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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
15423  Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology 
ORIGINATOR
University of Cape Town 
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 07 - Human and Social Studies  General Social Science 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  180  Level 8 and above  NQF Level 09  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

Registered-data under construction

The qualification content is currently being updated for the qualifications with the status “Registered-data under construction” or showing “DETAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION” to ensure compliance with SAQA’S Policy and Criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (As amended, 2022). These qualifications are re-registered until 30 June 2027 and can legitimately be offered by the institutions to which they are registered.

 

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.  

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
The degree provides advanced training in the field of study including techniques of research, data analysis and scholarly presentations appropriate to Organisational Psychology. The degree will equip the candidate with the knowledge and the skills necessary either for employment in an organisation, for self-employment or for further independent research toward the degree of PhD in Organisational Psychology. The programme fulfils the requirements of the professional Board for Psychology as a directed masters degree in Industrial Psychology. The completion of an internship is not a prerequisite for the award of the degree and the securing of an internship is the personal responsibility of the candidate. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
A degree of Honours Bachelor or its equivalent, in the discipline or a cognate discipline recognised by the Faculty.

Senior Certificate with Matriculation Exemption or equivalent university admission qualification

First degree:
Bcom

Honours degree:
BCom (Hons) in Organisational Psychology

Other qualifications:
Relevant Postgraduate Diploma


Recognition of prior learning:

Non-Honours graduates who have shown by examination or publication or a record of appropriate training that they have reached a level in the subject or a cognate subject equivalent to an Honours Bachelor's degree, may be permitted to register for the degree. 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
Y 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
a). The Masters graduate is able to demonstrate mastery to depth of a theoretically sophisticated subject matter;
The Masters graduate is equipped with proficiency in research methodology sufficient to proceed to a Ph.D. Graduates have mastered the skills of critical thinking, problem solving, collection and analysis of data, and effective professional written communication.

b). The Masters graduate is able to:

1. Conduct independent research in the discipline (or inter-disciplinary field)
2. Communicate verbally and orally with professional audiences
3. Apply in-depth and specialised disciplinary knowledge and research skills to discipline based problems
4. Analyse and critique communications of an academic and popular nature
5. Appreciate the ethical issues associated with research and knowledge production in the discipline
6. Understand the processes whereby knowledge in Business is constructed

c). The Masters graduate in Organisations Psychology will be:

1. Familiar with contemporary philosophical and theoretical issues in Organisational Psychology
2. Able to apply a range of advanced research methods and statistical procedures to psychological research problems
3. Able to conduct advanced literature searches to inform reviews of specialised literature
4. Able to prepare professional papers for peer review
5. Able to evaluate an intervention programme
6. Able to act as a research consultant
7. Write research proposals
8. Able to write reports for a variety of clients and stakeholders 

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
a). The achievement of these outcomes is assessed in the integrated assessment of the programme

b). The achievement of these outcomes is assessed in the integrated assessment of the programme.

c). The outcomes are assessed as follows:
  • Competencies in the areas listed are examined
  • Oral ability to explain concepts and texts
  • Examination of a research dissertation that includes the components listed under the integrated assessment.


    INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

    The integration of skills learnt in the Masters degree in Organisational Psychology is assessed by means of a dissertation of a word length stipulated by the faculty. The dissertation must demonstrate competence in the following areas, all of which are assessed in the examination of the dissertation:
  • Precise research problem formulation
  • Familiarity with and integration of the specialised literature that informs the research question
  • Appropriate design and execution of the research
  • Use of appropriate methods of data collection and analysis
  • Integration of findings
  • Ability to address the ethical problems that might attend the research
  • Appreciation of the methodological limitations of the study
  • Use of the publication and style conventions of the discipline

    The dissertation is subject to external examination. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification serves as an entry point to the related qualification

    PhD

    Entry to this qualification in mid-stream is not possible.

    Exit from this qualification in mid-stream:
    The coursework components completed may be recognised by another institution

    Other higher education programmes that articulate with this qualification without "going back to square one":

    The Masters degree articulates with the Ph.D in the Faculty of Commerce. When the dissertation progress is reviewed at the end of each academic year, the Faculty Board, on the recommendation of the supervisor and the Head of the Department, may recommend that the candidate's registration be upgraded to a Ph.D and that the period of Masters registration beyond the minimum period of one year be recognised towards the two year minimum period of study for the Ph.D. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The University of Cape Town has a system of external peer review and evaluation of each course. One of the aspects of the system is an evaluation of the standards and assessment practices of the Department 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    The academic staff of the University of Cape Town will be used in a manner that is consistent with the quality assurance system of the University. 

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

    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 Cape Town 


    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.