Bachelor of Arts Honours in African Languages
Communication Studies and Language - Language
Purpose and Rationale
Bachelor of Arts Honours: African Languages for Professional Contexts
Purpose:
The status, role, and functions of indigenous African languages in the public and business sector are crucial topics in language planning and policy discussions across the African continent. This qualification aims to equip learners with theoretical knowledge and practical competencies to understand and develop effective language policy and planning for African languages in multilingual settings. Graduates will be able to analyze, plan, implement, and manage discourse practices in African languages within professional contexts in the public, private, and educational sectors. Despite challenges in promoting African languages in education and business, this qualification seeks to produce graduates who can address these challenges by specializing in language policy, planning, and discourse analysis for African languages.
Rationale:
The Bachelor of Arts Honours: African Languages for Professional Contexts addresses the critical need for language practitioners with advanced knowledge in professional discourse in African languages. Graduates will gain a comprehensive understanding of issues related to promoting and advancing the use of African languages in professional settings such as the public and business sectors. By producing language planners, communication practitioners, and educators equipped to design and implement multilingual language policies that prioritize African languages, the qualification aims to elevate the status and usage of these languages in professional contexts. Graduates will be prepared to initiate, plan, and execute strategies and projects related to language policy and planning, contributing to the production and utilization of African language discourse in public and corporate settings. Overall, the qualification will meet the demand for skilled professionals capable of implementing multilingualism in professional contexts effectively.
Outcomes
- Demonstrate theoretical knowledge of language policy and planning, pragmatics and discourse analysis, as applied to African languages in public and business sector contexts.
- Demonstrate a principled understanding of how the promotion of the use of African languages in professional multilingual contexts relates to values, ideologies, attitudes, social identities and relationships.
- Construct, interpret and analyse spoken and written discourses in the African languages in institutional and organisational domains, for both internal and external communication.
- Relate professional discourse practices in African languages to broader issues concerning language and society in the implementation of multilingual language policy.
- Identify and analyse problems relevant to the development and sustainability of a multilingual language policy in institutional and organisational contexts, for the creation of a culture, sensitive to discourse practices in African languages.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
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Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of theoretical approaches in Language Policy and Planning
- Evaluate and critique current research on Language Policy and Planning using theory-based arguments.
- Identify, analyse, and present solutions to complex problems related to African languages in multilingual professional contexts.
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Familiarity with scholarly literature
- Demonstrate knowledge of current literature in language policy and planning, pragmatics, discourse and genre analysis, and applied research on African languages.
- Select appropriate research methodologies for pragmatic investigation.
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Theory-based solutions in discourse analysis
- Identify, analyse, and present theory-based solutions to complex phenomena in African language discourse in independent investigations.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
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Promoting African Languages
- Justify the importance of promoting the use of African languages in professional multilingual contexts.
- Critique the role and influence of values and attitudes in social relationships.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
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Presenting findings effectively
- Present independent investigations of discourse analysis of African languages to various audiences.
- Conduct research on Language Policy and Planning for African languages and present findings according to institutional requirements.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
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Communication types and intercultural competence
- Present principles of communication in professional contexts and intercultural competence.
- Analyse discourse analysis in professional contexts in relation to multilingual language policy implementation.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
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Sustainability in multilingual language policy
- Analyse sustainability problems in institutional and organizational contexts.
- Provide innovative solutions to address problems in discourse practices for African languages.
Integrated Assessment:
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University's Assessment Policy
- Ensures assessment validity, reliability, transparency, fairness, attainability, and timely feedback.
- Ensures academic honesty through a plagiarism policy.
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Qualification assessment requirements
- Include written assignments, tests, and a research assignment for formative and summative assessment.
- Research assignment constitutes a major summative assessment worth 30 Credits.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Honours Degree
- NQF Level
- 08
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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