• To promote scientific enquiry that further develops the social work profession.
• To support training of social workers and researchers wishing to pursue higher (graduate) degrees in Social Work.
• To equip MPhil and PhD students with the necessary analytic skills in research to tackle complex social issues and challenges at national and/or regional levels.
• To provide graduates in the helping professions with a sound empirical base in social work practice so that they can understand, critique and interpret, social theory and apply it to practice situations and competently conduct social work research.
• To prepare professionals who are committed to research geared towards promoting equity and social justice at local and national levels.
• To enable students to gain broad understanding of individual and societal functions and dysfunctions, and through research to utilize this knowledge in designing, implementing, managing, and monitoring and evaluating social policy and social programmes.
• The MPhil/PhD programmes will provide a set of structured and integrated core courses (largely in the form of seminars) that are applied to each student’s area of specialization or area of research interest.
• In addition to the above-mentioned core-courses, the student will select themes in selected fields of practice in order to pursue more specialized interests in seminars and research.
The PhD is essentially by research. It focuses primarily on design of concepts or processes, as well as examination and analysis of the social, cultural, economic, political, environmental, and psychological conditions that form the building blocks of social work education, theory and practice in Botswana and Africa. Students will be encouraged to conduct research pertinent to social policy, health, clinical practice, socio-economic development, community development, among many others.
Students should demonstrate strong research and analytic skills, and ability to conduct independent research in various areas of specialization.
General Regulation 50.1 shall apply together with Special Departmental Regula-tions.
1.4.0In addition to General Regulation 50.1, the following special regulations shall apply:
1.4.1In order to register for the MPhil or PhD degree, a candidate must discuss the proposed research topic with the designated supervisors in the Department of Social Work. The application shall include an outline of the research proposal as well as the motivation for wanting to pursue research in that area. Admission shall be dependent upon availability of a supervisor.
1.4.2The Department of Social Work’s Graduate Study Sub-committee shall evaluate the application to determine whether or not a candidate qualifies to undertake the MPhil or PhD programme of study. This body reserves the right to request for additional submissions from the candidate, including an oral presentation. On the basis of this evaluation, the Graduate Study Sub-committee shall make the relevant recommendation to the Departmental Board as to whether the candidate is admissible into the MPhil or PhD programme.
1.4.3 A candidate for admission into the MPhil programme will be required to possess a Master’s Degree in Social Work or in a related discipline.
1.4.4 Candidates should have shown potential to do independent research as evidenced by their performance in project courses and in their area of intended specialization.
1.4.5 Candidates without a Masters qualification, but with a strong undergraduate degree in Social Work or related discipline, may be admitted, as provided for under General Regulation 50.1. However, these candidates will undergo a Departmental assessment to determine their eligibility to undertake the MPhil programme.
In addition to the provisions of the General Regulations, all candidates are ex-pected to complete satisfactorily the following requirements:
1.5.0 First Semester:
FSS800: Advanced Social Science Research Methods (3)
MSW 800: Advanced Social Science Theory (Guided Readings and 1 Seminar on Selected Topic) (3).
MSW 801: Social Research Methods (3)
1.5.1 Second Semester:
MSW 802: Social Work Methods and Fields of Practice (3)
MSW 803: Research Thesis Proposal (3).
1.5.2 MSW 804: Supervised Research Thesis
in Social Work for MPhil (12)
Programme Structure (Part I)
1.5.3 Duration of MPhil Programme
1.5.4 The MPhil programme shall be of 2 years duration for full time students extendable to a maximum of 3 years, depending on demonstrable evidence that the candidate shall complete the programme within the extended period.
1.5.5 Part time students should complete the programme within four years (eight semesters).
1.5.6 At the successful completion of Part I, a candidate shall either proceed to Part II of the MPhil Programme or will be allowed to transfer registration to the PhD programme on the recommendation of the Departmental Board and approval by the School of Graduate Studies Board (see regulation 50.2.2) (b).
1.5.7 Research Thesis Supervision:
The Departmental Board shall appoint a thesis committee, comprising a minimum of two (2) supervisors one of which must be a specialist in social research methods.
1.5.8 Assessment
General Regulation 50.9 shall apply.
1.5.9 Research Thesis Submission
The MPhil Research Thesis shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of General Regulation 50.8.
1.5.11 Entrance Requirements, General Regulation 50.2 shall apply:
1.5.12 When transfer from the MPhil to the PhD programme occurs, the credits accumulated as an MPhil student (i.e. 12 credits) shall be added to the 60 credits required for completion of the PhD degree Thesis, and a cumulative credit of 72 attained for the completion and award of a PhD degree (50.2.2) (c)
1.5.13 Candidates who already hold an MPhil degree, with previous research experience in Social Work or a related field of study shall be admitted directly into the PhD programme after due consideration of the applicant documents, and upon recommendation by the Departmental Board of Social Work and approval by the School of Graduate Studies (See 50.2.2) (d).
1.5.15 SW 900 Supervised Research and Thesis in Social Work (48 credits – for MPhil route or 60 credits- for Direct entry into PhD).Core – requisite: Students will be obliged to present two seminars during the course of their study.
During the provisional period of registration (where applicable) the Special Departmental Regulations for MPhil shall apply. Furthermore, transfer to the PhD shall be guided by General Regulation 50.7.1 as well as the recommendation by the Departmental Graduate Study Committee, affirming the candidate’s capability in this regard.
The transfer from MPhil to PhD and from PhD to MPhil shall be permitted in accordance with the provisions of General Regulations 50.7.1 and 50.7.2 respectively.
Duration of the PhD programme shall be as stipulated in General regulation 50.5
- The Departmental Board shall appoint a thesis committee, comprising minimum of two (2) Supervisors, one of which must be a specialist in research methods.
- The Department of Social Work may appoint a co-supervisor from a relevant Department of UB in accordance with section g.6a (ii).
The PhD thesis shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of General Regulation 50.8
MPhil* Programme Summary
Code Title of Course Credits
FSS800 Advanced Social Science
Research Methods 3
MSW800 Advanced Social Science Theory
(Guided Readings and 1 Seminar presentation 3
MSW801 Social Research Methods 3
MSW802 Social Work Methods and Fields of Practice (Guided Readings and 1 Seminar presentation) 3
MSW803 Research Thesis Proposal 3
MSW804 Supervised Research Thesis 12
Total Credits (MPhil) 24
Note:* Total credits for award of MPhil is 24 Credits
PhD* Direct Entry
Code Title of Course Credits
SW900 Supervised Research and Thesis 48-60*
Total Credits MPhil 24 Credits plus 48 credits
for the PhD Thesis = 72 credits
Note: The ‘taught’ courses involve guided readings as well as seminar presentations by each MPhil/PhD student.
Note: The Social Research Methods Course will be mounted by the Faculty of Social Sciences for all MPhil/PhD candidates registered in the Faculty.