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:

Higher Diploma: Labour Law

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
14377	Higher Diploma: Labour Law
ORIGINATOR
University of Witwatersrand
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
National Higher Diploma	Field 08 - Law, Military Science and Security		Justice in Society
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	160	Level 7	Level N/A: Pre-2009 was L7	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 06120/18	2018-07-01	2018-12-31
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2019-12-31		2022-12-31

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 purpose of the qualification is to combine an advanced and specialist training in jurisprudence with research mastery in order to equip students for employment in the following fields:
1. Practice in the field of Labour Law either in the public or private sector;
2. Government at the national; provincial; and local government levels;
3. Commerce and industry;
4. Non-governmental organisations aimed at fostering the interests of the public;
5. Teaching and research in the field of Labour Law.
The value added by this qualification to the qualifying learner is thus the emphasis on further advancement and specialisation in their chosen profession. Benefit to society is provided through the training of persons capable of holding high-level positions requiring specialist knowledge and / or a greater skill in analytic and research competence. This should provide for increased social and economic productivity and for the transformation of society more broadly.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

FORMALLY ACCREDITED LEARNING
The typical applicant has an undergraduate degree in Law, Commerce, or Accountancy, or other University-approved qualification, or prior admission to South African practice as an attorney, accountant or auditor - consult the application information for the year of study for which application is being made.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
Applicants who fall outside of the normal admissions process who can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the University that they have a qualification or experiential- or work-based learning which has taken the learner to an equivalent level of a qualification specified above (under Formally Accredited Learning), may be considered for admission and/or for the recognition of prior accredited and/or prior experiential learning.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

LEARNING OUTCOMES (EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES)

The learner should be able to:

A. Access and process information using a range of technologies:

A.1 Use libraries, computer research skills and the Internet to search for and find sources of information (e.g. South African and foreign court cases, legislation and academic literature) as required, under supervision and / or on own initiative.

A.2 Identify and assess the relevance of different sources of information (court cases, legislation and articles) to particular practical or theoretical problems.

A.3 Read, understand and compare complex legal materials and to situate him / herself in relation to the debate.

A.4 Extract and analyse, at an advanced level, relevant principles from legal materials and apply these appropriately.

A.5 Identify possible theoretical issues and practical problems from general legal principles and relevant legal materials.

A.6 Understand at an advanced level the range and relation of various sources of South African Labour law and how they interact to produce a store of legal knowledge.

A.7 Apply ethical methods of accessing and acknowledging information.

B. Produce and communicate information in an appropriate manner:

B.1 Communicate in accurate and fluent English.

B.2 Produce a document using appropriate technology.

B.3 Structure and present information so as to render it accessible and in a form appropriate to the genre.

B.4 Know and be able to apply conventions of legal writing relating to citing of source materials.

B.5 Select, assess, arrange and apply relevant information in order to structure a complex legal argument.

B.6 Organise and synthesize information in a coherent and logical manner.

B.7 Demonstrate competence in the use of comparative legal sources.

C. Display theoretical awareness, critical analytic competence and problem-solving skills within the disciplinary context:

C.1 Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the relevant social, political, economic and international contexts within which South African Labour law is situated.

C.2 Demonstrate an advanced understanding of how the different areas of the law fit together to make-up the legal system.

C.3 Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the theoretical framework of, and key concepts, core legal rules and principles in, the field of Labour law.

C.4 Demonstrate an advanced competence in legal problem solving, both at theoretical and factual level.

C.5 Use components of general and specialised legal knowledge in order to deal with novel situations.

C.6 Evaluate the effectiveness of legal rules in dealing with a particular factual situation and to suggest appropriate legal reform mechanisms where current rules are inadequate.

C.7 Demonstrate competence in comparative legal techniques.

D. Demonstrate research competence:

D.1 Design and execute independently but under guidance a circumscribed research enquiry.

D.2 Find a broad range of information using the appropriate strategies.

D.3 Determine the relevance of information to the topic

D.4 Display a thorough knowledge of major current resources in the field of study.

D.5 Clearly and concisely explain the nature, purpose and relevance of the investigation and relate this to legal studies more broadly.

D.6 Display a substantial knowledge of appropriate methods of investigation.

D.7 Display an advanced ability to use research methods appropriately.

D.8 Display an advanced ability to synthesise information to produce a research report.

D.9 Display originality in either combination of materials or application, or with regard to theoretical insights produced.

D.10 Assess the significance of research findings.

D.11 Produce short research papers and / or a circumscribed research report in appropriate form.

D.12 Use the appropriate conventions of legal writing.

D.13 Apply appropriate ethics to research tasks.

E. Manage him / herself effectively and independently:

E.1 Study independently and as directed and perform research tasks.

