Bachelor of Arts Honours in Historical Studies

The primary purpose of this qualification is to provide qualifying learners with

• The ability to demonstrate the planning and execution of historical research in libraries, research institutions and archives.
• The ability to demonstrate the planning and execution of oral research.
• The ability to compile a research proposal integrating sources of a primary and secondary nature on the basis of scientific historical method.
• The ability to write a comprehensive research report based on historical analysis.
• The ability to utilise computer technology in research, allocation of sources and the writing of the report.
• The ability to use scientific reference techniques.
• An acquaintance of the theoretical foundation of History, historical memory and historical consciousness, heritage and historical legacies.
• The ability to demonstrate the identification of critical issues in historical context.
• The ability to demonstrate critical, analytical and reasoning skills.

The primary purpose of this qualification is to provide qualifying learners with

• The ability to enhance personal development by the acquisition of intellectual analytical skills; skills of critical analysis and critical thinking; skills of comparison within historical context; skills of synthesising complex evidence; historical research skills; of critical use of source material; balanced assessment of divergent views, perceptions and evidence and the rational skills of openness in debate.
• An acquaintance of a critical historical and social awareness.
• Enhanced marketability in terms of employment in journalism, research broadcasting and communication, social work, heritage tourism, education and training, environmental eco-tourism, civil service, rural and urban development studies, as well as information management.
• An elevated academic.
• Access to further education in historical studies.

Reflective

The primary purpose of this qualification is to provide learners with

• The ability to apply the knowledge and understanding of events studied in historical context to an analysis and understanding of current social, political and economic issues (new contexts).
• The ability to apply skills of comparison in historical context to the formulation of innovative solutions to new contexts.
• The ability to apply research skills and personal motivational skills and self-directedness to any employment environment.
• The ability to apply organisational skills acquired through research and study planning and to any employment environment.
• The ability to apply research skills, knowledge and understanding of events and organisational skills to their own research.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Prior learning will be assessed according to the institution procedure for the recognition of prior learning, after which the learner will gain access to the Honours degree, obtain advanced placement and recognition of status to ensure him/her entry into the honours qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Arts in Historical Studies, NQF Level 7.

The learners should be able to

1. Identify research problems within the current disciplinary debate in Historical Studies and the debate amongst South African historical practitioners and academics.
2. Formulate a meaningful research problem based on the knowledge of historical methodology.
3. Plan a comprehensive research strategy based on the problem statement and identification of stakeholders in the research problem, either for team or individual research projects.
4. Identify a variety of research sources in libraries, research collections and oral sources in communities.
5. Conduct independent systematic research.
6. Apply theoretical concepts of source and information validation in assessing collected information.
7. Select all relevant information critically and systematically in order to solve the stated research problem.
8. Write a logical and systematic research report to solve the research problem within its historical context.
9. Display honesty, conscientiousness perseverance and empathy in selecting and evaluating all evidence
10. Formulate the research outcome against the background of the macro-vision of social and economic issues confronting communities over time in order to contribute towards the long-term solution of issues.
11. Communicate the relevance of research outcomes effectively to all stakeholders, keeping in mind cultural, religious, and ethnic and gender diversity within the total community of stakeholders.
12. Compare the outcome of the historical research project with the outcome of similar case studies in historical research in order to infer similarities and differences in context, solutions and future outcomes.
13. Integrate different research techniques, including computers, the internet and conventional document analysis, in conducting the research.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria applies across the Exit Level Outcomes

• Submit a written research problem relevant to the discipline and justify it verbally.
• Apply the historical method of enquiry and critical analysis to formulate a meaningful research problem.
• Plan and write a comprehensive research strategy for an individual or a research team, conveying the inclusion of all interested parties/stakeholders in the historical research strategy.
• Compile a wide variety of sources from different origins as the basis for research.
• Indicate that he/she can conduct historical research independently and complete the proposed research project.
• Critically evaluate the originality and validity of source material using historical validation techniques of internal and external criticism.
• Display the ability to select relevant information to solve the research problem in historical context.
• Submit relevant information to solve the formulated research problem.
• Submit a logical and systematic written account of the historical research, including exposition and findings.
• The report must solve the research problem.
• Reflect in the research report and in further research projects
• Show that he/she can place the research outcome within the social and economic macro-context of the history of the specific research problem and future research problems.
• The research outcome must contribute towards enhanced understanding of issues currently effecting communities.
• Display that he/she can communicate the outcome of the historical research within historical context and with empathy to all stakeholders.
• Display the intellectual capacity to relate and compare the research outcome to similar research outcomes of studies in different historical contexts.
• Display the capacity to utilise different research techniques.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment practices that will be implemented

Formative assessment is conducted continuously by means of essays, seminars, class group discussions, independent research assignments, formal semester/module tests, oral examinations, group projects and practical projects.

Summative assessment practices that will be implemented.

Integrated assessment, focusing on the achievement of the exit-level outcomes, will be done by means of oral examinations in the course of each module, written examinations at the end of each module, practical examinations in the course of each module and mini-dissertations, in the case of the specialisation course.