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: 

Doctor of Public Administration 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
78114  Doctor 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
Doctoral Degree  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Public Administration 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  360  Level 8 and above  NQF Level 10  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 
Purpose:

The purposes of this qualification are as follows:
  • To cultivate Doctor of Public Administration graduates who are capable of advancing knowledge in and providing an original contribution to Public Administration.
  • To provide South Africa (and other countries) with leaders in public administration who can design new creative systems based on sound principles and deep knowledge. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Access to the Qualification:

    Applicants should have a Master of Public Administration or its equivalent. 

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    The qualification consists of 384 Credits all at NQF Level 8 and above. The qualification should be completed in a minimum of three years. 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    On completion of this qualification, the Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) graduate should be able to:
  • Identify, analyse, formulate, and solve highly complex and specialized problems in the public sphere, of individual and societal kinds, creatively, autonomously and responsibly with a high level of expertise.
  • Provide leadership and work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organization, community, and contribute to the group output in tasks relating to the subject of specialization.
  • Manage and organize her or his activities and life responsibly and effectively, including setting research goals and managing the research process effectively.
  • Collect, analyse, organize and critically evaluate texts and situations at a highly advanced level in the pursuit of the Doctor of Public Administration (DPA).
  • Communicate effectively and systematically using visual, mathematical and/ or language skills in the modes of oral and/ or written presentation, using sustained discourse.
  • Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health and well being of others, in community, national and global contexts.
  • Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation, and by acknowledging their responsibilities to those in the local and broader community. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Assessment Criteria are demonstrated fulfilment of the desired outcomes (above) met through successful completion of all aspects of the qualification. Assessment will be through; a research proposal, regular seminar presentations and on-going research work and the thesis.

    Integrated Assessment:

    As this is a research qualification, all aspects of assessment are sued to fulfil this requirement. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This is a doctoral research qualification and therefore credits obtained at another tertiary institution may not be used towards this degree qualification. A doctorate is the highest academic qualification and therefore a vertical articulation is not necessary. Graduates may choose to do another degree at the same level or at a lower NQF Level at this University or any other university. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    As is the University policy, the thesis is examined internally by a member of academic staff other than the project supervisor and is subject to second examination by two experts from outside the University. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    Internal and external assessors for the qualification will be selected on the basis of their recognised expertise in the modules being offered. The University assumes that, on the basis of its rigorous selection criteria for appointment of academic staff (who also have opportunities for staff development in assessment), staff are competent to assess students on the modules they teach. 

    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: 
     
    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.