Bachelor of Education Honours in Gender Studies

Purpose

The Bachelor of Education Honours in Gender Studies promotes a gender-responsive approach to teacher education development by ensuring that issues of gender inequality are incorporated into everything a teacher does. It expands on the foundations of learner-centred learning and empowerment pedagogies by focusing on the gendered aspect of the learning environment, as well as how it reflects and responds to gender inequities in society.

The key focus of this qualification is to enhance research capacity by developing a research design that will result in a systematic research study of twenty-first-century gender education, culminating in a research proposal and a research report. It serves to consolidate and deepen a learner's knowledge of the field and to develop research capacity in the methodology and techniques of that field. Gender power relations, identity and the school curriculum, masculinities, femininities, teenage pregnancy, inclusivity, sexuality in education and Gender School-Based Violence will form part of the content covered in this qualification. According to Keddie and Ollis (2019), it is critical that we continue to examine how schools and teachers approach gender equity and justice, especially given the recent renaissance of a focus on gender and gender-based violence in schools as part of respectful relationships education.

The qualification seeks to instil progressive thinking in the field of gender education by developing teachers who can deconstruct powerful gender constructs in a bid to meet the diverse needs of learners holistically and equip teachers for further postgraduate studies by providing them with relevant competencies that are required for further research at higher levels.

Learners will gain a strong sense of social responsibility, and strong intellectual and practical skills that span all major fields of study, such as communication, analytical, and problem-solving abilities, as well as the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world situations. Gender studies can be useful in a variety of disciplines, including business, public administration, health care, communications, law, education, social work, counselling, the creative arts, government, and journalism. A background in this discipline is beneficial for both women and men entering traditionally male-dominated professions.

Upon completion of the qualification, qualifying learners will be able to

• Participate in a conversation about how gender, class, colour, ethnicity, age, sexuality, and sexual identities form and reflect societal constructs.
• Recognise and critically engage with issues affecting gender education in South Africa.
• Engage critically on gender literacy content in teaching and learning.
• Analyse manifestations of human endeavour through the prism of feminist and gender theory.
• Apply research strategies to investigate modern-day issues in gender education.
• Apply research strategies to locate, collect, and analyse relevant primary and secondary data to produce gender mainstreaming and development findings.

Graduate attributes for this qualification include

• Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth within gender studies.
• Creative problem-solving and critical thinking.
• Professionalism and leadership readiness within the education sector.
• Intercultural and ethical competency.
• Self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

Rationale

MANCOSA is an organisation that sees education as a means of responding to the needs of the larger community. Gender awareness is crucial for informing women and men about gender equality, the benefits of a more gender-equal society, and the negative effects of gender inequality. While the education system and some teachers may recognise the need for more open forms of sex and sexuality education, the main focus of most teaching is strongly gendered, heteronormative and framed in so-called traditional values (Bhana, Singh and Msibi, 2021). Therefore, the rationale for the qualification is to allow learners to question and confront social standards about what it means to be a female or a male in society, as well as to achieve justice and equality for all.

"Gender research offers updated empirical knowledge about gendered practices, norms, and discourses in politically significant ways" (Halsaa, 2022:1). This qualification is aimed at building research capacity through its qualification purpose and design. Gender studies is a broad, interdisciplinary subject that encompasses literature, history, sociology, law, public health, and much more. It also encourages a critical approach to identifying problems, intellectual curiosity, and open and creative thinking that's essential for innovation and progress" (Murphy, 2019:1).

The outcomes of effective gender studies and associated initiatives include increasing knowledge about social organisation and cultural values. The Bachelor of Education Honours in Gender Studies qualification also assists in creating networks affiliating faculty, learners, staff, and alumni; and enhancing campus community. The education sector has long-standing efforts to increase the number of women and historically underrepresented minorities in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Infusing the concerns of gender studies in STEM fields can boost placement rates for women in high-salary science and technology jobs and lead to improved work-life balance across fields.

