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
9279  Doctor of Laws 
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
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  480  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 
The purpose of the qualification is to recognise researchers who, over a number of years, have made a distinguished original contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the legal field.

The qualification enhances the career of the graduate by conferring on him/her the highest academic degree of the University in the field of study.

Further, the purpose of the qualification is to recognise a graduate who contributes to the country by the production of a substantial body of knowledge in the field to an international standard. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Ability to conceive, plan, execute, and write up for publication (and acceptance for publication) original research in the field of law.

FORMALLY ACCREDITED LEARNING
The typical applicant has a substantial body of significant and original published work and has higher education-level study equivalent to at least the Bachelor of Laws of the University or equivalent qualification, followed by appropriate experience acceptable to the University of at least three years duration.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
Applicants who fall outside of the normal admissions process who can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the University that they have a qualification, experiential or work based learning which has taken the learner to an equivalent level of a qualification specified above (under Formally Accredited Learning), may be considered for admission and/or for the recognition of prior accredited and/or prior experiential learning. 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
Y 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES
1. The qualifying learner demonstrates, through the cumulative impact of original work of publishable standard, a distinguished contribution to knowledge.
2. The qualifying learner demonstrates an understanding, with a high degree of sophistication, of the construction of knowledge within the field and applies that understanding to knowledge creation and/or application.

CRITICAL CROSS-FIELD OUTCOMES
a) "identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made." See exit level outcomes 1 and 2.
b) "working with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, community." See exit level outcomes 1 and 2.
c) "organising and managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively." See exit level outcomes 1.
d) "collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information." See exit level outcomes 1 and 2.
e) "communicating effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion." See exit level outcomes 1.
f) "using science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others." See exit level outcomes 2.
g) "demonstrating and understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation." See exit level outcomes 1 and 2.
h) "contributing to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of society at large, by making it the underlying intention of any programme of learning to make an individual aware of the importance of:
i. "reflecting on and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more effectively;" see exit level outcomes 1.
ii. "participating as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities;" see exit level outcomes 1 and 2; note also that learners are expected to act in accordance with the code of conduct of the University and, where relevant, that of the professional discipline being studied.
iii. "being culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts;" see exit level outcomes 2.
iv. "exploring education and career opportunities." See exit level outcome 1 and 2.
v. "Developing entrepreneurial opportunities." See exit level outcomes 1. 

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
The qualifying learner has produced a substantial and co-ordinated body of distinguished, original work of publishable standard for assessment.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT CRITERION

This takes place both through the refereeing procedures which precede the acceptance for publication of the candidate's published works, and through the subsequent citing of these works in other publications. The acceptance of the works for publication indicates that they are of acceptable level and standard, and the subsequent citing of these works demonstrates that a distinguished contribution has been made to the advancement of knowledge in the area chosen. 

ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
This section specifies with which other qualifications of the University the qualification was designed to articulate, i.e. formal articulation; therefore the qualification can articulate informally with equivalent qualifications offered by the University, or with other qualifications offered nationally and internationally.

Entry to the qualification:
Higher education-level study equivalent to at least the LLB of the University or equivalent qualification, followed by appropriate experience acceptable to the University of at least three years duration.

Articulation during the qualification
None

On completion of the qualification
None - this is one of the highest academic awards of the University. A graduate may proceed to another senior doctorate of the University. 

MODERATION OPTIONS 
Internal University requirements govern how and by whom moderation is performed. For example, external examiners are appointed on an annual basis. Such moderation seeks, inter alia, to ensure that, where appropriate, our graduates will be able to comply with professional and statutory requirements. Further, whether an academic entity has a professional orientation or not, its activities are moderated by internal and external review quinquennially. The moderating body for qualifications of the University is the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education, currently represented by the Interim Higher Education Quality Committee. 

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
Internal University quality requirements govern how and by whom assessment may be performed to ensure that assessors have the competence required to assess a qualification of this nature. Once the Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education is constituted and ready to pronounce on issues of quality, the University will respond to the HEQC guidance on the registration of assessors. In the interim, the academic staff of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, are regarded as registered assessors since SAQA has registered the institution as a public higher education provider. 

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