraduate degrees by coursework:
Unless otherwise stated, applications for taught courses should be made on a University application form which is available on request from the University of Namibia, and can also be downloaded from the UNAM Webpage:  http://www.unam.na

Closing date for all applications is 30 September.

Postgraduate degrees by Thesis/ Dissertation only:
The completed and processed application forms will be forwarded by the Student Records Section to the Head of Department of the relevant Faculty.  The Faculty or Departmental will have a Screening Committee which will scrutinize your application to ensure that you fulfill the minimum admission requirements.  The Screening Committee may require the candidate to be interviewed.  The recommendations of the Screening Committee will be submitted to the Dean of Faculty and the relevant Faculty Officer.  The Department will allocate a Supervisor/ Study Leader, according to your field of study who will confirm the recommendation in wrting.  Students need to submit this confirmation letter to the Office of the Registrar in order to be registered for the Research Proposal.  Please update yourself on the different modes of the programmes offered (e.g. by coursework and thesis or by thesis only).  If the postgraduate programme is only offered by thesis, the Supervisor/ Study Leader will inform you on the following:

1.             The way forward with regard to writing the Research Proposal - there should be an agreement between the student and the Supervisor on how the Research Proposal should be written. Students should decide on their own topic.
2.             The procedures on submitting your Research Proposal. 
3.             Different committee systems to evaluate, recommend and approve the Research Proposal.
4.             The importance to keep to registration deadlines for draft and final submissions.
5.             Inform the student when to register for the Masters Thesis or Doctorate Dissertation after final approval by the Postgraduate Studies Committee and Senate.

1.2.1     STUDY PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
             International applicants are required to apply for admission to the University of Namibia on the prescribed forms.  International students, who are provisionally admitted, are required to apply for a Study Permit before leaving their home country. 

             If you are resident outside Namibia and are not a Namibian Citizen or you do not have permanent residence status, you are required to obtain a study permit to enter Namibia for the purpose of studying at the University of Namibia.  This rule is applicable to students from SADC member countries as well as Non-SADC countries.  Kindly note that should you be in possession of a work permit, you will still need to apply for a study permit if you are offered provisional admission to the University of Namibia.  It is not allowed to enter Namibia on a visitor’s visa in the hope of filing an application for a study permit from within Namibia.  All applications for study permits should be submitted and issued before entering Namibia.

1.2.2     REGISTRATION OF THE SELECTED CANDIDATES
(1)        Candidates are requested to register during the registration period as approved by the Timetable and Calendar Committee.
 
(2)        Candidates who are registered in programmes involving coursework and a thesis/ dissertation will be required to enroll in recommended faculty core and elective (optional) courses, as prescribed in relevant Faculty / Institute brochures.

(3)        Candidates who are to be registered for postgraduate studies by research alone will be required to submit to the relevant Department, an outline of a  research proposal, indicating the suggested research topic, stating the research problem to be tackled, the proposed research methods, etc.  On the basis of the availability of qualified staff in the department, candidates will be provisionally registered.  The final registration of the candidates will be undertaken after the approval by the Postgraduate Studies Committee of their fully fledged research proposal. 

(4)        The Committee will, in consultation with relevant Faculties, recommend to Senate the appointment of supervisors to guide prospective thesis /dissertation candidates.

1.2.3     ENROLMENT IN SPECIAL MODULES
             Candidates who are registered for postgraduate study by thesis/dissertation research alone may, if recommended by relevant Faculties and approved by the Postgraduate Studies Committee, be required to enroll in selected modules, which will help to bridge any gaps in their earlier training, or expose them to new developments in their study disciplines.

1.2.4     SANDWICH POSTGRADUATE TRAINING
(1)        Where the staffing strength and the teaching and research equipment for postgraduate training at UNAM can be complemented by co-operation linkage agreements with institutions abroad, sandwich postgraduate training programmes are be established and jointly run.

(2)        Through sandwich arrangements, candidates will undertake part of their training in suitable institutions abroad, and also benefit from co-supervisors from institutions with which UNAM will establish co-operation linkage agreements.

1.2.5     COURSE WORK EVALUATION AND GRADING
(1)        Candidates who are registered for lectured postgraduate modules will be examined according to procedures approved by Senate.

