Doctor of Philosophy in African Languages

Purpose

• Encourage learners to learn more about themselves, social dynamics, their heritage and their cultural environment.
• Facilitate academic innovation and creativity and contribute to learner's development in niche areas of expertise.
• Assist the country in its development and in the enrichment of its social and cultural life.

Rationale

• Provide a solid foundation in current research methods, analytical skills capacity for independent research work and identifying the social, and cultural linguistic problems in society and find solutions to these problems.
• Develop and further inculcate a sense of multilingualism, through comparative research in both language and literature with special skills that could be employed in translation and interpreting especially from one South African language to another.
• Apply analytical skills and research methods to specific case studies affecting their communities, the country or the continent and humanity at large.
• Develop a higher degree of competence, analytical skills, capacity for independent research work, and high-level familiarity with current research methods in the humanities.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institutional RPL Policy provides prospective learners with an opportunity to submit an application for the Recognition of Prior Learning in order to gain entry into a particular academic programme. The applicant's portfolio is assessed by two assessors and by a moderator.

Entry Requirements

The minimum requirement for this qualification is

• Masters in African languages or equivalent qualification.

N/A

Exit Level Outcome

1. Learners demonstrate the capacity to design, conduct and write thesis that indicate their ability to identify and solve problems in language education and that have practical application in the social context.
2. Learners demonstrate an understanding of scientific procedures and an ability to cope with research techniques and appropriate technology.
3. Learners demonstrate an understanding of literature related to the research problem.
4. Learners demonstrate the ability to write a dissertation that is linguistically acceptable.
5. Learners demonstrate competence in real methodological and conceptual skills, clarity of expression and development of argument, and sound judgement.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome

• Write a research proposal that indicates the learners are able to identify a problem or problems in languages, and formulate research problems and subsets of problems.
• Formulate hypotheses.
• Select and utilize research instruments that are relevant in the research of problems in language education.
• Select and use appropriate data analysis methods to interpret the findings of an investigation.
• Report the findings of the investigation, and formulate recommendations that emanate from the findings.
• Identify and analyse different scientific procedures in terms of the problem being researched.
• Critically read, interpret and analyse literature from different sources.
• Search for literature on the identified research problem.
• Compare the writings of different authors on the same related topic.
• Synthesize reading material on the topic being researched.
• Draw conclusions from different readings.
• Write a thesis that shows that the learner can express him/herself clearly.
• Write a thesis that is linguistically correct, acceptable and of a high standard.
• Write a thesis that is technically well presented and has an acceptable layout.
• Show evidence of real methodological and conceptual skills.
• Show evidence of clarity of exposition and development of argument.
• Show evidence of sound judgement.

Integrated Assessment

Formative

• Research proposal.
• Oral exam.

Summative

• Comprehensive thesis.