Faculty of Education Sciences
Faculty Research Administration
Private Bag X1290, Potchefstroom
South Africa 2520
Tel: +27(018) 299-4780
Fax +27(018) 293-5245
http://www.nwu.ac.za
17 March 2014
Dear Applicant
Application for admission to MEd/PhD studies in the Faculty of Education Sciences: Motivation for proposed
research
Thank you for applying for admission to the MEd/PhD programme. It is very important that you consult the 2015
academic calendar of the NWU (Potchefstroom Campus) and acquaint yourself thoroughly with all the admission
requirements of the MEd/PhD programme.
The minimum admission requirement is an average of 65% in your previous qualification as well as a minimum pass
mark of 65% for the research modules in the BEdHons degree, if you apply for the MEd programme. You need a
BEdHons degree in the direction for which you wish to register for the MEd degree, and a MEd degree in the direction for
which you wish to register for the PhD degree. Furthermore, it is also important to note that although you may meet all
the admission requirements, your application may not be considered successfully due to reasons such as a limited
capacity for rendering effective supervision. See the 2015 calendar of the Faculty of Education Sciences.
Applicants must demonstrate acceptable levels of proficiency in terms of their computer and academic literacy. All
prospective MEd students must undergo compulsory computer and academic literacy assessments and their admission
will depend on their performance and outcome of these assessments.
A student who has been admitted to the MEd/PhD programme must submit a research proposal to the MEd&PhD
Programme Committee for approval within six (6) months after registration. The approved academic processes and
administrative cut-off dates for submission must be followed.
Please note that applications for admission for 2015 close on 30 September 2014.
Apart from the other documents that must accompany your application, we expect of you to submit a motivation for your
proposed research with your application. Your application will not be considered without this motivation. In order to
prepare this motivation, you will have to follow the following steps:
1.
Contact the chair person of the particular subject groupings or sub-project leader of the research project in
which you wish to conduct your MEd/PhD research. Enquire about the research focus of the subject groupings
or research sub-project and whether your proposed study will link with the aims of the existing research
projects. The faculty regards it as very important that your proposed research topic links with the research
focus of the faculty.
The contact particulars of the different subject group chairs and sub-project leaders can be found in the table at
the end of this letter.
2.
Once you have made contact with one of the persons above, he/she will provide you with the name(s) of (a)
possible supervisor(s) with whom you can consult further about your proposed research. If you are uncertain,
please contact the Programme Manager (Prof Petro du Preez) for further information.
3.
Consult (personally, telephonically, in writing, or via e-mail) with the proposed supervisor(s) to identify a
research topic that will link with your research interest and the existing research projects in the faculty.
4.
Write the motivation for research by following the guidelines below:
4.1
Formulate a title for your proposed research. The title should cover the research topic meaningfully
and refer to the main aspects of the study.
4.2
Identify the research problem(s) and briefly describe them. Thus, in this section you will give a
description of what you want to research.
4.3
Motivate why it is important to conduct the research. Explain why the research will be of particular
relevance and how it will contribute towards the expansion of existing knowledge in the field of
Education and what the anticipated implications will be for teaching practice.
4.4
Explain how you will conduct the research, i.e. which methods you anticipate to use to conduct the
research.
2014-03 Information letter: MEd&PhD proposed students
Faculty Research Administration (EConradie)
1
4.5
Name the proposed supervisor(s) you consulted with about your anticipated research.
This motivation must be typed and it must not exceed two pages. The outcome of the application will be made
available at the beginning of November 2014.
Please contact me should you need more information.
Kind regards,
Prof. P du Preez
Programme leader: MEd and PhD programmes
Tel: 018 299 4737
E-mail: petro.dupreez.@nwu.ac.za
Further inquiries:
Ms Erna Conradie
Administrative officer
E-mail: erna.conradie@nwu.ac.za
2014-03 Information letter: MEd&PhD proposed students
Faculty Research Administration (EConradie)
2
RESEARCH PROJECTS AND SUB-PROJECTS IN THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION
Faculty
Unit
Focus area
Project
group
Project
group
Project
group
See table below
for different
subjects
Prof JP Rossouw
018 299 1851
Prof Elsa Mentz
018 299 1858
Prof Jan Heystek
018 299 1906
Prof Lesley Wood
018 299 4700
Prof Carisma Nel
018 299 1854
jp.rossouw@nwu.ac.za
elsa.mentz@nwu.ac.za
jan.heystek@nuw.
ac.za
lesley.wood@nwu.
ac.za
carisma.nel@nwu.
ac.za
Edu-Lead
Education
Leadership
COMBER
Community-based
Educational
Research
RIFE
Reading Initiatives
for Empowerment
Edu-HRight
Education and Human
Rights in Diversity
SDL
Self-Directed
learning
JP Rossouw
Cornelia Roux
Petro du Preez
Ferdinand Potgieter
Charl Wolhuter
Willie van Vollenhoven
Marius Smit
Johan Botha
Shan Simmonds
Elsa Mentz
Marthie vd Walt
Christo van der
Westhuizen
Aubrey Golightly
Marietjie Havenga
Betty Breed
Susan Nieuwoudt
Annalie Roux
Neal Petersen
Charlene du Toit Brits
Bernadette Geduld
2014-03 Information letter: MEd&PhD proposed students
Faculty Research Administration (EConradie)
TELHE
Technology
Enhanced Learning
in Higher Education
Louise Postma
Jan Heystek
Kobus Mentz
Herman van Vuuren
Branwen Challens
Corné vd Vyver
Molly van Niekerk
3
Lesley Wood
Lukas Meyer
Charles Viljoen
Julialet Rens
Carisma Nel
Robert Balfour
Audrey Klopper
Christine du Toit
Elize Vos
MEd programmes relating to each of the research foci
Curriculum Studies
(403116 = 0815P)
Curriculum Studies
(403116 = 0815P)
Curriculum Studies
(403116 = 0815P)
Education Law
(403123 = O804P)
Computer Science Education
(403131 = O812P)
Learner Support
(403127 = O808P)
Mathematic Education
(403126 = O807P)
Philosophy of Education
(403129 = O810P)
Natural Science Education
(403121 = O802P)
Education Management
(403122 = O803P)
Education Phycology
(403124 = O805P)
Curriculum Studies
(403116 = 0815P)
Learner Support
(403127 = O808P
PhD programmes relating to each of the research foci
Curriculum Studies
(404130 = O914P)
Curriculum Studies
(404130 = O914P)
Education Law
(404113 = O904P)
Computer Science Education
(404121 = O912P)
Learner Support
(404117 = O908P)
Mathematic Education
(404116 = O907P)
Philosophy of Education
(4004119 = O910P)
Natural Science Education
(404111 = O902P)
2014-03 Information letter: MEd&PhD proposed students
Faculty Research Administration (EConradie)
Curriculum Studies
(404130 = O914P)
Education Management
(4004112 = O903P)
Education Phycology
(404114 = O905P)
Learner Support
(404117 = O908P)
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Curriculum Studies
(404130 = O914P)
SUBJECT GROUPINGS
Subject Groupings
Subject Group Chair
Telephone
E-mail address
Curriculum Studies,
Philosophy and Research
Methodology
Dr S Simmonds
018 299 4764
shan.simmonds@nwu.ac.za
Natural Sciences Education
Dr NT Petersen
018 299 4293
neal.petersen@nwu.ac.za
Education Management
Leadership
Dr M van Niekerk
018 285 2070
molly.vanniekerk@nwu.ac.za
Education Law
Prof MH Smit
018 299 4325
marius.smit@nwu.ac.za
Psychology and Learner
Support
Prof LW Meyer
018 299 4778
lukas.meyer@nwu.ac.za
Comparative Education
Prof Charl Wolhuter
018 299 1881
charl.wolhuter@nwu.ac.za
Mathematics Education
Prof HD Nieuwoudt
018 299 1875
hercules.nieuwoudt@nuw.ac.za
Movement Education
Dr D du Toit
018 299 1716
dorita.dutoit@nwu.ac.za
Computer Science
Education
Dr B Breed
018 299 1475
betty.breed@nwu.ac.za
Training and Development
Dr Helen Meyer
018 299 4753
helen.meyer@nwu.ac.za
2014-03 Information letter: MEd&PhD proposed students
Faculty Research Administration (EConradie)
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