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:

Bachelor of Science: Medicine Honours: Physiology

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
21530	Bachelor of Science: Medicine Honours: Physiology
ORIGINATOR
University of Cape Town
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Honours Degree	Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Preventive Health
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	120	Level 7	Level N/A: Pre-2009 was L7	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 06120/18	2018-07-01	2018-12-31
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2019-12-31		2022-12-31

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 combination of various modules which are available as 'fundamental learning' 'core learning' and 'elective learning' will mean that the qualification will serve as a passport to higher degrees at any of the universities in South Africa. The programme provides candidates with the option of selecting from a compendium of modules which are most likely to supplement their academic and career development. The didactic modules provide the candidates with a concentrated study of current subjects in human biology and disease mechanisms, with obligatory modules in 'Techniques', 'Principles of good scientific investigation', 'Scientific writing and platform presentation' and 'Ethics in Research'. The candidates have the option of mainstreaming along predominant themes e.g. Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Human Genetics, Cell Biology, Pharmacology and Radiobiology. Candidates will need to select fairly early on the 'discipline' within which their research project will be conducted and will need to select the 'fundamental', 'core' and 'elective' modules to suit this.

The first purpose of the qualification is to provide qualifiers with an integrated and effective mix of specialist subject modules, technologies and skills that build on graduate level knowledge in a wide range of biological and medical sciences in such a way that continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society are facilitated.

The second purpose of the qualification is to add to the skills base of University graduates who would be able to enter into a higher degree programme with confidence and strong background or to seek employment with confidence in science at both theoretical and practical level.

The third purpose of the qualification is to provide a hub of skills and background which will facilitate qualifiers with adaptability to the rapidly growing areas in the medical/biological sciences.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

a). The programme requires a good theoretical grounding in the fundamentals of Biology and biological chemistry as acquired during the course of a BSc degree or other standard university qualification at NQF level 6.

A three or four-year successful tenure on an MB ChB programme is also acceptable as an alternate entrance qualification to some BSc(Med)(Hons) programmes.

If the degree or qualification is in another discipline relative to the one in which the candidate wishes to register for an Hons programme, then dispensation will have to be sought through the Faculty Accreditation Committee (and ultimately through Senate). In exceptional cases work training may be recognised as being sufficient. The fundamental skills will be those required as outcomes for a BSc in a given discipline and will include numeric literacy and computer literacy.

b). Senior Certificate with Matriculation Exemption or equivalent university admission qualification

First degree:
BSc

Other qualifications:
Successful completion of 3rd or 4th year MBChB curriculum, or
a BSc (Agric) degree, in some cases

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

a). Critical cross-field outcomes (generic to all teaching and learning)

The learner will be able to demonstrate proficiency in specific contextual research methodologies and technology towards application in a problem-based setting.

b). General outcomes (contextually demonstrated general knowledge, skills and values of the programme)

c). Specific outcomes (including professional outcomes, contextually demonstrated):

1). Basic science competence:

Specialist knowledge of selected research areas.

Computer literacy appropriate to university level studies

2). Research competence:

Ability to define a problem

Ability to formulate a hypothesis

Ability to describe ways to test the hypothesis

Ability to design an experiment that will lead to meaningful results

Ability to conduct experiments, with reasonable technical competence in a range of techniques appropriate to the disciplines

Recognise the importance of lab safety issues

Show ability to work independently and produce meaningful results

Ability to interpret results at honours level study

Ability to discuss and integrate data with general scientific literature

Ability to present research results to scientific audiences at honours degree level, both orally and in written dissertation

3). Ethics:

Understand and apply ethics of using genetic information and understand the basics of confidentiality

Understand and apply the ethics of animal use in research, if this applies to the discipline concerned

Understand and comply with laws of copyright protection

Take responsibility within own limits of competence

Demonstrate ability to work as a team and to show sensitivity to colleagues and demonstrate tolerance in the workplace.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

a). Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively, as demonstrated in effective maintenance of laboratory records

Be able to access literature, review and summarise progress in specific fields using combinations of library and informatics resources

Communicating effectively using visual and language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion

Identify and solve problems in which responses display reasoning with evidence of critical and creative thinking

b). Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others

c). Criteria measuring such outcomes:

