Bachelor of Arts Honours in Literary Studies

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to develop scientific insight into and knowledge of the literatures of particular languages and be able to identify the connections between related matters by means of an interdisciplinary approach. Learners will have the ability to identify and solve problems in a critical, integrative and creative manner and be effective learners who understand the need for life-long learning. They will deal critically with different methodologies and be able to express a personal opinion on literature and articulate the value of language and literature within a vocational context. Finally these learners will recognise, understand and communicate the literature phenomena of the culturally-diverse South African and world populations.

Rationale

This Bachelor of Arts Honours (BA) Hons Literary Studies qualification is intended to educate learners in the theory and practice of Literary Studies 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 in Literary Studies. This qualification is intended to assist relevant role players, such as potential employers, learners and their parents, to understand the criteria determining job possibilities in the world of the languages and humanities, more specifically, in Literary Studies. 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 learner 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 Bachelor of Arts Honours 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 institution accepts the principle underlying outcomes oriented, source-based and lifelong learning in which considerations of articulation and mobility play a meaningful role. The institution 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 institution. 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.

The institution accepts that the recognition of previous learning does and should take place within the normal, existing policy of admission, as well as the granting of credits to prospective or existing learners from this or another institution in a valid, creditable and reasonable way.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement is

• A relevant Bachelor's Degree.

This qualification consists of elective modules at Level 8 totalling 128 Credits.

Modules

• Setswana: Poetry, 24 Credits.
• Postcolonial World Literature, 24 Credits.
• French, 24 Credits.
• Life Writing in the 20th and 21th Centuries, 24 Credits.
• 16th And 17th Century Literary Studies, 24 Credits.
• Five German Texts: A Comparative Approach, 24 Credits.
• French, 24 Credits.
• Six Romantics: Writing and Revolutions, 24 Credits.
• Critical Approaches to Literary Studies, 24 Credits.
• Fundamentals of Modernism in Poetry, 24 Credits.
• Poetics and Literary Theory, 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Poetry: Poetry and Intertext, 24 Credits.
• Narratology: Novel and Film, 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Narrative Texts, 24 Credits.
• From Text to Performance: A Study of Drama and Theatre Scienc, 24 Credits.
• Topics in English Literature, 24 Credits.
• German Literature, History and Culture, 24 Credits.
• Setswana: Drama, 24 Credits.
• Setswana: Children's Literature, 24 Credits.
• Classical Prose, 24 Credits.
• Christian Prose, 24 Credits.
• Setswana Literature: Research Methodology, 32 Credits.
• Classical Poetry, 24 Credits.
• Setswana: Literary Theory, 24 Credits
• Christian Poetry, 24 Credits.
• Setswana: Prose, 24 Credits.
• Research Methodology and Mini-Dissertation: Lit, 32 Credits.
• Afrikaans and Dutch Children's and Youth Literature, 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Creative Writing, 24 Credits.
• Twentieth-Century Fiction, 24 Credits.
• Research Methodology and Research Paper, 32 Credits.
• Aspects of the Dutch Literature, 24 Credits.

1. Demonstrate advanced scholarly and scientific knowledge and understanding of approaches to, as well as terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories typical to Literary Studies at advanced level.
2. Identify, analyse, and solve problems akin to Literary Studies in a critical and creative manner.
3. Control, apply, analyse, and integrate knowledge independently, as well as to evaluate it in a responsible and well-grounded manner.
4. Demonstrate competency as effective learners who understand the need for life-long Learning.
5. Report on research and communicate it in writing and orally, with the use of appropriate Information Technology (IT), to an audience of peers.
6. Critically evaluate ethics and practices akin to Literary Studies.
7. Articulate and communicate the value of being a competent and critical practitioner of Literary Studies 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 learners' 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 focus on assessing whether the purpose of the qualification as a whole has been achieved, either in to 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 learners are further assessed through a written literature review and project reports, practical tests, oral presentations and final oral and written examinations to assess the holistic knowledge and interpretative skills of the learners.