The study sought to explore the relationship between trait hope, environmental hope, academic performance and demographics (language, gender, year of study & race) in university residence students in a South African Higher Education Residence setting. Using four scales including: (1) the Trait Hope Scale (2) the Environmental Hope Scale (3) the Australian modification of the Hope Scale; (4) and the Residence Environmental Hope Scale, the research aimed to broadly investigate two correlative relationships. The relationships included: (i) The relationship between levels of trait hope and academic performance, (ii) the relationship between environmental levels of hope and academic performance. In addition to a quantitative approach a qualitative approach was added. Cultural Historical Activity Theory was applied to an analysis of the residence system at the University of Cape Town. A combination of quantitative and qualitative results suggested that there were minimal links between hope and academic performance at both a dispositional and environmental hope level. Third generation activity theory was used as a methodological approach to obtain a greater understanding of residence students’ experience. The analysis provided an interpretation as to why residences minimally facilitated students’ hope towards the pursuit of their university degree. The purpose of the residence system came into question. Several qualitative themes emerged on ways to cultivate hope, agency and pathways in a residence higher education context in the future. This interfaced with a Cultural Historical Activity Theory analysis which revealed several fundamental contradictions and tensions. The conclusion of the thesis pointed towards (ii) hope theory being critiqued for having limited application in a higher education context and (ii) an identified need (revealed through several systemic contradictions) to re-clarify, reconfigure and increase a shared understanding of the purpose of the residence syste
