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: 

Master of Arts 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
9103  Master of Arts 
ORIGINATOR
University of Witwatersrand 
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 07 - Human and Social Studies  General Social Science 
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
Registered  EXCO 0733/25  2024-06-30  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

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 qualification is to provide learners with Postgraduate-level knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in a number of specialist fields of Humanities that provide opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society.

The qualification represents planned learning outcomes, namely that the learner will be qualified to render holistic, integrated and intersectoral services, reflecting diversity, accessibility and equal distribution of resources for all South Africans. The outcomes are designed to promote lifelong learning

The qualifying learner will be able to:
  • Be sophisticated and resourceful thinking.
  • Gain complex problem-solving and application skills.
  • Demonstrate an advanced critical awareness in appropriate disciplinary areas.
  • Design and conduct appropriate research.
  • Possess knowledge building, leadership and decision-making skills in professional contexts.

    Rationale:
    The qualification will produce researchers and leaders in different fields who thus contribute to the economy and social well-being of South Africa. South Africa will benefit with a significant number of experts in the Humanities that ensure that the local and international leadership base of innovative and knowledge-based scholarly activity is widened.

    For those considering a PhD or other doctoral programmes, Master of Arts is often a necessary step. It provides the academic foundation and research experience needed for success in more advanced studies in humanities (different fields).

    The typical learners are those who have completed their undergraduate qualifications in Humanities and will want to further their knowledge in their fields and some may be working in different industries. Some learners may be planning for careers in academia, and the qualification will broaden their exposure to the subject and balance with some exposure to independent research. These learners will on completion have the option of either joining the industry or opting to pursue higher degrees afterwards.

    Depending on the specialisation or fields, graduates may be employed in senior positions in sectors such as education, communications, government and public policy; nonprofit and social services, human resources, corporate training and consulting. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy which is applicable with regards to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications. RPL may be applied for access, credits from modules and credits for or towards the qualification.

    RPL for access:
  • Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
  • To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations should they be allowed entrance into the qualification.

    RPL for exemption of modules
  • Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted for modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

    RPL for credit:
  • Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
  • Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

    Entry requirements:
    The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours or equivalent, NQF Level 8.
    Or
  • Professional Bachelor of Arts, NQF Level 8. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 9 totalling 180 Credits in different fields:

    Compulsory module, Level 9, 180 Credits (by Research only):
  • Dissertation, 180 Credits.

    Or
    By Coursework and Research Report:

    in the field of African Languages and Linguistics
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 120 Credits:
  • > Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Advanced Morphology, 30 Credits.

    Elective Modules, Level 9, 60 Credits (Select two modules):
  • Advanced Phonology, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Syntax, 30 Credits.
  • Approved topic in African Languages and Linguistics, 30 Credits.
  • Comparative and Historical Linguistics, 30 Credits.
  • Comparative Phonetics of South African Languages, 30 Credits.
  • Language Policy and Planning, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in African Languages, 30 Credits.
  • Semantics, 30 Credits.
  • Traditional Literature, 30 Credits.
  • Translation, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Alternative African Film Studies in Cinema and Television, 30 Credits.

    in the field of African Literature
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.

    Elective Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select three modules):
  • African Popular Media and the Novel, 30 Credits.
  • Canonical Writers and the Postcolonial Experience, 30 Credits.
  • Contemporary Trends in African Literature, 30 Credits.
  • Critical Approaches to African Literature, 30 Credits.
  • Memory, Violence and Representation in Africa, 30 Credits.
  • Orality, Literacy and Readership, 30 Credits.
  • Slavery and Literature, 30 Credits.
  • Twentieth Century Black Intellectual History, 30 Credits.
  • Narratives of the Indian Ocean, 30 Credits.
  • African Cinema, 30 Credits.
  • The History of the Book in Africa, 30 Credits.
  • Black Intellectual Traditions and Histories, 30 Credits.
  • Sentiment, Sensation and Feeling, 30 Credits.

    the field of Applied Drama: Theatre in Education, Communities and Social Context
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report in Applied Drama, 90 Credits.
  • Drama Research, 18 Credits.

    Elective Modules, Level 9, 72 Credits.
  • Critical Reflexive Practice in Applied Drama and Theatre A, 18 Credits.
  • Critical Reflexive Practice in Applied Drama and Theatre B, 18 Credits.
  • Theatre Studies and Performance Theory, 30 Credits.
  • Drama in Education, 18 Credits.
  • Theatre as Activism, Education and Therapy, 18 Credits.
  • Performance Ethnography, 18 Credits.
  • Building Democracy through Theatre-Making, 38 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Anthropology
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report in Anthropology, 90 Credits.
  • African Ethnography, 30 Credits.
  • Craft of Anthropology: Research Methods, 30 Credits.

