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 Psychology

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
87059	Bachelor of Psychology
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
National First Degree	Field 07 - Human and Social Studies		General Social Science
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	372	Level 6	NQF Level 07	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 1141/23	2021-07-01	2024-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2025-06-30		2030-06-30

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

The purposes of this qualification are:

1. To provide learners with introductory knowledge, skills, and attitudes (ethics) related to describing, assessing, understanding, explaining and developing human and organizational behaviour in a multi-cultural context;

2. To facilitate the application of the acquired knowledge, skills and attitudes related to human behaviour for the purpose of developing self insight and to be able to function effectively in people-oriented careers; and

3. To contribute to equity and redress in the South African society by promoting a multicultural understanding of human and organizational behaviour.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

For admission to the B Psych programme, the following requirements need to be met:

To be admitted to this qualification, learners must demonstrate, through their performance on the UPE Placement Assessment Battery, that their language, numeric, and academic literacy proficiency levels meet at least the minimum criteria for tertiary studies

To be admitted to this qualification, learners must have a recognized Grade 12 school leaving certificate (presently, a Senior Certificate with Matriculation Exemption), or an equivalent qualification

Recognition of Prior Learning

For admission to the programme, recognition of prior learning will be given to learners who do not have a recognized school leaving certificate but who have relevant practical or work-related experience. Such learners will in any case be required to meet the assumption of the learning that needs to be in place (outlined in 4.1). In addition, they need to provide evidence that they have the necessary foundational knowledge and skills to enter tertiary studies. Learners can provide this evidence by attending an interview with the programme team where they present and defend documented evidence related to their general knowledge base and academic skills. The programme team may also request the learner to compile a written report related to an important social issue under examination conditions to ascertain whether the learner can synthesise and integrate information and develop a logical written argument.

For recognition of prior learning in relation to the programme modules, learners must attend an interview with the programme team where they present and defend documented evidence that clearly demonstrates that they have achieved all, or some, of the outcomes of a module (or Modules).

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Specific outcomes:

By the end of this programme, learners will be able to:

Foundational competencies:

1. Demonstrate an elementary understanding of the general principles and theories underpinning the scientific study of human and organizational behaviour and development within a multi-cultural context

2. Demonstrate an elementary understanding of the general theoretical underpinnings of psychological measurement and assessment, as applied to individuals, groups, organisations and communities, within a multi-cultural context

3. Demonstrate an elementary understanding of the general principles and theories underpinning individual, group, organizational, and community psychological intervention and development within a multi-cultural context

4. Demonstrate an elementary understanding of how behavioural research methods as well as data collection and analysis methods are systematically applied to generate answers to human and organizational behaviour questions in a scientific way

5. Demonstrate an elementary understanding of professional ethics in psychology.

6. Demonstrate elementary knowledge of the structuring of psychological and health-related services in South Africa as well as referral procedures.

Practical competencies:

1. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication and presentation skills in culturally diverse contexts

2. Demonstrate appropriate listening, clarifying, probing, reflection and negotiation skills within group, individual and organizational intervention contexts.

3. Demonstrate ethically acceptable behaviour in interpersonal and research situations.

4. Describe, explain and predict human and organizational functioning by using appropriate techniques and theories

5. Identify when the functioning of an individual, group, organisation or community could be enhanced or remedied through psychological intervention.

6. Plan, conduct, and report on a research study of limited scope.

7. Work effectively in a culturally diverse team to evaluate, describe and facilitate human and organisational functioning.

8. Facilitate their personal and career development through increased self-knowledge and self-development, management and entrepreneurial skills.

Reflexive Competencies:

1. Generate a critical evaluation of the current status of psychology within the multi-cultural South African context

2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of how the sub-disciplines of psychology synergistically interact with each other and with related disciplines.

Critical Cross-field outcomes:

The critical cross-field outcomes prescribed by SAQA are embedded in the specific programme outcomes outlined above in the following way:

1. Problem solving, critical and creative thinking:

This outcome is embedded in all the specific programme outcomes through the process of critically evaluating theories and principles of human and organisational behaviour and development within the multi-cultural South African context.

2. Working effectively as a member of a team

This outcome is specifically embedded in specific outcomes through providing activities where learners will have to work together when evaluating, describing, and facilitating human and organisational behaviour.

3. Self organisation and management:

This outcome is embedded in outcomes, through and more specifically the process of developing interpersonal, facilitative and self management skills while participating in activities related to interacting with diverse individuals, groups, organisations and communities in an ethical and professional manner.

4. Information processing, evaluation and generation:

This outcome is embedded in all the specific programme outcomes through the processes of gathering information to describe, evaluate, understand, and explain human and organisational behaviour and the written, oral, and electronic presentation of the information gathered.

5. Communicating effectively:

This outcome is embedded in outcomes through the processes of describing, evaluating, understanding, explaining and facilitating human and organisational behaviour and the skills required to function effectively in a team.

6. Effective and critical use of science and technology:

This outcome is embedded in all the specific programme outcomes through exposure to and the selection of appropriate methods and techniques for psychological evaluation, intervention, development and research within individual, group, organisational and community contexts.

7. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the world:

This outcome is embedded in all the specific programme outcomes through the acknowledgement that human and organisational behaviour can never be studied, described, explained and developed in isolation. From a meta-perspective, this outcome is specifically embedded in specific outcome, where critical reflection is used to evaluate the sub-disciplines of psychology in relation to each other and associated disciplines.

8. Reflecting on and exploring learning strategies:

This outcome is embedded in specific outcomes through activities that will require learners to reflect on how to apply their growing understanding of human and organisational functioning to themselves and their development as well as to reflect on how to incorporate this learning into their personal and career development.

