SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

National Diploma: Marketing Communications 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
20904  National Diploma: Marketing Communications 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Marketing 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
SERVICES - Services Sector Education and Training Authority  OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
National Diploma  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Marketing 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  247  Level 5  NQF Level 05  Regular-Unit Stds Based 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 SAQA 9900/00  2018-07-01  2023-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2028-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Learners acquiring this qualification will have demonstrated competence at NQF Level 4 in the area of Marketing Communications or will have attained an equivalent qualification at that level. This qualification will be registered at NQF Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework and learners will have acquired a range of fundamental, core and elective competence around the areas of Marketing Strategy, Marketing Customer Relations, Principles of Marketing, Marketing Communications, Marketing Management, Marketing Research and Customer Management. Learners will have also demonstrated competence against specialised outcomes in the area of Marketing Communications.

Rationale of the qualification:

The National Diploma in Marketing Communications: Level 5 is designed to meet the needs of those learners who are already involved in the field of Marketing Communications or who enter the field at a higher level. Learners recognise that marketing is an essential and key business function necessary for the success of any organisation, both strategically and operationally. The qualification is inextricably linked to the Standard Generating Body`s (SGB`s), definition of Marketing, "to identify, anticipate and satisfy current and future consumer and customer expectations, needs and problems by facilitating and consummating exchange to achieve targeted levels of profitability and / or value in an accountable and socially responsible manner.

This qualification also reflects the needs of the marketing sector both now and in the future: it gives accessibility and flexibility to the learner and to the employer. The level of flexibility is reflected in the multiple job roles and careers, organisational requirements and changing technological nature of marketing and at the same time it allows the individual to work towards a nationally recognised qualification

Many different roles and careers are linked to and affected by this qualification. They include, but are not limited to:
  • Creative Directors > Marketing Traffic Controllers
  • Account Executives > Copywriters
  • Media Planners > Marketing Communication Specialists
  • Marketing Managers

    The National Diploma in Marketing Communications is structured in such a way that it exposes learners to a broad set of core competences while the electives allow for special competence in Marketing Communications. It certainly promotes the notion of life-long learning. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Learners accessing this qualification will have demonstrated competence against the standards in the National Certificate in Marketing, Marketing Communication or Marketing Research or Marketing Management or Customer Management or equivalent at NQF Level 4.

    Recognition of Prior Learning:

    The structure of this Unit Standard based Qualification makes the recognition of Prior Learning possible, if the learner is able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this Marketing Communications Qualification.

    This recognition of Prior Learning may allow:
  • For accelerated access to further learning
  • Gaining of credits towards a unit standard

    All recognition of Prior Learning is subject to quality assurance by services SETA or a relevant accredited ETQA and is conducted by an accredited workplace assessor. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    N/A 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    On achieving this qualification, the learner will be able to:
  • Conduct a marketing situational analysis while leading a team of Marketers and Service Providers.
  • Develop, implement and manage a marketing related project and / or activity plan, and implement a generic marketing communications strategy.
  • Present the features, advantages and benefits of products to customers so that a deal can be closed.
  • Provide product training to others in the organisation and coach others on the principles of marketing in an organisation.
  • Identify brand mix elements and financial implications for decision-making.
  • Integrate marketing plans with the business process.
  • Monitor and control the handling of customers, customer needs and requirements and areas of customer service impact.
  • Analyse and interpret marketing information and present marketing data to stakeholders.
  • Co-ordinate and organize marketing communications production.
  • Interpret, evaluate and buy media and manage a media campaign.
  • Investigate, explain and apply marketing communications concepts and lateral thinking processes.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of marketing communications roles, art direction, publishing and graphic design. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    In particular assessors should check that the learner must demonstrate an ability to consider a range of options and make decisions about:
  • Data gathering processes, it`s analysis and the drawing of conclusions and making recommendations.
  • How to get the best results from a team of marketers or service providers by monitoring and rectifying performance.
  • Project plans and their successful conclusion.
  • Communications models and strategies and the elements and processes.
  • Customer needs and their identification to enable the production and demonstration of features, advantages and benefits.
  • Training and coaching environment establishment and implementation.
  • Product and service selling methods, techniques and principles.
  • Brand influences and familiarity factors.
  • Financial statement analysis and evaluation.
  • Marketing activities and the issues, roles and characteristics that affect them.
  • Customer service providers and their interaction to establish satisfied customers by interpreting and meeting customer needs and all areas that impact on customer service levels.
  • Marketing data, it`s analysis; interpretation and presentation to all stakeholders.
  • Marketing Communications, processes and production, concepts and roles.
  • Marketing media and how to plan, buy and evaluate this.

