Postgraduate Diploma in Chemistry

Purpose

The purpose of Postgraduate Diploma in Chemistry is to equip qualifying learners with advanced in-depth Chemistry knowledge, understanding and practical skills that will enable them to be versatile, innovative with analytical problem solving skills. Qualifying learners are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills for postgraduate studies in the field of Chemistry. Qualifying learners will be competent in a broad field that will equip them with the necessary supervisory, managerial and analytical skills and knowledge.

Upon completing the qualification, the learners will be able to

• Integrate fields of Chemistry to develop solutions to research questions. With the qualification structure, the learners will be able.
• Develop and test a hypothesis.
• Acquire scientific presentation and academic writing skills.
• Give advanced interpretation to data generated from research and to a research problem in Chemistry.

Rationale

Discussions with chemical manufacturing and consumer industries highlighted the need for highly skilled and suitable qualified chemists and therefore a need to introduce a qualification that will produce qualifying learners that specifically fit this specialised area. This qualification has been structured to meet that need through the development of higher-level competence associated with this qualification at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 8. The qualification provides possibilities for horizontal and vertical articulation. It also provides access to further study for students who have completed a relevant NQF Level 7 qualification.

The qualification will allow flexibility in the career path of chemical scientist, both vertically and horizontally, through personal growth and job advancement within and across the chemical industry. Therefore, the qualification provides learners with operational skills, including supervision, monitoring and leadership placing them at the heart of technology education in Africa and abroad. After completing this qualification, the learner will have high-level knowledge and skills within the discipline of Chemistry.

The qualifying learner will have the ability to apply a range of specialised techniques within the Chemistry context. The learner will be able to apply critical and innovative thinking at a higher level as well as problem solving skills in Chemistry. The learner will be introduced to research, develop research skills for application in Chemistry and enterprise development. An advisory board consisting of industry members was consulted in development of the programme.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The qualification may be granted, according to policies governing higher education, to learners who have acquired the skills and knowledge without attending formal qualifications provided they can demonstrate competence in the outcomes of the qualification as required by the fundamental, core and elective areas stipulated in the qualification and exit level outcomes.

An RPL process may also be used

• To grant learners with credits in which they have developed the necessary competency because of workplace and work-integrated learning.
• To gain access to the qualification.

Learners submitting themselves for RPL should be thoroughly briefed prior to assessment, and may be required to submit a portfolio or evidence in the prescribed format to be accessed for formal recognition.

• If the RPL is awarded, an exemption form is completed and the candidate may continue with full registration.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 7, 360 Credits.

Or

• A relevant Advanced Diploma, NQF Level 7, 360 Credits.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 120 Credits

• Advanced Analytical Chemistry, 20 Credits.
• Applied Inorganic Chemistry, 20 Credits.
• Research Project in Chemistry, 20 Credits.
• Advanced Organic Chemistry, 20 Credits.
• Applied Physical Chemistry, 20 Credits.
• Research Project in Chemistry, 20 Credits.

1. Demonstrate investigative skills combined with advanced discipline specific knowledge of chemistry to make critical decisions in the laboratory and industry.
2. Plan and conduct a discipline focused research project under supervision and report the findings professionally in an oral and visual scientific format.
3. Apply higher order critical, innovative thinking and problem solving skills in the field of Chemistry.
4. Critically evaluate and apply a range of specialised methods and techniques within the Chemistry context.
5. Develop advanced research skills for application in Chemistry and enterprise development.
6. Collect, organise, analyse and critically evaluate data at an advanced level.
7. Apply and evaluate the ethical implications of research in the chemistry environment.
8. Evaluate relevant advanced theoretical aspects of Chemistry covered in this curriculum.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Integrate investigative skills with discipline specific knowledge of chemistry (e.g. advanced spectroscopic methods, application of nanomaterials and catalysis, synthetic chemistry pericyclic reactions, chemistry of natural products, applied physical chemistry processes) and apply. it to make critical decisions and find solutions in the laboratory and industry.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Identify, plan, manage and conduct a discipline focused (selected field of chemistry) research project under supervision and reporting the findings professionally in an oral and visual scientific format.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Apply discipline specific processes, skills, techniques for analysis (e.g. statistical and thermal data, atomic absorption, plasma emission, atomic x-ray and mass, supercritical fluid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, etc.), analytical statistic methods and instruments at a level of higher order critical, innovative thinking, interpretation, evaluating and problem solving within the field of Chemistry.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Critically evaluate, interpret, select, compare, differentiate and apply a range of specialised methods, models, techniques, processes and underpinning principles and rules to analyse and make predictions (e.g. reaction outcomes, expected compound signals, splitting patterns, magnetic fields and radiation, integration of NMR spectra, molecular formula and structure, etc.), as well as performing calculations (rate constant, activation energy, turn over frequency, etc.) within the Chemistry context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Develop scientific research, reflective, creative and innovative skills for application within the Chemistry field and enterprise development.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Collect, organise, analyse and critically evaluate data at an appropriate level.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Professionally apply, evaluate and consider the ethical implications of conducting research and experimental laboratory work in the chemistry study field.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Evaluate relevant theoretical aspects of Chemistry covered in this curriculum by integrating and applying the specific knowledge within the research project.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment will be done to the standard that is stated in terms of the specified outcomes and the accompanying assessment criteria laid down. The learner will be considered competent or not competent on the basis of their assessment against the standard set. The organisation of the qualification will inform decisions on when summative assessments can take place, e.g. a qualification will be organised around one outcome or a set of outcomes, depending on what is appropriate in terms of ensuring learners' success. Summative assessments will be administered when a learner has gone through such a set of outcomes and is ready to be assessed. The lecturer will make sure that the learner understands from the outset what their roles and responsibilities are in terms of their assessments. Also, learners will be made to understand the process of assessment and why it is done in a particular way. They will also know what they can expect from the assessor and what the assessor expects from them.