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: 

Bachelor of Medical Science Honours in Nutrition and Dietetics 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
96645  Bachelor of Medical Science Honours in Nutrition and Dietetics 
ORIGINATOR
University of Cape Town 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Honours 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  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  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 combination of various modules which are available as 'fundamental learning' 'core learning' and 'elective learning' will mean that the qualification will serve as a passport to higher Degrees at any of the universities in South Africa. The programme provides candidates with the option of selecting from a compendium of modules which are most likely to supplement their academic and career development. The didactic modules provide the candidates with a concentrated study of current subjects in human biology and disease mechanisms, with obligatory modules in 'Techniques', 'Principles of good scientific investigation', 'Scientific writing and platform presentation' and 'Ethics in Research'. The candidates have the option of mainstreaming along predominant themes e.g. Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Human Genetics, Cell Biology, Pharmacology and Radiobiology. Candidates will need to select fairly early on the 'discipline' within which their research project will be conducted and will need to select the 'fundamental', 'core' and 'elective' modules to suit this.

The first purpose of the qualification is to provide qualifiers with an integrated and effective mix of specialist subject modules, technologies and skills that build on graduate level knowledge in a wide range of biological and medical sciences in such a way that continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society are facilitated.

The second purpose of the qualification is to add to the skills base of University graduates who would be able to enter into a higher Degree programme with confidence and strong background or to seek employment with confidence in science at both theoretical and practical level.

The third purpose of the qualification is to provide a hub of skills and background which will facilitate qualifiers with adaptability to the rapidly growing areas in the medical/biological sciences. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
None.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
First Degree:
  • Bachelor of Science (BSc).

    Other qualifications:
  • Successful completion of 3rd or 4th year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) curriculum.
    Or
  • a BSc (Agric) Degree, in some cases. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    N/A 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate proficiency in specific contextual research methodologies and technology towards application in a problem-based setting.
    2. Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively, as demonstrated in effective maintenance of laboratory records.
    3. Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.
    4. Understand and apply ethics of using genetic information and understand the basics of confidentiality.
    5. Communicating effectively using visual and language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion.
    6. Identify and solve problems in which responses display reasoning with evidence of critical and creative thinking.
    7. Take responsibility within own limits of competence.
    8. Demonstrate ability to work as a team and to show sensitivity to colleagues and demonstrate tolerance in the workplace. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
  • Define a problem and formulate a hypothesis.
  • Describe ways to test the hypothesis.
  • Design an experiment that will lead to meaningful results.
  • Conduct experiments, with reasonable technical competence in a range of techniques appropriate to the disciplines.
  • Recognise the importance of lab safety issues.
  • Show ability to work independently and produce meaningful results.
  • Interpret results at honours level study.
  • Ability to discuss and integrate data with general scientific literature.
  • Present research results to scientific audiences at Honours Degree level, both orally and in written dissertation.
  • Access literature, review and summarise progress in specific fields using combinations of library and informatics resources.
  • Write essays on the application of specialist topics in the medical field concerned.
  • Critically evaluate scientific literature on specialist topics - this will be assessed during journal club presentations and in exams and tests.
  • Communicate acquired specialist knowledge and insight both orally and in written form.
  • Access and utilise electronic information in the discipline concerned.
  • Understand and apply the ethics of animal use in research, if this applies to the discipline concerned.
  • Understand and comply with laws of copyright protection.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Integrated Assessment is designed to collect evidence from the candidate to demonstrate that the purpose(s) of the programme as a whole has been achieved and that the Exit Level Outcomes have been attained. It is often used to assess, at the exit point from a programme, the integration and application of knowledge, skills (and values/attitudes) learnt from across all the component courses in a programme.

    Inevitably, integrated assessment demands a variety of assessment methods such as portfolios, simulations, workplace assessment, written examinations, oral examinations. The combination of these methods provides evidence that the learner has achieved the applied competence at the exit point of a programme that the programme claims as its purpose.

    Assessment to ensure that the purpose of the Degree is achieved:
  • An integrated assessment of the competence of the learner occurs on a continual basis through the course of the Honours programme. Each module is examinable and the final assessment will be aimed at determining whether the student has achieved the requisite level of knowledge required at this level, as well as the ability to critically review current literature in selected fields, to apply skills to practical problems towards carrying out a research project, to report on such a project and to present a comprehensive overview of a research project in the form of a written paper and as a platform presentation.
  • Assessment methods will include formal examination, review of essays and/or oral presentations or other written assignments where appropriate, and a review of a mini-dissertation on the laboratory research module.
  • Integrated assessment will take into account elements of scientific literacy, numeric and computer literacy relevant to the study area.
  • Module examination of a two-hour examination.
  • Two literature reviews (essays) on current topics relevant to the module.
  • Submission of a mini dissertation, e.g. covering the laboratory project, written as a scientific paper, a week before the final examination.
  • An oral examination that will involve questions on the theoretical and practical aspects of the Honours programme; conducted by three examiners, one of whom is external to the university.
  • The overall pass mark is 50%. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    None. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows for horizontal and vertical articulation:

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours in (Agric).

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Science. 
    		•

    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. University of Cape Town 


    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.