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 Science: Psychology 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
15993  Master of Science: Psychology 
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 07 - Human and Social Studies  Environmental Relations 
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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
The purposes of the programme are both academic and vocational:

Academic:
  • To acquire knowledge of the theories and methods of Psychology, and to acquire understanding of self, others and Society

    Vocational:
  • To acquire social, behavioural and technical psychological skills, and to prepare students for work in the human and social sectors 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Admission to Masters Degrees according to academic merit and the number of places available, together with selection procedures including a dissertation proposal. 

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
  • Knowledge and understanding of psychological theories and methods of enquiry with respect to individuals, groups and social institutions
  • Capacity to apply foundational psychological understanding and procedures in the realm of work with individuals, groups and social institutions
  • Ability to conduct psychological enquiry at the level of the exit qualification
  • Appreciation of and respect for diversity of human and social experiences and institutions 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Students will meet all requirements for the award of the degree, as well as passing the requirement to produce an integrative and reflective dissertation.


    Integrarted Assessment

    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.

    Students will undergo portfolio assessments, consisting of some or all of the following:
  • Multiple choice tests and examinations, designed to assess specific knowledge in modules.
  • Paragraph and essay tests and examinations, designed to assess learners' capacity to integrate material from various sections of a module and construct a critical argument.
  • Essay assignments, designed to elicit learners' skills in researching a topic, to synthesise information, to analyse a statement or question, to develop a reasoned argument, and to present their work as a coherent written submission.
  • Tutorial assignments, designed to assess the capacity of learners to execute specific tasks related to the material incorporated into the module.
  • Practical assignments, designed to examine learners' competence to perform psychological tasks and to integrate findings into a theoretical or practice framework.
  • Tutorial and practical presentations, designed to assess learners' capacity to present work, orally or in written format.
  • Research reports, designed to assess learners' abilities to synthesise existing knowledge and to report on the theoretical and methodological features of their own research.
  • Capstone modules and/or capstone requirements within a module - such as an integrative essay, report, or dissertation.

    Together this portfolio of assessments is designed to evaluate learners' competence in the exit level outcomes of the programme. That is:
  • Knowledge and understanding of psychological theories and methods of enquiry with respect to individuals, groups and social institutions
  • Capacity to apply foundational psychological understanding and procedures in the realm of work with individuals, groups and social institutions
  • Ability to conduct psychological enquiry at the level of the exit qualification
  • Appreciation of and respect for diversity of human and social experiences and institutions 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Students can leave tertiary education, temporarily or permanently, at Level 8, or they can proceed in the Programme at Level 8 into a Doctoral degree by dissertation. Students can also apply to be admitted to the DPsych degree in the Programme in Professional Psychology at Level 8. There are no horizontal articulation options. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The ETQA system for HE is not yet fully developed. Until such time as it is, procedures described under Assessor Criteria will 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 a qualification, 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.
     
    NONE 


    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.