Bachelor of Psychology

Purpose

The qualification is intended to train competent Graduates in counselling. On completion of the qualification, qualifying learners can register with the Professional Board for Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa as Registered Counsellors.

The Graduates will be sensitive to the needs of the community in an ever-changing environment. Some Graduate attributes are:

• The ability to comprehend and apply standards of practice and ethics, as well as professional conduct.
• An in-depth understanding of the meaning of cultural diversity and the causes of inequality in society.
• A critical and holistic approach to applied and theoretical problem-solving.
• An ability to present arguments and perspectives in both written and oral form.
• A capacity for life-long learning and on-going competency.
• The ability to initiate, design and conduct basic research.
• Ability to integrate knowledge in the multi-disciplinary field of Psychology.
• Relating content of the qualification to organisational and social issues.
• Knowledge of particular interventions as applied to a particular context.
• Basic, short-term and supportive individual counselling.
• Skills in working with a diverse population.
• Skills in design, implementation and evaluation of an appropriate intervention.
• Competence to administer and score formal (psychometric) and informal assessment instruments and techniques, to write reports requiring interpretation of psychological functions and to identify symptoms for referral.
• Competence to implement basic psycho-education and training; design, plan and implement programmes aimed at the promotion of primary psychosocial well-being, relating to different practical contexts.

Rationale

In today's socio-economic environment and due to the complexities of society there is a high demand for trained counsellors within the community that can assist with counselling at a primary health level. One of the existing national needs of the country is the provision of improved levels of health and well-being. This qualification aims to provide greater numbers of health services professionals, across the whole spectrum of the health sciences, with a focus on rural health needs. Graduates will be competent in understanding the psychosocial issues and problems related to society.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Entry into the qualification is possible via RPL as well as awarding advanced standing. RPL practices also include standard Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) practices of equivalent modules that may have been achieved in the course of the applicant's studies.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate (NSC), Level 4, granting access to Bachelor Degree study.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5, 6, 7 and 8 totalling 496 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 4 Credits

• Student Success 101, 4 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 68 Credits

• Introduction to Psychology, 12 Credits.
• Cognitive and Health Psychology, 12 Credits.
• Student Success 102, 4 Credits.
• Psychometric Practice Skills and Child Psychopathology, 20 Credits.
• Scientific Writing and Human Development Practice Skills, 20 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 6, 12 Credits

• Introduction to Sociology, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Socio - Cultural Anthropology, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Political Science, 12 Credits.
• English Language Skills for the Professions, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Criminology, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Sociology, 12 Credits.
• Archaeology and Ethnography of Africa, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Political Science, 12 Credits.
• English Academic Writing Skills for the Professions, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Special Areas of Focus in Criminology, 12 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 6, 100 Credits

• Sociology of Social Problems, 20 Credits.
• Kinship and Gender Studies; Case Studies in Kinship and Gender, 20 Credits.
• Introduction to Crime Theories and Criminal Justice, 20 Credits.
• Sociology of Social Problems and Sociological Theories, 20 Credits.
• Economic Anthropology; Community Development, 20 Credits.
• Crime Prevention and Victimology, 20 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 64 Credits

• Applied Community Psychology, 32 Credits.
• Adult Psychopathology and Therapeutic Practice Skills, 32 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 7, 128 Credits

Sociology of Work and Industry, 32 Credits

• African Religions, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, 32 Credits.
• Theories of Crime, Crime Prevention, Victimology and Research Methodology, 32 Credits.
• Sociology of Population, 32 Credits.
• Political Anthropology and African Political Systems, 32 Credits.
• Monistic Crime Studies, Criminal Justice and Research Methodology, 32 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 120 Credits

• Psychological Ethics and Counselling Practice Skills, 12 Credits.
• Trauma Counselling Theory and Applied Trauma Counselling, 16 Credits.
• Research Report (Psychology), 32 Credits.
• Internship (Psychology), 60 Credits.

1. Integrate knowledge in the multi-disciplinary field of psychology.
2. Show an in-depth understanding of the meaning of cultural diversity and the causes of inequality in society.
3. Comprehend and apply standards of practice and ethics, as well as professional conduct.
4. Engage in basic, short-term and supportive individual counselling.
5. Present arguments and perspectives in both written and oral form based on clinical cases.
6. Use a critical and holistic approach to applied and theoretical problem solving.
7. Demonstrate a capacity for life-long learning and on-going competency.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Apply knowledge of particular interventions to a particular context.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of knowledge of basic psychology principles and concepts.
• Assess theories of psychology as well as the history of psychology.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Relate content of the qualification to organisational and social issues.
• Explain and understand the causes, the various types and the different treatment methods of psychopathology.
• Explain various theories of psychopathology.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Know and show understanding of the rules and regulations that governs the practice of psychology, within a practical environment.
• Learn and understand the codes of conduct as well as ethics related to psychological practice.
• Account for processes and procedures in counselling and psychotherapy.
• Identify symptoms for referral.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Design, implement and evaluate an appropriate intervention.
• Implement basic psycho-education and training;
• Design, plan and implement programmes aimed at the promotion of primary psychosocial well-being, relating to different practical contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psycho-diagnostic tools and their clinical application.
• Administer and score formal (psychometric) and informal assessment instruments and techniques.
• Write reports requiring interpretation of psychological functions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Initiate, design and conduct basic research.
• Implement basic psycho-education and training.
• Design, plan and implement programmes aimed at the promotion of primary psychosocial well-being, relating to different practical contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Demonstrate the applied knowledge of scientific writing, which covers characteristics of articles, authorship, types of articles, heading and tone, parts of a manuscript, title page, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, references, appendix and style for scientific writing.
• Give an account of recent developments in the field of Psychology.
• Use suggestions for techniques to keep abreast of recent and current developments in the field of Psychology.

Integrated Assessment

In order to ensure graduates are competent with the complexities involved with counselling, assessments are conducted across all Exit Level Outcomes and modules. This takes place in the form of continuous, formative assessments, as well as by summative assessments, with a weighting of 60:40. In the internship module learners are assessed formatively as well as summatively on case handling and case presentation. The research module comprises the successful presentation of a research proposal and mini-dissertation for assessment.