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: Media and Communication

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
14959	Master of Arts: Media and Communication
ORIGINATOR
University of Natal
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Master's Degree	Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language		Communication Studies
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	128	Level 8 and above	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 2663/05	2006-07-01	2009-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2010-06-30		2013-06-30

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 is replaced by:

Qual ID	Qualification Title	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Min Credits	Replacement Status
81262	Master of Arts: Media and Communication	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	128	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

The Media and Communication Programme is interdisciplinary in character. It draws on scholarship and practice in many disciplines, from communication and business administration to cultural studies, literature, languages, politics, sociology, philosophy, development and public policy, with the goal of combining a liberal arts education with a practical, professionally oriented education in a number of key communication areas. The programme does not confine itself to a particular field within the media such as journalism or advertising. It takes the broader view encompassing these specialisations within the larger ambit of theories, practices and products that use the media to communicate. The design of the five-semester programme is in keeping with the needs of the current information economy; today's communication climate requires critical thinkers and practitioners who are able to provide an integrated strategic communication mix for their clients rather than an advertising or public relations campaign. Accordingly students acquire a range of transferable knowledge and crossover skills in the areas of advertising, public relations, corporate communications, media policy formulation, campaign management and visual literacy as part of this mix. The programme grows out an acknowledgement that society in general, and South Africa in particular, has entered the communication age B an age in which the global and the local interface on a daily basis. How to educate students to cope with and more importantly, help escape the new communication landscape and South Africa's place within it is the task we have confronted in this programme.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Appropriate Honours degree. Entry is also possible through University of Natal's Rule 33 for postgraduate study.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Demonstrate a critical understanding of the processes and functions of mass/media communication;

Demonstrate a critical understanding of the linkages between the media and society;

Demonstrate a knowledge of the local press scene and the normative theories of the print media;

Demonstrate a critical understanding of ownership, ethics and the genres associated with newspapers;

Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of the broadcasting audience and associated modes of address;

Demonstrate an ability to research audiences and interpret data;

Demonstrate an understanding of the productions and circulation of culture;

Demonstrate an understanding of planning, scheduling, formats and styles in radio;

Demonstrate an understanding of various formal communication patterns in organisations;

Write in the various formats (memos, e-mail, reports) associated with corporate communication;

Produce graphic devices suited to a range of audiences and media;

Demonstrate intercultural communication skills;

Identify communicative intentions and cultural values in multi-cultural situations;

Develop persuasive strategies using deferent modes of appeal and practical reasoning;

Plan, organise and deliver and effective spoken presentation in the workplace with visual aids;

Demonstrate an understanding of the marketing communications interface (branding, packaging, pricing, promotions, publicity, online communications telemarketing, exhibitions, customers contact management);

Demonstrate an understanding of the new communication technologies and their role in redefining dissemination and reception of information;

Think abstractly about a medium (for example, film) of art and communication;

Closely read an analyse various media, critical and philosophical texts;

Demonstrate a knowledge of the historical background and principle issues associated with contemporary political development in South Africa and globally;

Demonstrate an understanding of the nature and historical development of film genres and the changing relationship between the cinematic institution (as one example of global communication conglomerate) and society;

Demonstrate an understanding of the nature, management and techniques of public relations;

Define markets, and develop, organise and evaluate strategic communications campaigns premised on an integrated marketing mix;

Demonstrate computer literacy skills including internet expertise.

Demonstrate an advanced understanding of theories, issues and debates in the field of media and communication;

Demonstrate an awareness of the place of primary research in the fields of media and communication;

Demonstrate an understanding of and competence in research methodologies appropriate to media and communication

Compile a dissertation which indicates and ability to conduct independent research and report findings in conformity to established academic protocols of research and writing.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the general field of media and communication;

Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of specific areas pertaining to media and communication;

Understand the interrelationships amongst various areas of the field of knowledge;

Analyse components/issues/factors/structure which underpins the study and application of media and communication;

Grasp the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the study of media and communication;

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of current critical debates in the field of media and communication;

Summarise, compare and evaluate a substantial body of knowledge;

Construct a sustained argument, formulate questions and work towards solutions;

Command the conceptual discourse of the field of media and communication;

Contextualise the study of media and communication within the social environment and the historical understanding;

Develop a clear understanding of the historical and present state and possible future of the disciplinary areas that constitute media and communication;

Demonstrate a command of academic English at an appropriate level;

Understand diversity;

Work individually;

Work efficiently with groups;

Present findings at an appropriate level, both orally and in writing

Carry out a substantial independent research project conforming to acknowledged scholarly protocols.

Integrated assessment appropriately incorporated to ensure that the purpose of the qualification is achieved:

The University of Natal is currently reforming its assessment strategies to include the assessment of applied competence for each qualification. In the meantime, a combination of continuous assessment and traditional written examinations serve to assess the integration of all/most of the learning outcomes for each module in a qualification.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Vertical -Below: recognised Honours degree
Above: PhD

Horizontal - Within the University: with the approval of the programme directors, modules from other approved disciplines may be incorporated into this qualification and modules from this discipline may be incorporated into other approved qualifications.

Outside the University: Subject to University recognition of qualification and/or credits obtained at other institutions.

MODERATION OPTIONS

The ETQA system for HE is not yet fully developed. Until such time as it is, procedures described under assessors criteria suffice.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Until the HEQC establishes a registration system for assessors in the HET Band, the University of Natal assumes that, on the basis of its rigorous selection criteria for the appointment of academic staff (who also have opportunities for staff development in assessment), staff are competent to assess students on the modules they teach. This assessment is quality assured via a university system of internal moderation and external examination. External examiners are appointed for their teaching and disciplinary expertise and subject to the approval of faculty Boards. The University of Natal ruling is that 66 % of all assessments at exit level, i.e. leading to qualifications are externally examined.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

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

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

When qualifications are replaced, some of their learning programmes are moved to being recorded against the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replacement.

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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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