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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
3297  Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology 
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
Master's Degree  Field 07 - Human and Social Studies  General Social Science 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  180  Level 8 and above  NQF Level 09  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

Registered-data under construction

The qualification content is currently being updated for the qualifications with the status “Registered-data under construction” or showing “DETAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION” to ensure compliance with SAQA’S Policy and Criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (As amended, 2022). These qualifications are re-registered until 30 June 2027 and can legitimately be offered by the institutions to which they are registered.

 

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.  

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
The MA in Clinical Psychology is a professional degree that trains candidates for professional practice as Psychologists and for registration with the Professional Board for Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPSA). This qualification will be superseded by the D Psych degree in 2004. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
A minimum of an Honours degree in Psychology, or a BPsych degree or equivalent is required for admission. Candidates who have other degrees may be admitted if they have completed 4 years of study in Psychology.

Senior Certificate with Matriculation Exemption or Equivalent university admission qualification.

First degree:
BA/BSoSc

Honours degree:
BA (Hons) or BSocSc (Hons) in Psychology


Recognition of prior learning:

Non-Honours graduates who have shown by examination or publication or a record of appropriate training that they have reached a level in the subject or a cognate subject equivalent to an Honours bachelor`s degree may be permitted to register for the degree 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
Y 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
Cross-field outcomes:

a) Critical cross-field outcomes:

b) General outcomes:

c) Specific outcomes:

The MA in Clinical Psychology graduate will have the ability to practice independently as a professional psychologist. The graduate will therefore be able to demonstrate the following central competencies:
  • the ability to undertake full responsibility for clinical case management with adults, children, and families;
  • the ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team in a mental health context;
  • the ability to diagnose psychological disorder in children and adults;
  • the ability to perform psychological assessments of children and adults in clinical and other settings;
  • the ability to select appropriate psychological tests to arrive at a diagnosis and formulate a plan of treatment, including tests of cognitive, personality and neurological functioning;
  • the ability to search the professional literature for information pertaining to the management of clinical cases;
  • the ability to search the professional literature for information pertaining to the management of clinical cases;
  • the ability to write professional psychological reports to a range of audiences;
  • the ability to conduct a range of behaviour change modalities (both short and long term) including group therapy, family therapy, and individual psychological therapies with children and adults;
  • the ability to consult to state and community agencies in the mental health field;
  • the ability to act in a professional manner that demonstrates thorough familiarity with the professional ethical code for Psychologists
  • Be familiar with mental health and related policy;
  • Understand when to refer cases to other specialists where appropriate;
  • The ability to undertake research in applied psychology. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    1. Specific Professional degree. See sections 3 & 6.

    2. Specific Professional degree. See sections 3 & 6.

    3. These competencies are assessed both formatively and summatively. The main formative aspect is the supervision of all aspects of emerging competencies throughout the programme. The competencies are summatively assessed using written and oral professional examinations when each phase of the training has been completed. The final assessment of clinical competence in all areas is evaluated through the presentation (and oral defence) of integrated case management reports at the end of the clinical internship year (year 3).

    4. Research competence is assessed through the examination of a minor dissertation. The assessment criteria are too numerous and varied to detail here. In the practical skill domain the candidate has to demonstrate an ability to function independently as a clinical psychologist in all clinical areas. A key criterion is the candidates ability to demonstrate an ability to integrate clinical knowledge that is appropriate to the management of the clinical case. In the research domain, the candidate is assessed on the usual criteria that pertain to satisfactory completion of a research dissertation.

    INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

    The final assessment of clinical competence in all areas is evaluated by examination of the full range of professional, ethical, case management, behaviour change, assessment and consultation abilities (see section 3c), through the presentation (and oral defence) of integrated case management and consultation reports at the end of the final year of the programme.

    Research competence is assessed through the examination of the minor dissertation. The dissertation has to demonstrate the following competencies:
  • precise research problem formulation;
  • familiarity with and integration of the specialised literature that informs the research question;
  • appropriate design and execution of the research;
  • use of appropriate methods of measurement and data analysis
  • integration of findings
  • ability to address the ethical problems that might attend the research;
  • appreciation of the methodological limitations of the study;
  • use of the publication and style conventions of the discipline

    All aspects of the programme are subject to external examination. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Title(s) of related qualification(s)
    DPsych
    PhD

    This qualification serves as an entry point to the related qualification(s).
    DPsych
    PhD

    Entry to this qualification in mid-stream
    Not possible.

    Exit from qualification in mid-stream
    The coursework components completed may be recognised by another institution.

    Other higher education programmes which articulate with this qualification without "going back to square one"

    The master`s degree articulates with the PhD in the faculty of Humanities. When dissertation progress is reviewed at the end of each academic year, the Faculty Board, on the recommendation of the supervisor and the Head of the Department, may recommend that the candidate`s registration be upgraded to a PhD and that the period of Masters registration beyond the minimum period of one year be recognised towards the two year minimum period of study for the PhD. 

    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 sed in a manner which is consistent with the quality assurance system of the University. 

    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 


    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.