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: Biological Sciences

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
19192	Master of Science: Biological Sciences
ORIGINATOR
University of Fort Hare
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 10 - Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences		Life Sciences
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	144	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 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

The first purpose of the Master of Science (Biological Sciences) qualification is to provide qualifiers with mid post-graduate-level knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in a number of fields of biological science that provide for continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society.

Its second purpose is to provide the nation with Masters graduates in the biological sciences in order to ensure that the local leadership base of innovative and knowledge-based economic and scholarly activity is consolidated, strengthened and widened. Such graduates can feed into the country 's needs for higher-level scientists and managers in the spheres of physiology, ecotoxicology, fisheries, game farming, agriculture, nature conservation, biodiversity utilization, pest control, and pollution management as well as specialists in sub-fields therein.

The qualification 's third purpose is to provide South Africa with a body of higher-level teachers at the tertiary level who will have gained a clear and continuously growing understanding of the methods and progress of the biological sciences prior to or after acquiring specific postgraduate teaching qualifications.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning:

Prior accredited learning in the form of a Bachelor of Science (Honours)-level degree in the form of a B. Sc (Hons) (Entomology), B. Sc (Hons) (Botany), B. Sc (Hons) (Biological Sciences), B. Sc (Hons) (Ecology), BSc (Hons) (Agriculture) or B. Sc (Hons) (Zoology) or equivalent where these include a mix of courses and outcomes deemed appropriate for accreditation.

Where such can be demonstrated and assessed, additional and relevant prior learning may also be recognised.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Exit Level Outcomes:

The M. Sc (Biological Sciences) graduate:

1. Will demonstrate an in depth understanding of the fundamentals, and major principles and theories of Biology and allied sciences as well as the more specialized principles and theories;

2. Will demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the relevant and pertinent fields as a foundation for the sciences of these fields and will demonstrate an appropriate understanding of cross-disciplinary applications of this knowledge;

3. Will demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the practical techniques and application appropriate to the major an specialized course fields;

4. Will demonstrate competence in identifying, seeking, retrieving, synthesising and communicating information of publication quality;

5. Will develop and demonstrate appropriate attitudes, values and an appropriate sense of responsibility as relevant to the component courses and modules.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Assessment Criteria:

The M. Sc (Biological Sciences) graduate:

1. Will select and use fundamentals, key concepts and specialized principles in the analysis and interpretation of Biological problems;

Will be able to explain fundamentals, key concepts and specialized Biological principles;

2. Will use the laws and knowledge of the relevant and pertinent fields in solving problems within those fields and will be able to pursue applications across disciplinary boundaries;

3. Will be able to identify and utilize the appropriate techniques and applications in solving basic and specialized Biological problems;

Will be able to independently design, plan and execute basic and more advanced experimental investigations and undertake surveys and collections to a level appropriate to the degree;

4. Will be able to interpret their investigations in terms of relevant, comparative background information;

Will be able to present in verbal, graphic and written forms, clear, concise reports on their investigations;

Will be able to prepare manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed publications;

5. Will conduct all investigations and surveys in a professional manner;

Will adhere strictly to the principles of unbiased investigation using the appropriate scientific method.

Formative Assessment:

background knowledge evaluation

on-going evaluation throughout

regular reporting

review of drafts

learner attitude appraisal

Summative assessment:

examination of dissertation

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Recognition of prior learning towards either core and/or fundamental credits appropriate and/or towards elective credits.

Certain horizontal articulation possibilities may exist M .Sc (Ecology ), M .Sc (Biological Sciences), M .Sc(Botany), M .Sc(Entomology) and M .Sc(Zoology ) qualifications.

In terms of vertical articulation, learners will be able to proceed to a Doctoral degree in Ecology, Biological Sciences, Zoology and Entomology as well as environmentally-Doctoral degrees or equivalent both at Fort Hare, other South African universities and other tertiary institutions elsewhere.

MODERATION OPTIONS

One internal and two external examiners (relevant peers at teaching and/or research institutions).

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Minimum Criteria: M .Sc degree or equivalent in the relevant subject matter and a minimum of five years research experience in the appropriate field.

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 Fort Hare