Bachelor of Architecture Honours
Physical Planning and Construction - Physical Planning Design and Management
Purpose and Rationale
Bachelor of Architecture Honours (BArchHons)
Purpose:
The primary purpose of the Bachelor of Architecture Honours (BArchHons) is to provide the requisite knowledge, skills, and competencies to be able to register as a Candidate Senior Architectural Technologist with the professional body, South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). The qualification responds to the broader development needs, particularly focusing on the socio-economic redress and spatial transformation of historically disadvantaged communities in South Africa. The graduate attributes are guided by the academic knowledge, skills, and values required of an NQF Level 8 qualification in architecture while corresponding to the professional competency attributes of the professional body. The qualification focuses on research-led, situated project-based learning within an interdisciplinary curriculum mode to develop graduate attributes to contribute meaningfully to industry and society.
Rationale:
The architectural profession in South Africa has a structured hierarchical system where professional registration categories align with the respective NQF levels of qualifications. This qualification aligns with the competencies required for the professional category of Senior Architectural Technologist, enabling registration with SACAP. The qualification is designed to eventually lead to a Master's Degree at NQF Level 9, correlating with the designation of Professional Architect. It addresses the skills shortage in South Africa and is supported by SACAP. The qualification aims to cater to learners requiring professional registration as Senior Architectural Technologists with SACAP, including those with an undergraduate qualification in architecture or registered professionals in the Professional Architectural Technologist category looking to articulate to the Professional Senior Architectural Technologist through RPL or relevant qualifications. The curriculum is designed to focus on the development agenda of South Africa within the context of the Global South, emphasizing socio-economic redress and spatial transformation in line with national and global development goals. Learners will benefit from acquiring critical knowledge and skills for architectural practice within a transdisciplinary framework that integrates broader socio-economic considerations. The qualification allows for alternative learning pathways such as RPL, enabling learners from diverse backgrounds to enhance their professional skills and contribute to the upliftment of historically disadvantaged communities.
Outcomes
- Analyse and apply theories, research methods and techniques relevant to architectural practice. Identify, analyse and address complex or abstract problems drawing systematically on the body of knowledge and methods appropriate to the field of Architecture.
- Critically review information gathering, synthesis of data, evaluation and management processes in specialised contexts to develop creative responses to problems and issues in the field of Architecture.
- Interrogate multiple sources of knowledge in an area of specialisation such as Architecture and Urbanism to evaluate knowledge and processes of knowledge production in Architecture.
- Select and apply appropriate standard procedures, processes or techniques to unfamiliar problems in a specialist field of Architecture.
- Identify and address ethical issues based on critical reflection on the suitability of different ethical value systems to specific contexts.
- Apply, in a self-critical manner, learning strategies that effectively address his or her professional and ongoing learning needs and the professional and ongoing learning needs of others in the field of Architecture.
- Take full responsibility for own work, decision-making and use of resources, and limited accountability for the decisions and actions of others in varied or ill-defined contexts in the field of Architecture.
- Operate effectively within a system, or manage a system based on an understanding of the roles and relationships between elements within the system in the field of Architecture.
- Present and communicate academic and professional ideas and proposals effectively to a range of audiences, offering creative insights, rigorous interpretations and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to the context in the field of Architecture.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Identify, analyse, and address complex architectural problems by drawing from discipline-specific knowledge, research tools, techniques, and methods.
- Develop solutions to address architectural problems demonstrating knowledge of architectural history and design theories of architecture.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Develop an appropriate research design.
- Distinguish between different research methods.
- Identify and extract relevant data to distinguish between the domains of architectural research.
- Formulate a draft research project proposal.
- Synthesis of research in an architectural project.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Apply and analyse major concerns of urbanism, urban design, and architecture issues.
- Critically analyse theories and concepts related to architecture and urbanism.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly.
- Critically analyse theories and concepts related to architecture and urbanism.
- Apply depth of historical and background knowledge of the area and its influences.
- Synthesise research on an architectural project.
- Formulate/propose design projects that adequately respond to research-informed design intents.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly.
- Create projects that allow for flexibility and growth.
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the major substantive concerns of technology, structure, and materials in complex architectural design.
- Develop a scheme that responds to the collective nature of urban public architecture.
- Formulate/propose Design projects that adequately respond to research-informed design intents.
- Apply depth of technical, historical, and sustainable knowledge related to architectural technology.
- Develop a scheme that responds to the climatic, contextual, and programmatic requirements of a specific given problem.
- Integrate technology, structure, and materials in the design process.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the major substantive concerns of urban and complex architecture issues.
- Proper selection and articulation of theoretical underpinnings.
- Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly.
- Create projects that allow for flexibility and growth.
- Develop a scheme that responds to the collective nature of urban public architecture.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the major substantive concerns of urban and complex architecture issues.
- Proper selection and articulation of theoretical underpinnings.
- Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly.
- Create projects that allow for flexibility and growth.
- Develop a scheme that responds to the collective nature of urban public architecture.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:
- Identify areas where strategic interventions can occur and design accordingly.
- Create projects that allow for flexibility and growth.
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the major substantive concerns of technology, structure, and materials in complex architectural design.
- Develop a scheme that responds to the collective nature of urban public architecture.
- Formulate/propose design projects that adequately respond to research-informed design intents.
- Apply depth of technical, historical, and sustainable knowledge related to architectural technology.
- Develop a scheme that responds to the climatic, contextual, and programmatic requirements of a specific given problem.
- Integrate technology, structure, and materials in the design process.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9:
- Collate and articulate material and arguments in a presentation to a group.
- Promote critical engagement through graphic and oral presentation.
- Clearly and logically present graphic material.
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.