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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Master of Public Administration 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
87176  Master of Public Administration 
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
Master's Degree  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Generic Management 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  180  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" 		 EXCO 0417/23  2018-07-01  2018-12-31 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2019-12-31   2022-12-31  

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 qualification is offered to provide qualifiers with an in-depth knowledge of Public Administration and Management skills so as to equip them for further intellectual development, gainful economic activity and the enhancement of professionalism in the South African public service. The qualification meets the needs of, inter alia, middle and senior management practitioners in the public sector who are keen to further enhance their career paths by obtaining the qualification.

Furthermore, graduates will be able to engage with and critique current theory and policy, and advance scholarship by conducting independent research in public administration and related fields, disseminating their findings and conclusions, thus making a significant contribution to the development of knowledge and professional practice in this field at an advanced level.

Rationale:
The qualification fits the academic needs of middle and senior management practitioners as well as political functionaries in local, provincial and the rationale national spheres of government. Therefore, this provides for the building of skills. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) RPL Policy will apply.

Entry Requirements:
The admission requirement is:
  • An Honours Degree with Public Administration. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification comprises of compulsory module at Level 9 totalling 190 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 190 Credits:
  • Advanced Public Policy Analysis and Planning, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Project Management, 20 Credits.
  • Professional Ethics for Public Managers, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Local Government Administration, 20 Credits.
  • Treatise, 90 Credits.
  • Administration for Development, 20 Credits.

    Elective Modules:
  • Advanced Personnel Administration, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Public Sector Information Technology, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Public Policy Analysis Skills and Techniques, 20 Credits.
  • Integrated Development Planning Skills and Techniques, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Administrative Technology, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Sector Governance, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Provincial Administration, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Personnel Management Skills and Techniques, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Administrative Theories, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Financial Administration, 20 Credits.
  • Advanced Financial Management Skills and Techniques, 20 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate specialist knowledge of public administration and management theories and practices with an ability to conceptualise new approaches and so contribute to knowledge development.
    2. Review and critique the application of capital and human resources and the implementation of development plans with a view to more accountable government and enhanced service delivery.
    3. Participate in and contribute to the development, implementation and review of policy and legislative prescriptions pertaining to the domain of public administration and management.
    4. Analyse and evaluate existing public sector development programmes and projects and propose strategies for improvements towards improved sustainability and efficiency.
    5. Access, process and manage information demonstrating an ability to design, conduct and report research grounded in public administration and management theory.
    6. Integrate public administration and management theories and apply them to, inter alia, relevant associated fields. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 1:
  • Overview of contemporary theories on public administration and management will be undertaken.
  • Critically review and reflect on theories.
  • Conceptualise and critique existing and alternative models pertaining to the internal and external environments of public administration and management.
  • Appraise socio-economic, cultural, environmental, service delivery and political tensions against the background of contemporary public administration and management theories and legislative prescriptions.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2:
  • Apply new methods, processes, systems and technologies in innovative ways to review and critique contemporary public sector strategies and plans (for example Integrated Development Planning, Developmental Local Government, the Batho Pele People First Principles and the Local Government Turnaround Strategy), practices and resource application, demonstrating cultural awareness and sensitivity for the rights of all communities.
  • Make a contribution to the development of ethical standards and applied as ethical criteria to specific socio-economic and political developmental contexts, demonstrating autonomous ethical decision making.
  • Analyse complex socio-economic and political developmental challenges and realistic interventions recommended, at an appropriate level and within a defined system.
  • Review community acceptance of programme planning and development processes (for example the ward committee system and IDP processes) through the application and interpretation of a variety of legislative prescriptions. The importance of community consultation and participation in development-appropriate discourses to a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge or expertise interrogated.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3:
  • Undertaken an analysis of a variety of pertinent legislation and the impact thereof on the public sector evaluated.
  • Select public policy perspectives will be critically engaged with and the impact of these perspectives on public sector resource allocation evaluated.
  • Interrogate diversity challenges in a vast changing world through globalisation and reported for the benefit of public sector managers, politicians and the community.
  • Evaluate the role of civil society and communities generally, in the success or failure of public sector policy and implementation at both the macro and micro levels against a background of, inter alia, culture, gender and human rights, community needs and aspirations, local pressure groupings and power structures, political, legal, social and financial realities.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 4:
  • Select public sector development programmes and/or projects analysed and evaluated.
  • Identify specific challenges in the way these programmes and/or projects have been devised and/or are being implemented, analysed and interventions or alternatives based on sound public management principles and practices proposed.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 5:
    Learners will be required to produce a well-structured research treatise of approximately 35 000 words (80 to 100 pages) demonstrating the following:
  • Demonstrate an appropriate research approach.
  • Demonstrate an appropriate (and justified) research design (for example, quantitative, qualitative or a mixed methods research methodology).
  • Demonstrate appropriate data collection techniques, processing and analysis thereof.
  • Demonstrate an ability to draw appropriate conclusions.
  • Research report writing skills.
  • Adherence to prescribed ethical protocols pertaining to research.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 6:
    Public Administration and Management theories, policies, principles and associated practices are integrated and applied to, inter alia, the following fields:
  • Macro and micro economic environments.
  • Public sector finance.
  • Political landscapes.
  • Monitoring and evaluation for public sector practitioners.
  • Public sector development strategies.
  • The environments of the National, Provincial and Local spheres of government.

    Integrated Assessment
    The research project and case studies are used for Integrated Assessment. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification compares well with similar qualifications offered at other institutions internationally. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification articulates vertically:
    Vertical Articulation:
  • A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Administration and Management. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    External moderation of dissertation. No moderating body. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    A Master's Degree in Public Administration or related field plus appropriate practical experience in the public sector. 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2009; 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. Nelson Mandela University 


    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.