Institutional resource page (North West University)

On this page you will find information and links relevant to the postgraduate programme in Organisational Praxis. It is relevant to the particular institution only. Information relating to the other institutions and the main page can be accesses on the right.

Information on the motivation of the course, course structure, content, and more can be located on the this page.

The most up to date source of information remains that of the institution. Please inform us if you find any links broken or if you believe information to be inaccurate. The intention in offering the information is to point you in the right direction.

There might be instances where I need to track your submission with the relevant institution. Consequently it is important that once you have applied at NWU you inform me via nwu.applications@elmopienaar.com

For this purpose include on your email:

• Formal names and surname submitted as per the application
• Your preferred conversational name
• Date of application submission
• Any specific reference number like an application submission number or preliminary student number will do.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements depend on the route that you intend to follow. If it is specifically through practical theology then any one of the following degrees in Theology will be sufficient for entry into a the masters degree program (If you are unsure please contact the administration department of the respective institutions). Depending on the institution different training programmes or routes (even outside these mentioned) might allow you into the programme. There usually is also a marks criteria applicable.

For admission into the masters programme:

• BA (Hons) Theology degree
• BD Theology degree
• MDiv degree
• MPhil degree (Please consult the year book whether an MPhil will allow you entry into the formal masters degree with North West University. 

For admission into the doctorate (PhD) programme:

• A theological masters degree in theology (excluding MPhil and MDiv) is a prerequisite (preferably in practical theology).

A professional background and formal qualification in a non-theological degree is, in this route, not a formal requirement but indeed a differentiation in terms of the applicants on a year to year basis.

For interested parties from other disciplines two options are available:

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An MPhil degree programme is often regarded as a bridging degree whereby a student can ‘migrate’ from one discipline to another. While the MPhil degree (in applied theology) is offered at the University of Pretoria please make sure whether such a degree is offered at the North West University and what this degree will allow you to do.

Such a degree path is in some way a detour (but it is a worthwhile detour). The detour involves doing the bridging MPhil then doing the regular masters (MA or MTh) and then follows the PhD. Diligent students will find that the route to a PhD, if interest, is not necessarily longer via an MPhil programme.

Formally the MPhil programme offers limited exposure to Organisational Praxis although informally you can be fully part of the organisational praxis commmunity. With most MPhil programmes there is scope to specialise, often in the second year, in which case it would then need to be Practical Theology (which in turn is the discipline where my interest lies.
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An MSc degree from a non public university registered with the Higher Education Council of South Africa is another option and you will have to make contact we me so that I might point you in the right direction.
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When should you apply

The NWU in effect accepts postgraduate students for our program throughout the year. Granting of bursaries, however, follows a particular cycle. Please note that you should apply for a postgraduate bursary because while no guarantee can be given they are often awarded as an incentive to postgraduate students. Please do make sure of the specifics, deadlines for bursary applications, and so on via the contact details below.

What you should do in the meantime (if not aligned to the bursary cycle) is register as a prospective postgraduate (M or D) student. This involves a minimal library fee in conjunction with the formal application that you fill out and pay the related formal application fee. It means that you will immediately be able to start using electronic resources and immediately become part of the community of students. This is important so that we can start working so long on your proposal and topic of interest. If you choose this route, for the reasons explained, you will not have to pay the full registration fee at this stage but still have full access to sources for the duration of 6 months.

Provisional registration

Steps to provisional registration

In order to register as a prospective/provisional postgraduate student the following steps apply:

• The provisional registration fee of R300 should be paid into the stipulated bank account.
• Notification of payment to be sent to Adri.Smit@nwu.ac.za or faxed to +27-18-299-2999 for attention ‘Adri Smit.’
• The accompanying form should be completed and sent to Georgene Mulder at Georgene.Mulder@nwu.ac.za or faxed to +27-18-299-2999 for attention ‘Georgene Mulder’
• The form should be accompanied by a commendation of the study leader and sub program leader.

Benefits of registering provisionally

Registering provisionally allows you:

• To only pay a minimal R300 (in addition perhaps to your formal application fee but not registration fees)
• Full access to advanced library services and assistance
• Access to online electronic academic sources (this is what we mainly use)
• Taking out up to 15 books for a duration of a month and renewing it up to two times (if not booked by someone else)
• Inter library loans for books or material not available at NWU
• A service by which the books may be posted to you if not residing in near the Potchefstroom campus of NWU.
• The librarian can also offer an electronic information service (which is very handy considering that that person will then assist you in finding articles, themes, topics on your request). Ask for this assistance via email. Ms Hester Lombard is the librarian for the faculty of theology: hester.lombard@nwu.ac.za
• Internet and database training and access

In what follows: Institutional links

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The university’s home page can be accessed here.

More specific links are provided (see below) but note that the information available on the unverisity’s website include:

• Manual for applicants
• Online application form (See postgraduate link below)
• Faculty yearbook can be accessed here.
• (NB Please note that the yearbook will have the correct codes for the course that you will need to fill in on your application which fits under Practical Theological Perspectives – Pastoral studies)
• Guidelines for succesful study
• Fee payable and financial regulations
• Postgraduate bursaries
• General academic rules

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Information relevant specifically to all NWU postgraduate studies:

• In English
• In Afrikaans

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[accordion_toggle title=”Postgraduate office of masters and doctorate studies in theology”]
Here is the link to the home page of the faculty of theology.

Two links on that page is of particular relevance:

• Masters degree programmes offered
• The doctoral programme offered

Another important link is for the postgraduate research office

Having followed the above link two selections are particularly relevant:

The ‘Application Procedure’

Here is the specific link.

On the ‘Application Procedure’ you will notice:

• The 6 research subprograms in our faculty (our focus is specifically mentioned here but falls under ‘Practical Theological Perspectives’)
• our Calendar 2014 containing exhaustive information about all the postgraduate programs
• The application form
• The guidelines for international applications
• Manual for Applicants
• General Academic Rules

Please note that a short research proposal is required. See the link above.

‘Registrations, re-registrations and financial matters’

Here is the specific link.

Take note of:

• The bursary application forms
• Financial information of M & D students
• Fees payable and financial rules, and more

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Contact details North West University

For any general queries:PostGrad-AdmissionsPOTCH@nwu.ac.za

Applications:Mandie.JansenVanVuuren@nwu.ac.za, Tel +27-18-299-2626
Applications:Maggie.Parkin@nwu.ac.za, Tel +27-18-299-2632
Registrations:Ragel.Jefta@nwu.ac.za, Tel +27-18-299-4194
Postgraduate bursaries:Susan.vanderWesthuizen@nwu.ac.za, Tel +27-18-299-2051
For any financial queries:PUK-studyfees@nwu.ac.za

Assistance specifically related to master’s and doctorate studies in theology:

Assistant: Ms Annelize Liebenberg:Annelize.Liebenberg@nwu.ac.za,vTel +27-18-299-1910
Manager: Prof Henk StokerHenk.Stoker@nwu.ac.za, Tel +27-18-299-1596