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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Bachelor of Administration 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
72826  Bachelor of Administration 
ORIGINATOR
University of KwaZulu-Natal 
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 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Public Administration 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  384  Level 6  NQF Level 07  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   2033-06-30  

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 
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

1. To prepare students for careers in the public sector and in the broader area of government (encompassing, for example, the media and non-government organisations).

SOCIAL SCIENCE STREAM

1. To provide the qualifiers with graduate level challenges in the field of social sciences, using specific industrial psychological principles. The graduate will be able to fully understand the value and importance of the human element and their contributions to society at large and in an industrial setting in particular.

2. To provide South Africa with a significant number of competent graduates who will be able to display effective management and leadership skills. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Entry requirements for the qualification:

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
  • Matriculation Exemption with 22 points.
  • At least a Pass in H.G maths or at least a 'D' symbol in S.G maths. If this requirement is not met, the student must register for STA105G and STA106S.

    SOCIAL SCIENCE
  • Matriculation exemption and access requirements applicable to the Faculty
  • At least a Pass in HG maths or at least a D symbol in SG maths. If this requirement is not met, the student must register for STA105S and STA106S. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    The Bachelor of Administration (Public Administration) graduate is able to:
  • Attain awareness of the scope and complexity of the South African public sector and in that context he/she will have: -
  • Skills related to financial management and development planning.
  • Understanding of political change both within South Africa and internationally.
  • The ability to analyse issues in the public sector in a critical and informed manner.
  • The ability to prepare clear and informative documents such as reports on public sector issues.
  • Research skills relevant to the subject matter of Politics, Philosophy and Public Administration.
  • The ability to interpret and present basic quantitative data effectively using appropriate technology, for example, tables, graphs
  • Understanding of the significance of philosophical principles.
  • Ability to clearly express philosophical concepts and principles
  • Ability to think logically
  • Identify and solve problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made. For example this is required in the appraisal of development projects.
  • Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, community. Coordination and cooperation are important aspects of public management. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information. The drawing up of reports on political change is an example here.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation. The logical processes required in philosophy come into play here.
  • Participating as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities. The deepening of students' awareness of political life is relevant here.

    The Bachelor of Administration (Social Science) graduate is able to: -
  • Undertake human resources management functions and activities
  • Cope with the challenges facing human resource management.
  • Understand the process of job analysis
  • understand human resource planning (forecasting, supply and demand).
  • Appreciate the importance of organisational entry (equal employment opportunity, recruitment, selection and placement)
  • Understand how to develop human resource productivity (training and development, productivity and quality interventions)
  • Understand performance appraisal and reward systems
  • Apply the basic strategies for maintaining human resources (conditions of the work environment, labour relations, collective bargaining)
  • Realise how their personal beliefs, decisions, actions and opportunities are shaped and limited by larger social forces that surround them.
  • Apply and use the sociological point of view so as to have a knowledge of the social structures that will affect them throughout their lives.
  • Understand the most fundamental features of human society. How to promote stability and continuity of patterns of social life, given the diversity of human motives, group interests and collective human activities in social institutions.
  • Interpret the nature of conflict amongst individuals and groups and the forces that trigger the condition in organisations.
  • Understand the process of social change in organisations which occur either through evolutionary development or social and political revolutions. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Public administration

    There will be a balanced and diverse approach designed to test the different criteria in the most suitable way. Research, for example, will be tested by a research project which students will carry out in groups. This will then both test research and teamwork skills. Attention will be given to the dangers of relying too heavily on formal examinations so that students with an aptitude for exams are not over advantaged. Lecturers will be encouraged to ensure that the assessment methods used are as appropriate as possible to the subject matter and the outcomes intended.

    SOCIAL SCIENCE
  • Attendance at tutorials, written tests, assignments and practical sessions (40%).
  • Written examination (60%).
  • Assessment strategies such as case studies to assess the integration of knowledge and skills tested through the application of theories and by obtaining and analysing data. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

    The programme has four avenues in its more advanced dimension. These contain modules which are common across three or four areas. There is also linkage with modules in Accounting, English, Law, Statistics, Information Systems, Human Resources Management, Social and Development Studies, and Environment Sciences. Taken together, these comprise about 40% of the programme.

    SOCIAL SCIENCE

    INTERNAL
  • Due to the interdisciplinary focus of the programme it will be possible for students from other faculties to be allowed into the programme if:-
  • Their modules in a discipline are related or relevant to the programme
  • The credits from other programmes will make a contribution to the new direction
  • Students with relevant modules from Business Management and Psychology could move across to studies in Social Science, Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
  • The main stakeholders are the three spheres of government as referred to in chapter three of the Constitution, namely, local, provincial and national. There are also non-government organisations and the media. Workshops and institutional channels will serve as a basis for communication, for example, the South Africa Association of Public Administration and Management. Regular contact with the Department of Public Service and Administration is also maintained. There exist close relationship with KwaZulu Natal Local Government Association which represents the employer interest within Local Government in the province and with the Durban Metropolitan Council.
    Furthermore, there exist close relationships with the media as contributors of articles as well as stakeholders in neighbouring states as Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana.

    SOCIAL SCIENCE
  • Specialists in the field provide guidelines in the development of the programme to ensure relevance in the workplace.

    These include:
  • Specialists in the Private and Public Sectors
  • Specialists from other academic institutions
  • Academic from overseas academic institutions

    In some disciplines, guidelines will be provided by Professional Bodies, for example the Health Professions Council of South Africa will provide guidelines in Industry Psychology. 
    		•

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

    The internal assessors will be the individual academics allocated to supervise and/or teach the modules in question, support by most senior academic as second examiners.

    The external assessors will be drawn from Southern African Universities and Technikons and will be chosen for their known competencies in the field and their track records as reliable assessors. A panel of such assessors will be established.

    SOCIAL SCIENCE
    The internal assessors will include the lecturer of the module, the Head of Department and assessors selected in the field of specialisation together with experience and academic qualifications.

    The external assessors will be selected in the field of specialisation together with experience and academic qualification from leading institutions. 

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

    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. University of KwaZulu-Natal 


    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.