Bachelor of Arts Honours in Development Studies
Human and Social Studies - Public Policy Politics and Democratic Citizenship
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose:
The purpose of the Bachelor of Arts Honours: Development Studies program is to provide learners with the opportunity to access and acquire quality inter-disciplinary and contemporary knowledge. The program aims to develop competences through active engagement with the field of study known as development economics and its discourse and practices. Learners will be equipped to act as development practitioners in private establishments, government bodies, and NGOs. They will be able to identify, analyze, and address typically diverse and complex development economics problems, review issues, offer and communicate creative insights, make decisions, and use resources accountably and ethically with an emphasis on strong community acceptance and ownership.
Rationale:
The Bachelor of Arts Honours qualification offers students the opportunity to reach a greater degree of specialisation at Honours level before pursuing a Master's Degree. The Bachelor of Arts Honours: Development Studies serves as a vertical articulation route for cognate Bachelor Degree graduates and holders of cognate Advanced Diplomas to advance to the next level of study. This qualification also prepares students for admission into the Master of Arts: Development Studies program either by course work and research (treatise) or by research only (with full dissertation).
Statistics from Strategic Planning and Management Information demonstrate a significant increase in student enrollment for the Master of Arts: Development Studies program. This increase indicates a high number of students entering the program with a recognized Bachelor's Degree, necessitating completion of a Bachelor of Arts Honours year before admission to the Master of Arts program. These figures underscore the demand among development practitioners in private establishments, government bodies, and NGOs for the further development of competencies to address diverse and complex socio-economic development problems.
Outcomes
- Monitor and assess the impact of perspectives. Range: Modernisation theory, globalisation, dependency theory, neo-liberalism and other human-centred approaches, processes and practices on social, political and economic relations.
- Actively participate in and contribute to the development, implementation and review of development policy and implementation.
- Develop effective and sustainable programmes through the use of case studies and other appropriate examples to enhance sustainable projects.
- Plan and conduct research on issues and problems related to socio-economic development and reconstruction.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Critically review and present key contemporary development theories.
- Differentiate between 'conventional' and alternative development theories.
- Critique existing development models and conceptualise alternative ones.
- Appraise socio-economic, cultural, environmental, and political tensions in the context of development theory.
- Link the impact of globalization, cultural practices, and traditions in an African context through case study analyses.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Analyse, review, and evaluate case studies of past and present socio-economic development policies.
- Identify and critically engage with development policy perspectives.
- Evaluate the impact of these perspectives on natural resource allocation changes.
- Reflect on diversity challenges for local organizational managers in a globalizing world.
- Evaluate the role of civil society in development policy success or failure at macro and micro levels.
- Consider variables such as culture, gender, human rights, community needs, aspirations, ownership, pressure groupings, power structures, and political, legal, social, and financial realities.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Analyse and evaluate the impact of development programs/projects through case studies.
- Identify challenges in program/project design and implementation.
- Propose viable correctives or alternatives based on sound developmental principles and practices.
- Use appropriate tools and techniques, including software, as applicable.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Plan and conduct research using appropriate designs, methods, techniques, and technologies.
- Identify and demarcate research themes.
- Conduct a comprehensive review of current literature and investigations.
- Demonstrate understanding of relevant research theory and practice.
- Describe theoretical arguments, research process, methodology, results, conclusions, and recommendations coherently.
- Apply development principles to specialized fields.
- Extrapolate key findings, draw justifiable conclusions, and make feasible recommendations.
Integrated Assessment:
- Assessment methods may vary based on the module's purpose, subject matter, and teaching approach.
- Continuous assessment will be applied throughout the program, with exceptions in specific modules.
- Assessment instruments include a mix of assignments, tasks, presentations, and progress checks.
- Details of assessment criteria are provided in student module guides at the beginning of each semester.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Honours Degree
- NQF Level
- 08
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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