    Elective Modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Anthropological Approaches to Culture, 30 Credits.
  • Anthropology and Development, 30 Credits.
  • Identity and Culture, 30 Credits.
  • Nationalism and Transformation, 30 Credits.
  • Performance Theory, 30 Credits.
  • Political and Legal Anthropology, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Social Anthropology, 30 Credits.
  • Medical Anthropology, 30 Credits.
  • Economic Anthropology, 30 Credits.
  • Ethnographic Analysis and Writing, 30 Credits.
  • Sociocultural Theory, 30 Credits.
  • The Place of 'Race' in Western Medicine, 30 Credits.
  • Art, Archives, Anthropology, 30 Credits.
  • The Sociology of Health and Illness, 30 Credits.
  • Current Epidemics in Africa, 30 Credits.
  • Identity, Movement and Control: Theories of Southern African Migration, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Social Science, 30 Credits.
    If a candidate has successfully completed Theory, Data and Methods in Anthropology and African Ethnography (BA Honours) s/he must take three modules from above instead of one module.

    the field of Applied Ethics for Professionals
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 120 Credits:
  • Applied Ethics Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Methods of Applied Ethics, 30 Credits.

    Elective Modules, Level 9, 60 Credits (Select one module):
  • Social Justice, 15 Credits.
  • Morality and the Marketplace, 15 Credits.
  • Morality and the Law, 15 Credits.
  • Issues in Biomedical Ethics, 15 Credits.
  • Information and Privacy, 15 Credits.
  • Ethics and the Environment, 15 Credits.
  • Ethical Theory, 15 Credits.
  • Cultural Pluralism and Ethics, 15 Credits.
  • The Value of Life, 15 Credits.
  • Directed study on a further approved topic, 15 Credits.
  • Ethics and International Affairs, 15 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Contemporary Curatorial Practice
    Compulsory modules, Level 9, 150 Credits.
  • Research Report: Contemporary Curatorial Practice, 90 Credits.
  • Exhibition Histories, 30 Credits.
  • Curating Exhibitions, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Collections Management, 30 Credits.
  • Museum Education, 30 Credits.
  • Curatorial as an Artistic Practice, 30 Credits.
  • Construction of Contemporary South African Art, 30 Credits
  • African Art History, 30 Credits.
  • Postcolonial Art History, 30 Credits.
  • Public Culture, 30 Credits.
  • Archive Theory and Practice Economy, 30 Credits.
  • Arts Marketing and Creative Markets, 30 Credits.
  • Creativity, Culture and the Economy, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Cultural Policy and Management
    Compulsory modules, Level 9, 120 Credits.
  • Cultural Policy and Management Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Cultural Policy and Leadership, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Media Management, 30 Credits.
  • Strategic Planning in the Arts, 30 Credits.
  • Arts Marketing and Creative Markets, 30 Credits.
  • Cultural Entrepreneurship, 30 Credits.
  • Heritage and Cultural Tourism Management, 30 Credits.
  • Creativity, Culture and the Economy, 30 Credits.
  • Digital Humanities, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate, a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty, if it is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Critical Diversity Studies
    Compulsory modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Critical Diversity Literacies, 30 Credits.
  • Theories of Diversity, Otherness and Difference, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Memory, Violence and Representation in Africa, 30 Credits
  • 20th Century Black Intellectual History, 30 Credits.
  • Representations of Identity, 30 Credits.
  • Gender Studies and Performance Education, 30 Credits.
  • Education in Developing Countries, 30 Credits.
  • Inclusive Education: Concepts, Issues and Strategies, 30 Credits.
  • Psychosocial Studies in Childhood and Youth, 30 Credits.
  • Psychosocial Studies in Gender, 30 Credits.
  • Politics of Race, Representation and Memory, 30 Credits.
  • Critical Studies in Race, Racialisation and Racism, 30 Credits.
  • Violence, Conflict, Identity and Transformation, 30 Credits.
  • Debates in Feminism, Politics and Society, 30 Credits.
  • Methods for Critical Diversity Studies, 30 Credits.

