Master of Education in Higher Education Student and Professional Services

Purpose

The qualification is intended to enable learners to contribute to the co-curricular education and development of support and administrative services for higher education learners. Learners will be equipped to work in the range of public and private higher education institutions, offering learner and professional services to learners and staff within these institutions. The research component of the qualification will enable the learners to theorise and implement research-based practice.

Rationale

Learner learning in higher education does not only occur in the context of formal learning qualification that are facilitated by academic staff members. Multiple employees working in professional and non-academic roles in higher education institutions are also informal contributors to the cognitive, social and psychological development of learners, and/or the professional support of learners and staff working in higher education. These roles are mostly undertaken while providing a range of administrative, development and support services to higher education learners (e.g. learner leadership development, residence life, health and health promotion services, college administration, and admissions). Despite the significant contribution of this sector, there are currently few formal qualifications aimed at developing the conceptual, theoretical, research and practical skills for people working (or aspiring to work in) learner and professional services in higher education. The qualification aims to address this gap and provide a formal qualification path for the academic and applied development of these professionals.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution accepts the principle underlying outcomes-based, source-based and life-long learning, in which considerations of articulation and mobility play a significant role, and subscribes to the view that Recognition of Prior Learning, whether acquired by formal education curricula at this or another institution or informally (by experience) is an indispensable element in deciding on admission to and awarding credits in an explicitly selected teaching-learning qualification of the institution. An applicant who falls outside of the formal qualifications system, but who can demonstrate (through the production of substantial and satisfactory evidence) experiential or work-based learning or a non-formal qualification (or a combination), may be considered for admission and/or for the Recognition of Prior Learning for the achievement of the qualification in part or in full. An applicant who after such assessment, is deemed to have sufficient potential, but is in need of further academic development, must be directed to other suitable learning qualifications prior to admission or to parallel qualifications after admission.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is the

• An Honours degree or equivalent and a record of work or academic and professional work of a standard acceptable to Senate, National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 8.
• A Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education, NQF Level 8 (in any discipline plus work experience in a higher education) context.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules and electives at National Qualifications Framework Level 9 totalling 192 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 160 Credits

• African Higher Education in a Global Context, 16 Credits.
• Dissertation: Higher Education, 96 Credits.
• Discourses in Higher Education,16 Credits.
• Research Discourses and Methodology, 16 Credits.
• Research Proposal Development, 16 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 9, 32 Credits (Choose TWO Electives)

• Diversity in Higher Education, 16 Credits.
• Pedagogies in Higher Education, 16 Credits.
• Student Services in HE,16 Credits.
• Student Development and Learning: T & P, 16 Credits.
• Curriculum Development & Evaluation in HE, 16 Credits.
• Govern, Lead, and Institute Development in HE, 16 Credits.
• Professional Services in Higher Education, 16 Credits.

1. Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of contemporary and historical theories, structures, processes and regulatory frameworks that inform/have informed higher education, with a particular focus on learner and professional services in this domain.
2. Conduct research on learner and professional service issues in higher education.
3. Theorise practice and policy in higher education learner and professional services.
4. Demonstrate an ability to create a supportive and responsive higher education learning and work environment.
5. Demonstrate the ability to contribute to the role of an ethical learner and professional services practitioner within African higher education in a global context.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will be used in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes

• Compare and critique trends, policies, structures and approaches relating to higher education and its practices.
• Identify and use the terminology, key concepts and discourses related to different elements within higher education.
• Critically evaluate the literature, models and theories relevant and developing within the scholarship of higher education.
• Use research and understandings within context to plan, implement and research various aspects of higher education.
• Develop and justify arguments in relation to practices, policies and research within higher education.
• Research aspects of higher education.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment activities within this qualification include research and project work, reflective tasks, critical literature reviews, theoretical essays, case studies, policy outlines and the production of authentic artefacts. The activities include individual and collaborative work that is presented orally, in writing and/or online. The assessments are open-ended and developmental in nature. By not having tightly prescribed answers, and by building on preceding learning and assessment activities, the assessments are integrative, requiring learners to utilise learning from diverse sources and to demonstrate increasing understanding and evolving critical and practical skills.