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:

Postgraduate Diploma in Disability Studies

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
67416	Postgraduate Diploma in Disability Studies
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
Postgraduate Diploma	Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Promotive Health and Developmental Services
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	120	Level 7	NQF Level 08	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 10105/14	2015-07-01	2017-02-08
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2018-02-08		2021-02-08

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
99693	Postgraduate Diploma in Disability Studies	Not Applicable	NQF Level 08	120	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:

The programme breaks new ground and aims to provide tuition in critical and contextual approaches to the understanding of disability oppression, thus equipping students from a range of disciplines and professions with skills for the interrogation of South African societal responses to impairment, towards fuelling national transformation in disability equity.

The qualification is the product of extended negotiation between UCT academic staff and the most senior representatives of South Africa's disability sector (e.g. Disabled People South Africa; Disabled Children's Action Group; Office on the Status of Disabled Persons in The Presidency, and others), along with academic collaboration the University of Leeds' Centre for Disability Studies provided via a 3-year Higher Education Link Programme funded by British Council.

Whilst the programme is a new one, it builds upon an existing module in Disability Studies which forms part of the Health Science Faculty's MSc programme in
Occupational Therapy. However, the scope of the new programme is far broader and more inclusive than this module, and its curriculum and delivery have largely been
developed "from the ground up" through partnership with Disabled People South Africa.

Rationale:

Within the South African context, the process of integration of disability conscientisation within the modes of delivery of government, and the operation of civil society, is largely in its infancy. A large-scale process of critical interrogation of the nature and origins of the marginalisation of disabled people in our country is required, in order that
transformation be fuelled and strategically undertaken. It is thus essential that prominent stakeholders and decision-makers from a variety of state and non-governmental institutions be afforded the opportunity to develop critical skills surrounding disability, in order that the needs of disabled people begin to be equitably integrated.

The programme aims to develop and coalesce a research community, comprising academics, activists, and field workers, fostering action-oriented and collaborative research aimed at mobilising and informing disability transformation in our society. It is essential that uniquely South African and African models of disability oppression, and disability development, be constructed and elaborated, toward effecting strategies for equity and inclusiveness.

The disability sector's massive organisational networks and community development projects provide key research opportunities for baseline data collection, as well as the piloting of intervention strategies, whilst the academic sector provides access to theoretical frameworks and the tools for critical interrogation of South African responses to disability on all levels.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Basic understanding of the models of disability/theories and models of disability.

Insights into the experience of living with disability.

Foundations of community developments approaches.

Writing and reading knowledge of disability.

An understanding of primary health care and community-based rehabilitation.

Recognition of Prior Learning:

Certificate or diploma in related fields of adult education, community development, primary health care or community based rehabilitation. Experience in the field of disability and development.

A review of the critical skills in writing and reader computer literacy.

Access to the Qualification:

A person shall not be admitted as a candidate for the Postgraduate Diploma unless he or she:

Is a graduate of the University or of any other university recognised by the Senate for the purpose.

Has in any other manner attained a level of competence that, in the opinion of Senate, on the recommendation of the Faculty, is adequate for the purposes of admission as a candidate for the Postgraduate Diploma.

Acceptance is by selection on the recommendation of the Course Convenor and Head of Department.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

Level, credits and learning components assigned to the qualification:

Qualification type: NQF Level:

Postgraduate Diploma in Disability Studies, NQF Level 7.

Fundamental: 24 Credits.

Core: 96 Credits.

Elective: 0 Credits.

Total: 120 Credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Cross field outcomes (generic to all teaching and learning):

Graduates will be able to:

a. Appreciate the importance of life long learning and the importance of self-initiative in pursuing it.

b. Understand when and how to acknowledge the limitations of his or her own expertise and elicit the more appropriate expertise of others.

c. Time management and planning.

Specific Outcomes:

Graduates will be able to:

a. Appreciate the shift in perspective from seeing disability as a welfare and charity issue to a human rights and development issue.

b. Develop the capacity to interrogate emotional responses of self and others related to disability issues.

c. Critically analyse and debate the different models and approaches to disability and relate these to policy and practice.

d. Critically analyse and debate issues in both international and national policies to ensure the integration of disability at all levels of governance and civil society.

e. Apply new knowledge and skills in research, policy and practice related to disability.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit-Level Outcomes:

Cross field outcomes (generic to all teaching and learning):

Graduates will be able to:

a. Demonstrate development of critical thinking and writing skills through assignments and oral presentations.
b. Specify the parameters of a problem and identify relevant ways to address it.
c. Schedule work activities efficiently and hand in assignments on due dates.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Specific outcomes:

Graduates will be able to:

a. Describe the critical concepts related to social oppression and human rights.
b. Identify and explain defence mechanisms in interactions at individual, family and societal level.
c. Discuss and debate case studies and research related to policy and practice.
d. Analyse, understand and develop discourses, related to policy development at local, national and international level.
e. Select and apply relevant research methods to specific disability-related issues.

Integrated Assessment:

Students will be assessed by written assignments, oral presentations, and research project formulations, in order to demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical debates within the Disability Studies discipline and within the broader sectors of national policy-making and advocacy, service delivery and professional practice
debates.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

This is a new discipline for the University of Cape Town. The discipline is well recognised internationally as a coherent and independent field with UCT being well
positioned to function as its pioneer proponent on the African continent. Essential collaboration in this regard has existed over the course of a three year Higher
Education Link Programme with the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (sponsored by the British Council).

The Centre offers a well-established Masters programme in Disability Studies, which has provided extremely important guidance and insights in the development of the Disability Studies programme here. International collaboration with University of Oslo in Norway, the University of Uppsala in Sweden and the University of Ulster in Ireland will further enhance the interdisciplinary nature of the programme.

The Centre for International Child Health, University College, London offers a certificate in community-based rehabilitation that can be upgraded to a MSc in Community Disability Studies.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

The programme is based in the Graduate School of Humanities and articulates with related programmes offered in the Faculties of Humanities and Health Sciences.
Students admitted to cognate programmes in both faculties (e.g. occupational therapy, physiotherapy, communication sciences and disorders, medicine, maternal and child health, psychology, diversity studies, HIV/AIDS and society, social development, law and engineering, etc) may choose modules from the Disability Studies programme as electives. The mode of instruction makes it feasible for prospective students from other provinces as well as other countries to participate in the programme.

Students who register for the PGDip will in the future have the opportunity to upgrade to a proposed MPhil by coursework and dissertation prior to being awarded the PGDip. In such a case, the material covered in the PGDip will contribute to the coursework part of the MPhil programme. Once the PGDip has been awarded, a student will not be permitted to count the work done for the PGDip towards the MPhil. An alternative in the latter case may be for the student to proceed to an MPhil by dissertation only.

Upon completion of the MPhil students who meet the requirements can proceed to doctoral studies in the same discipline or to related qualifications in cognate disciplines.

MODERATION OPTIONS

The University of Cape Town has a system of external peer review and evaluation of each course. Peer reviews routinely evaluate the standards and assessment practices of the programme staff, and may lead to moderation of the marks awarded.

An external examiner will be appointed to carry out a peer review and evaluation of assignment assessments across modules, as well as to oversee written and oral presentation examinations.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2009; 2012; 2015.

NOTES

N/A

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