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 Business Administration 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
96510  Doctor of Business Administration 
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 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Finance, Economics and Accounting 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  480  Not Applicable  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 a distinguished contribution, over a number of years, to the advancement of knowledge in business administration, or in a related field of study. The holder of D.Sc (Bus Ad) will be a full member of the international research community and will have demonstrated, through work of a publishable standard, the application of comprehensive knowledge and expertise in his or her specialist field. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Applicants who fall outside of the normal admissions process who can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the University that they have a qualification or 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.

The ability to conceive, plan, execute and write-up for publication in peer-group reviewed journals or books original research in the field of business administration or a related field. This will be based on previously gained specialist knowledge and understanding of both the structure and content of the field studied, of related concepts and knowledge systems, of the scientific research methodology appropriate to business research and of applications in the business world.

Formally Accredited Learning:
The typical applicant has extensive, high level research experience with significant output of published work and/or work of a publishable standard in the field of business administration, and one of the following:
  • Degree of Master of the University of at least five years standing, or equivalent qualification.
  • Doctor of Philosophy of the University of at least two years standing, or equivalent qualification. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    The qualifying learner:
    1. Demonstrates, through the cumulative impact of original and co-ordinated published work, a distinguished contribution to knowledge within the field.
    2. Demonstrates an understanding, with a high degree of sophistication, of the construction of knowledge within the field.

    Critical Cross-field Outcomes:
  • "Identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made" - see Exit Level Outcomes (ELO) 1 and Associated Assessment Criteria (AAC) 2.
  • "Working with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, community" - see AAC 3.
  • "Organising and managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively" - see ELO 1 & 2 and AAC 1 & 2.
  • "Collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information" - see ELO 1 and 2 and AAC 2.
  • "Communicating effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion" - see ELO 1 and AAC 2.
  • "Using science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the enviroment and health of others" - see AAC 2.
  • "Demonstrating an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts does not exist in isolation" - see ELO 1 and 2.
  • "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:
    > "Reflecting on and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more effectively" - see ELO 1 and AAC 1.
    > "Participating as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities" - see AAC 4; note also that learners act in accordance with the code of conduct of the University and, where relevant, that of the professional discipline being studied.
    > "Being culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts" - see AAC 3.
    > "Exploring education and career opportunities" - see ELO 1.
    > "Developing entrepreneurial opportunities" - dependant on field of study. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Learners are assessed on their abilities to:
    1. Consider a range of options and make decisions about the scope of the research undertaken such that the substance of the published work is original and shows no major overlap with work already published.
    2. Demonstrate an expert understanding of the content of the chosen topics, of the use of appropriate research methodologies and techniques and of an effective literary style in presentation.
    3. Critically reflect on peer feedback to ensure academic rigour.
    4. Demonstrate the utility of their research work in contributing to improved business/management performance.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Integrated assessment occurs through the acceptance of a compendium of work citing the candidate's published works which demonstrates the distinguished and co-ordinated contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the area chosen which has been made and which is presented in an acceptable academic genre. 

    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:
  • A Doctor of Philosophy of the University of at least two years standing, or the degree of Master of the University of at least five years standing.

    Articulation during the qualification:
  • No formal articulation.

    On completion of the qualification:
  • None - this is one of the highest academic award of the University. A graduate may proceed to other senior doctorates of the University. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Internal University requirements govern how and by whom moderation is performed. For example, external examiners are appointed. 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, the University ensures that its activities are moderated by internal and external review quinquennially. The moderating body for qualifications of the University is the Higher Education Quality Committee 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. 

    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. 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.