Advanced Diploma in Architecture

Purpose

The use of the Advanced Diploma in Architecture is to empower learners with advanced practical and critical thinking skills through multi-disciplinary projects and discipline-specific applications, to aid thinking and problem solving through architecture. Furthermore, to equip graduates with art and design knowledge, values and attitudes needed that contribute to the architecture profession, to address critical pertinent issues through practice.

Rationale

This qualification provides vertical articulation for Diploma graduates and Alumni learners and is necessary for those learners that wish to pursue Postgraduate studies. The qualification also includes opportunity for further-learning for those learners currently in industry who want to broaden their knowledge and skill.

Contemporary architecture, art and design education models look at generic art and design thinking as a process and apply this process to various disciplinary ends. Herein lies an opportunity to merge the collective applied design thinking skills of the Departments in the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture. The teaching philosophy that drives the need for the qualification is that design processes are the essential core of every design discipline, what varies is the scale and materials used to achieve the desired outcome.

The qualification will provide learners from the different disciplines, who have acquired the proficiency in necessary skills of their respective disciplines, an opportunity to heighten their theoretical and practical understanding of the art, design and architecture environment through exposure to the new material, technology and techniques. Rinehart (2003: 2) and many others see art and design education as failing if it equips learners only with the skill to solve task-oriented problems. In an increasingly complex world, training should provide learners with the intellectual skills that allow them to integrate problem-solving across fields. Collaborative thinking enables new synergies between disciplines that enhances creativity and innovation towards deepened, more speculative and more responsive results.

The qualification intends to provide an educational offering that is at once multi-disciplinary and discipline-specific, and so provides a quality education that focusses on excellence in teaching and learning and continuous renewal and transformation. The goals of the qualification will be achieved by:

• An approach to teaching which encourages a broader and richer approach in architectural thinking and problem-solving.
• Providing curriculum transformation and renewal as an integral part of the continuous focus on the circulation process and teaching and learning strategies.
• Providing access to learners to state of the art teaching and learning facilities.
• Professional, appropriately qualified, theoretical and practical experts who deliver relevant and thought-provoking lectures, activities and assessments using multimedia equipment.
• Broadening the knowledge and skill of the learners on the qualification through high-level multi-disciplinary exploration and engagements.
• Through developing critical thinking skills and design exploration, developing learners who are empowered to challenge existing knowledge, practices and theories.
• Providing experience, practical knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to assist learners with new, innovative, and smart creation of best practices.
• Supporting access to a broad spectrum of academic perspectives, and include appropriate technological teaching, learning and research through:
• Academic instruction delivered in lectures, both on-line and studio, thus encouraging a blended learning approach, as well as tutorials that achieve well researched, focused learning outcomes.
• Providing lectures and tutorials throughout the Faculty, thus exposing learners to various specialist areas of knowledge in the art, design and architecture disciplines.
• Providing vocational teaching strategies which incorporate workplace case studies and provide for the presentation of a project portfolio.
• Utilising the technological teaching aids, tools and techniques which are accessible to lecturers and learners via strategic partners, providing multimedia, intranets, uLink, e-library and other support services such as Centre for Psychological Services and Career Development (PSYCAD).
• State of the art facilities which include computer software such as Auto Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Revit, Illustrator, Accumark pattern making, CorelDraw and 3D printing, which meet industry expectations as well as encourage an interdisciplinary approach.
• Contributing to national objectives regarding skills development and economic growth through:
• A qualification designed to aid thinking and problem-solving through art and design. Learners exit the qualification with knowledge, values and attitudes that contribute to various art, design and architecture disciplines.
• Empowering learners with foundational, practical and critical thinking skills when they interact with private and business sector case studies, theories, policies and best practices.
• Addressing important current pertinent issues while being flexible enough to ensure that these influence the context for the content taught.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Faculty accepts RPL as an integral part of education and academic practice. All learning has value, and the Faculty agrees with the challenge to assess prior learning and award credits, as aligned to Faculty qualifications to promote lifelong learning. The purpose of the institution's RPL Policy is to direct the Faculty's RPL procedure, to recognise prior knowledge in order to provide access into the qualification, grant advanced placement in qualifications, and credits for modules on the principles and processes that serve as a basis for faculty-specific RPL practices.

