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:

Master of Social Science in Counselling Psychology

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
110329	Master of Social Science in Counselling Psychology
ORIGINATOR
University of KwaZulu-Natal
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Master's Degree	Field 07 - Human and Social Studies		General Social Science
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
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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
The qualification designed to train Counselling Psychologists in accordance with HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa) specifications and to prepare leaners for advanced and Specialised Counselling Psychology professional employment. The qualification strives to maintain a balance between equipping counselling leaners with core competencies required by the Professional Board of Psychology in South Africa and promoting indigenous knowledge systems by responding to the local context. While African Psychology is infused throughout the modules, through the community interventions module in particular, counselling leaners are exposed to culturally and contextually appropriate evidence-based models of care and mental health promotion and prevention.

This qualification exposes leaners to the mental health challenges that confront South Africa and the urgent need to expand access to psychological services through context-sensitive approaches, as well as the provision of culturally congruent care that is in in line with peoples' belief systems. To meet this aim, the qualification exposes learners to counselling psychological assessments, interventions and theories that are informed largely by African research in the field. This is in alignment with the draft mental health policy of South Africa, as well as the recent approval of the World Health Organisation's Mental Health Action Plan by the 66th World Health Assembly (May, 2013).

Rationale:
The qualifying learner will be registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a Counselling Psychologist to render psychological and psycho-educational services in a variety of community settings, assessing, counselling, advocating and intervening with people with psychological, developmental, family, school and life choices challenges, as well as promoting optimum mental health and positive psychological and interpersonal functioning, as defined according to the Health Professions Act no 56 of 1974 and subsequent amendments.

South Africa has a traumatic past which has affected the psychological wellbeing of the nation. This is compounded by on-going trauma as a result of the high prevalence of violence, crime, and accidental injury. In addition, poverty is widespread, as is Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and other chronic non-communicable diseases. All of these are risk factors for poor mental health and the development of common mental disorders. The need for psychological services to help people with common mental disorders as well as to those at risk is thrown into sharp relief. Counselling Psychologists can play an important role in meeting this need given their positioning in the community and their scope of practice regulated by the Professional Board of Psychology under the auspices of the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

In addition, the qualification is also focused on meeting the needs for training in counselling psychology on the African continent.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The institution accepts the principle underlying outcomes-based, source-based and life-long learning, in which considerations of articulation and mobility play a significant role, and subscribes to the view that Recognition of Prior Learning, whether acquired by formal education curricula at this or another institution or informally (by experience) is an indispensable element in deciding on admission to and awarding credits in an explicitly selected teaching-learning qualification of the institution.

An applicant who falls outside of the formal qualifications system, but who can demonstrate (through the production of substantial and satisfactory evidence) experiential or work-based learning or a non-formal qualification (or a combination), may be considered for admission and/or for the Recognition of Prior Learning for the achievement of the qualification in part or in full. An applicant who after such assessment, is deemed to have sufficient potential, but is in need of further academic development, must be directed to other suitable learning qualifications prior to admission or to parallel qualifications after admission.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:

Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology, Level 8.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 9 totalling 208 Credits.

Short Dissertation: Counselling Psychology, 96 Credits.

Theory and Practice of Counselling Psychology, 32 Credits.

Psychological Interventions: African and Global, 16 Credits.

Psychology of Personality and Abnormal Behaviour, 16 Credits.

Assessment in Psychological Practice, 16 Credits.

Community Interventions in Professional Psychology, 16 Credits.

Research Methods in Psychology, 16 Credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Conduct professional clinical interviews and clinical assessments while demonstrating the ability for independent practice.
2. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in report writing and case formulation.
3. Critique, evidence-based therapeutic interventions related to clinical psychology (particularly interventions for psychiatric disorders in a hospital setting).
4. Provide task shifted interventions at the primary health care and community levels of care.
5. Develop contextually and culturally appropriate evidence-based manualised psychosocial and mental health promotion/prevention interventions that can be delivered by general Health Care Workers (HCWs) and lay counsellors such as training, supervision and support of general HCWs and lay counsellor.
6. Demonstrate advanced knowledge in core diagnostic and assessment skills by independently conducting psychological assessments and diagnoses.
7. Reflect critically on theory and application of theories related to psychopathology, assessment, mental health promotion and preventative approaches, developmental psychopathology, ethics and psychopharmacology across a range of contexts.
8. Carry out research into a chosen field of psychology.
9. Present research findings and recommendations to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will be used in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes:

Engage in preparatory reading.

Conduct assessments and interventions on clients.

Complete case reports, presenting cases, attending supervision, and completing a case study.

Integrated Assessment:
Both formative and summative assessment methods are used, encompassing: Case studies, Case presentations, Counselling and assessment skills, Self-Assessment, Take Home Assignments, Test/Written Examination, and Submission of a satisfactory research project and the achievement of learning outcomes will be assessed through internal and external examination of the dissertation.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

This qualification is comparable with similar qualifications offered in various higher education institutions internationally.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.
Horizontal Articulation:

Master of Social Science in Educational Psychology, Level 9.

Master of Social Science in Clinical Psychology, Level 9.

Vertical Articulation:

Doctor of Psychology, 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.

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