Purpose statement
The Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy and International Affairs represents the highest qualification offered by the institution. In responding to the dynamic and complex nature of South Africa, the African continent and the international environment, the degree promotes innovative perspectives that conceptualise new research initiatives and new knowledge or practice befitting our interwoven national, continental, and international realities. The purpose of this qualification is to produce doctoral graduates with the ability to contribute to scholarly debates around theories of knowledge and processes of knowledge production in an area of study or practice. This would require a candidate to undertake research at the most advanced academic level, culminating in the submission, assessment, and acceptance of a thesis. The defining characteristic of this qualification is that a learner is required to demonstrate high-level research capability and application and to make a significant and original academic contribution at the frontiers of Public Policy and International Affairs. In this regard, coursework principally in research methodology will be required as preparation or value addition to the research, but does not contribute to the credit value of the qualification.
| Qualification code: | 90193 |
| Qualification type: | Full Research |
| NQF level: | 10 |
| Total credits: | 360 |
| SAQA ID: | 124591 |
An appropriate Masters with an average qualification mark of at least 60%. Students with a Masters degree at NQF level 9 from cognate disciplines may also be recognised as meeting the minimum entry requirements for admission into this qualification provided that they have obtained an average qualification mark of at least 60%.
Applicants who would like to apply for admission through recognition of prior learning (RPL) without an appropriate master's degree should submit a portfolio of evidence of relevant work and research experience in the study field in which they would like to apply for admission to the qualification. The portfolio of evidence will be assessed according to the specific outcomes and assessment criteria of the Master of Arts in Public Policy in International Affairs.
All master's and doctoral qualifications are structured over a defined period. Refer to sections 4.12 and 4.13 in the Procedures for master’s and doctoral degrees.
A student registered for a research doctoral programme must complete the study programme within six years. A student may make application to the Registrar for one additional year of study who will only consider the application if it is recommended by the Executive Dean of the College in which the student is registered.
A doctoral degree will require you to undertake research at the most advanced academic levels culminating in the submission, assessment and acceptance of a thesis. Coursework may be required as preparation or value addition to the research, but does not contribute to the credit value of the qualification. The defining characteristic of this qualification is that you will be required to demonstrate high-level research capability and make a significant and original academic contribution at the frontiers of the discipline or field. This work must be of a quality to satisfy peer review and merit publication.
Pay the online application fee of R150,00 once you have received your Unisa student number.
Please note:
An application for a student number does not constitute an application for admission. After you receive your student number, you must still complete the online application for admission process and upload the compulsory supporting documents.
Click here for the 2025 student fee information. The fee information for the 2026 academic year will be available at the time of registration.
Students registering for qualifications through the Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL) should visit the SBL website for fee information, as the SBL uses a different fee structure.
Click here for student funding/bursary opportunities.
Applications re-open for master's & doctoral qualifications until 19 December 2025 (some exceptions apply)
Click here to apply for a student number and apply for admission.
Please ensure that you apply for a Unisa student number (if applicable), apply for admission and upload all the supporting documents during the application period. If you already have a Unisa student number, you proceed to apply for admission and upload all the supporting documents.
You have 10 working days to upload all the supporting documents during the application period. If you do not comply with this requirement, your application will be declined and you will have to re-apply for admission during the current/next application period.
Only students whose application for admission was approved and re-registering students (who made sufficient progress during the current academic year) will be allowed to register online within the approved registration period for the 2026 academic year. Coursework master's degree students must await the official approval of their research proposal module, before attempting to re-register for the next academic year. Students with outstanding fees or a Library block on their accounts, will not be able to register online until these issues have been resolved. No printed registration forms will be accepted.
Click here for registration information.