SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION:

Master of Social Work

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
96480	Master of Social Work
ORIGINATOR
Stellenbosch 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 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
2027-06-30		2029-06-30

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

To equip students with a specialised understanding of the problems pertinent to a particular field of specialisation in social work and of relevant past and current approaches to these problems.

To equip students with the research ability/problem solving capacity to participate in the search for productive approaches to these problems.

To prepare students for participation in scholarly debates within the discipline and preparing them to teach in social work.

To prepare students for doctoral work in the field of social work.

To produce individuals who are qualified to engage in identifying, managing and solving important problems in various sectors of the social welfare field and the profession of social work.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Access may be gained to the qualification through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Entry Requirements:

Honours Degree in the related field or equivalent qualification, Level 8.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

The programme extends over a period of one year. Learners must attend a course on research that does not contribute to the performance mark, and conduct an independent research project under the guidance of a supervisor. The outcomes of the programme have a direct connection with a specific field in social work and satisfy the requirements that are set by the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP).

Compulsory module: 12846 Thesis (Social Work) 871(180 Credits) (NQF Level 09).

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Critical cross-field outcomes:
The successful Master of Arts (Social Work) student will have:
1. Mastered research skills and the logic of scholarly argument.
2. Developed a capacity for theoretical, self-reflexive, and critical thinking and solving of problems.
3. The ability to think in terms of theory, as an instrument for understanding reality.
4. The ability to work systematically and independently in approaching and solving abstract and complex problems.
5. The ability to present, and challenge, scholarly positions in forums/publications of substance.
6. The ability to identify and apply criteria of relevance and significance pertinent to various contexts of inquiry.

Specific Outcomes:
The successful Master of Arts (Social Work) student will:
1. Have specialised knowledge of theoretical and methodological traditions in social work.
2. Be thoroughly familiar with academic, ethical, and/or professional standards in the social work discipline.
3. Be able to identify and formulate pertinent research problems in social work and to apply appropriate knowledge and skills to solve them.
4. Be able to critically appraise accepted solutions to these problems by identifying and evaluating the assumptions on which they rest.
5. Be able to develop, in a self-critical way, new/more adequate solutions to these problems.
6. Be able to report the findings in the appropriate scholarly format.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

1. The assessment used for this qualification complies with the stated purposes of the qualifications.
2. A range of formative and summative assessments is used, but the emphasis falls on a thesis or interrelated series of assignments in which students have to display the desired outcomes. Written and oral examinations and presentations, role-playing simulations, assignments, and case studies may also be used as instruments of assessment.
3. The appropriate kinds of assessment are used in an integrated manner to determine whether the specified outcomes have been achieved (see 6 below).
4. The assessment used meets the standard and level of achievement for Level 8.

Integrated Assessment:
Integrated Assessment is accomplished by examining a thesis or a series of interrelated assignments that reflect the desired outcomes. The thesis or series of assignments represents an integrated summation of the level of knowledge and insight gained by the successful student as well as of his/her academic and communicative abilities.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

Social Work is an internationally recognised profession guided by an internationally accepted definition. Countries throughout the world recognise social work as an essential profession, and offer learning programmes at different levels. This Masters qualification compares favourably to similar qualifications internationally as it complies with the Global Standards for Education and Training of the Social Work Profession of the International Federation of Social Work (IFSW) and International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). http://cdn.ifsw.org/assets/ifsw_65044-3.pdf.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Vertical Articulation:

Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) (Social Work).

MODERATION OPTIONS

N/A

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

N/A

NOTES

N/A

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced 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.	Stellenbosch University