E.112 Purpose

The MEd is a postgraduate qualification which accredits candidates’ capacity to undertake well-founded and independent inquiry in the field of education.

E.113 Access

113.1 The following criteria govern admission to the degree of Master of Education (MEd):

113.1.1 For the MEd by research only, the minimum entry requirement is normally the BEd(Hons) degree.

113.1.2 For the MEd by coursework and research in the fields of Biology Education, English Home Language Education, History Education, Geography Education, Mathematics Education and Physical Science Education, the minimum entry requirement is normally either the postgraduate BEd(Hons) degree or an honours degree plus PGCE, with, in each case, a credit in the underlying discipline at least at the second-year level, and at least three years of teaching experience in the field of MEd specialisation.

113.1.3 For the MEd by coursework and research in the fields of Educational Leadership and Management, English Language Teaching, Environmental Education, General Education

Theory and Practice, Guidance and Counselling, and Information and Communication Technology, the minimum entry requirement is normally the BEd(Hons) degree, or an appropriate honours degree, with, in either case, the additional requirement of relevant professional involvement in the field.

113.2 The MEd provides access to the PhD degree.

E.114 Duration

114.1 The degree of Master of Education (MEd) part-time or full-time shall consist of research (thesis), or a combination of coursework and research (thesis or projects).

114.2 The degree by coursework and research runs over a two year cycle with coursework being offered only in alternate years.

114.3 Full-time candidates can complete all requirements for the award of the degree within one year of full-time study.

114.4 Prior to commencing thesis work the candidate shall submit a research proposal to the satisfaction of the supervisor. This research proposal must be accepted by the Education Faculty Higher Degrees Committee.

114.5 The examination must be completed during the first year of study, in order for the candidate to proceed to work on the research in the second year of study.

114.6 The registration of a candidate for the Master’s degree by research only may be cancelled if an adequate research proposal has not been submitted within a period of four months from the date of acceptance of the candidate for the Master’s degree.

114.7 Except with the permission of the Senate a candidate for the degree of MEd by coursework and research will be allowed a maximum of three years’ registration in which to fulfil all requirements for the degree.

114.8 The final date for submission of research shall be 15 December in the year prior to when the candidate intends to graduate. While every endeavour will be made to provide candidates with a result of the examination of their work in time for April graduation if the examination is successful, the

University does not guarantee this.

MASTER OF EDUCATION BY RESEARCH

E.115 Curriculum

115.1 The research, in the form of a thesis, must show that the candidate:

115.1.1 is sufficiently acquainted with the

Appropriate methods of research;

115.1.2 is sufficiently acquainted with the appropriate literature;

115.1.3 has satisfactorily presented the results of independent research for the award of the degree.

115.1.4 In addition, such thesis must be satisfactory as to literary style and presentation.

115.2 Save for exceptional circumstances approved by the Senate, the upper limit for a thesis in the case of a Master’s degree by research only will be 50 000 words of text (approximately 150 A4 pages of double-spaced typing, excluding footnotes, illustrative material and appendices).

MASTER OF EDUCATION BY COURSEWORK AND RESEARCH

Coursework and thesis

E.116 Curriculum

116.1 The coursework component should be spread over one year with examinations being written at the end of that year.

116.2 The coursework component shall be valued at 50% of the final total mark. The thesis shall represent the other 50%.

116.3 With due consideration for the more limited nature of the work, criteria E.115.1.1 to E.115.1.4  above apply equally to the evaluation of the thesis component.

116.4 The length of the thesis shall not exceed 30 000 words of text (approximately 100 A4 pages of double-spaced typing, excluding footnotes,  illustrative material and appendices). Coursework and projects

E.117 Curriculum

117.1 The coursework component should be spread over one year with examinations being written at the end of that year.

117.2 The coursework component shall be valued  at 50% of the final total mark. The projects shall  represent the other 50%.

117.3 The projects shall consist of the following components:

117.3.1 The study and application of a range of research methods used in the social sciences and education. This shall include learning how to conduct research in differing circumstances requiring different approaches, and by undertaking and critically evaluating a range of small-scale research projects using different methods.

117.3.2 Development of the theoretical and practical capacity to evaluate critically research being done in education in South Africa and abroad.

E.118 Assessment

The overall examination procedure for MEd by coursework and research shall be as follows:

118.1 A candidate must normally obtain a minimum of 50% for the yearmark (assignments, seminars or other tasks set during year 1) AND a minimum of 50% for the examination in order to qualify for an overall pass of the coursework component of the degree.

118.2 A candidate must normally obtain a minimum of 60% for the yearmark (assignments, seminars or other tasks set during year 1) AND a minimum of 60% for the examination in order to be allowed to proceed to the research component (half-thesis) of the degree.

118.3 In order to be awarded the degree, candidates  must obtain a minimum of 50% for the research  component (half-thesis) and an aggregated mark  of 50% for the coursework component (yearmark

and examination) and the research component  (half-thesis). Candidates obtaining an aggregate of between 50% and 74% will obtain a pass mark for the MEd degree.

118.4 A distinction may be awarded to a candidate only if a Class 2A (70%-74%) or better has been obtained for the coursework component and a Class 1 (75% or more) is obtained for the research (halfthesis), provided that an aggregated mark of 75% or more is obtained.

118.5 No supplementary examinations for the coursework component will be permitted.

118.6 An examiner may recommend that the research be revised and resubmitted for examination.

118.7 An external examiner will be appointed for the coursework examination.

118.8 A different external examiner may be appointed for the research examination.

118.9 The final assessment of the candidate is made by the Head of the Department and the Dean, based on the external examiner’s report on the coursework examination scripts and the examiners’ reports on the research. Where there is clear conflict between internal and external examiners concerning the evaluation of the research, these documents along with all the examiners’ reports will be submitted to an arbiter approved by the Faculty.

Last Modified: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 11:55:45 SAST