(2)        In all Faculties / Institutes, the meaning attached to letter grades awarded by examiners is as follows:

                                             Grade                          Interpretation         % Equivalence              
                                             A                                  Distinction                    80 and above
                                             B                                  Very Good                   70 – 79
                                             C                                  Good                           60 - 69            
                                             D                                  Satisfactory                   50 - 59            
                                             E                                  Fail                               49 and below  

(3)        Before a candidate can proceed to the thesis / dissertation research phase (in the case of the coursework and dissertation students), s/he must first successfully pass the coursework examinations.  Successful completion of the coursework phase shall mean attaining at least a D-grade average. 

(4)        Supplementary examinations as contained in Regulations 7.21.16 and 7.21.17 (General Information and Regulations Prospectus) will apply to postgraduate students.

1.2.6     THESIS/DISSERTATION RESEARCH
(1)        Candidates who successfully complete the coursework phase, or who are registered for postgraduate study by thesis/ dissertation research alone, undertake research in an approved research topic, and write a thesis / dissertation. This shall normally be after a specified period set by the relevant Committees and approved by Senate.

(2)        Thesis and Dissertation research may include an artistic/ aesthetic component, presented in the form of a composition, a theatre / musical performance, and/or an exhibition of original works, as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for a  Master’s or Doctoral degree, respectively.

(3)        The candidates shall be assigned supervisors to guide them in their research programmes, and shall write their theses / dissertations in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Postgraduate Studies Committee and approved by Senate.

(4)        As a standard practice, every thesis / dissertation shall be accompanied by a declaration stating that it has not been submitted for a similar degree in any other university.

(5)        The thesis / dissertation must contain an abstract of not more than 300/400 words, respectively, indicating the general findings of the research, and the major conclusions reached.  It must also be satisfactory as regards the format and literary presentation.

(6)        Every Master’s thesis/ Postgraduate Diploma submitted shall be examined by at least two specialists approved by Senate on recommendation by the relevant  Postgraduate Studies Committees.  At least one of these specialists must be external to UNAM.  In the case of doctoral dissertations, at least three examiners shall be appointed, of whom one must be external to the University.  The supervisor could be one of the examiners.

(7)        The examiners shall be required to submit a detailed assessment of the thesis / dissertation, and also write definite recommendations on whether the degree should be awarded to the candidate unconditionally, or whether the degree should be awarded subject to specified corrections/ revisions being made, or whether the thesis / dissertation should be referred back to the candidate for re-writing and re-submission, or whether the thesis/dissertation should be rejected outright.

(8)        In cases where the examiners of the thesis / dissertation disagree in their recommendations, the Postgraduate Studies Committee shall study the case and recommend to Senate the appointment of an additional independent examiner to serve as referee on the thesis/ dissertation.

(9)        A postgraduate candidate, who disagrees with the results of the examination as approved by Senate, may appeal, giving reasons and evidence to support the appeal.  Senate will then have the case examined by an Appeals Committee.

(10)      Candidates who are registered by thesis research alone (both Master’s and Doctoral students) will normally appear for viva voce examinations.  These will be conducted in accordance with the procedures approved by Senate on recommendation by the Postgraduate Studies Committee.

1.2.7     REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR HIGHER DOCTORATES
(1)        Candidates for Higher Doctorates must submit to the relevant Faculty Dean, through the respective Head of Department:
                         (a) a complete Curriculum Vitae, showing their academic, research, and publication experience and records;
                         (b) a unifying statement (in their fields of specialization)  of not more than  5000 words, which sums up
                               their contributions to knowledge and scholarship;
                         (c)  a sample of reprints (or copies) of their important and original works.

(2)        The candidates must supply the unifying statement and copies of publications in four sets.  Published works shall mean what is printed as a book, or papers published in reputed journals, or work already accepted as being equivalent to a publication.  Emphasis on published work ensures that the work submitted for assessment has already benefited from criticism and evaluation by peers.

1.2.8     CONFERMENT OF DEGREES
Higher Doctorates
(1)        The final approval on the degree awarded to prospective candidates shall be granted by UNAM Senate on recommendation by the Postgraduate Studies Committee, (after assessing the recommendations by the external examiners).

(2)        The successful Higher Doctorate candidates shall each be required to deliver a public lecture in their respective fields of specialization within a year of the degree award.

(3)        Unsuccessful candidates may not be allowed to re-apply for the same degree within at least three years of the previous application.

1.2.9     SUBSEQUENT PUBLICATION FROM A THESIS/DISSERTATION
             Papers or publications extracted from a thesis/dissertation submitted for a postgraduate degree of UNAM must contain a statement acknowledging that the work is based on a thesis/dissertation submitted to the University of Namibia.

