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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Education in Special Needs Education 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
115481  Master of Education in Special Needs Education 
ORIGINATOR
North West University 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Master's Degree  Field 05 - Education, Training and Development  Schooling 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  180  Not Applicable  NQF Level 09  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

Registered-data under construction

The qualification content is currently being updated for the qualifications with the status “Registered-data under construction” or showing “DETAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION” to ensure compliance with SAQA’S Policy and Criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (As amended, 2022). These qualifications are re-registered until 30 June 2027 and can legitimately be offered by the institutions to which they are registered.

 

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The Master Education in Special Needs Education qualification prepares researchers to contribute to the development of knowledge in the field of Education, namely Special Needs Education, and includes knowledge about professional practice.

Rationale:
The rationale of the Master of Education in Special Needs Education qualification is to respond to the great need for well-trained education practitioners and entry-level scholars of the learner and learning support theory and practice. With the adoption of an inclusive education policy, South African teachers need more skills and knowledge to properly implement learner and learning support. 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
Y 

QUALIFICATION RULES 
This qualification consists of the following compulsory module at NQF Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.

Compulsory Modules:
  • Research Dissertation, 180 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
  • Demonstrate specialist knowledge and understanding to engage and critique educational research and practices in the field of Special Needs Education and to contribute to disciplined thinking about matters and issues regarding Special Needs Education.
  • Evaluate current processes of knowledge production in the field of Special Needs Education and choose appropriate processes of enquiry in the area of specialisation.
  • Conduct an independent inquiry in the specialised field of Special Needs Education and report the findings in academically appropriate ways.
  • Design and implement a strategy for the processing and management of information to conduct a comprehensive review of leading, and current research in Special Needs Education.
  • Exhibit the potential to act as academic leaders and experts in the field of Special Needs Education.
  • Demonstrate responsibility, self-reflexivity and adaptability to the ethical implications of research, and the determination of socially relevant issues and research needs in South Africa. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The following Associated Assessment Criteria will assess the Exit Level Outcomes in an integrated manner.
  • Display specialist knowledge to enable engagement and critique of current research and practices in the field of Special Needs Education and to engage in systematic and disciplined thinking about educational matters and issues, with particular reference to Special Needs Education.
  • Apply and develop intellectual independence and advanced research skills, sophisticated knowledge and research methodologies to solve complex, unfamiliar problems in the field of Special Needs Education.
  • Analyse and apply specialised problem-solving skills in identifying, conceptualising, designing and implementing methods of enquiry to address complex and challenging problems in Special Needs Education.
  • Design and implement a strategy for the processing and management of information to conduct a comprehensive review of leading, and current research in the Special Needs Education to produce significant insights.
  • Engage and initiate in academic and educational discourse to report and defend substantial ideas that are the result of research in Special Needs Education.
  • Plan, manage and optimise all aspects of research processes in complex and unpredictable contexts in Special Needs Education.
  • Apply responsibility, self-reflexivity and adaptability in own management of learning and analyse and evaluate ethical implications of research on socially relevant issues and research needs in South Africa.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Formative assessment during the research may be based on any of the following if required by the research topic or the discipline:
  • Portfolios.
  • Simulations.
  • Workplace assessments.
  • Group discussions.
  • Presentations in front of peers and experts.
  • Oral and written summative assessments.

    Summative assessment takes the form of the examination of the dissertation or other acceptable forms of research output as appropriate to the field of study. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification compares with the following international qualifications in terms of the range of competencies:
  • Frostburg State University, Maryland (USA) offers a Master of Education with a focus in Special Education. The qualification looks at the elements of the special education environment, from understanding exceptionalities and developing appropriate instructional content and practices to the planning, managing behaviours and collaborating with others. Learners will complete a capstone action research project before they can graduate.
  • Mount Kenya University in Kenya offers a Master of Education in Special Needs Education. The Master of Education in Special Needs Education qualification meets the aforementioned challenges and demands affecting Kenya's labour market, as dictated by both local and international demands. The qualification provides practical knowledge, skills, information, and attitudes educationists, teachers, learners, and parents can build on for the betterment of the society, and particularly for people with special needs and disabilities. It will also harness and equip educators with current and appropriate knowledge and skills in special needs education for service to humanity.
  • The qualification from this institution compares favourably with these cited international qualifications. This qualification is completed entirely by research, with the learner working with an assigned supervisor. The commonality is the submission of a final dissertation at the end of the study period, and the learner has a specialisation knowledge base in Special Needs Education. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification offers possibilities of vertical and horizontal articulation.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Education, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Education in Adult Education, NQF Level 9.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Education, NQF Level 10. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. North West University 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.