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 Philosophy in Nursing

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
111083	Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
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 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Promotive Health and Developmental Services
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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to equip learners with the necessary skills, competencies, values and attitudes in conducting research in a specialist nursing field, to make a unique contribution towards the scientific body of knowledge in clinical nursing, nursing education and/or nursing management.
Learners who graduate with the Doctorate in Nursing will be able to use a wide range of specialised skills in identifying, conceptualising, designing and implementing research findings that address complex and challenging problems in specialist fields of nursing. Learners will develop intellectual capital in terms of personal growth, developing insight and foresight, workplace application, multi-cultural interaction, entrepreneurial thinking, emotional maturity, ethical rigour and applying leadership competencies in workplace and societal situations.
In essence, the purpose of this qualification is to equip graduates with the necessary critical insight, maturity of judgement and experience to undertake independent and original research in specialised fields of nursing and to broaden and deepen the generation of new knowledge or insight and the exploration of uncharted territories. The purpose of this qualification is also to enable the qualifying learners, as members of the international community of scholars, to participate in and contribute to the universal pursuit of knowledge in public health and by so doing advance the frontiers of public health through original contributions to the knowledge field of nursing specialities.

Rationale:
Nursing forms, the backbone of health care in South Africa. The health care system in the country is nurse-based to provide access to most of the population, especially at primary health care level. Nurses will play a pivotal role in the realisation of the envisaged new National Health Insurance approach to health where the aim is to provide universal access to health care.
Specialist nurses, skilled at doctoral level, will be ideally suitable to take leadership and research roles in the provision of health care in South Africa.
This qualification is strongly aligned with the vision and mission of University of South Africa (UNISA) which is inherently focusing on facilitating the graduation of learners who, through the innovative application of evidence-based scientific principles can contribute effectively towards the improvement of the quality of life of people in Africa and, therefore, be responsive to being "in the service of humanity".
Learners targeted will typically be involved and employed in the field of specialist clinical nursing (such as medical-surgical nursing specialising in: critical care, operating theatre, orthopedic, forensic paediatric nursing sciences, community health nursing science, nursing education and nursing management. The learners will, therefore, have a grounded understanding of health challenges facing society at municipal, local, provincial and national level including private health care providers.
The primary rationale for this qualification is to develop a cadre of nurse researchers who will be able to conduct empirical research to improve health care and address nursing and health-related issues, focusing strategically on promotive, preventive and developmental systems level.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):

Admission may be granted through RPL to learners who do not meet the minimum entry requirements.

All admissions through RPL must be in accordance with the principles laid down in the Unisa RPL Policy.

This qualification can be achieved wholly or in part through Recognition of Prior Learning.
The Unisa RPL office can supply full details of processes relating to the assessment and accreditation of learning from prior experiences. Evidence can be presented in a variety of forms, including international or previous local qualifications, reports, testimonials mentioning functions performed, work records, portfolios, videos of practice and performance records.
All such evidence should be judged according to the general principle of assessment described in the notes to assessors.

Entry Requirements:

A Master's Degree in a specialist clinical nursing field, community nursing science, nursing education, or nursing management at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 9 with an average of 60% or higher.

Have at least three years' appropriate experience.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing consists of two compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 10 totalling 360 Credits.

Modules:

Research Proposal, 0 Credits.

Research Project and Thesis, 360 Credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Learners completing this qualification are expected to demonstrate:

Coherent and critical understanding of relevant theories in clinical nursing or nursing education or nursing management.

The ability to rigorously critique and evaluate current research in specialist fields of nursing health.

The ability to identify, analyse and contextualise local, national and global nursing and health related problems.

Advanced skill in information retrieval and processing.

The ability to rigorously participate in scholarly debates in the area of specialised nursing health.

Mastery in undertaking a research project and applying relevant research methods and techniques in an independent and innovative manner.

The ability to produce a research report which meets the standards of professional writing.

Capacity for continual critical self-evaluation.

Capacity for continuing professional learning.

Capacity to manage complex tasks autonomously, professionally and ethically.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Assessment Criteria:
The learner will be declared competent when the thesis meets the following criteria:

Reports comprehensively on original research.

Is structured and written academically.

Citations are accurate and formatted appropriately.

Shows evidence that the research was conducted ethically.

Includes analyses and discourses of current debates, paradigms, models and theories pertaining to the problem that was researched in specialised fields of nursing.

Meets all the standards and requirements of a Doctoral thesis - which includes proof of successful integration of all the elements required to substantiate the central thesis and contributions of the study.

Integrated Assessment:
All assessments are conducted in line with the principles of assessment as defined in the University of South Africa (UNISA) Assessment Policy.

Submitted proposals are assessed and approved by the supervisor and Departmental Research and Higher Degrees Committee to be ratified by the College Research and Higher Degrees Committee.

When a learner's thesis is nearing completion, he/she informs the Registrar of his/her intention to submit if for examination at least two months before the anticipated date. After consultation with the co-supervisor (where applicable), the supervisor gives the learner permission to submit.

Assessment will include input from three external examiners, and all must be recognised experts in their fields and must not be attached to or affiliated with UNISA. At least one of the external examiners should be from a county other than South Africa. All examiners are recommended by the Department Chairperson and/or Departmental Research and Higher Degrees Committee and their names are forwarded for appointment by the College Management Committee.

The completed report of the panel of examiners is regarded as the examiners' final recommendation. The result of the doctoral thesis is based on a judicious appraisal of the examiners' reports.

After the result of the learner's thesis has been approved, the non-examining chairperson makes the examiners' report available to the Chairperson of the Department, the supervisor, the co-supervisor, the learner and the other examiners if requested.

In addition, learners must demonstrate the ability to engage in the field of Nursing in an integrative way, dealing with Information Science challenges strategically and effectively. It is recommended for this ability to be demonstrated by the publication of at least one article based on the research, in a scientific peer reviewed journal.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

This qualification compares with the following international qualifications:

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, an on-line qualification offered by the University of Missouri (includes focus areas of improving health systems, wellness in under-served and vulnerable populations and behaviour science).

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing, an on-line qualification offered by the University of Central Florida (UCF) Orlando, Florida (focuses on inter-disciplinary answers to complex nursing and health care questions).

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing by Research - University Putra Malaysia (UPM).

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification articulates horizontally with others at Level 10 within the subfield.
The Doctor of Philosophy is the final step on the academic ladder. No further upward articulation is possible although learners may choose to pursue their studies at any level of the National Qualifications 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:

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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