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 Arts: African Studies

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
81224	Master of Arts: African Studies
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 07 - Human and Social Studies		Traditions, History and Legacies
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	128	Level 8 and above	Level N/A:Pre-2009 was L8+	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 06120/18	2018-07-01	2018-12-31
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2019-12-31		2022-12-31

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 replaces:

Qual ID	Qualification Title	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Min Credits	Replacement Status
15605	Master of Arts: African Studies	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	128	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

To enable students to acquire an advanced understanding of the main lines of contemporary thinking in a clearly defined field in the human and social sciences on African issues.

To enable students to develop a high level of critical capacity in the specific field which they have selected.

To enable students to acquire an advanced level of experience in doing independent and original research into African issues.

To develop students with an advanced level of information and skills which will enable them to pursue careers in a wide range of fields in which knowledge of African affairs is important, and equip them to rise to high levels in those careers.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Students must have obtained a good Honours degree in the African Studies Programme, or an equivalent qualification as recognized by the Faculty of Human Sciences (and, in the case of students from other universities, by the University of Natal).

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Understand the academic discourses relating to African issues in the particular fields, which they study in the programme.

Locate, and make effective use of, a wide range of sources of information on African issues.

Engage effectively, both verbally and in writing, in debates on African issues.

Produce essays of an advanced standard on defined research topics.

Do independent and original research of an advanced quality towards clearly defined goals.

Adapt the academic knowledge and skills acquired in the programme to the world of work.

Appreciate the importance for society, both in Africa and the wider world, of the academic study of African issues at advanced postgraduate levels.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Evidence generated through assessment tasks shows that the learner can:

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the general field of inquiry.

Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of specific areas of inquiry in the programme.

Understand the interrelationships amongst various areas of the field of knowledge.

Analyse components/issues/factors/structures etc.

Grasp the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the area of study.

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of current critical debates.

Summarize, compare and evaluate a substantial body of knowledge.

Construct a sustained argument; formulate questions and work towards solutions.

Command the conceptual discourse of the field of study.

Solve problems, both theoretical and applied.

Demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the discipline.

Contextualise this study within social environment and the historical understanding.

Develop a clear understanding of the historical and contemporary state and possible future of the disciplinary areas, which he/she is working.

Command academic English at an appropriate level.

Demonstrate familiarity with information technology at an appropriate level.

Understand diversity

Manage individual study

Work efficiently with groups

Present findings at an appropriate level, both orally and in writing.

Integrate information, conduct research, and contextualise aspects of language, literature and/or culture and understand what is needed for social development, with values consistent with social responsibility and the redress of disadvantage.

Integrated Assessment

The University of Natal is currently reforming its assessment strategies to include the assessment of applied competence for each qualification. In the meantime, a combination of continuous assessment and traditional written examinations serve to assess the integration of all / most of the learning outcomes for each module in a qualification.

Essays
Seminars
Tests
Examinations
Dissertation / Thesis

Students will undergo a set of written examinations to assess whether they have attained the necessary knowledge and capabilities as indicated in the Learning Outcomes, and can express their knowledge.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

MSocSc (African studies)
PhD

MODERATION OPTIONS

The ETQA system for HE is not yet fully developed. Until such time as it is, procedures described under Assessor Criteria will suffice.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

Until the HEQC establishes a registration system for assessors in the HET Band, the University of Natal assumes that, on the basis of its rigorous selection criteria for the appointment of academic staff (who also have opportunities for staff development in assessment), staffs are competent to assess students on the modules they teach. This assessment is quality assured via a university system of internal moderation and external examination. External examiners are appointed for their teaching and disciplinary expertise and subject to the approval of Faculty Boards. The University of Natal ruling is that 66 % of all assessments at exit level, i.e. leading to a qualification, are externally examined.

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