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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Medicine in Psychiatry 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
9881  Master of Medicine in Psychiatry 
ORIGINATOR
University of the Free State 
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  480  Level 8 and above  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 
Apply educational knowledge, skills, principles and methods to practise as specialist Psychiatrists. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Bachelor of Medicine Honours, NQF Level 8. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    The planned combination of learning outcomes are integrated with critical cross-field outcomes for this qualification:

    Practical Competency:
    The demonstrated ability/skill to achieve the major Skills/Applied Competency of the qualification.

    Foundational Competency:
    The demonstrated understanding, by the Learner, of the embedded knowledge that underpins the end result/outcome.

    Reflective Competency:
    The demonstrated ability/skill to integrate or connect our performances and to reflect on, evaluate and adopt the above competencies.

    The learner will be capable of:
  • Delivering a service as specialist Psychiatrists.
  • Doing research in psychiatry.
  • Teaching in an academic post.

    The learner will be able to:
  • Evaluate psychiatric patients:
  • Provide correct diagnosis and treatment, including:
    > Management of acutely ill patients.
    > Psychotherapy.
    > Complicated and treatment-resistant patients.
    > Manage medico legal/forensic problems.
  • Analyse, interpret and evaluate research.
  • Report research findings. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Learners will demonstrate their knowledge and skills in accordance with standards laid down by the University and Professional Board through:
  • Clinical performance
  • Written, oral, practical/clinical examinations
  • Two published articles in accredited journals (1 review and 1 research article).

    Integrated assessment:

    Competence is achieved, through continuous assessment by demonstrating the ability to achieve the outcomes of the Qualification.
  • Internal and external evaluation
  • Continuous, formative assessments
  • Formal end evaluations.

    Before the M. Med. degree is conferred on a candidate, the University must be convinced that he/she for a period of four or five years, according to the requirements of the department concerned, has successfully occupied a full-time training post in the training hospitals of the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of the Orange Free State, or another institution that is recognised by the University as equal; received theoretical and clinical instruction; was registered as a student at the University for the prescribed period and successfully passed the prescribed University examinations - written, oral, practical and/or clinical, as prescribed. If a candidate attains a qualification that can be registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, the final year of residency at the University may be completed in a specialist post. Only a registrar's post is recognised as a training post by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The duration of the period of training is calculated from the day of registration as student at the University. However, if a student registers during the prescribed registration period of the University, such registration may be deemed to be valid from the first of January.

    Assessment documents are moderated to ensure that:
  • They conform to the scope and context of the competency as stipulated in the qualification.
  • They are constructed in such a way that the Assessor assesses the critical outcomes applied, during the Learner's activity performances, towards achieving an outcome.

    Assessments are:
  • To include confirmation of the Embedded Knowledge component to ensure that the Foundational Competency is achieved.
  • To be verified by Internal Verifiers to ensure valid, credible, true and fair results. 
    		•

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

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Master of Arts in Community Work, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Philosophy in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NQF Level 9.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Doctor of Medicine in Psychiatry, NQF Level 10.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Psychiatry, NQF Level 10. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • A system of external peer review and evaluation of departments including evaluation of the standards and assessment practices per Department.
  • Qualifications: The minimum academic and workplace experience requirements at a level above the level of moderation.
  • Appropriate professional criteria will be drafted in the case of workplace assessment.
  • Mentorship: All junior and new members of staff are mentored by senior members as they work together in teams. All assessment done by external assessors is quality controlled by internal staff.
  • Any moderation criteria as determined by the ETQA.
  • Health Professions Council of South Africa. 
    		•

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    The academic staff of the University of the Free State complies with standards set by Senate and will exercise their assessment within the approved quality assurance system of the University. Assessors will also meet all criteria as stipulated by the relevant ETQA.

    Assessors are:
  • Subject matter specialists
  • Registered with the awarding body
  • Accredited by the awarding body after achieving competency against Unit Standards of competence for Assessors
  • To be administrated, advised and coached by an Internal Verifier. 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    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 the Free State 


    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.