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 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
84746  Bachelor of Arts Honours 
ORIGINATOR
University of KwaZulu-Natal 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
The individual Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary for each Learning Programme recorded against this qualification is shown in the table at the end of this report.  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 Bachelor of Arts (General Studies) is a general undergraduate qualification in the Humanities which aims to equip learners 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 qualification (develop the generic abilities outlined above, though in each case with a specialised knowledge of the discipline in which the qualification has been taken and, consequently, a more specialised set of abilities which will equip the learner for higher levels of employment in relevant areas. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    The institution conducts RPL in terms of the policy and guidelines of the institution to recognise other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience. In cases where learners do not comply with the formal admission requirements, the institution applies its RPL policy.

    Entry Requirements:
    The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Bachelor of Arts, NQF Level 7. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Analyse the cultural texts they are likely to find in their environment.
    2. Situate current public issues and problems in a historical and cultural context.
    3. Cultivate social empathy and community awareness.
    4. Evaluate cultural texts, both appreciatively and critically.
    5. Developed skills in gathering relevant information; researching, analysing and assembling both empirical and conceptual data.
    6. Generating coherent, well-informed and well-written texts.
    7. Active and skilled lifelong learners.
    8. Adapt successfully to a wide range of careers and work situations.
    9. Engage successfully with vocational requirements as they develop throughout their working life. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    The following associated assessment criteria apply across all Exit Level Outcomes
  • Evidence of critical insight into the culture.
  • An in-depth and critical understanding of key concepts in their disciplinary and vocational areas of interest.
  • Compare, contrast and critique critical readings in their various courses.
  • Read, understand and analyse text.
  • Produce extended and coherent academic discourse in the form of academic essays and other texts.
  • Collect data for small-scale research projects and to collate and analyse it and to produce reports.
  • Formulate ongoing learning goals for themselves and strategies to achieve them.

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

    Modules in the qualification are independently assessed in both formative ways (through classwork, 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 qualification, the final assessment will be done in two ways:
  • The overall tabulation of the results obtained during the qualification will show that the qualified learner has achieved the required outcome competencies of the qualification.
  • A defined portfolio which the learner will assemble during the last two semesters of study and present at the end of their studies. This portfolio will be designed to assess learner's competence across a range of relevant tasks and will include both further exploration of related issues and critical reflection on the educational qualification in which they have participated. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification compares with the following international qualifications in terms of the range of competencies in the learning content offered. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification offers both possibilities of horizontal and vertical articulation:

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Cognate Bachelor of Arts Honours, NQF Level 8.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Arts Honours, NQF Level 9. 
    		•

    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 Reregistered in 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
     
    LP ID Learning Programme Title Originator Pre-2009
    NQF Level    		 NQF Level Min Credits Learning Prog End Date Quality
    Assurance
    Functionary    		 NQF Sub-Framework
    117556  Bachelor of Arts Honours in Anthropology  University of KwaZulu-Natal  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  120  2018-12-31    HEQSF 
    115741  Bachelor of Arts Honours in English Literacy and Cultural Studies  University of KwaZulu-Natal  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  120       HEQSF 
    117549  Bachelor of Arts Honours in International Relations and Translation Theory  University of KwaZulu-Natal  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  120  2018-12-31    HEQSF 
    117550  Bachelor of Arts Honours in SA Literature stream A  University of KwaZulu-Natal  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  120  2018-12-31    HEQSF 
    117552  Bachelor of Arts Honours in SA Literature stream B  University of KwaZulu-Natal  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  120  2018-12-31    HEQSF 
    115742  Bachelor of Arts Honours in Social Science and Development Studies  University of KwaZulu-Natal  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  120       HEQSF 
    117562  Bachelor of Arts Honours in Social Work  University of KwaZulu-Natal  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  120  2018-12-31    HEQSF 
    117551  Bachelor of Arts Honours in Sociolinguistics  University of KwaZulu-Natal  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  120  2018-12-31    HEQSF 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THESE LEARNING PROGRAMMES: 
    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.
     
    NONE 


    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.