Doctoral Research Preparation Course

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The School of Business Sciences is committed to developing doctoral candidates who are equipped to succeed. A doctorate demands advanced analytical, methodological and conceptual skills, and the strongest doctoral work begins with a solid research foundation. For this reason, from the 2027 intake, admission to the PhD includes a Doctoral Research Preparation Course. This course is a structured six-month programme that prepares candidates to undertake the doctorate with confidence.

The course is a preparatory and admissions stage; it is not a separate qualification and does not carry academic credit. It comprises three sequential modules delivered over approximately six months, from February to August, and concludes with a readiness review for doctoral study.

Predoctoral Course Overview:

Module 1: Building Your Doctoral Foundation

Gain a clear understanding of how doctoral research differs from Master's-level study, develop your research readiness, and learn to use a range of research technologies—including the ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence—to conduct rigorous literature reviews and build a strong theoretical foundation.

Module 2: Developing Your Research Design

Gain practical experience in the research methods most appropriate to your proposed study through applied learning, with the opportunity to participate in optional research laboratories that strengthen your methodological skills.

Module 3: Preparing for Doctoral Registration

Finalise a high-quality research proposal by defining how your study will be conducted and prepare for a formal proposal defense before a panel of academic experts. Successful completion of the proposal defense, together with the availability of suitable supervisory capacity, forms the basis for an invitation to register for the PhD.

Benefits of completing the ��һ�Թ�� Predoctoral course:

The PhD Preparation Programme enables you to assess your readiness for doctoral study before making the significant commitment of a PhD, reducing the risk of costly setbacks while maximising your chances of success.
Upon completing the predoctoral course, you should be well positioned to apply for ethical clearance at the beginning of your first year of PhD registration, allowing you to move more quickly into the research phase of your doctoral studies.
The PhD Preparation Programme gives you the time, guidance and support to develop a robust research proposal, positioning you to complete your PhD within a reasonable timeframe.
This course will strengthen your ability to conduct high-quality, rigorous doctoral research while developing critical research skills that will support your career, professional growth, and lifelong contribution to knowledge.
Study through a flexible online and hybrid delivery model, allowing you to balance your doctoral preparation with work and other commitments.

What applicants should know

You submit one application for the PhD. Your application is the basis on which you are considered for both the predoctoral course and the doctorate.
During the predoctoral course, you are registered as an occasional student of the University. Occasional registration does not confer a qualification; it registers you for the opportunity to be considered for admission to the PhD.
Fees. You are liable for the application fee and for the fee applicable to the predoctoral (occasional) registration. This fee is separate from, and does not count towards, subsequent PhD tuition.
Progression to the PhD. On successful completion of the course and the readiness review, you will be invited to formally register for the PhD and will be paired with a research supervisor. You will be formally registered as a PhD candidate in the year following the course.
Exemptions. Applicants who can demonstrate strong prior research competence, for example, a master's of philosophy (MPhil) by research with a publication record, or established experience in research methods, may apply for exemption from one or more modules. Exemptions are considered at the interview stage and are granted in writing by the relevant Divisional Doctoral Committee. Exemption is from the predoctoral course only; all other admission requirements continue to apply.

Application process for the 2027 Predoctoral course intake

The admission process is aligned to the academic year so that the predoctoral course begins in February.

Applications close in the first week of December 2026.
Shortlisting takes place in December, and shortlisted applicants are invited to an interview conducted by the Divisional PhD Selection Committee in January 2027.
Admission outcomes are confirmed by the end of January 2027. All applicants are informed at this stage whether the predoctoral course is required or whether an exemption has been granted.
The predoctoral course runs from February to August 2027.
After completion of the predoctoral course, students will do a defense to determine their readiness for applying for the PhD programme.
The outcome of the final defense together with availability of supervisory capacity, counts towards receiving an invitation to register for your PhD. For those that are not provided with such an invitation, they have a solid research proposal which they can submit to another institution for consideration.
Successful candidates register for the PhD at the start of the 2028 academic year.

International Applicants

The application process for international applicants is the same as that for South African applicants. However, there are a few additional considerations:

Study Visa

As the PhD Preparation Programme is delivered online, international applicants are not required to obtain a South African study visa to complete the programme. A study visa is only required once you receive an invitation to register for the formal PhD programme.

SAQA Verification

International qualifications must be verified by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). As SAQA verification can take some time, applicants are encouraged to begin this process as early as possible. Where appropriate, applicants may be admitted to the PhD Preparation Programme while their SAQA verification is being finalised allowing them to begin their studies without unnecessary delays.

Master's Application and Supervisor Allocation Process

Step 1: Submit your application

To apply for the ��һ�Թ�� SBS Master's programme, you will need to submit your online application together with the required supporting documents, including:

Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)
A research proposal or concept note
Your academic transcript
Your Honours certificate (or official completion letter)

You will also complete a Research Interest Form, where you will:

Indicate your proposed research title.
Explain why the topic interests you.
Provide a brief summary and keywords.
Indicate your preferred research methodology (optional).
Select the research field that best aligns with your proposed study (or select "No Preference" if you are unsure).
Indicate whether you intend to study full-time or part-time.

Step 2: Review of your research proposal

Once your application has been received, the Divisional Postgraduate Coordinator will review your proposed research topic and determine whether it aligns with the Division's areas of expertise.

If you are unsure which research field best fits your topic, the coordinator will recommend the most appropriate research area based on your proposal.

Step 3: Supervisor matching

Supervisors are not allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead, the Division carefully matches students with supervisors based on several factors, including:

The alignment between your proposed research topic and a supervisor's research expertise.
The supervisor's current supervision capacity and workload.
The availability of supervisors within the relevant research field.

This process helps ensure that students receive appropriate academic guidance from supervisors with relevant subject expertise.

Step 4: Confirmation of admission and supervisor allocation

Successful applicants will receive confirmation of their admission and once finalised, will be informed of their allocated supervisor. The supervisor allocation process takes place after applications have been reviewed and suitable matches have been identified across all applicants.

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