MPhil/PhD in the following specialisation areas:
• Engineering
• Design
• Technology
• Built Environment
• Project Management
Subject to the Special General Regulations 50.0, the following Faculty Special regulations apply:
Preamble: The MPhil and PhD degrees are graduate degrees carried out through supervised research, but which may require coursework if deemed necessary by the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee (ISC). Courses to fulfill such requirements must be approved by the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee, the School of Graduate Studies and Senate. These degrees may be available through all Faculties and Departments of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET), through the School of Graduate Studies. Further studies, research and supervisory arrangements will be determined by the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee and require approval of the School of Graduate Studies Board. It is not essential that these degrees be pursued in the same Faculty as the Bachelor’s degree was obtained, but normally the subject for study in the higher degree shall have been a major subject taken successfully at the Bachelor’s level. If the Bachelor’s degree has been earned in a different academic discipline, the student may be required to meet additional academic requirements.
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.1 with the following provisions:
50.1.3 Applicants who have obtained other qualifications and have relevant experience may be considered by the School of Graduate Studies Board on the recommendation of the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee. Applicants may be required to pass a qualifying examination, set and organized by the Department concerned, who shall forward the results to the School of Graduate Studies Board through the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee before a final decision on the applicant’s acceptability is made.
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.2 with the following provisions:
50.2.2 d) Applicants with previous research experience may be admitted directly into a PhD programme, upon recommendation of the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee and approval by the School of Graduate Studies.
50.2.3 A prospective applicant must first discuss the proposed programme with the department(s) in which s/he proposes to work, to establish in general terms whether the research proposal is viable.
50.2.4 On receipt of completed application forms and supporting documents, including an acceptable outline of the proposed research, the School of Graduate Studies shall send one copy to the Chair of the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee for review and recommendation.
50.2.5 Acceptances/Rejections shall be considered by the School of Graduate Studies Board after receipt of the recommendation of the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee and verification that a qualified Supervision Committee is available.
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.3.
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.4.
The courses are:
IDR600 Design research Methods
ENE800 Supervised Research and Thesis in Engineering (MPhil)
DES800 Supervised Research and Thesis in Design (MPhil)
TEC800 Supervised Research and Thesis in Technology (MPhil)
BEN800 Supervised Research and Thesis in Built Environment (MPhil)
MPM800 Supervised Research and Thesis in Project Management (MPhil
The courses are:
ENE900 Supervised Research and Thesis in Engineering (PhD)
DES900 Supervised Research and Thesis in Design (PhD l)
TEC900 Supervised Research and Thesis in Technology (PhD)
BEN900 Supervised Research and Thesis in Built Environment (PhD)
MPM900 Supervised Research and Thesis in Project Management (PhD)
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.5 with the following provisions:
50.5.3 If a reduction or extension of registration outside the normal period is required, a written application must be submitted through the Supervisor and the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee to the School of Graduate Studies Board, which may grant an extension of up to twelve months. Any reduction or further extension may only be approved by the School of Graduate Studies Board. Under certain circumstances, the School of Graduate Studies Board may only grant such permission if the student agrees to transfer to regulations current at that time.
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.6 with the following provisions:
50.6.1 Each graduate student is required to pursue a prescribed programme of study under the direction of a Supervision Committee.
50.6.2 The main Supervisor shall be recommended by the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee, and shall be approved and appointed by the School of Graduate Studies Board. With approval of the School of Graduate Studies, the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee shall nominate two additional members who shall act as Co-Supervisors, who with the Supervisor shall constitute a Supervision Committee. In approving the Supervision Committee, the School of Graduate Studies shall take into account the overall expertise and experience of the proposed team.
50.6.3 Co-Supervisors from within or outside the University of Botswana may be recommended by the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee, and shall be approved and appointed by the School of Graduate Studies Board which, before reaching a decision, will examine the respective CV’s for evidence of an appropriate level of experience and/or current scholarly work.
50.6.4 In exceptional circumstances, a change of Supervisor may be recommended by the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee to the School of Graduate Studies Board.
50.6.5 Where a Supervisor is absent from the University for more than two months, then an acting Supervisor must be appointed. The Supervisor shall make the recommendation of an acting Supervisor to the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee for approval by the School of Graduate Studies.
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.7 with the following provisions:
50.7.1.1 A candidate provisionally registered for the PhD degree shall apply to transfer registration and proceed to the PhD, after completion of at least a period of 9 months but not more than 24 months (full-time students) or at least 9 but not more than 36 months (part-time students), if the Supervisor so recommends. The recommendation shall be based on the work that has already been done by the student within the said period. The application must then be supported by a statement from the Supervisor describing progress and giving details of how the study is to be developed. The application must be submitted through the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee to the School of Graduate Studies Board for final decision.
50.7.2.1 A candidate registered for the PhD, may choose to transfer to the MPhil programme. The student’s Supervisor may recommend that the student transfer to the MPhil programme. In both of these situations, the application for transfer must be accompanied by a written recommendation from the Supervisor and be submitted through the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee to the School of Graduate Studies Board for final decision.
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.8 with the following provisions:
50.8.1 Submission of Title and Abstract of the Thesis
The title and abstract (not exceeding 500 words) of the Thesis must be submitted through the Supervisor and the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee for approval by the School of Graduate Studies Board approximately three months before submission of the Thesis. After the title has been approved, it may not be changed except with the permission of the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee and the School of Graduate Studies Board. The abstract may be edited before the final submission of the thesis.
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.9 with the following provisions:
50.9.1.2 The final submission of the Thesis for examination may follow at any time within the permitted time limit, but the candidate must immediately beforehand inform the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee and School of Graduate Studies Board in writing of the intention to do so, and also submit a signed statement from the Supervisor indicating his/her approval or otherwise, to the submission of the Thesis for examination.
50.9.1.3 In cases where the Supervision Committee has not approved the submission of the Thesis for examination, but all other procedures have been met, the candidate may submit the Thesis to the School of Graduate Studies without the Supervisor’s approval, through the supervision committee, after a successful appeal to the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee.
In accordance with the General Regulations 50.10 with the following provisions:
50.10.1 Candidates will be formally notified of their examination results by the School of Graduate Studies, after the reports from the Board of Examiners, FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee and School of Graduate Studies Board have been accepted and approved by Senate.
50.10.3 A student normally has the right of appeal to Senate on decisions taken under these regulations. The Appeal shall be made to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, for consideration by the FET Interdisciplinary Supervisory Committee, with a recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies Board, within three months from the date of notification of the results. The appeals procedure shall appear in the School of Graduate Studies handbook.
A student should pass, at MPhil level, and before proceeding with research at PhD level, one course in research methodology from two such alternative generic courses, as recommended by the Faculty ISC.
Courses for MPhil/PhD Students
In accordance with the General regulations, 50.5, all MPhil programmes would be a minimum of 2 years full time and 3 years Part time. The PhD would take a minimum of 3 years full time and 5 years part time. Attendance at students’ re-search seminars and lectures by visiting scholars will be a non-credit requirement. Participation in conferences and publications will also be part of the programmes. Strong industrial links will be fostered including work and stay on site and with approved industrial partners, as envisaged by the faculty.
MPhil students take one of the two core courses on Research Methods, as appropriate to their background and intended topic of research, on the advice of the Faculty ISC. The two core courses on Research Methodology are as fol-lows.
CEM603 Analytical Research Methods (3)
(Dealing with Quantitative Research Methods)
IDR600 Design Research Methods (3)
(Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods)