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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Markets 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
97303  Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Markets 
ORIGINATOR
University of Johannesburg 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Postgraduate Diploma  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Finance, Economics and Accounting 
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
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 SAQA 1141/23  2021-07-01  2024-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2025-06-30   2028-06-30  

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.  

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to strengthen the learners' knowledge and comprehension in the disciplines of Financial Markets and Stockbroking as the field is interdisciplinary in nature. Knowledge of the subject content will provide learners with the skills to synthesise complex stockbroking principles in order to drive and add value to the entities that employ them. The successful learner will gain an overall stockbroking perspective which will provide them with a competitive advantage for employment. At the end of the qualification learners must be able to:
  • Apply an advanced comprehension of financial markets and instruments in the financial markets environment.
  • Apply, evaluate and integrate financial market knowledge to solve theoretical, applied or real life stockbroking problems.
  • Present a comprehensive understanding of key aspects and implications of specified systems, situations, specified bodies of content and the effect in financial markets.
  • Discuss and reflect the importance of scientific paradigms and methods in understanding scientific concepts and their changing nature.
  • Conduct her/himself as a skilled independent financial market practitioner.

    Rationale:
    There is currently a large demand for learners to further their qualifications in the Department of Finance and Investment Management. This is reflected by the increased number of applications received for investment management related qualifications. Learners from other academic institutions who meet the minimum admission requirements will be considered for the qualification. The qualification will provide much needed skills to the market and it will create an additional opportunity for learners with an investment management background to become a stockbroker.

    A further rationale of this qualification is to provide learners with the necessary knowledge to undertake highly-skilled professional work in the field of stockbroking. This qualification will also provide learners with the skills to undertake advanced reflection and application of current thinking and practices in the field of stockbroking. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    The Faculty accepts Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as an integral part of education and academic practice. It is acknowledged that all learning has value and the Faculty accepts the challenge to assess prior learning and award credit that is aligned to Faculty qualifications to promote lifelong learning. An example of prior learning refers to work experience relevant to the financial markets field, such as experience with transactions and systems used in the financial market industry. The assessment mentioned above will be used to assess the level of prior learning.

    Entry Requirements:
    Learners are required to have the following in order to be considered for admission:
  • Bachelor of Commerce (B Com) Degree with Financial Markets.
    Or
  • An Advanced Diploma in Financial Markets.
    Or
  • Any other NQF Level 7 qualification with Financial Markets orientation. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of compulsory modules at NQF Level 8 totalling, 120 Credits.
    Modules:
  • Equity Investment Analysis, 15 Credits.
  • Financial Engineering, 15 Credits.
  • Legislation of Financial Markets, 15 Credits.
  • Quantitative Investment Analysis, 15 Credits.
  • Portfolio Management, 15 Credits.
  • Financial Markets Rules and Directives, 15 Credits.
  • Applied Financial Market Analysis, 15 Credits.
  • Financial Reporting and Taxation, 15 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Apply knowledge of financial markets and instruments in the financial markets environment.
    2. Apply, evaluate and integrate financial market knowledge to solve theoretical, applied or real life stockbroking problems.
    3. Present a comprehensive understanding of key aspects and implications of specified systems, situations, specified bodies of content and the effect in financial markets.
    4. Discuss and reflect on the importance of scientific paradigms and methods in understanding scientific concepts and their changing nature
    5. Conduct her/himself as a skilled independent financial market practitioner. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Financial markets, instruments, calculation (of financial instruments) and price determination theories are applied.
  • The types of financial derivatives, their developments and the economic roles they play in the financial markets, as well as their risk and ethical issues are explained and applied.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Problems requiring the ability to price derivative instruments and hedge market risk based on numerical data and current market conventions are solved.
  • Appropriate mathematical and statistical techniques for application to problems in the contexts of financial markets are selected.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • An understanding of appropriate application of quantitative techniques to a range of problems in the financial market context demonstrated.
  • The key elements, roles, information sources, preparation and evaluation of financial statements reporting and analysis are described.
  • Derivatives pricing, payoff functions and combination of trading strategies of basic derivatives such as forwards and futures, options, swaps both, financial and interest rate, and floating rate notes are understood.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Statistical methods are applied to analyse past data and infer future trends.
  • The different inventory accounting methods and the appropriateness of the method in regards to the company are described and evaluated.
  • The rules prescribed by the regulators of the financial industry governing the equities markets, derivatives, interest rates and currencies and how it affects the financial market environment are explained and applied.
  • Nonparametric methods are applied and interpreted.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • The types of financial derivatives, their developments and the economic roles they play in the financial markets, as well as their risk and ethical issues are explained.
  • The principles related to the management components within a stockbroking firm are conceptualised and applied.
  • Capital markets are analysed and expectations are formulated.
  • Relevant research and case studies in the field of portfolio management are conceptualised and interpreted.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Integrated formative assessments and summative assessments are written during the semester. Formative assessments once they have been marked and learners have received their scripts with marks, these are discussed in class.
    The final assessment is a summative assessment which is written at the end of the semester, in June and November. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    In the modern market driven economies there is no short supply of qualifications based on finances or financial markets. The institutions that offer similar qualifications are found in India, New Zealand and elsewhere where the volume of global trade on the daily basis is significant.

    In India, Sardar Patel College of Communication and Management offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial and Commodity Markets. The qualification is closely comparable to this qualification as both put emphasis on the commodity markets.

    University of Wellington in New Zealand offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Analysis. The qualification addresses some key issues such as financial market operations, taxation and wealth management as well as technical analysis of these markets.

    Conclusion:
    The qualification compare very well with the qualifications cited above in terms of purpose. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification is designed to have articulation pathways within and across the sub-frameworks of the NQF. It articulates horizontally with the following qualifications:
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Quantitative Finance, at NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours: Business Finance, at NQF Level 8.

    It has the following vertical articulation possibilities:
  • Master of Commerce in Finance, at NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Commerce: Development Finance, at NQF Level 9. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS 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 Johannesburg 


    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.