SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Bachelor of Arts Honours in Politics 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
101087  Bachelor of Arts Honours in Politics 
ORIGINATOR
University of South Africa 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Honours Degree  Field 07 - Human and Social Studies  Public Policy, Politics and Democratic Citizenship 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2021-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This qualification replaces: 
Qual ID Qualification Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Min Credits Replacement Status
5353  Bachelor of Arts Honours  Level 7  NQF Level 08  120  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The primary purpose of the qualification is to provide Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) graduates with systematic knowledge, specialised skills and theoretical competence focusing on or within a particular discipline or within an interdisciplinary framework to prepare them for specialist training at an advanced level.

A second purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa (and other countries) with graduates who have in-depth knowledge and the confidence to identify and define complex problems and to apply their skills in finding solutions to those problems, especially within unfamiliar contexts.

A third purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa (and other countries) with people who can demonstrate thorough familiarity with a particular discipline or interdisciplinary framework and have the ability to perform independently as intellectual leaders in their society.

Rationale:
The qualification was aligned to the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF) to include research components in the form of Political Sciences and Research (HPPSC81), which aligns the conduct of research (and the various manifestations thereof) to International Politics, and HRPSC82 which is a supervised research report conducted by students within in the field of International Politics and is worth 36 Credits. The number of credits per National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level is aligned to the HEQSF in the following manner: Level 8: 120 Credits. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Students will be given RPL for individual modules if they can produce a portfolio of evidence or undergo any other recognised means of assessment that shows that they meet the outcomes and associated assessment criteria specified for that module. They may also be awarded blocks of credits towards elective modules.

Entry Requirements:
A Bachelor's Degree with Politics as a major. 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 

QUALIFICATION RULES 
This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules:
  • Political Sciences and research, 12 Credits.
  • Research report, 36 Credits.

    Elective Modules:
  • Comparative Politics: Africa and beyond, 24 Credits.
  • Theory, Philosophy, and Ideology, 24 Credits.
  • Political Dynamics, 24 Credits.
  • South African political issues, 24 Credits.
  • Politics in the twenty-first century: national, African and international perspectives, 24 Credits.
  • Conflict, peace and security studies, 24 Credits. 

  • EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Identify, analyse, formulate and solve convergent and divergent problems and issues related to the natural environment.
    2. Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, community, and contribute to the group output in tasks within the field of environmental management.
    3. Manage and organise her or his activities and life responsibly and effectively, including her or his studies within the open and distance learning context.
    4. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information, as required in the pursuit of the Bachelor of Science (BA) Honours (Hons) (Politics).
    5. Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and for written presentation, often in pieces of sustained discourse.
    6. Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health and well-being of others, in community, national and global context.
    7. Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation, and by acknowledging their responsibilities to those locally and the broader community. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Identify, analyse and solve concrete and abstract problems by drawing on the theoretical knowledge and experiential base of a single discipline or across interdisciplinary lines in science and technology.
  • Identify, analyse and solve problems in a variety of routine and non-routine contexts within a discipline or field of study.
  • Use their knowledge and experience to offer informed suggestions for solving problems at a community, national, international and global level.
  • Solve problems by generating alternative strategies for dealing with those problems.
  • Critically evaluate various theoretical standpoints and compare them to own views.
  • Offer evidence in a variety of ways (from theoretical knowledge base, from experiential base, etc.) to support their stated views.
  • Analyse the global, national and local community in terms of problems, needs, opportunities related to science and technology.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Demonstrate respect for the scientific opinion of others through (written and/or oral) reporting without bias.
  • Undertake projects of a theoretical and/or practical nature to provide evidence of successful interaction with others.
  • Use advanced scientific communication skills within the group.
  • Lead people effectively within the limits of their own competence.
  • Organise themselves and others into effective working groups.
  • Communicate the evidence of these group interactions through (written, oral, and/or modern data and telecommunication media) reporting.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Organise their study plans and engage in effective time management.
  • Evolve strategies best suited to their personal situations and contexts.
  • Think independently, and offer sustained theoretical evidence to support their decisions.
  • Assess their own strengths and weaknesses and develop organisational strategies.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Use library and other resources such as computers effectively to suit the needs of the particular area of research.
  • Integrate information from a variety of sources.
  • Act responsibly as a researcher and scholar (e.g. appropriate referencing, avoiding plagiarism, etc.).
  • Follow the conventions of scholarship in the discipline under study.
  • Apply relevant discipline-related conventions and guidelines to their academic and personal purposes.
  • Critically evaluate theories, examples, experimental results, etc.
  • Argue appropriately within the relevant discourse community.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Responsibly use the ideas of others in support of their own (without plagiarism, etc.).
  • Evaluate conclusions and premises in academic arguments.
  • Follow the literacy and numeracy conventions of written (and/or oral) use in the respective discipline.
  • Use appropriate models of organisation and presentation as required in the relevant discipline.
  • Use statistics (where necessary) effectively in support of their ideas.
  • Identify and illustrate discipline-specific jargon.
  • Use language to analyse, evaluate and critique the ideas of others.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Select technology to suit the needs of the individual or group.
  • Use natural resources in a sustainable way.
  • Show respect for and a responsible attitude towards science and technology.
  • Demonstrate a consideration of the ethics involved in science and technology issues.
  • Show respect and openness towards psychological, health and physical environment of others.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
  • Use interdisciplinary methods to solving science and technology related problems.
  • Follow an integrated approach to learning and studying.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Assessment is done in line with the institution's policy.

    Formative Assessment is done by means of activities in study guides, self-assessment questions in study guides and self-assessment assignments as well as written assignments that have to be submitted for assessment. The assignments are either in the form of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), short questions, essays or a combination. Students must submit at least two assignments for each module. The marks obtained for these assignments contribute a minimum of percentage towards the final mark for the module. The remaining mark is made up of the examination mark.

    Summative Assessment is conducted by means of a two-to three-hour examination per module. 

  • INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The institution forms part of an internationally recognised accreditation system whereby university qualifications are evaluated against international comparators and accredited accordingly; for example, the institution's qualifications are accredited in the International Handbook of Universities and in the Commonwealth Universities' Yearbook. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Upon completion of the Honours (Hons) Bachelor of Science (BSc), students have a number of options for further study. For example, students may proceed to study at the Master of Science (MSc) level. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced qualification.
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. University of South Africa 



    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.