    Or by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Development Studies
    Compulsory modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Development Research Methods, 30 Credits.
  • Economics and Sociology of Development, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Anthropology of Development and Population Displacement, 30 Credits.
  • Anthropology of Work Cultures, 30 Credits.
  • African Ethnography, 30 Credits.
  • Capitalism and the Countryside, 30 Credits.
  • The Making of Urban South Africa, 30 Credits.
  • African Conflict, 30 Credits.
  • The International Political Economy of Development, 30 Credits.
  • African Human Security in an International Context, 30 Credits.
  • Development Theories, Issues, Problems and Strategies, 30 Credits.
  • The State in Africa: Democratisation and Crisis, 30 Credits.
  • Political Thought, 30 Credits.
  • Public Policy and Political Economy Analysis, 30 Credits.
  • Development of Ideology and Practice, 30 Credits.
  • Economic Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Environmental Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Global Institutions and Economic Restructuring, 30 Credits.
  • Globalisation, Social Policy and Social Planning, 30 Credits.
  • Labour Movements in Developing Societies, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Social Transitions, 30 Credits.
  • The Making of the South African Social Order, 30 Credits.
  • The Sociology of Health and Illness, 30 Credits.
  • Land and Agrarian Reform in Southern Africa, 30 Credits.
  • Whiteness, Race and National Identity, 30 Credits.
  • Work and Industrial Relations, 30 Credits.
  • Labour in the Global Economy, 30 Credits.
  • Mineworkers and Mining: Migrancy, Power and Resistance, 30 Credits.
  • Institutional Reform, Poverty Reduction and Development, 30 Credits.
  • Labour and Development, 30 Credits.
  • HIV/AIDS, Sexual and Reproductive Health in Social Context, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Drama Therapy
    Compulsory modules, Level 9, 180 Credits:
  • Research Report in Drama Therapy, 90 Credits.
  • Drama Research, 18 Credits.
  • Critical Reflexive Praxis in Drama Therapy A, 18 Credits.
  • Critical Reflexive Praxis in Drama Therapy B, 18 Credits.
  • Advanced Drama Therapy: Theory and Practice A, 18 Credits.

    in the field of eScience
    Compulsory modules, Level 9, 150 Credits.
  • E Science Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Research Methods and Capstone Project in Data Science, 15 Credits.
  • Data Privacy and Ethics, 15 Credits.
    Or
  • Advanced Topics in Quantitative Social Research, 30 Credits.
    Or
  • Statistical Modelling for the Social Sciences and Humanities, 15 Credits.
  • Applied Data Science for the Social Sciences and Humanities, 15 Credits.
    Or
  • Statistical Computing and Inference for the Social Sciences and Humanities, 30 Credits.

    Elective Modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select two modules):
  • Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning, 15 Credits.
  • Data Visualisation and Exploration, 15 Credits.
  • Large Scale Computing Systems and Scientific Programming, 15 Credits.
  • Large Scale Optimisation for Data Science, 15 Credits.
  • Mathematical Foundations of Data Science, 15 Credits.
  • Special Topics in Data Science, 15 Credits.
  • Statistical Foundations of Data Science, 15 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Data Science for the Social Sciences and Humanities, 15 Credits.

    in the field of Transnational Literary and Cultural Studies
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 120 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Comparative Postcolonialisms, 30 Credits.

    Elective Modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Sense of Space, 30 Credits.
  • Fantasy, Science Fiction and the Fiction of the Unreal, 30 Credits.
  • Locus of Paradoxes: Mythical Past, Lost Present and Marginalised Space, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in European Literature, 30 Credits.
  • The Detective Story, 30 Credits.
  • The Heroine's Text, 30 Credits.
  • Turn of the Century Avant-Garde Movements, 30 Credits.

    Elective Modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Baroque and Surrealism, 30 Credits.
  • (Re) writing History, 30 Credits.
  • Power, Politics and the Stage, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in European Literature, 30 Credits
  • Social Change in the 19th Century Novel, 30 Credits
  • Writing the City, 30 Credits

    in the field of French and Francophone Studies
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select three modules):
  • Business French, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in French Language, 30 Credits.
  • Baroque and Surrealism, 30 Credits.
  • African Oral Tradition, 30 Credits.
  • Francophone African Literature, 30 Credits.
  • French and Information Technology, 30 Credits.
  • French Stylistics, 30 Credits.
  • Techniques of academic essay writing and methodology for literary research, 30 Credits.
  • Critical Writing in French, 30 Credits.

