University of Mpumalanga

Bachelor of Arts Honours in isiSwati

Communication Studies and Language - Language

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Purpose and Rationale

Qualification in IsiSwati Language Studies

Purpose

Language is a pivotal tool for effecting transformation, grounded in critical and reflexive understanding of the research process that unveils the political nature of knowledge production. The qualification aims to:

  • Address social and linguistic inequalities.
  • Claim language rights for South African indigenous languages like isiSwati.
  • Enhance expertise in a discipline and research methodology.
  • Develop theoretical engagement and intellectual independence.
  • Prepare for research-based postgraduate study.
  • Initiate learners into language dynamics, emotional tensions, and transformative possibilities.

Learning Outcomes

After completing the qualification, learners will be able to:

  • Act responsibly, ethically, and with integrity to address social and linguistic inequality.
  • Conduct research on spoken languages to navigate preservation dynamics.
  • Promote isiSwati language usage in professional multilingual contexts.
  • Construct, interpret, and analyze spoken and written discourses in isiSwati.
  • Translate texts for analysis and understanding of various concepts.

Rationale

  • Development of African Languages: Promote isiSwati for educational and professional use in a multilingual context.
  • Global Focus: Support UNESCO's International Year of Indigenous Languages and raise awareness of the value of isiSwati.
  • Educational Empowerment: Enhance knowledge of isiSwati language, literature, and culture.
  • Transformative Education: Produce critical citizens through transformative intellectualism.
  • Career Paths: Pathways include language specialists, teachers, translators, curriculum specialists, media language specialists, and editors.

By offering this qualification, it seeks to empower prospective isiSwati teachers to contribute to social transformation, collaborate with various disciplines, and lead the development of indigenous languages in a variety of professional fields.

Outcomes

  1. Effectively use knowledge of the philosophy of science and the philosophy of research to various research paradigms, choose (the) appropriate research paradigm(s), and understand the implications thereof.
  2. Demonstrate advanced theoretical knowledge and conceptions of Swati language in the different sciences and how language influences the research endeavour.
  3. Analyse the role as mediators in maintaining the flow of certain knowledge across English speaking networks as a dominant language and the contribution in perpetuating inequality in education and the reproduction of the division of labour.
  4. Adopt an anti-colonial stance that involves more than a cosmetic sprinkling of anticolonial concepts but a critical and reflexive engagement in research with citizens and social movements across spaces inside and outside academia.
  5. Conduct research into spoken languages with the view of reducing the writing and navigating the dynamics governing the preservation and conservation of dialects and assess decisions relating to standardization and make determinations relating to the use of orthography.
  6. Translate texts from other languages, the understanding of whose content is seen as beneficial for analysis and understanding of philosophical, historical, socio-economical, and concepts for purposes of explication to the layperson and general masses of non-English speakers which will involve them in acts of analysis of undermining and oppressive situations.
  7. Use insights to understand the colonial influence on the lived experience of the colonised and the cultural politics of the English language and its role in undermining the indigenous languages of the formerly colonised people.
  8. Promote the deployment of diversity in general and linguistic diversity and multilingualism in particular to combat social and linguistic inequality.
  9. Develop strategies to bolster the development of Siswati as the language of the people and establish its democratic place as an official language of South Africa.
  10. Explore the normative nature of constitutional arrangements to achieve a spirit of non-surrender in relation to ensuring and claiming indigenous language rights.
  11. Evaluate the implication of monolingualism and its impact on the marginalized masses and promote multilingualism in all its facets and all interaction, and expose both its limitations and its marginalising effects for non-speakers of the dominant language.
  12. Act responsibly, ethically and with integrity and use research critically and reflexively to address concerns of social and linguistic inequality and to advance the cause of language rights ever aware of the risks of replicating the colonisation agenda.
  13. Plan and manage time to develop oneself as a principled, self-disciplined, lifelong and self-directed learner, capable of applying critical and self-reflexive manner strategies which effectively address his or her professional and ongoing learning needs and the professional and ongoing learning needs of others and in a manner which enables him/her to take full responsibility for his or her work, decision-making and use of resources, and full accountability for the decisions and actions of others where appropriate.

Assessment Criteria

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

  • Engage in debates at the forefront of a field, discipline or practice to demonstrate an understanding of theories, concepts, and associated constructs.
  • Defend paradigmatic choices in research methodologies, methods, and data gathering techniques.
  • Reflect on the politics of knowledge production and distribution.
  • Craft a research agenda focusing on language, colonialism, racism, and sexism.
  • Select appropriate research methodologies for investigation or analysis.
  • Analyse the politics of publishing methodologies and modes of knowledge production.
  • Investigate the usefulness of research results in providing policy recommendations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

  • Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of theoretical approaches to language understanding.
  • Evaluate theory and its conceptions in various sciences.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

  • Demonstrate critical reflexivity to avoid replicating the colonisation agenda.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:

  • Collaborate outside academia in a critically reflexive manner.
  • Utilize coexisting and conflicting colonial knowledge for the anticolonial cause.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:

  • Research aspects of language and literature preservation.
  • Evaluate and critique current language research and Policy and Planning.
  • Assess decisions related to standardisation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:

  • Translate texts between English and isiSwati.
  • Ensure previously marginalised speakers have a voice in debates.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:

  • Analyse colonial influence on the lived experience and cultural politics of English.
  • Examine the impact on indigenous languages of the formerly colonised.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:

  • Reflect on the promotion of diversity and linguistic diversity.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 9:

  • Utilize constitutional arrangements to promote SiSwati as an official language.
  • Identify gaps in legislation threatening SiSwati's democratic place.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 10:

  • Apply constitutional arrangements to promote indigenous language rights.
  • Understand the importance of language in professional multilingual contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 11:

  • Analyse the role of monolingualism in the underdevelopment of indigenous languages.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 12:

  • Evaluate ethics and practices related to isiSwati language.
  • Demonstrate critical reflexivity in knowledge production.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 13:

  • Demonstrate competency as effective learners.
  • Understand the value of self-reflexivity, collaboration, and accountability.

Qualification Details

Type
Honours Degree
NQF Level
08
Min. Credits
120
SAQA Source
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University of Mpumalanga
University of Mpumalanga
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Description
The University of Mpumalanga is a public university located in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, South Africa. It was established in 2014 and is one of the newest universities in the country. The university focuses on providing quality education and research opportunities in various fields, including agriculture, natural sciences, education, and management sciences. It aims to contribute to the development of the Mpumalanga province by producing skilled graduates who can contribute to the local economy and society. The university also emphasizes community engagement and strives to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment for its students.
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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.