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 Social Science Honours in Philosophy 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
81176  Bachelor of Social Science Honours in Philosophy 
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  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 
The Philosophy programme is an academic and broadly vocational discipline which aims to equip students with the capacity to reflect on broad questions having to do with the nature of ethics, justice, science and rationality. It provides intensive study of the history of philosophy. It also seeks to recruit this history of thought, critique and argumentation to the purpose of considering questions pertaining to the society and culture in transition that is contemporary South Africa.

Thus the programme highlights questions of morality, justice, media, and the nature of human difference and also explores a series of questions pertaining to the construction of Africa as a place and a concept. Students will be provided with an understanding of philosophy as an historical and conceptual discipline, and with the capacity to think philosophy - which means reflectively, critically and in a way that submits itself to rational argumentation - about a number of issues of key importance to the integrity of South African life. The programme provides intellectual preparation for further work in the fields of law, business or public life generally, and or for further academic study in philosophy or in many other fields 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
  • Appropriate Bachelor's degree.
  • Entry is also possible through University of Natal's Rule 33 for postgraduate study. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    N 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
  • Analyse and construct arguments
  • Demonstrate ability in "critical thinking"
  • Read and analyse texts
  • Compose sustained arguments
  • Write with analytical clarity and high levels of organization
  • Deal with concepts at high levels of abstraction
  • Recognize, critique and defend a range of positions on an issue
  • Understand the essentially constructed and contested nature of knowledge
  • Understand the importance of "intellectuals" in society
  • Understand the importance of critical reflection for the project of the liberal society
  • Understand the global philosophical heritages pertaining to contemporary Africa and South Africa: Both Euro-American and African
  • Demonstrate training in ethics
  • Reflect on and critically explore complex issues of contemporary significance such as Africanisation, liberalism, cultural diversity and the uses of technology and do so in the light of the abilities, training and understanding outlined above
  • Appreciate the importance of cultural values in the dignity of human lives
  • Demonstrate intellectual preparation for further work in the fields of law, business or public life generally, and/or for further academic study in philosophy or in many other fields.
  • Show increased knowledge of contemporary philosophy
  • Demonstrate some capacity in conducting primary research 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    1. Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the general field of enquiry.
    2. Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of specific areas of inquiry in the programme
    3. Understand the interrelationships amongst various areas of the field of knowledge
    4. Analyze components/issues/factors/structure etc.
    5. Grasp the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the area of study
    6. Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of current critical debates
    7. Summarize, compare and evaluate a substantial body of knowledge
    8. Construct a sustained argument, formulate questions and work towards solutions
    9. Command the conceptual discourse of the field of study
    10. Solve problems, both theoretical and applied
    11. Demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the discipline
    12. Contextualise this study within the social environment and in the light of historical understanding
    13. Develop a clear understanding of the historical and present state and possible future of the disciplinary areas and their interdisciplinary concomitants, in which they are working
    14. Demonstrate a command of academic English at an appropriate level
    15. Demonstrate familiarity with information technology at an appropriate level
    16. Understand human diversity in its moral and conceptual aspects
    17. Understand the diversity of academic approaches which impinge on the discipline in question.
    18. Present findings at n appropriate level, both orally and in writing

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

    The Universtiy of Natal is currently reforming its assessment strategies to include the assessment of applied competence for each qualification. In the meantime, a combination of continuous assessment and traditional written examinations serve to assess the integration of all/most of the learning outcomes for each module in a qualification. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
  • Above: Masters degree
  • Below: a Recognized Bachelors degree
  • Horizontal: Within the University: with the approval of the programme directors, modules from other approved disciplines may be incorporated into this qualification and modules from this discipline may be incorporated into other approved qualifications.
  • Horizontal: outside the University: subject to University recognition of qualifications and/or credits obtained at other institutions. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The ETQA system for HE is not yet fully developed. Until such time as it is, procedures described under assessor criteria suffice. 

    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), staffs 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 qualifications 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.