    in the field of German Studies
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select three modules):
  • Re-Tracing the Past, 30 Credits.
  • Canonical Texts in German Literature, 30 Credits.
  • Contemporary German Literature, 30 Credits.
  • German Speaking Societies: Image and Reality, 30 Credits.
  • Images of the Other, 30 Credits.
  • Literature and Society, 30 Credits.
  • Modernism and Postmodernism, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in German Language and Literature, 30 Credits.

    in the field of Health Demography
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Health Demography, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Statistics for Demographic Survey and Analysis, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits:
  • The Sociology of Health and Illness, 30 Credits.
    Or
  • Epidemiology for Health Researchers I, 15 Credits.
    and
  • Epidemiology for Health Researchers II, 15 Credits.
    And/or
  • Epidemiology for Health Researchers III, 15 Credits.

    in the field of Health Sociology
    Compulsory modules, Level 9, 180 Credits.
  • Research Report on an Approved Topic in Health Sociology, 90 Credits.
  • Advanced Research Methods, 30 Credits.
  • The Sociology of Health and Illness, 30 Credits
  • Current Epidemics in Africa, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that s a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of History
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select three modules):
  • Capitalism and the South African Countryside, 30 Credits
  • Civil War and Reconstruction in the United States, 30 Credits.
  • Directed Readings in History, 30 Credits.
  • Representations and Re-representations in History, 30 Credits.
  • Rural Development, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in History, 30 Credits.
  • The Making of Urban South Africa, 30 Credits.
  • Themes in African-American History in the United States, 30 Credits.
  • War and European Society in the 20th Century, 30 Credits.
  • Oral and Documentary History: Theory and Practice, 30 Credits.
  • Histories of the Global South, 30 Credits.
  • The Environmental History of Africa, 30 Credits.
  • The Sociology of Health and Illness, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Social Science, 30 Credits.

    in the field of History and Film Documentary
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select three modules):
  • Capitalism and the South African Countryside, 30 Credits.
  • Power, Protest and the Press: The History of the English Language Newspapers, 30 Credits.
  • Representations and Re-representations in History, 30 Credits.
  • Rural Development, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in History, 30 Credits.
  • The Making of Urban South Africa, 30 Credits.
  • War and European Society in the 20th Century, 30 Credits.
  • Southern Africa, AD 1000-1880, 30 Credits.
  • The History and Politics of Identity in Pre-Colonial South Africa, 30 Credits.

    in the field of History of Art
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select three modules):
  • African Art History, 30 Credits.
  • Rewriting the Self, 30 Credits.
  • Writing Art's Histories, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in the History of Art, 30 Credits.
  • Museum Education, 30 Credits.
  • Postcolonial Art History, 30 Credits.
  • Exhibitions Histories, 30 Credits.
  • Art and Science, 30 Credits.
  • Collections Management, 30 Credits.
  • Art and Technology, 30 Credits.
  • Representing Slavery, 30 Credits.
  • Public Culture, 30 Credits.

    in the field of ICT Policy and Regulation
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 180 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Global Trends in ICT Policy, Law, Market Structures and Regulatory Reform, 30 Credits.
  • ICT Infrastructure, Technologies, Resources, Applications and Innovation, 30 Credits.
  • Research Methods in ICT Policy and Regulation, 30 Credits.

    in the field of Labour, Economic and Development Sociology
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Advanced IR Academic Literacy and Research Methodology, 30 Credits.
  • Economic Sociology, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Advanced Social Research, 30 Credits.
  • African Labour Movements in Comparative Perspective, 30 Credits.
  • Biography and Society, 30 Credits.
  • Collective Action and Social Movements, 30 Credits.
  • Development as Ideology and Practice, 30 Credits.
  • Environmental Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Global Institutions and Economic Restructuring, 30 Credits.
  • Globalisation, Social Policy and Social Planning, 30 Credits.
  • Human Rights and Power, 30 Credits.
  • Labour Movements in Developing Societies, 30 Credits.
  • Militarisation and Development, 30 Credits.
  • Mineworkers and Mining: Migrancy, Power and Resistance, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Social Transitions, 30 Credits.
  • The Demography of Southern Africa, 30 Credits.
  • The Making of the South African Social Order, 30 Credits.
  • The Sociology of Health and Illness, 30 Credits.
  • Land and Agrarian Reform in Southern Africa, 30 Credits.
  • The South African City, 30 Credits.
  • Whiteness, Race and National Identity, 30 Credits.
  • Work and Industrial Relations , 30 Credits.
  • Work and Labour in the Global Economy, 30 Credits.
  • Lineages of Labour: The Social and Intellectual History of the Labour Movement, 30 Credits.
  • Key Issues in the Sociology of Development , 30 Credits.
  • Labour and Development, 30 Credits
  • Identity, Movement and Control: Theories of Southern African Migration, 30 Credits.
  • Current Epidemics in Africa, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Interactive Media Design
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Applied Concepts in Digital Media, 30 Credits.
  • Professional Practice in Digital Arts: Digital Media, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Critical Debates in Digital Arts, 30 Credits.
  • Animation Studies, 30 Credits.
  • Digital Humanities, 30 Credits.

