SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION:

Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication Design

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
101607	Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication Design
ORIGINATOR
Durban University of Technology
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
National First Degree	Field 02 - Culture and Arts		Design Studies
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	360	Not Applicable	NQF Level 07	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		2033-06-30

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
72237	National Diploma: Graphic Design	Level 6	NQF Level 06	360	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
The qualification will integrate complex cognitive and intellectual demand with a professional and vocational orientation that integrates both theoretical and applied knowledge. It is centred on the range of industries focused around the principles of Visual Communication Design, and will provide these industries and professions with creative and skilled graduates as generalist designers.

This qualification will provide a sound understanding of relevant theoretical, critical, and historical principles of visual communication, applied through the inculcation of a broad yet integrated understanding of technologies and processes required for the development and production of current visual communication design. Graduates will be able to integrate and apply conceptual, critical, research, thinking, technical, creative, theoretical, and professional skills relevant to the discipline and appropriate to Degree level education. Learners will thus be capable of gaining employment at an entry level in any of the range of industries that require applied Visual Communication Design capabilities, and of applying their learning to these employment contexts immediately.

The qualification will thus prepare students for life-long learning, and support not only traditional design and advertising industries, but also developing and future careers including web and mobile application design, animation, video and other moving media and new industries yet to be invented. The qualification will prepare graduates for employment through work-preparedness and experiential learning/work simulation in areas such as written, verbal and inter-personal communication; socio-cultural, environmental and health awareness; and basic financial and business abilities, as well as disciplinary skills. It will encourage entrepreneurship, and finally, it will provide sufficient academic focus for those who wish to continue in education.

Unique attributes of the Degree are as follows:

The final year incorporates a capstone module which integrates creative and research work across a number of modules, leading to complex industry-level visual communication design campaigns.

The Degree provides a 'workplace simulation' model of WIL based on a modified hybrid of PBL and PJBL for students through the final year, with projects developed, mentored and/or critiqued by industry partners in collaboration with lecturing staff.

Rationale:
The institution and its predecessor institutions have offered the National Diploma in Graphic Design for over thirty years, a period which has seen rapid and far-reaching social, cultural, intellectual and technological developments in South African society. It has also seen radical changes in the professional, technological and educational environments of the Graphic Design industry in KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa, and internationally.

The Graphic Design industry and profession continues to expand into areas that might once have been considered separate fields. When the department first offered the National Diploma, the Graphic Design industry and profession were limited to design and illustration for print media and advertising. Since then, developments in technology have required the discipline to expand into animation, film-making, web- and multi-media design, on-line and cell-phone application ("app") design, product design, and other specialisations. These fields were not originally considered part of Graphic Design then, or simply did not exist at the time. Because of these changes, the term 'Graphic Design' is also giving way to the broader term 'Visual Communication Design' (VCD), which may include all these new fields.

In addition, the current trend is one of increasing integration of all these fields across different mass-communications media, so that a single designer or agency may expect to produce design work in any or all of these areas. Education for these fields therefore has had to take into account not only the technological developments and skills required for their use, but also the intellectual and critical skills now required for successful interrogation and solution of design problems, and the business and entrepreneurial skills required to innovate in business. Employment opportunities are therefore numerous for a skilled, creative and adaptable designer, but these qualitative changes in the requirements of a professional level designer have reached a level of cognitive demand that can now best be accommodated within the purposes of a bachelor's degree, as described in the 2013 Publication of the NQF Gazetted (Government Gazette, Vol. 578. 2013: 68).

In particular, professional level designers are now required to analyse, understand and clarify design problems, to develop and apply critical, strategic, theoretically situated and research-based design solutions to them, and to function in rapidly changing and unpredictable work situations in complex and cognitively demanding ways. Employers' needs of applicants and employees have mirrored this increasing demand. In addition, the VCD industry has indicated that it mostly requires broadly knowledgeable generalist designers competent in applied design techniques, but who have the capacity for self-motivated life-long learning, in order to adapt to further sociocultural, economic and technological change. In other words, designers are increasingly needed to apply integrated knowledge of a number of areas of specialisation within the general professional field of Visual Communication Design, often in contested or variable contexts. Such a need requires intellectual curiosity, research skills and a broad general knowledge in addition to discipline-specific knowledge. Developments in the profession and industry therefore require the introduction of a degree qualification.

