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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Laws 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
72805  Master of Laws 
ORIGINATOR
North West University 
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 08 - Law, Military Science and Security  Justice in Society 
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 
This Master of Laws includes the various specialisations in Law.
The learner can:
  • Engage in research in a specialised area of the law;
  • Confidently apply research skills in the public or private legal employment sectors;
  • Pursue research projects, including academic research, through identification of complex problems and achieve solutions through the application of appropriate skills;
  • Prepare for further study at NQF Level 8;
  • Make a contribution to the community and its legal system through scholarship. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Entry Requirements:
    The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Bachelor of Laws, NQF Level 8. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Collect and evaluate information in the area of law or socio-economic legal policy.
    2. Demonstrate ability in analysing the law or socio-economic legal policy.
    3. Demonstrate research skills and independent competence in pursuing research.
    4. Demonstrate a creative approach to solutions of complex legal issues and social policy matters in the area of law and social policy.
    5. Bring to a conclusion the process of research design, information retrieval and evaluation through the production of a minor dissertation. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Collect information, showing familiarity with the possible sources of information.
  • Evaluate the relevance of the information in relation to the topic of research.
  • Analyse topics in law or socio-economic legal policy.
  • Comment critically on topics in law or socio-economic legal policy.
  • Prosecute research in a systematic way without extensive supervision.
  • Make accurate judgments as to the direction of the research process.
  • Utilise legal dogmatics and theories of law and society to elucidate the topic of the research.
  • Propose appropriate, rational and logical solutions to the research problem.
  • Write a logically organised dissertation presenting the findings of the process of research.
  • The dissertation respects the rules of grammar, syntax and spelling of the language in which it is written.
  • Collect information using appropriate research tools.
  • Understand the importance of the hierarchy of legal sources.
  • Select information relevant to the topic of inquiry.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Demonstrate competence in analysing topics in the law and socio-economic legal policy using recognised theoretical approaches to the analysis of law.
  • Demonstrate the capacity to come to responsible conclusions regarding the law or socio economic legal policy based on the analysis.
  • Demonstrate competence in commenting on the law and socio-economic legal policy critically.
  • Demonstrate the capacity to prepare submissions on the law and socio-economic legal policy based on the analysis.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • The learner makes progress without close supervision
  • The learner works in a systematic and methodical way
  • The learner makes appropriate and justifiable decisions concerning the direction of the process of research

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • The learner utilises appropriate theoretical approaches
  • The theories adopted are properly integrated with the corpus of knowledge under investigation
  • The solutions suggested are fully justified by the research findings
  • The research conclusions are rational and logical

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • The dissertation is logical.
  • The arrangement is rational.
  • The conclusions are justified.
  • There are minimal spelling errors in the dissertation.
  • The grammar, style and syntax are correct and appropriate.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Continuous assessment will take place through the evaluation of essays and reports prepared by the learner.

    Summative assessment consists of the production of a minor dissertation.
    Formative and summative assessment are closely integrated by means of the production of the minor dissertation. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Master of Laws in Comparative Child Law, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Laws in Environmental Governance Law, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Laws in Estate Law, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Laws in International Trade Law, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Laws in Labour Law, NQF Level 9.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Doctor of Laws, NQF Level 10. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    NOTES 
    This qualification includes the following specialisations:
  • Master of Laws in Comparative Child Law
  • Master of Laws in Environmental Governance Law
  • Master of Laws in Estate Law
  • Master of Laws in International Trade Law
  • Master of Laws in Labour Law 
    		•

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced 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. North West University 


    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.