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 in Copywriting

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
118401	Bachelor of Arts in Copywriting
ORIGINATOR
The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd
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 04 - Communication Studies and Language		Information 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	2021-11-18	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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
The purpose of the Bachelor of Arts in Copywriting is to develop the principled knowledge, applied competencies and skills needed for a career in copywriting in areas such as advertising, digital content creation and brand and corporate communication. This includes developing knowledge of theories and practices relating to brand strategy, social media content development, creative processes and design, traditional and digital media, as well as technology. Exposure to context-specific research and industry best practices enable learners to address business, social, and environmental challenges through the development of copywriting solutions that can strategically inform, persuade, entertain, instruct, and change behaviour.

This qualification will enable learners to apply a well-rounded knowledge base to practice as copywriters across a broad range of fields within business, government departments/ entities, or as entrepreneurs. The qualification balances the development of critical thinking and creativity with the application of theoretical knowledge to real-life scenarios and/or cases that reflect the rapidly evolving digital communication and media landscape, ensuring industry relevance. Learners will therefore have both the theoretical depth and applied skills relevant to the world of work.

Qualifying learners will acquire the ability to use collaborative, creative, and strategic problem-solving skills appropriately in formulating, developing, and executing effective communication strategies and solutions to business, social, and environmental challenges.

The specific competencies developed in this qualification equip learners with a combination of skills that are highly attractive to prospective employers, and which add significant value to the workplace. This qualification is designed to produce learners with the ability to think creatively and strategically, apply critical reasoning and problem-solving skills, who also possess strong creative, ethical, and professional communication skills. The qualification facilitates the development of a well-rounded, professional copywriter with skills relevant to business and brand communication which are applicable within various employment contexts immediately after graduation.

Rationale:
The qualification addresses the demand for learners who can perform within multi-disciplinary teams to write and create content, conversations, interactions, and experiences (especially in the digital market) - a scarce skill within the communication industry in South Africa and Africa. The communication industry is grappling with the significant impact of the information revolution. Although the traditional advertising industry has shown limited growth in recent years, there has been significant growth in demand for skills within the digital communication landscape. A recent Bloomberg report indicates that social media has taken the African continent by storm, with the biggest markets being in Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria. Social media skills are therefore increasingly in demand as businesses incorporate social media into their strategies, mainly in the forms of marketing and extended communication. Among the most sought-after skills in social media will be search engine optimisation (SEO) specialists (who analyse websites and design strategies to increase traffic to the website and readership) and digital content creators, social media bloggers, and copywriters who create content for a company's social media community (Matshego, 2018).

In South Africa, copywriting was identified as the third scarcest skill in the Advertising sub-sector of the Media Information and Communication Technologies (MICT) SETA, after advertising specialists/art directors / creative directors and graphic designers, with the estimated shortage for copywriters increasing from 255 in 2016 to 323 in 2018. Learners will also be able to work as creative directors or advertising specialists, identified as the second scarcest skill occupations within the MICT SETA, (MICT SETA, 2015: 57-60).

The impact of the communications industry on the human experience is increasing, and as a result, there is a growing need for people who can combine creative and strategic problem-solving skills to holistically address business, social, and environmental challenges through the development and execution of communication strategies that are user-sensitive, ethical, and sustainable and effectively harness traditional, new, and emerging technologies.

Creative and responsible copywriting, supported by effective communication strategies across both traditional and new media, can also address serious social and environmental issues, as is evident from recent award-winning campaigns such as People Opposing Women Abuse's radio anti-rape campaign "hy het daarvoor gevra" and the "Everybody knows" Public Service campaign against drinking and driving for the Western Cape Government (Bizcommunity.com, 27 October 2017).

This qualification therefore not only focuses on equipping learners with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to fulfil the need for copywriters and advertising specialists (identified as scarce skills), but it also aims to develop learners that are responsible, thoughtful, and ethical citizens who can have a meaningful and positive impact on the economy and society as a whole.