    in the field of International Relations
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 120 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one modules):
  • Advanced IR Academic Literacy and Research Methodology, 30 Credits.
  • Principles of Statistical Social Analysis, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 60 Credits (Select two modules):
  • Advanced International Political Economy, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced International Security Studies, 30 Credits.
  • Gender and Critical Theory in International Relations, 30 Credits.
  • International Relations of the Asia Pacific Region, 30 Credits.
  • International Relations Theory in the Post-Cold War Era, 30 Credits.
  • Peace and Conflict in the Middle East, 30 Credits.
  • Regional Studies: Europe, East and West, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in International Relations, 30 Credits.
  • Special Topics in South African Policy, 30 Credits.
  • The International Political Economy of Development, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Diplomacy and Negotiation, 30 Credits.
  • International Organisations, 30 Credits.
  • Comparative Peace Processes, 30 Credits.
  • International Relations of Africa's Natural Resources, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced International Relations Theory, 30 Credits.
  • Africa and IR: Historical and Critical Perspectives, 30 Credits.
  • Empire and the Crisis of Civilisation, 30 Credits.
  • International Politics of Elections in Sub-Saharan Africa, 30 Credits.
  • Research Methods and Research Ethics in Political Studies, 30 Credits.
  • Institutions, Governance and Violence in Africa, 30 Credits.

    in the field of Italian Studies
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Italian Post-modern and Experimental Literature, 30 Credits.
  • Modern Italian Narrative (19th and early 20th Century), 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Applied Italian Language, 30 Credits.
  • Dante and the Middle-Ages, 30 Credits.
  • Italian Drama, 30 Credits.
  • Italian Women Writers, 30 Credits.
  • Italy: Image and Reality, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Italian Language and Literature, 30 Credits

    in the field of Journalism and Media Studies
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 120 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Media and Society, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 60 Credits (Select two modules):
  • Travel Writing, 30 Credits.
  • Creating Media, 30 Credits.
  • Media Management, 30 Credits.
  • Online Journalism, 30 Credits.
  • Creative Writing for Journalists, 30 Credits.
  • Media Law and Ethics, 30 Credits.
  • Editing Media Texts, 30 Credits.
  • Online Journalism, 30 Credits.
  • Radio Journalism, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic: Journalism and Media Studies, 30 Credits.
  • Television Journalism, 30 Credits.
  • Financial Journalism, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Financial Journalism, 30 Credits.
  • Theory and Methods in Media and Cultural Studies, 30 Credits.
  • Communication Policy and Regulation in Africa, 30 Credits.
  • Investigative Journalism A, 30 Credits.
  • Investigative Journalism B, 30 Credits.
  • Political Reporting, 30 Credits.
  • Radio Studies, 30 Credits.
  • The Story of Money, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Journalism Writing Project, 30 Credits.
  • Digital Journalism A, 30 Credits.
  • Digital Journalism B, 30 Credits.
  • Communicating for Social Change, 30 Credits.
  • Photojournalism, 30 Credits.
  • Reporting on Children, 30 Credits.
  • South African Narrative Non-Fiction, 30 Credits.
  • South African Journalism History, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Labour Policy and Globalisation
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Labour and Development, 30 Credits.
  • Economic Sociology, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Advanced Social Research, 30 Credits.
  • African Labour Movements in Comparative Perspective, 30 Credits
  • Biography and Society, 30 Credits.
  • Collective Action and Social Movements, 30 Credits.
  • Development as Ideology and Practice, 30 Credits.
  • Environmental Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Global Institutions and Economic Restructuring, 30 Credits.
  • Globalisation, Social Policy and Social Planning, 30 Credits.
  • Human Rights and Power, 30 Credits.
  • Labour Movements in Developing Societies, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Social Transitions, 30 Credits.
  • The Demography of Southern Africa, 30 Credits.
  • The Making of the South African Social Order, 30 Credits.
  • The Sociology of Health and Illness, 30 Credits.
  • The South African City, 30 Credits.
  • Whiteness, Race and National Identity, 30 Credits.
  • Work and Industrial Relations, 30 Credits.
  • Lineages of Labour: The Social and Intellectual History of the Labour Movement, 30 Credits.
  • Militarisation and Development, 30 Credits.
  • Mineworkers and Mining: Migrancy, Power and Resistance, 30 Credits.

