Choosing a Potential Supervisor

• A comprehensive bibliography of sources identified on the research area;

• An abstract of no more than 250 words, including keywords; • Chapter outlines: Summary of what each chapter in the dissertation will cover (approximately 250 words for each chapter). *If a student chooses to hand in an experimental chapter that does not conform to academic writing, then the following is proposed: the student hands in addition to the above 2000-3000 chapter, chapter outlines, abstract, bibliography, a two page document detailing the following clearly: title of research; identifying a focused research question; stating the aims/rationale of the research; problems and gaps identified that the research is responding to; research methods employed in the research. Ethics Consideration: MAFA students will supply the abstract and chapter (and if necessary the two page document) as part of their individual ethics application via the University Ethics system.

NOTE: Within the first 3 months of registration, all candidates will be required by the Department to present their research topic and initial creative investigations to their peers and staff through the open studio process so that they are given feedback on their developing ideas. Candidates are also required by Faculty to present their proposals to the staff and student body to solicit feedback on their ideas in a public presentation – it is part of the Department’s process that the proposal reader(s) be present to give verbal feedback on the proposal presentation, which should be taken into account by the candidate before final submission of the proposal is made by the candidate through their student portal and the proposal is then sent via Faculty officially to the proposal reader(s).

Reading Groups and Writing Circles

The postgraduate community have developed their own peer-led reading groups. Students are encouraged to continue attending and forming their own focused reading groups to attend to their research needs, including that of writing where necessary. The Wits Writing Centre runs writing circles, which postgraduate students can attend, as an individual or as a writing group. Please contact the Writing Centre should you be interested.

Timeline

One Year MAFA (Full Time)

If you are planning to finish your MAFA in one-year full-time registration, then consider the following schedule:

Seminars and Workshops

Attend first term seminars and workshops and use opportunities to present your proposal ideas, chapter plans, abstracts, etc. Look over the year’s seminar and group programme, paying particular attention to methodology and academic writing workshops that you feel may be helpful to your research interest and choose to attend those, as well as reading and writing groups within and outside the Department that can assist and support you throughout the year and commit to those on a regular basis.

Research Proposal and Open Studios

Aim to submit your research proposal within 3-4 months of your registration. This is done in consultation with your supervisor(s). You will be required to present your research ideas in a public presentation to staff and students to receive feedback and, thereafter, you will be able to submit your written proposal to Faculty, which is then passed to an external reader. As part of this process, you would also have been expected to show your research ideas begun in your practice work in open studios, and presented to your reader(s) at the public presentation as either an exhibition or as documentation. After the research proposal has been accepted (usually within a month of being submitted), the student is given formal notification to continue with the degree – you would have continued working on practice and written research while awaiting the external’s feedback and will incorporate such feedback going forward.