A set of industry-specific competencies and skills were developed through primary research including interviews and workshops with lecturers and industry experts and drawn from the literature (Burger, 2017; Finch, Nadeau, and O'Reilly 2015; and MICT-Seta Career Guide, 2015).
These include the following competencies and skills:

Critical and strategic thinking

Creative thinking and problem solving

Creative and academic writing skills

Strong verbal and visual communication skills

The ability to undertake and interpret context-specific research

Interpersonal and collaborative skills>Technological and software skills (of current industry-standard software and production processes)

Career opportunities for qualifying learners of the qualification exist such as; copywriter, author, creative director/ art director, digital content creator/ manager, online editor, social media content producer, social media community manager, search engine optimisation (SEO) specialist, AdWords specialist, corporate communication specialist, paid search specialist, professional blogger, PR consultant, publisher and multimedia Journalist.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The institution's Recognition of Prior Learning and Qualification Completion Policy distinguishes between RPL for access, which provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning (referred to in the policy as RPL) and RPL for credit, which provides for the awarding of credits for, or towards a qualification or part qualification registered on the NQF.

RPL for access:

Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.

To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations should they be allowed entrance into the qualification.

Advanced standing may be granted.

RPL for exemption of modules

Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted for modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module

RPL for credit:

Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.

Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

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

National Senior Certificate (NSC), NQF Level 4 with English, granting access to Bachelor's Degree studies
Or

A National Certificate (Vocational), NQF Level 4 with English, granting access to a Bachelor's Degree studies.
Or

A Senior Certificate (SC) at NQF Level 4.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5, 6 and 7 totalling 360 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 120 Credits:

Copywriting 1A, 15 Credits.

Digital Media for Copywriting 1A, 15 Credits.

Photography 1, 15 Credits.

English for Copywriting, 15 Credits.

Copywriting 1B, 15 Credits.

Digital Media for Copywriting 1B, 15 Credits.

Creative Development 1, 15 Credits.

Critical Thinking and Media Studies 1, 15 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 120 Credits:

Copywriting 2A, 15 Credits.

Digital Media for Copywriting 2, 15 Credits.

Collaborative Design and Copywriting 2A, 15 Credits.

Creative Development 2, 15 Credits.

Copywriting 2B, 15 Credits.

Collaborative Design and Copywriting 2B, 15 Credits.

Critical Thinking and Media Studies 2, 15 Credits.

Brand and Marketing 2, 15 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 120 Credits:

Copywriting 3A, 15 Credits.

Collaborative Design and Copywriting 3, 15 Credits.

Introduction to Research, 15 Credits.

Brand and Marketing 3: Strategy, 15 Credits.

Copywriting 3B, 15 Credits.

Digital Media for Copywriting 3, 15 Credits.

Digital Brand Building, 15 Credits.

Brand Challenge, 15 Credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Apply appropriate processes, theories, principles, and skills to conceptualise, visualise, craft, and communicate innovative, strategic, and holistic copywriting solutions that are legally, ethically, and professionally sound.
2. Conduct research to evaluate and respond to copywriting-related communication problems situated within given contexts with empathy for, and cultural sensitivity towards, intended target audiences.
3. Collaborate and communicate effectively and professionally as a copywriter within teams.
4. Develop and position a unique personal brand within the broad professional and entrepreneurial context of copywriting and brand communication.
5. Select and apply appropriate digital technologies as part of the creative copywriting processes.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Apply the creative process to conceptualise, visualise and craft innovative copywriting solutions that move beyond advertising and that can be applied across multiple platforms.

Demonstrate an awareness and consideration of legal and ethical requirements and professional best-practices in the development of copywriting solutions.

Use industry-standard software and technologies and apply industry best-practice to develop and craft copywriting solutions.

Explain verbally, visually and/or in a written rationale how the creative execution of a copywriting solution supports a given communication strategy.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

Evaluate the nature and context of a copywriting challenge and intended target audience as presented in a creative brief.

Interpret market research and data, and research brand and user needs to inform and develop copywriting solutions.

Research and select appropriate media channels to support brand communication strategies appropriate to the context of the problem and intended target audience.

Critically assess social, political, cultural, environmental, technical, ethical, legal, and economic factors that might impact the development of appropriate copywriting solutions for given contexts.

Demonstrate understanding of the importance of taking a user-centred approach to the development of copywriting solutions

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

Demonstrate an understanding of the roles of copywriters and art directors in developing communication solutions as part of a design team.

Construct holistic solutions based on research, individually and/or as part of a collaborative team.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:

Critically evaluate and curate own and others' creative work in terms of strategy, concept, and execution.

Create and showcase a holistic portfolio of work as part of a well-developed personal brand.