    in the field of Labour Policy and Globalisation
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select three modules):
  • Globalisation and the Welfare State, 30 Credits.
  • History of Trade Unions, 30 Credits.
  • Theories of International Political Economy, 30 Credits.
  • International Economics, 30 Credits.
  • Governance of the World Market, Institutions, Instruments and Experience, 30 Credits
  • Introduction to Globalisation, 30 Credits.
  • Development Economics, 30 Credits.
  • Migration and Global Labour Markets, 30 Credits.
  • Governance of Service, 30 Credits.

    in the field of Linguistics
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 120 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Research Methods in Linguistics, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 60 Credits (Select two modules):
  • Advanced Psycholinguistics, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Historical Linguistic, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Morphology, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Phonology, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Semantics, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Sociolinguistics, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Syntax, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Language, Gender and Sexuality, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Phonetics, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic, 30 Credits.


    in the field of Literary Theory and Critical Practice
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Textualities: Theory and Practice, 30 Credits.
  • Subjectives: Theory and Practice, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Writing, Literature and Ethics, 30 Credits.
  • Violence Conflict and Transformation, 30 Credits
  • Debates in Feminism, Politics and Society, 30 Credits

    in the field of Migration and Displacement
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 150 Credits:
  • Research Report on an Approved Topic in Migration and Displacement, 90 Credits
  • Introduction to Migration and Displacement, 30 Credits
  • Logics and Methods of Inquiry for Forced Migration Research, 30 Credits

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Migration, Mobility and Health in Southern Africa, 30 Credits
  • Identity, Movement and Control: Theories of Southern African Migration, 30 Credits
  • Critical Perspectives of Labour Migration and Livelihoods, 30 Credits
  • Identity, Movement and Control: Theories of Southern African Migration, 30 Credits
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Modern and Contemporary Literature
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report 90

    Elective modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select three modules):
  • American Literature, 30 Credits
  • Post-modern and Contemporary Literature, 30 Credits
  • Reading Paper, 30 Credits
  • South African and Postcolonial Literature, 30 Credits
  • Selected Topic in Modern and Contemporary Literature, 30 Credits
  • The Modernist Novel, 30 Credits
  • Theory of Literature, 30 Credits


    in the field of Organisational Psychology
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 180 Credits:
  • Research Report 90
  • Advanced Organisational Psychology Four compulsory components: Organisational Theory,
    Workplace Counselling, Engineering Psychology, Organisational Multivariate Research Design and Analysis, 90 Credits

    in the field of Philosophy
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits

    Elective modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select three modules):
  • Applied Ethics, 30 Credits
  • Ethics, 30 Credits
  • Mathematical Logic, 30 Credits
  • Metaphysics, 30 Credits
  • Philosophical Logic, 30 Credits
  • Philosophy of Art, 30 Credits
  • Philosophy of Language, 30 Credits
  • Philosophy of Mind, 30 Credits
  • Philosophy of Science, 30 Credits
  • Philosophy of Social Science, 30 Credits
  • Select Authors, 30 Credits
  • Select Schools of Philosophy, 30 Credits
  • Select Topics in the History of Philosophy, 30 Credits
  • Social and Political Philosophy, 30 Credits
  • Theory of Knowledge, 30 Credits
  • African Philosophy, 30 Credits

    in the field of Political Studies
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits

