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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Master of Health Systems Study 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
101860  Master of Health Systems Study 
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  Promotive Health and Developmental Services 
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
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2021-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

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
98921  Master of Health Systems Studies  Not Applicable  NQF Level 09  180  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The purpose of the Master of Health Systems Study (MHSysStud) by dissertation qualification is to produce graduates who have mastered research skills and have appropriate health-systems knowledge and expertise required to gather, analyse, interpret, generate and disseminate knowledge on health systems and public health, to develop students' competencies in applying this knowledge and expertise in service of health systems strengthening via ongoing critical analyses of health issues and meaningful contributions to formulating, implementing and evaluating public health policies and programmes. Also to foster students' professional conduct and good ethical behaviours and values. These are particularly pertinent given the deeply human embeddedness of health and health systems, and our wish to produce principled graduates who can advance to positions of leadership in the field.

Rationale:
This qualification allows for more research-intensive training of students, exposure to the Centre for Health Systems Research and Development (CHSR&D) at the institutions ongoing research projects; better positioning to proceed to Doctoral studies. The Master of Health Systems Studies (MHSysStud) by dissertation responds to several gaps and imperatives in the South Africa's health and research contexts, as outlined in the section below; as opposed to Master of Health Systems Studies by coursework.

This qualification is positioned to address gaps, as well as optimise on opportunities, that arise in the wider context of health and health systems:
  • Global health challenges requiring health systems research and researchers within the health sector, the field/discipline of Health Systems Studies is becoming increasingly relevant at all levels from the global to the local.
  • Need to develop systems-level thinking in the health sector.
  • Need to increase training opportunities that will grow health systems expertise. Academics at the 2014 Global Symposium on Health Systems Research criticised inequities in the availability of health systems research training and emphasised the necessity to deepen and expand efforts to strengthen teaching for health systems development and research.
  • Building health-systems-oriented partnerships with local, national and international stakeholders.

    Instead, as past and more recent research and discussions with National Higher Education Institutions including this qualification, potentially opens up additional avenues of collaboration in teaching, research and importantly, partnering on research funding applications that call for interdisciplinary collaboration.

    This qualification will be well suited to students who wish to embark on in-depth research. Ideal candidates would have the time to embark on full-time studies.

    A learning pathway exists for students completing this qualification. Graduates may progress vertically to Doctoral or Level 10 qualifications in a related field. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    Where applicants do not meet the minimum admission requirements stated, RPL may be used to grant access to the programme. RPL will be applied according to the Recognition of Prior Learning, credit accumulation and transfer, and assessment and the institution's RPL policy. The process will be managed by the central RPL Office in collaboration with the Faculty of Humanities.

    Note that:
  • Through its RPL policy and RPL Office, the institution will ensure that quality assurance processes addresses the specificities of the RPL process (including applications, assessment, and reporting and management systems) are implemented; and that administrative and support systems, both prior and subsequent to RPL assessment, are in place.
  • Applicants will be assessed against Level 8 competencies. Furthermore, an RPL application for access will be evaluated against the entry requirements of the Master of Health Systems Studies and assessment will be undertaken by the Faculty of Humanities.

    Credit accumulation and transfer will be applied when a student's achievements are recognised and contribute to further learning even if the student has not obtained a qualification. Any and all credits for an incomplete qualification may be recognised as meeting part of the requirements for the Master of Health Systems Studies as per institutional General Rules.

    Entry Requirements:
    The admission requirement to this Masters Degree is:
  • An appropriate Bachelor Honour's Degree in a field related to the Social Sciences or Health Sciences.
  • A 480-Credit professional Bachelor's Degree in a field related to the Social Sciences or Health Sciences.
  • A relevant Postgraduate Diploma in a field related to the Social Sciences or Health Sciences. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification comprises of a compulsory module at Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.
  • Dissertation or Interrelated published article/s or publishable manuscript/s, 180 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Master research skills and have appropriate health-systems knowledge and expertise required to gather, analyse, interpret, generate and disseminate knowledge on health systems and public health.
    2. Apply knowledge and expertise in service of health systems strengthening via ongoing critical analyses of health issues and meaningful contributions to formulating, implementing and evaluating public health policies and programmes.
    3. Demonstrate professional conduct and good ethical behaviours and values. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Apply appropriate health-systems knowledge and expertise to their research.
  • Gather, analyse, interpret, generate and disseminate knowledge on health systems and public health.
  • Produce research output in the form of a dissertation or published article(s)/publishable manuscript(s).

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Apply this knowledge and expertise in service of health systems strengthening.
  • Analyse health issues critically.
  • Make meaningful contributions to formulating, implementing and evaluating public health policies and programmes.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Demonstrate professional conduct and good ethical behaviour and values which is particularly pertinent given the deeply human embeddedness of health and health systems and to advance to positions of leadership in the field.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Assessment will be in accordance with the institution's General Rules. Ongoing supervision will assist in supporting students, and helping to shape their work throughout their Master's studies, but no marks are awarded against their progress or lack of it.

    Assessment of this qualification is by summative examination of the dissertation or published article/s or publishable manuscript/s by two external examiners appointed and approved by the institution's Title Registration Committee. The assessment panel of a Master's Degree by research should consist of three members, with the proviso that if an internal examiner who must not be either the supervisor or the co-supervisor(s) is nominated, the external examiners must constitute the majority of the assessment panel. External examiners must be recognised experts in their fields and must not have any affiliation with the institution.

    In the case of interrelated publishable, manuscripts/published articles, the assessment panel should consist of three members, with the proviso that if an internal examiner who must not be either the supervisor or the co-supervisor(s) is nominated, the external examiners must constitute the majority of the panel. External examiners must be recognised experts in their fields and must not have any affiliation with the institution. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification was compared with:
  • Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) Programme: The curriculum focuses on planning and managing health projects and programmes at the community, district, national and global levels.
  • International Health Systems Program, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health offers custom-designed training programmes in utilising the Private sector to Achieve Health Goals, Human Resources Policy and Management, Decentralising Health Systems, Improving the Quality of Health Services and Health Care Financing. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification offers systemic articulation opportunities, provided the learner meets the minimum admission requirements.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • MPhil (Health Systems and Services research), Level 9.
  • Master of Public Health in Health Systems and Policy, Level 9.
  • Master of Public Health (specialising in Health Systems), Level 9.
  • Master of Public Health (specialising in Health Economics), Level 9.
  • Master of Public Health, Level 9.
  • Master of Development Studies, Level 9.
  • Master of Arts with specialisation in Sociology, Level 9.
  • Master of Social Science with specialisation in Sociology, Level 9.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Health Systems), Level 10.
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Public Health), Level 10.
  • Doctor of Philosophy with specialisation in Development Studies, Level 10.
  • Doctor of Philosophy with specialisation in Sociology, Level 10. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    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 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.