SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Master of Engineering

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
67426	Master of Engineering
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 06 - Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology		Engineering and Related Design
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 10105/14	2015-07-01	2018-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2019-06-30		2022-06-30

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 is replaced by:

Qual ID	Qualification Title	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Min Credits	Replacement Status
104773	Master of Engineering	Not Applicable	NQF Level 09	180	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:

To educate undergraduate qualifiers with values, knowledge and skills to enable them to engage at a high level in continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions beneficial to society.

To provide South Africa (and other African countries) with a cadre of masters level graduates who have a sound basis of high level knowledge, competence and skills in science, engineering, technological and management arenas so that they may act as participants or leaders of project teams dealing creatively with social, developmental, environmental, engineering and physical design challenges associated with human activity.

More specifically, to provide qualifiers with:

Postgraduate-level knowledge in mathematical, scientific, engineering and business sciences that will permit them to solve engineering, technological, management and social problems and multi-disciplinary combinations of these, at a high level using processes of analysis and synthesis. The end product of these processes is usually, but not limited to, scientific, engineering, technical and/or management designs, systems, schemes or practices which serve the needs of society with due regard to social, economic and environmental aspects.

Appropriate high level skills and tools, such as ability to use computers, networks and information sources for accessing, processing and managing information to enhance the engineering and business management enterprise, as well as personal intellectual growth and productivity, and so to promote lifelong learning.

Effective communication skills, both oral and written, so as to enhance interaction with the wider engineering and business community oriented towards exercising leadership in a knowledge-based economy.

The necessary high-level understanding of the professional and ethical qualities for the practice of engineering and business management for the good of society.

High-level knowledge, skills and values to contribute to the upliftment of communities and the country through engineering, management and other related professional activities.

Rationale:

Part of the University of Cape Town's strategic plan is to develop postgraduate studies. With increasing knowledge skills and competencies required in engineering, which bridges sciences and technology, there is an increasing need for high-level specialised 5`' year level tertiary education graduates. Not all students completing a four-year BSc(Eng) or BSc(Hons) degree wish to enrol for a major masters research project (>50% of credits), but rather concentrate on masters specialisation course work (75% of credits). The potential candidates for this qualification are practicing professionals who cannot, and have no interest to, take time out of their active careers to conduct a major research project, but need up to date and high (post graduate, PG) level knowledge for (i) effective and competitive practice of their rapidly advancing technical disciplines and (ii) retain (in future) their professional registration through continuing advanced (PG) level education. In the UK and USA such a professionally oriented masters qualifications are beginning to be regarded as entry-level
qualifications for senior technical positions. The strong research groups in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at UCT, of which there are more than 10, are developing specialisation MEng degree programmes in their fields of expertise.

With some focused advertising it is envisaged that these programmes offering the specialisation MEng qualification can double their masters graduates in five years. It is difficult to state in absolute terms how many MEng graduates this will be per annum (estimated 30), because the MEng is a faculty wide multi-programme qualification. Once the faculty can offer the MEng, several more departments and research groups will develop and market their MEng specialisation programmes to attract new students. Because this qualification is obtained via a coursework based masters programme, which is different in objectives and content to the research based masters programme (for which we wish to reserve the MSc qualification), this qualification is given a different name, i.e. Master of Engineering.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Graduate-level knowledge in mathematics, fundamental and engineering sciences, that will enable them to solve scientific, technological and engineering problems using processes of analysis and synthesis. The end
product of these processes is usually, but not limited to, scientific, technological or engineering designs or systems which serve the needs of society with due regard to social, economic and environmental aspects.

Appropriate skills and tools, such as ability to use computers, networks and information sources for accessing, processing and managing information to enhance the scientific, technological and engineering enterprise, as well as personal intellectual growth and productivity, and so to promote lifelong learning.

Effective communication skills, both oral and written, so as to enhance interaction with the wider engineering community and permit them to exercise leadership in a knowledge-based economy.

The necessary understanding of the professional and ethical qualities for the practice of science, technology and engineering for the good of society.

Knowledge, skills and values to contribute to the upliftment of communities and the country through the engineering and other professions.

Recognition of Prior Learning:

At postgraduate level, recognition of prior learning is not generally possible. This means that experiential learning will not qualify for entry into the postgraduate programmes leading to the MEng degree. A four-year degree (or Senate-endorsed equivalent) is the standard entrance requirement. However, applicants with 3-year BSc degrees or with BTech or NHD qualifications in cognate engineering or science fields may apply for exemption on the basis of relevant work experience.

A minimum of 5 years relevant work experience after qualifying for the undergraduate qualification, validated by employer references, may be accepted as equivalent to the 4th (Hons) year. Applicants who qualify for this work experience exemption can enrol for the MEng directly without having to complete the requisite number of 4th or 5th year level credits (160) to make up for the missing of the 4th year.

Access to the Qualification:

Any one of the following may be admitted by the Senate as a candidate for the MEng:

A graduate of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment or of an engineering programme of any other university recognised for the purpose.

A graduate of another university who has passed such examination as are, ion the opinion of the Senate, equivalent to the examinations prescribed for the degree of BSc(Eng) at the University.