    Elective modules, Level 9, 90 Credits (Select modules yielding 90 credits):
  • Community Participation in Urban Governance: Theories Discourses and Practices, 20 Credits
  • Afro-politics and Religion, 30 Credits
  • Institutions, Governance and Violence in Africa, 30 Credits
  • An Introduction to Biopower, 30 Credits
  • Political Judgement, 30 Credits
  • Research Methods and Research Ethics in Political Studies, 30 Credits
  • Equality, 30 Credits
  • Contemporary Problems in Politics, 30 Credits
  • Political Thought, 30 Credits
  • Politics and Utopia, 30 Credits
  • The Politics of Slavery and Human Trafficking, 30 Credits
  • African Politics, 30 Credits
  • Democracy, Justice and Redistribution, 30 Credits
  • Politics of Race Representation and Memory, 30 Credits
  • Politics of Public Policy, 30 Credits
  • The Logic of Political Enquiry - Theory and Explanation, 30 Credits
  • Democratic Theory, 30 Credits
  • Violence, Conflict, Identity and Transformation, 30 Credits
  • Debates in Feminism, Politics and Society, 30 Credits
  • Themes in South African Politics, 30 Credits
  • Classical Political Economy, 30 Credits
  • Gender Equality and Social Policy, 30 Credits
  • Selected Topic in Political Studies, 30 Credits
  • The State in Africa: Democratisation and Crisis, 30 Credits
  • The Politics of Non-racialism in South Africa, 30 Credits
  • The Politics of Genocide, 30 Credits
  • The Exceptional State: Fascism, Totalitarianism, Religious Fundamentalism, 30 Credits
  • Political Sociology of South Africa, 30 Credits
  • From Structuralism to Post-Marxism, 30 Credits
  • Development Theories, Issues, Problems and Strategies, 30 Credits.
  • African Political Theory: Late 19th Century to the present, 30 Credits.
  • Decentralising the African State, 30 Credits.
  • Comparative Political Theory, 30 Credits.
  • Research Methods in the Social Sciences, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Social Science, 30 Credits.

    in the field of Psychology
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 60 Credits (Select two modules):
  • Psychosocial Studies in Gender, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Psychology, 30 Credits.
  • Psychosocial Studies in Childhood and Youth, 30 Credits.
  • Critical Studies in Race, Racialisation and Racism, 30 Credits.
  • Language and Thought, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Cognitive Neuroscience, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 30 Credits (Select one module):
  • Multivariate Research Design and Analysis, 30 Credits.
  • Programme Evaluation, 30 Credits.
  • Qualitative Methods, 30 Credits.
  • Research in Context, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Publishing, when offered, 30 Credits..

    in the field of Social and Psychological Research
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 180 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Multivariate Research Design and Analysis, 30 Credits.
  • Qualitative Methods, 30 Credits.
  • Research in Context, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Publishing Studies
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 90 Credits:
  • Research Report 90.

    For candidates who have completed Honours in the field of Publishing Studies, select three modules, 90 Credits:
  • Evolving Forms of Publishing, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Copyediting and Manuscript Preparation, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Digital and Multimedia Publishing, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Publishing Studies, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    For candidates who have completed Honours in a field other than Publishing Studies, select three modules, 90 Credits:
  • Context for Publishing, 30 Credits.
  • Preparing Manuscript for Production, 30 Credits.
  • Marketing and Sales for Publishing, 30 Credits.
  • Acquisition, Commissioning and Finance for Publishing, 30 Credits.
  • Publishing Management and Finances, 30 Credits.

    In the field of Social Development
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 180 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Social Development, 30 Credits.
  • Social Policy, 30 Credits.
  • Programme Design and Management, 30 Credits.
    Or
    by permission of the Senate with a cognate Masters level module offered by another discipline in the Faculty or another Faculty that is a suitable alternative for the purpose of the degree.

    in the field of Sociology
    Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 120 Credits:
  • Research Report, 90 Credits.
  • Advanced Research Methods, 30 Credits.

