Bachelor of Architecture Honours

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Bachelor of Architecture Honours (BArchHons) is to provide the requisite knowledge, skills and competencies to be able to register as a Candidate Senior Architectural Technologist with the professional body, South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). The qualification responds to the broader development needs, particularly focusing on the socio-economic redress and spatial transformation of historically disadvantaged communities in South Africa.

The graduate attributes are guided by the academic knowledge, skills and values required of an NQF Level 8 qualification in architecture, while it corresponds to the professional competency attributes of the professional body. The qualification focuses on research-led, situated project-based learning within an interdisciplinary curriculum mode to develop graduate attributes to contribute meaningfully to industry and society.

Rationale

The architectural profession has a stratified or hierarchical structure whereby professional registration categories align with the respective NQF levels of qualifications. The qualification aligns to the competencies required of the professional category of Senior Architectural Technologist for registration with the professional body, the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). The qualification would ultimately articulate to Master's Degree NQF Level 9, which correlates with the designation of Professional Architect. The qualification will address the skills shortage in South Africa (Government Gazette No. 41728: National List of Occupations in High Demand: 2018 - Department of Higher Education and Training). The professional body, SACAP, has supported and recommended the qualification, as evident in the Letter of Support dated, 12 September 2019.

The range of typical learners will be those that require professional registration as Senior Architectural Technologists with SACAP. These will comprise the following learner profiles:

• Learners with an undergraduate qualification in architecture.
• Registered professionals in the Professional Architectural Technologist, who wish to qualify for professional articulation to the Professional Senior Architectural Technologist. These learners may be admitted based on an undergraduate qualification in architecture or through recognition of prior learning (RPL).

The most appropriate learning pathways are therefore two-fold, including both formal learning and the recognition of prior learning.

The qualification is designed to be focused on the development agenda of South Africa, within the broader context of the Global South. In this regard, socio-economic redress and spatial transformation are strong underpinning values that define the ethos of the qualification in this broader context. The National Development Plan 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals are key drivers of the curriculum.

Learners will benefit by acquiring critical knowledge and skills towards an architectural qualification that meets all the disciplinary and professional competencies while engaging within a transdisciplinary curriculum paradigm that situates learning within a broader socio-economic context. The benefit of this is that knowledge and skills can be transferred for the spatial transformation of communities in the developing context, especially the historically disadvantaged communities in South Africa.

Further, the qualification allows for alternative learning pathways such as RPL, whereby learners who could not access higher education due to their socio-economic circumstances, may be able to advance their professional skills sets and their livelihoods. This will have a consequential effect on the general social and economic upliftment of the built environment through critical knowledge transfer within their own communities.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Learners who have prior work experience in architectural practice, but do not possess a formal undergraduate qualification can be considered for the Honours Degree through RPL.

RPL implementation in the qualification will be an enabling mechanism for

• Access to academic qualifications.
• Advanced standing for future higher-level qualifications.
• Award of full or partial credits where prior learning meets all the requisite exit level outcomes of the respective qualification.

The RPL assessment recognises knowledge, skills and professional competence achieved through alternative learning pathways such as informal, non-formal and work-based experience. A portfolio of evidence (POE) will form the basis of RPL evaluation.

The RPL evaluation process is based on the matching of learning outcomes, obtained via alternative learning pathways, with the exit level outcomes of the programme. For access and advanced standing, the matching will be aligned to the Exit Level Outcomes.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Architecture, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Architectural Studies, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Architecture, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and/or elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8, totalling 144 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 128 Credits

• Architectural Design and Urbanism, 32 Credits.
• History & Theory of Architecture and Urbanism, 32 Credits.
• Advanced Architectural Technology, 16 Credits.
• Architectural Research Methods, 16 Credits.
• Research Project: Architectural Design and Urbanism, 32 Credits.

Electives Modules, NQF Level 8, 16 credits (Select one module)

• Environment and Development, 16 Credits.
• South African Development Problems and Policies, 16 Credits.

1. Analyse and apply theories, research methods and techniques relevant to architectural practice. Identify, analyse and address complex or abstract problems drawing systematically on the body of knowledge and methods appropriate to the field of Architecture.
2. Critically review information gathering, synthesis of data, evaluation and management processes in specialised contexts to develop creative responses to problems and issues in the field of Architecture.
3. Interrogate multiple sources of knowledge in an area of specialisation such as Architecture and Urbanism to evaluate knowledge and processes of knowledge production in Architecture.
4. Select and apply appropriate standard procedures, processes or techniques to unfamiliar problems in a specialist field of Architecture.
5. Identify and address ethical issues based on critical reflection on the suitability of different ethical value systems to specific contexts.
6. Apply, in a self-critical manner, learning strategies that effectively address his or her professional and ongoing learning needs and the professional and ongoing learning needs of others in the field of Architecture.
7. Take full responsibility for own work, decision-making and use of resources, and limited accountability for the decisions and actions of others in varied or ill-defined contexts in the field of Architecture.
8. Operate effectively within a system, or manage a system based on an understanding of the roles and relationships between elements within the system in the field of Architecture.
9. Present and communicate academic and professional ideas and proposals effectively to a range of audiences, offering creative insights, rigorous interpretations and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to the context in the field of Architecture.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Identify, analyse and address complex architectural problems by drawing from discipline-specific knowledge, research tools, techniques and methods.
• Develop solutions to address architectural problems to demonstrate knowledge of architectural history and design theories of architecture.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Develop an appropriate research design.
• Distinguish between different research methods.
• Identify and extract the relevant data to distinguish between the domains of architectural research.
• Formulate a draft research project proposal.
• Synthesis of research in an architectural project

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Apply and analyse major concerns of urbanism, urban design and architecture issues.
• Critically analyse theories and concepts related to architecture and urbanism.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly.
• Critically analyse theories and concepts related to architecture and urbanism.
• Apply depth of historical and background knowledge of the area and its influences.
• Synthesise research on an architectural project.
• Formulate/propose design projects that adequately respond to research-informed design intents.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly
• Create projects that allow for flexibility and growth.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the major substantive concerns of technology, structure and materials in complex architectural design.
• Develop a scheme that responds to the collective nature of urban public architecture.
• Formulate/propose Design projects that adequately respond to research-informed design intents.
• Apply depth of technical, historical and sustainable knowledge related to architectural technology.
• Develop a scheme that responds to the climatic, contextual and programmatic requirements of a specific given problem.
• Integrate technology, structure and materials in the design process.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the major substantive concerns of urban and complex architecture issues.
• Proper selection and articulation of theoretical underpinnings.
• Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly.
• Create projects that allow for flexibility and growth.
• Develop a scheme that responds to the collective nature of urban public architecture.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the major substantive concerns of urban and complex architecture issues.
• Proper selection and articulation of theoretical underpinnings.
• Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly.
• Create projects that allow for flexibility and growth.
• Develop a scheme that responds to the collective nature of urban public architecture.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly.
• Create projects that allow for flexibility and growth.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the major substantive concerns of technology, structure and materials in complex architectural design.
• Develop a scheme that responds to the collective nature of urban public architecture.
• Formulate/propose design projects that adequately respond to research-informed design intents.
• Apply depth of technical, historical and sustainable knowledge related to architectural technology.
• Develop a scheme that responds to the climatic, contextual and programmatic requirements of a specific given problem.
• Integrate technology, structure and materials in the design process.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9

• Collate and articulate material and arguments in a presentation to a group.
• Promote critical engagement through graphic and oral presentation.
• Clearly and logically present graphic material.