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 Science: Town and Regional Planning 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
9913  Bachelor of Science: Town and Regional Planning 
ORIGINATOR
University of Witwatersrand 
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 12 - Physical Planning and Construction  Physical Planning, Design and Management 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  492  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   2029-06-30  

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 qualification is structured to provide learners with the competence to work at the level of an assistant in planning practice, and after two years of postgraduate practical experience, to register as a corporate planner. The purpose of the qualification is to produce a graduate who is able to show mastery in town and regional planning, and who, on receipt of the qualification, may opt to study further in related fields, such as project management, urban design, traffic engineering, environmental management, environmental conservation or property management. The purpose of the qualification is also to enhance the career of the graduate by providing him or her with economic opportunities and a choice of career paths resulting in professional status and recognition in the community.

Further, the purpose of the qualification is to produce graduates who can contribute to the economy of South Africa as employable planning assistants who are responsible, competent and able to act creatively and with initiative in the development of a sustainable and productive social, natural and built environment. Graduates will have acquired knowledge and skills to analyse, conceptualise, synthesise and implement an understanding of town and regional planning in addressing issues within the wider community. The programme gives an understanding of wider social, economic, environmental and legal frameworks in which planners operate, leading to appropriate plans, policies and designs at all levels. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
The typical applicant has qualification equivalent to a matriculation with full exemption, with mathematics at a particular level of competency - consult the admissions information for the year for which application is being made.

Other Qualities
Learners should be adequately numerate, literate, proficient in written and spoken English and able to demonstrate a degree of competence in both visual and verbal communications. Formal training in subjects such as geography, history, computer skills and art, would be an advantage, but is not essential.

Recognition of Prior Learning
Applicants who fall outside of the normal admissions process who can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the University that they have a qualification or experiential- or work based learning which has taken the learner to an equivalent level of a qualification specified above (under Formally Accredited Learning), may be considered for admission and/or for the recognition of prior accredited and/or prior experiential learning. Applicants who, after such assessment, are deemed to have sufficient potential but are in need of further academic development, may be required to broaden their curriculum to include preliminary programmes prior to admission or parallel programmes after admission. 

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
Y 

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
1. The qualifying learner understands development and planning issues important to the South African context.

2. The qualifying learner has knowledge of how to manage uncertainty within a changing temporal, socio-economic, political and environmental context.

3. The qualifying learner is able to cope with South Africa's diverse social and cultural dynamics.

4. The qualifying learner is able to operate independently but within applicable professional, ethical and legal frameworks and to reflect on how this affects her/his roles as a planner.

5. The qualifying learner understands planning as part of wider social, political, cultural, administrative, economic and natural systems, and their operating and financial characteristics.

6. The qualifying learner can research analyse and interpret information in different ways and can effectively communicate its significance to different types of audience.

7. The qualifying learner will have been exposed to a range of alternative career paths he or she may wish to follow, through exposure to staff, business people, planning professionals and fellow learners.

CCFO (a-h):

a) Identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made. -See ELO 1, 2.

b) Working with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, community. -See ELO 3.

c) Organising and managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively. - See ELO 4.

d) Collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information. -See ELO 6.

e) Communicating effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion. ELO 6.

f) Using science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others. - ELO 4.

g) Demonstrating an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation. -See ELO 5.

h) Contributing to the full personal development of society at large, by making it the underlying intention of any programme of learning to make an individual aware of the importance of:

i. Reflecting on and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more effectively; -See ELO 7.
ii. Participating as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities, -See ELO 4; note also that learners act in accordance with the code of conduct of the university and, where relevant, that of the professional discipline being studied.
iii. Being culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts; ELO 3.
iv. Exploring education and career opportunities. -See ELO 7.
v. Developing entrepreneurial opportunities. -See ELO 7. 