1.3        GUIDELINES ON THE WRITING OF THESIS/DISSERTATION RESEARCH PROPOSALS
(1)        The terms “thesis” and “dissertation” carry different connotations in various countries.

(2)        At the University of Namibia, the terms are conceived in the context of common usage in many universities, whereby the term thesis is used for a written document presenting the results of research by Master’s degree candidates, while a dissertation refers to a corresponding document submitted by doctoral candidates.

(3)        The guidelines to supervisors define what is expected of theses and dissertations, respectively.

(4)        Applicants for admission to postgraduate training programmes by research  only and by coursework and thesis/dissertation shall be required to write thesis/ dissertation research proposals.

1.4        GUIDELINES ON THE TEACHING AT POSTGRADUATE LEVEL
(1)        To teach at the master’s and doctoral programme levels, a member of staff should have a doctoral degree.

(2)        Members of staff with lower qualifications but with specialized expertise can co-teach with members of staff holding doctoral degrees.

1.5        GUIDELINES ON THE SUPERVISION OF RESEARCH BY POSTGRADUATE CANDIDATES
1.5.1     INTRODUCTION
(1)        Every postgraduate candidate shall be assigned a supervisor nominated by the relevant Department and approved by Senate on recommendation by the Postgraduate Studies Committee.  This shall be both for lectured and independent research courses.  Where the student’s research topic is multidisciplinary in nature, or where the need for additional expert supervision in the same discipline exists, or where the candidate’s postgraduate training programme involves sandwich arrangements, one or more additional supervisors will be appointed.

(2)      Postgraduate student supervisors will be appointed from amongst suitably qualified members of the Faculties/ Centres.

1.5.2     GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF POSTGRADUATE STUDENT SUPERVISORS
(1)        The supervisor should have a thorough understanding of the University’s
                   Postgraduate Regulations and Guidelines, in order to effectively guide the
                   candidate towards attaining the stipulated standards.

(2)        As far as possible, the supervisor should be allowed to supervise postgraduate students only in his/her field of study.  This will help to ensure high standards of attainment, and to avoid possible embarrassments resulting from the rejection of theses / dissertations by examiners. To supervise Mater’s and Doctoral level candidates adequately, the supervisor should have a doctoral degree.  He/she can co-supervise with members of staff holding a lower qualification but who have specialized expertise.

(3)        The supervisor has the responsibility of knowing his/her students well, and of being familiar with whatever special problems they may have.  Where the problems affect the candidate’s research progress, s/he shall communicate these to the Postgraduate Studies Committee through the Head of the relevant Department and the Dean of Faculty, in good time.

(4)        Supervisors should know what is expected of them when supervising Master’s degree theses and Doctoral dissertation research respectively.  Thus they should understand that:
                         (a) The Master’s thesis research programme is designed as a training course, whereby it is intended that the candidate will:
                               *               be exposed to the fundamentals of research,
                               *               acquire certain new techniques and methods of research,
                               *               learn how to present the results of research in a scholarly manner, and
                               *               make some contribution to knowledge.

                         (b) Because Master’s candidates usually lack previous research experience, they require close and careful supervision, especially during the early stage when learning about research methodology, experimental design and research technique, and also when preparing the initial drafts of their theses.

(5)        The doctoral dissertation, unlike the Master’s thesis, is a recognition of successful postgraduate research experience. The supervisor of a Doctoral student should recognize that the candidates, in most cases, will have acquired some research experience when they were Master’s degree candidates. What is expected of the Doctoral candidate, is thus qualitatively and quantitatively very much more than outlined above for Master’s degree candidates.  Here the supervisor expects the candidate to:
                         *     make a distinct and original contribution to knowledge, of fact and/or theory;
                         *     produce a considerable amount of original work;
                         *     undertake a more critical and extensive review of the relevant literature than is the case for Master’s candidates, and
                         *     exercise considerably more initiative in conducting the research.

(6)        After completion of a research proposal the doctoral candidate should be able to work independently, and to be guided rather than directed by his/her supervisor. It will, nevertheless, remain the supervisor’s responsibility to guide the candidate in the right direction.

(7)        During the initial phase, the supervisors have the responsibility of assisting their candidates in the formulation of appropriate postgraduate research projects. The proposed research topic must be approved by relevant Postgraduate Study Committees, through relevant Faculty Boards before the candidate formally begins to undertake his/her research.

