Master of Health Sciences in Gerontology

Purpose

A critical prerequisite for forging effective policy and programmatic responses to ensure the well-being of present and future cohorts of older persons in SSA, as emphasised by MIPAA and the AU Plan on Ageing, is the building of national capacity on ageing among governments, academia, civil society and relevant professions.

The purpose of this qualification is to offer learners an advanced knowledge base of and research competence into the nature, development and enhancement of psychosocial well-being and health in various contexts, developmental phases, cultural groups, etc.

Social and health-care professionals who are credited with this qualification will be able to function with advanced intellectual and practical competencies in complex social contexts and ill-defined areas of health, focusing on a transdisciplinary team approach towards the promotion of well-being in particularly the third and fourth phases of life. The qualification will enable social and health-care professionals from various disciplines to empower older people in communities, many of whom head multi-generational households, to be agents of their own and younger generations' well-being. Within more formal residential care, the qualification will contribute to a move away from a more bio-clinical towards a more holistic approach. Generally, these social and health-care professionals will be able to act as leaders, consultants, educators, specialist practitioners and researchers in transdisciplinary promotion of well-being.

This cutting edge and Africa relevant qualification aims at advancing existing professional skills as well as developing research proficiencies, but does not lead to an additional professional qualification as such.

This qualification affords social and health-care professionals access to doctoral studies at NQF level 10, consequently increasing the candidate pool for leadership in social and health care. To this end the purpose of the qualification is to equip learners from a variety of disciplines to develop a comprehensive understanding of the causes, dynamics and implications of individual and societal ageing in order for them to promote the well-being and quality of life of older people; meet older people's present and projected needs; enable older people to remain within their own communities for as long as possible; and apply new knowledge to plan and implement appropriate interventions, activities and proposals within complex contexts such as HIV/AIDS, co-morbidities, poverty and changing family dynamics.

Rationale

Rapid global population ageing particularly in the developing world, has created unprecedented demographic changes that give rise to social and health care challenges. These challenges, ranging from the increase in chronic diseases to informal intergenerational family care management, should be addressed holistically towards a better quality of life for all generations. To this end, the UN Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (UNMIPAA, 2002), of which South Africa is a signatory, calls expressly for efforts to support the promotion of "organisations that specifically promote training and capacity building on ageing in developing countries" (par.119).

The Master of Health Sciences in Gerontology is the first in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and in line with the transdisciplinary, holistic approach towards the promotion of health at the AUTHeR research unit (Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research) which is embedded in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the North-West University. The AUTHeR draws on the World Health Organisation's definition of health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". The relevance of the WHO's definition lies in the interrelated understanding between social and public health challenges from different perspectives, integrated into a holistic approach. Researchers from different backgrounds (disciplines/scientific fields) are thus of the opportunity to transcend separate conceptual, theoretical and methodological frameworks and to share their ideas and results across disciplinary silos to affect relevant community intervention and participation.

The rationale for the development of a Master's qualification on Ageing in Africa arises as a result of two coinciding factors:

First, current demographic projections show sub-Saharan Africa has the fastest growing older population globally. While the share of persons aged 60 years and over in Africa's populations will remain lower than in other parts of the world (the share will rise from 5.4% at present to 10.6% by 2050), the absolute number of older persons will rise fourfold, from 55.4 million to 212.8 million over the same period. This numerical increase will be more rapid than that for any other major region or age group. Life expectancy at age 60, currently 15 years for men and 17 years for women, does not moreover differ markedly from the global average.

South Africa is the country with the highest proportion of older people on mainland SSA, and may overall be described as in the intermediate stage of population ageing. Its total population numbers around 52 million with 4.1 million (8.2 per cent) aged 60 and over. This older population is projected to increase to 5.23 million (10.5 per cent) by 2025 and by 2050 to 6.4 million, representing 13 per cent of the total population. The age group 80 years and over represents 9 per cent of the older population in 2011 and is projected to increase to 19 per cent by the middle of the century.

Second, population ageing in SSA is occurring within a context of pervasive economic strain and rapid social change, which raises concerns about the heightened vulnerability of older persons to poverty (exacerbated by the effects of HIV/AIDS), ill-health (especially a rise in chronic diseases) and social exclusion, in particular.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Institution subscribes to the principles underlying outcomes-based, source-based and lifelong learning. In this context, considerations of articulation and mobility play an important role. The Institution endorses the view that recognition of prior learning (RPL) constitutes an essential element of the transformation of access and admissions policies at education institutions in South Africa.

Recognition of modules

Learner who has studied at another recognised higher education institution and who applies to register for this qualification at the University, may apply in writing to the dean concerned for recognition or exemption of modules required for the qualification for which the learner wishes to register, provided that the dean may grant recognition or exemption for no more than half the credits, preferably regarding the modules in the junior year levels of the qualification concerned.

Learner who has acquired a qualification from the University or any other recognised higher education institution and who applies for registration in a qualification at the University, may apply in writing to the dean concerned for recognition or exemption of modules required for the qualification for which the student wishes to register, provided that the dean may grant recognition or exemption for no more than half of the credits, preferably regarding the modules in the junior year levels of the qualification concerned.

