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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Business Administration 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
97399  Master of Business Administration 
ORIGINATOR
Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) 
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 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Generic Management 
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:
This qualification will produce leaders and managers needed to ensure that the broad public and private-sector corporations are run in the best interest of the South African society. The qualified learners will be able to move up in their existing occupation concerning responsibilities. The qualification will further provide learners with the skills required to start a new business with more knowledge about everything about the business.

To be in line with the South African government's goal of establishing South Africa as an entrepreneurial country, this qualification will equip the learners with the entrepreneurial skills needed for an emerging economy. It will provide learners with skills to function at middle and executive management and address the critical skill shortage in Management, Business Administration and Entrepreneurship. The qualification is also in line with the government policies to create a career path for lifelong learning and gaining access to higher education progression to higher qualifications.

Rationale:
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) qualification offered at the institution's Business School will enable learners to master the fundamental principles of entrepreneurial skills and business sciences with practical applications in business, industry and government. The qualification enables learners to master the art of business administration. The qualification is suitable for learners who aspire to advance their professional careers and become key business leaders locally and internationally. As such, the qualification emphasises on practical applications of the theories of entrepreneurial and business sciences.

The qualification is very highly competitive in terms of content and research applications, and adequately prepares learners to perform very well locally and internationally. The qualification offers learners the opportunity to master entrepreneurial, marketing, business strategy, the optimal utilisation of human resources, project management, financial and accounting skills that are essential for career advancement and efficient leadership at local and international levels. The qualification is designed to produce future business leaders, managers, administrators, entrepreneurs and innovative thinkers who aspire to change the world. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
It is the policy of the institution to assess prior learning following statutory requirements to enable a person to gain recognition and credit for competence proved. The assessment refers to a combination of flexible ways of evaluating an individual's formal, informal and non-formal learning experiences, against a registered set of outcomes and standards. This qualification will apply RPL according to the institution's approved policy.

Entry Requirements:
Learners who apply for the Master of Business Administration should have one of the following:
  • A Professional Bachelor Degree, NQF Level 8.
    Or
  • Bachelor Honours Degree, NQF Level 8.
    Or
  • Postgraduate Diploma or equivalent, NQF Level 8.
    And
  • A minimum of 5 years of work experience. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    The qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at NQF Level 8 and 9 totalling 180 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 45 Credits:
  • Macro and Micro Economic Analyses, 11.25 Credits.
  • Operations Management and Operational Research, 11.25 Credits.
  • Accounting and Financial Management, 11.25 Credits.
  • Human Resources and Change Management, 11.25 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 101.25 Credits:
  • Strategic Marketing, 11.25 Credits.
  • Business Strategy, 11.25 Credits.
  • Leadership and Organisational Behaviour, 11.25 Credits.
  • Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analyses, 11.25 Credits.
  • Research Methodology, 11.25 Credits.
  • Research Projects, 45 Credits.

    Electives Modules at NQF Level 9, 33.75 Credits:
    Learners must choose three modules:
  • Project Management, 11.25 Credits.
  • Management of Technology and Innovation, 11.25 Credits.
  • Public Sector Leadership and Governance, 11.25 Credits.
  • Quality Management and Monitoring and Evaluation, 11.25 Credits.
  • International Business, 11.25 Credits.
  • Entrepreneurship and Business Development, 11.25 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Develop and apply advanced business principles, knowledge and competencies across business disciplines, specifically to evaluate problems and construct and implement innovative, creative and sustainable business solutions.
    2. Develop and apply business and strategic decisions effectively at a senior level in a global as well as a local context.
    3. Transform organisations through strategic leadership, intellectual rigour and by applying professional, ethical values.
    4. Collect and critically analyse and synthesize information and data that will inform innovative business and management decisions.
    5. Communicate ideas on management practice based on critical and coherent thinking. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Apply specialist theoretical knowledge, fundamental business concepts and principles to address complex and challenging problems;
  • Identify and solve problems and issues in the specific discipline/field;
  • Evaluate and critique management theories;
  • Integrate management and related business disciplines to develop a macro vision of the management profession;
  • Analyse, synthesise and resolve complex unstructured business problems.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Apply strategic theories and frameworks in a business context;
  • Formulate successful strategic decisions;
  • Execute successful strategic decisions;
  • Demonstrate agility to adapt the strategy to a changing national and international environment;
  • Implement business decisions in a global as well as emerging and African context.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Demonstrate the capacity to lead and manage sustainable organisational change;
  • Demonstrate ethical leadership;
  • Display intellectual rigour through critical and analytical thinking;
  • Demonstrate management of group dynamics and effective teamwork;
  • Create a motivating climate through innovative integration of theories.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Make sound and timeous business decisions based on available data;
  • Follow the scientific research process to provide creative yet practical solutions to business problems.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Communicate business decisions;
  • Produce a structured research report where appropriate.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Integrated Assessment at the level of the qualification provides an opportunity for the learners to show that they can integrate concepts, ideas and actions across the qualification to achieve competence that is grounded and coherent with the purpose of the qualification.

    Integrated Assessment will show how already demonstrated competence in individual areas can be linked and applied for the achievement of a holistic outcome as described in the Exit Level Outcomes. Integrated Assessment will judge the quality of the observable performance, and also the quality of the reasoning that lies behind it. Assessments tools will encourage learners to give an account of the thinking and decision-making that underpin their demonstrated performance.

    Formative and summative assessments will include the following:
    Formative:
  • Business simulations as a basis on which to provide formative feedback on knowledge gaps, skills application and possible ways of improvement.
  • Research assignments to provide formative feedback on different aspects of the student's learning.

    Summative:
  • Individual projects and assignments.
  • Group projects and assignments.
  • Case study analyses and presentations.
  • Examinations.
  • Closed book and open-book examinations. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Comparability studies were conducted on similar international qualifications to enhance the quality and international standing of this qualification. It has proven to compare very well with similar qualifications offered at the leading institutions such as the Warwick Business School in the United Kingdom, and the Simon Fraser University in Canada.

    Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Warwick Business School, United Kingdom:
    The MBA offered by the Warwick Business School (WBS) is a one-year qualification focusing on key business and management areas. Learners will learn about strategic decision making and negotiation from some of the world's leading behavioural scientists and business education experts. Also, learners will learn to understand the human factors behind decision-making. The Warwick Business School qualification is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

    Learners will compile three research projects, which is the culmination of everything learned during the studies. The learner will demonstrate the integration of own learning from the individual modules into a cohesive whole, taking multiple perspectives on a business issue.

    Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver - Canada:
    The Simon Fraser University MBA is a qualification that combines theory and application to provide learners with grounding in the fundamentals of business. The curriculum for the qualification explores relevant topics such as sustainability, new ventures and international business. The qualification immerses learners into deep, thought-probing questions and extensive study.

    Furthermore, the MBA qualification provides a foundation in business theory and practice, in ethics, sustainability, negotiations and new ventures. This qualification will culminate in a dissertation, whereby a learner will integrate all the knowledge acquired during the study.

    Conclusion:
    The results of the comparability studies conducted reveal that this qualification compares well with the above international qualifications cited. The qualifications show similarities in terms of the purpose, content, modules, and the processes followed to achieve the qualification. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification articulates horizontally and vertically as follows:

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Master of Business Administration in Organisational Leadership, at NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Business Administration in Education Management, at NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Business Administration in Environmental Business Management, at NQF Level 9.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Doctor of Business Administration, at NQF Level 10 (in the same area of specialisation). 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    This qualification replaces qualification 94575, Level 8, 240 Credits. 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced 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. Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) 


    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.