Bachelor of Social Sciences in Industrial Sociology and Labour Studies

Purpose and Rationale of the Qualification

The first purpose of the qualification is to provide qualifiers with graduate-level knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in a number of fields of Human and Social Studies, Culture and Arts, Business, Commerce, and Management Studies, Education, Training and Development and Health Sciences and Social Services that provide opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society.

The qualification represents planned learning outcomes, namely that the learner will be qualified to render holistic, integrated and inter-sectorial services, reflecting diversity, accessibility and equal distribution of resources for all South Africans.

These outcomes are designed to promote lifelong learning.

The second purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa with significant numbers of graduates in a number of social sciences in order to ensure that the local leadership base of innovative and knowledge based economic and scholarly activity is widened.

The third purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa with a cadre of social analysts, researchers, facilitators, developers, managers, service providers, and experts in the field of social sciences who will have a clear and continuously growing understanding of the methods and progress of social sciences prior to acquiring specific postgraduate qualifications.

In addition to the above, each specialisation package in this qualification has its own further purpose.

Recognition of Prior Learning

• Access may be gained to the qualification through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

A candidate who

• Has not obtained matriculation exemption or a National Senior Certificate (NSC) or National Certificate Vocational (NCV) granting admission to Bachelor's Degree study but who are in possession of at least a three-year tertiary qualification, will be considered on the basis of merit, with a view to admission to a Degree programme.
• Is in possession of another certificate which is accepted by the University as equivalent to the required Level 4 qualifications.
• Is a graduate from another tertiary institution or has been granted the status of a graduate of such an institution, may also be considered for admission.
• Passes an admission test as prescribed by the University.
• A conditional exemption certificate does not qualify a candidate for admission to Bachelor's Degree study.
• A certificate of conditional exemption by virtue of mature age is, however, accepted for Degree study by certain faculties. Candidates are advised to contact the faculty administration in question in this regard.
• Senate may place a limit on the number of students who may be admitted to register for a programme, in which case the Dean concerned may decide who to admit from those who qualify.

Entry Requirements

• National Senior Certificate, Level 4 granting admission to Bachelor's Degree study.
• Senior Certificate, Level 4 with matriculation exemption.
• National Certificate (Vocational), Level 4 with a relevant specialisation granting admission to Bachelor's Degree study.
• In order to register for the Degree, a learner candidate should, apart from the required level certificate comply with the particular requirements prescribed in the admission procedures and faculty regulations for the Faculty of Humanities and the respective departments, for admission to a particular package of study.

The learner will have

1. Good language proficiency required for the practice of science.
2. A sound knowledge of the Social Sciences.
3. The ability to apply skills effectively in their chosen field of expertise.
4. Basic computer skills.
5. Basic critical and creative thinking skills.
6. Developed approaches and methods for analysis, theories and models for application, management and development, growth, ethics, strategy, and achievements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes

The learner will demonstrate

• contextually the learning outcomes for the various specialisations.
• knowledge of the content and insight pertaining to the related factual knowledge, concepts and theories.

skills and proficiencies equipping him/her to

1. Identify and solve problems related to the social sciences.
2. Co-operate with others in achieving and/or creating specific end products related to the social sciences.

• The ability to organise and manage his or her learning process and applied skills.
• The ability to deal with information, communication, the application of science and technology.
• A holistic world view.
• Appropriate attitudes, dispositions and/or values concerning the social sciences qualifying him/her for a professional career in his/her field of expertise.

Integrated Assessment

The associated assessment criteria are derived directly from the learning outcomes and provide the criteria against which learner performance demonstrating the attainment of learning outcomes can be judged. The assessment criteria involve, at minimum.

• That both norm-based and criteria-based modalities are used.
• Reliability is ensured via internal and external moderation.
• The standards and levels of achievement required for "pegging" the qualification at Level 7 are met.

Integrated Assessment

• Portfolios.
• Simulations.
• Written examinations.
• Oral examinations.

Other

• Other tasks prescribed by the assessors.
• The modalities for Integrated Assessment permit the learner to demonstrate applied competence and use a wide range of formative and summative methods set according to specific guidelines for developing particular assessment tasks and allowing assessors to develop formative and summative methods related to credentialing purposes appropriate to contextual and situational readings of candidates presenting themselves for the recognition of learning achievements.