In terms of the educational needs of the country, it appears that the public tertiary sector has yet to provide sufficient opportunity for school-leavers to prepare themselves for these employment needs.

The qualification will support not only traditional design and advertising industries, but also developing and future careers including web and mobile application design, animation, video and other moving media and new industries yet to be invented, in the country. In addition, it will prepare learners for work in both emerging and traditional design industries through work-preparedness and experiential learning/industry simulation in areas such as written, verbal and inter-personal communication; socio-cultural and environmental factors and health awareness including HIV/AIDS; and basic financial and business abilities. Employment opportunities are therefore numerous for a skilled, creative and adaptable designer.

Therefore this qualification will:

Provide a first professional level education in the field of Visual Communication Design (VCD), and so to develop graduates who will be capable of gaining employment at an entry level in any of the range of industries that require applied VCD capabilities, and of applying their learning to these employment contexts immediately.

Prepare learners for further studies at Honours level.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The institution's policies and procedures encourage the Recognition of Prior Learning through a process of assessment, in which the applicant's experience is evaluated for correspondence with learning outcomes of the modules for which the applicant wishes to gain credit. The candidate is required to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this qualification. Prior learning may include formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience.

Evaluation of the applicant's prior learning is accomplished by submission of a portfolio of relevant Graphic Design work and other information; by interview; and if necessary by the completion of projects or exercises to provide evidence of competences not otherwise clear. The process is overseen by a dedicated RPL officer in collaboration with the Head of Department and relevant specialist lecturers, and is thus aligned with the institutions Recognition of Prior Learning Policy. Successful assessment enables the applicant to enter the course at an appropriate level, and ensures that academic staff are fully aware of the applicant's level of experience before he/she joins the course. The process thus supports the applicant and enables staff to provide appropriate guidance.

The structure of this qualification makes the Recognition of Prior Learning possible and applicable to all prospective candidates to the Department of Biotechnology.

The purpose of the institution's RPL policy is to:

To provide a framework for the implementation of Recognition of Prior Learning procedures within the institutions.

To facilitate access and admission to the qualification within education and training and career paths.

To accelerate redress of past unfair discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities.

To promote and facilitate lifelong learning.

To outline general procedures relating to the processing of RPL applications at the Durban University of Technology.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum admission requirement for this qualification is:

National Senior Certificate (NSC) granting access to Bachelor's Degree admission and with appropriate subjects.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at Levels 5, 6 and 7 totalling 376 Credits.

Compulsory Modules at Level 5, 88 Credits:

General Education (GE) Cornerstone module, 12 Credits.

English for the Arts, 12, Credits.

Visual Communication Design 101, 20 Credits.

Graphic Techniques and Technology 101 20, Credits.

Professional Design Practice 101, 12 Credits.

Critical and Contextual Studies 101, 12 Credits.

Electives at Level 5, 48 Credits:
Choose one 8 Credits Each:

Information & Communication Technology Literacy & Skills.

Interpersonal Communication & Self.

Cultural Diversity.

Choose one 8 Credits each:

Introduction to Technopreneurship.

Leadership.

Values in the Workplace.

Choose one, 8 Credits Each:

Equality and diversity.

The Global Environment.

Community Engagement Project.

Choose one, 12 Credits Each:

Critical Thinking.

French.

isiZulu.

Portuguese.

Mandarin.

Choose one, 12 Credits each:

Media and Visual Literacy.

Social Responsibility and Sustainable Community Development.

Compulsory Modules at Level 6, 120 Credits:

Visual Communication Design 102, 16 Credits.

Graphic Techniques and Technology 102, 16 Credits.

Visual Communication Design 201, 16 Credits.

Graphic Visualisation and Technology 201, 16 Credits.

Graphic Visualisation and Technology 202, 20 Credits.

Critical and Contextual Studies 201, 12 Credits.

Professional Design Practice 201, 12 Credits.

Professional Design Industry Practice 302, 12 Credits.

Compulsory Modules at Level 7, 120 Credits:

Visual Communication Design 202, 20 Credits.

Critical and Contextual Studies 301, 12 Credits.

Advanced Visual Communication Design 301, 20 Credits.

Advanced Visual Communication Design 302, 28 Credits.

