SU|Dept of Process Engineering Postgraduate Admission For Prospective Postgraduate

SU|Dept of Process Engineering Postgraduate Admission For Prospective Postgraduate

• Overview

The Department offers three postgraduate enrolment options for local and international students who come from various undergraduate backgrounds, including a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Engineering, a research-based Master’s programme (MEng) in either Chemical or Extractive Metallurgical Engineering, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Engineering in either Chemical or Extractive Metallurgical Engineering.
Further, our department offers access to cutting-edge laboratories and facilities, and research is performed in close collaboration with industry as well as international partners.
Postgraduate prospectus 2024
Download our departmental postgraduate prospectus for 2024 here. For more information regarding our research groups, please click on the Research tab above. Upon application, please notify the postgraduate manager, Mrs Mieke de Jager, of your research interest(s), and your application documents will be sent to the applicable researcher(s).

• PGDip

The PGDip (Eng) offers applicants a means to access a Masters in Engineering degree in the Department. Upon completion of this diploma, candidates will be able to enrol for an MEng degree, should they meet the requirements of admission in the Department. Please note that candidates have to provide their own funding. The Department does not offer any funding or bursaries for this qualification.

• MEng

The MEng (Research) is a 100% research-based programme, generally requiring full-time study and research over a period of 18 – 24 months. Part-time candidates who are working in the industry are considered, and enrolment stretches over approximately three to four years.
A thesis is produced for evaluation, as well as sufficient academic articles, as part of fulfilment and attainment of the degree. This Department does not offer a course-based Masters programme.
Candidates eligible to apply for a Master’s degree in the Process Engineering Department include graduates with a four-year undergraduate degree leading to a professional qualification such as BEng and BSc Eng, or graduates with a BSc Hons degree in one of the following fields: computer science, mathematics, applied mathematics, chemistry, biological sciences or physics.
Note however, that completion of a MEng is not a qualifying degree for registration as an engineer if a candidate comes from one of the last-mentioned fields.

Upgrading from Masters to PhD programme
It is possible for a student to upgrade from a masters to a doctoral programme, if the supervisor is of the opinion that the research exhibits such a degree of originality that the registration of the candidate can be upgraded. There are two paths to follow in the upgrade process, which can be discussed with the supervisor or postgraduate manager.

• PhD

The PhD programme is 100% research based, requiring full-time study and enrolment of two to three years. Part-time enrolment is considered in special cases, e.g. if the candidate is employed as an engineer and wants to do research in the industry in collaboration with a supervisor in the Department. A dissertation is produced for evaluation, as well as sufficient academic articles that are submitted and accepted in accredited academic journals as part of fulfilment and attainment of the degree.
Candidates eligible to apply for a PhD in the Process Engineering Department include graduates with a MEng or MSc Eng degree in Chemical/Extractive MEtallurgical Engineering or graduates with an MSc degree in one of the following fields: computer science, mathematics, applied mathematics, chemistry, biological sciences or physics. Note however, that completion of a PhD is not a qualifying degree for registration as an engineer if a candidate comes from one of the last-mentioned fields.

• Application Procedure

In order to apply for postgraduate study, the following steps have to be completed:
1. Complete the University’s institutional application form. Should you require assistance with finalising and completing your online application, feel free to contact our Client Service Center on info@sun.ac.za / 021 808 9111 for assistance.
2. Complete a departmental application form and submit it to the postgraduate manager, Mrs Mieke de Jager (miekedup@sun.ac.za).
Kindly include the following documents with your departmental application, as stated on the application form: academic record, qualification certificates, curriculum vitae, identification document or passport, and three reference letters (preferably from academic referees). The reference letters should include the contact details of your referees and give an indication of your abilities with regard to: independent scientific work, understanding of technical concepts, design, execution and interpretation of scientific experiments, and technical writing ability.

• Tuition Fees

• Funding and Bursaries

The Department has many exciting research opportunities available for Masters and Doctoral candidates, although not all research opportunities offer bursaries. The possibility of funding is dependent on factors such as availability, academic record, and nationality. All applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain their own funding. Further, there are no bursaries available for PGDip candidates and they are required to obtain their own funding.
Students are also encouraged to sign up for the TakeNote newsletter, which regularly communicates many funding opportunities.

• Contact us

For further details regarding postgraduate study at the Department of Process Engineering, contact the Postgraduate Manager: