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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Bachelor of Arts Honours in isiXhosa 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
115165  Bachelor of Arts Honours in isiXhosa 
ORIGINATOR
Nelson Mandela University 
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 04 - Communication Studies and Language  Language 
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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The Bachelor of Arts Honours in isiXhosa provides learners with the knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in several fields of Communication Studies and Language, Human and Social Studies, Culture and Arts, Education, Training and Development, in Social Services that provide opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society. The qualification represents planned learning outcomes, namely that the learner will be qualified to render holistic, integrated and inter-sectoral services, reflecting the diversity, accessibility, and equal distribution of resources for all South Africans. These outcomes are designed to promote lifelong learning.

Learners will be able to demonstrate knowledge, skills and applied competence in the field of study that provides opportunities for continued personal growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society.

Learners who graduate with this qualification are critical because of their transferable skills - that is, the skills that employers seek out across a wide range of professions including and beyond academic and research settings, such as law, finance, government, media, teaching, writing and business. The transferrable skills include the ability to interpret dense and difficult materials, unpack argumentative structures, analyse problems, think laterally, creatively, self-critically and independently, produce clear, argumentative analyses and communicate effectively. Learners will not only be equipped with such transferable skills but will also be prepared to do high-level theoretical research.

Rationale:
There is an important need to develop African languages to promote their use in a multilingual context and schools. The rationale for this qualification is to contribute towards the development of isiXhosa language for enhancing the language as a medium of teaching and learning at the school, tertiary institutions and professional work context.

Most importantly, the economy needs a flexible and critical mind, suited to managing change and constant learning in new fields of knowledge associated with new technologies. After completing the qualification, the learners will be able to function effectively at all levels of education, and to assume leadership roles in corporate establishments, municipal, provincial and national government bodies, and in NGOs, amongst others.

The qualification prepares learners for a Masters' in a specialist field. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The University Report of the Admissions Committee (AC): Policy on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will apply where relevant.

RPL for Admission:
RPL implementation will use a triangulated verification approach using academic records, portfolios and interviews conducted by a panel of academic and external experts. All RPL decisions go through the Faculty Management Committee meeting for scrutiny and approval.

Learners who do not meet the admission criteria as stipulated, but who can demonstrate experiential or work-based learning must go through the RPL process. The Faculty policy, derived from the institutional RPL policy, requires that each learner is assessed on an individual basis. The learner will approach the Head of Department regarding the RPL policy and process. The HOD will explain the RPL assessment process, the specific assessment criteria and the type and format of evidence(s) required. For learners who have already qualified with a cognate qualification and have done modules in their qualification that are similar to modules within this qualification may apply for the credits.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Bachelor of Arts, NQF Level 7, with IsiXhosa. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at NQF Level totalling 130 Credits. 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate advanced theoretical knowledge of the language.
    2. Demonstrate a principled understanding of how the promotion of the use of the language is important in professional multilingual contexts, relating to values, ideologies, attitudes, social identities and relationships.
    3. Construct, interpret and analyse spoken and written discourses in the language in institutional and organisational domains, for both internal and external communication.
    4. Relate professional discourse practices in the language to broader issues concerning language and society in the implementation of multilingual language policy.
    5. Identify and analyse problems relevant to the development and sustainability of multilingual language policy in institutional and organisational contexts, for the creation of a culture, sensitive to discourse practices in African languages. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The following Associated Assessment Criteria will assess the Exit Level Outcomes in an integrated manner.
  • Demonstrate a comprehensive, integrated knowledge of theoretical approaches to language understanding.
  • Evaluate and critique current research on the language and Policy and Planning around it.
  • Identify, analyse and present solutions to complex problems concerning the status and role of the language in Language Policy and Planning in multilingual professional contexts.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the current scholarly literature in the fields of the language policy, planning, pragmatics, and discourse and genre analysis, and applied research.
  • Select appropriate research methodologies for pragmatic investigation or analysis of a research problem.
  • Identify, analyse and present theory-based solutions to complex phenomena in the discourse of the language in an independent investigation.

    Integrated Assessment:
    The qualification utilises different types of assessment, such as formative assessment, summative assessment, self-assessment and portfolios. An adequate number of assignments provide a broad integration of knowledge areas. Furthermore, the 30-credit research project serves to integrate theoretical knowledge in the researching process, writing of the report, presentation of the finding and the overall assessment. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    It is, however, evident that while these universities do not offer a dedicated one year Honours qualification in isiXhosa - they do the mentioned module in English but when you compare those to these modules, the content is the same. It is therefore acceptable that upon completion of the BA Honours in isiXhosa, the learners would be on par with the BA Honours qualifications (which are structured differently) of the international universities.

    The institution conducted a study of qualifications and structures of universities in a number of overseas countries for the purposes of comparison, including Australia (La Trobe, Sydney), Canada (McGill, Nippissing), China (Macau), India (Delhi University), Nigeria (Ibadan), Uganda (Makerere), the United Kingdom (Leeds, SOAS, Glasgow, Kent, Brighton, Kingston) and the West Indies (UWI campuses: St Augustine's Trinidad & Tobago, Cave Hill Barbados). All of these universities specify that their Honours qualifications are three years and require either a school leaving Certificate or a certain GPA within the second or third year of study of the BA degree (depending on whether the degree is three or four years in length). Thus, the Honours aspect of their qualification is part of a Bachelor of Arts qualification, with a particular range of marks allowing the learner access to the Honours aspect of the qualification. The Australian institutions are the closest to this qualification by offering learners to register an extra year of English in their BAs at the 'Honours' level, rather than as a major or minor. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.
    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours in Languages, NQF Level 8.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Arts, NQF Level 9. 
    		•

    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.
     
    1. Nelson Mandela University 


    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.