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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Diploma in Information and Communications Technology in Applications Development 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
101175  Diploma in Information and Communications Technology in Applications Development 
ORIGINATOR
Walter Sisulu University 
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
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2021-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2033-06-30  

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 replaces: 
Qual ID Qualification Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Min Credits Replacement Status
80167  National Diploma: Information Technology  Level 6  NQF Level 06  360  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to provide a professional and vocational qualification for the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) industry, combining theory and practical exposure to enable qualified learners to conceptualise, design, implement and test, reliable and cost-effective application development solutions to address industry-related ICT initiatives.

Rationale:
Applications Development manifests in every facet of life, that is, mobile phone apps, Automated Teller Machines(ATMs) and banking, television, medical equipment, finance and accounting, education, geographical information systems, motorcars and aeroplanes, social media and internet. The qualification has been designed such that it reflects the workplace-based needs of the ICT industry. The qualification provides a learner grounding in the academic theory underpinning the main concepts of Software/Application Development. Programmer, systems developer, database administrator, systems analyst, support specialist are required locally, nationally, and internationally in any business organisation/industries. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may be used to demonstrate competence for admission to this qualification. This qualification may be achieved in part through recognition of prior learning processes. Learners who already work in the ICT industry who believe they possess competencies to enable them to meet some or all of the Exit Levels Outcomes (ELOs) listed in the qualification will be able to present themselves for assessment against those of their choice.

The provision that the qualification may be obtained through the recognition of prior learning facilitates access to an education, training and career path in ICT enabled fields and thus accelerates the redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities.

Evidence of prior learning must be assessed through formal RPL processes through Institutions' approved methods. Any other evidence of prior learning should be assessed through formal RPL processes to recognise achievement thereof. Learners submitting themselves for RPL should be thoroughly briefed before the assessment and will be required to submit a Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) in the prescribed format to be assessed for formal recognition. The structure of this non-unit standard based qualification makes RPL possible if the learner can demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this first stage ICT qualification.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4.
    Or
  • National Certificate Vocational, NQF Level 4 granting access to Bachelor's studies.
    Or
  • National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 granting access to Diploma studies. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5 and Level 6 totalling 360 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 5, 210 Credits:
  • Development Software I, 30 Credits.
  • Information Systems I, 30 Credits.
  • System Software I, 30 Credits.
  • Information Technology Skills I, 30 Credits.
  • Development Software II, 30 Credits.
  • Information Systems II, 30 Credits.
  • Technical programming I, 30 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 6, 150 Credits:
  • Human-Computer Interaction II, 30 Credits.
  • Information Systems III, 30 Credits.
  • Technical programming II, 30 Credits.
  • Development Software III, 30 Credits.
  • Computer Architecture III, 30 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Communicate effectively with all role players related to the ICT field the learner will operate in.
    2. Develop computer programs to demonstrate the ability to store, locate and retrieve information from different data sources.
    3. Analyse user needs and produce a suitable specification for a system, covering a medium-sized business problem.
    4. Create and modify general computer applications software or specialised utility programs for standalone and distributed environments, including the web environment.
    5. Deploy a suitable, secure software solution based on a given scenario demonstrating an understanding of systems architectures.
    6. Demonstrate knowledge and application of HCI concepts and practices in the ICT industry. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1.
  • Meet with role players in ICT fields.
  • Produce written reports.
  • Analyse the effectiveness of written and verbal communication generated through research-based projects.
  • Made presentations based on the project.
  • Analyse information and document it.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Understand the main differences between procedural, event-driven and object-oriented languages are
  • List and explain the Program Development Life Cycle stages.
  • Describe Database Management System (DBMS).
  • Draw the three-tier development architecture.
  • Describe the data layer of the architecture.
  • Produce an appropriate entity relationship diagram based on a scenario.
  • Write relevant SQL statements to store and manipulate a database.
  • Write relevant source code to store and manipulate a data structure.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Look and feel combination techniques are provided to present an acceptable interface of a given scenario.
  • Produce a suitable UML representation from a scenario to depict classes and objects interactions.
  • Produce a list of user's requirements from a given scenario.
  • List a fundamental difference between user and developer's needs.
  • Use a relevant solution to ICT programming concepts that depict friendly GUI.
  • Write a script to create user interface forms to be used as controls in the given page.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Describe an IDE is described in terms of its architecture and underlying technologies.
  • Produce a requirement elicitation document based on business rules from a given real-world scenario.
  • Describe a usability test in terms of how best the users can learn the interface and their satisfaction.
  • Describe a Database design and schema.
  • Implement relational database concepts on a DBMS.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Execute SQL statements successfully using the DBMS to retrieve data securely.
  • Apply best practices in developing secure software solutions.
  • List and compare appropriate security techniques.
  • Describe a server-side script in terms of a program that extends the capabilities of a server in order to respond to requests from a client.
  • Describe the mobile development environment.
  • Produce a setup (.EXE) file is from the application for deployment.
  • Prepare tailed documentation.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Produce a user manual for an application for the users based on specifications
  • Show Human Centric Lighting (HCI) design and testing skills are for a specific application

