Master of Social Science in Population and Policy Analysis

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to equip managers, planners and practitioners tasked with matters pertaining to the population in terms of development on the one hand and alleviation of poverty and ill-health on the other in all governmental levels, as well as other influential corporate spheres, including business and non-governmental organisations, with an advanced understanding and practical skills to interlink research and policy (including population development programmes) to gain improved levels of sustainable human development within the African context.

In line with the aforementioned purpose of the qualification, this qualification will contribute towards the outcomes. Apart from the research module, the compulsory and elective modules included in this qualification will contain advanced knowledge and training of different aspects relating to a population to develop and improve the skills of national, sectorial and regional population practitioners. The modules and research components will enable learners to design, implement and monitor evidence-based (researched) policies and programmes for sustainable human development. This qualification will further provide skills for the effective supervision of service delivery, and training of service delivery personnel. As such this qualification will contribute towards capacity-building by:

• Providing the required training to develop skills to conduct research and analyses of different aspects of a country's population and policies to enable integrated population development programmes.
• Developing skills to monitor and evaluate population-related programmes effectively.
• Enabling the effective and sustainable implementation of population programmes to mobilise community support.

Rationale

The Sub-Saharan African region is probably the one region in the world that would most likely not meet the targets set by the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the eight international development goals that were established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration.

Each goal has specific targets, and dates for achieving those targets. The failure to achieve these goals could be attributed to:

• A lack of recognition for the centrality of population issues, referring to policies and programmes.
• A failure to recognise the responsibility of national population offices, whose functions cover research studies, advisory services, technical coordination, training as well as documentation and information.
• A lack of skills to design, implement and monitor effective programmes directed at improving understanding of population problems, their impact on development objectives and Government policy and actions on the population at sectorial, regional and lower levels of governance.

The recognition that population issues should form an important aspect of public policy in African countries has contributed to the development of population policies, accompanied by programmes, directed at improving people's lives by giving them greater control of their reproduction in some countries and, where not already instituted, a willingness to do so. However, evaluations of these population policies and programmes instituted by different African countries undertaken by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) since 2000, have identified a major constraint in the implementation, coordination and monitoring of the programmes. One of the main contributing factors causing the constraint is situated in the lack of capacity of adequately trained technical personnel in the implementing institutions. Capacity building is therefore one of the major concerns being addressed by population and development strategies in the region, focusing among other things, on the strengthening of institutional and technical capacity at national and sub-national levels regarding data collection, analyses and dissemination as well as integration of population concerns into development plans and programmes. The Master of Social Science in Population and Policy is therefore designed to alleviate the scarcity of capacity by educating and training personnel at a Postgraduate level.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Institution and its Faculty of Human and Social Sciences subscribe 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. The transformation of access and admissions policies is intended to increase participation and to broaden access to higher education in order to produce graduates with the skills and competencies necessary to meet the human resource needs of the country.

The RPL concerns the provable knowledge and learning an applicant has acquired. At all times the question will be what the level of the skills is, and skills will be assessed in the context of the exit level skills required by the modules in the qualification, or the status for which the applicant applies. RPL will therefore take place in terms of applied skills and competencies demonstrated by the applicant in his or her application, taking into consideration the Exit Level Outcomes that have to be obtained by means of the qualification.

The institution acknowledges that the RPL must be conducted in a valid, reliable and equitable way and that it must take place in accordance with the terms of the institution's policy on the RPL and in accordance with the relevant procedures laid down by the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences. In the instance of credit recognition for this qualification, candidates are expected to provide evidence by means of portfolios or other forms of appropriate evidence, that prior learning is consonant with aspects of the knowledge and skills as are described in the outcomes of this qualification. Should the candidate be able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this qualification, the appropriate percentage of credits will be assigned to a learner and used to achieve accelerated access to this NQF level.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for access to this qualification is either

• A four-year Bachelor's Degree at Level 8.

Or

• An Honours Degree at Level 8.

Or

• A Postgraduate Diploma in Population and Policy Analysis at Level 8.

This qualification comprises compulsory and elective modules at level 9 totalling 192 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 168 Credits

• Applied Research and Statistics, 24 Credits.
• Integrating Population Issues into Development Planning, 24 Credits.
• Research, Policy and Programme Nexus, 24 Credits.
• Mini-dissertation, 96 Credits.

