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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical and Research Ethics 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
104558  Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical and Research Ethics 
ORIGINATOR
Stellenbosch 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
Doctoral Degree  Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services  Promotive Health and Developmental Services 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  360  Not Applicable  NQF Level 10  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 purpose of the Doctoral programme in Clinical and Research Ethics is to provide opportunities for advanced studies and innovative research in Clinical and Research Ethics so that the student would have mastered the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be an original, competent and independent researcher in Clinical and Research Ethics and to occupy a leadership position in ethics.

The qualifying learner will be able to:
  • Develop the necessary critical insight, maturity of judgment and experience to undertake independent advanced study and original research in clinical and research ethics.
  • Develop a comprehensive and deep knowledge base within the field of clinical and research ethics by generating new knowledge, understanding and insight, and exploring unchartered territory.
  • Harness opportunities to engage in academic discourse within the national and international community of bioethics scholars, and therefore to participate in and contribute not only to the universal pursuit of knowledge but also the needs of the country.
  • Apply advanced skills in conceptualising, analysing and solving clinical and research ethics problems in the relevant context with increasing independence.
  • Ability to undertake independent advanced study and original research in Clinical and Research Ethics.
  • Develop advanced skills in presentation of research findings at national and international conferences and in publication of research in national and international journals.
  • Ability to generate and defend a comprehensive and new knowledge base in clinical and research ethics have the ability to produce a scientifically sound and original research dissertation or compilation of 4 to 5 research papers.
  • Develop skills to develop further capacity in colleagues at the institutional level.
  • Develop competencies to sustain scholarly careers in leadership positions by teaching bioethics, leading ethical review of research and providing clinical and research ethics consultation.

    Rationale:
    The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Clinical and Research Ethics will address the local needs for ethics expertise in public and private hospitals and health science research institutions. Health research at various tertiary institutions cannot proceed without Research Ethics Committee (REC) approval which requires expertise in both clinical and research ethics. Furthermore, healthcare at hospitals and clinics requires clinical ethics expertise from a Clinical Ethics Consultation or Committee (CEC). High level expertise with doctoral training is required by members of RECs and CECs as well as by educators and leaders in the field of bioethics.

    The National Health Research Ethics Council of South Africa was established in 2006. Some members are currently in their 3rd term of office as a result of limited high level expertise in health research ethics. The PhD (Clinical and Research Ethics) has the potential to fulfil a very important national need for leadership in the field both in South Africa and in other African countries with national research ethics regulatory bodies.

    Internationally, both REC and CEC members are in demand. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a network of 7 Collaborating Centres in Bioethics. Only one is located in Africa (our Centre for Medical Ethics and Law). Other such centres need to be developed in other parts of the African continent but require effective leadership.

    There are at least 400 REC members in South Africa (SA), of which at least 40 have Masters level training in bioethics/applied ethics/research ethics. A further 40 mid-career professionals from SA and other African countries have graduated with Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) training in Health Research Ethics from 2011 to 2015 as part of the Fogarty/NIH ARESA program. Prior to the ARESA program, approximately 90 students graduated from the IRENSA PGDip program at UCT. At least 25% of these graduates are interested in doctoral level training in ethics. Every 2 years, approximately 8-10 students graduate from the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Applied Ethics from Prof Anton van Niekerk's Centre for Applied Ethics, Stellenbosch University. Some of these graduates may wish to pursue a doctorate in clinical and research ethics. The SARETI program at University of Kwa-Zulu Natal has offered a Masters level program in Research Ethics for the past 12 years. Approximately 21 Masters students have graduated from this program since 2003. A proportion of these students may wish to apply for a PhD (Clinical and Research Ethics). 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy will be applied as laid out in the Faculty Procedures for RPL. As such, RPL routes are used at Masters Level, but not at Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Level.