1). Basic science competence:

Be able to write essays on the application of specialist topics in the medical field concerned

Specific areas of knowledge will be assessed in tests and exams

Be able to critically evaluate scientific literature on specialist topics - this will be assessed during journal club presentations and in exams and tests

Be able to communicate acquired specialist knowledge and insight both orally and in written form

Ability to access and utilise electronic information in the discipline concerned

2). Research competence:

Lab books will be assessed on an ongoing basis

Seminars will be presented

Mini-theses will be written and examined by internal and external examiners

3). Ethics:

Understanding and implementation of all the above will be assessed by supervisors and staff in different teaching settings, including lab meetings, journal clubs and general discussions

Self-evaluations and group evaluations will take place during the year and at the end of the course

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Integrated assessment is designed to collect evidence from the candidate to demonstrate that the purpose(s) of the programme as a whole has been achieved and that the exit level outcomes have been attained. It is often used to assess, at the exit point from a programme, the integration and application of knowledge, skills (and values/attitudes) learnt from across all the component courses in a programme.

Inevitably, integrated assessment demands a variety of assessment methods such as portfolios, simulations, workplace assessment, written examinations, oral examinations. The combination of these methods provides evidence that the learner has achieved the applied competence at the exit point of a programme that the programme claims as its purpose.

Assessment to ensure that the purpose of the degree is achieved:

An integrated assessment of the competence of the learner occurs on a continual basis through the course of the Honours programme. Each module is examinable and the final assessment will be aimed at determining whether the student has achieved the requisite level of knowledge required at this level, as well as the ability to critically review current literature in selected fields, to apply skills to practical problems towards carrying out a research project, to report on such a project and to present a comprehensive overview of a research project in the form of a written paper and as a platform presentation.

Assessment methods will include formal examination, review of essays and/or oral presentations or other written assignments where appropriate, and a review of a mini-dissertation on the laboratory research module.

Integrated assessment will take into account elements of scientific literacy, numeric and computer literacy relevant to the study area.

Module examination of a two-hour examination

Two literature reviews (essays) on current topics relevant to the module

Submission of a mini dissertation, e.g. covering the laboratory project, written as a scientific paper, a week before the final examination.

An oral examination that will involve questions on the theoretical and practical aspects of the Honours programme; conducted by three examiners, one of whom is external to the university.

The overall pass mark is 50%

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification serves as an entry point to the Master of Science

MODERATION OPTIONS

The University of Cape Town has a system of external peer review and evaluation of each course. One of the aspects of the system is an evaluation of the standards and assessment practices of the department.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

The academic staff of the University of Cape Town will be used in a manner that is consistent with the quality assurance system of the University.

Assessors need to be in possession of at least an MSc degree, although a PhD qualification is preferable. Individuals with MBChB and further postgraduate qualification may serve as assessors where appropriate and indicated.

Assessors need to be familiar with each field and need to have demonstrated adequate skills in research and teaching.

Assessors for modules will be selected on the basis of courses given; each module will have a chief assessor who may be assisted by additional assessors for e.g. tutorials which require closer interaction than didactic presentations. Each module will carry a mandatory examination set by the module operator.

Reports, essays, platform presentations and journal club presentations and laboratory record-keeping will be adjudicated and assessed by a group of at least three assessors drawn from the department/discipline operating the module.

A final examination at the end of the year will comprise of two papers of three hours each and an oral examination of an hour using an external examiner relevant to the project field of the candidate. The external examiner needs to be an established authority in his/her field and should hold a PhD or equivalent academic qualification.

The research reports will be assessed by two examiners, one from the candidate's own training institution and one from elsewhere. The report must be submitted in duplicate at least two weeks prior to the intended date of the written examination.

The same examiners who adjudicate the research report shall adjudicate the first part of the oral examination.

It is acceptable for a particular individual to examine the same candidate in different parts of the examination.

Qualifications required: All examiners should hold one or more of the following degrees: MSc, PhD, MD

Experience required: Normally, examiners should be proven researchers and should themselves have supervised Honours level students

Other criteria: All of the examiners should hold an academic appointment that may be part-time or full-time.

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 Cape Town