Master of Social Science (Community Mental Health Promotion)

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to educate and train students in four key areas in the field of community mental health promotion:

• Advanced scholarship.
• Strategic leadership.
• Innovative intervention.
• Intellectual independence and autonomy in research.

The curriculum design for this qualification will contribute towards the programme purpose in the following ways

• Critical, engaged and advanced scholarship in respect of which the curriculum will ensure the student is able to demonstrate specialist knowledge in and critical evaluation of:

> Discourses in Community Psychology and its laboratory project including: The unique applications and challenges within Community Psychology both globally and within South Africa.

> Well-being as a central measure of health and life satisfaction.

> The value of primary prevention and the contextualising elements of social justice and health equity needed for community mental health and wellness outcomes. Focus will be given to: The appropriateness of current mental health promotion practices within the South Africa context and the value of psycho educational and life skills oriented interventions aimed at promoting the mental well-being of individuals, groups or communities and assisting in preventing illness.

> Discourses in social innovation, venture philanthropy and harnessing organizational forms and social relationships for social change and strengthening civil society.

> Global and national health systems, public mental health policies, human rights and the law including: The role of legal and governmental policies and procedures in international human rights law, the National Mental Health Policy and Strategic Framework along with key South African Acts of interest, including: The Child Justice Act, the Refugees Act, The Legal Aid South Africa Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

> Discourses in mental health advocacy, ethics, human rights and the law both nationally and internationally

> Global health governance and management in NPOs/Community development projects.

> Accessing advocacy and justice recourse systems for vulnerable groups within the South African context.

> Critical approaches to mental health assessment.

> Strategic leadership, management skills, good governance and fiscal skills for ensuring healthy productive organisations, management and visionary theory and methodology and methods for managing change including: Processes, strategies and resources needed in the management of mental health service organizations.

- Strategic leadership of which the curriculum will ensure the student is able to demonstrate an ability to

> Manage complex challenges with creativity and originality.

> Identify, engage and collaborate with stakeholders, investors and corporate partners in the design and implementation of social innovation including: conflict and negotiation communication skills for working with community stakeholders.

> Stimulate thinking beyond mundane conceptual schemes for working with people and enabling groups to construct and enact their own realities and build autonomous leadership in communities.

> Manage community projects at every level with an understanding of: marketing and sales techniques for non-profits and NGOs, financial management techniques and strategic analysis and development techniques.

> Work with governmental tenders and sub-contractors.

> Account for leading and initiating processes and implementing systems, ensuring good resource management ethical adherence and governance practices.

> Communicate dynamically in defending learned discourses and substantial ideas with a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge or expertise.

- Innovative mental health Intervention of which the curriculum will ensure the student is able to

> Demonstrate a range of mental health promotion/intervention skills for producing planned behaviour change.

> Work with creativity and insight for vulnerable groups within specialised contexts with particular reference to addressing themes of poverty, marginalization and social justice.

> Lead community based Participatory Action Research Projects (PARP).

> Evaluate the role of research in designing community interventions.

> Consider ecological including social, technological, environmental, economic and political (STEEP) determinants of mental health.

> Conduct mental health assessment; STEEP analysis; needs assessment; Strength Weakness Opportunity Threats (SWOT analysis); and project risk analysis.

> Identify best-fit interventions and develop them at an appropriate level based on evidence based programme theory.

> Implement and monitor preventative and developmental programmes with individuals and groups in community contexts.

> Manage and monitor the implementation of a range of innovative social intervention and Participatory Action Research Projects (PARP).

> Devise logic models to map change.

• Intellectual independence and autonomy in research of which the curriculum will ensure the student is able to demonstrate:

> Creativity and originality in identifying, conceptualising and designing research to address a research problem.

> Critical evaluation of designs and research methodologies so as to select appropriate methods and processes of enquiry that fit specific research problems.

> Specialised skills in the employment of data collection and data analysis strategies.

> Ability to make autonomous ethical decisions which affect knowledge production or complex organisational or professional issues, and the ability to critically contribute to the development of ethical standards in a specific context.

