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 Architecture: Research 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
48737  Master of Architecture: Research 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Architecture 
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 12 - Physical Planning and Construction  Physical Planning, Design and Management 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  240  Level 8 and above  NQF Level 09  Regular-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 SAQA 091/21  2021-07-01  2023-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

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 provide learners with skills in research methods and procedures appropriate to architecture.
  • To produce qualifying learners with specialised or advanced skills in the area of design or other architecturally related fields.
  • To provide an ability to select and apply research methods effectively and to undertake a research project.
  • To produce ingenious learners capable of admission to the PhD degree.
  • To produce qualifying learners for the economy with the capacity to work in teams to carry out research in the discipline concerned.
  • The qualifying learner will contribute to the development of a sustainable built environment, which responds to the needs, and values of the community.

    Rationale

    The Qualification has been developed to enable learners to enter the research field with a view to enhancing career opportunities in the academic environment and to open career opportunities through increased status as consultants within the built environment.

    Society is benefited through the production of professionals with considerable specialised expertise, research and leadership skills. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The Qualification assumes that learners are able to communicate through written oral and visual media at an advanced level using a range of techniques.

    They are expected to have grounding in the fields of knowledge appropriate to the discipline of architecture, demonstrating critical analytical thinking and able to, interpret and refine existing knowledge and being exposed to research concepts and methodologies.

    Learners are expected to be aware of ethical issues related to society and able to operate in a variety of social and academic contexts.

    Recognition of prior learning
    Applicants who fall outside of the normal admissions process who can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the educational institution that they have a Qualification or experiential- or work based learning which has taken the learner to an equivalent level of a Qualification specified above under "Access to Qualification" may be considered for admission and/or for the recognition of prior accredited and/or prior experiential learning. Applicants who, after such assessment, are deemed to have sufficient potential but are in need of further academic development, may be required to broaden their curriculum to include preliminary programmes prior to admission or parallel programmes after admission. 

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    N/A 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. The qualifying learner is competent to identify, evaluate and solve problems within the ambit of the research area and is required to demonstrate a high level or responsibility and ethics both within the immediate context of the problem and with regard to society as a whole.

    2. The qualifying learner is required to operate effectively in an academic environment with peers and supervisors. Where appropriate to the research area, the learner is required to interact effectively with communities and other groups and individuals outside the academic arena.

    3. The learner is required to have extensive communication skills and the ability to produce material of an internationally acceptable standard.

    4.
    The qualifying learner is required to have extensive skills and knowledge in the area of information retrieval, data collection, analysis, organization and evaluation.


    5. The qualifying learner will have built on his/her existing knowledge and is able to evaluate the application thereof in relation to wider local and global environmental concerns.

    6. The learner will be able to locate his/her decision making and proposals within wider social, legal, economic, intellectual and environmental contexts.

    7. The qualifying learner will have developed a high level of self-management with a critical awareness of personal values.

    8. The qualifying learner is exposed to a range of sophisticated learning strategies, and is expected to make informed decisions and is required to act responsibly and ethically, with full regard to the needs and aspirations of the society within which he/she operates. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    1.
    The evidence shows that:

    existing research is critically analysed, synthesized and evaluated and individual
    academic / professional research is performed,
    research results / findings are appropriately communicated at an international level
    catering for the range of audience,
    related problems in a wide range of economic and social contexts are solved,
    actions that contribute significantly to the development of society through mastery of the research area are displayed.

    2.
    The learner demonstrates the importance of the exchange of ideas and knowledge with
    peers and supervisors.

    The learner is able to distinguish between different styles of communication in the quest for information, and can apply these appropriately and effectively, and apply academic ethics and responsibility to all aspects of study and research.

    3.
    The qualifying learner demonstrates a critical understanding of a wide range of strategies for communicating in the pursuit of data collection, and in the transmission of the results and research.
    The learner also demonstrates exceptional command of communication in writing, orally, visually and using IT, and can apply these media appropriately in the presentation of research material and is sensitive to cultural diversity in using different modes of communication, both in the collection of data and in presentation of the results/findings of research.

    4.
    The learner shows:
    A comprehensive understanding of different research methods, and
    understanding of the impact of research on subjects involved in it and society.
    The learner is able to evaluate different methods of data manipulation within a range of scenarios, and understands the social and academic consequences of the choice of method.

    5.
    The qualifying learner is able to:
    existing and new approaches are evaluated, applied and developed where appropriate to the research area;
    issues within the research area of economic and social systems are critically located and;
    learners responded sensitively to the choice of methodology in varied cultural settings.

    6.
    The learner demonstrates:
    critical awareness of his/her role as researcher in society is demonstrated;
    knowledge of the legal frameworks pertaining to the research area is shown taking into account how it relate to them and to the wider legal and ethical contexts;
    an understanding of the implications of society's expectations of research is displayed.

    7.
    In addressing the requirements of the programme, the learner shows at an advanced level time management, self-motivation, prioritisation and initiative.

    8.
    The learner is able to operate to operate in a professional and academic environment.
    The learner demonstrates:
    cultural and aesthetic awareness and sensitivity and a wide range of strategies in the pursuit of his/her studies.
    The learner is aware of career opportunities open to him/her in both an academic and entrepreneurial context.

    Integrated assessment
    The learner is under regular supervision by a supervisor/mentor. He/she is required to submit a dissertation of international academic standard.

    The thesis is assessed on the basis of a single summative submission 

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The learning time is similar to that of Masters degrees in Commonwealth, American and European countries. There is no known formal international system of recognition of Qualifications at this level. Acceptance into a Masters programme is the prerogative of the relevant educational institution. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    The Qualification provides the basis for further academic study in architecture and related disciplines. It qualifies the graduate for admission to the programmes at a Doctoral level. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Internal University requirements govern how and by whom moderation is performed. For example, external examiners are appointed. Whether an academic person has a professional orientation or not, it is ensured that his/her activities are moderated by internal and external review. The moderating body for Qualifications is the Higher Education Quality Committee. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    Internal quality requirements govern how and by whom assessment may be performed to ensure that assessors have the competence required to assess a Qualification of this nature.

    At present the academic staff are regarded as registered assessors. 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 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.
     
    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.