The School of Communication is renowned for providing top-quality education and producing skilled communication professionals. As a postgraduate student, you can take advantage of our unique programme, which focuses on making a real-world impact through applied research in communication. Our programme is the best choice for those who want to contribute meaningfully to the field and addresses communication challenges in South Africa.

Students with a postgraduate qualification in Communication typically work in the corporate, NPO or government sectors in a strategic capacity. With a postgraduate qualification you can work for an organisation or as consultant. You can also pursue a career in academia or as research consultant.

Enrolling in a postgraduate degree in Communication at the NWU provides you with numerous research opportunities and the chance to work closely with supervisors who are experts in various fields of communication. Students can benefit from their expertise and guidance in their postgraduate academic pursuits. This helps students broaden their horizons and deepen their understanding of communication in various contexts. We're excited to have you join our community of postgraduate scholars and prepare for success in your future academic and professional goals!

Research focus and possible topics  

At the North-West University we focus on Communication for sustainability and the for-profit, non-profit, and public sector. The advantage of focused research is that you are ensured of an experienced supervisor in the field. With experienced supervisors, specific research themes, and emphasis on communication for sustainability, our students receive the highest quality guidance and support. 

We broadly distinguish between studies in Journalism and Media Studies, Corporate Communication and Development Communication. However, sometimes topics can relate to more than one field of study. Currently we can provide quality supervision on the following topics:  

• Branding and reputation management (Corporate Communication) 

• Community media (Journalism; Development Communication) 
• Corporate social responsibility communication (Corporate Communication, Development Communication) 
• Election communication (Development Communication, Media Studies) 
• Marketing management and marketing communication (Corporate Communication) 
• Media management (Journalism and Media Studies, Corporate Communication) 

• Nature of communication in development contexts (Development Communication) 
• Nature of communication in internal and external corporate environments (Corporate Communication) 
• News quality (misinformation, news literacy and ethics) (Journalism and Media Studies) 
• News making (news production, news dissemination) (Journalism and Media Studies) 
• Relationship management (Corporate Communication) 

• Social media (Journalism and Media Studies, Corporate Communication, Development Communication) 

Requirements 

An ideal postgraduate student in communication would have a strong academic background in the field, be passionate about making a positive impact on society through effective communication, possess excellent research skills, and be able to critically analyse information. They should also have strong written and verbal communication skills, be open-minded and willing to learn, and able to work both independently and in a team environment. 

If you're interested in applying for Master's or PhD programmes in Communication at the North-West University (NWU), here's a step-by-step guide to help you through the application process:

Remember to check the specific requirements for the Master's or PhD programme you are interested in, as they may vary. It's essential to submit a well-prepared application, including a short proposal, to increase your chances of admission to NWU.

For more information you can contact the postgraduate programme leaders: