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 Library and Information Science

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
5123	Master of Library and Information Science
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 04 - Communication Studies and Language		Information Studies
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
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 0695/12	2012-07-01	2014-12-31
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2015-12-31		2018-12-31

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
96471	Master of Library and Information Studies	Not Applicable	NQF Level 09	180	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

The degree provides advanced training in the field of study including techniques of research, data analysis, and scholarly presentation appropriate to library and Information Science. The degree will equip the candidate with enhanced knowledge and the skills of necessary either for employment and supply of information is the objective, or for further independent research towards the degree of PhD in Library and Information Science.

The programme aims to train learners to work either as employees of the library, resource centre, information service sector or to practice as independent consultants/freelancers associated with other activity where the organisation and supply of information is the objective.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The normal admission requirement is possession of the Honours Degree in Library and Information Science (BBibl [Hons]); candidates with professional qualifications in the domain of Library and Information Science at a similar level will also be admitted, the key factor being that their previous studies have included a course on Research Methods.

1. Senior certificate with Matriculation Exemption or Equivalent university admission qualification
2. First degree, BA, BSocSc, BBibl

3. Honours degree, BA (Honours)

Recognition of prior learning (e.g. Work or field experience (if applicable)

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 a bachelors degree may be permitted to register for the degree.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

(a) Critical cross-field outcomes (generic to all teaching and learning)

(i) The Masters graduate is able to demonstrate mastery to depth of a theoretically sophisticated subject matter
(ii) The Masters graduate is equipped with the proficiency in research methodology sufficient to proceed to a PhD. Graduates have mastered the skills of critical thinking, problem solving, collection and analysis of data, and effective written communication.

(b) General outcomes (contextually demonstrated general knowledge, skills and values of the programme)

The Masters graduates is able to:

(i) Conduct independent research in a discipline (or interdisciplinary field);
(ii) Communicate verbally and orally with professional audiences;
(iii) Apply in-depth and specialised disciplinary knowledge and research skills to discipline based problems;
(iv) Analyse and critique communications of an academic and popular nature
(v) Appreciate the ethical issues associated with research and knowledge production in the discipline
(vi) Understand the processes whereby knowledge domains are constructed

(c) Specific Outcomes, including professional outcomes, contextually demonstrated)

The MBibl graduate will be competent to:

(i) Familiar with contemporary philosophical and theoretical issues in Library and Information Science;
(ii) Able to apply a range of advanced research methods and procedures to research problems arising from the design and use of libraries, resource centres and information services;
(iii) Able to conduct advanced literature searches to inform reviews of specialised literature;
(iv) Able to prepare professional papers for peer review;
(v) Able to act as a research consultants;
(vi) Write research and funding proposals;
(vii) Able to write professional reports for a variety of clients and stakeholders;

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

(a) The achievement of these outcomes is assessed in the integrated assessment of the programme.

The outcomes are assessed as follows:

* The completion of professional term papers in all competence areas listed;
* The completion of a research dissertation that included the components;

Integrated assessment

The integration of skills learnt in the MBibl is assessed by means of a dissertation not exceeding 25 000 words. The dissertation must demonstrate competence in the following areas, all of which are assessed in the examination of the dissertation:

* Precise research problem formulation
* Familiarity with and integration of the specialised literature that informs the research question;
* Appropriate design and execution of the research
* If appropriate, use of suitable methods of measurement and data analyses;
* 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;

The dissertation is subject to external examination.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Title(s) of related qualification(s)
PhD

This qualification serves as an entry Point to the related to the qualification(s).

Entry to 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 MA articulates with the PhD in the Faculty of Social Science and 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 used 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.

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.

1.	University of Cape Town