What is the standard required of a PhD?
The PhD is the highest degree offered by universities throughout the world. It is a prestigious degree, and is reserved for graduates who have shown themselves capable of the highest levels of scholarship.
In South Africa, the standard required of the PhD is set out in two documents.
South African National Qualifications Framework (SANQF)
The SANQF provides “descriptors” for each educational level. Level 9 is a Master’s degree and Level 10, the highest level, is a doctoral degree, which includes the PhD. These descriptors are reproduced below and may be accessed from this link to the original document.
The Council for Higher Education (CHE)
CHE has issued a more comprehensive document listing the outcomes for a doctoral degree. This may be accessed via these links:
SANQF Level 10 descriptors
NQF Level Ten
a. Scope of knowledge, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate expertise and
critical knowledge in an area at the forefront of a field, discipline or practice; and the ability to
conceptualise new research initiatives and create new knowledge or practice.
b. Knowledge literacy, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate the ability to contribute
to scholarly debates around theories of knowledge and processes of knowledge production
in an area of study or practice.
c. Method and procedure, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate the ability to
develop new methods, techniques, processes, systems or technologies in original, creative
and innovative ways appropriate to specialised and complex contexts.
d. Problem solving, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate the ability to apply
specialist knowledge and theory in critically reflexive, creative and novel ways to address
complex practical and theoretical problems.
e. Ethics and professional practice, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate the ability
to identify, address and manage emerging ethical issues, and to advance processes of ethical
decision-making, including monitoring and evaluation of the consequences of these decisions
where appropriate.
f. Accessing, processing and managing information, in respect of which a learner is able to
demonstrate the ability to make independent judgements about managing incomplete or
inconsistent information or data in an iterative process of analysis and synthesis, for the
development of significant original insights into new, complex and abstract ideas, information
or issues.
g. Producing and communicating information, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate
the ability to produce substantial, independent, in-depth and publishable work which meets
international standards, is considered to be new or innovative by peers, and makes a significant
contribution to the discipline, field, or practice; and the ability to develop a communication strategy
to disseminate and defend research, strategic and policy initiatives and their implementation to
specialist and non-specialist audiences using the full resources of an academic and professional
or occupational discourse.
h. Context and systems, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate an understanding
of theoretical underpinnings in the management of complex systems to achieve systemic
change; and the ability to independently design, sustain and manage change within a system
or systems.
i. Management of learning, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate the ability to
demonstrate intellectual independence, research leadership and management of research
and research development in a discipline, field or practice.
j. Accountability, in respect of which a learner is able to demonstrate the ability to operate
independently and take full responsibility for his or her work, and, where appropriate, lead,
oversee and be held ultimately accountable for the overall governance of processes and
systems.
Academy of Sciences of South Africa
ASSAf has discussed the PhD in a number of documents, including the following:Other links