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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Health Sciences in Nursing 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
96839  Master of Health Sciences in Nursing 
ORIGINATOR
Durban University of Technology 
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  Curative Health 
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
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 
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification will be to ensure that qualified learners can function with advanced intellectual and practical competencies in complex and ill-defined specialised areas of nursing practice as leaders, consultants, educators and specialist practitioners in providing evidence-based care together with other team members. Also, qualified learners, contribute to the continuous development of specific specialised areas of nursing through the development of scientific and professional knowledge for the advancement of nursing practice, research, management and education.

Rationale:
This qualification is a full research Master's Degree in Health Sciences and offered to all Professional nurses wanting an advanced qualification in nursing. The rationale for this qualification is to develop Professional nurses as nurse researchers, who can deliver on the mandate of South Africa's National Health System and thereby cultivate authentic nursing researchers with excellent leadership and research skills. This qualification will allow for opportunities for nursing leadership positions, in Health Service Delivery institutions, including, health education, programme development, consultation, and management. This Master's qualification will expose research as a critical component to the nursing profession, that deems it necessary for continuing advancements that promote optimal nursing care (DHET 2015:3). This qualification will encourage research and other knowledge outputs, required to meet national development needs and is by the institution's research policy, which is to serve the needs of developing societies within a dynamic global context and quality teaching, learning, and research and community engagement. It also allows the learner, to specialise within a specific field of nursing at the level of a clinical nurse specialist and still be able to apply critical analysis and problem-solving techniques in the investigation of health-related problems through research and at the same time contribute to a scientific basis for nursing practice. Evidence-based practice is the hallmark of advanced nursing care and requires the specialist nurse to have the ability to identify problems, critically appraise the research evidence and implement nursing strategies relevant to the client`s needs. A Master's qualification in nursing will allow the qualified learner to apply for administrative positions in healthcare facilities such as directorship jobs, head of department positions, researcher and Chief Executive Officer posts. The qualification is offered with various focus areas, these include, Nurse-Midwifery, Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, Community Nursing, Health Care Informatics, Nurse Informatics, Nurse Administration, Healthcare Management, Healthcare Education, Acute Care, Case Management and Entrepreneurship in Advanced Nursing Practice. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
The institution has an RPL policy aligned to the DOHET NQF Act No 67 of 2008, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Coordination Policy (2016) which has as its purpose, amongst others, to facilitate access and admission to qualifications, to accelerate redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities, to promote and facilitate lifelong learning (Institution, 2009). According to the institution's RPL Policy and Procedure (2009:13), the Department of Nursing has, in its rules, admission via RPL, which allows potential learners RPL for advanced standing to enable them to access the Masters in Health Sciences Nursing qualification. Besides, the requirement cannot be achieved solely by RPL. The RPL policy will allow the learner to gain recognition for skills and learning acquired through other formal learning programmes related to the field of research such as another completed Master's qualification. RPL may thus make it possible for the learner to either gain access towards the relevant qualification based on previous criteria, thereby reducing study time.

The Assessment Criteria for RPL will be as follows:
Relevance: Are the learning experiences applicable and relevant to the qualification in question.
Validity: Is there a sound relationship between the learning outcomes and the vocational (experiential) outcomes.
Quality: Are the learning outcomes at an appropriate level.
Transferability: Can the learner interpret and apply the learning outcomes in various professional contexts.
Authenticity: Does the applicant, supported by valid documentation, make the claims.
Currency: Is the prior learning still valid and applicable.

Entry Requirements
The minimum requirement for admission into this master's qualification is:
Bachelor of Nursing Science or equivalent, NQF Level 8.
And
Registration with the South African Nursing Council (SANC) as a professional nurse.
And
A minimum of two years' clinical or work-based experience as a Professional nurse. 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
Y 

QUALIFICATION RULES 
This qualification comprises a compulsory full dissertation at NQF Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.

Compulsory Modules Level 9,180 Credits:
Dissertation, 180 Credits. 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
1. Demonstrate knowledge of scientific principles of enquiry in the selected field or topic of research by critiquing and applying results of health and nursing-related literature to their field or area of investigation.
2. Conduct independent research, the results of which contribute to the scientific basis of the discipline of nursing.
3. Logically and critically develop, analyse and draw conclusions from the findings of the research.
4. Apply relevant communication skills reporting the results, both in written and oral form that will enable the utilisation of the research by profession. 

