The University of Stellenbosch offers a distance option M.Phil in Futures Studies, and apparently also a distance PhD.

Faculty: Andre Roux is director of the Institute for Futures Research (IFR) at U. Stellenbosch, and Director of the M.Phil and PhD Program in Futures Studies. Dr. Roux's areas of expertise include business and labor economics, and his current research focuses on industrialization and socio-economic development in Africa. Other Stellenbosh faculty are involved as well, see IFR Team.

FS Theses Areas: From the website, the IFR, formed in 1974, specializes in futures studies primarily as a support service for knowledge and strategic management. The IFR’s research focus is on the following fields of specialisation.They would likely have faculty support for PhD theses in any of these areas:

• Business futuristics and the systems approach to transformation management
• Long-term economic structure studies
• Applied demographics
• Technology foresight
• Socio-political studies
• Energy futures

Time: Three years, typical progression (Correct? Verify)

Cost: USD $7500 for the whole program? (Correct? Verify) (USD $2500 [$R17,000] per year in tuition fees and materials for the distance M.Phil in Futures Studies). Is distance PhD the same annual cost?

Unique: Stellenbosch is at present the only low-residency Futures Studies PhD programwe have found that has formal information on the web with respect to its program. They are apparently the first! Their website states: "Completion of the MPhil (Futures Studies) [distance education] programme offers the opportunity (subject to university requirements and regulations) to enroll for a PhD in Futures Studies." We have inquired with respect to details.

Project: Contact Dr. Roux and find out the details on this program.

Update: Dr. Roux contacted us 1.31.2008 and has said he will get back to us soon with more detailed information, and that the Stellenbosch program is very interested in "meaningful discussions and collaborations" in regard to the distance PhD program.