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:

Advanced Postgraduate Diploma: Public Policy

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
15082	Advanced Postgraduate Diploma: Public Policy
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
Postgraduate Diploma	Field 07 - Human and Social Studies		Public Policy, Politics and Democratic Citizenship
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	128	Level 7	Level TBA: 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 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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Public policy Programme is an academic and broadly vocational discipline, which aims to equip learners with an understanding of the processes and structures through which policy development and implementation take place. The programme will also provide students with the skills required to conduct research which is policy directed. Such academic and vocational training is crucial in South Africa at present given the need for new policy formulation to address the multiplicity of social problems and developmental goals. The policy field is a growing one in South Africa in both the private and the public sector, and job opportunities for students who have graduate from the public policy programme will be in demand in both of these sectors.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

An 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 thorough understanding of the political processes involved in public policy.

Demonstrate an understanding of the stakeholders involved in the policy process.

Demonstrate knowledge of current policy concerns and outcomes, and their impact on social development.

Identify policy related issues and evaluate their importance.

Understand of the social context in which public policies are constructed.

Present arguments and perspectives both orally and in written form.

Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of most contemporary societies, and the causes of inequality.

Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the key theoretical debates and methodologies used in the public policy arena.

Demonstrate some ability to conduct primary research

Demonstrate an understanding of particular case studies in the field of public policy.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the general field of public policy

Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of specific areas pertaining to public policy, particularly policy analysis, policy formation and policy implementation.

Understand the interrelationships amongst various areas of the field of knowledge

Analyze components/issues/factors/structures which underpin the study and application of public policy

Grasp the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of public policy information, analysis and implementation.

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of current critical debates in the field of public policy

Summarize, 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 public policy

Solve problems, both theoretical and applied pertaining to the analysis, formulation and implementation of public policy

Have an appropriate understanding of the disciplines concerned, in particular, sociology and political studies

Contextualise the study of public policy 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 public policy

Demonstrate a command of academic English at an appropriate level.

Understand diversity

Work individually

Work efficiently in groups

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

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

Advanced Postgraduate Diploma:

Above: Masters degree

Below: a Recognized Honours degree

Horizontal:

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

Outside the University: subject to University recognition of qualifications 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 assessor critera 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), staffs 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:

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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