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
The listed and cited health and nursing-related literature of the literature review and the exposition of the research reflect familiarity with relevant and recent findings and trends in technologies, techniques, models and theories in the field or area of investigation.
Critically analyse models, principles, theories techniques, methodologies and results of health and nursing-related literature and applied to their field of research.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
Fully-justify the use of literature surveys/correlation/experimentation/causal analysis or appropriate qualitative research method.
Identify and define in detail the research problem in the research proposal.
Direct the research questions, objectives or hypotheses of the investigation to solve a nursing problem.
Plan, conduct and report the research following its sound ethical principles and professional values.
Plan and execute the sampling strategy in a manner that aims to allow study findings, if appropriate, to be generalised to the population and attributed to the treatment/intervention variable.
Use information sources correctly and appropriately and include a range of media.
Apply information technology effectively in information searches, data analyses, data presentation and the production of a dissertation.
Apply the appropriate mathematical, statistical and narrative analysis methods correctly to quantitative and qualitative data.
Evaluate the quality of the data in terms of validity and reliability in a manner that is consistent with the research paradigm.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
Juxtapose the inferences, interpretations and conclusions from measurements and statistical and narrative analyses with relevant models, principles, theories, techniques and methodologies of the field or area of investigation
Evaluate critical interpretation of data that reflects contradictory findings of the study and challenge existing theories, models, principles, methodologies and techniques if indicated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
Correct the useful application of language and numeracy skills in communicating and defending the research problem, its investigation, outcome and recommendations.
Explain the results of the research to existing knowledge in the field or area of investigation in a manner that will enhance the utilisation of the research practice to enable further research.

Integrated Assessment:
The Master of Health Sciences in Nursing is a full research qualification, and the dissertation should demonstrate proof of successful integration of theoretical constructs and research competencies at a Master's level. This qualification is for registered nurses wanting to develop research skills that have practical application for innovations in the health care industry and scholarly understanding of nursing practice. It enables informed participation in research endeavours and clinical practice innovation and improvement. In this qualification, learners extend and deepen their knowledge of a specialised area in nursing through a program of supervised research. This qualification will also equip learners with sophisticated expertise and understanding of phenomena specific to the chosen field of nursing research, empowering them to perform independent and advanced-nursing research. 

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
The Masters in Nursing qualification from the University of Adelaide in Australia provides qualified learners with a rigorous grounding in research methods, critical analysis, leadership and theoretical perspectives that inform nursing and runs for over two years. A significant plus factor, compared to South African institutions is allowing nurses to graduate with the qualification specific to a discipline, such as a Master's qualification in Renal Nursing. Nursing learners with experience and sound knowledge in preparation for advanced practice, management and leadership positions through evidence-based learning and research training in Renal Nursing.

The United States of America, being a first world country, is home to some of the most prestigious institutions in the world and has an internationally renowned nursing education system. The specific outcomes and associated criteria were compared with that of the Masters of Columbia University, and the findings were found to be similar but with apparent differences because the two systems are different.

Master's Degree qualifications developed at the University of South Wales has the added benefit of allowing learners to branch out into specific disciplines such as Mental Health Nursing, Infection Control Nursing or Palliative Care Nursing and curricula are contextualised, for their particular population.

In conclusion, although different Nursing faculties have different outcomes and goals, all the qualifications have the same focus, namely, to enrich the conduct of nurse professionals in research methodology and practice. Within this broad context, this Master's requirement is a part-time education offering, and this places it in a different league in the global context. Although many international providers have entered the distance education arena, The Masters in Health Sciences degree offered at the institution is already internationally-recognised and accredited qualification and will allow qualified-learners to articulate to further programmes of study such as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or PhD in Health Sciences qualifications. 

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

Horizontal Articulation:
  • Master of Health Sciences, Level 9.
  • Master of Nursing, Level 9.
  • Master of Health Sciences in Nursing, Level 9.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences, Level 10.
  • Doctor of Nursing Science, Level 10.
  • Doctor of Nursing, Level 10. 
    		•

    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. Durban University of Technology 


    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.