Bachelor of Administration in Human Settlements Management

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to educate human settlements practitioners of governments at national, provincial and municipal spheres and in public entities. Qualifying students will be able to work effectively in any human settlements environment but also specifically in any position in human settlements in the public sector. Qualifying students will be able to demonstrate knowledge, specific skills and applied competence within opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and ethical conduct and leadership in the fields associated with public administration and human settlements management.

This qualifying student will be able to perform public administrative functions and be able to apply the following

• Perform public administration functions as a basis for managerial decisions for human settlements management.
• Apply fundamental aspects, principles, and procedures of financial accounting.
• Manage policy implementation of human settlement projects adhering to compliance applicable to housing laws and regulations.
• Perform Human recourse duties/responsibilities within the administration on human settlements.
• Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental principles of ethics in a comparative multidisciplinary perspective.
• Investigate the role that government plays in environmental affairs at national, provincial and local level.

This qualification lays the foundation for career advancement and further studies in the fields of Public Administration and Human Settlements Management. Candidates that obtain this degree will also be able to contribute to the theory of human settlements management when they articulate to Higher Degrees or a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration.

Rationale

This Bachelor's Degree arose from a specific need of the South African Government Department of Human Settlements for a formal qualification in the field of human settlements management through distance learning in order to promote the professionalisation of public servants working in this field at central government, provincial and regional levels. This Bachelor's Degree provides the basic qualification that allows access to a higher qualification such as an Honours Degree or Postgraduate Diploma. Students are exposed to a wide variety of subjects in public administration and management and related issues in human settlements management which present them with the opportunity to operate at the aforementioned levels of government where public administration and management skills are required.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition of Prior Learning will be applied in line with the regulations of the Quality Council for Higher Education and the RPL Policy and the procedures of the University of South Africa.

Entry Requirements

Learners must have the following in order to be considered for admission

• National Senior Certificate (NSC) granting admission into Bachelor's Degree studies.

Or

• Senior Certificate (SC) with endorsement for Bachelor's Degree studies.

Or

• Certificate of Exemption from the exemption requirements of HESA.

Or

• National Certificate Vocational (NCV) granting admission into Bachelor's Degree studies.

The Bachelor of Administration in Human Settlements Management consists of 30 modules at NQF Levels 5, 6 and 7 totalling 360 Credits.

NQF Level 5 (8 modules totalling 96 Credits)

• Introductory Financial Accounting, 12 Credits.
• Sustainability and Greed, 12 Credits.
• Business Management 1A, 12 Credits.
• The Nature, Content and Scope of Public Administration, 12 Credits.
• Ethical Information and Communication Technologies for Development Solutions, 12 Credits.
• Economics 1500, 12 Credits.
• Civil Engineering Administration 1, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Law, 12 Credits.

NQF Level 6 (12 modules totalling 144 Credits)

• The Structuring and Functioning of Public Services, 12 Credits
• Human Settlements Management 1A, 12 Credits.
• Business Management 1B, 12 Credits.
• People and the Natural Environment: Use and Impact, 12 Credits.
• Human Settlements Management 2A, 12 Credits.
• Creation of Wealth, 12 Credits.
• Civil Engineering Administration 2, 12 Credits.
• Human Settlements Management 2B, 12 Credits.
• General Management, 12 Credits.
• Environmental Affairs, 12 Credits.
• Foundations of Public Administration, 12 Credits.
• The African Challenge: People and Environment, 12 Credits.

NQF Level 7 (10 modules totalling 120 Credits)

• Human Settlements Management 3A, 12 Credits.
• Public Management Skills, 12 Credits.
• Land and Housing, 12 Credits.
• Empowerment and Popular Initiatives, 12 Credits.
• Public Human Resource Management, 12 Credits.
• Public Financial Administration and Management, 12 Credits.
• Human Settlements Management 3B, 12 Credits.
• Public Policy, 12 Credits.
• Ethics in Public Administration and Administrative Justice, 12 Credits.
• Reflective Public Administration, 12 Credits.

