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 Urban and Regional Planning 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
110990  Master of Urban and Regional Planning 
ORIGINATOR
University of the Free State 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-   HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Master's Degree  Field 12 - Physical Planning and Construction  Physical Planning, Design and Management 
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
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 this qualification is to deliver leaners that have the academic knowledge, with adequate experience, to enable them to register as professional urban and regional planners with South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN). It aims to produce leaners that are able to undertake a wide ambit of planning work including strategic spatial planning and urban and rural land use management on various scales as well as preparing layout plans for new developments, and development or regeneration proposals.

The qualification aims to deliver leaners with an advanced level of training and to equip them with the necessary professional skills to enter into specialised employment.

Rationale:
The qualification is intended to produce leaners who can register as Professional Planners once they have completed their mandatory post-qualification practical training. This is a professionally orientated qualification consisting of smaller advanced level technical projects and an extended research essay to train and equip leaners with the necessary professional skills.

Various assessments, from the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) study as part of the AgriSA project, to a more recent study by the Municipal Demarcation Board have indicated that there is a scarcity of urban and regional planners in the country. Furthermore, the recently approved Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act, 16 of 2013 (SPLUMA) demands additional town planning skills. To this end, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform are funding bursaries and other initiatives to train planners to enable the implementation of the Act. This qualification will meet that need.

In addition, the Planning Professions Act, 2002, requires planners to be registered with SACPLAN. The recently advertised regulations aim to restrict certain work to registered professional planners. This, and the structure of the Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD), has prompted many in the field of planning to upgrade their qualifications to enable them to register as Professional Planners, generating a demand for Postgraduate training in urban and regional planning. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Where learners do not meet the minimum admission requirements, RPL may be used to grant access to the qualification. RPL will be applied according to the Recognition of Prior Learning, Credit Accumulation and Transfer, and Assessment policy. This will relate to both access to the qualification as well as for credit recognition or exemption towards achieving the qualification.
The institution will ensure that quality assurance processes that address the specificities of the RPL process (including applications, assessment, and reporting and management systems) are implemented; and that administrative and support systems, both prior and subsequent to RPL assessment, are in place.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Bachelor of Science Honours in Urban and Regional Planning, National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 8. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 9 totalling 204 Credits.

    Elective Modules, 204 Credits:
  • Integrated Development Planning (URID7922), 8 Credits.
  • Dissertation Proposal in Urban and Regional Planning (URDP7922), 8 Credits.
  • Geographic Information Systems for Planners (URGI7904), 16 Credits.
  • Housing for Planners (URHS7913), 12 Credits.
  • Housing for Planners (URHS7923), 12 Credits.
  • Extended Research Essay (URMD7900), 88 Credits.
  • Professional Practice in Urban and Regional Planning (URPP7914), 16 Credits.
  • Professional Practice in Urban and Regional Planning (URPP7924), 16 Credits.
  • Urban Research Project (URUP7906), 24 Credits.
  • Research Methodologies for Planners (URRM7924), 16 Credits.
  • Research Methodologies for Planners (URRM7914), 16 Credits.
  • Applied Regional Planning Project (URRP7906), 24 Credit.
  • Planning of Rural Areas (URRA7922), 8 Credits.
  • Futurology for Planners (URFP7922), 8 Credits.
  • Planning of Rural Areas (URRA7912), 8 Credits
  • Integrated Development Planning (URID7912), 8 Credits.
  • Urban Geography (URTP7913), 8 Credits.
  • Dissertation Proposal in Urban and Regional Planning (URDP7912), 8 Credits.
  • Urban Geography (URTP7912), 8 Credits.
  • Planning for Tourism (URTD7922), 8 Credits.
  • Planning for Tourism (URTD7912), 8 Credits.
  • Urban Geography (URUT7912), 8 Credits.
  • Urban Geography (URUT7922), 8 Credits.
  • Planning Management (URLM7922), 8 Credits.
  • Planning Management (URLM7921), 8 Credits.
  • Futurology for Planners (URFP7912), 8 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Complete practical urban and regional planning projects including spatial frameworks, development plans and layouts.
    2. Analyse issues from a theoretical and/or empirical perspective and recommend suitable alternatives.
    3. Communicate clearly and logically, write good planning and research reports and debate these with stakeholders.
    4. Critically evaluate information and theories and apply relevant concepts from different disciplines in innovative approaches to planning issues. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
  • Critically appraise the relevant theory and relate it in novel ways to the issues and problems at hand.
  • Integrate complex issues and reflect on these in analyses and plans.
  • Critically evaluate research, policy documents and concepts related to urban and regional planning.
  • Apply planning theory and concepts in an innovate manner to address challenges and issues with sound recommendations and proposals for improvement.
  • Conduct research independently.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Assessment approach:
    For most of the modules evaluation of the student's academic progress will take place on a continuous basis. Assessments will include technical, problem-based projects as well as an extended research essay. The acknowledgment of a year/semester mark obtained will be subject to satisfactory attendance at lectures, studio periods and seminars. A final mark will be compiled from the marks obtained in the assessments throughout the duration of the module. No examinations will be written.

    Assessments will include problem-based projects. Leaners will have to complete an applied Regional Planning project contributing 24 Credits as well as an Urban research project contributing 24 Credits. In addition, there is the extended research project of 88 Credits. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Master of Housing, National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 9.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Urban and Regional Planning, NQF Level 10. 
    		•

    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.