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 Honours in Media Studies 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
81946  Bachelor of Arts Honours in Media Studies 
ORIGINATOR
Nelson Mandela 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 04 - Communication Studies and Language  Communication Studies 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered  EXCO 0733/25  2024-06-30  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

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 Bachelor of Arts Honours in Media Studies provides the learner with a specialised postgraduate focus in film, television, media studies, new media, journalism, and cultural studies. It is designed to cater to learners with an undergraduate basis in these fields and to equip learners with critical skills within these fields.

On completion of the qualification, qualifying learners will be able to:
  • Apply critical analytical frameworks to evaluate mass media content creation processes, distribution mechanisms, and audience reception patterns.
  • Display comprehensive understanding of and crucial insight into the complex interrelationships between mass media institutions and broader socio-political structures and processes.
  • Conduct research into the fields of Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Cinema Studies, and Visual Communication.
  • Evaluate and adhere to the evolving ethical responsibilities of media practitioners and researchers within South Africa's diverse socio-cultural landscape and regulatory environment.

    Rationale:
    The Bachelor of Arts Honours in Media Studies will provide learners with specialised knowledge of the subject content and understanding of theories related to the study of mass media and journalism. However, the focus is on critical analysis of mass media production, dissemination, and reception within the contexts of media effects theory, journalism, political economy of the media, and critical realism.
    .
    On completion of the qualification, graduates who, through acquired critical insight into the socio-political function of the mass media and applied journalism practice, will be able to research specific planning and intervention strategies for mass media segments in relation to production, dissemination, and reception. Through this, graduates will be able to make significant contributions to the media industry in the service of a democratic South African society.

    The information industry is growing at an increased rate, and skills are scarce in terms of multi-skilled media professionals who understand the needs of a converging media environment. Industry trends also point to a need for cultural and philosophical awareness in graduates, which is currently lacking and which this qualification will provide. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy, which applies to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advanced standing within qualifications. RPL may be applied for access, credits from modules, and credits towards the qualification.

    RPL for access:
  • Learners who do not possess a degree but wish to be admitted to the qualification based on recognition of prior learning may be given recognition in terms of the RPL policy.
  • 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 formal, non-formal, and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations, should they be allowed entrance into the qualification.

    RPL for exemption of modules:
  • Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from 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.

    Entry Requirements:
    The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Advanced Diploma in Media Studies, NQF Level 7.
    Or
  • Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies, NQF Level 7.
    Or
  • Bachelor of Arts in Media Communication and Culture, NQF Level 7. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at NQF Level 8, totalling 125 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, NQF Level 8, 50 Credits:
  • Media Research Methodology, 20 Credits
  • Treatise, 30 Credits

    Elective Modules, NQF Level 8, 75 Credits (Select any three modules):
  • Critical Approaches to Media Design, 25 Credits
  • Moving Image Production and Reception, 25 Credits
  • New Media Cultures, 25 Credits
  • Cinema and Transgression, 25 Credits
  • Southern African Cinema, 25 Credits
  • Culture, Philosophy and the Environment, 25 Credits
  • African Media Contexts, 25 Credits 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Apply critical analytical frameworks to evaluate mass media content creation processes, distribution mechanisms, and audience reception patterns.
    2. Display comprehensive understanding of and critical insight into the complex interrelationships between mass media institutions and broader socio-political structures and processes.
    3. Conduct research into the fields of Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Cinema Studies, and Visual Communication.
    4. Evaluate and adhere to the evolving ethical responsibilities of media practitioners and researchers within South Africa's diverse socio-cultural landscape and regulatory environment. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Engage critically with key theoretical paradigms in media studies and contextualize media texts within broader theoretical discourses on representation, identity, and meaningmaking.
  • Synthesise diverse theoretical positions to develop nuanced understandings of media's social and cultural significance.
  • Apply appropriate theoretical frameworks to examine the media's role in addressing social justice issues specific to the South African context.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Critically examine the media's role in democratic processes, public sphere formation, and civic participation.
  • Assesses how media representations reflect and shape socio-political discourses around race, class, and gender.
  • Formulate original critiques of media's functioning within the public sphere, drawing on advanced theoretical perspectives from political philosophy and critical theory.
  • Apply and develop appropriate strategies to engage media-related policy and executive realities at a local, as well as international levels.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Formulate coherent research questions that address significant theoretical or empirical gaps
  • Investigate and apply the epistemological foundations and the relative applicability of various research methodologies.
  • Critically engage with existing scholarly literature and media artefacts. Research findings are competently articulated through clear, coherent academic writing that adheres to disciplinary conventions
  • Produce original research that contributes meaningfully to scholarly discourse in the selected field(s).

