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:

Advanced Postgraduate Diploma: Environment and Development

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
3049	Advanced Postgraduate Diploma: Environment and Development
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
Postgraduate Diploma	Field 07 - Human and Social Studies		Environmental Relations
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	128	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		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 qualification takes a lead in developing a new vision of transdisciplinary environmental training and research, which addresses the needs of government, business and ordinary people. It brings together the best of researchers and practitioners from all faculties and schools of the University and recognized national and international figures from research, government and industry. It gives students the opportunity to gain professional training and to develop research skills that employers say they will value.

The qualification builds on international experience, regional and African contexts, indigenous knowledge and the University's expertise in both rural and urban environments. It is developed as a partnership between the University and the wider community.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

1. An adequate exposure to physical science or biology.
2. An adequate level of development of knowledge and skills in mathematics.
3. Adequate literacy skills in English. These can be demonstrated in a number of ways.

Matriculation exemption with at least 40% Higher Grade or at least 60 % at Standard grade for Mathematics and at least 40 % at Higher Grade or at least 60 % at standard Grade for Biology or Physical Science.

Alternative access programmes such as the Science Foundation Programme

4. Continuation in, or access into, programmes at level 7 or above presupposes completion of the exit level requirements at level 6 at the required standard.
5. Students who have completed a diploma at an Agricultural College or Technikon may be admitted, provided they meet the criteria above.
6. The SFP provides access to students who do not have a formal or adequate matric exemption.

For the AdvPGCertEnvDev: Possession of an Honours or four year undergraduate degree acceptable to the Board of the Faculty in Humanities or Sciences (512 credits of prior learning)

For continuation into the ADvPGDipEnvDev: Successful completion of the first-semester coursework components of the programme with a mark of 50% or more.

For continuation into the MenvDev: Sucessful completion of the first-semester coursework components of the programme with a mark of 60% or more.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Successeful students will be able to demonstrate:

1. Sensitivity to current environmental and development issues and problems and ability to place them in an historical and cultural context.
2. Critical and logical thinking, with a capacity to be sceptical of received wisdom and opinion
3. Responsiveness to pre-set learning goals and procedures and the ability to set own ongoing learning goals;
4. Competence to respond to vocational requirements for training and retraining throughout life and adaptability to a wide range of careers.
5. Understanding of and ability to apply relevant tools and skills in the environmental fields.
6. Ability to debate and compare various theoretical and pragmatic perspectives which inform current thinking on environmental and development issues
7. Ability to function collaboratively in real-world situations

Successful AdvPFDipEnvDev diplomates will be able to demonstrate the above outcomes and, in addition, the ability to function adequately in a real-world internship situation

MenvDev graduates will be able to demonstrate the above outcomes and, in addition, the ability to apply a range of research methods to articulate and resolve environment problems in a South African context.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Statement of assessment criteria for exit-point qualifications on the programme:

Demonstrated fulfillment of the desired outcomes by successful completion of:

All students:

Course-work components assessed using a range of methods including tests, assignments and formal examinations, in written and oral form.

AdvPGDipEnvDev students:

The above and in addition, an internship with a relevant organisation, assessed through written and oral produced by the student, the academic supervisor(s) and the organizational supervisor(s)

MenvDev students:

The above and in addition, a mini-dissertation reporting a research project.

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

A week-long, open book examination (including fieldwork and written academic discourse) in July, involving an authentic task in a specific environmental context functions as a capstone which brings together the knowledge, skills and attitudes learnt during the formal course-work component of the programme but does not comprise a distinct registrable course.

The above and in addition, an internship component assessed via written and oral reports by the student, the organisation concerned and the supervisory academics.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This programme articulates with a variety of Honours programmes in the Humanities and Sciences, both intra- and inter-institutional. Articulation is also possible with other appropriate diploma or degree programmes in combination with relevant experience

MODERATION OPTIONS

The ETQA system for HE is not yet fully developed. Until such time as it is, procedures described under assessor criteria 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), staffs 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:

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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