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 Social Work

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
112078	Master of Social Work
ORIGINATOR
University of Venda
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Master's Degree	Field 07 - Human and Social Studies		General Social Science
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
Reregistered		EXCO 0821/24	2019-09-09	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 primary purpose of the Master of Social Work (MSW) is to train and educate researchers who will be able to independently or collectively contribute to uplift Social Work as a profession and add to the body of knowledge. The qualification will increase the knowledge of research and social issues that will be addressed in studies.

The qualification affords learners to develop scientific knowledge that contributes to policy development, new theories and strengthening of practice interventions. The qualification will also engage learners in capacity training to improve their skill in research, as a preparatory process for doctoral studies/doctorate.

Learners will thus develop analytical skills; write research, dissertation and reports which will increase employment opportunities.

The qualification intends to:

generate knowledge and understanding about social issues.

design, test strategies and interventions for social development through research.

equip learners, to promote specialisation of services for empowering people in response to local, provincial and national or regional rural needs of service users.

enable learners to have the opportunity to expand their knowledge to deal with social issues through research.

Rationale:
The research could make a contribution to the realisation of the country's social development outcomes, or more pertinently to the achievement of the policy expectation.

In the 21st century the socio-economic problems faced by communities are increasing, particularly in the developing world such as South Africa. Social workers, as one of the role players in social development, therefore need specialised knowledge and skills to attend to social problems and to contribute to the achievement of the country's social development goals.

The qualification will address the need for more postgraduate learners to do research, which is currently a challenge in South Africa.

It is critical to have a MSW qualification to follow a Bachelor of Social Work for those learners who want to pursue a higher qualification that provides them with a broader scope of the profession and a specialised knowledge.

The MSW will address the needs of the province where the social workers can render a service to the rural areas.

It will increase the research output of the institution.

The qualification is research-based and it is only obtainable through an approved full dissertation.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
In line with the institution's policy, recognition of prior learning will be extended to deserving experienced learners who can demonstrate evidence that despite not having all the entry requirements, they have concrete evidence in the form of a compiled portfolio that they can cope with the qualification expectations if enrolled. Evidence of prior learning provided by the learners will be verified by the institution's registrar.

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

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), NQF Level 8.
Or

Bachelor of Arts Honours in Social Work, NQF Level 8.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification consists of the following compulsory module at National Qualifications Framework Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.

Compulsory Module, Level 9: 180 Credits:

Dissertation, NQF Level 9.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Use, plan and apply social work research.
2. Deal with discourses, to defend and communicate appropriate ideas for research and promote specialisation and specific skills.
3. Tackle the socio economic, educational, cultural, political and religious aspects of South Africa.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Plan independently and implement tasks to promote research at an advance level.

Write proposal utilising appropriate research steps.

Demonstrate in-depth understanding of research concepts to critically evaluate current research and elevate scholarship in the discipline.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

Demonstrate and expand knowledge relating to specific field of Social Work and Social Development service delivery.

Lead in terms of autonomous ethical research.

Understand and implement research.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

Demonstrate a critical awareness of existing/current problems and be knowledgeable in terms of their academic discipline.

Apply research with critical judgement followed by beneficial conclusions and recommendations.

Demonstrate independent comprehension, interpretation and data analysis, followed by sound judgement.

Integrated Assessment:
Assessment criteria will cover:

Formative assessment will be conducted through the following stages: writing of proposal, submission of proposal, standardised research chapters, followed by a verbal and written presentation of the dissertation.

Summative assessment method will apply: The supervisor(s) and two external examiners form a committee that will assess the dissertation.

Assessment will be based on the completion of a dissertation.
Each of the examiners shall comment on the work in writing, and give a clear breakdown on how they arrived on the final grading of the dissertation.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The qualification is in line with the international best practice to guarantee that learners are only supervised by lectures holding PhD's in the Department of Social Work. Internationally, the Master of Social Work was compared with the following universities:

The university of Ljubljana in Slovenia, offers the Masters of Social Work qualification. The research curriculum is underpinned by theories of social work, humanities and social sciences as well as practiced based knowledge. The learners are engaged in proper research procedures to defend their proposals in the presence of a research committee. There is also course work component which is executed in the first part of the qualification. The research component is compulsory for masters and their mode of delivery is similar to that of the institution. The final dissertation is examined by two external examiners.

Keele University in England, offers Master of Philosophy in Social Work. The learners are required to follow the necessary processes relating to appropriate research methodologies as well as a rigorous understanding of assessment of theories, policies and processes linked to Social Work study topics. The institution also practice a similar system. Learners also go through the same process of defending their proposal before the research committee for approval. It is also the responsibility of two external examiners to assess the final dissertation.

In Germany, the Hawk university, a rural based University at Holzminden, known as Hochschule Fur Angewante Wissenschaft Und Kunst University, offers Master of Social Work. This institution engages learners in proper social work research processes. The masters' qualification is ''application oriented'' and ''research oriented'' covering coursework component followed by research component. Learner's research documents are assessed by the research panel. The final dissertations are also assessed by two external examiners, a similar practice done by the institution.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification allows possibilities for both horizontal and vertical articulation.

Horizontal Articulation:

Master of Arts, NQF Level 9.

Vertical Articulation:

Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work, NQF Level 10.

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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