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
1. The qualifying learner demonstrates
  • her/his knowledge of the extensive, diverse heritage of indigenous human settlement and culture in Africa
  • her/his knowledge of the historical and current theoretical planning models and approaches for industrialised and developmental contexts
  • a practical and theoretical grounding in physical planning and design.

    2. The qualifying learner demonstrates
  • the ability to identify and address complex problems by employing
  • appropriate procedural planning theories,
  • concepts and
  • quantitative or other planning techniques in dealing with them.
  • his/her individual skills in the investigation of a specialised area of planning, by defining the problem or issue, analysing it through the exploration of relevant theory and solving it by developing a set of practical proposals
  • familiarity with resource allocation issues and demonstrates the ability to apply project budgeting and financial viability and implementation strategies
  • the ability to apply the concept of sustainability to socio-economic, political, cultural and legal issues affecting the physical and natural urban or rural environment

    3. The qualifying learner demonstrates competency in the skills necessary to deal with the complexities of
  • multi-disciplinary team-work
  • field research
  • academic exercises and design work
  • work in projects involving community participation

    4. The qualifying learner demonstrates
  • an understanding of how these frameworks influence the selection and application of appropriate procedures and roles within different contexts
  • the skills of time management, prioritisation and initiative in order to perform adequately in addressing all facets of the programme

    5. The qualifying learner demonstrates
  • knowledge of the structural and operating characteristics of infra-structural and other systems and the limitations these impose on development
  • an understanding of planning and its role in society
  • critical, analytical and creative thinking abilities in order to appreciate, interpret, research, refine, apply and augment the existing body of knowledge and understanding in planning.

    6. The qualifying learner demonstrates
  • an ability to use
  • mathematical, visual, graphic, verbal and writing skills in thinking and communicating
  • IT (especially CAD and GIS) and manual graphics so as to investigate and interpret the spatial and temporal dimensions of planning and planning issues
  • competence in qualitative and quantitative research methods and can interpret and evaluate research material.

    7. The qualifying learner will have been exposed to a range of alternative career paths he or she may wish to follow, through exposure to staff, business people, planning professionals and fellow learners.

    Integrated assessment

    Learners are required to integrate their learning through studio work, in all years of study. Furthermore, learners complete both coursework projects and essays, and written or oral examinations, all of which test the integration of concepts learned during the course of study. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Except at entry level, this section specifies with which other qualifications of the University the qualification was designed to articulate, i.e. formal articulation; therefore the qualification can articulate informally with equivalent qualifications offered by the University, or with other qualifications offered nationally and internationally.

    Further, an applicant registered at the University or another higher education institution for a similar qualification and who has successfully and satisfactorily completed the first half or less of the qualification, may be able to complete the qualification at the University, and may be granted credit for similar courses already completed.

    Entry to the qualification
    A minimum of a qualification equivalent to matriculation with full exemption, or other University-approved qualification.

    Articulation during the qualification
    No formal articulation, but learners may be able to move to other bachelor's degrees and may be able to obtain credits for some courses completed.

    On completion of the qualification
    At exit level, the qualification articulates with the Postgraduate Diploma in Property Development and Management of the University, and Masters degrees of the University in related disciplines. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Internal University requirements govern how and by whom moderation is performed. For example, external examiners are appointed on an annual basis. Such moderation seeks, inter alia, to ensure that, where appropriate, our graduates will be able to comply with professional and statutory requirements. Further, the professional body performs moderating functions and/or whether an academic entity has a professional orientation or not, the University ensures that its activities are moderated by internal and external review quinquennially. The moderating body for qualifications of the University is the Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education, currently represented by the Interim Higher Education Quality Committee. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    Internal University quality requirements govern how and by whom assessment may be performed to ensure that assessors have the competence required to assess a qualification of this nature. Once the Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education is constituted and ready to pronounce on issues of quality, the University will respond to the HEQC guidance on the registration of assessors. In the interim, the academic staff of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, are regarded as registered assessors since SAQA has registered the institution as a public higher education provider. 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 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. University of Witwatersrand 


    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.