> Ability to write technical reports and creative works that communicate knowledge, learning and insight clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Rationale

This qualification aims to be a comprehensive qualification focused on advancing scholarship, research capacity, strategic leadership and social innovation around community mental health promotion in line with the institution's overall mission.

The rationale behind this qualification is

• The development of a qualification that is driven by strong industry need.

> The needs of the country.

> Work Place needs.

> The needs of Graduates.

• The development of a qualification that aligns to the National Development Plan 2030 which casts vision for education and training in South Africa into the future.
• The continued growth and development of SACAP's programme offering.

Mental health is the backbone of South Africa's economic growth and development and is critical to the overall well-being of individuals and society. "It is the springboard for the development of thinking and communication skills, emotional growth, resilience and self-esteem, and is fundamental to achieving government's goal of a Long and Healthy life for all South Africans" (Motsoaledi quoted in National Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic plan 2013 - 2020). This qualification has been developed with this need in mind. Given the multi-faceted mental health challenges faced by South African's and the reality that there remains today a large gap between the scope of mental health challenges and mental health resources to deal with such challenges. The institution has been attentive to this challenge and innovative in designing this programme to be one that truly speaks to what is needed in South Africa. The rationale behind the MSocSci (Community Mental Health Promotion) is to:

• Advance scholarship and research capacity that is orientated around a relevant community psychology that is wholly passionate about making a proactive contribution to the mental health and wellbeing of the South African community at large.
• Build strategic leadership for innovating around and promoting community mental health and wellbeing including strengthening leaders who can act as catalysts to bring together various sectors to tackle the mental health challenges the country faces.
• Scale up human capacity for innovative community mental health intervention and promotion.

The qualification will provide students with competencies in the area of scholarship, research, leadership and community mental health intervention and promotion thereby training students in alignment with the National Skills Development Strategy III and the National Development Plan 2030 to be a skilled and capable workforce that are able to lead, share in, and contribute to the mental health and wellness of South Africa's people.

The Higher Education Act affirms the desirability of higher education institutions creating new programmes that are transformative in character and focused on producing "high quality graduates with knowledge, competencies and skills to practice occupations and professions both locally and anywhere in the world." The employment environment in South Africa demonstrates the need for graduates with an advanced level of training in the social sciences with a focus on community psychology who are able to adapt to changing skills demands in the marketplace, and to be innovative in the way they position themselves in the employment market. Graduates of this qualification will be well suited for employment in an extensive range of public and private sector enterprises including but not limited to a variety of with NPO's, NGO's and corporate companies focusing on community/social development, management and leadership, mental health advocacy, mental health promotion, human rights advocacy, policy implementation and change management as well as consulting, research, education and academia.

The Masters of Social Science in Community Health Promotion [MSocSci (Community Mental Health Promotion)] complements SACAP's other programmes and is particularly well suited for students with a Psychology or Social Science Honours Degree who wish to engage with the Social Sciences further at a Masters level, with a particular focus on community mental health and with a longer term view to a career in community mental health or related fields. In this regard, the MSocSci (Community Mental Health Promotion) offers an ideal articulation pathway for graduates of SACAP's BSocSciHons (Psychology) Degree. Due to the paucity of available places, most of these candidates will not be successful in securing a place in these programmes. The MSocSci (Community Mental Health Promotion) is aimed at the student who is committed to gaining more knowledge and skills in community mental health promotion. The MSocSci (Community Mental Health Promotion) therefore speaks to an important gap in the academic qualification marketplace in providing additional advanced study articulation pathways for Honours graduates in a cognate discipline.

The development of a qualification that aligns to the National Development Plan 2030 (National Development Plan, 2014). The National Development Plan - Our future - make it work speaks specifically to developing the Next Generation of Academics for South African Higher Education by:

• Increasing access to innovative training and education that enables South African's to fulfill their potential and participate in a knowledge-intensive economy (National Development Plan, 2014, p.38).
• Providing programmes that have built in support mechanisms that increases participation and graduation rates.
• Providing more Masters programmes to ultimately Increase the percentage of PhD qualified graduates in the higher education sector from the current 34 percent to over 75 percent by 2030.

