Bachelor of Arts Honours

The first purpose of the qualification is to provide qualifiers with graduate-level knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in a number of fields of Communication Studies and Language, Human and Social Studies, Culture and Arts, Business, Commerce, and Management Studies, Education, Training and Development, and Health Sciences and Social Services that provide opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society. The qualification represents planned learning outcomes, namely that the learner will be qualified to render holistic, integrated and intersectoral services, reflecting diversity, accessibility, and equal distribution of resources for all South Africans. These outcomes are designed to promote lifelong learning.

The second purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa with significant numbers of graduates in a number of social sciences in order to ensure that the local leadership base of innovative and knowledge based economic and scholarly activity is widened.

The third purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa with a cadre of social analysts, researchers, facilitators, developers, managers, service providers, and experts in the field of Humanities who will have a clear and continuously growing understanding of the methods and progress of social sciences prior to acquiring specific postgraduate qualifications.

The fourth purpose of the qualification is to prepare learners for a course-work Masters programme in a specialist field. In general the purpose of this qualification complies with the overall purpose of the programme for which it serves as a prerequisite or for which it serves as an entry point, i.e. all course-work Masters programmes in the Faculty of Humanities.

Matriculation certificate

First degree

Other

In order to register for the programme Baccalaureus Artium Honores (BA Hons), a candidate should already have obtained a national first degree from any accredited institution for Higher Education and Training, and comply with the particular requirements prescribed in the admission procedures and faculty regulations for the Faculty of Humanities and the respective departments.

Those who intend to register at the University for the first time, or who wish to resume their studies after a period of interruption, should apply or reapply for admission. All first applicants may be expected to write an admission test as well as language proficiency and computer skills tests. The Senate may place a limit on the number of students who may be admitted to register for a package, in which case the Dean concerned may decide who to admit from those who qualify.

BA Hons specialising

Learning outcomes

The graduate will have

• Language proficiency required for the practice of science, a sound knowledge of Humanities, and the ability to apply skills effectively in his/her chosen field of expertise.
• The learner will have basic computer skills and will have mastered basic critical and creative thinking skills.

Knowledge and skills are supplemented with in-depth guidance in approaches and methods for analysis, theories and models for application, management and development, growth, ethics, strategy, and achievement which equip the candidate with skills which can be immediately implemented and supplemented by lifelong learning.

Critical cross-field outcomes

Critical cross-field outcomes for the programme leading to a BA Hons specialising in a major discipline include but are not limited to various competencies and applied competencies such as:

1. Identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made concerning solutions for problems related to individuals, groups, families, communities and people with special needs.
2. Work intersectorally with other disciplines as a member of a team, group, organisation, community in both the public and private sectors.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the interaction between systems from an ecological approach by understanding social needs, problems and resource capacity within an international, national and local context.
4. Develop holistic, integrated strategies and programmes for social services founded on the collection, analyses, organising, implementation and critical evaluation of theory, information and processes.
5. Demonstrate effective utilisation of scientific strategies aimed at a service delivery framework.
6. Organise and manage their work load responsibly and effectively by means of a scheduled programme allowing for a learning environment such as reading scientific journals in the field as well as becoming a member of professional bodies, attending seminars and conferences, doing research and rendering voluntary services to facilitate professional growth and development.
7. Communicate effectively with people of all target groups, including people who are literate and illiterate, children and the youth, using visual and language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion.
8. Contribute to the full personal development of each learner regarding strategies for learning, such as furthering of studies for career enhancement, involvement in community life, developing a non-discriminating attitude across a range of social contexts based on the value of social justice and a sensitivity for cultural diversity and awareness of similarities, and to explore and develop career opportunities such as entrepreneurial initiatives to promote social and economical independence and opportunities for personal development.

The associated assessment criteria are derived directly form the learning outcomes and provide the criteria against which learner performance demonstrating the attainment of learning outcomes can be judged. The assessment criteria involve, at minimum

• that both norm-based and criteria-based modalities are used;
• reliability is ensured via internal and external moderation;
• the standards and levels of achievement required for "pegging" the qualification at NQF Level 6 are met.

Integrated assessment

Portfolios

Simulations

Work-place assessments through practical application

Written examinations

Oral examinations

Other

The modalities for integrated assessment permit the learner to demonstrate applied competence and use a wide range of formative and summative methods set according to specific guidelines for developing particular assessment tasks and allowing assessors to develop formative and summative methods related to credentialing purposes appropriate to contextual and situational readings of candidates presenting themselves for the recognition of learning achievements.

In addition to the above modalities such as group discussions, presentations, peer group evaluations, observation/experiential learning and live application of competency in practical settings are also used.