Bachelor of Public Administration Honours
Business, Commerce and Management Studies - Public Administration
Purpose and Rationale
Qualification Purpose
The primary purpose of the qualification is to provide learners with systemic knowledge, specialised skills, and attitudes relating to the fields of development and public administration, to become employable workers/entrepreneurs, and contributors to the development of public administration in various public and civic contexts. The aim is to encourage lifelong learning.
Secondly, the qualification aims to provide South Africa (and other countries) with graduates in development and public administration who possess in-depth knowledge, abilities, and confidence to identify and define complex public administration problems and offer solutions to overcome them.
The qualification also intends to widen the leadership base of individuals in terms of innovative and knowledge-based economic and scholarly activity. Additionally, it aims to equip individuals to play a constructive role as change agents in the field of development and public administration.
Qualification Rationale
The rationale for this qualification stems from a shortage of qualified personnel in public administration and the evolving landscape of traditional administration. Responding to the new democratic order in the country and the changing needs of society requires a shift towards a more professional, dynamic focus on governance and public management, moving away from a narrow approach to public administration.
The Honours Degree in Public Administration is designed to provide learners with the relevant professional skills necessary to pursue a career in public administration.
Outcomes
- Identify, analyse and solve complex, concrete and abstract problems facing public administration.
- Reflect on own knowledge and practice in the light of the theory and practice of public administration.
- Conduct research using appropriate technology.
- Communicate research findings according to academic requirements. Critical Cross-Field Outcomes: The Critical Cross Field Outcomes are all addressed by the qualification.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Assessment Criteria 1:
- Identify significant problems and problem-areas in a relevant discipline/field of study.
- Describe and analyse the main issues involved.
- Take an academically reasoned position on such issues.
- Assess the impact of public sphere policy (including legislation) on society.
- Assess the impact of institutional structures on society.
- Identify and understand issues of reconstruction and development in developing states.
- Apply management theories to practical situations in the public and non-governmental spheres.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Assessment Criteria 2:
- Apply theories and models in the analysis and interpretation of public administration.
- Take cognisance of divergent viewpoints and critically evaluate their relative merits to arrive at own viewpoint.
- Formulate sustained and coherent arguments in response to a variety of discipline-related issues.
- Formulate responses to resolve concrete and abstract problems in public and non-governmental contexts.
- Apply learning from individual experience and academic disciplines to political, social, cultural, technological, and economic realities, locally and globally.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Assessment Criteria 3:
- Document researchable problems.
- Demarcate the scope of research, for a limited project, under supervision.
- Conceptualise a research topic within an existing field of discourse and literature.
- Compile a research design in relation to a research problem.
- Conduct an independent search for relevant sources such as journals, specialist bibliographies, websites, official publications, file systems, and archives.
- Review and integrate the most important literature.
- Identify, define, and distinguish between the various research methods in the social sciences (e.g. quantitative, qualitative, and participatory action).
- Choose and apply the most applicable research methods and strategies for research problems in their field of research.
- Make reasoned theoretical judgements.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Assessment Criteria 4:
- Communicate material according to standard academic conventions of presentation (e.g. structuring, referencing, bibliographies).
Integrated Assessment:
- Case studies.
- Report writing.
- Interpretative and analytical problem solving in the written examination.
- Work-based assignments.
- Self-assessment activities in the course material.
Formative Assessment:
- Assignments based on the learning material with feedback provided.
- Focuses on smaller sections of the work and a limited number of outcomes.
Summative Assessment:
- Examinations or equivalent assessments such as a research essay or portfolio.
- Tests the student's ability to manage and integrate a large body of knowledge to achieve the stated outcomes of a module.
Integrated Assessment:
- All assessment will integrate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and applied competence.
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.