The targeted learners are educators and education managers in South African schools. However, individuals who find themselves in a position that necessitates a thorough understanding of the key issues surrounding gender and feminism, as well as those who have a genuine interest in the complexities of gender and identity politics in Africa and a desire to see gender equality and equity achieved are our targeted learners.

Gender studies encourages learners to examine the role of gender in society and how it interacts with other forms of difference including indigenous and racialized identities, class, sexuality, ability, age, etc.

Gender studies graduates may work in various sectors of the job market including government, education, health, law, social services, arts, communications, media, marketing, and non-profit and social justice organisations. As far as the learning pathway is concerned, this qualification enables learners to pursue further studies in related qualifications, for example, gender studies at the master's level followed by doctoral studies in gender studies.

This qualification has been submitted and approved by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and will be submitted to the South African Council for Educators (SACE) for accreditation.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy applicable to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications.

RPL for access

• Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
• To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations.

RPL for exemption of modules

• Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

RPL for credit

• Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
• Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Education, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma, NQF Level 7, in a cognate field.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 8, 120 Credits.

• Academic Literacy, Educational Research and Research Methodology, 30 Credits
• Gender and Power, 20 Credits.
• Gender School-Based Violence, 20 Credits.
• Gender Inclusivity, 20 Credits.
• Research Project, 30 Credits.

1. Participate in conversations about how gender, class, colour, ethnicity, age, sexualities, and sexual identities form and reflect societal constructs.
2. Recognise and critically engage with issues affecting gender education in South Africa
3. Engage critically on gender literacy content in teaching and learning.
4. Analyse manifestations of human endeavour through the prism of feminist and gender theory.
5. Apply research strategies to investigate modern-day issues in gender education.
6. Apply research strategies to locate, collect, and analyse relevant primary and secondary data to produce gender mainstreaming and development findings.
7. Analyse and apply relevant theories that synthesise contemporary issues in gender education.
8. Develop and write an appropriate research report that emphasises the current issues in gender education.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 1.

• Conduct active participation to examine how societies' constructions of gender, class, colour, ethnicity, age, sexuality, and sexual identities work.
• Apply the intersectionality theory by reflecting on how society constructs gender and sexual identities.
• Explore society's different constructions of masculinity and its impact, especially on children and adults of all genders.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2.

• Identify gender power relations in the school curriculum.
• Employ discussions in the school setting and society to analyse issues of masculinity, femininity, teenage pregnancies, inclusivity, sexuality education, and gender-based and school-based violence.
• Explain how education on gender school-based violence can be used as a tool to stop violence in society.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3.

• Develop gender literacy skills through the reading and interpreting of written communication in the field of gender education.
• Apply gender literacy skills to write a research report.
• Produce a written report that documents all key aspects of the research findings.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 4.

• Examine human activities through the lens of feminism and gender theory.
• Apply feminist and gender theory to analyse expressions of human endeavour.
• Interpret traditional femininities and violent femininities to understand how society constructs gender sexual identities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 5.

• Illustrate knowledge of research through the application of research techniques as a form of knowledge production.
• Identify ethical concerns relating to the research undertaken to investigate modern-day issues in gender education and adopt necessary measures to address these concerns.
• Investigate modern issues in gender education through research by applying subjectivist conceptions of social reality.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 6.

• Apply key elements in research to demonstrate the completion of research activities through the analysis of primary data sources.
• Collect secondary data for the research project through the application of key elements in research.
• Produce a written report that documents all key aspects of the research.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 7.

• Apply an analysis of the theoretical foundation in modern gender identities to synthesise contemporary issues in gender education.
• Apply feminism and masculinity theories to research gender issues from an interdisciplinary approach.
• Explain equality and equity in the legal and social context of treating everyone equally and the application of fairness and justice irrespective of individuals' genders.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 8.

• Develop an appropriate research report to demonstrate an understanding of current issues in gender education.
• Develop research capacity in the methodology and techniques of gender specialisation.
• Produce, document and communicate all key aspects of the research findings to show a production of sound research skills in the chosen field of study.