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: 

Master of Public Administration 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
72921  Master of Public Administration 
ORIGINATOR
University of KwaZulu-Natal 
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 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Public Administration 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  128  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 
The purpose of the qualification:

The empower and build capacity of public administrators who are aspiring to, or fulfil management roles within the public sector to efficiently and effectively manage a variety of institutional settings whilst occupying leadership positions. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Entry requirements for the qualification:

The learners must have a recognised degree or diploma
An appropriate professional qualification, together with a professional regestration and appropriate work experience will be considered
Admission to the programme is by selection.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
A level of competence based on the assessment and recognition of prior learning will be considered. 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
Y 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
The Master of Public Administration graduate is able to: -

* Critically analyse and evaluate concepts and theories associated with public sector and select and apply those appropriate to the needs of the situation

* Regularly reflect and evaluate their personal effectiveness and their ability to develop them others

* Analyse and apply appropriate strategies for the effective utilisation of resources

* Evaluate and apply appropriate research and identify research needs

* Understand more deeply the complexities involved in the public sector

* Engage in critical evaluation, systems thinking and holistic reflection of the relationship between theory and work related experiences. 

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
Integrated assessment
  • Presentation of research papers and case studies at the third level of the programme.
  • A student may be requested to defend his/her research papers and case studies. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
  • Possibilities for internal articulation exist within the Faculty of Commerce and Administration and the School of Social Science and Development Studies. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The moderators include high ranking officials from different spheres of government and professional bodies. These stakeholders serve as reference points for syllabus design, research and learner assessment. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    The internal assessors are selected from the School and the external assessors are chosen from other universities and professional bodies. The expertise of highly qualified practitioners from the public sector are utilised. They are selected by the committees of the School and Faculty. 

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

    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. University of KwaZulu-Natal 


    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.