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 Optometry 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
74125  Master of Optometry 
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 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services  Curative Health 
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 
To train optometrists to:

* Manage and treat ocular conditions in the private and public sector up to tertiary level
* Co-manage clinical conditions with ophthalmology
* Be competent Public Health issues
* Enhance research skills and research output 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Bachelor of Optometry-NQF level 6 or equivalent qualification 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
N 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
Advanced patient management with enhanced skills in multi-disciplinary context. Adequate skills to pursue research with the view to disseminate the findings. 

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
Integrated assessment

* Course modules will be assessed by means of written examination
* Clinical competency will be assessed by clinical examinations.
* The dissertation will be assessed by internal or external examiners 

ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
* Articulation with similar programs at other schools
* Articulation with the Masters degree by research
* Access to post-graduate studies at doctorial level 

MODERATION OPTIONS 
As per requirements by the university for external supervisors 

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
* Registration with the professional body
* Affiliation with a tertiary institution that offers the courses
* Must have devised and delivered the course materials
* Relevant postgraduate qualifications in order to assess the research
* Any other requirements of the university 

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.