Bachelor of Arts Honours in Sesotho

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to enable learners to develop scholarly knowledge of and insight into Sesotho literature and linguistics in comparison to other African languages, which would clarify the specific nature and characteristics of texts in the major literary genres (fiction, poetry and drama), as well as other kinds of complementary writing. Learners will also become aware of the linguistic conventions and constructions of Sesotho and other African languages and how literature and language produce and reflect cultural change and differences. Finally the qualification will bring a critical understanding of the role of African languages in society, in particular its relation to other languages and how language empowers people.

Rationale

This Bachelor of Arts Honours in Sesotho BA Hons (Sesotho) qualification is intended to educate learners in the theory and practice of Sesotho 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 Sesotho in different fields of specialisation. This qualification is intended to assist relevant role players, such as potential employers, current learners and their parents, to understand the criteria determining job possibilities in the world of the languages and humanities, more specifically, in Sesotho. 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 learner 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 institution accepts the principle underlying outcomes based, source-based- and life-long learning, in which considerations of articulation and mobility play a significant role, and subscribes to the view that Recognition of Prior Learning, whether acquired by formal education curricula at this or another institution or informally (by experience) is an indispensable element in deciding on admission to and awarding credits in an explicitly selected teaching-learning programme of the institution. Formal prior learning: Prior accredited learning at the Further Education and Training (FET) or Higher Education and Training (HET) level in relevant domains which constitute credit-bearing units or modules should be recognised if evidence can be produced that shows that the learner has achieved, at a satisfactory level, the outcomes and associated assessment criteria specified for modules of the Bachelor of Art (BA) Humanities and, if appropriate, allow the Recognition of Prior Learning for the achievement of the qualification in part or in full. Non-formal and informal prior experiential learning: An applicant who falls outside of the formal qualifications system but who can demonstrate (through the production of substantial and satisfactory evidence) experiential or work-based learning or a non-formal qualification (or a combination), may be considered for admission and/or for the Recognition of Prior Learning for the achievement of the qualification in part or in full. An applicant who, after such assessment, is deemed to have sufficient potential but is in need of further academic development, will be directed to other suitable learning programmes prior to admission or to parallel programmes after admission.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement is

• Bachelor of Arts in Sesotho.

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

Compulsory Module: 32 Credits

• Sesotho, 32 Credits.

Elective Modules at Level 8: 96 Credits

• Sesotho, 24 Credits.
• SA Postcolonial Literature in English, 24 Credits.
• Academic Literacy, 24 Credits.
• Language and Society, 24 Credits.
• Text Study and Text Linguistics, 24 Credits.
• Linguistic Theory, 24 Credits.
• The Study of Language, 24 Credits.
• Poetry and Intertext, 24 Credits.
• Linguistic Analysis and Corpus Linguistics, 24 Credits.
• English Sociolinguistics, 24 Credits.
• Afrikaans Narrative Texts, 24 Credits.
• Twentieth-Century Literature in English, 24 Credits.
• Applied Language Studies, 24 Credits.
• Film Studies, 24 Credits.
• Sesotho (SSOL672), 24 Credits.
• Applications in Language Pract: Translation, 24 Credits.
• Sesotho (SSOL673), 24 Credits.
• Suid-Sotho, 24 Credits.
• Applications in Language Pract: Text Editing, 24 Credits.
• Journalism and Publishing Practice, 24 Credits.
• Theory of Language Practice, 24 Credits.
• Language, Text and Context, 24 Credits.
• Media Translation (Subtitling), 24 Credits.
• Literary Translation, 24 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 Sesotho at advanced level within the context of other African languages.
2. Identify, analyse, and solve problems within the context of Sesotho in a critical and creative manner.
3. Demonstrate the ability to search for, 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).
6. Critically evaluate of ethics and practices akin to the language of Sesotho.
7. Articulate and communicate the value of being a competent and critical user of Sesotho 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 focuses 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 their holistic knowledge and interpretative skills.