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 Science: Medical Sciences

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
8923	Doctor of Science: Medical Sciences
ORIGINATOR
University of the Free State
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 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services		Preventive Health
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	240	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 0695/12	2012-07-01	2014-12-31
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2015-12-31		2018-12-31

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 is replaced by:

Qual ID	Qualification Title	Pre-2009 NQF Level	NQF Level	Min Credits	Replacement Status
96503	Doctor of Medical Science	Not Applicable	NQF Level 10	360	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Apply educational knowledge, skills, principles and methods as a specialist medical scientist. Qualifiers will demonstrate knowledge, skills and applied competence in the field of study that provide opportunities for continued personal growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Learners who register for this qualification can: Learn from predominantly written material; Communicate what they have learnt comprehensively in the medium of instruction; Learn and take responsibility for their own progress. NQF Level 7 in science or equivalent. Appropriate Magister or other qualification deemed adequate by the Senate of the UOFS. Official institutional requirements for doctorate studies apply.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

N

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

The planned combination of learning outcomes are integrated with critical cross-field outcomes for this Qualification: Practical Competency The demonstrated ability/skill to achieve the major Skills/Applied Competency of the qualification. Foundational Competency The demonstrated understanding, by the Learner, of the embedded knowledge that underpins the end result/outcome. Reflective competency The demonstrated ability/skill to integrate or connect our performances and to reflect on, evaluate and adopt the above competencies. The Learner will be capable of: Conducting original, independent research in the specialist discipline in medical sciences Working as authoritative specialists in medical sciences Being leaders in the field and offering solutions through research to the benefit of medical sciences Understanding health sciences problems and needs and bringing forth solutions/ satisfying needs in the specialist field of medical science. The learner will be able to demonstrate: Make an original, outstanding contribution to the field of specialisation Present research findings in the form of an extensive range of publications/ presentations Demonstrate an authoritative knowledge and understanding of the specialist field of study Demonstrate proficiency and skill in executing independent research Give proof of being an outstanding academic and researcher Apply new knowledge Search for solutions to problems in the field of specialisation.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Learners will demonstrate their knowledge and skills in accordance with standards laid down by the University and Professional Board through: Assignments, written, practical and oral examinations Completion of research of outstanding quality Prominence as researcher in the field of specialisation Acknowledgement from other specialists in the field An excellent record of achievements in the field An extensive list of publications Leadership in the field. Integrated assessment: Competence is achieved, through continuous assessment by demonstrating the ability to achieve the outcomes of the Qualification Module course mark Workplace assessment through practicals Workplace assessment through student teaching Assignments Oral and group work Examinations Informal evaluations, e.g. feedback, residency, assignments Formal evaluations tests and practical (skills) and oral examinations Formal end evaluations. Assessment documents are moderated to ensure that: They conform to the scope and context of the competency as stipulated in the qualification. They are constructed in such a way that the Assessor assesses the critical outcomes applied, during the Learner's activity performances, towards achieving an outcome. Assessments are: To include confirmation of the Embedded Knowledge component to ensure that the Foundational Competency is achieved. To be verified by Internal Verifiers to ensure valid, credible, true and fair results.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Vertical: None Horizontal: Other doctorate degree programmes in related fields.

MODERATION OPTIONS

A system of external peer review and evaluation of departments including evaluation of the standards and assessment practices per Department. Qualifications: The minimum academic and workplace experience requirements at a level above the level of moderation. Appropriate professional criteria will be drafted in the case of workplace assessment. Mentorship: All junior and new members of staff are mentored by senior members as they work together in teams. All assessment done by external assessors is quality controlled by internal staff. Any moderation criteria as determined by the ETQA. Internal examiners and moderators. A panel of experts in the field. The Medical Research Council. Experts/renowned specialists in the field. External Moderators are selected from the Health Professions Council in South Africa. Internal and external examiners and moderators. Requirements and guidelines of the HPCSA. Requirements and guidelines of the Faculty of Health Sciences, UOFS.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

The academic staff of the University of the Free State complies with standards set by Senate and will exercise their assessment within the approved quality assurance system of the University. Assessors will also meet all criteria as stipulated by the relevant ETQA. Assessors are: Subject matter specialists Registered with the awarding body Accredited by the awarding body after achieving competency against Unit Standards of competence for Assessors To be administrated, advised and coached by an Internal Verifier.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012.

NOTES

N/A

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

When qualifications are replaced, some of their learning programmes are moved to being recorded against the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replacement.

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 the Free State

---

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.