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 Medical Science

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
2885	Bachelor of Medical Science
ORIGINATOR
University of Natal
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
National First Degree	Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Curative Health
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	384	Level 7	Level TBA: 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 2663/05	2006-07-01	2009-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2010-06-30		2015-06-30

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

To produce graduates who are capable of integrative thinking, accessing and organizing information and solving problems. They will be able to communicate effectively in written and spoken forms. These skills will be generated through the medium of Medical Sciences. The breadth of the subject mater is such that the programme will inculcate awareness of health, medical, ethical and social issues.
There will be employment opportunities for graduates in Medical Science, including pharmaceuticals, health management, health administration, research laboratories, hospital and clinical laboratories, monitoring and health intervention programmes. The programme, because it develops a wide range of basic skills and competencies, lays the foundation for further specializations in area such as medico-legal, sports science and diagnostics. Its social benefits are clear.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Formally, access to programmes required, a matriculation exemption with passes of 40 % (E Symbol) or above at the higher grade in Mathematics and either Biology or Physical Science. Selection normally requires a 36 point matriculation pass, though candidates with slightly lower counts, but showing strength in subjects relevant to the Faculty or this programme, may be admitted at the Faculty Selection Committee's discretion. Candidates considered to have had a disadvantaged education and show promise may be also admitted at Faculty Selection Committee's discretion.

Recognition of prior learning:

In cases where a candidate's prior learning at other institutions, or relevant experience, is deemed by the Faculty Selection Committee to compensate for lack of relevant formal qualifications may be considered for admission.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

The Bachelor of Medical Science graduate will:

Understand the fundamental principles and concepts of medical science with a limited potential specialisation in sub-disciplines.

Have practical laboratory skills applicable to vocational careers, inc. relatively advanced computer abilities.

Understand the scientific method

Have an ability to access, organize, analyse and critically evaluate information.

Be able to identify and contribute to the solutions of specific problems.

Be able to extend and apply what they have learned to a variety of context, both academic and vocational.

Have well-developed communicative skills in written and spoken English.

Be capable of collaborative group work.

Be sensitive to and cognizant of the ethics of working with living organisms and patients.

Have a well-developed awareness of social and health issues, including medical ethics, and the role that medical science should play in these.

Have a working knowledge of role played by clinicians in the discharge of their duties and how medical scientists should interact, and work in, with these functions.

Have had the opportunity to enhance personal development, particularly in terms of self-directed and self-motivated study and development of professional attitudes.

Demonstrate academic literacy skills;

Use the medium of instruction effectively to convey ideas and insights from different sources intelligibly and to achieve own communication purposes;

Demonstrate an understanding of statistical data;

Apply numerical data to research and clinical practice;

Communicate effectively with colleagues.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Evidence generated through assessement tasks shows that the learner can:

Interact with texts (oral and written) through critical listening/reading

Produce texts which integrate information using appropriate academic and professional conventions;

Interpret and generate numerical data in various formats;

Carry our short practical projects and open ended practical.

Integrated assessment appropriately incorporated to ensure that the purpose of the qualification is achieved:

The University of Natal is currently reforming its assessment strategies to include the assessment of applied competence for each qualification. In the meantime, a combination of continuous assessment and traditional written examinations serve to assess the integration of all/most of the learning outcomes for each module in a qualification.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This programme will articulate with the BSc Programme in Bio-Medical science in that specific modules offered by this programme are included in the lists of approved elective modules of the Bachelor of Medical Science programme. Vertical articulation into Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) at this University is specifically designed for this programme. Further progress in Master and Doctoral studies is available for students who reach a suitable standard of performance in their Honours.

The University of Natal Medical School is the only Medical School in the region. Regional co-operation has been investigated through the Health Science Education and Training Board of the Eastern Seaboard Association of of Tertiary Institutions.

MODERATION OPTIONS

The ETQA system for HE is not yet fully developed. Until such time as it is, procedures described under 10 above suffice.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Until the HEQC establishes a registration system for assessors in the HET Band, the University of Natal assumes that, on the basis of its rigorous selection criteria for the appointment of academic staff (who also have opportunities for staff development in assessment), staff are competent to assess students on the modules they teach. This assessment is quality assured via a university system of internal moderation and external examination. External examiners are appointed for their teaching and disciplinary expertise and subject to the approval of Faculty Boards. The University of Natal ruling is that 66 % of all assessments at exit level, i.e. leading to a qualification are externally examined.

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.

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