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Information needs of prospective postgraduate students: A study among masters and doctorate students in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

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  • Samkele Konyana

    (Walter Sisulu University)

Abstract

The complex application process at the postgraduate level became a major blamer for poor doctorate enrolments. The complexity in the communication messages made it difficult for prospective postgraduate students to absorb information effectively. The proposal by the government to increase masters' and doctorate enrolments at universities requires universities to cater to the needs of customers whose preferences and expectations change continuously. The research upon which this paper was based was aimed at identifying the information needs of prospective postgraduates at public universities. The study design is quantitative, employing a descriptive technique and cross-sectional method. For the empirical study, a non-probability sampling method was utilized to obtain data from a sample of 116 masters’ and doctorate students. Descriptive statistics described the main features of the collected data through frequencies, tables, and bar charts. Inferential statistics were used to determine relationships between variables and test the significance, and reliability of the findings. Emphasis on university processes and specific aspects of the expected and augmented product were found. Interestingly, the importance attached to getting information about economic incentives significantly outweighs the importance attached to receiving information about the actual product. The results of this study affirm the assertion that the postgraduate market is unique and has unique information needs. The results provide universities with a guideline to identify the information needs of prospective postgraduate students applying for master's and doctorate studies at public universities. The study limitation is that it encompasses only a small number of registered master’s and doctoral students in KwaZulu-Natal, limiting the possibility of generalizing the results to all prospective postgraduate students in South Africa Key Words:postgraduate students, masters and doctorate students, information needs, postgraduate studies, postgraduate market

Suggested Citation

  • Samkele Konyana, 2022. "Information needs of prospective postgraduate students: A study among masters and doctorate students in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 11(2), pages 423-432, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:rbs:ijbrss:v:11:y:2022:i:2:p:423-432
    DOI: 10.20525/ijrbs.v11i2.1548
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mianda Galan & Meredith Lawley & Michael Clements, 2015. "Social media's use in postgraduate students' decision-making journey: an exploratory study," Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 287-312, July.
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