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:

Doctor of Philosophy: Agronomy

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
16945	Doctor of Philosophy: Agronomy
ORIGINATOR
University of the Free State
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Doctoral Degree	Field 01 - Agriculture and Nature Conservation		Primary Agriculture
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	240	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 10	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 091/21	2021-07-01	2023-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

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

Apply educational knowledge, skills, principles and methods to equip the learner to plan and conduct independent research, thus making original and in depth contributions to the sciences of agronomy or to disciplines served by agronomy

In business and industry

Responding to the needs of the community

In the public sector

In the trade unions

In life-long learning and the appreciation of the value of education and society.

Qualifiers will demonstrate knowledge, skills and applied competence in the field of study that provide opportunities for continued personal growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Learners who register for this qualification can:

Learn from predominantly written material

Communicate what they have learnt comprehensively in the medium of instruction

Learn and take responsibility for their own progress

Recognition of prior learning.

The qualification recognises formal and non-formal prior learning (incorporating experiential learning) at a Higher Education and Training Certificate Level 8+ in agriculture or a functional equivalent

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

The planned combination of learning outcomes are integrated with critical cross-field outcomes for this Qualification:

Practical Competency:

The demonstrated ability/skill to achieve the major Skills/Applied Competency of the qualification.

Foundational Competency:

The demonstrated understanding, by the Learner, of the embedded knowledge that underpins the end result/outcome.

Reflective Competency:

The demonstrated ability/skill to integrate or connect our performances and to reflect on, evaluate and adopt the above competencies.

To successfully complete the certificate the learner will have to demonstrate his/her learning via module specific learning outcomes as well as critical cross-field learning outcomes.

Critical cross-field outcomes will include those specified in the learning outcomes for approved modules in the certificate and as appropriate to the learner's field of practice.

1. Identification of research needs pertaining to crop production;

2. Executing original research as well as analysing and interpreting results;

3. Publishing these results in scientific journals, and, where applicable

4. Applying results to the benefit of agriculture

Learners will be able, on a high level of specialization, to predict outcomes, analyze, interpret, develop models and develop products with the aim of suggesting solutions in the following fields:

Crop and stress physiology

Increased harvestable yields

Chemical manipulation of crops

New crop development

New uses for existing crops

New approaches to weed control

New fertilisation or cultivation techniques

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

A learner should provide evidence of learning competency (knowledge, skills and attitude) by means of the following:

1. A candidate should provide evidence of a required competency, knowledge and attitude by writing a dissertation indicating

Leadership in the field of study

An original contribution to science in general but to the disciplines served by agronomy in particular

New or innovative approaches or perspectives to specific aspects of the science of crop production and

Independent and creative research ability

Integrated assessment

Competence is achieved, through continuous assessment by demonstrating the ability to achieve the outcomes of the Qualification

A dissertation written at this level after proof of advanced research was delivered by the candidate.

Assessment documents are moderated to ensure that:

They conform to the scope and context of the competency as stipulated in the qualification

They are constructed in such a way that the Assessor assesses the critical outcomes applied, during the Learners activity performances, towards achieving an outcome.

Assessments are:

To include confirmation of the Embedded Knowledge component to that the Foundational Competency is achieved

To be verified by Internal Verifiers to ensure valid, credit, true and fair results.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Vertical: It gives access to Post Masters studies at various universities as well as the Ph.D. at the UOFS as well as other Universities that present the Ph D in this field of study.

MODERATION OPTIONS

A system of external peer review and evaluation of departments including evaluation of the standards and assessment practices per Department.

Qualifications: The minimum academic and workplace experience requirements at a level above the level of moderation.

Appropriate professional criteria will be drafted in the case of workplace assessment

Mentorship: All junior and new members of staff are mentored by senior members as they work together in teams. All assessment done by external assessors is quality controlled by internal staff.

Any moderation criteria as determined by the ETQA.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

The academic staff of the University of the Free State complies with standards set by Senate and will exercise their assessment within the approved quality assurance system of the University. Assessors will also meet all criteria as stipulated by the relevant ETQA.

Assessors are:

Subject matter specialists

Registered with the awarding body

Accredited by the awarding body after achieving competency against Unit Standards of competence for Assessors

To be administrated, advised and coached by an Internal Verifier

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

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

NOTES

N/A

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 the Free State