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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 Chiropractic 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
96808  Doctor of Chiropractic 
ORIGINATOR
Durban University of Technology 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  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
Registered-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2027-06-30   2029-06-30  

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 primary purpose of the Doctor of Chiropractic is to develop a practitioner beyond that of clinical practice, to be able to contribute independently to the development of significant and original knowledge, at an advanced level in the Chiropractic field. The research problem, its justification, process and outcome are reported in a thesis, which complies with the generally accepted norms for research at this level.

Rationale:
The Chiropractic profession in South Africa is a small but developing profession, with the start of education and training in 1989 at the institution. This primary education and training culminated in the learners achieving a Master of Technology in Chiropractic (replaced with the Master of Health Sciences in Chiropractic) which provided an avenue for professional registration with The Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa. The current education and training have allowed the profession to develop from just under 100 practitioners in the early 1990s to approximately 800 practitioners in 2019. The upward trajectory of study from the Master's qualification is a Doctoral qualification. Chiropractic graduates and practitioners are seeking opportunities to develop specialisation, further study opportunities and the ability to contribute to knowledge development in their discipline. Thus, the Doctor of Chiropractic would provide such an avenue. From a professional vantage point, this also signifies that the profession in South Africa is ready to take the next step in the development of the profession, which requires researchers to underpin this development. Therefore, the profession is necessary to develop further practitioners who have an interest in research and academia allowing for the profession to develop further and grow as well as integrate with the health services provision in South Africa.
From an educational vantage point, the rationale for this qualification is to allow for an avenue for original knowledge contribution in the field of Chiropractic. Practitioners achieving this qualification would thus be competent scientific researchers who can work independently to develop and apply knowledge and skills that support the global knowledge or technology in the field of Chiropractic with the specific emphasis on the South African context and supporting the Department of Health's National Development Strategies and milestones. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
The qualification may be achieved in part through RPL, as stated in the revised institution's RPL policy.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Master of Health Sciences in Chiropractic, NQF Level 9. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consist of the compulsory module at Level 10 totalling 360 Credits:
  • Research and Dissertation, 360 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of the field or area of investigation.
    2. Apply research methods and techniques appropriately and correctly to make an original contribution to global knowledge and insight in the particular field or discipline chosen.
    3. Critically analyse, evaluate and interpret the research findings.
    4. Report the findings in a thesis and scientific format for international consumption.
    5. Demonstrate the capacity to work independently. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria 1:
  • Demonstrate an advanced understanding and contribution to knowledge in the investigated area.

    Associated Assessment Criteria 2:
  • Demonstrate the appropriate use of research methodology and skills to produce the research.

    Associated Assessment Criteria 3:
  • Demonstrate critical analysis and interpretation of research findings.

    Associated Assessment Criteria 4:
  • Demonstrate the ability to write scientifically at the level for international acceptance.

    Associated Assessment Criteria 5:
  • Demonstrate the ability to work independently.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Formative assessment practices are the following:
  • Oral and written presentations of the proposed research project to Department or Faculty Research Committee.
  • Research proposal approval through Departmental Research Committee, Faculty Research Committee and Institutional Research and Ethics Committee (where necessary).
  • Written progress reports - provided annually, via the Department to the Faculty Research Committee.
  • Regular meetings with the supervisor/s to discuss and evaluate progress.

    Summative assessment:
    A thesis either by monograph or through publication (in alignment with the institution policy on Doctorate by publication) submitted for examination will contribute 100% of the final mark. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The developing chiropractic profession internationally has had to bootstrap with other related disciplines for the profession to develop practitioners with a Doctoral qualification. At present, there are research units located in Denmark, New Zealand and Canada, whose principal aim is to prepare researchers for the discipline. However, these units are multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary units whose primary focus is not formal education and training (as would be the case in higher education).

    Additionally, the chiropractic profession has, only over recent years developed education and training beyond that of a Bachelor's qualification equivalent for purposes of professional registration. Therefore, most countries train chiropractic practitioners to the point where a Master's qualification is an elective. In this respect, the development of Chiropractic in South Africa has been ahead of the development trajectory, with the training of practitioners to the Master's qualification level (this level of training has now also become a higher norm globally outside of the United States of America). Currently, no Chiropractic Colleges Institutions / Universities offer Doctoral qualifications in Chiropractic. Thus to provide this doctoral qualification-related disciplines like physiotherapy have been consulted, in addition to generic Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) qualifications (e.g. the PhD in Health Sciences offered through the institution. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for horizontal articulation.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Transdisciplinary Health Science, Level 10.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences Education, Level 10.
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences, 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. Durban University of Technology 


    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.