The ‘Directorate of Postgraduate Studies’ operates under the division of the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Academic Affairs and Research. The Directorate provides professional research support services to postgraduate students and their supervisors and coordinates postgraduate research endeavors in all faculties spread over in the four WSU campuses.

The Directorate ensures high academic and ethical standards in postgraduate research and deals proactively with quality development, quality assurance, and quality control. These are achieved by, amongst others, requiring all stakeholders to adhere to both the substantive and procedural requirements of the policies on University Higher Degrees, Code of Good Practice, Plagiarism and Intellectual property in addition to subscribing to the stipulations of the national regulatory authorities and professional bodies.

The Directorate discharges its duties by working cooperatively and collaboratively with the faculty committees on Research Mentoring, Research Ethics, Research Development and Higher Degrees besides facilitating the institutional scrutiny of postgraduate research progress and output through similar Senate Committees at the university level.

At WSU, research is considered as an essential and inseparable component of postgraduate studies. Postgraduate research involves the scholarly investigation of a topic that leads to the establishment of new knowledge and/or concepts and principles that advance understanding of an academic discipline. WSU prefers not to prescribe approaches to solve particular research problems in order to enhance innovation and creativity. Nevertheless, WSU expects those engaged in postgraduate studies and their supervisors to act with the highest standards of integrity in terms of research proposals, funding initiatives and research publications. Postgraduate students and their supervisors are expected to adhere to high ethical and professional standards. Validity and reliability as well as critical reflection not only in the planning and development of postgraduate research but also honesty in the reporting of data are considered pertinent. Plagiarism is prohibited in postgraduate research outputs. Presenting postgraduate research work in progress and research papers in postgraduate student research seminars and in conferences are deemed as essential ingredients of postgraduate studies at WSU. These are sponsored by the institution.

In addition, WSU not only provides substantial funding for research-related expenses of postgraduate students but also subsidises postgraduate students’ fees. A postgraduate resource room with networked computers and equipped with research softwares, operates for the use of postgraduate students and supervisors. A Senior Librarian dedicated to the Directorate caters for the needs of postgraduate students and their supervisors with regard to the library and information services.

DIRECTOR, POSTGRADUATE STUDIES: PROFESSOR K. JOHN MAMMEN
D.Ed (UNITRA), LLB (WSU). , B.Ed, M.Ed (RHODES), B.Sc, M.Sc (RSU), HDE-Postgraduate (FORT HARE)
For enquiries contact: Ms. Liziwe Pakati
CONTACT DETAILS: Tel: 047-502 2189/2225/2550; Fax: 047-502 2775;
eMail: lpakati@wsu.ac.za; jmammen@wsu.ac.za