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 Education 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
80195  Doctor of Education 
ORIGINATOR
Walter Sisulu 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
Doctoral Degree  Field 05 - Education, Training and Development  Higher Education and Training 
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 purpose of the qualification is to:
  • Provide competence in advanced school leadership and management.
  • Equip educators and managers with competence in curriculum design and development.
  • Develop educators and managers who are able to critically engage and be self-reflective practitioners.
  • Help capacitate and empower educators and managers with policy making and governance skills.
  • Promote advanced scientific research.

    Rationale:

    The rationale for the development and implementation of the programme is to:
  • Provide an opportunity for learners to pursue research on a variety of education related issues at doctoral level. It is a professional doctoral qualification geared towards professionalizing research in education and it is done by dissertation only. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Prospective MEd EMP students must demonstrate:
  • An understanding of baseline research methods and techniques.
  • Advanced critical and reflective skills as well as creative abilities.
  • Management skills in order to manage school activities and also keep abreast with requirements of the profession.

    An understanding, knowledge and application of educational governance and policy issues at an honours level.

    Recognition of prior learning (RPL):

    The DEd is accessed through the Recognition of Prior Learning route which is administered internally using internal Recognition of Prior Learning policies.

    Access to the qualification:

    The entrance qualification for the DEd shall be an MEd of the University, or a qualification deemed equivalent by Senate. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    NQF Level 8: Total Credits required at the exit of the qualification are 240 as assigned in the following table:

    Learning components; Number of Credits allocated; NQF Level:
  • Fundamentals: 60 Credits; NQF Level 6 and NQF Level 7.
  • Core; 156 Credits; NQF Level 7 and NQF Level 8.
  • Electives: 24 Credits; NQF Level 8. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    Specific outcomes: Upon successful completion of the programme students will be able to demonstrate:
  • That they have acquired advanced sound knowledge base and critical understanding of education in general, and of education governance and policy in particular.
  • The ability to critically analyse and evaluate knowledge as well as conduct research in governance and policy, and to contribute to systematic and disciplined thinking about educational matters and issues, with particular reference to governance and policy.
  • At their sites of practice, a theoretically grounded and contextually relevant ability to lead, manage and govern schools.

    Critical Outcomes: The critical cross-field outcomes are integrated into the exit level outcomes of the qualification as follows:
  • Identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made.
  • Working effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organization and community.
  • Organising and managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively.

    Both formative and summative assessment methods will be used as indicated in Section 10 on integrated assessment. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Integrated assessment:

    Learners prepare research proposals that go through internal statutory bodies and later, get externalized. When the proposal is favourably accepted the learner undertakes to continue with data collection, analysis and final conclusion, including results of the study. On completion of that process the thesis is externalized and, depending on the outcome of the external examiners subject to WSU Rules and Regulations, the learner either receives a pass or fail. 

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The institutions of higher education internationally offer comparable qualifications in Educational Management and Policy, for instance, University of Bristol in the United Kingdom offers a similar programme. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    The DEd articulates horizontally and vertically with all related and relevant doctoral degrees internally and externally. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The university policy provides for the use of:
  • Internal moderation: relevant senior academics.
  • External moderation: senior academics from other universities.
  • As part of examination process and procedures the university uses sequentially the following structures:
    > Departmental examination committee.
    > Faculty examination board.
    > The University Academic Planning and Examinations Committee (APEC).
    > Senate.

    The majority of Faculty of Education staff members are qualified assessors. 
    		•

    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 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    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. Walter Sisulu 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.