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:

Doctor of Laws

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
87148	Doctor of Laws
ORIGINATOR
Nelson Mandela University
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 08 - Law, Military Science and Security		Justice in Society
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
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

This qualification includes specialisations, refer to the "Notes".
To produce graduates with specialised and in-depth knowledge of a specific field of law and a well-developed capacity for independent research.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Prospective students should be able to express their thoughts and ideas in either English or Afrikaans and have acquired such research skills as would adequately equip them for doctoral research.

Specific admission requirements:
The Magister Legum Degree or the equivalent thereof.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Specific Outcomes:

1. Foundational Competencies

Graduates should demonstrate:

1. A comprehensive and in-depth knowledge and understanding of a chosen field of law.
2. The ability to critically analyse and evaluate the sources of law and literature in the relevant field.
3. An understanding of the broader socio-political context of the law both nationally and internationally, and the potential application and effect of the researcher results in that context.

2. Practical Competencies

Graduates should demonstrate:

1. The achievement of intellectual independence and a capacity for independent research at an advance level.
2. Full and confident use of appropriate research tools and techniques.
3. The ability to identify and define problems, uncertainties, inconsistencies and lacunae in the chosen field of law and generating appropriate solutions.

3. Reflexive Competencies

Graduates should:

1. Demonstrate competent professional engagement in debate with a panel of experts around topical issues in the chosen field of law.
2. Produce a thesis which contributes to original knowledge in the chosen field and which meets the criteria for publication.

Critical Outcomes

The critical outcomes referred to in SAQA regulation are embedded in the abovementioned specific outcomes as follows:

1. Identifying and solving problems using critical and creative thinking
2. Effective teamwork
3. Effective management of oneself
4. Collecting, analysing and critically evaluating information
5. Effective communication
6. Effective use of science and technology
7. Understanding the inter-relation of systems in the world
8. Full personal development of the learner

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Integrated Assessment

1. Formative assessment takes place in two ways:

An oral examination of the candidate by a panel of experts;

Continuous assessment by the candidate's promoter through discussion sessions and the writing of draft research reports.

2. Summative assessment takes place through examination of a research report in the form of a thesis

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Articulation it is not an issue on doctoral level.

MODERATION OPTIONS

The oral examination and the thesis are both co-examined by at least two external examiners from another university.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

An LLD degree or PhD degree in Law, as well as proven expertise in the proposed field of research.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

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

NOTES

The qualification includes the following specialisation:

Master of Arts in Anthropology.

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.	Nelson Mandela University