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:

Master of Science: Physiotherapy

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
7529	Master of Science: Physiotherapy
ORIGINATOR
Stellenbosch 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 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Rehabilitative Health/Services
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	240	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 0695/12	2012-07-01	2014-12-31
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2015-12-31		2018-12-31

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
96490	Master of Physiotherapy	Not Applicable	NQF Level 09	180	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

The purpose of the qualification is:

To ensure mastery of the chosen specialisation area of the profession of Physiotherapy via high level analysis of new information, the ability to deal with complexity and to find workable solutions to problems and challenges.

To enable students to do advanced and independent research in the field of Physiotherapy and to introduce them to the world of scholarly communication, inter alia by assisting them to start publishing on their own.

To prepare students who aspire to move to the highest level of academic work in the field of Physiotherapy for doctoral study and to promote an approach based on academic integrity and professional ethics.

To contribute to the pool of academics and professionals in the field of Physiotherapy with the competence and critical intellectual abilities to ensure the future health an advancement of the profession of Physiotherapy and to make provision for the country's needs in skilled health science workforce of the highest calibre.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Senior Certificate with Matriculation Exemption or equivalent university admission qualification.

First degree: BScPhysio

Honours degree: HonsBScPhysio or BScPhysio if approved by Senate.

Additional requirements

For the structured MSc in a clinical direction - at least two years' clinical experience as a registerd physiotherapist.

For the Research MSc - at least three years' clinical experience as a registered physiotherapist. In the case of mature candidates without an HonsBScPhysio, satisfactory evidence of the completion of a preparatory course in research methodology and or epidemiology must be produced. These candidates may be required to undergo a tentamen.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1). GENERIC / CRITICAL CROSS FIELD OUTCOMES

The Honours graduate will:

1. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate in depth knowledge in the field of physiotherapy

2. Demonstrate, as an advanced physiotherapy practitioner, responsible participation in the promotion of the quality of life of the local community, the South African population and the global community.

3. Demonstrate deep understanding of cultural, religious and ethnic diversity and its influence on the health care consumer's perception of health and illness.

4. Identify and find solutions to health related problems through basic research and the use of critical and creative thinking

5. Demonstrate leadership within the health care team and groups in the community

6. Demonstrate the capacity for responsible and effective organisation, management and delivery of physiotherapy services

7. Communicate effectively with health service consumers and professional colleagues using visual, verbal, nonverbal and written skills.

2). SPECIFIC OUTCOMES

The Masters level graduate will have:

1. Comprehensive knowledge of the chosen field

2. Mastery of advanced theory and its application to the specialised field of physiotherapy

3. Familiarity with the literature and state of research on the subject

4. An understanding of the constructed and provisional nature of knowledge

5. Well - developed research skills

The Masters graduate will be able to:

1. Perform independent analysis of new data and problems using a wide range of methods and techniques appropriately

2. Critically evaluate relevant literature

3. Extrapolate implications beyond given data

4. Use higher order principles to relate date to new, broader issues

5. Review evidence supporting conclusions critically

6. Identify and define complex problems

7. Apply appropriate knowledge and skills for their solutions

8. Use well - developed research skills confidently

9. Challenges orthodox theory and suggest new approaches

10. Handle contradictions and make value judgements

11. Interact and engage in debate with a learning or professional group, produce detailed and coherent reports.

12. Take initiative, negotiate effectively and manage conflict

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

2).

The Master's graduate will demonstrate:

1. Mastery of theoretical sophisticated subject matter within a comprehensive knowledge of a specialised field of physiotherapy.

2. Mastery of advanced theory and its application to specialised field

3. Capacity for independent study via completion of a thesis or research report (in the case of a research masters, this should meet criteria for publication)

4. Understanding and application of appropriate academic and professional values

5. Self-reflexivity and adaptability.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Structured Master's - assessment is done by a range of formative and summative assessment methods such as clinical portfolio's workplace assessments, conducting of presentations, written and oral examinations as well as a research report.

Research Master's - a thesis.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification serves as an entry point to the related qualification(s)

PhD

MODERATION OPTIONS

The university of Stellenbosch has a system of external peer review and evaluation of departments. One of the aspects of the system is an evaluation of the standards and assessment practices of the department.

Additional information:

A system of external moderation is layed down by the Professional Board of Physiotherapy of the Health Professionals Council of South Africa. External assessors are invited from other universities.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

The academic staff of the university of Stellenbosch will be used in a manner which is consistent with the quality assurance system of the university.

Additional information

The Professional Board of Physiotherapy of the Health Professions Council of South Africa provides assessors to assess the programme.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

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

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.	Stellenbosch University