The MSocSci (Community Mental Health Promotion) aims to train its students to be critical, engaged and advanced scholars, strategic leaders, social innovators and intellectually independent autonomous researchers who:

• Can meaningfully contribute to the development of knowledge in Community Mental Health Promotion and advocacy.
• Are responsive to community mental health needs.
• Are practically equipped to innovate and develop Community Based Participatory Action Projects (PARP) and conduct research focused on social intervention, that levarages human resource and social capital to build supportive stimulating environments and provide life skills training, psychosocial support and psychoeducation focused around issues of vulnerability and building resilience in the context of widespread risk (Department of Health Republic of South Africa, 2013).

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL will not be granted for advanced standing or exemption from modules or courses constitutive of this Master of Social Science (Community Mental Health Promotion) (MSocSci) qualification.

RPL will only be considered for admission in to the MSocSci degree for those graduates without the minimum entrance requirements (i.e. a relevant Honours bachelor's degree or postgraduate diploma in a cognate discipline) who have shown either by examination, research experience, publication, considerable relevant work experience in the field, or a record of appropriate training and/or development, that they have reached a level in the subject or a cognate subject, that is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours bachelor's degree/NQF 8 qualification. These claims must be supported by a relevant portfolio of evidence that can be verified, which could include, but is not limited to, a combination of the following: study transcripts (compared, certified and verified by SAQA for international qualifications), course descriptors, a detailed curriculum vitae, work and/or academic references, previous research paper(s), publication(s).

The applicant's RPL portfolio of evidence will be assessed by one or more internal senior academic staff members to ascertain the applicant's level of competence for admission into the MSocSci degree.

Where the applicant's RPL portfolio of evidence is found lacking, the applicant could be required to do a piece of research in an area in which they have relevant experience and prior learning in order to substantiate their portfolio of evidence.

Those applicants who do not qualify for RPL because their prior learning and research experience is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the SAQA NQF 8 exit-level outcomes, will be advised to complete the required prerequisite qualification(s) before attempting to apply for this MSocSci degree.

SAQA must validate all foreign qualifications.

All candidates will still go through the screening and selection process.

Entry Requirements

The minimum requirements for admission into the Masters Degree are

• An appropriate Level 8 (Honours) qualification in a cognate discipline.

This qualification comprises compulsory modules at Level 9 totalling 184 Credits.

Compulsory Modules Level 9, 184 Credits

• Discourses and Diversity in Community Psychology, 18 Credits.
• Critical approaches to health assessment (Intensive), 10 Credits.
• Social innovation: Theory and impact (Core), 18 Credits.
• Effective Community Based Intervention (Intensive), 10 Credits.
• Theory and practice for Community Based Participatory Action Research, 18 Credits.
• Strategic leadership and management skills (Intensive), 10 Credits.
• Mental Health Promotion Project Management (Core), 18 Credits.
• Health systems, Human Rights and Advocacy (Intensive), 10 Credits.
• Participatory Action Research Project (PARP) and Mini dissertation 60.
• How to succeed in your masters, 3 Credits.
• Technologies for data collection and analysis, 3 Credits.
• Ethics and ethical clearance, 3 Credits.
• Writing your Master's Thesis, 3 Credits.

• Demonstrate the ability to make autonomous ethical decisions which affect knowledge production, or complex organisational or professional issues, and the ability to critically contribute to the development of ethical standards in a specific context.
• Manage their learning by developing his or her own learning strategies, which sustain independent learning and academic or professional development.
• Interact effectively within the learning or professional group as a means of enhancing learning.
• Operate independently and take full responsibility for his or her own work.
• Account for leading and initiating processes and implementing systems, ensuring good resource management and governance practices.

