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: 

Master of Arts 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
15745  Master of Arts 
ORIGINATOR
University of Pretoria 
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
Reregistered  EXCO 0328/24  2024-11-21  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

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 
The first purpose of the qualification is to provide learners with Postgraduate-level knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in a number of specialist fields of Humanities that provide opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society. The qualification represents planned learning outcomes, namely that the learner will be qualified to render holistic, integrated and intersectoral services, reflecting diversity, accessibility and equal distribution of resources for all South Africans. The outcomes are designed to promote lifelong learning.

The second purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa with significant numbers of experts in the Humanities in order to ensure that the local and international leadership base of innovative and knowledge based scholarly activity is widened.

The third purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa with a cadre of specialists in the field of research, facilitation, development, management and service provision, who will contribute to a continuously growing understanding of a specific field of expertise. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours, NQF Level 8. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Wide-ranging, advanced and specialised scholastic skills and research across a major discipline.
    2. A full range of advanced procedures in a major discipline to apply within complex, variable, and highly specialised contexts.
    3. Specialised knowledge of a major discipline, enabling him/her to analyse, transform, and evaluate abstract data and concepts towards the creation of appropriate responses to resolve contextual problems.
    4. Competency in planning, resourcing, and managing processes within the broad parameters and functions of science.
    5. Accountability for determining, achieving, and evaluating personal and/or group output.
    6. Where applicable, be able to act within professional practice and/or senior managerial occupations.
    7. Scholarly expertise enabling him/her to enter doctoral and further research education, and research-based occupations. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    To meet the requirements for the MA qualification the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes of the learner are assessed on the basis of any or all of the following:
  • Performance during oral presentations in front of peers and/or experts.
  • Written outputs in the format of essays and reports.
  • Where applicable, written examinations reflecting research competence.
  • A Master's dissertation, being the culmination of research efforts.
    The assessment will be primarily criteria-based, and reliability will be ensured by both internal and external moderation.

    Integrated Assessment:
  • Portfolios: if required by the research topic or the discipline.
  • Simulations: if required by the research topic or the discipline.
  • Work-place assessments: if required by the research topic or the discipline.
  • Written examinations: if required by the research topic or the discipline.
  • Oral examinations: if required by the research topic or the discipline.

    Other:
    The modalities for integrated assessment permit the learner to demonstrate applied competence. Mainly formative methods set according to specific guidelines and methods related to credentialing the critical exit-level and cross-field outcomes appropriate to contextual and situational achievements are recognised.

    In addition to the above, modalities such as group discussions, and presentations in front of peers and experts may also be used.
    Final assessment by expert external assessors, both academic and non-academic, will be done of the dissertation. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Related qualifications:
    Master's degree with research outcome
    Ph D (coursework)
    Ph D (research)

    Ph D (coursework) serves as an entry point to the related qualification
    Ph D (research) serves as an entry point to the related qualification

    Master's degree with research outcome provides credits for the related qualification

    Other articulation possibilities, either generic or specific arrangements:
    The programme leading to a Magister Artium (MA) qualifies the candidate for further training on postgraduate level offered by the Schools in the Faculty of Humanities, as well as related postgraduate programmes in the Faculty of Economics and Business Management (e.g. M BA) and the Faculty of Natural, Agricultural and Information Sciences. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

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

    NOTES 
    This qualification includes the following specialisations:
  • Master of Arts in Afrikaans
  • Master of Arts in Archaeology
  • Master of Arts in Audiology
  • Master of Arts in Augmentative and Alternative Communication
  • Master of Arts in Biblical and Religious Studies
  • Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology
  • Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology
  • Master of Arts in Creative Writing
  • Master of Arts in Criminology
  • Master of Arts in Culture and Media Studies
  • Master of Arts in Development Communication
  • Master of Arts in Diplomatic Studies
  • Master of Arts in Drama
  • Master of Arts in Drama and Film Studies
  • Master of Arts in Drama Performance
  • Master of Arts in English
  • Master of Arts in French
  • Master of Arts in Geography
  • Master of Arts in German
  • Master of Arts in Human Movement Science
  • Master of Arts in International Relations
  • Master of Arts in Linguistics
  • Master of Arts in Literary Theory
  • Master of Arts in Pan-African Literatures
  • Master of Arts in Philosophy
  • Master of Arts in Political Science
  • Master of Arts in Psychology
  • Master of Arts in Research Psychology
  • Master of Arts in Speech-language Pathology 
    		•

    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 Pretoria 


    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.