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: 

Postgraduate Diploma: Public Administration 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
83587  Postgraduate Diploma: Public Administration 
ORIGINATOR
University of South Africa 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Postgraduate Diploma  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Public Administration 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  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 
Purpose:

Upon completion of the Postgraduate Diploma: Public Administration, the qualified student would have been actively engaged in becoming a well-rounded, educated person, specifically preparing for further, more specific study and/or the work environment as an employer/manager in an administrative section. He or she will have a theoretical foundation that will guide him/her in the work environment to act as a functional level manager or at a higher management level. The person achieving this qualification will have developed certain values and be able to integrate general administrative knowledge and skills, management functions and the application of the theory of administration and management to achieve his/her goals.

Qualifying postgraduate learners can demonstrate:
  • Systematic knowledge, specialised skills, applied competence and appropriate attitudes and values in the field of public administration to become employable workers and contributors to public administration in various public and civic contexts.
  • In-depth knowledge and the ability to identify, define and solve complex problems.
  • The ability to widen the leadership base in innovative and knowledge-based public administration and scholarly activity.
  • The skills to play a constructive role as change agents in the field of public administration.
  • An understanding of the need for life-long learning and continued personal development.

    Rationale:

    Public Administration in South Africa does not always meet the expectations of the public that it serves and the level of service delivery by all officials needs to be improved. This qualification will equip middle to senior managers with the knowledge and skills they require to lead the staff working with and for them to higher levels of service delivery in which they regard the needs of clients as paramount. This improvement in service delivery needs managers who are critical thinkers, who can identify the complex problems besetting public service delivery, who can actively be change managers in the system and who themselves have advanced knowledge of management and administration. This qualification is designed to produce public administration managers who are able to lead such improvement in service delivery. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
  • Students should have good reading and writing skills in the language of learning and teaching of the provider.
  • Students should be able to analyse and respond to variety of text.
  • Students should be able to learn independently in an Open and Distance Learning context (ODL) with minimum support.

    Recognition of Prior Learning:

    Recognition of Prior Learning can be applied:
  • To grant admission to the course by learners who do not meet the admission requirements.
  • To gain credits towards the qualification.

    Recognition of Prior Learning is applied in terms of policy and criteria of the university.

    Access to the Qualification:

    Access is open to learners with an appropriate Bachelor's Degree at NQF Level 7. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    Five tutored year modules of 24 credits each, totaling 120 credits.
  • Strategic Public Management.
  • Strategic Public Human Resource Management.
  • Public Policy Management.
  • Public Financial Accountability.
  • Reflective Public Administration. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
  • Demonstrate coherent and critical understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, theory and paradigms, professional practice and ethical standards in public administration.
    Range: Public management, public human resource management, public policy management and public financial accountability.
  • Demonstrate advanced scholarship in one of the specialisation areas of public administration.
  • Draw on own knowledge, ethical standards, theories and paradigms, research methods, techniques and technologies to identify, analyse and address complex and/or real-life problems in the workplace in public administration.
  • Demonstrate capacity to manage and self-assess learning tasks autonomously, professionally, responsibly and ethically with due consideration for own continued professional growth and development.

    Critical Cross-Field Outcomes:

    All the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are addressed by this qualification. They are:
  • Identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made.
  • Working effectively with others as a member of a team, institution and community.
  • Managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively.
  • Collecting, analysing, organizing and critically evaluating information.
  • Communicating effectively, using visual and language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion.
  • Demonstrating an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognizing that problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation.
  • Contributing to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of society at large.
  • Reflecting on and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more effectively.
  • Participating as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities.
  • Being cultural and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts.
  • Exploring further education and career opportunities. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The following set of generic assessment criteria apply to the qualification as a whole:
  • Current research and multiple sources of scholarly literature are reviewed, critiqued and evaluated in an intellectually independent manner and sound theoretical judgements are made by using well-reasoned, theory-driven and evidence-based arguments.
  • Standard procedures, processes and techniques to deal theoretically with or empirically investigate complex, abstract or real-life world problems in a particular area of public administration are appropriately applied.
  • Independent analyses and interpretation of theoretical, quantitative and qualitative data and information are conducted and demonstrate coherent and critical insight by means of well-rounded, theory-driven and evidence-based arguments and critical self-reflection.
  • Judgements and conclusions are made based on information and data and are clearly communicated to specialist and non-specialist audiences using the resources of an academic discourse appropriately, reliably and accurately.
  • Critical self-assessment, which reflects an awareness of the need to take responsibility for own activities, ethical behaviour and continued professional development in the field of public administration is demonstrated.
  • Reasoning, viewpoints, insights and ideas are given, which reflect an acceptable social sensitivity in the student's relationship and interaction with others and work in the scholarly and public administration work environment.
  • Ethical decisions, which affect knowledge production and/or complex institutional issues are made with social sensitivity and awareness of consequences in an autonomous manner.

    Integrated Assessment:
  • Formative Assessment:

    Learning and assessment are integrated. The study guides contain self-assessment tasks with feedback. The scheme of work includes written assignments based on the learning material which students have to submit and for which they earn year marks. Students are given feedback in the form of written comments in the assignments and suggested solutions. The process is continuous and focuses on smaller sections of the work and a limited number of outcomes.

    Assignment marks contribute 10% towards the student's final mark.
  • Summative Assessment:

    Examinations are set which include assessment of a representative selection of outcomes practiced and assessed in the formative stage. Summative assessment also tests the student's ability to manage and integrate a large body of knowledge to achieve the stated outcomes of a module:
  • One three-hour examination per module per year.
  • Unless otherwise stated, a subminimum of 40% must be obtained in the examination.
  • The mark obtained in the examination contributes 90% to the student's final mark.
  • Integrated Assessment:

    All assessment will integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes and applied competence. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Unisa forms part of an internationally recognised comparability system whereby university qualifications are evaluated against international comparators and made comparable accordingly.

    Unisa`s qualifications are made comparable to similar qualifications offered internationally and which are included in the International Handbook of Universities and in the Commonwealth Universities` Yearbook. This qualification is one of those that compares with similar qualifications listed in those Hand and Year Books. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Horizontal Articulation:

    The qualification will articulate with those of other universities at the same level.

    Vertical Articulation:

    Completion of this qualification meets the minimum entry requirement for admission to the Master of Public Administration (MPA) Degree. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Moderation is conducted internally through a system of second examiners. All modules will also have an external examiner from another higher education institution. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    The following criteria are specified for assessors:
  • Assessors need experience in interpersonal skills, subject matter and assessment.
  • Assessors need to be competent in the planning and conducting of assessment of learning outcomes and in the design and development of assessment.
  • Subject matter experience must be well developed within the field of Public Administration and Management.
  • The assessor must at least have an appropriate Honours Degree or Postgraduate Diploma: Public Administration and Management or equivalent qualification. 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS 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 South Africa 


    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.