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 Social Science: Economics and Demography

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
15446	Master of Social Science: Economics and Demography
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 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies		Finance, Economics and Accounting
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	120	Level 8 and above	Level N/A:Pre-2009 was L8+	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 degree provides training in the techniques of research, analysis and scholarly presentation appropriate to Economics and Demography. The degree will equip the candidate with knowledge in the field of research and the skills necessary either for employment as an economist or in a related field in the public or private sectors. Candidates will also be equipped for further independent research for the degree of Ph D at leading domestic or international universities.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Minimum entrance requirements
A degree of Honours Bachelor or its equivalent, in an economics field or a cognate discipline recognised by the Faculty.

School subject minimum requirements
None.

Assumptions (recognition of prior learning)
People 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 degree may be permitted to register for the degree.

Senior Certificate with Matriculation Exemption or Equivalent university admission qualification.

First degree:
BSocSc, BA

Honours degree:
BA (Hons) / BSocSc (Hons) in Economics or Philosophy & Political Economy

Recognition of prior learning

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

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Cross-field outcomes:

a) Critical cross-field outcomes (generic to all teaching and learning)

The Masters graduate in Economics and Demography is:

i) Able to demonstrate mastery to depth of a theoretically sophisticated subject matter.
ii) Equipped with proficiency in research methodology sufficient to proceed to a PhD Graduates have mastered the skills of critical thinking, problem solving, collection and analysis of data, and effective written communication.

b) General outcomes (contextually demonstrated general knowledge, skills and values of the programme)

i) Conduct independent research in a the discipline (or inter-disciplinary field);
ii) Communicate verbally and orally with professional audiences;
iii) Apply disciplinary knowledge and research skills;
iv) Analyse and critique communications of an academic and popular nature;
v) Appreciate the ethical issues associated with research and knowledge production in the discipline;
vi) Challenge orthodoxies and redefine existing knowledge, while demonstrating awareness of the nature of knowledge in the field

c) Specific Outcomes, including professional outcomes, contextually demonstrated)

The MSocSc graduate in Economics and Demography will be:

i) Familiar with leading issues in Macroeconomics, Microeconomics and Economic Demography and related specialist fields of economics such as Labour Economics;
ii) Able to apply the techniques of mathematical, statistical and formal logical analysis to a range of problems in the above fields;
iii) Able to generate and use survey data to address research issues in the above fields;
iv) Able to conduct advanced literature searches and critique current literature in the form of a review;
v) Able to prepare professional papers for peer review;
vi) Able to write research and funding proposals;
vii) Able to provide technical reports to professional audiences including governments and businesses

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

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

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

Here you should enter the modes of assessment for your specific MA/MPhil programme that are associated with the integrated assessment outlined in section 6.

The outcomes are assessed as follows:

examination of term papers in all competence areas listed;

examination of oral ability to explain concepts and texts;

examination of a research Dissertation which includes the components listed under 6 below.

Integrated assessment:

The integration of skills learnt in the Economics and Demography programme is assessed by means a dissertation of a word length stipulated by the faculty. The dissertation, which addresses a research issue in the field of Economic Demography, must demonstrate competence in the following areas, all of which are assessed in the examination of the dissertation.

research problem formulation

integration of literature

appropriate design and execution of research

use of appropriate methods of data collection and analysis

integration of findings

appreciation of the limits of the study

use of the publication and style conventions of the discipline

The dissertation is subject to external examination. A progress report by the supervisor is submitted to the Faculty office at the end of each academic year and, if satisfactory, the candidate is permitted to reregister in the following year.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Title(s) of related qualification(s)
PhD

This qualification serves as an entry point to the related qualification(s).

Entry to this qualification in mid-stream
Not possible.

Other higher education programmes which articulate with this qualification without "going back to square one:
The MSocSc articulates with the PhD in the Faculty of Humanities. 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 PhD 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, which 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