A person who has in any other manner attained a level of competence which in the opinion of Senate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment is adequate for the purpose of admission as a candidate for the degree.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

Level, Credits and learning components assigned to the qualification.

Qualification; NQF Level; Fundamental; Core; Elective:

Master of Engineering; 8; 20 Credits; 100 Credits; 40 Credits.

Total Credits; 160.

Coursework credits = 120; Individual research project credits = 40; Total = 160.
Residential via contact time in lecture, practical and tutorial sessions for the coursework, and one-on-one lecturer contact for the research project.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes:

The qualifier should be:

1. Competent to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with engineering, scientific or business audiences and the community at large.

2. Critically aware of the impact of engineering, business and management activity on society and the environment, and to exercise the appropriate judgement in analysis, synthesis and design.

3. Competent to work effectively as an individual, in terms and in multi-disciplinary environments showing leadership and performing critical functions.

4. Critically aware of the need to act professionally and ethically, to take responsibility and to exercise judgement commensurate with knowledge and experience.

5. Aware of the need for lifelong learning, and is able to undertake continuing professional development through ongoing formal and informal education.

6. Demonstrate the ability to think and apply information logically and creatively.

Specific Outcomes including personal outcomes (contextually demonstrated) Graduates of the MEng will be competent to:

1. Undertake or propose at a high level engineering, planning and/or managerial designs, procedures and/or processes that integrate first-principle solutions or code approaches with an understanding of the use of materials, all within the context of maximum economy and due regard for the environment.

2. Assist in planning, managing, construction, operation and maintenance of engineering and managerial systems or processes with due regard for the health and safety of personnel, and within the constraints of a budget.

3. Access, manipulate, process, provide and use spatially referenced data for the solution of engineering problems.

4. Exercise leadership and managerial skills in the wider engineering and business environment, thus enhancing productivity and effectiveness.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Critical Cross-Field outcomes.

Learners will be expected to:

Produce a written project report and deliver an oral presentation using visual, graphic and language skills that appropriately describes an engineering, business or management problem, the methodology to solve the problem, and the best solution to the problem.

Demonstrate an understanding that the world is a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not in isolation, and provide solutions that are technically, economically, environmentally or managerially viable and benefit society in a way that improves the quality of life or industrial competitiveness.

Produce output that demonstrates clearly own contribution and the benefits of interaction with others in solving complex problems.

Understand the need to exercise ethics in the workplace and to have a reasonable appreciation of law.

Access and assimilate information through various means such as reading, attending lectures, workshops and seminars and the electronic media.

Collect, organise, analyse, critically, evaluate, rework and synthesise information.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Specific Outcomes:

Learners will be expected to:

Demonstrate understanding of basic and engineering sciences so as to exercise innovative and independent thinking that provides solutions.

Understand the inter-relation of the various members of the engineering team, and of the impact of construction processes on the final product.

Competently use computers, and show existence of understanding the meaning and use of data.

Identify the necessary courses of action to facilitate the engineering or managerial process and put them effectively in place.

Integrated assessment:

Learners on the programme will have the opportunity to be assessed through a range of methods for both formative and summative purposes. The assessment for most of the modules will largely centre around practice-based projects, that is, within the boundaries of the course topic, learners will be able to identify problems or areas of interest which they want to explore further. Learners will have the opportunity to display a range of foundational, practical and reflexive competencies developed through their experience as professionals and through the course.

Those who are interested in a more in-depth investigation can select the project elective that will give them the opportunity to integrate the full range of competencies developed through all their courses. The project will consist of a small-scale investigation focusing on some educational issue that could arise out of their own disciplinary context. The criteria for the assessment will be; a clear identification and justification of the educational problem which gives rise to the enquiry; the extent to which the project is contextually sensitive, theoretically justified, and practically feasible; a project which is communicated in a manner appropriate to the professional context.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The MEng qualification follows the same model as the very popular and successful Master of Business Administration, but in the engineering and technical disciplines. Witwatersrand and Stellenbosch Universities are already offering MEng and Ming degrees from their Engineering Faculties on the same course work (75%) and research project (25%) split as proposed here for this MEng degree.

Several universities in the UK, USA and Australia are offering "taught" masters degrees (75% course work and 25% research project) for some of the postgraduate programmes in their engineering faculties. For example: Warwick University (UK, http://www2.warwick.ac.ul-,/study/postgraduate/science/en ineering/advanceden ineeri M); Georgia Institute of Technology (USA, http://gradinfo.ce.gatech.edu/degree requirements.html) and University of Queensland (Australia, http://www.uq.edu.au/study/program.html ?acad pros=5172).

The programme and course conveners in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of Cape Town are highly qualified-all have PhDs and all are National Research Foundation rated and/or professionally registered engineers locally or abroad.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Applicants with a 4-year BSc(Eng), MTech or BSc(Hons) degree may enrol. Applicants with 3 year BSc degrees or with BTech or NHD qualifications in cognate engineering or science fields may also enrol, but concurrently need to complete the requisite number of 4th or 5th year level credits to make up for the missing of the 4th year. This adds an extra year to the MEng programme for these students.

MODERATION OPTIONS

The University of Cape Town has a system of external peer review and evaluation of each course. A central aspect of the system is an evaluation of the standards and assessment practices of the programme staff, explicitly including moderation of the marks awarded.

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