Code of Conduct

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).

Change of Supervisor and Submission without Supervisor’s consent:

While it is not advisable for students to submit without their supervisor’s consent, sometimes relations between a supervisor and student may break down. While in the first instance the Departmental postgraduate coordinator should be approached well in advance to intervene where possible in assisting both supervisors and students (or alternatively where this is not ideal the Head of the Fine Art Department can be approached), where there is an irrevocable breakdown in a relationship, a change of supervisor can be requested. Where this happens close to submission for examination and there is contestation over the submission for examination itself, students who intend to submit without their supervisor’s consent are required by the Faculty to submit a motivation THREE MONTHS prior to submission date if submitting to the Senior Faculty officer (Phillimon.Mnisi@wits.ac.za).

Seminars and Workshops

The postgraduate seminar programme is aimed at all postgraduate students in the Department of Fine Arts. However, there will be focused doctoral methodology and practice-based workshops run specifically for PhD students throughout the year. Provisional dates have been set, but these will be negotiated with the group directly by the postgraduate coordinator at beginning of each semester as many of the PhD students are employed full-time and some are based in other provinces. Attend as many postgraduate seminars and workshops as possible and use opportunities to present your proposal and chapter ideas, chapter plans, publications, 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.

Open Studios

PhD students are expected to present their work as part of the open studio days. Each student is allocated an hour to present work to their peer and staff body for engagement. Such sessions are crucial to artistic development and should be welcomed both in terms of getting and giving critical feedback. Try to present at least once a semester. These sessions also help us think through presentation possibilities each time – and so presentation itself becomes a discursive, reflexive exercise. Students can also use this opportunity to present their PhD proposals – as is a requirement by Faculty – to the student and staff cohort to gain feedback before final submission to their readers.

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.