SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION:

Master of Development Studies

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
16970	Master of Development Studies
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
Master's Degree	Field 07 - Human and Social Studies		Public Policy, Politics and Democratic Citizenship
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	250	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

Apply educational knowledge, skills, principles and methods to understand and debate important development related issues in order to design, implement and evaluate development policies and development initiatives in a human-centred manner and will be competent in applying research methodology on a masters degree level.

Responding to the needs of the community

Responding to business and industry needs

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.

Relevant working experience.

Recognition of prior learning:

The qualification recognises formal and non-formal prior learning (incorporating experiential learning) at a Higher Education and Training Certificate Level 5 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 qualification the learner will have to demonstrate his/her learning via module specific learning outcomes as well as critical cross-field learning outcomes.

Module specific outcomes will include capabilities relating to module knowledge and the understanding thereof within a management leadership context, and capabilities relating to integrated knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines within the management leadership field.

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. Understanding the most important development approaches related to development and underdevelopment and analysing development situations accordingly.
2. Analysing and critically debating pertinent development issues (within broader coherence) in the Southern African context, i.e. Governance and Development, Rural Development, Gender and development, Development and the Environment, Entrepreneurship and Development, Urban Development Management and Tourism and Development.
3. Identifying and debating potential problems/phenomena that lead to underdevelopment and poverty in the Southern African region.
4. Conducting and utilizing applied development research techniques.

The learner will be able to analyse and apply the basic principles relevant to the following:

1. Analyse and critically reflect on current and future development initiatives in Southern Africa.
2. Design strategies to address underdevelopment and alleviate poverty, particularly in the Southern African context.
3. Monitor and evaluate development initiatives.
4. Conduct and utilize applied development research methods in order to make a real contribution in solving development related problems.
5. Integrate Development Research findings into development decision-making.
6. Manage development programmes and development projects in a financial and environmental sustainable and human-centred way.
7. Demonstrate understanding of the dynamics of the NGO/CBO environment and the larger development funding community.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

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

1. Teamwork exercises and group assignments
2. Course work assignments and essays
3. Formal examinations
4. Paper presentations

Integrated assessment:

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

Strategies designed according to set standards with specific reference to alleviate poverty in the South African context.

Dissertation written according to the following criteria:

Theme and Topic approval

Appoint internal and external study leaders which have to be approved

Completion of dissertation is affected once it has been accepted by both internal and external evaluators.

Project management proposal written to comply with set standards with specific reference to expertise in the field within the South African context.

This will be supported by a module credit system, followed by a final exam on the modules for which credit was not obtained.

Assessment documents are moderated to ensure that:

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

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

Assessments are:

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

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

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Vertical: It gives access to Ph D.

Horizontal: Masters degree in one of the disciplines represented in the programme.

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:

When qualifications are replaced, some of their learning programmes are moved to being recorded against the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replacement.

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