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SAQA 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.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Doctor of Philosophy in Health Professions Education 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
112103  Doctor of Philosophy in Health Professions Education 
ORIGINATOR
University of the Free State 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-   HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Doctoral 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  360  Not Applicable  NQF Level 10  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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The primary purpose of the qualification thus is ensure knowledge expansion in the field of health professions education, as our health care professionals who educate and train our physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, optometrists and the myriad of other health sciences educators and trainers need innovative approaches and strategies based on sound research. They need the vision, knowledge and skills to plan, deliver and improve health sciences education and training qualifications and the instructional and clinical training processes. Equally important is the management of training institutions, processes and leadership so as to be in the vanguard of developments. For this, we need researchers who have risen to the highest level of health professions educational research.

Rationale:
The rationale for this specialist qualification for health professionals is to counter the lack of research findings on health sciences education in Health Sciences Professions. Qualifications for health professions education and research are sought after in Europe, USA, Canada and Australia. The field of Health Professions Education globally, but specifically in Southern Africa has a dire need of the expansion of its knowledge battery. This qualification satisfies a real and urgent need in South Africa, as the problems of health professions education and training in a developing country especially over the past twenty years with many changes in our political dispensation and education in general, are unique and need to be addressed urgently and at the highest level. This qualification also contributes to practising and promoting continuing professional development with a view to reregistration with the HPCSA. 

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, RPL may be used to grant access to the qualification. RPL will be applied according to the Recognition of Prior Learning, Credit Accumulation and Transfer, and Assessment policy.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Master of Health Sciences Education, Level 9.
    Or
  • Master of Philosophy in Health Professions Education, Level 9.
    Or
  • Master of Philosophy: Health Sciences Education, Level 9.
    Or
  • Master's Degree in Health Sciences, Level 9.
    Plus
  • An Education Qualification at Level 6. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory module at Level 10 totalling 360 Credits.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Health Professions Education, 360 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Design, select and justify appropriate methods, techniques, processes, systems or technologies and apply these to complex practical, clinical and theoretical problems in health professions education.
    2. Demonstrate specialist expert and critical knowledge and understanding in the field of health professions education.
    3. Demonstrate advanced scholarship and research ability in the health sciences educational field required as required of a leader in the field (including educational management and leadership).
    4. Contribute to scholarly debates on theories of knowledge and processes of knowledge production.
    5. Apply specialist knowledge and theory in critically reflective, creative and innovative ways to address complex problems.
    6. Autonomously analyse, synthesise, evaluate and organise information and data to create new knowledge, or expand and redefine existing knowledge.
    7. Design and implement methods and techniques, strategies, processes, systems or technologies in an original, creative and novel way to critically review, process, analyse and manage information in the field of health sciences education to produce meaningful insights on complex and abstract information, issues and ideas in health professions education. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes:
    1. Demonstrate profound understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the management of complex systems to attain systemic change and to independently design, implement and sustain and manage change.
    2. Operate independently and take full responsibility for own work.
    3. Lead, oversee and ultimately take accountability for the overall governance of processes and systems in health professions education.
    4. Demonstrate intellectual independence and leadership, especially in terms of research.
    5. Independently produce substantial, in-depth and publishable research findings that meet international standards, are considered innovative by peers in the field and make a significant contribution to the field of health professions education.
    6. Report the findings in the form of a thesis and Publications and defend and disseminate the research to specialist and non-specialist audiences using the full range of academic and professional discourse resources.
    7. Identify and address and/or manage emerging ethical issues in health professions education and research, advance the process of ethical decision-making and evaluate the consequences of the decisions where appropriate.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Assessment is done according to international standards for doctorates and must satisfy national norms of the highest level, as assessed by authorities in the field of health professions education, training and research and/or related fields. 

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification is comparable with similar qualifications offered in various higher education institutions internationally. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Postdoctoral studies. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    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.
     
    NONE 


    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.