Programme information
The PhD degree is conferred by virtue of a thesis and, should the Dean deem it necessary, an examination on the field of study of the thesis.
The maximum period for completion of a doctoral degree is five years. Under exceptional circumstances, a student may apply to the head of the department, in writing, for a fixed, limited extension of this period.
Admission requirements
Subject to the stipulations of General Regulations, a candidate will only be admitted to the studies for the doctoral degree if he or she holds a MBChB or a master's degree or has been granted the equivalent status.
Additional requirements
Also consult General Regulations.
Please note: All PhD students must register for, and attend TNM 800 Applied research methodology 800 satisfactorily. (Exemption will be granted if Applied research methodology 800 had been passed for the master's degree.)
A PhD student must
- under the supervision of a supervisor at the University or another institution approved by the Senate, undertake original research to the satisfaction of the examiners; and
- submit a thesis which will prove, according to the opinion of the examiners, that he or she has, on the grounds of independent critical judgement, made a distinct contribution towards the enrichment of knowledge in the chosen subject.
A student for the PhD degree must be registered for the doctoral degree study at the University for at least one academic year before the degree can be conferred.
The following additional requirement is set in respect of the PhD degree completed in the School of Health Systems and Public Health:
All PhD students in the School are required to have a successful oral defence of their research protocol before the end of the first academic year of study. Students who do not meet this requirement will be considered as not making adaquate progress and will not be admitted to a second year of study.
Examinations and pass requirements
The doctoral examination will be oral and/or written and will deal with the content of the thesis as well as those subdivisions of the field of study on which the thesis is based, if requested.
Research information
A complete research protocol regarding the proposed thesis (as well as the curriculum vitae of the candidate) must be submitted to the Academic Advisory Committee and, if necessary, also to the Ethics Committee for approval. The thesis must deal with a problem from a field of study in Health Systems and Public Health and must satisfy the supervisor and the examiners that it represents advanced original research and/or creative work in the field of Health Systems and Public Health. It must give an overview of the literature that was used on the topic and contain a description of the observations made and experiments done by the student, as well as a discussion of the conclusions reached.
Virtual Campus
Get Social With Us
Download the UP Mobile App