    Elective modules, Level 9, 60 Credits (Select two modules):
  • Militarisation and Development, 30 Credits.
  • Mineworkers and Mining: Migrancy, Power and Resistance, 30 Credits.
  • Advanced Social Research, 30 Credits.
  • Biography and Society, 30 Credits.
  • Collective Action and Social Movements, 30 Credits.
  • Development as Ideology and Practice, 30 Credits.
  • Economic Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Environmental Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Global Institutions and Economic, 30 Credits.
  • Globalisation, Social Policy and Social Planning, 30 Credits.
  • Human Rights and Power: A Contextual Approach, 30 Credits.
  • Labour Movements in Developing Societies, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Sociology, 30 Credits.
  • Social Transitions, 30 Credits.
  • The Demography of Southern Africa, 30 Credits.
  • The Making of the South African Social Order, 30 Credits.
  • The Sociology of Health and Illness, 30 Credits.
  • The South African City, 30 Credits.
  • Whiteness, Race and National Identity, 30 Credits.
  • Work and Industrial Relations, 30 Credits.
  • Lineages of Labour: The Social and Intellectual History of the Labour Movement, 30 Credits.
  • Key Issues in the Sociology of Development, 30 Credits.
  • Identity, Movement and Control: Theories of Southern African Migration, 30 Credits.
  • Selected Topic in Social Science, 30 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Access and process information using a range of technologies
    2. Communicate and produce information using a range of technologies
    3. Demonstrate critical analytic competence and problem-solving.
    4. Apply knowledge and understanding of research methods, in-depth understanding of relevant
    literature and advanced knowledge of the focused area.
    5. Show competence to manage her/himself.
    6. Demonstrate social competence.
    7. Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the world ecosystemically
    8. Show disciplinary and/or professional competence in the focused area.
    9. Demonstrate competence in basic disciplinary knowledge and specialised knowledge in focused area. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 1:
  • Use sophisticated selection and search strategies for appropriate databases and information resources
  • Process and critically evaluate different kinds of data and texts.
  • Articulate own position within debates.
  • Use sophisticated critical evaluation of different kinds of data and texts.
  • Possess extensive, in-depth volume of texts and data across a wide range.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2:
  • Use appropriate written conventions and representational technologies to sustain clear coherent argument throughout dissertation.
  • Present effectively in oral form, ideas and theories discipline-specific information.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3:
  • Develop and critically examine innovative approaches.
  • Integrate information, theory and context to solve problems.
  • Critically evaluate limitations of different theoretical models and suggest alternatives.
  • Demonstrate a professional ability to evaluate musical performance.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 4:
  • Assess significance of findings in published research.
  • Design, execute and write-up a scholarly dissertation in a satisfactory written style that contributes to the advancement of knowledge or replicate an existing study in a different context or design a circumscribed investigation.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 5:
  • Show the ability to be a purposeful, self-directed resourceful scholar and researcher
  • Demonstrate a capacity to balance and manage a range of academic and age commitments

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 6:
  • Demonstrate independence, initiative creativity, purposefulness and leadership
  • Demonstrate professional practical application of music production management.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 7:
  • Plan, execute and evaluate research and practice within an eco-systemic paradigm at an advanced level.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 8:
  • Apply concepts, methods, theories and analytical processes to information and situations relating to the research project.
  • Demonstrate an understanding the connections and conflicts between writers in the field and articulate how the project is situated in relation to them.
  • Apply knowledge and methods from related fields, where necessary.

    INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT:
    The dissertation or the research report, assignments, tests, examinations and other forms of formative and summative assessment will be implemented per field.

    In order to promote, monitor and measure learner learning throughout a module, no single assessment may count for more than 40% of the final mark unless there are special circumstances, in which case the permission of the Dean is required. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The qualification is comparable to the following international qualifications:
    Country: Australia
    Institution: Monash University
    Qualification title: Master of Arts

    The purpose of both qualifications is to deepen and intensify the learners' theoretical and conceptual knowledge and expertise in the specialised methodologies and techniques that will prepare learners to undertake an approved independent research project and construct new knowledge in their fields of specialisation.

    Similarities:
    Both qualifications are in similar fields of study such as Journalism, History, Linguistics & Applied Linguistics, Literary & Cultural Studies, Languages and World Literature, Translation and Interpreting Studies, Philosophy, Political Sciences, International Relations and Sociology.

    Differences:
    Fields such Psychology and Publishing Studies are not offered as part of the Master of Arts at Monash University.

    Country: New Zealand
    Institution: University of Canterbury
    Qualification title: Master of Arts

    Similarities:
  • Both qualifications are offered as 180 credits or points
  • Both qualifications are in similar fields of study such as French, German, Linguistics, History, and Sociology amongst other fields.
  • Both qualifications can be offered as research only or by coursework and research report.
  • Both qualifications vertically articulate into doctoral studies.

    Differences:
    The New Zealand qualification offers a 30-point compulsory course in Introductory Research Methods, whilst some fields of the South African qualification only have the compulsory Research report which has 90 credits and other modules can only be taken as electives to make up the remainder of the 90 credits. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both horizontal and vertical articulation.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Master of Social Sciences, NQF Level 9
  • Master of Administration, NQF Level 9

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Doctor of Philosophy, NQF Level 10

    Diagonal Articulation
    Diagonal articulation in this case refers diagonal articulation across NQF levels and sub-frameworks such as the OQSF. In this case, diagonal articulation is not possible as there is currently no NQF level 10 on the OQSF, although this may change in future. 
    		•

    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 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    NOTES 
    This qualification includes the following specialisations:
  • Master of Arts in Arts and Culture Management
  • Master of Arts in Digital Arts
  • Master of Arts in History of Arts
  • Master of Arts in Social Development 
    		•

    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 Witwatersrand 


    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.