Bachelor of Arts Honours in Afrikaans and Dutch

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to develop scientific insight into and knowledge of the linguistics and literature of Afrikaans and Dutch. Graduates will acquire scholarly and scientific factual knowledge and insight into the connections between related matters by means of an interdisciplinary approach and thus be able to identify and solve problems in a critical, integrative and creative manner. They will become effective learners who understand the need for life-long learning if they are to deal critically with different methodologies and be able to formulate a personal literary opinion based on subject-specific and theoretical knowledge. Finally the students will recognise, understand and communicate the linguistic and literary phenomena of the culturally-diverse South African and world populations.

Rationale

This Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BAHons) Afrikaans and Dutch qualification is intended to educate learners in the theory and practice of Afrikaans and Dutch and thus to become a relevant role player and practitioner in the South African society. Graduates would be able to play an important role in solving problems within the context of Afrikaans and Dutch in different fields of specialisation. This qualification is intended to assist relevant role players, such as potential employers, current students and their parents, to understand the criteria determining job possibilities in the world of the languages and humanities, more specifically, in Afrikaans and Dutch. The term 'generic' is used to indicate that the basic minimum of the outcomes as well as their associated assessment criteria has been identified. In keeping with the points of departure of the Generic Degrees project, the standards have been developed abstractly. The standard is not bound by discipline-specific knowledge, but rather by consensus on the depth and complexity of learning and competencies to be acquired by learners in such programmes of study. This has the implication that a student could build a learning programme at the appropriate level by using a wide variety of disciplines leading to the desired outcomes. In the construction of a specific study programme provision should be made for depth and that the level descriptors should be kept in mind very closely so as to allow a student to proceed to more complex postgraduate work. This generic qualification standard proposes a minimum standard for the Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Languages and the Humanities consisting of at least 128 Credits within the 'general track' of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The North-West University accepts the principle underlying outcomes oriented, source-based and lifelong learning in which considerations of articulation and mobility play a meaningful role. The University also underwrites the view that recognition of previous learning, obtained either by formal teaching programmes at this or another institution, or informally (obtained by experience), is an indispensable element in granting admission or credits with the aim of placing in a specifically chosen teaching-learning programme of the University. In recognising previous learning, it deals with provable knowledge and learning that the applicant obtained by following formal teaching programmes or by experience. At all times the question will be what level of competence was reached, judged in the context of the exit level skills required for the contemplated teaching-learning programmes (or modules therein) or status for which the applicant is applying and not merely about the experience the applicant can prove. Recognition of previous learning takes place in terms of the relevant skills that the applicant demonstrated in the application with reference to the exit outcomes that should be reached in the chosen programme.

Entry Requirements

A student should already be in possession of an applicable Bachelor's Degree, or equivalent qualification, as approved by the Faculty Board. B) The Senate may under specific circumstances give permission to a student who is in possession of a bachelor degree but not from an applicable field of study, to register for the qualification Honours Bachelor of Arts.

• The various modules from which a student can choose, are in all cases limited to that which can be presented by a school and subject group according to specific circumstances in a particular year. Factors such as leave of academic personnel, number restrictions, etc. can play a role.
• Under specific circumstances and with the approval of the respective directors of schools, a student may be granted permission to take one or two modules from a related subject as part of the curriculum. Consult the relevant subject chairperson in this regard.
• A student can apply in writing to the Faculty Board on the basis of his/her academic merits, to take a maximum of two additional modules to the minimum requirements of the prescribed curriculum without payment of additional class fees.
• A student registers for AFLL679 and four other modules.
• The compilation of the students honours curriculum is in all cases subject to final approval by the subject chairperson as well as the director of the School of Languages.
• The following categories of students may be expected to take a compulsory module from the following categories and/or sit an entrance exam: (a) students who obtained their first B-degree at another university; and (b) students who majored in Afrikaans and Dutch, but did not achieve an average of 60% on level.

This qualification consists of a compulsory module and elective modules at Level 8.

