We welcome you to the School of Humanities and Education. For more information about the School and the programmes we offer please contact the Administrator – on 011 380 9057.

In the twenty first century, the South African context, unique in terms of its cultural diversity and historical development, is a unique laboratory for understanding the human endeavour in the global context.  The School of Humanities and Education seeks serve this context providing avenues of teaching and research to graduate learners equipped with the tools and capacities of ethical critique, cultural fluency and cross-cultural leadership in South Africa, the African continent and beyond. 

The broad disciplinary categories of the humanities and education historically have been associated with the integral development of person, society, culture and humanity.  Thus our efforts in teaching, research and service engage the dimensions of what it means to be human individually and collectively, the way in which people have explored and made sense of their place in the world, and their expressions of meaning in it.  In addition, we also explore how these values are transmitted from generation to generation, training persons to transmit learning and understanding.

The school houses two postgraduate programmes: a MPhil in Culture and Education, with a specialisation in Educational Leadership; and a BEd Hons in Religious and Values Education (the only programme of its kind in South Africa) which provides academic training for teachers of religious education in public and private schools.  We also oversee supervision of candidates for the DPhil in the areas of the humanities and education.

Starting in 2010, the school will also offer the undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Humanities.  Consistent with the vision of the School, it aims to equip learners with the essential tools of leadership and perspective critical for South Africa’s future. Future plans include a Bachelor of Education, specialising in Mathematics Education.

By the nature of our vision, our curricula and programmes are interdisciplinary, drawing upon the following general areas of academic expertise:

• Literature in English (including African, British and American literature)
• History
• Political Science
• Education
• Communications and Media Studies
• Geography

In addition, faculty research areas are quite broad across the humanities and the challenges of the contemporary African context.  These include:

• Multicultural education, including educational transformation and development
• Educational policy research and development
• South African private higher education and the idea of the university
• History of the Atlantic world, especially colonialism and the intersection of race, ethnicity and religion
• Pedagogy of human dignity
• Christianity, peacebuilding and social reconciliation
• Comparisons of western and African pedagogies
• The Pastoral dimension in education
• History and theology of the African American Church
• Intersection between Christianity, race and ethnicity
• Christianity, Education and Vocation
• Psychology, psychotherapy and Christian spirituality
• Healing and mysticism

If you have inquiries about any of our programmes, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us so we can discuss your interests.


Staff in the School

Head of School - Dr Nicholas Rowe (pictured far left), BSc Mech Eng (MIT), PhD (Boston College): 011 380 9051.

Administrator – : Colyn James (pictured right), FMP, MDP (Manag Dev Lead Prog (UNISA): 011 380 9000

Dr Jessica Murray, PhD (York) (pictured right): 011 380 9037
Coordinator: Bachelor of Arts

Professor Robert Balfour, BA Hons (Rhodes), HDC (PGCE) (Rhodes), MA (Natal) (cum laude), PhD (Cambridge), FCCS

Professor Edith Raidt, BA Hons, BEd, MA, PhD (Cape Town), DLitt honoris causa (Potchefstroom, Witwatersrand and UPE), D Ed honoris causa (Natal) (President Emeritus)

Professor Rex van Vuuren, BA Hons, MA (Clin Psych), DPhil (Pretoria)