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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Bachelor of Political Science in Political Studies 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
105445  Bachelor of Political Science in Political Studies 
ORIGINATOR
University of Pretoria 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-   HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
National First 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  360  Not Applicable  NQF Level 07  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 SAQA 1141/23  2021-07-01  2024-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2025-06-30   2030-06-30  

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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose and Rationale of the Qualification:
The first purpose of the qualification is to provide qualifiers with graduate-level knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in a number of fields of Human and Social Studies and Law, Military Science and Security that provide opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society.

The second purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa with significant numbers of graduates in the Political Sciences in order to ensure that the local leadership base of innovative and knowledge based economic and scholarly activity is widened.

The third purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa with a cadre of political analysts, foreign officers, policy developers, and security officers who will have a clear and continuously growing understanding of the methods and progress of political sciences prior to acquiring specific postgraduate qualifications.

In addition to the above, each package (area of specialisation) in this programme has its own further purpose. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning:
  • Access may be gained to the qualification through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

    A candidate who:
  • Has not obtained matriculation exemption or a National Senior Certificate (NSC) or National Certificate Vocational (NCV) granting admission to Bachelor's Degree study but who are in possession of at least a three-year tertiary qualification, will be considered on the basis of merit, with a view to admission to a Degree programme.
  • Is in possession of another certificate which is accepted by the University as equivalent to the required Level 4 qualifications.
  • Is a graduate from another tertiary institution or has been granted the status of a graduate of such an institution, may also be considered for admission.
  • Passes an admission test as prescribed by the University.
  • A conditional exemption certificate does not qualify a candidate for admission to Bachelor's Degree study.
  • A certificate of conditional exemption by virtue of mature age is, however, accepted for Degree study by certain faculties. Candidates are advised to contact the faculty administration in question in this regard.
  • Senate may place a limit on the number of students who may be admitted to register for a programme, in which case the Dean concerned may decide who to admit from those who qualify.

    Entry Requirements:
  • National Senior Certificate, Level 4 granting admission to Bachelor's Degree study.
  • Senior Certificate, Level 4 with matriculation exemption.
  • National Certificate (Vocational), Level 4 with a relevant specialisation granting admission to Bachelor's Degree study.
  • In order to register for the Degree, a learner candidate should, apart from the required level certificate comply with the particular requirements prescribed in the admission procedures and faculty regulations for the Faculty of Humanities and the respective departments, for admission to a particular package of study. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    The learner will have:
    1. Good language proficiency required for the practice of politics.
    2. A sound knowledge of South African, African and World politics.
    3. The ability to apply skills effectively in their chosen field of expertise.
    4. Basic computer skills.
    5. Basic critical and creative thinking skills.
    6. Developed approaches and methods for analysis, theories and models for application, management and development, growth, ethics, strategy, and achievements. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes:
    The learner will demonstrate:
  • Contextually the learning outcomes for the various specialisations.
  • Knowledge of the content and insight pertaining to the related factual knowledge, concepts and theories.

    Skills and proficiencies equipping him/her to:
  • Identify and solve problems related to political, policy and security situations.
  • Co-operate with others in achieving and/or creating specific end products related to the political sciences.
  • the ability to organise and manage his or her learning process and applied skills.
  • the ability to deal with information, communication, the application of science and technology.
  • A holistic world view.
  • Appropriate attitudes, dispositions and/or values concerning various political, policy and/or security practices qualifying him/her for a professional career in his/her field of expertise.

    Integrated Assessment:
  • The associated assessment criteria are derived directly from the learning outcomes and provide the criteria against which learner performance demonstrating the attainment of learning outcomes can be judged. The assessment criteria involve, at minimum.
  • That both norm-based and criteria-based modalities are used.
  • Reliability is ensured via internal and external moderation.
  • The standards and levels of achievement required for "pegging" the qualification at Level 7 are met.

    Integrated Assessment:
  • Portfolios.
  • Simulations.
  • Written examinations.
  • Oral examinations.

    Other:
  • Other tasks prescribed by the assessors.
  • The modalities for Integrated Assessment permit the learner to demonstrate applied competence and use a wide range of formative and summative methods set according to specific guidelines for developing particular assessment tasks and allowing assessors to develop formative and summative methods related to credentialing purposes appropriate to contextual and situational readings of candidates presenting themselves for the recognition of learning achievements. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Vertical Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA) Honours, Level 8 with core component from the Political Sciences.
  • Postgraduate Diploma, Level 8 in Political Sciences.

    Other specific articulation possibilities at the university:
    The qualification with its specialisations qualify the learner for any Postgraduate programmes offered by the School of Social Sciences, as well as related Postgraduate qualifications in the Faculty of Humanities and Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, as well as the Bachelor of Law (LLB)-programme in the Faculty of Law. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS 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.
     
    NONE 


    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.