1. Perform public administration functions as a basis for managerial decisions for human settlements management.
2. Apply fundamental aspects, principles, and procedures of financial accounting.
3. Manage policy implementation of human settlement projects adhering to compliance applicable to housing laws and regulations.
4. Perform Human recourse duties/responsibilities within the administration on human settlements.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental principles of ethics in a comparative multidisciplinary perspective.
6. Investigate the role that government plays in environmental affairs at national, provincial and local level.

Associated Assessment Criteria of Exit Level Outcome 1

• Competence and skills related to general management principles are applied.
• Sound knowledge of the public sector environment is applied, specifically with the management and handling of public resources that incorporate finance, human and physical resources.
• Suitable land for housing development purposes is identified.
• Systematic and fundamental knowledge in the field of public human resource management is applied more particularly within the South African context.

Associated Assessment Criteria of Exit Level Outcome 2

• Financial accounting data of an entity is collected, processed and recorded.
• Role players in public financial management are identified as per Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and provisioning administration management.
• Existing processes and procedures are analysed to identify shortcomings and thereafter improve them.
• The relationship between public finances and the realisation of management goals is identified and explained.
• Information pertaining to funding options for social housing is collected, analysed and critically evaluated.
• The importance of budgeting systems is outlined.

Associated Assessment Criteria of Exit Level Outcome 3

• Policy and legislative requirements to access land at the provincial and local spheres is applied.
• The complexity of policy-making, the approaches to policy-making, the forces that impact on the policy process, and the components of the policy-making process are analysed.
• A well-rounded and systematic knowledge and insight in methodological issues in Public Administration is demonstrated.
• The nature of the relations and interaction between various role players in the state are identified.
• Basic knowledge, insight and skills for the analysis and solutions of elementary problems relating to some of the underlying principles of South African law in general are applied.

Associated Assessment Criteria of Exit Level Outcome 4

• The ability to apply basic knowledge, skills and competencies to provide solutions to the challenging operational issues facing the HR field is demonstrated.
• Key HR functions such as strategic human resource planning, recruiting, selection, development of public officials and remuneration are managed.

Associated Assessment Criteria of Exit Level Outcome 5

• Systematic knowledge and insight into the norms and values that promote democratic public administration is demonstrated.
• Ethical issues in public administration are identified and analysed and solutions to these are developed with professionalism.
• Principles underlying administrative justice such as fairness, reasonableness and lawfulness are interpreted and applied.
• Contribution as a result of principles to transparency, accountability and active participation in public administration is interpreted.

Associated Assessment Criteria of Exit Level Outcome 6

• The impact of human activities on the physical environment on the global, regional and local scales are identified and explained and measures that can be taken to reduce environmental degradation are developed.
• Challenges facing human settlements in developing countries with special focus on South Africa are identified.
• Possible sustainable development remedies or solutions in the provisioning of houses are identified and applied.

Integrated Assessment

For the qualification to be awarded, a candidate must have successfully achieved the outcomes of each of the compulsory modules that constitute the qualification.

Evidence of learning competency (knowledge, skills, attitudes and expertise) and of the candidate's ability to achieve the purpose of the qualification as a whole at the time that the qualification is awarded is required by means of comprehensive and integrated assessment (constituting a range of formative and summative assessments). Continuous formative and summative assessment methods are used in the form of written assignments and exams.

Formative and summative assessment will be conducted within the guidelines of the Unisa Assessment Policy. The student's summative assessment mark will comprise a year mark (20%) that will be gained from the specified number of compulsory assignments and a written examination in each module which comprises 80% of the total summative assessment mark. The pass mark shall be a minimum of 50% acquired from both formative and summative assessment in a proportionate ratio; 75% shall constitute a pass with distinction.

Assessors should assess and give credit for evidence of learning that has already been acquired through learning and experience.

Lecturers responsible for the module and external markers (assessors) will act as assessor practitioners in accordance with the Unisa Assessment Policy. Formative and summative assessment will be conducted within the guidelines of the Unisa Assessment Policy. Student support will be provided in accordance with Unisa ODL and Learner Support policies and guidelines.