(8)        After one year with the candidate, the supervisor shall provide an evaluation of  the candidate’s progress, presenting his/her assessment as to whether the candidate has the potential to produce an acceptable doctoral dissertation, or whether he/she should be advised to withdraw.

(9)        The supervisors must be able to look ahead and recognize potential impediments to the research problem in good time. They should be able to determine, through their previous research experience, what can be achieved meaningfully by their postgraduate students, within the time allocated for the study.

(10)      In order to ensure that the thesis/dissertation research proposals benefit from inputs from other academics in the Departments, every Faculty offering postgraduate courses shall, in consultation with the supervisors, arrange research seminar series, which will enable the candidates to stand on their own feet, and to think carefully about why they proposed to use approaches which they intend to adopt in their research etc.

(11)      The supervisors have the responsibility of monitoring the candidate’s research progress throughout the research period. There are various methods through which they could be kept up-to-date about the candidate’s research progress:

                         (a) requiring the candidate to submit periodic written reports about the research findings (e.g., once every semester);
                         (b) holding regular discussions where modifications to the original research methods should be made, in view of the research findings and on areas which require new emphasis;
                         (c)  participation in the research seminar series suggested above, where the candidate could present any breakthroughs s/he may have made in the research, and benefit from other scholars’ inputs during the discussions.

(12)      The supervisor ultimately has the responsibility of, in the end, assisting the candidate to give an appropriate title to the thesis/dissertation, and to guide him/her on the presentation of the research results in the form of a scholarly thesis/ dissertation, in accordance with the set guidelines.

(13)      Although the writing of the postgraduate thesis/dissertation is entirely the responsibility of the candidate, it is the supervisor’s role to ensure that the standards set by the University are adhered to.  The supervisor should:
              
                         (a) be accessible to the candidate during the critical stage of thesis/dissertation writing;
                         (b) discuss the drafts of the thesis/ dissertation with the candidate throughout the process;
                         (c)  read the candidate’s thesis/ dissertation carefully and critically, indicating where improvements are needed, e.g., where there is paucity of information, and where the important findings could be published, or should be published, etc.;
                         (d) at the conclusion of the work, read the entire thesis/ dissertation, and advise whether or not it is in a form suitable for presentation to examiners; but
                         (e) should not be responsible for personally editing language usage in the thesis, or correcting typographical errors.  He/she can however, point out language errors.

(14)      Towards the end of the research phase, the supervisor also has the responsibility of presenting to the Head of the relevant Department, names and addresses, as well as curriculum vitae, of experts in the candidate’s research topic, who could be nominated by relevant Postgraduate Committees as external examiners for the candidate’s thesis/ dissertation.

(15)      If the candidate has two or more supervisors, one of these should be appointed Chairperson of the Supervisory Committee.  If the main supervisor should be away from the University for more than three consecutive months, an acting supervisor  is appointed to guide the candidate in the interim.

(16)      If, in the course of the candidate’s research, a situation develops whereby:

                         (a) there is a breakdown in communication between the student and the supervisor;
                         (b) there are personal clashes and conflicts between the two;
                         (c)  the candidate refuses to follow the supervisor’s advice, both the supervisor and the candidate should report the problem in writing to the Head of the relevant Department, with a copy to the Chairperson of the Faculty Postgraduate Studies Committee for appropriate action. Where necessary a new supervisor could be appointed; the student could be discontinued from studies; the supervisor or the candidate could be warned of any weaknesses.

(17)      Since the supervisor’s responsibility is so central and critical in postgraduate student research, and since the task of supervising postgraduate student research is time-consuming, it is decided that:

                         (a) in order to ensure adequate supervision, a single staff member should not normally supervise more than five postgraduate candidates;
                         (b) staff members’ supervision responsibilities should be taken into consideration by Heads of Departments when other teaching duties are assigned.

1.6        REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES GOVERNING THE SUBMISSION OF THESES AND DISSERTATIONS
(1)        At least three months prior to the scheduled date for the submission of the thesis/dissertation, the respective postgraduate candidates shall, through their supervisors, Departments, Faculties and Institutes, submit a notice, in writing, to the Chairperson of the Postgraduate Studies Committee, declaring their intention to submit their theses/ dissertations.