9. Citizenship:

This outcome is embedded in all the specific programme outcomes through activities that facilitate the understanding and evaluation of effective human and organisational functioning and development

10. Cultural and aesthetic sensitivity:

This outcome is embedded in all the specific programme outcomes through activities where learners will explore and identify cultural factors in understanding and facilitating human and organisational behaviour.

11. Exploring education and career opportunities:

This outcomes is embedded in specific programme outcomes through which introduce learners to contexts in which their knowledge of human and organisational behaviour and its evaluation and development can be used in various work contexts or furthered in educational contexts.

12. Developing entrepreneurial opportunities:

This outcome is embedded in specific programme outcomes through which provides learners with the applied skills necessary to functional effectively and independently in work environments that require knowledge and skills related to the evaluation and facilitation of human and organisational functioning.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

The criteria for assessing learners are based on the specific learning outcomes outlined above. In order to qualify learners must be able to:

1. Demonstrate elementary knowledge of the general principles and theories underpinning the scientific study of human and organisational behaviour within a multi-cultural context

2. Demonstrate elementary knowledge of the general principles and theoretical underpinnings of psychological measurement and evaluation, intervention and development, and research

3. Demonstrate appropriate written and oral communication and presentation skills.

4. Demonstrate appropriate listening, clarifying, probing, reflection and negotiation skills within group, individual, community and organisational contexts

5. Identify functional and dysfunctional behaviour in individuals, groups, communities and organisations.

6. Demonstrate elementary research skills related to choosing a research problem, planning a study, conducting a study, analyzing the resultant information, and reporting on it.

7. Critically relate the sub-disciplines of psychology to each other and to related disciplines within the multi-cultural South African context.

8. Identify their personal strengths and weaknesses and career direction and to facilitate personal growth and career development
.
9. Work effectively in a team with their peers and a supervisor/mentor in psychological evaluation and facilitative contexts.

Integrated Assessment

The strategies that will be used to ensure that the specific and critical cross-field outcomes are achieved comprise:

1 Continuous assessment of the foundational knowledge competencies through tests, assignments and examinations.

2 Continuous assessment of practical competencies through simulations, role-plays, case studies and field work

3 The development and presentation of a human and organisational development portfolio containing, as a minimum:

An integrative, critical essay where the learner reflects on what he/she has learned about human behaviour and its development across various modules and practical activities in the programme

A case study that reflects the development of an individual, group, community or organisation.

A critical reflection of the learner's perception of his/her development, strengths and limitations as well as further development goals

4 The development and presentation of a poster reflecting the inter-relationship between the sub-disciplines of psychology pertaining to evaluation and intervention as well as inter-relationships with related disciplines. A written explanation of the inter-relationships, as reflected in the poster, must be submitted. Learners must furthermore do a short oral presentation of their poster to their peers and lectures.

5 The development of psycho-educational booklets and/or pamphlets related to psychological and organisational well being and coping with personal problems and illness.

6 A mini-research proposal and report by a team of researchers. The mini-proposal will be presented orally by the members of the team and use must be made of electronic media. The mini-report will be compiled by the research team. The mini-report must be in written format and must include a problem statement, literature review, a section on the methodology used, the research results and a discussion of them, as well as a critical overview of the study

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Horizontal articulation:

1 A new Professional Practice Framework has been adopted for the profession of psychology in South Africa. There will be two levels of psychology professionals Registered Counsellors (who must complete a four-year B Psych degree) and Psychologists (who must complete a three-year D Psych degree). Furthermore, it is possible for learners who qualify with a three-year B Psych degree to upgrade this qualification to meet the requirements for registration as a Registered Counsellor. To do this, learners will have to go through a selection procedure to determine their suitability to become a Registered Counsellor and, if selected, will have to complete the required modules, practical work and the six-month practicum, as prescribed by the programme team. The degree could articulate to a first degree in a related field

2 Learners who are (or have been) registered for a BPsych or a related qualification at another higher education training institution, may also, with the permission of the programme team, retain credit for the relevant modules that they have passed at the previous institution.

Vertical articulation

1 This qualification currently articulates with BA Hons degrees in psychology and industrial and organisational psychology offered at UPE as well as at other universities such as Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Free State, RAU, Rhodes, UNISA, Pretoria, Natal, Wits, Western Cape, Durban-Westville and Zululand, provided that the final assessment and level of interpersonal functioning of the learner complies with their requirements

2 The qualification also articulates with other honours degree programmes, depending on whether the learner studied another subject to a third year level. Examples of honours programmes that the three-year BPsych articulates with are the BA Hons (Group Dynamics) and the BA Hons in Industrial/Labour Relations and Human Resources at UPE, although learners might be required to supplement their knowledge in the more specialized learning areas.

MODERATION OPTIONS

Moderation body:
None. This qualification does not lead to a professional qualification. Consequently, the Professional Board for Psychology of the Health Professions Council does not oversee it

Programme moderation:
Every three years an academic from another university will be invited to conduct an external audit of all aspects of the qualification (structure, relevance of content and practical work, delivery, facilitation of learning, assessment, etc)

Module moderation:
The B Psych programme team internally moderates the assessment of each of the modules in the programme. Furthermore, learners evaluate the relevancy and quality of each module. Based on these evaluations, the programme team continuously refines and updates the modules

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

The minimum criteria for assessors for the psychology modules in this programme are:

A masters degree in psychology or industrial and organisation psychology

Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a psychologist

At least two years teaching and/or professional practice experience.

The minimum criteria for assessors for modules from other disciplines are:

A post-graduate degree

Relevant teaching and assessment experience at a bachelor's level

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

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

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