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 THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Master of Science in Dietetics

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
110906	Master of Science in Dietetics
ORIGINATOR
University of Limpopo
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Master's 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	600	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 1141/23	2021-07-01	2024-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2025-06-30		2028-06-30

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

The primary purpose of the qualification is to provide:

2.1 Qualifiers with specialised knowledge, research skills and applied
competence in a specific field of nutrition/dietetics that provides opportunities for continued personal and intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and contributions to society.

2.2 South Africa with significant numbers of leaders in specific fields of applied nutrition and dietetics to ensure that the national leadership base of innovative and knowledge-based economic and scholarly activities is widened.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

This qualification recognises, through the submission of portfolios of evidence, the formal and/or non-formal prior learning which learners who register for this programme, bring to the learning situation:

1. Honours degree in nutrition/dietetics (480 credits)

2. Level 7a equivalent qualification in nutrition/dietetics or a related field (480 credits)

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

The Rules and Regulations of the University as and/or those of the relevant professional board.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Specific Outcomes

1. Demonstrate an understanding of specialised knowledge in of one of the major fields of nutrition/dietetics, namely: therapeutic nutrition, community nutrition or foodservice management.

2. Demonstrate specialised technical and/or professional practice skills within one of the above fields;

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the general principles of research design/methodology
and of statistical methods used in health and nutrition research;

4. Demonstrate specialised advanced research skills within one of the above fields of
practice;

5. Create a theoretical framework to investigate and resolve contextual and/or abstract
nutrition/dietetics problems relevant to South Africa;

6. Plan, resource, organise, execute and manage a research project in one of the above fields of professional practice.

7. Critically analyse and interpret the significance of the findings of specialised nutrition/dietetics research;

8. Make specific, contextually relevant, recommendations, based on the findings of the research, concerning practical measures to ameliorate nutrition problem in society, and further research which is needed to address outstanding problems.

9. To fulfil all the ethical requirements of health research.

10. To compile an extensive written report on the research project.

11. To present the research plan and the findings of the research orally to stakeholders and interest groups.

Critical Cross-field Outcomes

1. Identify, analyse and solve problems through critical and creative reasoning.
2. Approach problem-solving in a holistic manner, recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.
3. Demonstrate appropriate decision-making skills.
4. Work effectively with others as a member of a team group, organisation or community.
5. Organize and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively.
6. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
7. Communicate effectively using language, visual and statistical skills in the modes of oral, and written persuasion.
8. Demonstrate a holistic perspective in the generation and dissemination of scientific methods and technology.
9. Demonstrating a receptive and responsive attitude towards changes in the scientific environment.
10. Conducting research and interpreting its findings.
11. Respond in an ethically acceptable manner in inter-personal and research situations.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

1. Problems will be solved by means of exploring and critically evaluating different situations.
2. Problems will be solved by generating alternative strategies for dealing with those problems and integrating information across disciplines and sectors.
3. Appropriate decision-making skills will be demonstrated.
4. Effective team work will be demonstrated during the planning, organisation and management of the research project and the presentation/report back on the findings.
5. Responsible and effective organisation and management of activities will be demonstrated.
6. Information will be collected, analysed, organised and critically evaluated as an integral requirement of the research and dissertation requirement of the qualification.
7. Effective communication will be demonstrated using oral, visual and written modes of persuasion.
8. An holistic perspective in the generation and dissemination of scientific methods and technology will be demonstrated.
9. A receptive and responsive attitude towards changes in the scientific environment will be demonstrated.
10. Research will be conducted and the findings will be interpreted.
11. Ethically acceptable responses will be demonstrated in inter-personal and research situations.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

1. An understanding of specialised knowledge in one of the major fields of nutrition/dietetics will be demonstrated.

2. Specialised technical and/or professional practice skills within one of the major professional fields will be demonstrated

3. An understanding of the general principles of research design/methodology and of statistical methods used in health research, will be demonstrated.

4. Specialised, advanced research skills within one of the major fields of nutrition/dietetics will be demonstrated
A theoretical framework to investigate and resolve contextual and/or abstract nutrition/dietetics problems will be created.

5. A research project in a specialised field will be planned, resourced, and executed in accordance with the theoretical framework.

6. The significance of the findings of the research will be analysed and interpreted in a scientific and critical manner, within the theoretical framework of the investigation.

7. Contextually relevant recommendation will be made, based on the research findings, regarding amelioration of nutrition problems in society, and concerning further research which is needed to address outstanding problems.

8. Approval of the research project by the institution's ethics committee will be obtained.

9. A dissertation will be submitted, which will confirm with the institution/department's guidelines and which will provide written evidence for all of the above outcomes.

10. The research plan and the research findings shall be presented orally to stakeholders and interest groups.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE QUALIFICATION IS ACHIEVED

1. Continuous assessment will take the form of:
Work place assessments
Projects proposals
Presentations in seminar settings
Panel and committee evaluations
Written tests and examinations
Practical assignments
Dissertation

2. Formative and summative assessment are integrated.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The degree is internationally comparable.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

1. Progress to a PhD degree in nutrition/dietetics
2. Progress to qualifications in related fields

MODERATION OPTIONS

A system of second examiners within the institution will be used, together with a system of external examination at exit to the qualification.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Internal and external assessors, who are suitably qualified academic/professional dietitians and other professionals, will be appointed by Medunsa's management system. Such persons must demonstrate:

Evidence of appropriate professional and teaching experience
Evidence of research and research supervision at masters' level

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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