    Entry Requirements:
    The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • A Masters Degree in Bioethics.
    Or
  • A Similar Qualification at Level 9. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification comprises compulsory modules at Level 10 totalling 360 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules Level 10, 360 Credits:
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Clinical and Research Ethics) Dissertation, 360 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate expertise and critical knowledge in an area at the forefront of the field, discipline or practice; and the ability to conceptualise new research initiatives, and create new knowledge or practice. Demonstrate knowledge literacy, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate an ability to contribute to scholarly debates around theories of knowledge and processes of knowledge production in an area of study.
    2. Develop new methods, techniques, processes, systems or technologies in original, creative and innovative ways appropriate to specialised and complex contexts.
    3. Apply specialist knowledge and theory in critically reflexive, creative and novel ways to address complex practical and theoretical problems.
    4. Identify, address and manage emerging ethical issues, and to advance processes of ethical decision- making, including monitoring and evaluation of the consequences of these decisions where appropriate.
    5. Make independent judgements about managing incomplete or inconsistent information or data in an iterative process of analysis and synthesis, for the development of significant original insights into new complex and abstract ideas, information or issues.
    6. Produce substantial, independent, in-depth and publishable work which meets international standards, is considered to be new or innovative by peers, and makes a significant contribution to the discipline, field, or practice; and an ability to develop a communication strategy to disseminate and defend research, strategic and policy initiatives and their implementation to specialist and non-specialist audiences using the full resources of an academic and professional or occupational discourse.
    7. Demonstrate an understanding of theoretical underpinnings in the management of complex systems to achieve systemic change; and an ability to independently design, sustain and manage change within a system or systems
    8. Demonstrate intellectual independence, research leadership and management of research and research development in a discipline field or practice.
    9. Operate independently and take full responsibility for his or her work, and where appropriate to lead, oversee and be held ultimately accountable for the overall governance of processes and systems. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The following Associated Assessment Criteria will be assessed in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes:
  • Undertake independent advanced study and original research in clinical and research ethics as a result of the development of critical insight, maturity of judgment and experience.
  • Generate new knowledge, understanding and insight, and explore unchartered territory as a result of acquiring a comprehensive and deep knowledge base within the field of clinical and research ethics.
  • Harness opportunities to engage in academic discourse within the national and international community of bioethics scholars, and to participate in and contribute not only to the universal pursuit of knowledge but also the needs of the country.
  • Apply advanced skills in conceptualizing, analyzing and solving clinical and research ethics problems in the relevant context with increasing independence.
  • Undertake independent advanced study and original research in Clinical and Research Ethics with rigor and integrity.
  • Develop advanced skills in presentation of research findings at national and international conferences and in publication of research in national and international journals.
  • Generate and defend a comprehensive and new knowledge base in clinical and research ethics.
  • Produce a scientifically sound and original research dissertation or compilation of 4 to 5 research papers.
  • Develop further capacity in colleagues at the institutional level.
  • Sustain scholarly careers in leadership positions by teaching bioethics, leading ethical review of research and providing clinical and research ethics consultation.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Assessment is aligned with the University's policy for the assessment and examinations of doctoral Degrees:

    The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree is awarded in recognition of high quality, original research and is conventionally assessed based on a dissertation. In addition a PhD Degree may be obtained in an alternative way, namely primarily based on 4-5 published scientific articles in peer reviewed journals. Examiners are provided with a standard template to use in assessment of a dissertation or doctorate via publication. This template is based on criteria outlined below.

    The criteria for effective assessment as per the assessment policy and practices at Stellenbosch University include the following:
  • Validity-the assessment method must measure the outcomes outlined above.
  • Reliability.
  • Academic integrity.
  • Transparency.
  • Fairness-students are made aware of how assessment will occur at the beginning of the process.
  • Achievability.
  • Timely feedback.

    The PhD Degree is not regarded as basis for registration as a specialist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, but can indeed be registered as an additional qualification. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Bioethics and Medical Jurisprudence offered by the University of Manchester consists of taught courses on argumentation, bioethics, medical jurisprudence, and moral philosophy. These require attendance for a one-week period in January and then weekly on Wednesdays from February to May. These courses, together with closely supervised and monitored research during year one, provide extensive training for advanced research in bioethics and medical jurisprudence. The choice of a research theme for the structured doctoral thesis will be made during the first semester, and supervisory teams will be nominated. Year two and three are devoted to individual research which leads to at least three publishable journal articles or book chapters and a structured doctoral thesis. The progress of the research will be closely monitored in research seminar courses, presentations, and supervisory meetings. The results of the research will be presented in research seminars and national and international conferences and meetings.

    The PhD in Bioethics and Health Policy at Johns Hopkins University provides students a unique opportunity to conduct ground-breaking original scholarship in a premier international research institution, while focusing specifically on public health ethics, and bioethics and health policy. This concentration differs from most other bioethics doctoral programs in two important ways: first, it focuses on bioethics as it relates to moral questions in public health and health policy (rather than, for example, in clinical decision-making or bedside dilemmas); and second, it provides rigorous training in quantitative and qualitative empirical research methods. Students and faculty in this concentration study and conduct independent research on ethical issues in population health practice, research, and policy such as: ethics and emergency preparedness, domestic and international research ethics, genetic screening policy, ethics and obesity prevention, ethics and infectious diseases, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening, social justice and resource allocation. By the end of their PhD training, students are prepared to provide not only normative recommendations regarding ethics and public health policy but also are equipped to function as independent researchers, conducting empirical research related to bioethics, public health and health policy. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows horizontal articulation:

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Ethics.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Sciences.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Bioethics.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Ethics.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Ethics. 
    		•

    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. Stellenbosch 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.