Graphic Visualisation and Technology 301, 20 Credits.

Graphic Visualisation and Technology 302, 20 Credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate creative and critical thinking in the formulation of a brief, leading to original Visual Communication Design concepts, strategies and solutions, which meet a client's visual communication needs and encompass audience and context.
2. Conduct research for both academic and applied purposes.
3. Visualise and design an original visual communication campaign that give expression to the original concept, using appropriate levels of current technological competencies, for production of the campaign in accordance with professional requirements and media specifications.
4. Communicate complex concepts effectively and creatively, via visual, written or oral means, to bring about new understanding; and taking into account cultural, social, environmental and other ethical concerns.
5. Apply professional ethics and practice in business finance and communication.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Research the problem appropriately, identifying key issues, problems, targets, objectives and costs, and incorporating social, cultural and economic factors with the requirements of the client or brief.

Analyse and interpret knowledge in order to formulate concepts, work plans, strategies, and visual or other solutions which answer these requirements.

Demonstrate innovation, reflection and synthesis in developing design responses, including both logical and lateral approaches.

Research, analyse and contextualise a diverse range of relevant historical and theoretical models.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

Formulate a research problem or question, develop a research plan and methodology, and conduct the research.

Investigate and develop competencies in research methodologies, skills and practices, including visual, textual and verbal forms of research.

Analyse data, reflect on and critique both research and the design process using current Visual Communication theory and history; and apply an awareness of social, cultural, economic and environmental effects and sustainability.

Engage creatively with disciplines outside of Visual Communication Design in collaborative interdisciplinary and real-world projects.

Investigate, analyse and contextualise a diverse range of relevant historical and theoretical constructs and models in developing an argument.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

Visualise a range of suitable visual ideas, which answer the brief through pictorial, textual or symbolic means.

Evaluate and select the most effective concept according to the principles of visual communication, advertising and/or marketing.

Develop, select and arrange final forms of text and image in accordance with current principles of visual communication in order to give optimal expression and clarity to the content, and which will elicit the desired response.

Test the effectiveness of the proposed solution, and refine the design according to the feedback received.

Demonstrate understanding of current technical requirements of the media required for a project, and prepare and specify the final design for production in accordance with them.

Source and oversee specialist suppliers as required in the production of the design.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:

Demonstrate appropriate visual, verbal, written, and listening abilities, using live and technologically mediated skills, with individuals and groups.

Communicate with a variety of audiences.

Demonstrate the importance of context through an awareness of social, ethical and cultural issues in formulating responses.

Demonstrate an understanding and correct use of appropriate design concepts and terminology.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:

Demonstrate knowledge and application of professional business practice, including ethical and professional issues, codes of conduct, values and formal structures, rules, laws and guidelines as relevant to the broad Graphic Design industry.

Demonstrate an understanding of human-centredness in business, including the complexities of working in teams, management skills, and the place of professional practice in determining social, cultural and environmental benefit and sustainability.

Document and control costs, income, time, materials and other business aspects of a project accurately and as appropriate, and thus demonstrate sufficient general business competency to be able to practice as a professional.

Apply forms of business communication effectively and clearly, including written, visual, and live audio/visual information and presentations.

Integrated Assessment:
Integrated Assessment implies the assessment of both theoretical and practical components of a qualification within one assessment event. It combines a number of different elements, and will require students to bring together a range of learning outcomes. Furthermore, Integrated Assessment:

Assesses a number of outcomes and assessment criteria together using a range of assessment methods.

Requires evidence from sources such as lecturers' reports and feedback, portfolios, production reports, process books, evidence of conceptual work and/or visual research, written work and/or visual journals.

During integrated assessments in this qualification assessors will make use of a range of formative and summative assessment methods and assess combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflective competencies. Integrated assessment will be increasingly emphasised as the student progresses through this qualification, reaching the Capstone project in Year Three (Advanced Visual Communication Design 302), which explicitly requires students to demonstrate their ability to manage complex multi-element design industry-related projects and to competently integrate a wide range of theoretical and procedural knowledge.

The qualification will make use of continuous assessment, and will apply a wide range of assessment methods, any combination of which may be used in integrated assessment:

Face to face contact with students. Live, regular, formative feedback with individual students and groups is considered essential to effective education in the qualification.

