Bachelor of Arts Honours in Environmental Management
Agriculture and Nature Conservation - Nature Conservation
Purpose and Rationale
Qualification Overview:
Purpose:
The primary purpose of the qualification is to provide learners with systematic knowledge, specialised skills, and theoretical competence in environmental management. A second purpose is to provide South Africa (and other countries) with professional environmental management learners with appropriate skills, managerial and leadership acumen to reach sound and responsible environmental decision-making - in keeping with the precautionary principle and sustainable development principles. Learners are expected to possess innovativeness, problem-solving competencies, and the ability to operate in multi-disciplinary teams. Additionally, the qualification aims to equip learners with the skills to conduct proper scientific research in environmental management.
Rationale:
The field of environmental management has gained momentum due to rising national and international concern for the environment, with an increasing emphasis on the social aspect. The demand for competent graduates with specialised knowledge and expertise in environmental management and social aspects is growing in Southern Africa. Learners are anticipated to find employment in various sectors, including private industry, NGO/CBO, and government. The multidisciplinary nature of environmental management allows learners with relevant qualifications in disciplines such as humanities and social sciences to enroll in the program. Graduates will be equipped to contribute meaningfully to socio-environmental decision-making and stakeholder engagement.
Upon completion of the qualification, learners will be able to support various sectors in managing human impact on the environment, activities like mining, and optimizing benefits while minimizing socio-environmental costs. Learners will understand the importance of considering environmental requirements related to the use of natural resources in South and Southern Africa. Career opportunities associated with the qualification include roles such as environmental researcher, manager, educator, Environmental Assessment Practitioner, community liaison, social impact assessor, Environmental Impact Assessment project manager, environmental economist, and specialist in rural and agrarian studies.
Key Points:
- Provides systematic knowledge and specialised skills in environmental management.
- Develops managerial and leadership acumen for responsible environmental decision-making.
- Equips learners with problem-solving competencies and scientific research skills.
- Addresses the growing demand for environmental management expertise in Southern Africa.
- Offers career opportunities in various sectors such as industry, government, and NGOs.
- Allows learners from diverse disciplines to enroll and contribute to socio-environmental decision-making.
- Focuses on sustainable development practices and minimizing socio-environmental costs.
- Enhances understanding of using natural resources responsibly in South and Southern Africa.
Outcomes
- Understand the definitions, concepts, policies principles, tools, trends in the environmental field and challenges.
- Supplement the information with multiple sources of knowledge that need to be integrated, processed and produced.
- Apply standard procedures, methodologies, process and techniques to an unfamiliar problem and identify a research problem and use a research design and method to answer the research question.
- Identify the relevant body of knowledge, aspects and methods to solve the problem at hand.
- Show awareness of plagiarism and the consequences thereof in each of the offered modules. Take into account that research has ethical considerations.
- Access information and apply the information to different scenarios and case studies.
- Write reports, plans and conduct a limited stakeholder engagement project in a controlled situation, compile environmental management reports, follow EIA processes, etc.
- Engage with the content of the qualification and self-generate thoughts and actions.
- Acquire knowledge in the environmental field and apply such knowledge in professional careers or to meet learning needs.
- Attain the skills of self-discipline, working independently and time management.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Define and explain key definitions, concepts, policies principles, tools, trends in the environmental field.
- Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the learning material.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Articulate the core information in the study material.
- Search for relevant sources to supplement the material.
- Integrate, process, apply and produce, in a self-critical manner, the supplementary material to enhance their knowledge in the field of environmental management.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Demonstrate and understand that appropriate standard procedures to an unfamiliar problem need to be used.
- Understand the complexities and uncertainties of selecting, applying and transferring procedures.
- Recognise a problem in the environmental management field and are able to identify and implement the correct design and method.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Solve a problem by drawing on the environmental management body of knowledge is displayed.
- Utilise specialised skills to apply knowledge, gained from the study material and the environmental management body of knowledge, to scenarios that are related to the environmental management discipline.
- Solve problems by generating alternative strategies and solutions are demonstrated.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Demonstrate the ability to identify ethical issues and ethical value systems.
- Use ethical issues and value systems as a foundation and can be seen in all the work produced by the student.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
- Critically review the accessing, processing and managing of information.
- Generate creative responses to problems and issues through data gathering, data synthesis and the evaluation of a process in the context of environmental management and specifically the research component of the degree.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
- Produce, present and communicate responses in a fitting manner related to the appropriate context.
- Generate reports, plans, and programmes that are aligned to the academic community as well as the environmental management industry.
- Identify the appropriate language and target audience.
- Ensure communication is clear and well-structured.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:
- Identify and demonstrate the ability to function or operate in a system or context at a sectoral, local, national or global level.
- Understand systems and contexts in the environmental management field displayed by the student.
- Exhibit a sound understanding of his or her ability to manage the roles or relationships of elements in the natural system or protocols, plans and programmes as set out by the environmental management discipline.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9:
- Identify a learning strategy that suits the student.
- Apply the learning strategies that will enable them to attain their learning needs as well as those of others.
- Display the skill to manage his or her learning and learning strategy.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10:
- Take responsibility for their work.
- Display the expertise to use resources to make independent decisions.
- Be accountable for decisions and actions throughout the process of learning and assessment.
Integrated Assessment:
- Formative assessment: The scheme of work includes assignments based on the learning material and gives learners feedback. The process is continuous and focuses on similar sections of the work and a limited number of outcomes.
- Summative Assessment: Examinations or equivalent assessment, such as a research report, to determine a representative selection of the outcomes practiced and assessed in the formative stages. Summative assessments also test the learner's ability to manage and integrate a large body of knowledge to achieve the stated outcomes of a module.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Honours Degree
- NQF Level
- 08
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.