E.2 Perform to high standards under pressure.

E.3 Plan ahead and meet deadlines.

E.4 Demonstrate a serious and applied attitude towards learning.

E.5 Evaluate his / her own performance.

E.6 Learn from experience and adapt to change.

E.7 Define personal research agendas and select personal tasks appropriately.

F. Demonstrate social competence and responsibility:

F.1 Work collaboratively with others on an equal basis and /or within agreed structures.

F.2 Demonstrate the use of appropriate ethics in relations with research subjects and fellow researchers.

F.4 Act in accordance with an understanding of fundamental rights issues.

G. Demonstrate eco-systemic competence:

G.1 Contribute in a scholarly manner to the advancement of knowledge relating to social and environmental matters.

G.2 Analyse and address social issues from a legal perspective.

G.2 Identify situations involving an infringement of fundamental rights.

G.3 Apply legal remedies to situations involving an infringement of fundamental rights.

G.4 Use legal knowledge and techniques responsibly and effectively.

CRITICAL CROSS-FIELD OUTCOMES
a) "identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made." See exit level outcomes C
b) "working with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, community." See exit level outcomes F.
c) "organising and managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively." See exit level outcomes E.
d) "collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information." See exit level outcomes A, B, C and D.
e) "communicating effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion." See exit level outcomes B and D.
f) "using science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others." See exit level outcomes G.
g) "demonstrating and understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation." See exit level outcomes C and G.
h) "contributing to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of society at large, by making it the underlying intention of any programme of learning to make an individual aware of the importance of:
i. "reflecting on and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more effectively;" see exit level outcomes E.
ii. "participating as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities;" see exit level outcomes F and G; note also that learners are expected to act in accordance with the code of conduct of the University and, where relevant, that of the professional discipline being studied.
iii. "being culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts;" see exit level outcomes F and G.
iv. "exploring education and career opportunities." See exit level outcome E and G.
v. "Developing entrepreneurial opportunities." See exit level outcomes E and G.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

The learner should competently demonstrate:

A. An advanced and independent ability to access and process information using a range of technologies.

B. An advanced ability to independently produce and communicate information in an appropriate manner.

C. Advanced theoretical awareness, critical analytic competence and problem- solving skills within the disciplinary and / or inter-disciplinary context.

D. The adequate use of advanced research skills to produce short papers and / or a research report which should contribute appropriately to the advancement of knowledge in the area under study.

E. The ability to successfully and independently complete a task or tasks within an appropriate time-frame.

F. An appropriate level of social competence and responsibility.

G. The ability to contribute to knowledge advancement (and thus to the advancement of society more broadly).

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT
The production of a research report is a compulsory part of the curriculum for this degree. The assessment of this report provides a full indication of the candidate's abilities to find, use and communicate information appropriately, displaying an appropriate level of social awareness and analytic competence within appropriate methodological constraints. The ability to produce such a report further provides evidence of the candidate's self-management skills and reflexive competence. This research report thus function as an integrated assessment device for the qualification as a whole.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This section specifies with which other qualifications of the University the qualification was designed to articulate, i.e. formal articulation; therefore the qualification can articulate informally with equivalent qualifications offered by the University, or with other qualifications offered nationally and internationally.

ENTRY TO THE QUALIFICATION
A first degree in Law, Commerce or Accountancy e.g. the Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Accountancy of the University, or equivalent University-approved qualification.

ARTICULATION DURING THE QUALIFICATION
No formal articulation. A candidate in possession of a Bachelor of Laws degree may, however, transfer from the Higher Diploma to a Master of Laws degree at any stage during his / her studies with equivalent credit granted.

ON COMPLETION OF THE QUALIFICATION
No formal articulation, but a qualifying learner may proceed to postgraduate degrees of the University especially in the field of Commerce or Management.

MODERATION OPTIONS

Internal University requirements govern how and by whom moderation is performed. For example, external examiners are appointed on an annual basis. Such moderation seeks, inter alia, to ensure that, where appropriate, our graduates will be able to comply with professional and statutory requirements. Further, whether an academic entity has a professional orientation or not, its activities are moderated by internal and external review quinquennially. The moderating body for qualifications of the University is the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education, currently represented by the Interim Higher Education Quality Committee.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Internal University quality requirements govern how and by whom assessment may be performed to ensure that assessors have the competence required to assess a qualification of this nature. Once the Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education is constituted and ready to pronounce on issues of quality, the University will respond to the HEQC guidance on the registration of assessors. In the interim, the academic staff of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, are regarded as registered assessors since SAQA has registered the institution as a public higher education provider.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015.

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.

1.	University of Witwatersrand