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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Landscape Architecture 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
101298  Master of Landscape Architecture 
ORIGINATOR
University of Pretoria 
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 12 - Physical Planning and Construction  Physical Planning, Design and 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
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 
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to enable learners to operate as Landscape Designers and who will be able to conduct research through design. and the Master of Landscape Architecture will equip learners with advanced and specialised skills that will enable them to be employed as professionals in Landscape Architecture. This qualification will develop a learner's research methods and techniques so that the learner will be able to engage with theory.

Rationale:
The Master of Landscape Architecture is designed to provide learners with specialist knowledge in landscape architecture and equip them with skills to engage in solving related problems. Landscape Architecture is a designated scarce skill in South Africa and it is also a recognised profession under the South African Council for the Landscape Architectural Profession (SACLAP) Act - Act 45 of 2000. It responds to environmental, infrastructural, cultural and public works priorities at national, provincial and local levels of governance by providing guidance for the planning and design of the South African urban, rural and wilderness landscapes. The Landscape Architecture qualification allows registration with SACLAP (the discipline's professional/statutory body) as candidate in the category entitled Landscape Architectural Professional. This qualification replaces the previous two (2) year Master of Landscape Architecture to align with the HEQSF admission requirements of the new Master's Degree. This qualification satisfies the landscape architectural industry's need for the a professional level qualification for professional registration which is necessary for the practice of professional landscape architecture in South Africa. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Provision is made for selecting learners who can demonstrate that that they have attained a level of competence through other means, which in the opinion of the Senate, on the recommendation of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment is adequate for the purposes of admission as a candidate for this qualification.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for access to this qualification is:
  • A four-year cognate Bachelor's Degree at NQF Exit Level 8; or equivalent. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification comprises compulsory modules at NQF level 9 totalling 208 Credits.

    Modules:
  • Advanced Landscape Architecture Studio, 32 Credits.
  • Dissertation, 120 Credits.
  • Detail Landscape Design and Documentation, 24 Credits.
  • Landscape Research Methodology, 20 Credits.
  • Contemporary Theories of Landscape Architecture 12 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Critically evaluate landscape architectural challenges and opportunities in order to propose appropriate processes of inquiry (through design) for practice.
    2. Combine various advanced methods, techniques and processes (drawing on creative as well as scientific thinking) associated with landscape architectural planning and design, in order to design appropriate methods of inquiry for addressing complex practical and theoretical challenges, and also distil lessons and insights from the above activities for further knowledge production.
    3. Undertake research in landscape architecture through the rigorous and critical application of the methods, techniques and processes of landscape architectural planning and design, and undertake independent research through the application of design as inquiry.
    4. Make autonomous ethical decisions regarding the practice of landscape architecture within the context of a complex professional environment, and to be able to contribute to the development of ethical standards for the discipline in different cultural contexts.
    5. Understand the nature of landscape and the design and implementation of interventions in the landscape as a system with elements and components in different hierarchical relationships, from which intended and unintended consequences arise. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Design landscape architectural interventions at any required scale and in any context through balanced application of creative and scientific methods and processes of inquiry based design (research by design).
  • Undertake a critical contextual study identifying and evaluating appropriate design informants in a rigorous and where appropriate creative format.
  • Understand a wide variety of landscape architectural planning and design methods, processes and techniques, from which to independently design processes of inquiry for critical application to landscape problems and opportunities.
  • Gather, analyse and interpret appropriate objective and subjective contextual information in a critical, rigorous and reflective manner for the creative and strategic translation into generators for determining intervention.
  • Understand sustainability in a broad sense with regard to the relation to landscape, and how to develop rigorous and where appropriate creative sustainable solutions.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the major paradigms in landscape architectural design and planning approaches through the ages and be able to engage in critical evaluation and reflection thereof.
  • Understand and discuss landscape architectural design as a reflection of culture.
  • Identify theoretical trends in landscape architecture.
  • Formulate an appropriate theoretical position and framework for guiding design interventions.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Study a range of professional and academic discourses and their representation and communication techniques in order to propose and defend various aspects of the landscape architectural planning and design discourse to various audiences.
  • Develop the ability to undertake landscape inquiry through various representational techniques.
  • Understand the subjectivity of the representation of landscape and be able to critically evaluate various forms of representation acknowledging their objectivity.
  • Design a representation of aspects of landscape architecture through the creative application of various digital, model and hand drawn techniques, and in combination.
  • Use of various digital techniques and software for the production of professional representations.
  • Document a landscape architectural design in a professionally edited document, capturing a design argument (with a balance of text and imagery).

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Operate independently with regard to sustaining independent and effective learning and to take full responsibility for his / her work ethic (sustaining efficiency, productivity).
  • Demonstrate proficiency in engaging with the implications of the physical making of the designed landscape throughout the design process.
  • Undertake technological inquiry through design.
  • Produce a set of construction drawings with associated specifications and bill of quantities for a typical landscape architectural project.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the environmental planning policies, procedures and processes governing practice in the environmental planning field (such as EIA's and public participation in environmental governance).
  • Understand the landscape architectural regulatory framework governing practice in South Africa (SACLAP) and its implications for the practitioner.
  • Understand the various aspects characterising the nature of the practice of landscape architecture (office management, organisation, project management, tender documents, contract administration etc.).

    Integrated Assessment:
    Assessment is based on project products (graphic, written and verbal). The theory courses are concerned with procedural and substantive theory and are continuously assessed.

    Various methods of assessment are used to measure and record the progress of leaners through the year. These primarily include the examination of term or minor assignment papers and project documents submitted in response to topics or project briefs specified for each of the courses.

    In certain project-based courses, audio-visual presentations are also used to assess learner progress in work undertaken by both groups and individual learners. In general, however, documents are submitted in addition to any such presentations.

    Studio work:
    Regular sessions are undertaken in a group to assess the learners' performance. If concerns are identified, then the learners are immediately notified. The final product is a series of drawings presented verbally by a learner to an examination panel. This forms the final assessment of the learner's performance.

    Contemporary theories and Landscape Research Methodology:
    Leaner's performance is monitored through presentations and seminars they present throughout the semester. These are accompanied by written submissions which the lecturer evaluates and returns to the learners with feedback.

    Detail Landscape Design & Documentation:
    Minor and major assignments are given throughout the semester, which have drawings as the product. These are evaluated immediately if presented verbally or are returned to learners with feedback. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    When the post graduate qualifications in Landscape Architecture are seen as a totality, there is significant correlation to the structure of Degrees in the United States of America (USA) regarding the total number of years (of post graduate study i.e. 2/3 years) and the content. The difference is that while the NQF necessities the Honours and Master's Degrees in Landscape Architecture in South Africa to be separate one year qualifications, they are combined into one, two or three year qualification in the USA, namely the Master's in Landscape Architecture, with direct entry from a Bachelor's Degree.

    Paralleling with this structure, this qualification therefore has similar content to the 1st year of the Master's in the USA, the Honours at our institution similar to that of the 2nd year, and the Master's at our institution is similar to the final year of the 3 year Master's Degree in the USA. There is also a significant degree of comparability to other European qualifications. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    The qualification offers systemic articulation with the following qualification's offered by other institutions, provided the learner meets the minimum entry requirements:
    Horizontal Articulation:
  • An appropriate Master's Degree at NQF Level 9.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • An appropriate Doctoral Degree at NQF Level 10. 
    		•

    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. University of Cape Town 


    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.