Biological Sciences programme and sample description

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Background of the study

Access to higher education is a contentious issue, not only in South Africa but also across the world (Crozier, Reay, Clayton, Colliander and Grinstead, 2008). In South Africa, during the apartheid era, racial discrimination was practiced, and access to education and other amenities was limited to a minority of the populace, while the majority, namely blacks and women, were left out. In post apartheid South Africa, access to education in general and higher education (HE) in particular is aimed at redressing the inequalities of the past, giving equal opportunities to people from under-represented groups and in particular endeavouring to empower women.

The main research question

What are the possibilities and limitations of widening access of under represented groups to the Biological Sciences at the University of Pretoria? Sub-questions: How is access policy to the Biological Sciences understood and implemented at institutional and departmental levels? What are the challenges faced by students from under represented groups with regard to access to Biological Sciences at the University of Pretoria? How do students from under-represented groups negotiate access with success within the Biological Sciences at the University of Pretoria?

Rationale for the study

In this study, I chose to explore various concepts (such as student recruitment, readiness, support, including both academic and psychosocial support, and the admission process encapsulating policy and funding) that impact on access of under-represented groups to higher education. The inclusion of these numerous concepts increased the breadth of the research, whilst focusing on one concept increased the depth of the study.

Conceptualizing access

Access has been conceptualized in different ways in different periods. How it is practiced also depends on the specific country’s history and politics (Clancy and Goastellec, 2007).

Dedication
Acknowledgements
Declaration
Abstract
CHAPTER 1 RESEARCH PARAMETERS
1.1. Background of the study
1.2. Rationale of the study
1.3. The notion of access
1.4. Conceptualising access
1.4.1 Getting in
1.4.2 Getting through
1.4.3 Getting on
1.5. Research design
1.6. Significance of the study
1.7. Limitations of the study
1.8. Organisation and layout of the study
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Introduction
2.2. Inherited merit
2.3. Equality of rights
2.4. Equality of opportunities
2.5. Access and higher education in Brazil
2.6. Access and higher education in Tanzania
2.7. Historical background of access in South Africa
2.7.1. Prior apartheid era
2.7.2. The apartheid era
2.7.3. The democratic era
2.8. Researching access in South Africa
2.9. Conclusion
CHAPTER 3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Getting in
3.2.1.Student recruitment
3.2.2. Student readiness
3.2.3. Admission process
3.2.4. Student funding
3.3. Getting through
3.3.1.Orienattion period
3.3.2. Student support (academic and psychosocial)
3.3.3. Institutional culture
3.5. Conclusion
CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Research methodology
4.3. The scope of research
4.4 Sampling
4.5. Data collection techniques
4.5.1. Interviews
4.5.1.1. Face-to-face interviews
4.5.1.2. Focus group interviews
4.5.2. Document analysis
4.6. Data analysis
4.7. Ensuring validity
4.8. Ethical considerations
4.9. Reflection and concluding comments
CHAPTER 5 RESEARCH FINDINGS
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Biological Sciences programme and sample description
5.3. Getting in
5.3.1. Widening participation through student recruitment
5.3.2. Student readiness and widening participation
5.3.3. Admission process and widening participation
5.3.4. Student funding and widening participation
5.4. Getting through
5.4.1. Orientation period and widening participation
5.4.2. Widening participation through academic support
5.4.3. Widening participation through psychosocial student support
5.4.4. Institutional culture and widening participation
5.5. Conclusion
CHAPTER 6 INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSIONS
6.1. Introduction 1
6.2. Reflection on the conceptual framework 1
6.3. Successes and challenges related to ‘getting in’
6.4. Successes and challenges related to ‘getting through’
6.5. Conclusion
CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Recommendations
7.3. Concluding comments