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Apply a comprehensive understanding of ethical principles to media practitioners and researchers, which is reflected in research and creative outputs
  • Apply appropriate ethical frameworks when navigating complex issues of representation, voice, and power
  • Analyse, report, and develop ethical and responsible strategies for data collection, storage, so that the privacy and dignity of participants are protected
  • Formulate contextually appropriate responses to emergent ethical challenges in digital research and media production environments, considering issues of online consent and data privacy.

    Integrated Assessment
    Learning and assessment should be integrated throughout this qualification. Continuous formative assessment is required to ensure that learners get feedback on their progress towards the achievement of specific learning outcomes. Summative assessment is concerned with the judgement of the learning in relation to the exit-level outcomes of the qualification. Such judgment should include 'integrated assessments' which assess the learners' ability to integrate the larger body of knowledge, competencies, and attitudes that are represented by the exit-level outcomes, either as a whole or as components of the qualification.

    Assignments designed to meet the requirements of integrated assessment must be such as to achieve:
  • An integration of the achievement of exit-level outcomes in a way that demonstrates that the purpose of the qualification has been achieved, into the parts of the qualification of study.
  • Evaluation of learner performance to demonstrate applied competence.
  • Criterion-referenced assessment, which is clearly explained to and understood by the learners, and that can be applied in the recognition of prior learning.

    It is essential that a wide range of knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes be integrated using innovative methods - and in the assessment of outcomes, due recognition should be given to assessment criteria and methods that assess these appropriately and adequately.

    Learners are assessed both formatively and summatively.

    Formative Assessment:
    Formative assessment in postgraduate theory and research programmes functions as an ongoing, developmental process embedded throughout the learning journey. It serves primarily as a scaffold for intellectual growth, which allows for an ongoing exchange between learner and instructor to the end of developing competencies and building knowledge.

    In this context, formative assessment:
  • Provides iterative feedback on conceptual understanding and methodological approaches while theoretical frameworks are still being developed
  • Facilitates the refinement of a research project through critical dialogue between supervisor and learner
  • Occurs at critical junctures in the research process to enable substantive revision before summative evaluation

    Summative Assessment:
    Summative assessment at the postgraduate level moves beyond mere evaluation of content mastery to assess the learner's capacity to make original contributions to knowledge. In theory and research-focused qualifications, summative assessment:
  • Measures the quality of critical engagement with primary and secondary sources, including the ability to synthesize complex theoretical positions
  • Includes comprehensive examinations, final research papers, and critical analysis projects that demonstrate mastery
  • Examinations cover broader theoretical terrain than specialized research papers, allowing evaluation of learners' grasp of the field's full conceptual landscape. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Country: New Zealand
    Institution: Massey University
    Qualification Title: BA (Honours) Media Studies
    NQF Level: NZQF level 8
    Credits: 120 credits
    Duration: One year full-time
    Entry Requirements:
  • Bachelor of Arts degree or equivalent qualification with a major in the intended postgraduate subject or a close equivalent,
    Or
  • Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in the intended postgraduate subject, followed by a Graduate Certificate in Arts endorsed in the intended postgraduate subject or a close equivalent,
    Or
  • Bachelor of Arts degree followed by a Graduate Diploma of Arts in the intended postgraduate subject or a close equivalent.

    Purpose:
    Massey's BA (Honours) (Media Studies) will prepare learners for the future challenges of an information-rich society. Media studies analyse the production, consumption, and content of a range of media, including film, social media, television, popular music, and smartphones. Media studies are taught through an innovative qualification that blends theory with creative practice.

    Learning Outcomes:
  • Explore how media texts, audiences, and users create and circulate meanings.
  • Analyse the relationships between media, culture, and society and how they influence our views of the world.
  • Communicate your findings effectively through speech and writing.
  • Tackle open-ended questions where there are no simple right or wrong answers.
  • Develop creative and critical approaches to producing media.