(2)        The notice shall be accompanied by an abstract of the thesis/dissertation, which shall not exceed 300/400 words, for a Master’s thesis or a Doctoral dissertation, respectively.  The abstract shall be a synopsis of the methodology of the research undertaken, the findings, and the major conclusions reached.

1.7        REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES ON THE EXAMINATION OF THE SUBMITTED MASTER’S THESES AND DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS
1.7.1     MASTER’S THESES AND DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS
(1)        Every thesis/dissertation shall be assessed by at least two examiners in the case of Master’s candidates, and at least three examiners for Doctoral candidates.  At least one of the examiners in each case must be external to the University of Namibia.

(2)        The examiners shall be required to submit their detailed reports about the theses/dissertations within a period of two months from the date of receipt of the documents. If their assessments are not received within two months, new examiners may be appointed.

(3)        Each examiner shall be required to examine the thesis/ dissertation in detail, and submit his/her assessment under the following headings:

                         (a) Appropriateness of the thesis/ dissertation title.  The title should be a true reflection of the content of the thesis/ dissertation.

                         (b) Completeness of the Literature Review.  The literature review should lead the reader to a good understanding of what is already known about the research topic, what gaps of knowledge exist, what the study was intended to contribute, and what hypotheses guided the study. The examiners should comment on the candidate’s familiarity with the literature.

                         (c)  Research Methods:  The examiners should also comment on the appropriateness of the research methods (and instruments, where relevant) employed in the study.

                         (d) Presentation of the Results:  The examiners should comment on the manner in which the findings of the study are presented. If tables of data are provided, are they reduced statistically?  Are the statistical analyses appropriate?  If illustrations are provided, are they of publishable quality?  Is the description of the research results of adequate clarity and scholarship?

                         (e) Discussions and Conclusions: Are the conclusions clearly presented?  Are they logical and supported by data?  Has the candidate sufficiently indicated how his/her results compare with those of others, as cited in the literature?  From the thesis/dissertation, is his/her contribution to new knowledge clearly brought out?  In the case of Doctoral dissertations, is there evidence of sufficient originality?  If there are weaknesses in the thesis/ dissertation, what are the shortcomings?

                         (f)  Summary: The examiner should present a summary indicating whether s/he recommends the thesis/ dissertation for a postgraduate degree award, by completing the Summary Form (attached as Annex 4).

(4)        (a)  Where a Master’s thesis is recommended for re-writing, it must be re-submitted within 6 months.

                         (b) Where a Doctoral dissertation is recommended for re-writing, it must be re-submitted within 12 months.

1.7.2     ASSESSMENT OF PUBLISHED WORKS FOR HIGHER DOCTORATES
(1)        The work submitted to UNAM for a Higher Doctorate candidacy shall be evaluated by at least three examiners appointed by Senate on recommendation of the relevant Faculty Board and  Postgraduate Studies Committee.

(2)        The job of examiners shall be to critically examine the candidate’s contribution, to ascertain that:
                         (a) the work shows outstanding originality;
                         (b) the candidate’s contribution to new knowledge has been substantial;
                         (c)  the quality of the candidate’s unifying statement is truly excellent.

(3)        Examiners for Higher Doctorates shall be selected from amongst the most highly distinguished international scholars on the subject, preferably holders of Higher Doctorates themselves.

(4)        The examiners shall be required to report on the candidate’s works, recommending in definite terms, whether or not the Higher Doctorate should be awarded.

(5)        For a candidate to merit a higher doctorate award, the examiners must unanimously approve the award.  In case of disagreement among the examiners, similar guidelines to those applicable to Master’s and Doctoral candidates shall be followed.

1.7.3     VIVA VOCE EXAMINATIONS
(1)        In addition to writing a thesis/dissertation, the postgraduate candidates who are registered as per provisions under Regulation 9.4.3 (2), shall appear for a viva voce examination, to defend the submitted work before a panel of specialists on the subject.
            
(2)        The viva voce examination shall take place only after the Postgraduate Studies Committee and the Senate are satisfied that the theses/ dissertation submitted by the candidate is considered by the examiners to be of an acceptable standard.

(3)        The questions to be asked in the viva voce examination shall primarily be focused on the candidate’s thesis/dissertation research area. 

(4)        The members of the viva voce panel shall be so selected as to ensure that the candidate is examined by scholars who are sufficiently qualified and experienced in the research field.

(5)        The examiners of the thesis/ dissertation shall be members of the viva voce panel.  The public may attend.

(6)        The Chairperson of the viva voce panel shall be a senior academic and shall be appointed by Senate on recommendation of relevant academic Boards.

