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: Oral Studies

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
81265	Master of Arts: Oral 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
14960	Master of Arts: Oral Studies	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	128	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Orality-Literacy is an interdisciplinary field of academic studies with the very specific perspective of the oral-literate systemic interface. From this perspective, Orality-Literacy studies examine the unique capacity of the 'Anthropos'; both currently and historically, to express their understanding of themselves, their fellows being, their relationships with one another and the world in which they live. This implies a wide rage of application from a narrow perspective, such as:

the relationship between human expression and memory (oral histories and literatures)

the relationship between human expression and learning (education and training);

the relationship between human expression and identity (individual and group cultural manifestations);

the relationship between human expression and spirituality (region and ritual);

the relationship between human expression and perceptions of power (power and politics);

and the systematic relationship that each of these has with others resulting in complex and revealing perceptions of human values and attitudes.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Postgraduate - Masters (including Advanced Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate);

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

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Understanding variously by explaining, describing, defining, discussing and reviewing the relevant knowledge base, the underpinning principles and concepts using the appropriate terminology;

Demonstrate a capacity to identify collect organise summarise analyse and evaluate relevant ideas, date and information according to relevant classifications of principles and in a meaningful format (basic research skills);

Communicate effectively in an appropriate format and clear and concise reporting of practical procedures in a variety of formats using a computer word processing programme;

Meet obligations to others (tutors and peers), offering and supporting initiatives;

Recognise, assess and apply alternative options to a particular context;

Reflect upon what has been learned and to apply it to current affairs, ethics, moral issues, conservation of the environment, the workplace and the community at large;

Demonstrate an incipient relevant specialisation with detailed knowledge and an awareness of the variety of contexts within which they may apply;

Demonstrate techniques of self-directed work and learning, and progressive study of relevant literature to a level which provides the basis for work at the next level;

Identify the key elements of problems and select appropriate methods for their resolution;

Apply major theories, and compare alternative methods for obtaining data;

Demonstrate effective and constructive interaction within a learning group.

Demonstrate further development in an area of specialisation with detailed knowledge and an awareness of variety of contexts within which they may apply;

Demonstrate further development in the understanding of relevant principles and concepts;

Independently analyse range of relevant information;

Make connections between bodies of knowledge and relate these to the focus of specialisation;

Develop professional working relationships;

Demonstrate an awareness of the provisional nature of the state of knowledge;

Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of sophisticated, relevant theoretical and practical subject matter and mastery of a selected area of specialisation;

Demonstrate the deployment of appropriate qualitative research skills;

Carry out independent analysis of new data and situations deploying a range of appropriate techniques;

Critically review evidence supporting conclusions and to investigate contradictory information;

Demonstrate flexible identification and definition of complex problems and the application of appropriate skills and knowledge to their solution;

Effectively engage in debate in a professional manner and context, with production of detailed and coherent reports;

Effectively interact within a learning or professional group, with recognition or demonstration of leadership.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Have a thorough knowledge of the general field of inquiry;

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

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

Be able to analyse and synthesise components/issues/factors/structures;

Have a thorough knowledge of current critical debates;

Summarise, 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;

Have an appropriate understanding of the field of studies;

Contextualise this study within the social environment and the historical understanding;

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

Have a command of academic English at an appropriate level;

Be familiar with information technology at an appropriate level;

Understand diversity;

Have a capacity for individual study;

Work efficiently in groups;

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

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:

Coursework is assessed continuously and summatively as per the assessment criteria as follows:
1. Portfolios demonstrating collection and organisation of material, including written essay and review assignments, homework assignments, readings, summaries, reviews and reflections: assessed continuously and summatively internally by course co-ordinator and externally by moderator (students are encouraged to re-submit assignments repeatedly to improve performance);
2. Oral presentations and Student Seminars: assessed by peers and course co-ordinator (summative);
3. Workshop participation, peer support and interaction: assessed by peers and course co-ordinator (continuously). Research outputs are either submitted for journal publication or examined internally and externally.

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 programme will make use of both internal and external assessors and examiners, and will be subject to Faculty requirements and rules. The programme will also have an overall external assessor.

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