Students may be asked to critique their own and others' work, thereby encouraging analysis, self-assessment, reflection and critical faculties on an individual or peer group basis.

Portfolio displays or exhibitions of applied Visual Design work are used as a form of assessment at the ends of projects and both first and second semesters. In Visual Communication Design, portfolios may include visual design work only.

Industry-simulated workplace experience is provided in all projects at senior level, either through the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model, or through the Project-Based Learning model (PJBL).

Written assignments may include essays and research projects, for both of which students receive formative feedback and supported through the availability of a Faculty Writing Centre, whose input may be included in the assessment.

Written tests and workbooks may be used where appropriate.

Competency evaluations of technical and software skills may be used.

Research projects may also result in case studies and both live and/or electronic presentations.

Blended learning and online forms of teaching, learning and assessment will be employed where appropriate.

The Institution's Assessment Policy defines and requires criteria for assessment. It stipulates that assessment practices be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

In the Visual Communication Design field in other countries, a three or four-year qualification is generally considered the basic level for entry in the field as a professional. Research into module structures revealed that similar ranges of options exist in the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, Uganda and Ireland.

The module content offered in such qualifications is comparable to the Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication Design curriculum, except that many degrees in these countries are more specialised due to their more developed design industries. The following qualifications and institutions were researched in the development of the Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication Design:

Australia, Swinburne University of Technology and Curtin University Offers Bachelor of Design (Communication Design).

Canada, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University offers Bachelor of Design , Major in interdisciplinary Design.

Ireland, National College of Art and Design offers Bachelor of Design in visual Communication.

Uganda, Makerere University offers Bachelor of Visual Communication and Design (BVCD)

United Kingdom:
> University of Brighton offers a BA Hons Graphic Design.
> University of East London offers a BA Hons Graphic Design.
> Middlesex University offers a BA Hons Graphic Design.
> Leeds Beckett University offers a BA Hons Graphic Art and Design.
> University of the Art London offers a BA Hons Graphic Media Design.
> London College of Communication offers, BA Hons Graphic Design.

USA, Persons The School of Design, New York, School of Visual Art in New York and Rhode Island School of Design offers the Bachelor in fine Art (Graphic Design).

The UK and Australian degree qualifications given as examples illustrate two common approaches to Bachelor-level curriculation in Visual Communication Design: the Australian approach divides the content into a larger number of small units, whereas the British approach is to integrate most content into a small number of larger modules. The institution's approach is between these two extremes, but nonetheless this qualification will cover comparable material to both international examples. Thus this qualification's Critical and Contextual Studies modules is comparable to the UEL Contextual Studies and the Swinburne 20th Century Design modules. This qualification's Visual Communication Design module covers similar content to the Australian Design Studio: Concepts and Narratives, Visual Communication Studio and Communication Design Strategy; and this qualification's Graphic Techniques and Technology/ Graphic Visualisation and Technology modules broadly compare with the Swinburne Digital Design; Typography; Packaging Design; and Photography for Design, Web Design; Brand and Identity Design; Typography for Print and Interactive Publication, Design for Production; Publication Design; and Communication Design Capstone Project modules. The UK approach incorporates all these except typography into one integrated module simply called Graphic Design. Typography is given a separate module at UEL, in keeping with the British emphasis on this sub-discipline. The British and Australian courses include study of Professional Practice in second year (UEL: "Going Public") and third year (Swinburne: "Design for Production"), but the DVCD considers that a separate module at all three levels will allow extended content and enable greater work-readiness by graduation. This qualification also differs from the UK model in incorporating a substantial explicit General Education component, in line with this qualification's aim to produce graduates who are critical and engaged citizens, but these modules are comparable to the "Minor/Other studies" options included in the Swinburne curriculum. This Bachelor of Design degree thus incorporates good practice comparable to examples from these two countries, while adapting it to the South African context.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

The qualification offers systemic articulation with the following qualifications offered by within and at other institutions, provided the learner meets the minimum entry requirements:

Horizontal Articulation:

Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, at Level 7.

Bachelor of Arts in Marketing Communication, at Level 7.

Vertical Articulation:

Bachelor of Arts Honours in Graphic Design, at Level 8.

Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Creative Brand Communications, at Level 8.

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.	Durban University of Technology