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: Multilingual Studies

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
81263	Master of Arts: Multilingual 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 04 - Communication Studies and Language		Communication Studies
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	128	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 091/21	2021-07-01	2023-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

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
14961	Master of Arts: Multilingual Studies	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	128	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Based on the premise that language is the primary means of interaction among human beings and relevant to all fields of endeavourer on all levels, the Multilingual Studies programme seeks to equip learners interested in any career, and particularly those that centre on the use of language, to deal with a multilingual environment on a professional level.

The programme is both academically and vocationally oriented. It has as its primary outcomes the development of learners in preparation for their entry as citizens and workers into the multilingual and multicultural South African world. The multi-faceted nature of South African society, as well as the commitment of the government to promoting multilingualism, makes such training essential for learners preparing for careers as language users and practitioners. Learners will be fitted to choose from a wide range of careers: from language-centred professions, such as, translation, interpreting, copywriting, terminography, media and personnel liaison, editing and publishing, tourism and education; and from careers in governance, and commerce and industry. Through the content of the Programme's prescribed modules and those of approved language practice options from other programmes, and through practical experience, learners will become au fait with the use of language as the primary vehicle of interaction in society, in learning, and in the workplace. Learners will become aware of the necessity of multilingualism in South Africa and of multilingualism as an untapped human resource.

The programme draws on the considerable inter-disciplinary experience and expertise available through the undergraduate offerings in the Faculty of Human Science (Durban Centre).

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Appropriate Honours degree. Entry is also possible through University of Natal's Rule 33 for postgraduate study.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Recognise that language is integral to:

Demonstrate the effective, creative, critical and strategic identification and resolution of problems;

Demonstrate the effective collection, organisation, analysis, evaluation and dissemination of information in all fields of endeavour,

Demonstrate effective interpersonal relationships in the workplace and society on all levels and whatever the size of the group; and

Demonstrate the sensitive, responsible and effective organisation and management of themselves and others;

Use their chosen language/s to interact in society and the working world and with our environment by making and negotiating meaning;

Use their languages to communicate effectively and with refinement both in society and in their chosen working world;

Recognise language, languages, cultures and society as sets of related and inter-related systems and to use this recognition for the betterment of themselves and others;

Recognise that communicative competency is crucial to the advancement and promotion of tolerance and understanding in South Africa;

Use their chosen language/s with confidence in intercultural communication;

Recognise the usefulness of their multilingual capacities in South African society, both for themselves and others;

Recognise the fundamental importance of language and its cultural artefacts to the spiritual, intellectual and emotional development and well being of all;

Demonstrate advanced specialised knowledge of two languages and/or language practice fields in more than one area;

Show highly specialised scholastic and advanced research in two languages and/or language practice fields in more than one area;

Create appropriate responses to resolve contextual problems.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the discipline;

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the general field of inquiry;

Demonstrate their grasp of the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the area of study and of current critical debates, and their command of the conceptual discourse of the field of study;

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

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

Demonstrate his/her ability to gather relevant information from a substantial body of knowledge and then to synthesise, summarise, compare and evaluate the knowledge (using information systems and technology where appropriate);

Demonstrate his/her ability to process, analyse, interpret and evaluate data (using information and processing technologies where appropriate);

Demonstrate his/her ability to construct a sustained argument, formulate questions and work towards solutions;

Demonstrate his/her ability to solve problems, both theoretical and applied;

Demonstrate his/her ability to contextualise the study socially, environmentally and historically;

Demonstrate a clear understanding of the historical and present state and possible future of the disciplinary areas in which they are working;

Demonstrate written and oral command of their chosen languages in all registers and contexts, and across cultures;

Demonstrate his/her understanding of, and the ability to explore and use, as resources, cultural, social and linguistic diversity;

Demonstrate his/her capacity for individual study, and for efficient group-work;

Carry out a substantial independent research project conforming to acknowledged scholarly protocols.

Integrated assessment appropriately incorporated to ensure that the purpose of the qualification is achieved:

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.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Vertical -Below: recognised Honours degree

Above: PhD

Horizontal - Within the University: with the approval of the programme directors, modules from other approved disciplines may be incorporated into this qualification and modules from this discipline may be incorporated into other approved qualifications.

Outside the University: Subject to University recognition of qualification and/or credits obtained at other institutions.

MODERATION OPTIONS

The ETQA system for HE is not yet fully developed. Until such time as it is, procedures described under assessors criteria 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), staff 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 qualifications 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