    Integrated Assessment:

    Because assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, reliable and ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever, an integrated assessment approach is incorporated into the qualification.

    As it is a Unit Standard based Qualification, both formative and summative assessment processes are accounted for. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Benchmarking was done by comparison to Unit Standards/Outcomes of learning against:
  • New Zealand Qualifications
  • Australian Qualification
  • NVQ Qualifications from Britain and
  • IMM Qualifications 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    On completion of this qualification, besides careers in the formal Marketing Communications industry, learners may also be able to follow a career in
  • Advertising
  • Promotion
  • Public Relations
  • General Marketing
  • Customer Services
  • Direct Marketing
  • Direct Selling
  • Sales
  • Marketing Research
  • Marketing Consultancy
  • Merchandising
  • Marketing Management

    Note:

    1. The above is an indication rather than an exhaustive listing
    2. In addition learners can specialise in an industry sector e.g. EMCG; Retail, Wholesale, Motor; Insurance etc
    3. Learners can also become even more specialised such as Call Center; Internet Marketing; Point of Sale etc

    A learner could follow a career in the Marketing Communications field focusing on FMCG and undertaking it in Call Centers. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Anyone assessing a learner or moderating the assessment of a learner against this Qualification must be registered as an assessor with the Services SETA ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable the achievement of this Qualification must be accredited as a provider with the Services SETA ETQA.
  • Assessment and moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the ETQAs policies and guidelines for assessment and moderation; in terms of agreements reached around assessment and moderation between ETQAs (including professional bodies); and in terms of the moderation guideline detailed immediately below.
  • Moderation must include both internal and external moderation of assessments at exit points of the qualification, unless ETQA policies specify otherwise. Moderation should also encompass achievement of the competence described both in individual unit standards as well as the integrated competence described in the qualification.

    Anyone wishing to be assessed against this Qualification may apply to be assessed by any assessment agency, assessor or provider institution that is accredited by the Services SETA ETQA. 
    		•

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    For an applicant to register as an assessor, the applicant needs:
  • A minimum of 2 (two) years` practical, relevant occupational experience
  • Declared competent in all the outcomes of the National Assessor Unit Standards as stipulated by SAQA
  • Detailed documentary proof of educational qualification, practical training undergone, and experience gained by the applicant must be provided (Portfolio of evidence). 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    NOTES 
    As per the SAQA decision to re-register all provider-based qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework that meet the criteria for re-registration, this qualification has been re-registered from 1 July 2018. N/A 

    UNIT STANDARDS: 
      ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
    Core  10056  Analyse and interpret data and marketing information  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  8 
    Core  10047  Close a deal with a customer  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  5 
    Core  10051  Coach others on principles of marketing in an organisation  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  5 
    Core  10041  Conduct a marketing situational analysis  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  5 
    Core  10043  Develop, implement and manage a project/activity plan  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  5 
    Core  10054  Identify and manage areas of customer service impact  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  6 
    Core  10048  Identify brand mix elements  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  8 
    Core  10049  Identify financial implications for making decisions  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  8 
    Core  10045  Identify product features, advantages and benefits to the customer  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  10 
    Core  10044  Implement a generic communication strategy  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  10 
    Core  10050  Integrate marketing plans with business process  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  6 
    Core  10042  Lead a team of marketers and service providers  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  10 
    Core  10053  Manage customer requirements and needs and implement action plans  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  8 
    Core  10052  Monitor handling of customers by frontline customer service  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  6 
    Core  10055  Present data to stakeholders  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  5 
    Core  10046  Provide product training to others in the organisation  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  10 
    Fundamental  8246  Compiling and delivering presentations and persuasive written communications to enhance Retail/Wholesale practices  Level 4  NQF Level 04  20 
    Fundamental  14522  Analyse and explain the impact of one`s personal interactive style on one`s relationship with a client  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  6 
    Fundamental  8647  Apply workplace communication skills  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  10 
    Fundamental  10993  Conduct an integrative project in the workplace  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  40 
    Fundamental  15096  Demonstrate an understanding of stress in order to apply strategies to achieve optimal stress levels in personal and work situations  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  5 
    Fundamental  14525  Present an informed argument on a current issue in a business sector  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  5 
    Elective  10065  Demonstrate an understanding of marketing communications roles  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  12 
    Elective  10063  Evaluate and buy media  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  20 
    Elective  10064  Investigate and explain marketing communications concepts  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  8 
    Elective  10062  Manage marketing communications production  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  12 


    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.