Develop a unique personal style and creative direction based on personal strengths.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:

Apply suitable software as part of the creative copywriting process

Create basic communication outcomes that comprise images and text

Apply basic photography, videography and sound techniques in the creation of copywriting content for different media

Demonstrate technical knowledge and understanding in drafting specifications and briefs for design and production teams.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

A comparison with similar qualifications from other international institutions is difficult because copywriting is a specialised sub-discipline of communication studies that focuses specifically on communication across different media and communication platforms. Some academic institutions offer full qualifications in communication studies with elective modules in advertising and public relations. Other institutions offer workshops, short learning programmes or diplomas that tend to focus exclusively on advertising. The design of these shorter programmes includes strong vocational and practical components, assessing learners on their ability to develop and execute a task related to writing specifically for advertising or public relations.

The proposed Bachelor of Arts in Copywriting compares favourably with the following international qualifications:

Country: Australia
Institution: Queensland University of Technology
Qualification Title: The Bachelor of Communication Studies (Public Relations and Advertising)
The Bachelor of Communication Studies (Public Relations and Advertising) includes modules that exhibit a strong emphasis on the principles and theories of media studies and communication and marketing. The qualification includes elective modules that aim to develop creative writing skills with a specific focus on the application of these skills to create and direct advertising and public relations campaigns. This programme also offers an optional credit-bearing internship.

While the international comparison revealed a substantial degree of similarity in the media studies, brand and marketing, and creative modules, the Australian qualifications differ from the proposed qualification, in that they offer an exclusive focus on communication within Public Relations and Advertising. Although its approach is focussed on the copywriting and content creation aspects of advertising and not on the visual design aspects.

Country: Germany
Institution: Berlin University of Applied Sciences
Qualification Title: Bachelor of Arts in Advertising, and Brand Communication
In the Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Brand Communication, learners complete 7 semesters, one of which is a work placement or learner exchange abroad plus a practical project of their own choice. In the first two semesters, learners are introduced to the fundamentals of brands and branding and communication studies within the context of media and marketing. Learners are introduced to creative principles and processes, research methods for the market- and user research and they develop basic skills in copywriting, photography and visual design. In the second year, learners engage with more advanced concepts of brand and marketing, explore social aspects of marketing and further develop writing, content creation and art direction skills. In these two semesters, learners also engage in interdisciplinary brand communication projects. The fifth semester is a work placement or learners exchange abroad plus a practical project. In the third year of study, learners examine the impact, role and nature of digital technologies on advertising and branding and focus on creating brand communication solutions for digital media. Learners also further develop their ability to create brand communication solutions to complex advertising challenges. Key differences of this qualification compared to the proposed qualification are the inclusion of design modules and the work placement or learner exchange opportunity. The requirements for entry into the Berlin qualification are a general higher education entrance qualification, which similarly aligns with the new qualification requirements of a National Senior Certificate (NSC).

Similar to the Berlin qualification, the proposed qualification offers a broader approach by applying the theories and principles of communication design to address not only brand communication but wider societal and environmental challenges as well. This qualification includes a strong theoretical focus on current theories and discourse within the field of communication design that offers a comprehensive perspective on the responsibility of communication to address systemic societal issues such as environmental and social sustainability, inclusivity, and accessibility with appropriate and sensitive communication solutions. This qualification also offers learners opportunities to participate inter-disciplinary collaborations with learners from other fields of communication design, such as graphic design and digital design, with which it aims to develop a holistic understanding of how these different disciplines combine to create holistic, integrated communication solutions.

Country: United Arab Emirates
Institution: Amity College in Dubai
Qualification Title: The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication
The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication provides basic studies and knowledge about the media industry. Specialised subjects in Journalism (print, TV, design, and web), public relations, event management and photography through the three years of the course provide theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience to the learners, thus making them industry-ready. The qualification structure includes an internship and has been designed to give a simple and easy understanding of all the aspects of mass communication. Possible careers for qualifying learners from this qualification include positions in journalism (TV/Print/Radio), advertising (copywriters/graphic designer/content manager) public relations/corporate communication and animation. Available information suggests that the proposed qualification compares with this qualification in terms of content covered, however, this qualification has a more generalist approach. In addition, both qualifications are offered for three years.

The new qualification aims to develop similar competencies to the international qualifications, through modules such as critical thinking and media studies; brand and marketing; creative English, and copywriting. Although the new qualification does not offer the option of an internship, learners will gain relevant workplace-based experience through simulations such as brand challenges, industry immersions, and practical projects that address real-life brand communication challenges.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.
Horizontal Articulation:

Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Brand Communication, NQF Level 7

Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication, NQF Level 7

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, NQF Level 7

Vertical Articulation:

Bachelor of Arts Honours in Strategic Brand Communication, NQF Level 8

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