Masters (Project-Based)
Home » Faculties of Science » Departments » Zoology » Programmes »Project-based Master’s studies require the successful completion of a research project and the submission of a dissertation. There is no coursework.
Students are requested to contact a prospective supervisor to enquire about an available project, or suggest one; after acceptance by a supervisor, the student must apply online and then register in February or July.
A project proposal must be submitted to the Faculty within 3 months of registration. The proposal is submitted as an oral presentation during a departmental colloquium and after that in written format using a specified template. An application for ethics approval needs to accompany the written proposal. The written proposal is approved by a Lecturers Committee and thereafter submitted to the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee for approval.
A dissertation in the correct format for submission must be submitted by approximately the end of October or beginning of May to the faculty before the Faculty Degrees Committee meeting. Please see the Faculty Calendar for the exact dates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the duration of project-based Masters?
The suggested period of residence is 2 years; while MSc studies may take up to 3 years, bursaries are available for 2 years only
What bursaries are available?
Unless bursaries are linked to the supervisor’s project grant, students should submit a bursary application to the NRF. Please see the following website for details on NRF bursaries: http://www.nrf.ac.za/students.php. If a candidate has missed the NRF’s deadline, he/she can still apply for Faculty/UJ Bursaries, but must apply for the NRF bursary at the next opportunity. The following Faculty of Science/UJ bursaries are available: a) Faculty of Science top-up bursary and ‘merit’ bursary (for students who obtained an average percentage of 65-74% for their previous degree); these bursaries are automatically awarded once a student has signed a Memorandum for Masters and Doctoral Bursaries; b) UJ Merit bursaries: For students with a previous percentage of at least 70%; c) Assistant bursaries (65% and above): minimum of 4 hours’ work as demonstrators per week; d) URC international student bursaries. Please see the Faculty of Science website for details.
What requirements are there for completing a degree, in addition to handing in the thesis?
Presentations: in addition to the above-mentioned project proposal, candidates must present a “results” presentation at a departmental colloquium before submitting their thesis for examination.
Publications: Proof of acceptance of at least one publication must be submitted to the faculty before the Higher Degrees Committee meeting. Publications must be approved by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DoHET); this includes ISI-listed journals and approved South African Journals. Conference proceedings count as publications only if they have been published in approved journals.
Are there any format requirements for the project proposal or the thesis?
Templates are updated several times a year, and the latest one should be acquired from the Faculty of Science website (or contact the postgraduate office in the Faculty)
When is the deadline for handing in a project proposal write-up/thesis?
Project Proposal: There are three colloquia per year (approximately in March, May/June and October/November, please see the Calendar in the Zoology Tea Room for details). Ideally, students should have their proposals/theses ready at the earliest possible opportunity to avoid unnecessary delays. Proposals/theses can only be submitted after oral presentations. For project proposals, please also make sure that you have completed the latest ethics approval form (see Faculty of Science website, these are frequently updated).
Thesis: Can be handed in by the end of October or the beginning of May
If you miss these deadlines, you may need to register and pay for an additional semester.
How long is a supervisor allowed to edit the thesis?
University policy states that the editing of a thesis should take place “in a reasonable amount of time”. We consider this to mean approximately 3-4 weeks. If it takes longer without any obvious reason, please contact the HOD.
Research Groups
Ongoing programmes. Please contact the head of a particular research group about MSc projects.
Cave and groundwater ecology
Contact: Prof Francois Durand
Our research includes studies of cave-dwelling bats and invertebrates. We are interested in the identification, distribution, feeding and roosting requirements of bats and especially the food web that exists in caves and groundwater.
Research on the impact of Acid Mine Drainage on freshwater ecology on the West Rand
Contact: Prof Francois Durand
Genetics of marine organisms
Contact: Prof Peter Teske
Projects use cutting edge technology to study stock structure, taxonomy, conservation and connectivity of coastal organisms. Methods include DNA barcoding, eDNA metabarcoding, population genomics and gene expression analyses.
Ecology of streams and wetlands
Contact: Dr Matthew Bird
Projects focus mostly on aquatic invertebrates as indicators of stream and wetland health
Research on sub-Antarctic islands
Contact: Prof Bettine van Vuuren
Projects focus on genetic structure and adaptation of animals to extreme environments
Aquatic Health and Physiology
Contact:
Dr Lolo Mokae
Prof Cobus van Dyk
Mrs Refilwe Lukhwareni
Useful Links
Faculty of Science (useful links to forms information about registration processes)
Faculty of Science Information Brochure: Postgraduate Courses
University of Johannesburg Academic Regulations (details about your rights and responsibilities)
Library Subject Portal for Zoology (includes links to databases and how to use library resources)