Graduate Assistantships and Bursaries

Assistantship appointments are primarily one-half and one-quarter time equivalents. This is indicative of the number of hours the assistant is expected to work. Half-time assistants are expected to work 20 hours per week on average and quarter-time assistants are expected to work 10-12 hours per week on average. Variation in the demand for time of research projects and student coursework and examinations may cause the weekly workload to vary from the average.

Teaching opportunities

In the belief that students can profit from different experiences, each graduate student (normally, masters and PhD students) on assistantship may be assigned a teaching assistantship early in the study programme. The faculty member to whom the student is assigned is responsible for the student’s supervision while in the teaching role.

Masters students on assistantships may be assigned a role to provide classroom teaching assistance for one semester subject to the student’s availability and the needs of the department’s teaching programme. Any student assistant, regardless of assignment, may be called upon to assist his/her advisor with instructional duties from time to time.

All graduate students, especially those holding assistantships, are encouraged to participate in the research and outreach activities of the department. In addition, students are expected to gain a well-balanced set of professional experiences in their graduate programmes.

Research responsibilities

Each lecturer may involve students on graduate research assistantships in research work for an average of 20 hours per week for a one-half time assistantship and 10 hours per week for a quarter-time assistantship. Such research work will not ordinarily be thesis research during the first semester of the master’s programme or the first year of the PhD programme.

Once the assistant has decided on a thesis or dissertation topic, the student can normally plan to spend the major portion of his/her time on the project from which the thesis will be developed. However, prior to the time the thesis or dissertation topic is selected, the student will be assigned duties to support the broader research and/or teaching programme of the Department. The student may also be requested by his/her academic advisor or Head of Department to devote some time to assisting with additional research and service work for the department.

Students may be removed from a graduate research/teaching assistantship for the following reasons:

a) poor academic performance;b) not satisfying the average hourly work requirements (an average of 10 hours per
week for quarter-time and 20 hours per week for half-time assistantships); andc) poor performance in assigned duties (teaching and/or research).

Typing support for graduate students

Because of limited secretarial support, the department is unable to type either drafts or final copies of students’ theses or dissertations. Students are responsible for typing all copies of their theses or dissertations or hiring a typist to prepare the thesis or dissertation. Students can utilise the various computer laboratories on campus which are maintained and monitored specifically for use by students to do their typing. The Department has reserved a number of offices and “cubicles” only for PhD students.

Postgraduate bursaries granted by the University of Pretoria

Postgraduate students are automatically considered for a scholarship once they have been accepted for admission by the Faculty (no application for a bursary required).

Applicants who have not completed their preceding study programme are normally not considered for a UP postgraduate scholarship. These students may only be considered once they have successfully completed an applicable study programme and have been accepted by a Faculty for the succeeding postgraduate study programme.

Scholarships are awarded once only for a postgraduate study programme. Students who hold a postgraduate qualification will not be considered for a scholarship for postgraduate study at the same level (e.g. students who enrol for a second or even a third honours degree, master’s degree or doctoral programme).

Postgraduate students are eligible for a scholarship if they achieved results, as set out below, in the degree programme that qualifies them for enrolment for the postgraduate programme of their choice. Awarding of a scholarship will be determined by the Faculty Research Committee that will consider the performance of the candidates to whom they make awards.

Honours Degrees

Students who enrol for a second or multiple honours study programme(s), irrespective of whether the previous programme(s) was terminated or completed successfully, will not be considered for an honours scholarship award.

A student who enrols for an honours study programme who also holds a master’s or doctoral degree will not be considered for an honours scholarship.

For scholarships awarded at honours level, students are only considered for a scholarship if they have achieved an average of at least 60% in the preceding degree programme or have a level of performance that is considered equivalent by the Faculty Research Committee.

For scholarships awarded at honours level, the average mark is based on all modules that were successfully completed in the previous bachelor’s degree programme. Modules on final year level or higher are considered. Modules for special study programmes (including diplomas and certificates) as well as study programmes that do not qualify for subsidy purposes are not taken into consideration.

All qualifying modules where an examination mark between 50 and 100% was achieved will be used to calculate a weighted average taking into account the credit values of the modules. Averages will not be rounded off.

The latest examination mark is considered. Where qualifying modules are repeated, the latest result will be considered.

Master’s or Doctoral Degrees

For scholarships awarded at Masters level, students are only considered for a scholarship if they have achieved an average of at least 60% in the preceding degree programme or have a level of performance that is considered equivalent by the Faculty Research Committee.

For scholarships awarded at master’s level, the average mark is based on all modules that were successfully completed in a relevant previous degree programme and where an examination mark between 50 and 100% was achieved. Modules for special study programmes (including diplomas and certificates) as well as study programmes that do not qualify for subsidy purposes are not taken into consideration.

The latest examination mark is considered. Where qualifying modules are repeated, the latest result will be considered.

For scholarships awarded at doctoral level, eligibility will be determined by the Faculty admissions committee, and a candidate who has been admitted will be eligible for the award of a postgraduate scholarship. Awards to particular candidates will be determined by Faculty Research Committees.


Bursary values

Scholarship awards and subsequent bursary values are not guaranteed. Scholarship values will be communicated to the Faculties by the Division for Study Finance, after these have been determined by the Strategic Committee for Study Finance and approved by the Budget and Finance Committee.

Study Program Value	Value (2011)
Honours	R 15 600
Masters	R18 100
Doctoral	R20 800

The University reserves the right to amend without prior notice, the regulations and bursary values and/or conditions applicable to the awarding of bursaries.


Scholarship conditions

The holder of a UP postgraduate scholarship should complete his/her postgraduate study programme within the following period:

Degree	Period of financial assistance	Maximum period for completion of study programme
Honours	1 year	2 years
Masters	2 years	3 years (with the exception of Health Sciences where 5 years may be allowed)
Doctorate	3 years	4 years

A scholarship equal to the amount indicated above is awarded in the first year, and a re-registration fee for the second (master’s) or third year (doctoral), is available to the holders of scholarships for master’s and doctoral studies.

For honours studies, a scholarship is provided for one year only.

For master’s studies, the bursary holder qualifies for a re-registration fee in the second year of study only.

For doctoral studies, the bursary holder qualifies for a re-registration fee in the second and third years of study.

The bursaries are competitive in comparison with the bursaries offered by the University’s main competitors and ensure that a postgraduate student who receives a performance bursary from the University will be in a favourable position in respect of tuition fees.

Further information regarding bursaries may be obtained at www.up.ac.za/fao.