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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Arts in Neuropsychology 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
88102  Master of Arts in Neuropsychology 
ORIGINATOR
University of Cape Town 
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 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services  Promotive Health and Developmental Services 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  180  Not Applicable  NQF Level 09  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:

The purpose of the qualification is to produce graduates who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to register and practise as autonomous and socially responsible neuropsychologists, in accordance with the regulations and standards as set by the Professional Board of Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). On completion of the qualification, graduates will be equipped with advanced research and academic knowledge and skills with applicability in the field of neuroscience and mental health. Completion of the qualification will enhance the career of postgraduates by qualifying them as neuropsychologists.

Further, the purpose of the qualification is to produce postgraduates who can contribute to the economy and well-being of South Africa by providing expert services in neuropsychology, particularly to those previously unable to access practitioners with neuropsychological expertise. This qualification will also enable postgraduate educators to facilitate the propagation of neuropsychological expertise in other South African universities.

Rationale:

This qualification course will constitute the training programme for a Master of Arts in Neuropsychology, which will lead to a professional registration as a Neuropsychologist with the HPCSA, which organisation has approved the implementation of Neuropsychology as a new registration category and has developed the scope of practice and education and training guidelines. This degree will stand alongside the MA in Clinical Psychology. Students who wish to pursue a professional career within the applied psychological arena will now have a further opportunity to do this.

The HPCSA has deemed this registration category relevant and a requisite for the South African context, as South Africa has extremely high numbers of people who are born with neuropsychological impairment or acquire such impairment secondary to illness or accident. Little knowledge, training or intervention is available at present in South Africa for such individuals and the neuropsychologist will play a major role in the identification and treatment of such individuals. The Department of Psychology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has a long history in offering training for the current applied registration category (Clinical Psychology).

Students who complete the course and register as neuropsychologists with the HPCSA will have opportunities to work in the Health Professions and develop individual careers devoted to the service and care of others, and also to assist other South African universities to propagate neuropsychological knowledge and skills. South Africa has long lagged behind other countries in offering training and registration in Neuropsychology. Such training and registration is offered in places such as the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Australia and New Zealand. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Knowledge of the following is assumed:
  • Basic functional neuro-anatomy.
  • Brain-behaviour relationships.
  • Normal human cognition.
  • Basics of psychological assessment and psychometrics.

    Access to the Qualification:
  • Bachelor Honours Degree in Psychology or Neuropsychology. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    The qualification has a total of 192 credits.
    All the modules are compulsory.
    The modules each have 24 credits, except for the Dissertation, which has 96 credits.

    Modules:
  • Introduction to Neuropsychology.
  • Neuropsychology Disorders.
  • Neuropathologies.
  • Neuropsychology Practicals.
  • Dissertation. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Assess and diagnose neuropsychological disorders, and make differential diagnoses of the full range of neuropsychological and relevant non-neuropsychological disorders, and demonstrate understanding of the relationship between such disorders and underlying pathology and normal mechanisms of the brain.

    2. Comprehend and communicate findings to and from other professionals relevant to neuropsychological disorders, and to and from patients and their families.

    3. Design, implement and monitor neuropsychological rehabilitation programmes.

    4. Produce a dissertation on neuropsychological research.

    Critical Cross-Field Outcomes:

    All the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are addressed in the qualification. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The following Associated Assessment Criteria apply to all the Exit Level Outcomes:
  • Demonstrate competency in hypothetico-deductive methods of neuropsychological assessment of a wide range of disorders and pathologies, in counselling patients and families and in the design and implementation of neuropsychological rehabilitation programmes.
  • Demonstrate competency in both the theory and assessment of neuropsychological disorders and in neuropsychological differential diagnosis in particular, as well as in the relationship between neuropsychological disorders and underlying brain pathologies and mechanisms.
  • Demonstrate competency in psychological assessment, counselling, psychopathology differential diagnosis, clinical practice and research in general and ethics in particular.
  • Demonstrate competency in functional neuro-anatomy, neuroradiology, clinical neurology, paediatrics, geriatrics and psychiatry - insofar as these are required for neuropsychological assessment and communication.
  • Demonstrate competency in neuropathologies of relevance to neuropsychologists, with special reference to the relevance of modes of onset and clinical course of the illness and to the relationships between pathophysiology and clinical presentation.
  • Demonstrate competency in analytical research processes and produce a dissertation on an area of study within the field of neuropsychology that interrogates professional literature and engages in critical debate and publish this dissertation in accordance with institutional policy.

    Integrated Assessment:

    End of first year examinations are marked by internal examiners and moderated by a departmental external examiner.
    End of first year practical examination is marked and moderated by a programme external examiner and moderated further by a departmental external examiner.
    End of first year due performance certificate, based on continuous supervised case work and case presentations is sent to internal examiners/moderators.
    Dissertation is marked by external examiners. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Internationally, clinical neuropsychology is studied in several ways.
  • As a speciality track of clinical psychology training such as is offered by the University of Windsor, Canada where the programme is accredited by both the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and the American Psychological Association (APA).
    All qualifications comprise departmental core courses, dissertation and a dedicated track for specialisation in clinical neuropsychology.
  • As a Post-Doctoral fellowship following on from clinical training such as that offered by Boston University, United States of America or Glasgow University in Scotland.
  • As a separate qualification at either Master's Degree or PhD Degree Levels. Melbourne University, Australia, offers a Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) which is a full-time, two-year course, comprising 200 points across dissertation, placement and coursework. Monash University, Australia, offers a four-year, full-time PhD programme which is accredited with the Australian Psychological Society.

    This qualification appears to conform to those currently offered internationally. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Horizontal articulation:
    This qualification articulates horizontally with any Master's Degree in the related fields of Health or Psychology at NQF Level 9.

    Vertical articulation:
    This qualification articulates vertically with a Doctoral Degree in Neuropsychology or any other Doctorate in the related fields of Health or Psychology at NQF Level 10. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • A member of the independent South African Clinical Neuropsychology Association is invited to be the external moderator of the clinical examinations.
  • Senior faculty members act as moderators for the written examinations. Both of these categories of moderation are vetted by the departmental external examiner.
  • The research dissertation moderators are selected by the institution and their recommendations are subject to review by the same. 
    		•

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    The HPCSA appoints its own assessors in terms of compliance with the requirements of the Professional Board. 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 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 Cape Town 


    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.