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

• Conduct a thorough search of recent published scientific research on their topic by including only articles in academic journals and credible books; search for them using online academic databases and the reference lists of relevant articles.
• Organise the review around and relate it directly to the topic or research question or subject under study.
• Employ a mix of qualitative and quantitative studies where possible.
• Present ideas in a logical and coherent manner showcasing a reasoned argument in the relevant subject under investigation and specifically meeting the respective assignment instructions.
• Use of appropriate academic language relevant to the subject.
• Demonstrate excellent adherence to APA guidelines.
• Apply knowledge, understanding and skills gained from knowledge.
• Access, process and manage information conducting a thorough investigation into a topic and use of appropriate academic sources relevant to the subject under investigation.
• Study independently and critically certain sources, analyse these sources and apply the information.
• Reflect on their own knowledge in relation to the research and the application of that knowledge into specific contexts.
• Identify, conceptualise and design interventions at an appropriate level within a system, based on an understanding of hierarchical relations within the system.
• Implement specialised skills to address complex challenges.
• Embark on a systematic investigation and discussion of a problematic issue in the chosen area of research.
• Formulate a research idea into a research project.
• Provide a rationale for the chosen research topic.
• Conduct a preliminary study and select a topic for research.
• Use literature appropriately to review the focus of the research.
• Describe the research methodology process.
• Justify the use of technology based data collection methods.
• Provide a methodological outline of the tools used in data collection and analysis.
• Critically discuss ethical considerations when using data participants.
• Explain the process necessary to obtain ethical clearance for a research study.
• Discuss limitations and recommendations for future study.
• Present the aim of the critical review and a summary of the main findings or key argument.
• Present ideas in a logical and coherent manner showcasing a reasoned argument in the relevant subject under investigation and specifically meeting the respective assignment instructions.
• Summarise the main points of the article and a few examples.
• Discuss and evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and important features of the text and the discussion should be based on specific criteria and include other sources to support it (with references).
• Conclude the review with a restatement of the overall opinion of the text. It can also include recommendations and some further explanation of the judgement to show that it is fair and reasonable.
• Demonstrate a high level of theoretical engagement demonstrated through specialist knowledge and critical, engaged and advanced scholarship to enable engagement with and critique of theories, philosophical assumptions and interpretive frameworks.
• Show creativity and originality in tackling and solving problems demonstrating the ability to identify a research problem, conceptualising a research design and implement methods of enquiry.
• Conduct a comprehensive review of leading and current research in the focus area selected.
• Identify, conceptualise, design and implement methods of enquiry to address complex and challenging problems within a field or practice; and an understanding of the consequences of any solutions or insights generated within a specialised context.
• Demonstrate a command of and the ability to select and apply appropriate or current technologies to the research project.
• Build specialised skills in the employment of data collection and data analysis strategies.
• Access, process and manage information demonstrating the ability to conduct a comprehensive review of leading and current research in standards of evaluation and validation in qualitative and quantitative research.
• Demonstrate high levels of intellectual independence and autonomy in managing the mini dissertation.
• Understand ethical issues in research and ethical dilemmas likely to arise at different phases of the research.
• Use the resources of academic and professional or occupational discourses to communicate and defend substantial ideas with a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge or expertise.
• Demonstrate the ability to operate independently and take full responsibility for ones work, and, where appropriate, to account for leading and initiating processes and implementing systems, ensuring good resource management and governance practices.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge at an advanced level.
• Decide the main message they want to convey to attendees and brainstorm the information they want and/or need to include.
• Creatively design, and produce an academic poster.
• Explore computer programs that will assist in the preparation of the poster.
• Introduce their scholarly work to peers.
• Discuss the content of the poster with a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge or expertise.
• Optimise on valuable networking opportunities.
• Create a handout for readers that includes a miniature version of the Academic poster and more detailed information about their work.
• Demonstrate the ability to use the resources of academic and professional discourses to communicate and defend substantial ideas.
• Demonstrate scope of knowledge, knowledge literacy and methods and procedure.
• Describe an area of specialisation.
• Use a range of advanced and specialised skills and discourses.
• Communicate with a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge or expertise.

Integrated Assessment

The institution has developed modules for the Master of Social Sciences in Community Mental Health Promotion with assessment requirements that address the overall aim and learning outcomes of each module. Preparing for assessments is a substantive component of the programme whereby the student engages an independent structured process for gathering evidence in relation to specified levels of competence clearly identified in the learning outcomes of a particular module of study. In relation to the programme, assessment is continuous, and in line with an Outcomes-Based Educational Approach and Training (OBET). To this end an integrated assessment approach described in numerous policies of the emerging South African education and training system is utilized in this programme. Integrated assessment is carried out to support learning and determine the application of knowledge in authentic situations. In an integrated assessment approach, a number of outcomes are assessed together, and the student must demonstrate an achievement of multiple outcomes within the assessment task as exemplified in the module outlines.