Entry Requirements

Learners can gain access through

• A relevant four-year professional Bachelor Degree in Health Sciences.

Or

• A relevant three-year and Honours Degree in Health Sciences or a health-related discipline.

The qualification consists of compulsory modules at NQF Level 8 totalling 180 Credits.

Modules

• Research Methodology, 16 Credits.
• Transdisciplinary health promotion, 16 Credits.
• Mini-dissertation, 100 Credits.
• Population ageing and policies, 16 Credits.
• Biomedical and social theories, 16 Credits.
• Quality of life and well-being of older persons, 8 Credits.
• Gerontological Interventions, 8 Credits.

1. Apply appropriate research methods and techniques to identify, analyse and formulate complex research problem(s) in the domain of gerontology, and to communicate and defend substantial ideas.
2. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of international and national population trends, with special focus on population and individual ageing, both globally and in South Africa.
3. Analyse, compare and understand the key theoretical and conceptual approaches to gerontology from both a biomedical and a social science perspective.
4. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of current and emerging individual and community needs that are related to the ageing process in lieu of the complex realities that are facing older people in South Africa.
5. Recognise and utilise the strengths of and contributions from older persons to deal with the complex realities of ageing in a national and global context and to promote the concept of positive and active ageing.
6. Draw valid, reliable and relevant conclusions from different sources in order to apply this ethically in micro-, meso- and macro-level interventions and to address the consequences of these interventions.
7. The ability to translate demographic ageing challenges into policy frameworks and practical interventions.

• Different cognitive domains are used to critically compare, analyse, and evaluate theoretical knowledge.
• The critical core of a number of disciplines included in the learning programme is determined by the scope of specific concepts, principles and theories included up to this level.
• independent research in the field of gerontology is conducted within a transdisciplinary context, utilising a range of skills to identify analyse and address complex and abstract problems.
• Different cognitive domains are incorporated in the training process to equip student to critically compare, analyse, and evaluate theoretical knowledge.
• Appropriate partnerships are established with relevant organisations and agencies and facilitate collaborative action.
• Various kinds of information resources, such as the library, Internet, and primary and secondary sources related to the core disciplines is accessed.
• Reading skills applied at the level required for making use of the different sources, such as hard copy and electronic literature.
• Reasoning skills is applied to clearly substantiate arguments in reports on findings.
• Skills and competence applied to perform empirical context-specific analyses in order to obtain the relevant information.
• Different techniques and strategies for communicating results such as electronic media, written and oral persuasion are used.
• Different modes of communication (oral and written) and discipline-specific conventions, and utilisation of different techniques and strategies for communicating results to an audience are applied.
• Social and health trends that impact on health promotion are identified.
• Global, sub-Saharan and South African trends on fertility, mortality and migration are compared.
• The needs/assets of older persons from a biomedical and social sciences' perspective are identified and assessed.
• Findings regarding communities that are dealing with older persons from a biomedical and social sciences' perspective are discussed.
• Intervention programmes on a micro-, meso- or macro-level that demonstrate ethical and responsible awareness on contexts of poverty, intergenerational relationships and gender are developed.
• The significance of contested knowledge in a specific context is recognised.
• Competence in an understanding of how, why and under what circumstances new information comes to be accepted as knowledge is demonstrated.
• Inductive and deductive thinking skills are applied.
• Standard procedures within the specific discipline, such as experimental or computational techniques are applied.
• Valid conclusions are drawn and appropriately presented.
• Ethical implications of various kinds of research are applied and acted on accordingly.

Integrated Assessment

This Degree is presented via contact learning with a blended learning environment approach, including theoretical modules as well as a research dissertation via contact and on-line delivery. Both teaching-learning and research activities include a variety of modes of delivery. The following forms of continuous formative and summative assessment are used to ensure integrated assessment of all exit level outcomes:

• Reports and written assignments including a full dissertation.
• Transdisciplinary group debates.
• Written examinations.

Learning and assessment is integrated throughout this qualification as is expected when active learning is at the foundation of the development of teaching and learning opportunities. Continuous formative assessment is required to ensure that learners get feedback on their progress towards the achievement of specific learning outcomes. Summative assessment is concerned with the judgement of the learning in relation to the exit-level outcomes of the qualification. These assessments focus on the learners' ability to integrate the larger body of knowledge, necessary competencies and attitudes that are represented by the Exit-Level Outcomes, either as a whole or as components of the qualification.

Assignments designed to meet the requirements of integrated assessment are such as to achieve

• An integration of the achievement of Exit-Level Outcomes in a way that demonstrates that the purpose of the qualification as a whole has been achieved, either in total or in the component parts of the programme of study.
• Evaluation of learner performance to demonstrate applied competence.
• Criterion-referenced assessment, which is clearly explained to and understood by the learners and which can be applied in the recognition of prior learning.

It is essential that a wide range of knowledge, skills, competencies and attitudes be integrated using innovative methods - and in the assessment of outcomes due recognition will be given to criteria and methods of assessment that assess these appropriately and adequately.