IIE Master of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management - (Online)

Admission requirements

Honours degree: An appropriate HEQSF Level 8

Postgraduate Diploma

Level 8 Bachelor’s Degree: An appropriate (480 credits) Level 8 Bachelor’s Degree may also be recognised

International Applicants: SAQA NQF 8 Evaluation Certificate in an appropriate field (All applicants who are eligible for admission to the Master of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management degree are required to successfully complete and present a research proposal and obtain ethics clearance for the research for their mini-dissertation)

Please note, requirements for entry to this qualification are correct at the time of publication, however, these may change.

Curriculum

The MPhil IWM curriculum includes four intensive coursework modules followed by a supervised research thesis. Modules are interdisciplinary and regionally relevant, integrating natural sciences, governance, and development studies.

Coursework Modules:

• Science of Water - Explores hydrology, aquatic ecosystems, water chemistry, and human-environment interactions.
• Water, Sustainability and Development - Addresses the global water crisis, poverty, infrastructure, gender, and water as a human right within sustainable development frameworks.
• Water Governance and Policy - Focuses on the political, institutional and socioeconomic dimensions of water governance in Africa.
• Project Management and Research Design - Equips students with the skills to manage research projects and prepares them for professional practice in the water sector.
• Research Thesis - Students complete an original research thesis (up to 35,000 words) that addresses a real-world issue in water management. Projects are interdisciplinary and may involve field or laboratory work, supported by expert academic supervision.

Articulation options

For the Faculty of Science and Technology, School of Engineering, Science and Health the following qualifications allow you to articulate into The IIE Master of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management should you meet the requirements:

• The IIE Postgraduate Diploma in Water Management

For alternative articulation options within our other schools please contact your campus for further information.

Accreditation

This qualification is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

Career opportunities

The programme focuses on building skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, statistics and data management, knowledge transfer and effective leadership.

Upon completion of programme it is expected that graduates will be prepared to take on leadership positions in international agencies, government departments, non-governmental organisations, and private sector entities engaged in water management. These graduates will bring critical thinking and analytical skills and an interdisciplinary perspective to water management solutions.

A graduate will be able to:
Appraise freshwater ecosystems as complex social-ecological systems, design an integrated water resource management plan, develop a research project proposal, execute an integrated water management research project, prepare a manuscript (academic paper) ready for submission for publication.

Teaching and Learning strategy

At The IIE, we believe that effective teaching is about creating experiences that foster student growth. Our lecturers design activities that challenge students and identify their strengths, allowing for real-time adaptation in the learning journey. By combining subject expertise with teaching insights and digital tools, we extend learning beyond the classroom. This approach ensures students not only keep up but thrive.

On-Campus written examination venue information

For students based in South Africa, online students may select any campus of Emeris as their Examination Centre.

An alternative examination centre is only permissible for students studying abroad and those located in a province of South Africa where there is no Emeris campus. If there is no Emeris campus within reach, an alternative venue will need to be sourced by you. For non-Emeris venues, there is an alternative venue levy per module.

Device and connectivity specifications required for online study

• The appropriate technology equipment and tools are essential to succeed in distance (online) study.
• A reliable internet connection (we recommend 5-10 GB of data per month), your own device with at least Windows 8 or macOS 10.15 (Microsoft Office 365 is available as a free download for IIE students), and Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge Chromium or Firefox.
• An uninterrupted power supply is also highly recommended.