Master of Arts in Communication Science

Apply educational knowledge, skills, principles and methods General communication practitioner, Public relations officer, Advertising practitioner, Journalist, Radio announcer, Television presenter, Media practitioner, Communication consultant, Communication operational manager, Marketing communication consultant, Promotion manager, Media annalist and planner, Multi media manager, Communication manager or audiovisual production manager practicing a specialized communication profession within the contexts of profit and non-profit organizations, optimising and managing communication and industrial communication related processes. Qualifiers will demonstrate knowledge, skills and applied competence in the field of study that provide opportunities for continued personal growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society.

Learners who register for this qualification can

• Learn from predominantly written material;
• Communicate what they have learnt comprehensively in the medium of instruction
• Learn and take responsibility for their own progress

The qualification recognizes formal and non-formal prior learning (incorporating experiential learning) at a Higher Education and Training Certificate Level 7.

The planned combination of learning outcomes are integrated with critical cross-field outcomes for this Qualification

Practical Competency

The demonstrated ability/skill to achieve the major Skills/Applied Competency of the qualification.

Foundational Competency

The demonstrated understanding, by the Learner, of the embedded knowledge that underpins the end result/outcome.

Reflective competency

The demonstrated ability/skill to integrate or connect our performances and to reflect on, evaluate and adopt the above competencies.

The Learner will be capable of

1. Performing specialised functions in the communication and industrial communication environments and
2. Undertaking specialised research in the field of communication and/or industrial communication.

The Learner will be able to

1. Understand and indicate the relevance of particular fundamental aspects of communication for the different sub-disciplines (advertising, journalism, organisational, audio- and audio-visual and persuasive comm.. etc.) of communication;
2. Demonstrate specialised knowledge, analysis and application of processes related to a selection of the following:

• Audio- and audio-visual communication (radio, TV, film and video)
• Public relations
• Organisational communication
• Advertising
• Journalism
• Intercultural and developmental communication
• Speech communication
• Persuasive communication
• Public and political communication
• Educational communication;

1. Integrate and apply specialised knowledge and advanced skills in the selected cluster of sub-disciplines in the field of communication and industrial communication;
2. Evaluate the relevance of potential research projects within the field of communication and/or industrial communication;
3. Collect, analyse, synthesize, integrate, systematize and interpret relevant factual material;
4. Design and apply a scientifically based research methodology;
5. Present research data systematically and explanatory;
6. Interpret research data scientifically; and
7. Make well-substantiated conclusions and recommendations.

Learners will demonstrate their knowledge and skills through

1. Compiling a feature programme;
2. Conducting a critical analysis of the content of different television genres;
3. Compiling a strategic plan for the execution of a promotional video production;
4. Compiling a strategic plan for the execution of a public relations programme in an organization;
5. Conducting a comprehensive marketing communication audit;
6. Planning, implementing and managing an international advertising campaign;
7. Planning, managing and executing a publication product (e.g. newsletters, journals, newspapers, magazines and radio/TV bulletins);
8. Planning, controlling and managing the communication processes of a political campaign; and
9. Writing a mini-dissertation to comply to the set standards

Integrated assessment

• Competence is achieved, through continuous assessment by demonstrating the ability to achieve the outcomes of the Qualification

1. Internal and external evaluation and feedback on assignments and industrial related projects
2. Tests
3. Formal internal examinations
4. Internal and external moderation by qualified academics and experts in the field concerned
5. Mini-dissertation

- Assessment documents are moderated to ensure that

1. They conform to the scope and context of the competency as stipulated in the qualification
2. They are constructed in such a way that the Assessor assesses the critical outcomes applied, during the Learners activity performances, towards achieving an outcome.

• To include confirmation of the Embedded Knowledge component to ensure that the Foundational Competency is achieved.