Bachelor of Arts Honours in Visual Studies

The purpose of this qualification is to encourage informed discussion, analysis and interpretation of selected aspects of visual culture in order to facilitate effective communication by the individual in the visual, oral and written fields. It has become imperative, with the increasing predominance of the visual and digital era, to encourage visual and information literacy that can be used in a variety of professional, educational, cultural and organisational contexts. This post-graduate qualification aims to provide South Africa with specialists in the field of visual communication in order to develop a visually literate and articulate society.

The primary aim of this qualification is to equip learners with the knowledge, skills and disposition to access the constructs of visual communication to enable them to function optimally in their chosen professional capacities. A secondary aim it to assist learners in developing requisite advanced research skills that can be used to advantage as a basis for further learning and enhanced marketability. It is believed that the research capabilities of learners must be promoted so that they will have the capacity to engage in further post-graduate studies on completion of this qualification, thereby contributing to the extension of knowledge about the role and nature of visual culture in South Africa.

This qualification aims to foster an informed, critical and empowered approach towards the reading of the visual environment, and to be able to relate this to a broader understanding of the workings of visual ideologies and constructs that shape the visual codes and conventions in society. The outcomes are designed to promote lifelong learning.

The prevalence of the visual image in mass-media and mass-culture makes it increasingly necessary and relevant for all manner of professionals to become familiar with the mechanisms by which visual images are encoded in order to allow knowledgeable analysis, interpretation and evaluation thereof. The skills acquired in the field of visual studies can be used to benefit in a number of related interdisciplinary fields of employment such as communications, broadcasting, cultural studies, the culture and tourism industries, fine arts and information design, and arts education. Postgraduate courses in visual studies will be of benefit to many related fields of expertise, which hinge on similar critical paradigms and thinking constructs.

This qualification will hence assist in equipping learners with the necessary Postgraduate skills and competencies to empower themselves in the competitive workplace. This qualification can be of benefit in many contexts and will provide the field with skilled, versatile professionals who can be employed in many facets of the media and communications industries, as well as in tertiary institutions, thereby enhancing the standard of South African scholarship.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution conducts RPL in terms of the policy and guidelines of the institution to recognise other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience. In cases where learners do not comply with the formal admission requirements, the institution applies its RPL policy.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Visual Arts, NQF Level 7.

N/A

1. Learners will become acquainted with more specialised knowledge regarding the historical, discursive and conceptual frameworks that inform the workings of visual culture in society. With the development of their critical skills, learners will be able to comprehend how visual ideologies, codes and constructs are encapsulated in the visual image in various fields such as art, design, technological media, and popular culture, and will be able to investigate how these manifest in visual sign systems in society. Learners will be empowered to collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information regarding visual communication on a more advanced level.
2. Learners will be equipped with the skills to understand the communicative value and ideological function of visual culture in society and will be encouraged to develop visual literacy to a sophisticated level of competency in order to develop the critical skills and critical thinking to engage competently with visual culture. Learners will be encouraged to apply this knowledge to interpret and deconstruct visual messages in a variety of media and in different historical contexts.
3. Learners will be able to develop and apply the knowledge gained to advantage in various professional and organisational contexts, with due cognisance of cultural diversity, the needs of the community, and commitment towards the environment. Emphasis is placed on the learner's ability to think creatively and to apply knowledge and skills in complex, challenging situations, to communicate efficiently, and to pursue the demands of life-long learning.

• Learners must demonstrate that they have mastered the ability to apply the attained knowledge and skills to a critical and evaluative interaction with visual culture. Learners must indicate that they understand the dynamics and functions of visual images in society by being aware of, and being able to decode, for example, visual ideology in the creation of race, class and gender ideologies, thereby enabling the learner to actively redress inequities in the field of visual communication. Learners must be able to communicate their knowledge of visual phenomena effectively and must indicate that they are conversant with contemporary systems of thought and technological paradigms in visual communication.
• Learners must demonstrate fully their ability to locate visual culture in an historical framework, and must be able to indicate that they also understand the dynamics of visual images and messages in a contemporary context. Learners must display competency in commenting on the role of visual images in, for example, the creation of visual identities. Learners must demonstrate that they are competent to pursue independent research on a sustained level, and can apply their skills to the development of problem-solving mechanisms that can be developed in further Postgraduate studies. These skills will be developed in order to submit a mini dissertation which will be moderated both internally and externally.
• Learners must develop the ability to use the acquired visual literacy skills to make an economic contribution to the development of the specific field, and to society in general. Learners must prove that they are able to apply this knowledge creatively in order to develop social skills and competencies that will enhance quality of life and effective communication in general.

Integrated assessment incorporated to ensure that the purpose of the Degree is achieved

1. Portfolios.
2. Simulations.
3. Work-place assessments.
4. Written examinations.
5. Oral examinations.
6. Other:

In addition to the above, modalities such as group discussions, presentations, peer group evaluations, and live applications of competency in practical settings are also used.