Doctor of Philosophy in Economics at University of South Africa

Programme overview

The purpose of this qualification is to enable the learner to produce a doctoral research thesis which meets international standards of scholarly and professional writing under supervision in the various sub-disciplines within Economics. (NQF level 10, 360 credits, qualification code 90022.)

Duration: Maximum time to complete: six years (time limit stated for this degree type) | Study mode: distance | Location: Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

A master's degree in Economics. In addition to the above requirements, applicants must submit a transcript or an academic record, as well as a document describing their intended research. All students with foreign qualifications, including those with qualifications from African countries, must have their qualifications evaluated at SAQA. (www.saqa.org.za) Students will be accepted on the following criteria: suitability and viability of the intended research; adequate supervisory capacity and research expertise in the discipline or department. There is an approved selection procedure which is in line with Unisa's policies on equality and diversity in the discipline or department. Applicants who do not meet the admission requirements as indicated above may apply for admission through recognition of prior learning (RPL) provided they are at least 23 years old with a minimum of five years' current, relevant working and research experience in line with the approved qualification's RPL requirements. For more information on RPL criteria visit: http://www.unisa.ac.za/rpl

Tuition is charged per module, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Offers are made for a specific registration period, for example semester 1; applicants must register for the semester for which they were granted admission or re-apply in the next application period.

Applications for master's and doctoral qualifications are open from 1 September to 20 November 2026; selection degrees and some other qualifications have different application periods.

The non-refundable online application fee is R160. International applicants with foreign qualifications may apply without a SAQA evaluation certificate but must submit it by 15 December 2027 if accepted for 2027.

Apply through the official page: https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Apply-for-admission

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