SAQA 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.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Doctor of Business Leadership 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
109125  Doctor of Business Leadership 
ORIGINATOR
University of South Africa 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-   HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Doctoral Degree  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Generic Management 
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
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2021-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

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.  

This qualification replaces: 
Qual ID Qualification Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Min Credits Replacement Status
5811  Doctor of Business Leadership  Level 8 and above  NQF Level 10  240  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
The aim of the Doctor of Business Leadership Degree is to enhance leadership. The programme is specifically suited to current and aspiring leaders holding a qualification at Level 9. They will usually be involved in the business field at middle and senior management level and will therefore have considerable work experience, as well as either managerial, specialist or professional experience.

The primary purpose of the Doctorate of Business Leadership is to prepare graduate students to become innovative, inspiring and visionary organisational leaders. Furthermore, the purpose is to develop personal, team, organisational and strategic leadership capabilities. The qualification will further enable graduate students to function successfully as executives in complex global business contexts.

The final purpose of the qualification is to enable graduate students to resolve leadership challenges ethically through the critical analysis of a complex and diverse environment. The qualification seeks to develop students who are able to:
  • Demonstrate expertise and critical knowledge in an area related to their discipline.
  • Demonstrate an ability to contribute to scholarly debates around theories of knowledge within the field of Business Leadership.
  • Demonstrate an ability to develop new methods, techniques, processes, system or technologies that address a particular research area in their disciple.
  • Demonstrate an ability to apply specialist knowledge and theory in critically reflective, creative and novel ways to address complex practical and theoretical problems.
  • Demonstrate an ability to 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.
  • Demonstrate an ability to produce substantial, independent, in-depth and publishable work which meets international standards.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of theoretical underpinnings in the management of complex systems.
  • Demonstrate intellectual independence, research leadership and management of research and research development in the field of specialisation.
  • Demonstrate an ability to 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. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    This qualification recognises formal prior knowledge:
  • Formal prior learning:
    Learners in possession of a Master of Business Leadership (MBL) or Master of Business Administration (MBA) from an accredited institution are allowed to register for learning. If learners are not in possession of a recognised MBL/MBA Postgraduate Degree, and where there is evidence that some core "body-of-knowledge" in the field of Business Management has not been completed, learners may be considered for admittance provided they complete the outstanding Postgraduate MBL/MBA Business Management course(s) in order to complete the core "body-of-knowledge".
  • Non-formal and informal prior experiential learning:
    No RPL is possible because the qualification is obtained through thesis only.

    Entry Requirements:
    A student must hold a 3-year Bachelor's Degree with 360 South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Credits and a Master of Business Leadership (MBL) or Master of Business Administration (MBA), or equivalent Degree from an approved tertiary institution which is above 60% for the Master's Degree. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    The qualification, consists of a research proposal and a research project in form of a thesis, aims to contribute to the field of expertise by developing researchers who can apply specialised research knowledge and skills in order to enhance an understanding of important features of Business Leadership.

    The qualification has total credits of 360. The curriculum comprises a thesis on an approved topic. The student must attend at least three colloquia to submit reports on the following: (i) Research proposal and extensive literature review (ii) Research methodology (iii) Research results (findings) Satisfactory progress must be demonstrated at the colloquia to ensure re-registration.

    This qualification comprises compulsory and elective modules at Level 10 and totalling 360 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, Level 10, 360 Credits:
  • Research Thesis DBL (DIS805T), 360 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Apply acquired content to scientifically respond to and evaluate content related research problems.
    2. Apply theoretical knowledge through a research proposal and thesis. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The Doctor of Business Leadership will be achieved through a research proposal and credible research project(s) or cases studies which will contribute to the Body of Knowledge for Business Leadership.

    Qualified supervisors and co-supervisors will guide their students and prepare them for regular seminar and colloquia presentations to peers and fellow students during their tenures and also prepare them for the examination of their Theses. Students must submit a bound research report with published or publishable scientific articles for examination.

    Integrated Assessment:
    There is regular and continuous personal interaction between the supervisor and graduate to review and evaluate progress on the Doctoral thesis. Working with the Doctoral student on the thesis entails both Formative and Summative Assessment, since the promoter's continuous input in the writing stage is formative, while the final examination is summative. Three formal colloquia are arranged in which the learner will present progress reports on the Doctoral thesis to a forum of academic faculty and other Doctor of Business Leadership (DBL) candidates. 

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    University of South Africa (Unisa) forms part of an internationally recognised accreditation system whereby university qualifications are evaluated against international comparators and accredited accordingly; for example, Unisa's qualifications are accredited in the International Handbook of Universities and in the Commonwealth Universities' Yearbook. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Completion of a Doctoral thesis is the final step on the academic ladder and no further upward articulation is possible although students may choose to pursue their studies at any level of the National Qualification Framework (NQF) to suit their personal and professional needs. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    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.
     
    NONE 


    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.