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 Arts in Clinical Psychology

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
111508	Master of Arts in Clinical 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 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Curative Health
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
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 091/21	2021-07-01	2023-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

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 assist learners to acquire in-depth scientific knowledge of a chosen field of Psychology at Postgraduate level. Facilitate learners to apply their knowledge and expertise within an interdisciplinary context. Promote critical thinking among learners that would lead to life-long personal-professional development and ethical conduct. Provide South Africa with significant numbers of responsible qualified academic and life science experts in the field of psychology in order to ensure that the national leadership base of innovative and knowledge-based economic and scholarly activities is widened. Provide qualifiers with post graduate level knowledge, skills and applied competence in psychology that provide opportunities for continued personal and intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society. Prepare learners to initiate and participate in behavioural research development and management for upliftment of the communities. Provide learners with advanced research skills for further Postgraduate training and to gain access to the labour market. Enable learners to do independent scientific research in the field of Psychology at Postgraduate level. Enable earners to contribute meaningfully to the scientific knowledge of and insight into the field of Psychology at Postgraduate level. Foster critical thinking and a scientific research attitude applicable to further study and the work environment.

Rationale:
This qualification responds to the national need for improved levels of health and well-being with a focus on Postgraduate academic and research related qualifications aimed at providing professionals trained at advanced levels of health services provision. In addition, it fulfils the need for quality learners in Clinical Psychology that are able to interact with the community at large and fill the need for Psychological expertise within South Africa and the international community. The learner is trained in the fields of Psychopathology; Advanced Psychometrics; Therapies and Interviewing Skills; Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology; Community and Health Psychology; Ethics in Psychology, which are areas that are serviced by Clinical Psychologists in communities.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is guided by the institutional policy and is aligned to the objectives of the NQF. Entry into the qualification is possible via RPL as well as indicating advanced standing, provided that it is aligned to the institutional policy and that the learner is evaluated by a qualified RPL assessor in a manner that is free from any form of discrimination. RPL practices also include standard Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) practices of equivalent modules that may have been achieved in the course of the learner's studies.

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

Bachelor of Psychology, NQF Level 8 or equivalent.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 9 totalling 200 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 200 Credits:

Psychopathology, 20 Credits.

Advanced Psychometrics, 16 Credits.

Therapies and Interviewing Skills, 16 Credits.

Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, 16 Credits.

Community and Health Psychology, 16 Credits.

Ethics in Psychology, 16 Credits.

Mini-Dissertation (Clinical Psychology), 100 Credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. The learner should be able to demonstrate specialist knowledge and be able to critique and evaluate current research or practices in the field of Clinical Psychology.
2. The learner is able to demonstrate a command of and the ability to design, select and apply appropriate and creative methods, techniques, processes or technologies to complex practical and theoretical problems.
3. Solve problems that plague the Public Administration Profession.
4. The learner accesses, manages and produces information ethically in the context of the specialisation practitioner's profession.
5. The learner is sensitive to and understands the contexts and systems of the profession.
6. Manages his or her own learning and takes accountability for his or her own work.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Learners will be required to display and in-depth scientific knowledge of selected fields of Psychology.

Learners will be required to apply their knowledge and expertise within an interdisciplinary context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

The learner has an understanding of and can apply neuropsychological assessments in clinical practice.

Has an understanding of the effect of drugs on the nervous system and behaviour.

Learners will apply the different classificatory systems of psychological disorders in clinical practice.

Diagnose different psychological disorders in clinical practice.

Write psychological assessment reports and give feedback to clients.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

Demonstrate an understanding and administer psychological assessment in clinical practice.

Interpret psychological assessment results.

Apply principles and methods of community psychology in different contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
The candidate should prove that he/she:

Has an understanding of the ethical principles in the field of Clinical Psychology.

Is able to understand and apply ethical rules of conduct that are applicable in clinical practice.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:

Learners should demonstrate an understanding of different therapeutic modalities.

Apply different therapeutic modalities in clinical practice.

Apply interviewing skills in a clinical context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:

Produces a mini-dissertation demonstrating an understanding of the research process through problem identification and application of appropriate research methodology.

Integrated Assessment:
Learning and assessment across exit level outcomes within the qualification are integrated to ensure a well-structured cohesive qualification. Assessments are based on formative assessments which are in place to assure continuous learning and feedback to learners and summative assessments which ensure a judgement of learning at exit level outcomes. Such assessments should assess the learner's ability to integrate the larger body of knowledge, competencies and attitudes that are represented by the exit-level outcomes, either as a whole or as components of the qualification. Furthermore, integrated knowledge will be evaluated within the form of a mini-dissertation.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

This qualification is comparable to similar coursework master's qualifications that are inclusive of a research project. Typically, examples of such qualifications that are found on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework and the Australian Qualifications Framework and are pitched at Level 9, apply. Qualifications at Level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework that are second cycle qualifications (Master) in a relevant field are possible comparisons to this qualification. The Clinical Psychology Master of Arts at North-western University in Illinois is a comparable qualification that prepares learners for a career in academic Clinical Psychology, inclusive of a module on Psychopathology as well as Neuropsychology.

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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