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 Music Honours 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
7135  Bachelor of Music Honours 
ORIGINATOR
Stellenbosch 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 02 - Culture and Arts  Performing Arts 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Level 7  NQF Level 08  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

Registered-data under construction

The qualification content is currently being updated for the qualifications with the status “Registered-data under construction” or showing “DETAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION” to ensure compliance with SAQA’S Policy and Criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (As amended, 2022). These qualifications are re-registered until 30 June 2027 and can legitimately be offered by the institutions to which they are registered.

 

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.  

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
  • To extend and deepen the student's familiarity with the content of music as a field of research and debate this means that they should be equipped with the advanced intellectual and cognitive skills to solve relatively complex problems, utilising appropriate methods and theories;
  • To ensure that South Africa has sufficient specialist music practitioners by equipping students with a comprehensive set of specialised and focused performance, educational and academic skills applicable to a chosen area of speciality within the broader field of music and related fields;
  • To provide students with advanced academic skills in order to equip them for further study at Masters level;
  • To provide students with opportunities for attaining high level of artistic fulfilment and for making and artistic contribution to the South African and international community; 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Senior Certificate with Matriculation Endorsement or equivalent university admission qualification.
    BMus degree or a qualification that is regarded as equivalent by Senate. 

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    Generic/ Critical Cross-field outcomes:

    The successful BMus Hons students will have:

    1. The ability to perform and plan basic research, ask appropriate questions, analyse data and map new information, under guidance, into a coherent understanding of the discipline and the ability to solve more complex problems using appropriate methods and theories;
    2. Considerable knowledge of, and experience in applying, a variety of scholarly, creative, educational and performance skills in practical situations;
    3. The ability to organise themselves and manage their activities effectively;
    4. The ability to work with others as a member of a team or ensemble, and to take responsibility for participation in such a team;
    5. The ability to organise ideas and communicate them effectively using language, performance and demonstrative skills in oral, written and concert format;
    6. Basic research capacities which include collecting and interpreting relevant literature, and formulating and solving problems.
    7. Knowledge and insight into the nature, history and processes of music, its performance and contexts, and the recent and relevant research methods applicable to the field;

    Specific outcomes:

    For specialisation in the area of performance, the successful BmusHons student will have:

    1. Advanced technical and solo skills with regard to his/her instrument/voice/choir in order to obtain a high level of professionality;
    2. Specialised knowledge and skills which include the interpretation and evaluation of different musical notation conventions, historical practice and stylistic approaches.

    For specialisation in the academic areas (musicology and music education), the successful BMusHons student will have:

    1. General skills which include the ability to work with relevant literature/representative musical works in a critical and responsible way, as well as effective communicative skills;
    2. Specialised knowledge of, and insight into core issues within every area of specialisation, e.g. models of musical analysis, approaches to interpretation of the history of music, models and approaches of music education. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The assessment of the BMus Hons falls into two broad but related categories:

    1. The assessment of academic skills and knowledge, which takes the form of written and oral examinations, essays and research projects. Competence in this category will be demonstrated if the information and conceptual content of the work submitted by the student is correct, and demonstrates a clear ability to interpret questions, to analyse and utilise information and to communicate the resulting deductions clearly and logically, utilising the appropriate discipline-specific conventions.

    2. The assessment of creative and performance and other practical skills, which takes the form of practical, public assessment. Competence in this category will be demonstrated if the student demonstrates a high degree of proficiency in the specific skills taught, a clear knowledge of related theoretical concepts and conventions, and an ability to apply these skills, theories and conventions in a practical performance context.

    Integrated Assessment:

    Integrated assessment takes place by means of the evaluation of one (or more) practical and/or research project(s), depending on the field of specialisation. Competence will be demonstrated by the student's ability to integrate and activate such skills and knowledge in a comprehensive work of musical/musicological communication. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification serves as an entry point to the related qualification(s)

    MMus 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The University of Stellenbosch has a system of external peer review and evaluation of departments. One of the aspects of the system is an evaluation of the standards and assessment practices of the department.

    External examiners/assessors are nominated in each field of practical specialisation in the BmusHon programme and their appointment is subject to approval by the Faculty Board in the Faculty of Arts. Public performances and research projects are examined both by panels made up of internal and external examiners. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    The academic staff of the University of Stellenbosch will participate in a manner that conforms to the quality assurance system of the University. 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    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. Stellenbosch 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.