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 THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Bachelor of Arts Honours: General Studies 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
81031  Bachelor of Arts Honours: General Studies 
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
Honours Degree  Field 07 - Human and Social Studies  General Social Science 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  128  Level 7  NQF Level 08  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 SAQA 091/21  2021-07-01  2023-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

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 replaces: 
Qual ID Qualification Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Min Credits Replacement Status
15411  Bachelor of Arts Honours: General Studies  Level 7  NQF Level 08  128  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
The BA (General Studies) is a general undergraduate programme in the Humanities which aims to equip students with the following abilities:
  • To be critically and socially literate;
  • To be generators of social knowledge
  • To be active and comfortable life-long learners.

    It does so by providing learners with a broad foundation in the Human sciences. This general orientation does not, however, preclude vocational preparation.

    The Postgraduate Qualification in this programme (BA(Hons), MA, PhD) continue to develop the generic abilities outlined above, though in each case with a specialised knowledge of the discipline in which the degree has been taken and, consequently, a more specialised set of abilities which will equip the student for higher levels of employment in relevant areas. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Matriculation exemption with 30+ matric pints or Dean's discretion and/or Senate exemption from matriculation requirements. 

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
  • Critically and socially literate. This means they should be perfect in:
  • Analysing the cultural texts they are likely to find in their environment;
  • Situating current public issues and problems in an historical and cultural context;
  • Cultivating social empathy and community awareness;
  • Evaluating cultural texts both appreciatively and critically.
  • Generators of social knowledge. This means they should have developed skills in:
  • Gathering relevant information;
  • Researching, analysing and assembling both empirical and conceptual data;
  • Both logical and lateral thinking, with a capacity to be sceptical of received wisdom and opinion;
  • Generating coherent, well-informed and well-written texts.
  • Active and skilled lifelong learners. This means they should have the capacity to:
  • Set learning goals for themselves;
  • Adapt successfully to a wide range of careers and work situations;
  • Engage successfully with vocational requirements as they develop throughout their working life;
  • To enjoy a rich quality of life.
  • The Postgraduate Qualifications in this programme (BA (Hons), MA, PhD) demand that students show facility in all the generic abilities outlined above, though in each case there will be additional discipline specific knowledge and capabilities which will, consequently, allow for more specialised employment. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
  • Evidence of critical insight into culture;
  • An in depth and critical understanding of key concepts in their disciplinary and vocational areas of interest;
  • The ability to compare, contrast and critique key readings in their various courses;
  • The ability to read, understand and analyse text;
  • The ability to produce extended and coherent academic discourse in the form of academic essays and other texts;
  • The ability to collect data for small-scale research projects and to collate and analyse it and to produce reports;
  • The ability to formulate ongoing learning goals for themselves and strategies to achieve them;
  • Greater insight and understanding of culture;
  • Greater knowledge of the discipline in which they have specialised;
  • Research capability.

    Integrated assessment appropriately incorporated to ensure that the purpose of the qualification is achieved:

    Modules in the programme are independently assessed in both formative ways (through class work, tests, essays, other written work and, where appropriate, practical exercises) and summative ways (written, oral and practical examinations). In some cases, journals, oral presentations and portfolios of work provide additional forms of assessment.

    In the undergraduate programme, final assessment will be done in two ways:
  • The overall tabulation of the results obtained during the programme will show that the candidate has achieved the required outcome competencies of the programme;
  • A defined portfolio which the student will assemble during the last two semesters of study and present at the end of their studies. This portfolio will be designed to assess students' competence across a range of relevant tasks and will include both further exploration of related issues and critical reflection on the educational programme in which they have participated.

    In the case of the postgraduate programme the substantial research component constitutes a summative test of the candidate's capabilities in the discipline concerned. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This programme articulates with all the other BA and BsocSci programmes and, depending on subject concentrations candidates can move from this programme to any other BA or some of the BsocSci programmes. Numerous modules are cross-listed with BA and BsocSci programmes. Exit points are at BA level, BAHons Level, MA level and PhD level. Accelerated progress is open to students with ability who can register for more than the minimum 4 modules per semester. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    All modules are internally discussed and all examinations internally moderated; All exit level modules are externally moderated; Programmes are externally moderated by academics form other universities. All postgraduate work is extremely moderated and/or examined; MA and PhD theses are externally examined and, in case of the latter, an academic from a university outside South Africa will be one of the three examiners. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    Until the HEQC establishes a registration system for assessors in the HET Band, the University of Natal assumes that, on the basis of its rigorous selection criteria for the appointment of academic staff (who also have opportunities for staff development in assessment), staff are competent to assess students on the modules they teach. This assessment is quality assured via a university system of internal moderation and external examination. External examiners are appointed for their teaching and disciplinary expertise and subject to the approval of Faculty Boards. The University of Natal ruling is that 66% of all assessments at exit level, i.e. leading to a qualification are externally examined. 

    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.