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 Information Studies

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
3005	Master of Information Studies
ORIGINATOR
University of Natal
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
Was CHE until Last Date for Achievement			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Master's Degree	Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language		Information Studies
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	128	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 is replaced by:

Qual ID	Qualification Title	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Min Credits	Replacement Status
72914	Master of Information Studies	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	128	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

To foster an awareness of, and teach information literacy, as a core competency within the university.

Educate and train library and information workers from introductory first professional qualification to PhD level who are critical, perceptive, pro-active and adaptive regarding the information requirements of South Africa and African countries in general.

Assist library and information service practitioners develop and enhance their competencies through in-service training and continuing education programmes, advice or guidance.

Foster and maintain links with professional and other communities in education, training and research within the field (of library and information science).

Continue to function as a leader in the field of library and information science in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Africa by effective participation in library and information science education, research and development.

Participate within the School and Faculty in co-operative ventures with particular regard to the assessment and addressing of information needs and to maximising the human resource potential of library and information workers.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Study at Masters level requires an Honours or equivalent qualification.

At Masters level candidates are required to have had post qualification experience in library and information work and demonstrate basic research skills assessed through and interview and written test (critical review of past research).

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Produce first professional level library and information workers with the knowledge and skills required at this level; persons who are critical, perceptive, productive and adaptive regarding the information requirements of different contexts and with the capacity and ability to exercise professional judgement concerning tasks and responsibilities in the library and information work.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the general field of inquiry;

Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of specific areas of inquiry in the programme;

Understand the interrelationships amongst various areas of the field of knowledge;

Analyse components/issues/factors/structures etc.;

Grasp the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the study;

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of current critical debates;

Summarise, compare and evaluate a substantial body of knowledge;

Construct a sustained argument, formulate questions and work towards solutions;

Command the conceptual discourse of the field of study;

Solve problems, both theoretical and applied;

Demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the discipline;

Contextualise this study within the social environment and the historical understanding;

Develop a clear understanding of the historical and contemporary state and possible future of the disciplinary areas in which he/she is working;

Command academic English at an appropriate level;

Demonstrate familiarity with information technology at an appropriate level;

Understand diversity;

Manage individual study;

Work efficiently with groups;

Present findings at an appropriate level, both orally and in writing;

Integrate information, conduct research, and contextualise aspects of language, literature and/or culture and understand what is needed for social development, with values consistent with social responsibility and the redress of disadvantage.

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

Doctor of Philosophy.

MODERATION OPTIONS

The ETQA system for HE is not yet fully developed. Until such time as it is, procedures described under assessors criteria will 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 qualifications 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:

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.

NONE