As is outlined in South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA's) guidelines for Integrated Assessment the following are the broad principles of the development and design of integrated assessment approaches:

• Focusing assessment activities on the purpose of the module seeking ways to integrate theory and practice.
• Focusing on assessment as a service of learning and the learner.
• Acknowledging that assessment is not a "once-off" event in an outcomes-based model.
• Acknowledging that although assessment of only an appropriate sample of evidence may take place this should be sufficient to infer that a learner is competent ensuring transparency by giving role-players access to assessment plans.

Integrated assessment provides an opportunity for learners to show that they are able to integrate concepts, ideas and actions both within and across modules to achieve competence. With that in mind, for each of the modules in the MSocSci (Community Mental health Promotion) the NQF 9 level descriptors have been used to guide the types of assessments that have been designed for the modules.

Assessments for the MSocSci (Community Mental Health Promotion) are focused on supporting learning as well as gauging whether the student has met the requirements of the NQF 9 Level Descriptors in terms of level, breadth and depth of learning.

Assessments that will be used throughout the programme are as follows

• Literature Review: A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by credible scholars and researchers. It may be written as a standalone assignment, but more often it is part of the introduction to an essay, research report, or thesis. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be defined by a guiding concept (e.g. the module title or the particular topic the assessment is focused on).
• Research Paper: The research paper contains logical, consistent and coherent reasoning. Conclusions are the logical result of what was written before, without omissions and contradictions. Research papers provide an opportunity for the student to explore their scope of knowledge through engagement with and critique of current research; in addition the student must reflect on their own knowledge in relation to the research and the application of that knowledge into specific contexts. Research Essays differ based on the module and topic under investigation.
• Research Proposal: The research proposal is a planning document that outlines your thinking about a research project and describes what is to be studied and how. Writing a Mini-Dissertation is a demanding project for which you need to plan. Without proper planning, your research will lack focus and your data collection will run into major problems. The critical components of a Research Proposal are as follows:

> Introduction.

> Background, Rationale and problem statement.

> Aims of the research.

> Research Topic - Statement and Focus.

> Theoretical framework.

> Research Design and Methodology: Research Design, Participants, Data Collection, Procedure, Data Analysis, Ethical Considerations.

> Provisional Chapter layout.

> Time-line.

Conclusion

• Critical Review: A critical review is the summarization and evaluation of the ideas and information in an article. It expresses the writer's point of view in the light of what is already known on the subject and what is acquired from related texts. Reviewing critically means thinking carefully and clearly and taking into consideration both the strengths and weaknesses in the material under review. Efficient reviewing, or evaluating, requires an awareness of the gist (central idea), the purpose and the intended audience of the text. The text is looked at from a variety of perspectives (from related sources) and evaluated in relation to the theories, approaches and frameworks of the expected task. This evaluation involves analyzing the content and concepts of the text, separating them into their main components, and then understanding how these interrelate, connect and influence each other.
• Mini Dissertation: This refers to the dissertation required in part-fulfilment of the requirements of a Master's by coursework and Mini-Dissertation as described in the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF). The Mini-Dissertation is an integrated assessment at the level of qualification that provides an opportunity for the student to show that they are able to integrate concepts, ideas and actions to achieve competence that is grounded and coherent in relation to the purpose of the qualification. The purpose of the dissertation is to show that the student is able to carry out supervised research, has a grasp of the research tools in the chosen field and is familiar with the more important publications on the subject. It should also demonstrate that the student is able to communicate results and to evaluate his or her own work and that of others critically.
• Academic Poster: A poster is a visual presentation in which one show cases scholarly research. The purpose of a poster is to present a piece of work that colleagues can easily view and which can stimulate an exchange of ideas between the presenter and the audience reading the poster. A poster is different from a paper or a talk, and so distinct techniques need to be employed in its preparation.
• Oral Presentation: Oral presentations are discussions of a focused topic delivered to a group of listeners in order to impart knowledge or to stimulate discussion. They are similar to a paper in terms of having an introduction, main body and conclusion. The ability to give presentations is a critical skill for students to grasp.