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:

Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Sciences

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
84387	Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Sciences
ORIGINATOR
University of Johannesburg
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Doctoral Degree	Field 10 - Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences		Physical Sciences
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	360	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 10	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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
The Purpose of the doctoral qualification is to provide qualifying learner with an in-depth understanding and integrated knowledge of advanced applicable theory in the field of specialisation. A doctoral qualification in science is a pure science based research study that requires learners to demonstrate high-level research capability and make a significant and original academic contribution at the frontiers of the discipline of specialisation. The qualification demands a very high level of intellectual, theoretical and practical specialised science knowledge and insight into problems related to the field of study and of the application of advanced experimental methods and techniques of the modern research, as well as of fundamental scientific and academic values in generating, processing, interpreting and presenting research data orally and in written form.

Rationale:
The Rationale of the doctoral qualification is to provide qualifying learners with an in-depth understanding and integrated knowledge of advanced applicable theory in the field of specialisation.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):

Experienced learners are recommended to the Executive Dean and the HOD who will appoint a panel to follow the official procedure for Recognition of Prior Learning.

Entry Requirements:

Master of Philosophy in Natural Science, NQF Level 9.

QUALIFICATION RULES
Minimum credits required at specific levels: 360.

Thesis 360 Credits.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

Minimum credits required at specific levels: 360.

Thesis 360 Credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Exit Level Outcomes and the Associated Assessment Criteria:
1. Apply knowledge, theory and research methodologies and research methods/techniques creatively to complex practical, theoretical and epistemological problems.
2. Produce substantial, independent, in-depth and publishable work which is judged new and/or innovative by peers and makes a significant contribution to the area of specialisation.
3. Operate independently and take full responsibility for their own work and its consequences and also assume significant accountability for the work of others.
4. Demonstrate intellectual independence, research leadership and management of advanced research and research development in the science area of specialisation.
5. Demonstrate advanced information retrieval and processing skills, using appropriate Information Communication Technology (ICT).
6. Demonstrate a comprehensive, systematic and integrated grasp of the relevant specialist knowledge and expertise at the forefront of the science field and professional area of specialisation.
7. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the most advanced research methodologies, methods/techniques and technologies in the discipline/field of specialisation and participate in scholarly debates at the forefront thereof.
8. Evaluate their own and others' work on the basis of independent criteria.
9. Present and communicate the results of research and opinion using the full resources of an academic/professional discourse.
10. Operate autonomously in science specialized, complex, unpredictable or new contexts and identify and address emerging ethical issues.
11. Use a wide range of complex skills in identifying, conceptualizing, designing and implementing research projects that address complex and challenging problems at the forefront of the discipline/field of specialisation.
12. Independently undertake a study and evaluate literature/scientific data and current research in the area of specialisation.
13. Produce a thesis which meets international standards of scholarly/professional writing.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Integrated Assessment:

A doctoral study is assessed on the basis of a doctoral thesis only. The Institutional policymay, however, determine that an oral examination forms part of the academic requirements for the qualification.

Doctoral Degree learners are responsible for the technical and linguistic editing of the thesis, prior to submission for final summative assessment.

A thesis is submitted for final summative assessment, subject to the written permission of the supervisors. If a dispute should arise about the readiness of the thesis for final summative assessment, the Executive Dean of the Faculty makes a final decision in accordance with the Higher Degrees and Postgraduate Studies Policy.

The assessment of the thesis is in accordance with the Institution's Higher Degrees and Postgraduate Studies Policy and the faculty-specific criteria as determined by the Faculty Board and approved by the Senate.

A Doctoral thesis must be an original or unique contribution to the knowledge and philosophy of the subject. The extent of the original contribution will be determined by the supervisor/s, assessors and the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee.

A learner is not deemed to have completed the requirements for conferment of the Degree if the specified number of final corrected copies of the thesis has not been submitted to the relevant faculty administration officer prior to the graduation ceremony and closure of the graduation list for the forthcoming graduation ceremony.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The qualification is compared with international qualifications through Peer review and external moderation.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification offers horizontal articulation.

Horizontal Articulation:

Doctor of Philosophy, NQF Level 10.

MODERATION OPTIONS

N/A

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

N/A

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2009; 2012; 2015.

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 Johannesburg