Master of Social Science

This qualification includes the various specialisations in Social Science. Please refer to "Notes" for details on the specialisations.

1. The first purpose of the qualification is to provide qualifiers with knowledge, skills and applied competence in the disciplines of Anthropology, Archeology, Criminology, Development Studies, Political Science, Public Administration, Psychology and Sociology to gain and engage in productive employment in middle and high-level positions in enterprises in the academic, commercial, industrial and public sectors of the South African economy.
2. The second purpose of the qualification is to provide qualifiers with a capacity to operationalise and document scientific investigations/research in the afore-mentioned disciplines.
3. The third purpose of the qualification is to enable qualifiers to operationalise and document a scientific investigation/research project in the form of a dissertation on an approved topic within the afore-mentioned disciplines, that provides proof of acquaintance with the methods and techniques of scientific research, correct language usage and satisfactory technical workmanship.

An NQF level 6 qualification, including a Bachelor of Social Sciences Honours (B Sot SC Hons), a Bachelor of Arts Honours (B A Hons), a Bachelor of Administration Honours (B Admin Hons), a Bachelor of Commerce Honours (B Comm Hons), a Bachelor of Science Honours (B SC Hons), a Post-Graduate Diploma, a National Higher Diploma (N H Dip) or equivalent qualifications in the aforementioned disciplines.

1. A Master's of Social Sciences (M Sot Sc) graduate is equipped with comprehensive knowledge/mastery of theoretically sophisticated subject matter of the afore-mentioned disciplines and skills that include the identification and definition of complex problems and the application of appropriate knowledge and skills for their solution; the critical evaluation of the literature; confident use of well developed research skills with a view to planning, executing and documenting scientific investigations, including the independent analysis of new data and the application of solutions using a wide range of appropriate methods and techniques; transforming data and concepts for a given purpose; critically reviewing of evidence supporting conclusions; effective interaction and engagement in debate with a learning or professional group and demonstration of leadership.

1. Write research proposals that indicate that learners are able to identify (a) problem(s) in the afore-mentioned disciplines and formulate research problems and subsets of problems; formulate hypotheses; select and utilise instruments that are relevant in the research of problems in human resources management; conduct fieldwork during the actual investigation; select and use appropriate data analysis methods to interpret the findings of an investigation; report the findings of the investigation and formulate recommendations that emanate from the findings.
2. Identify and analyze different scientific procedures in terms of the problem being researched.
3. Critically read, interpret and analyze literature from different sources; search for literature on the identified research problem; compare the writings of different authors on the same related topic; synthesize reading material on the topic being researched: draw conclusions from different readings and indicate anomalies; create a theoretical framework provided by the literature review; compile a complete bibliography.
4. Write a dissertation that shows that the learner can express him/herself clearly; write a dissertation that is linguistically correct, acceptable and of high standard; write a dissertation that is technically well presented and has an acceptable layout.

Integrated Assessment

The Integrated Assessment procedure with regard to the research proposal consists of consideration and approval of it by a permanent standing committee of the Faculty Board, namely the Faculty Research Committee, then the Faculty Board and lastly the Senate.

The integrated assessment with regard to the dissertation option consists of the dissertation being examined and adjudicated by the appointed supervisor(s), who acts/act as the internal examiner(s) and the external examiner(s).

The integrated assessment with regard to the oral or written examination option consists of the internal examiner(s) submitting (an) examination paper(s) to the external examiner(s) for approval of the papers and having the paper(s) marked by the internal examiner(s) and moderated by the external examiner(s).