    Integrated Assessment:
    Assessments are designed to evaluate knowledge, competencies and skills from an academic perspective and the applied competencies (practical, foundational and reflexive competencies) required by this qualification. To achieve this, assessments take a variety of forms including assignments/projects (individual and team), quizzes, written and practical tests and final examinations. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    International comparability of this information and Communication Technologies (ICT) qualification is ensured by following the current standards followed by similar qualifications internationally such as the Association Computing Machinery (ACM) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) curriculum. Standards are comparable with those of ICT qualifications in countries having comparable ICT education systems to South Africa. This qualification was compared with similar qualifications offered by institutions of higher learning globally. Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU), located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia offers the Diploma in Information and Communications Technology.
    This qualification is specifically designed to provide:
  • Coverage of the academic aspects as well as the vocational aspect of the broad area of computing and information and communications technology.
  • Learners with the skills to prepare them for careers in the ICT environment with an 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, to facilitate response to continuous future changes in technology and industry practices.
  • Learners with critical, independent and cooperative learning skills to facilitate responses to continuous future changes in industry practises.
  • Learners with intellectual skills, communications ability and capability to work in a team
  • Learners with opportunities for progression into advanced qualifications of study of international standard in relevant areas.

    University of Western Sydney (UWS), located in Sydney, Australia offers a Diploma in Information and Communication Technology. The Diploma provides learners with the skills and knowledge base in networking and IT applications areas of Information and Communications Technologies and the ability to apply practical solutions within ICT. It allows learners to develop skills in application development, program design, system analysis and design, web design and the implementation of technology.

    Conclusion:
    From the information mentioned above, it is evident that the Diploma in Information and Communications Technology in Applications Development compares favourably with the international qualifications in terms of the similarity in the skills that the learners will develop and the purpose of the qualification. The common factor about this qualification is their emphasis on current practices in the field of ICT. On completion of the qualification, learners will not only have improved their knowledge of and skills in this field of studies, but they will also be confident that they will fit in easily with the graduates elsewhere around the world. There is a clear indication that ICT is vital for sustainable development of any country, in particular of under-developed and developing countries. Qualifications such as this one have an essential role in developing essential skills among the citizens. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.
    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Diploma in Information and Communications Technology in Business Analysis, NQF Level 6.
  • Diploma in Information and Communications Technology in Communication Networks, NQF Level 6.
  • Diploma in Information and Communications Technology in Support Services, NQF Level 6.
  • Diploma in Information Technology, NQF Level 6.
  • Cognate Diploma, NQF Level 6.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Computer and Information Science, NQF level 7.
  • Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, NQF Level 7. 
    		•

    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. Walter Sisulu University 


    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.