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

Master of Management 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
90908  Master of Management 
ORIGINATOR
Southern Business School (Pty) Ltd 
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 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Generic Management 
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
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 SAQA 06120/18  2018-07-01  2020-09-29 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2021-09-29   2024-09-29  

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 is replaced by: 
Qual ID Qualification Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Min Credits Replacement Status
117867  Master of Management  Not Applicable  NQF Level 09  180  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The qualification aims to combine specialised knowledge, skills and experience in the chosen field of management with research mastery. In addition, the purpose of the qualification is to:
  • Assist learners in developing focused competence in the chosen research topic.
  • Assist learners in applying appropriate research methodologies and written communication to support the research process and findings.
  • Enhance the ability of learners to reflect on research outcomes and results within an ethical framework and in the context of General Management.
  • Equip learners with knowledge and skills necessary for employment in a related field (including teaching and research positions) and further independent research at Doctorate level.

    Rationale:
    This qualification responds directly to the needs expressed by the public and private sectors for increasing contributions to management science and research output in South Africa. It facilitates high level management, research and the development of management specialists. The qualification contributes to expanding the body of independent and original scientific research in the field of management, a field in which research output is lagging behind compared to other scientific disciplines.

    The qualification requires original applied research relating to management in Southern Africa and within the global context. This will contribute to both the social and economic development in the region and therefore the quality of life and wealth of its people. By facilitating research in the field of management, the qualification will enable learners to gain access to local or international higher education institutions for further independent research required at doctoral level.

    The qualification is offered in the specialist areas of strategic management, leadership, economics, financial management, public sector financial management, international management, project management, human resource management, marketing management, public sector management and disaster risk reduction. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    It is assumed that learners who access this qualification have met the entry requirements and are competent in English as the language of teaching and learning. It is also assumed that learners have the necessary theoretical basis of conducting research at the appropriate level. Should this not be the case, applicants will be required to broaden their curriculum to include preliminary modules in research prior to admission to the qualification.

    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    The learner can be given access to the qualification through RPL and can achieve this qualification through RPL. The institution's RPL policy and Academic Credit and Qualification Completion policy guide this process. Skills, knowledge and experience in respect of competencies acquired through informal and non-formal learning are assessed in the RPL process.

    Access to the Qualification:
    An Honours Degree or equivalent qualification including a Postgraduate Diploma, in a recognised field or cognate discipline, with the necessary Modules in Research Methodology, is required to obtain access to this qualification. 

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    The qualification comprises a dissertation which consists of 180 Credits at NQF Level 9. 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Undertake independent research.
    2. Demonstrate a competent knowledge of research methodology.
    3. Produce a research dissertation according to stipulated institutional requirements.
    4. Apply advanced knowledge for problem-solving purposes, displaying responsibility towards the environment and the health of others.
    5. Exhibit a thorough comprehension of the systems approach in problem-solving.
    6. Demonstrate cultural and aesthetic sensitivity in respect of the communities they work with.

    Critical Cross-Field Outcomes:

    All the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are addressed in this qualification. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    A comprehensive range of assessment criteria will be used to determine learner achievement. The overall criteria will include, but will not be confined to:
    1. Mastery of advanced knowledge in the chosen field of the endorsement as well as research methodology.
    2. Competence in the skills of managing interdisciplinary dynamics in respect of problem-solving aimed at reconstruction and development.
    3. Sensitivity in respect of cultural diversity and gender issues pertaining to research and knowledge application.
    4. Applying research methodology in a morally responsible way appropriate to the field of the endorsement.
    5. Production of a dissertation of sufficient quality to pass examination.

    Integrated Assessment:
    This qualification is awarded for successful completion of a dissertation. The research proposal must be approved by at Research Committee prior to the learner commencing work on the research dissertation. This Committee is responsible for assessing the validity and relevance of the proposed research. The summative assessment comprises of the evaluation of the research dissertation. This dissertation will be assessed by an internal as well as external assessor. 