Elective Modules, 24 Credits (select one)

• Population and Poverty, 24 Credits.
• Population and Sustainable Resource Management, 24 Credits.
• Reproductive Health, 24 Credits.
• Population and Gender, 24 Credits.
• Population Ageing, 24 Credits.
• Population Change and Development, 24 Credits.
• Population, Health and Environment, 24 Credits.
• Population and Labour Force Participation, 24 Credits.

1. Demonstrate advanced, systematic and specialist knowledge, understanding and skills of appropriate ethically-based research methods and techniques necessary for identifying, formulating and researching a complex real-world problem in the domain of population and policy analyses, and communicating and defending, orally and in writing, substantial ideas.
2. Undertake and communicate a critical literature survey relevant to the chosen research problem, and apply appropriate theories to identify and analyse the problem and draw valid, reliable and relevant conclusions from different sources.
3. Communicate the results of the research effectively and in an ethically-correct, coherent dissertation and present the results orally to a specialist and non-specialist audience using academic-professional discourse, including Information Technology (IT).
4. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of one's position in relation to major debates relating to population and policy analyses and the practice thereof.
5. Demonstrate implementation of proposed population programmes, critical analyses and evaluation of the outcomes of interventions, programmes, policies and strategies regarding population development and policy analyses.
6. Demonstrate insight in the values and principles of human rights and social justice and the ability to advance these values and principles in sustainable development.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Use appropriate methods to design a research study.
• Write a research proposal with rationale, problem identification, objectives, methodology and research plan.
• Apply major concepts, theories and methodologies related to integration of population variables into development planning.
• Collect data.
• Analyse data and interpret results.
• Discuss and defend substantial ideas.
• Successfully complete the research project under supervision, and present findings and conclusions in a coherent manner.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Conduct research in the context of a chosen Population and Policy Analysis (PPA) practical field of specialisation and in accordance with the research proposal and prescribed ethical principles.
• Analyse and synthesise theories of PPA.
• Critique the dominant perspectives of PPA.
• Effectively undertake a critical and comprehensive literature review.
• Analyse discussions on an identified research problem in the PPA context.
• Present the information and possible solutions in an academically acceptable format.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Critically discuss and present findings, conclusions and recommendations.
• Communicate research results to policy makers, planners and programme managers.
• Develop and complete a body of research work compiled as a mini dissertation within the framework of the institution's requirements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Explain the debates and approaches/techniques with respect to integration of population issues and development planning.
• Advise on the integration of population issues into development planning.
• Prepare national, sub-national and sectored population projections.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Design and propose population related policies and programmes.
• Prepare national, sub-national and sectored population projections.
• Integrate population issues into development planning.
• Analyse and evaluate the outcomes of interventions, programmes and strategies.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Identify the requirements of a policy orientation needed for an individual researcher and a research institution to become an effective policy entrepreneur.
• Describe and explain the approaches, actions and skills needed for planning a programme embodying a policy objective.
• Examine the process of population change and how it links to development.
• Apply the knowledge on population change to policy and programmes.
• Identify linkages between population change and policies and programmes.

Integrated Assessment

Formative Assessment

Assignments in the form of a research project with short report and/or case studies, presentations, discussions, class tests and other types of assignments are submitted for assessment. Formative assessment entails continuous assessment of the quality of sections or full chapters of the dissertation submitted to the supervisor by a learner. Learners are furthermore expected to do a formal presentation of their work-in-progress at two research colloquia during the course of their studies. Their progress is monitored and their research projects are criticised by their peers and a panel of senior research staff as additional formative assessments. Before the final submission of the dissertation for examination, the supervisor peruses the work thoroughly one final time. The formative assessment opportunities culminate in one summative assessment opportunity in the format of a written dissertation.

Summative Assessment

In each of the modules in the qualification, summative assessment will be conducted by means of a three hour written examination paper which may be in the form of an open-book examination, providing a learner with an opportunity of solving intricate problems with their resources readily available. Integrated summative assessment in the form of the mini-dissertation will furnish proof of the candidate's ability to interpret, integrate, and critically use the literature to do research in the relevant field of study and report such research results satisfactorily.