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: 

Master of Commerce in Economics 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
81293  Master of Commerce in Economics 
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 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Finance, Economics and Accounting 
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
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 
  • Preparation for taking up career as professional economist
  • Work in post requiring sound knowledge of economic fundamentals
  • Work in post requiring sound knowledge of South African economy
  • Preparation for taking doctoral qualification
  • Develop a strategy for learning
  • Identify and solve problems
  • Collect, analyse and critically evaluate data and information
  • Work with others effectively
  • Organise his/her own time and that of others
  • Use science and technology to collect data and process within the ethical norms for academic research.
  • Communicate effectively using the full range of available technologies in both written and oral form
  • Develop sound understanding of the economic challenges facing South Africa 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
  • Honours degree in Economics, with the requisite background in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics as determined by the head of School.
  • Students are expected to possess the necessary linguistic and numeracy skills to successfully deal with the subject matter of the course.
  • Students are required to possess the social skills necessary to make presentations to their peers and to work effectively in groups.
  • Compliance with Rule R33 of the common Rules of the University of Natal, Durban 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    Demonstrate:
  • Identifying and solving problems, in particular, identifying and specifying the economic context.
  • The ability to think logically and creatively.
  • The ability to understand concepts, theories and principles.
  • Be capable of accessing and analysing economic data and information.
  • The ability to utilise appropriate quantitative skills at a basic level in conjunction with critical reasoning to analyse, interpret and evaluate data and information.
  • Research and presentation skills.
  • Independence, self-motivation and self-reliance.
  • The ability to learn; in particular, the ability to understand, critically evaluate and build on the contributions of others in the chosen field.
  • The ability to develop and apply appropriate theory to real-world economic problems in a critical and creative fashion, showing an awareness of the necessary assumptions and the limits they impose on the conclusions reached.
  • Communication skills using a variety of techniques / methodologies.
  • An awareness of technology, its applications and limitations.
  • An understanding of the basic structure of any economy, with particular relevance to the South African case and its place within the world context.
  • An understanding of critical issues in the South African economy (including the ethical and moral questions), and of the policy options available, as well as an awareness of the contribution that they, as economists, can make.
  • Planning and organisational skills.
  • Teamwork skills
  • Networking skills 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Have the ability:
  • To understand concepts, theories and principles
  • To use critical reasoning in general in a logical and creative way
  • To apply critical reasoning to the solution of problems
  • To communicate effectively
  • To utilise appropriate techniques / methodologies for the effective presentation of an argument
  • To analyse problems / situations / the literature critically and present the results
  • To interact with peers and work as the member of a team, where appropriate
  • To access, synthesise, analyse and interpret data and information
  • To think creatively and utilise critical reasoning to place data and information in context
  • To use appropriate quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques
  • To interact with peers and work as the member of a team, where appropriate
  • Creatively and originality in the selection and treatment of a research topic of his/her own choice, usually but not necessarily relating to the South African economy
  • Holistic thinking and the integration of the learning experiences of all modules in the programme as they relate to the topic chosen
  • The critical application of theory to a real-world problem
  • The application of appropriate quantitative and qualitative skills to the analysis and evaluation of data
  • The critical assessment of the results of his/her analysis, and the recognition of the limits of the analysis
  • Self-motivation, independence and self-reliance

    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.

    Class presentations, participation in class discussions and assignments for each module.
    An examination for each module
    A research project which will usually include an empirical research component. The dissertation is the principal vehicle for ensuring that the material learnt in each module is integrated in the study of a real-world problem. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
  • Successful completion of the full programme provides the student with access to doctoral programmes or their equivalent at the University of Natal or other institutions
  • Successful completion of the coursework component provides the student with the post-graduate diploma, which allows the student to leave with a qualification without completing the research component
  • Students with such a qualification may re-enter the programme at a later stage, needing only to complete the dissertation portion 
    		•

    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. Examination papers and completed scripts are moderated by suitably qualified assessors from outside the University of Natal, Durban. Dissertations are moderated by suitably qualified assessors from outside the University of Natal, Durban. Where appropriate, assessors are appointed on the basis of their specialist knowledge of a particular topic, subject only to their possessing an academic qualification at least equal to that offered by the programme. All external assessors are approved by the Board of the Faculty. 

    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 


    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.