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    When comparing the Masters of Management internationally, it may be appropriate to provide a short description pertaining to the naming of the different Master's Degrees in management. When the types of Master's level qualifications in management are compared, it is apparent that the different Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Degrees share similar characteristics. This also applies, to a lesser degree, to the Masters in Management (MiM) Degree, both of the Degrees being primarily course based.

    When selecting an appropriate convention for naming a research-based qualification in management, these distinctions tend to become less obvious, with research-based (thesis) qualifications available as Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Philosophy (M Phil), Master of Research (MRes), and Master of Management (MM) Degrees. However, all of these Degrees are also offered as alternatively coursework only, coursework and research, or research only. The most research-focused of these Degrees is the MRes but this qualification is geographically limited to the United Kingdom, being increasingly popular with a number of the Russell Group Universities.

    It is not therefore the naming of the qualification that is of singular importance, but maybe more so the content and philosophy behind it. Internationally the Master of Management is considered a Postgraduate Master's Degree awarded to learners who normally complete a one to two year qualification of graduate level coursework and/or research. In comparing the qualification with similar offerings internationally, the focus was on highly rated universities with proven track records in research and with a similar approaches to research in management at Master's Degree level. All the qualifications listed here share the principles and characteristics of:
  • Selecting a specific field within management as a thesis topic.
  • Tutor-guided, quality research.
  • Similar admission criteria and progression opportunities.

    The University of Wollongong (UOW) in Australia offers the Master of Management Research Degree which provides graduates with the opportunity for further study of advanced topics in management.

    The Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM) in the Netherlands is one of the largest centres of research in management in Europe. In contrast to the European tradition where research typically originates from the economics department, ERIM combines a broad management education with a research focus on management processes that are studied from a wide spectrum of disciplines.

    This philosophy not only fits the approach to this Master of Management, but also gains relevance when studying the increasing number of business schools in Europe that are moving in this direction. Examples are: Cambridge, Oxford, Warwick, Manchester and Cranfield in the United Kingdom, HEC and Essec in France, IESE and ESADE in Spain, Bocconi in Italy, the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark, the Helsinki School of Economics in Finland and the Norwegian School of Management in Norway. In line with this philosophy the ERIM Master of Philosophy in Business Research combines education in a specialisation area of choice with the challenges of undertaking research in that field. The qualification offers individual supervision, a highly personal approach and the opportunity to investigate a chosen field in great depth.

    The University of Auckland is New Zealand's leading university and offers a Master of Management Degree which is a two-year, part-time Master's Degree that requires the completion of a research dissertation supported by coursework in research methods. Learners with a qualification that includes research methods appropriate to Masters' research may be permitted to complete the Master of Management through a dissertation only.

    Conclusion:
    The Master in Management compares well with the given international qualifications in that they require a research component in the form of a dissertation/thesis to be submitted in order to complete the qualification. 
    		•

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

    This Qualification articulates horizontally with any relevant Master's Degree, at NQF Level 09.

    This Qualification articulates vertically with any relevant Doctoral Degree at NQF Level 10. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Master's dissertations will use integrated moderation and will be moderated by one internal and one external moderator. The reports of both moderators will be considered and compared by the Research Committee and a third moderator may be appointed if the Committee is not satisfied that there is adequate consistency between the reports. If the Research Committee finds that a third moderator must be appointed, he or she must meet the same criteria specified for moderators of the research Master's Degree. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    Assessors assessing a learner in this qualification must be holding a relevant qualification at NQF Level 10 with appropriate experience in the field. 

    NOTES 
    This qualification is now offered by Stadio (Pty) Ltd, and no longer by Southern Business School - effective 29 September 2020 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some of their learning programmes are moved to being recorded against the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replacement.
     
    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. Southern Business School (Pty) Ltd 


    All qualifications and part qualifications submitted for public comment, or 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.