Compulsory Module

• Research Methodology and Research Paper (AFLL679) 32 Credits.

Elective Modules

• Sesotho (SSOL671) Level 8 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Linguistics: Themes and Tendencies (AFLG672) Level 8 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Teaching and Academic Literacy (AFLL677) Level 8 24 Credits.
• Language and Society (AFLG673) 24 Credits.
• Text Study and Text Linguistics (AFLG674) 24 Credits.
• Linguistic Theory (ENLG672) 24 Credits.
• Forensic Linguistics (AFLG675) 24 Credits.
• The Study of Language (ENLG673) 24 Credits.
• Critical Approaches to Literary Studies (AFLW671) 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Poetry: Poetry and Inter-text (AFLL671) 24 Credits.
• Narratology: Novel and Film (AFLW672) 24 Credits.
• Linguistic Analysis and Corpus Linguistics (ENLG674) 24 Credits.
• English Sociolinguistics (ENLG675) 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Narrative Texts (AFLL672) 24 Credits.
• Twentieth-Century Literature in English (ENLL680) 24 Credits.
• From Text to Performance: A Study of Drama and Theatre Science (AFLL673) 24 Credits.
• Academic Literacy (ENLG680) 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Creative Writing (AFLL676) 24 Credits.
• SA Postcolonial Literature in English (ENLL673) 24 Credits.
• Sesotho (SSOL672) 24 Credits.
• Applications in Language Pract: Translation (LPRA681) 24 Credits.
• Sesotho (SSOL673) 24 Credits.
• Suid-Sotho (SSOL674) 24 Credits.
• Applications in Language Pract: Text Editing (LPRA682) 24 Credits.
• Language and Technology (TTEG671) 24 Credits.
• Journalism and Publishing Practice (LPRA684) 24 Credits.
• Theory of Language Practice (LPRA671) 24 Credits.
• Language, Text and Context (LPRA673) 24 Credits.
• Media Translation (Subtitling) (LPRA674) 24 Credits.
• Literary Translation (LPRA675) 24 Credits.
• Film Studies (LPRA676) 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans and Dutch Children's and Youth Literature (AFLL675) 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Text Editing (AFLG671) 24 Credits.
• Applied Language Studies (ENLG679) 24 Credits.
• Aspects of the Dutch Literature (AFLL674) 24 Credits.

1. Advanced scholarly and scientific knowledge and understanding of approaches to, as well as terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories typical to Afrikaans and Dutch at advanced level within the context of other African languages.
2. The ability to identify, analyse, and solve problems within the context of Afrikaans and Dutch in a critical and creative manner.
3. The competency to search for, control, apply, analyse, and integrate knowledge independently, as well as to evaluate it in a responsible and well-grounded manner.
4. Their competency as effective learners who understand the need for life-long learning.
5. The ability to report on research and communicate it in writing and orally, with the use of appropriate Information Technology (IT), to an audience of peers.
6. Critical evaluation of ethics and practices akin to the language of Afrikaans and Dutch; Articulate and communicate the value of being a competent and critical user of Afrikaans within a vocational context as well as within a culturally-diverse South African and world population.

Integrated Assessment

Continuous formative assessment ensures feedback to learners on progress towards the achievement of specific learning outcomes. Summative assessment focuses on the Exit-Level Outcomes of the qualification and includes integrated assessments, among others a mini-dissertation, which assess the students' ability to integrate the larger body of knowledge, competencies and attitudes that are represented by the Exit-Level Outcomes, either as a whole or as components of the qualification. Integrated assignments focuses on assessing whether the purpose of the qualification as a whole has been achieved, either in toto or in the component parts of the programme of study and on the demonstration of applied competence. It is essential that a wide range of knowledge, skills, competencies and attitudes be integrated using innovative methods -and in the assessment of outcomes due recognition should be given to criteria and methods of assessment that assess these appropriately and adequately. The students are further assessed through a written literature review and project reports, practical tests, oral presentations and final oral and written examinations. Assess the holistic knowledge and interpretative skills of the students.