    Structure
    Compulsory Modules:
    Research Report

    Elective Modules (Select three modules):
    Modern and Postmodern Visual Cultures
    Advancing Film Studies
    Researching Media and Cultural Studies
    The World of Noir
    Modern Fiction, Popular Culture, and the Media
    Technology and Cultural Change
    Media Practice and Global Culture

    Similarities
  • Massey University MU) and the South African (SA) qualifications offer one-year full-time BA Honours programmes in Media Studies requiring 120 credits.
  • Both qualifications require applicants who have completed the Bachelor of Arts degree or equivalent qualification with a major in the intended postgraduate subject or a close equivalent.
  • The MU and SA qualifications are registered at NZQF/SA NQF level 8
  • Both qualifications emphasize research methodology and culminate in a substantial research project worth 30-60 credits.
  • The SA qualification places a strong emphasis on South African and broader African media contexts, with a particular focus on theoretical frameworks and critical analysis. Similarly, MU qualification offers a core with a strong emphasis on research and research methodologies; Media Research Methods and Advanced Media Theory, which are complemented by specialized options in Digital Media, Screen Media, Social Media Analysis, and Media Industries. The MU qualification takes a broader global and Australasian media focus and provides options for both production and analysis pathways, with a greater emphasis on digital and new media technologies.
  • The SA and MU qualifications centre around core modules including Advanced Media Theory, Research Methodology, and a Research Project or Mini treatise. The specialized modules typically include Critical Media Analysis, Digital Media Production, and Media and Society.

    Country: Australia
    Institution: University of Sydney
    Qualification Title: Bachelor of Media and Communications (Honours)
    Credits: 48
    Duration: One year Full-time

    Entry Requirements:
    To qualify for admission to the Bachelor of Media and Communications (Honours) degree, learners must:
  • Have completed the requirements for a Bachelor of Media and Communications (or equivalent), including a major in the proposed subject area at the University of Sydney, or equivalent studies at another institution

    Purpose:
    The Bachelor of Media and Communications (Honours) enable learners to continue building on their professional training in the main areas of media production and an advanced education in the history, theory, and professional practices of the field.
    The Bachelor of Media and Communications (Honours) will equip learners with key skills for entry into multi-platform journalism, digital media production, media regulation, public policy, public relations, and corporate communications. This qualification also qualifies our learners to apply to a variety of competitive international graduate programmes that require the completion of a four-year undergraduate degree for entry.

    Learning Outcomes:
  • Synthesise advanced theory and knowledge in the discipline of media and communication.
  • Apply advanced cognitive, technical, and communication skills to select and apply methods and technologies in the research and practices of media and communication.
  • Critically analyse sources of knowledge and information to evaluate their relevance and reliability in the chosen field.
  • Generate and formulate solutions to address complex problems in the chosen field.
  • Communicate knowledge, skills, and ideas to others in a range of cultural and disciplinary contexts.
  • Apply knowledge and skills creatively to demonstrate autonomy, judgement, adaptability, and ethical responsibility as a practitioner or learner in the chosen field.

    Modules:
    The qualification consists of the following compulsory modules:

    Compulsory Modules:
  • Theory and Method
  • Research Methods
  • Media and Comm Honours Thesis 1
  • Media and Comm Honours Thesis 2

    Similarities:
    The University of Sydney (US) and the South African (SA) qualifications offer structurally similar one-year Honours programmes in media studies, both requiring full-time study across two semesters with research methodology as a core component and culminating in a substantial research project.

    The SA qualification includes compulsory modules in Advanced Media Theory, Research Methodology, and a Research Project, with specialized modules in Critical Media Analysis, Digital Media Production, and Media and Society. The qualification emphasizes South African and African media contexts with strong theoretical foundations. The US qualification consists of core units including Advanced Media Theory, Research Methods for Media and Communications, and a Research Dissertation. Both qualifications share fundamental similarities in their core academic structure, with each requiring advanced media theory, research methodology training, and a substantial research project, while also offering specialized modules that allow learners to explore specific areas of media studies.

    Differences:
    The SA qualification consists of a minimum of 120 credits, typically divided into four modules of 30 credits each, with the research component comprising 30-60 credits, whereas the US qualification consists of 48 credit points, with the research dissertation typically worth 24 points (50% of the course).

    Although the credit system's two qualifications differ substantially in numerical terms, they represent similar academic workloads when adjusted for their respective national frameworks. Thus, while differing slightly in respect of their geographical/ contextual focus, both SA and the US Media Studies qualifications share fundamental academic structures, including core theory components, research methodology training, and culminating research projects, providing learners with advanced critical and analytical skills necessary for media scholarship.
    The US qualification places greater emphasis on global media landscapes, digital transformation, and industry connections, with a stronger international perspective and more extensive research training.

    Conclusion:
    From the above comparison, it is evident that the SA qualification compares favourably with the international qualifications. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours in Journalism, NQF Level 8
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours in Corporate Communication, NQF Level 8
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism, NQF Level 8
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Business Communication, NQF Level 8.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Arts in Media Studies, NQF Level 9.

    Diagonal Articulation:
    This qualification is specialised and has no diagonal articulation. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    n/a 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Recorded in 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. Nelson Mandela 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.