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 Protected-Area Management

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
81340	Master of Protected-Area Management
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 01 - Agriculture and Nature Conservation		Secondary Agriculture
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
14620	Master of Protected-Area Management	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	128	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

The qualification aims to produce well-qualified professionals able to improve the management of protected areas, particularly in Southern Africa, enabling them to promote effective development and use of such areas in a variety of contexts. The programme is based on a new vision of the need for trans-disciplinary professional training for the management of all categories of protected areas, in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa. It will be supported by strategic research, which addresses the requirements to enable the emergence of world-class management, which achieves synergy between the protection of resources, use by people and economic development. The qualification is founded on strategic alliances within South Africa (South African National Parks, KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Services and NGO's such as the Wilderness Action Group) and abroad (The University of Montana and the US Forest Service). These partnerships will ensure that the programme of training and research is relevant and maintains standards of excellence.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Possession of an Honours or four-year undergraduate degree acceptable to the Board of the Faculty in appropriate humanities or Science disciplines (512 credits of prior learning). Successful completion of the first-semester course-work components of the programme (64 credits) with a mark of 50 % or more.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Successful AdvCertProtAreaMgt students will be able to demonstrate

1. Understanding and appreciation of the origins, philosophies and ethics of natural-resource protection in various cultural and economic contexts.
2. Ability to interpret and influence the formulation of policies, legislation and regulations relevant to the establishment and management of protected areas.
3. Understanding and appreciation of the principles of protected-area management under different utilization strategies (e.g. biodiversity conservation versus resource harvesting).
4. Appreciation for and an ability to establish a learning-organisation culture as a means of promoting life-long learning.
5. Competence in conceptualization, formulation and implementation of protected area management plans.
6. Competence in protected-area management systems to achieve appropriate balances between perpetuation of biodiversity, enhancement of visitor experience, and public appreciation of and support for protected areas under different socio-cultural contexts.
7. Competence in communication, human relations and management of expectations and conflicts.
8. Understanding and appreciation of research as a source of information for strategic adaptive planning and management.
9. Ability to function collaboratively in real-world situations

Successful AdvDipProtAreaMgt diplomates will be able to demonstrate the above outcomes and, in addition, the ability to function effectively in an appropriate context in a real-world internship situation.

MProtAreaMgt graduates will be able to demonstrate the above outcomes and, in addition, the ability to apply a range of research methods to articulate and resolve protected-area management problems in a South African context.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Demonstrated fulfilment of the desired outcomes:

1. Course-work components assessed using a range of methods including tests, assignments and formal examinations, in written and oral form.
2. The above, and, in addition, an internship with a relevant organization, assessed through written and oral reports produced by the student, the academic supervisor(s) and the organizational supervisor(s).
3. The above, and, in addition, a mini-dissertation reporting a research project.

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.

For all students: A weeklong, open-book examination (including fieldwork and written academic discourse) in July, involving an authentic task in a specific environmental context functions as a capstone which brings together the knowledge, skills and attitudes learnt during the formal course-work component of the programme but does not comprise a distinct registrable module

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

The programme articulates with a variety of Honours Programmes in the humanities and sciences, both intra- and inter-institutional. Articulation is also possible with other appropriate diploma or degree programmes in combination with relevant experience.

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