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: Physical: Mathematical: Computer and Life Sciences 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
2315  Master of Science: Physical: Mathematical: Computer and Life Sciences 
ORIGINATOR
Medical University of Southern Africa 
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  Mathematical Sciences 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  600  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 primary purpose of the qualification is to provide:

1. Qualifiers with specialized knowledge ,research skills and applied competence in a
specific field of natural sciences that provide support unities for continued personal
and intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to
society.

2. South Africa with significant numbers of responsible qualified people in specific
fields of natural sciences in order to ensure that the national leadership base of
innovative and knowledge-based economic and scholarly activities is widened. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
This qualification recognizes, through the submission of portfolios of evidence ,the
formal/non-formal prior learning which learners who register for the programme leading
to the award of the qualification bring to the learning situation:

1. BSc Honours degree in the relevant field
OR
2. Level 7a equivalent qualification in the relevant fie.ld 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
Y 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
  • Identifying, analyzing and solving problems.
  • Responsible decision -making using critical and creative thinking.
  • Collecting, analyzing and organizing information in a meaningful way.
  • Handling work effectively
  • Organizing and managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively
  • Looking at development on a system basis rather than as loose entities.
  • Communicating effectively
  • Demonstrating a holistic perspective of technology generation and dissemination.
  • Receptive and responsive attitude towards changes in the scientific environment.
  • Conducting research independently.

    SPECIFIC OUTCOMES
    The learner is competent to:
  • Demonstrate highly specialized scholastic or technical and advanced research skills across a major discipline.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of specialized knowledge of a major discipline.
  • Create appropriate responses to resolve contextual and /or abstract problems.
  • Plan, resource and mange projects.
  • Accept complete accountability for determining, achieving and evaluating personal and/or group output regarding the relationship between natural science and society.
  • Approach complex problems in an open-minded and innovative scientific manner. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
  • Solve problems by means of exploring and critically evaluating different situations.
  • Solve problem by generating alternatives strategies for dealing with those problems.
  • Compile portfolios to relate learning gained from individual experience to knowledge encountered in an academic environment and vice versa.
  • Conduct seminars to communicate learning from experience and academic contexts to peers.
  • Relate learning from experience and academic context to different contexts using present and future scenarios.

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
  • Highly specialized scholastic or technical and advanced research skills across a major discipline have been demonstrated.
  • An understanding of specialized knowledge of a major discipline has been demonstrated.
  • Appropriate responses to resolve contextual and/or abstract problems have been created.
  • Projects have been planned, resourced and managed.
  • Complete accountability for determining, achieving and evaluating personal and/or group output regarding the relationship between natural science and society has been accepted.
  • Complex problems have been approached in an open-minded and innovative scientific manner.

    INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE QUALIFICATION IS ACHIEVED:

    1. Continuous evaluation
    2. Case studies
    3. Portfolios
    4. Projects
    5. Stimulation
    6. Work-place assessments
    7. Written, oral, open book and practical examinations
    8. Practical assignments
    9. Panel evaluations
    10. Presentations
    11. Dissertations
    12. Publications in refereed scientific journals 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The degree is internationally comparable. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    1. Progress to PhD degree
    2. Progress to other related qualifications 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    A system of second examiners within the institution will be used, together with a system of external examination at exit levels to the qualification. The Faculty maintains a bank of external examiners as approved by Council, with the necessary knowledge, academic qualifications, clinical/practical expertise and national and international standing, from which the external examiners are appointed for each year. Where professional or statutory bodies are involved in determining the curriculum, they will also be involved in moderation. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    All the academic staff members of the Faculty with the necessary academic qualifications and experience will be used as internal assessors. 

    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.