Postgraduate Programmes
(Please note that this information is subject to change)
Academics in our department conduct and supervise a wide range of research projects, most of which relate to five broad themes. These themes are linked to UNISA’s niche areas and are described below.
1. UNISA Research Niche Areas
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2. Departmental Research Focus Areas
Theme 1
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Theme 2
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Theme 3
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Theme 4
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Theme 5
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Mental health
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Decoloniality
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Social justice and inclusion
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Open distance e-learning (ODeL)
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Social Psychology and Environmental Psychology
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The department's research focus is conceptualised under these five themes. The research conducted in the department may fall under one or across all five themes.
Theme one: Mental Health
- Student wellness in the context of current South African and global realities
- Employee wellness in the context of current South African and global realities
- Community wellness and resilience in the context of current South African and global realities
- Therapeutic contexts and lived experiences
- Health, wellbeing and developmental psychology
- Integration of mind, body and spirit
- Forensic psychology
- Emergency services
Theme 2: Decoloniality
- African psychologies
- Indigenous epistemologies
- Decolonisation using indigenous language
- Coloniality in naming practices
- Gender through a decolonial lens
- Decolonial feminism
Theme 3: Social justice and inclusion
- Prevalence and psychosocial impact of hate crimes
- Feminist voices
- The psychology of sexuality and gender in Africa
- Advancement of LGBTI+ health and well-being
- Affirmative of LGBTI+ psychological practices
- Corrections and incarceration
- Crime and violence prevention/ trauma intervention
- Diversity and social transformation
Theme 4: Open distance e-learning (ODeL)
- Teaching and learning
- Teaching and learning of psychological research
- Higher education
- Distance education
- Open distance e-learning
- Students as knowledge producers
Theme 5: Social Psychology and Environmental Psychology
- Social, racial and gender issues
- Relationships between individuals and social groups
- Personal and social identities
- Cognitive representations of social categories
- Intergroup attitudes, emotions and behaviour in social change situations
- Interpersonal and intergroup communication
- Human-induced climate change
3. M & D supervision
For more information on postgraduate supervision see the 2022 prospective M and D student psychology brochure.
Revised by the departmental research team on 01/09/2021
Last modified: 2023/08/07