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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Arts 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
110871  Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Arts 
ORIGINATOR
University of KwaZulu-Natal 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-   HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Postgraduate Diploma  Field 02 - Culture and Arts  Visual Arts 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  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 qualification is to provide practice-led innovation in the specialised creative fields of visual arts and its exhibition. The qualification aims to extend knowledge into areas of local, national, regional concern and bring this knowledge in line with the best practices when measured against global indices.

A focus of the research includes local issues and arenas within South Africa and the rest of the sub-Saharan African continent, within the context of global best practice concerns. The qualification has arisen through interaction, collaboration and alliances with individual African scholars as well informal partnerships with universities both locally and abroad. Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) are incorporated into many of our current Fine Art practices. The approach is to provide a collegial and supportive environment that rewards quality research.

Rationale:
Fine Arts is a specialised and valuable creative practice-led discipline within South African. The qualification aims to encourage creative and innovative individual specialisations and professional best-practices within the local context. A primary aim of the qualification is to empower learners and enable them to compete nationally and to understand the global context of creative- and visual-arts productions. The qualification will significantly contribute to the advancement of African Scholarship. Should achieving learners wish to follow an academic career-path, the Postgraduate Diploma complements and gives access to a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Fine Art and or to the Master' Degree in Fine Art. Hence, this qualification provides a pathway that may advance to Doctoral and Postdoctoral studies. This qualification is necessary in order to provide the country with a cadre of practicing visual artists. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Recognition may be given for Prior Learning at other institutions, including those in the non-formal sector, as well as for informally acquired artistic capabilities. Learners that have been deemed to have acquired a broad understanding of a particular field and some basic research and practice-based skills at the required level in the Fine Arts, within a broad context of creative practices, productions and public exhibitions of visual art may be admitted to the qualification.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Bachelors' Degree, Level 7 with a major in Fine Art, or equivalent. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at Level 8 totalling 128 Credits.
  • Fine Art 6: Studio Specialisation A, 64 Credits.
  • Fine Art 6: Studio Specialisation B: 64 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Apply a critical and evaluative approach to analysing complex issues in Fine Art practices, specifically regarding identifying and conceptualising an area of performance pertaining to the creative development of a personal visual expression.
    2. Demonstrate a comprehensive and systematic grasp of practical studio work productions in Fine Art.
    3. Demonstrate critical understanding of advanced methodologies, techniques and technologies applicable to the selected area/s of practical production in Fine Art. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
  • Produce works of visual art, arising in own creative challenges for self- and cultural-expression, towards private work, commission and public exhibition with relevant workplaces, organisations and institutions (such as museums and galleries of visual art and culture).
  • Provide evidence of self-motivated development and personal expression in art making, informed by the critical awareness developed during scholarly research in their chosen practical specialisations in Fine Art.
  • Address local, regional and global issues pertaining to contemporary expressions of visual art and culture.
  • Generate creative artworks and develop their personal expressions of visual art forms in local, national and international modes and genres, through the knowledge and technical skills that they have developed in their practices of Fine Art.
  • Present research findings to fellow learners in seminars using appropriate exhibition media or means to disseminate their Fine Art productions.
  • Synthesise and organise visual information, and mount their creative productions in an appropriate format (such as an exhibition of visual art).

    Integrated Assessment:
    The achievement of learning outcomes will be assessed formatively through ongoing individual discussions, group seminars and presentations of practical work in progress during a semester. On completion of the creative project, a summative solo exhibition of practical studio work is presented for internal and external examination at the end of each semester. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.
    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours in Film and Visual Media, Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours in Graphic Design, Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Arts in Education in Fine Arts, Level 8.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Art in Visual Art, Level 9. 
    		•

    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.