Bachelor of Arts
Culture and Arts - Visual Arts
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose:
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) aims to cultivate skilled learners who can critically engage with the world and apply disciplinary knowledge to problem-solving. It is designed to enable learners to advance their understanding in specialized fields through postgraduate studies and pursue various professional opportunities. The BA program places a strong emphasis on core Humanities subjects, including languages (English, Afrikaans, Setswana), History, Heritage Studies, Geography, Mathematics, Sociology, and other related subjects. The mandatory inclusion of Heritage Studies in the first year is intended to offer learners an interdisciplinary perspective on heritage preservation, presentation, participation, and analysis, encompassing both official and unofficial heritage artifacts and symbols.
Rationale:
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A) is a three-year program that aims to equip learners with versatile analytical skills to address current challenges in South Africa and globally across a range of professions. The program is designed to facilitate progression into postgraduate studies for further specialization or entry into specific professional fields. In response to a needs analysis, Sol Plaatje University (SPU) has chosen to offer a generic BA Degree that aligns with the institution's expertise and addresses key regional relevance. The module offerings are tailored to meet the academic demands of the region while providing a solid foundation for learners to navigate the complexities of the contemporary world.
Outcomes
- Demonstrate familiarity with and have informed knowledge and understanding of the content, theories, and scholarly positions of the critical core of a number of disciplines at a basic and intermediate level.
- Demonstrate an ability to critically question the basic assumptions of the most important theories, scholarly positions and basic methodologies.
- Show competence with the basic and elementary modes of inquiry.
- Analyse and locate work in contemporary contexts (such as the South African and African contexts.
- Interpret topical issues using different perspectives.
- Interpret, explain and/or develop an argument around and an understanding of newly encountered material and demonstrate an ability to marshal an approach used in one or more disciplines.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Demonstration of correct use of terminology, concepts, principles, and theories in written and/or oral communication.
- Analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of recent and relevant research findings.
- Proposal of solutions to problems based on theory-driven arguments.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Presentation of well-defined and coherent representations of identified problems.
- Selection and application of appropriate methods, techniques, tools, and procedures.
- Proposal of possible solutions based on theory-driven arguments using relevant modes of inquiry.
- Demonstration of scholarly and critical reasoning skills.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Demonstration of explicit recognition of the diversity, complexity, and multi-dimensionality of a context and its impact on the work being undertaken.
- Provision of relevant information on strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for addressing specific problems.
- Identification of relevant role players and resources contributing to problem resolution.
- Description of factors affecting work undertaken, including context and people's performance.
- Identification of critical factors impacting practical problems from the discipline's perspective.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Analysis of results from relevant national contexts and research findings.
- Description and explanation of diverse theories.
- Evaluation and definition of boundaries and limitations of theories.
- Examination of scholarly discourse and different modes of communication.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Demonstration of knowledge and comprehension of discipline-specific conventions and scholarly discourse.
- Account of scholarly positions, viewpoints, and solutions.
- Identification and differentiation of current perspectives and scholarly debates.
- Reflection upon the appraisal of recent and relevant literature, including primary and secondary sources.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
- Examination of findings from the analysis and evaluation of relevant literature.
- Contextualization and identification of problems for research purposes.
- Description of essential modes of inquiry relevant to the discipline of the essay/project.
- Description of procedures for undertaking the minor research project coherently.
- Description of appropriate research strategies for essay writing.
- Reflection on ethical accountability and cultural sensitivity.
Integrated Assessment:
- Formative Assessments:
- Self- and peer assessment.
- Assignments.
- Written work.
- Summative Assessments:
- Examination.
Qualification Details
- Type
- National First Degree
- NQF Level
- 07
- Min. Credits
- 360
- 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.