I. Through RPL a learner may gain access, or advanced placement, or recognition of status, on condition that he/she continues his/her studies at the institution.

II. Recognition takes place in terms of requirements and procedures applied by the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture.

III. RPL in the case of a learner not complying with the formal entry requirements

• Is conducted after payment of the prescribed fees following the policy and guidelines of the institution;
• Is based on other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience;
• Is considered only where prior knowledge corresponds to the required NQF-level;
• Takes place where prior learning in terms of applied competencies is relevant to the content and outcomes of the qualification;
• Is considered in terms of an assessment procedure that includes a motivated recommendation by an assessment panel to the Dean's Committee of the Faculty of Art Design and Architecture and
• RPLdecision made by the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture Applied Quality and Planning Committee.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Diploma in Architecture, NQF, Level 6.

Or

• Relevant Bachelor Degree, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualification Framework Level 7 Totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits

• Advanced Art, Design and Architecture Design Theory 4, 20 Credits.
• Methods of Art, Design and Architecture Research 4, 20 Credits.
• Art, Design and Architecture Project 4, 20 Credits.
• Architecture Project 4, 60 Credits.

1. Investigate a range of contemporary architecture and art and design theories and practices.
2. Integrate knowledge in the identification, development and presentation of architecture or art and design solutions.
3. Conduct and report research-related activities under supervision.
4. Produce creative solutions to complicated architecture and art and design problems in an ethically and professionally manner.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Discuss contemporary architecture, art and design theories.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Identify, analyse and address complex problems by drawing on knowledge and methods of architecture, art and design  complex problems.
• Generate multiple creative solutions to complex problems by using architecture design thinking skills.
• Demonstrate solutions knowledge of architecture, art and design theory.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Prepare a research poster and literature reviews for comprehensive communication of an identified art and design problem.
• Inform research by architecture, art, design and theory.
• Conduct research competently using methods appropriate to research in architecture, art and design.
• Present research findings and report according to prescribed academic conventions.
• Offer creative insights and rigorous interpretations of research findings in identified problems.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Identify complex problems, analyse and address by drawing on knowledge and methods of architecture and art and design.
• Generate multiple creative solutions to complex problems by using architectural and design thinking skills.
• Produce creative solutions both independently and as members of multi-disciplinary teams.
• Resolve the structural design problems and develop various design iterations and the stages of the design thinking processes communicated and incorporated.
• Identify relevant architecture criteria through a thorough investigative process.
• Identify a topic that is relevant to the profession and suitable to an architecture investigation and exploration for the execution of the study.
• Take decisions and act ethically and professionally in the development and execution of an identified problem in the literature reviews, research poster and reflective essay and studio project.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment happens through formative and summative evaluation; the ratio of assignment work to academic examinations; the role of work-integrated learning; other forms of integrated learning; and its assessment.

Assessment will be following the institutional policy.

The Advanced Art, Design and Architecture Design Theory modules 4 takes 14 weeks to complete. Formative assessments are through individual discussion. Summative assessments are through Group presentations and Literature reviews.

Methods of Research for Art, Design and Architecture 4 takes 14 weeks to complete. Formative assessments are through individual discussion. Summative assessments are through Group presentations, Essays and Research poster.

Art, Design and Architecture Practice 4 takes 14 weeks to complete. Formative assessments are through individual discussion. Summative assessments are through two group projects, Panel presentation and Individual reflective essay (participation/personal growth).

Studio Project 4 takes 14 weeks to complete. Formative assessments are through individual discussion. Summative assessments are through Artifact/system, Development process, Portfolio and Presentation to the panel.