(7)        The viva voce panelists shall be provided with full texts of the theses/dissertations, and also of the examiners’ reports, at least two weeks before the date scheduled for the oral examination.

(8)        The function of the viva voce panel shall be:

                         (a) to ascertain that:

                         *     the thesis/dissertation presented (the data, methodology, analysis and findings) is the original work of the candidate;
                         *     the broader subject area in which the study is based is fully grasped by the candidate, and
                         *     any weaknesses in the thesis/dissertation can be adequately clarified by the candidate, and

                         (b) to make a definite recommendation to the Postgraduate Studies Committee and Senate, as to whether the candidate be deemed to have passed or failed.

(9)        The viva voce panel shall, as far as possible, endeavour to reach an unanimous decision on the candidate’s performance. Where the panelists are unable to reach a consensus as to whether the candidate passes or fails, a vote may be taken to arrive at a reasonable decision.  A majority vote shall be required for passing the viva voce examination.

(10)      (a) At the end of the oral examination, the panel shall sign a viva voce Examination Results Form (Annex 5) making a specific recommendation to the Postgraduate Studies Committee on the candidate’s performance.
            (b) The Chairperson of the panel shall also submit to the Postgraduate Studies Committee a comprehensive report, approved by the viva voce panelists.

(11)      In cases of disagreement amongst the viva voce panelists, the Postgraduate Studies Committee shall carefully study the case and recommend to Senate one of the following actions:

                         (a) the candidate should revise and re-submit the thesis/ dissertation, and subsequently re-appear for a further oral examination, within a specified time (but not exceeding 12 months from the date of the decision by Senate); or
                         (b) the candidate shall be deemed to have failed outright.

(12)      The duration of the viva voce shall not normally exceed three hours.

(13)      Doctoral work shall not be graded:  the examination shall be on pass/fail basis only.

1.7..4    POSTGRADUATE FEES
(1)        All the registered candidates shall pay the various categories of fees as approved by the University Council on recommendation of appropriate Committees of UNAM.

(2)        The work of students whose fees are in arrears will not be assessed until the arrears have been cleared.

degrees & diplomas

Minimum duration(?)

Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources (years)
Degrees
Master of Science (Agriculture)(2)
Doctor of Philosophy (Agriculture)(2)

Faculty of Economics and Management Science
Degrees
Master of Arts in Political Studies(1)
Master of Public Administration(1)
Master of Public Policy and Administration(2)
Master of Science in Economics(2)
Master of Science in Financial Accounting(2)
Doctor of Philosophy in Political Studies(2)
Doctor of Philosophy (Public Administration)(2)
Diplomas
Postgraduate Diploma in Internal Auditing(2)

Faculty of Education
Degrees
Master of Education(2)
Master of Education (Adult Education)(2)
Doctor of Philosophy (Adult Education)(2)
Doctor of Philosophy (Curriculum Studies, Instruction and Assessment)(2)
Diplomas
Specialized Diploma in Educational Management & Leadership(2)
Specialized Diploma in Gender and Development Studies(1)
Specialized Diploma in Special Education(1)
* Postgraduate Diploma in Education(2)

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Degrees
Master of Arts (Performing Arts)(2)
Master of Arts (Religion)(2)
Master of Arts (Theology)(2)
Master of Arts (Industrial Psychology)(2)
Master of Arts (Clinical / Counseling Psychology)(2)
Doctor of Philosophy(2)
Diplomas
Postgraduate Diploma in Translation(1)

Faculty of Law
Degrees
Master of Laws (1) (Full time)
2 (Part time)
Diplomas
Postgraduate Diploma in Conciliation and Arbitration(1)

Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
Degrees
* Bachelor of Nursing Science (Advanced Practice)(5)
Master of Nursing Science(2)
Master of Nursing Science (Medical – Surgical Nursing)(2)
Master of Public Health(2)
Doctor of Nursing Science(2)
Diplomas
Advanced University Diploma in Nursing Science (Operating Room)(1)
Advanced University Diploma in Nursing Science (Critical Care)(1)
Advanced University Diploma in Nursing Science
(Health Promotion, Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment)(1)

Faculty of Science
Master of Science (by Thesis)(2)
Master of Science (Biodiversity Management & Research)(2)
Master of Science (Information Technology)(2)
Doctor of Philosophy(2)
* Centre for External Studies (Distance Teaching)