Postgraduate Diploma in Document Analysis and Design

Purpose

The competencies captured in this qualification will capacitate learners as document design specialists in multiple environments, both in the public and private sectors, and will expose them to the latest insights in this interdisciplinary activity. Further, they will be afforded the opportunity of participating in projects regarding the quality of different text genres in a variety of sectors.

Learners successfully mastering these competencies will be able to contribute to the broader society by being able to scrutinise, evaluate and produce documents relevant to their sector or field.

The qualifying learner will be capable of

• Critically analysing the quality of different types of documents by means of text-focused and reader-focused evaluation methods.
• Designing documents for a range of socio-cultural contexts by selecting and applying appropriate techniques.
• Incorporating text and graphics in different types of documents by selecting and applying appropriate techniques.

Rationale

Effective communication within the modern society has become critical, especially in terms of the large amount of written communication currently produced by many different sectors.

This qualification is intended to address the competencies relevant to the written form of communication by developing document design specialists for the many different sectors of society and fields of business.

This qualification allows working professionals or academic scholars to undertake advanced reflection on current specialised practices and methods in document analysis and design using high level theoretical engagement and intellectual independence.

The knowledge, skills and cognitive ability demonstrated in a Bachelor's Degree at NQF Level 7.

Recognition of Prior Learning

This qualification may be achieved in part or completely through the Recognition of Prior Learning, which includes formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience. Care will be taken that the mechanism used provides the learner with an opportunity to demonstrate competence and is not so onerous as to prevent learners from taking up the Recognition of Prior Learning option towards gaining a qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning may also be used to grant access to the qualification to those learners who do not meet the admission requirements.

Access to the Qualification

Learners registering for this qualification should already have achieved a Bachelor's Degree at NQF Level 7 or 8, or an equivalent qualification.

To be awarded the qualification learners are required to obtain a minimum of 120 Credits at NQF Level 8.

The following modules at NQF Level 8 are compulsory

• Introduction to Document Design, 15 Credits.
• Intercultural Communication. 15 Credits.
• The interaction between text and graphics, 20 Credits.
• Quality assessment methods for business documents, 30 Credits.
• Document analysis and document genre, 40 Credits.

1. Critically analyse the quality of different types of documents by means of text-focused and reader-focused evaluation methods.
2. Analyse documents for a range of socio-cultural contexts by selecting and applying appropriate techniques.
3. Incorporate text and graphics in different types of documents by selecting and applying appropriate techniques.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

This qualification develops all the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

1. Demonstrate knowledge regarding different approaches to document analysis, with a focus on functional text analysis.
2. Demonstrate knowledge regarding a selection of business document genres.
3. Use the relevant analytical skills related to the different aspects of document design to analyse documents and critically assess the quality of documents on the basis of these analyses and propose revisions to increase the quality of the documentation.
4. Design or assist in the design processes of different kinds of business documents.
5. Demonstrate knowledge about text-focused, expert-focused and reader-focused methods of quality assessment.
6. Critically assess the quality of documents on the basis of a set of text-focused and reader-focused quality assessment methods and revise documents on the basis of these critical assessments.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

1. Demonstrate knowledge of different approaches to the study of intercultural communication.
2. Assess the relevance of intercultural communication dimensions to effective design of different types of documents.
3. Carry out research to analyse the effect of intercultural communication dimensions on the effectiveness of a document.
4. Demonstrate a broad understanding of the field of document analysis and design, the history of the field and the most important contributions of the field.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

1. Demonstrate basic knowledge regarding the principles governing the choice of effective graphics, the relationship between text and graphics and principles of effective typographical design.
2. Demonstrate analytical and assessment skills regarding the choice of effective graphics, specifically the relationship between text and graphics and effective typographical design.
3. Interact with graphic designers in the process of document design.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment will be applied continually throughout the learning pathway of the individual learning outcomes and/or modules. Summative assessment will be applied to ensure the achievement of each learning outcome and/or module. Integrated Assessment will be applied extensively across the modules of learning so as to ensure the integrated achievement of the Exit Level Outcomes.