Bachelor of Arts Honours in African Languages

Purpose

The status, role and functions of the indigenous African languages in the public and business sector have become key topics in discussions on language planning and policy in government and the private sector in many countries on the African continent. The general purpose of the qualification is to equip learners with the theoretical knowledge and applied competencies that will enable them to develop a principled comprehension of the factors that are relevant to effective language policy and planning for the African languages in a multilingual context. They will also have the knowledge and competence to address the successful analysis, planning, implementation and management of discourse practices of African languages in multilingual professional contexts (in public, private and educational sectors). The challenges concerning the advancement of the African languages in education, the broad public sector and in the business sector are, however, still huge. This qualification aims to contribute to addressing these challenges through producing graduates who are competent in the academic fields of language policy, planning and discourse analysis for the African languages.

Rationale

The Bachelor of Arts Honours: African Languages for Professional Contexts contributes to satisfying the critical need for language practitioners who possess advanced knowledge in the field of professional discourse in the African languages; and who possess a holistic comprehension of the complex issues pertaining to the promotion of the status and advancement of the use of the African languages in professional contexts. These contexts include the public and business sectors, where the African languages have been largely inhibited in their use. The qualification will contribute to fulfil the need for language planners, language and communication practitioners and language educators who possess the knowledge and applied competencies for designing and implementing a multilingual language policy in which the African languages figure prominently.

The need for the promotion of the status and use of the African languages for professional (public and private sector) contexts crucially necessitates the delivery of graduates who have the capacity to initiate, plan and implement strategies and projects relating to language policy and planning, and who have a principled holistic understanding of how discourse in the African languages can be produced and used in the public and corporate spheres. In terms of the qualification outcomes, graduates will fulfil the need for expert professionals who are able to apply their knowledge and competences in the practice of planning and implementing multilingualism in professional contexts.

Recognition of Prior Learning

The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure for admission to the qualification will be used in accordance with the official University policy for this process. This policy will be applied in relation to applicants' work-related experience in professional contexts (e.g. education, government and business sectors) where they were involved in addressing issues relating to the promotion of African languages.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Arts in African Languages, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

• Pragmatics of African Languages, 30 Credits.
• Professional Discourse in African Languages, 30 Credits.
• Language Policy and Planning for African Languages (Research module), 60 Credits.

1. Demonstrate theoretical knowledge of language policy and planning, pragmatics and discourse analysis, as applied to African languages in public and business sector contexts.
2. Demonstrate a principled understanding of how the promotion of the use of African languages in professional multilingual contexts relates to values, ideologies, attitudes, social identities and relationships.
3. Construct, interpret and analyse spoken and written discourses in the African languages in institutional and organisational domains, for both internal and external communication.
4. Relate professional discourse practices in African languages to broader issues concerning language and society in the implementation of multilingual language policy.
5. Identify and analyse problems relevant to the development and sustainability of a multilingual language policy in institutional and organisational contexts, for the creation of a culture, sensitive to discourse practices in African languages.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Demonstrate a comprehensive, integrated knowledge of theoretical approaches in the interpretation of Language Policy and Planning for practice.
• With reference to theory-based arguments, evaluate and critique current research on Language Policy and Planning in terms of existing language policy and plans formulated for professional contexts.
• Identify, analyse and present solutions to complex problems concerning the status and role of African languages in Language Policy and Planning in multilingual professional contexts.
• Demonstrate familiarity with the current scholarly literature in the fields of language policy and planning, pragmatics, and discourse and genre analysis, and applied research relating to the African languages in the context of multilingual language policy.
• Select appropriate research methodologies for pragmatic investigation or analysis of a research problem.
• Identify, analyse and present theory-based solutions to complex phenomena in discourse of African languages in independent investigations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• From research findings, justify the importance of promoting the use of African Languages in professional multilingual contexts.
• Identify and critique the role and influence of values and attitudes within relationships in a social context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Effectively present the findings of independent investigations of discourse analysis of African languages to a range of audiences.
• Conduct research on a topic of Language Policy and Planning for African languages in a multilingual professional context and present the findings according to institutional requirements.
• Communicate the arguments and proposals to a range of specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Present principles of communication types in professional contexts and intercultural competence.
• Analyse and articulate the nature of discourse analysis in professional contexts in relation to the implementation of multilingual language policy.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Analyse problems related to sustainability regarding multilingual language policy within institutional and organisational contexts.
• Provide innovative solutions to address problems identified in discourse practices for the African languages.

Integrated Assessment

The University has a formal Assessment Policy which regulates all assessment practices in qualifications and which fulfils diagnostic, formative and summative functions. This policy prescribes assessment criteria that ensure the attainment of assessment validity, reliability, transparency, fairness, attainability and timeous feedback. Academic honesty is ensured through a formal policy on the curtailment of plagiarism.

The qualification assessment requirements entail: a series of six-eight major written assignments and three major tests through which formative and summative assessment of the respective fields of study in the qualification are achieved.

The research assignment, comprising 30 Credits, constitutes the major summative assessment.