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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Diploma in Information Technology 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
96862  Diploma in Information Technology 
ORIGINATOR
Mangosuthu 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
Diploma (Min 360)  Field 10 - Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences  Information Technology and Computer Sciences 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  360  Not Applicable  NQF Level 06  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 
Purpose:
The purpose of the qualification is to provide a career-focused professional qualification featuring industry-referenced knowledge, skills and attitudes.

A learner will be knowledgeable and competent in the discourse and practice of the Information Technology (IT) discipline but will also have specialist knowledge of a particular sub-discipline of IT (depending on chosen electives) and will be subjected to a range of professional and personal development initiatives relevant to the IT industry.

A Qualifying learner at this level is competent in the development of IT systems in a distributed computing environment, and depending on the chosen electives, will be competent in:
  • Designing and producing software products and systems to meet specified needs so that they work reliably and their production and maintenance is cost effective.
    Or
  • Designing, developing, implementing and managing of networks by integrating knowledge of modern network topologies and protocols to create an appropriate and adequate environment of communication and information sharing.

    Rationale:
    This qualification has been re-aligned to the new Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF) and takes into account the latest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry requirements. The qualification has also been formulated to reflect the latest workplace-based trends within the ICT industry, so as to ensure that qualifying learners will have accessibility to employment within the industry. The inclusion of a work integrated learning component as part of a credit-bearing module at Level 6 is a unique concept within the University of Technology ICT sector in South Africa (SA). This, together with the project-based and problem solving approach embedded in the qualification, will have the defined purpose of capacitating the student with workplace-applicable competencies.

    The qualification prepares students for entry-level positions in the ICT or related industries in either the software development or the communication networks sub-domains. Students are provided with a general all-round working knowledge of the ICT industry and are required to choose electives at second and third year levels to follow a specified career path.

    The qualification provides the learner with the flexibility to articulate within the ICT industry into a wide variety of specialisations and to operate in other industries where ICT is a key component. In particular, this qualification enables graduates to pursue an Advanced Diploma in Information and Communications Technology or any other cognate field.

    The objective of the qualification is to satisfy the industry needs, locally, regionally and nationally for ICT with specific reference to the areas of software development and communication networks. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    N/A

    Entry Requirements:
    Admission requirements for this qualification:
  • A National Senior Certificate (NSC).
    Or
  • A National Certificate Vocational (NCV).
    Or
  • Higher Certificate or Advanced Certificate in Information Technology that grant entry to the Diploma in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    The qualification will be awarded to a learner who has provided evidence to the satisfaction of the assessors that the stated competence of the qualification, as detailed in the specified outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria.

    This qualification comprises 12 compulsory subjects at Levels 5 and 6, totalling 360 Credits.

    Subjects at Level 5, 150 Credits:
  • Information Systems 1, 30 Credits.
  • Development Software 1, 30 Credits.
  • System Software 1, 30 Credits.
  • Technical Programming 1, 30 Credits.
  • Information Technology Skills 1, 30 Credits.

    Subjects at Level 6, 210 Credits:
    Students may choose Elective Group A or Group B.

    Elective Group A: Software Development:
  • Information Systems 2, 30 Credits.
  • Development Software 2, 30 Credits.
  • Technical Programming 2, 30 Credits.
  • Information Systems 3, 30 Credits.
  • Development Software 3, 30 Credits.
  • Internet Programming 2, 30 Credits.
  • Industry Exposure 3, 30 Credits.

    Elective Group B: Communication Networks:
  • Distributed Systems 2, 30 Credits.
  • Communication Networks 2, 30 Credits.
  • Information Technology Electronic 2, 30 Credits.
  • Distributed Systems 3, 30 Credits.
  • Communication Networks 3, 30 Credits.
  • Information Technology Electronic 3, 30 Credits.
  • Industry Exposure 3, 30 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Analyse and design software solutions to industry related Information Technology problems.
    2. Utilise the required technical skills to effectively implement the designed solutions in a distributed Information Technology (IT) environment.
    3. Utilise the required technical skill to design and implement solutions in data communications, networks and the internet environment.
    4. Demonstrate the effective utilisation of business and management skills to bridge the gap between the IT discipline and the business functional areas in industry.
    5. Demonstrate the ability to use hardware to its full potential by understanding the technical operation of hardware and to control it on a low level.
    6. Demonstrate the ability to provide support services. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Multi-platform environments are integrated effectively (e).
  • Effectively design database structures to support Information Technology (IT) business systems (c).
  • Provide solutions for specific business situations (e).

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • User interface design principles are applied (c).
  • To implement designed IT solutions, the appropriate software programming languages and development environments are applied (c).
  • Software solutions are implemented in a client/server environment (e).
  • Multi-platform environments are integrated (e).

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Local area Networks are successfully implemented in a multi-platform environment (e).
  • Internet solutions are designed and implemented in a client-server environment (e).

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Business skills are effectively utilised in the application of technical skills in a IT business environment (c).
  • Management Techniques are applied to utilise IT resources effectively (c).

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Computer hardware is manipulated and described (e).
  • Digital electronics are used to implement basic computer functions (e).
  • Solutions for technical problems are provided (c).
  • Low-level programming to control embedded systems are implemented (e).
  • Technical applications in a multi-platform environment are designed and implemented (e).

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Manage a call centre effectively (e).
  • Different human computer interfaces are effectively analysed (e).

    Integrated Assessment:
  • Written examination.
  • Continuous evaluation.
  • Integrated assessment. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) in Malaysia offers the Diploma in Information and Communication Technology.

    This qualification is specifically designed to provide:
  • Coverage of the academic aspect as well as the vocational aspect of the wide area of Computing and Information and Communications Technology.
  • Learners with the skills to prepare them for careers in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) environment with emphasis on solutions design, software development and technology infrastructure support.
  • Learners with academic and professional skills to develop solutions requiring the application of technology in a business and organisational context, so as to facilitate response to continuous future changes in technology and industry practices.
  • Learners with critical, independent and cooperative learning skills so as to facilitate responses to continuous future changes in industry practises.
  • Learners with intellectual skills, communications ability and team-working capability.
  • Learners with opportunities for progression into advanced qualifications of study of International standard in relevant areas.

    Conclusion:
    From the above information it is evident that this South African qualification compares favourably with the international qualification in terms of the development of the skills and the purpose. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Horizontal Articulation:
    Bachelor's Degree in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) or related field.

    Vertical Articulation:
    Advanced Diploma in Information Technology (IT), Advanced Diploma in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) or related specialisation area. 

    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. Mangosuthu 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.