Purpose

The B Ed Honours, the first academic post-graduate qualification in the field, provides an introduction to the academic study of education and a grounding in educational theory and research. The course also promotes practical competence by enhancing insight into and understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of educational practice. It is designed to provide access to the M.Ed. degree.

•   Admission

The entrance requirements for the course are normally as follows, subject to the discretion of the Selection Committee and the maximum number of students accepted per intake.

 

A person shall not be considered as a candidate for a B Ed Honours degree unless he/she:

• has successfully completed a bachelor’s degree at the University (level 6 on the National Qualifications Framework/ NQF) ; or

• has successfully completed an appropriate qualification at level 6 on the NQF which is equivalent to or higher than the examinations prescribed for a degree of bachelor of the university; or

•  has passed the examinations on the grounds of which he/ she will be awarded a bachelor’s degree by the University, or on the grounds of which the required status may later be granted to him/her;

• has at least two years of practical experience in the educational field

•  has passed a proficiency test in English, the language of instruction for the course, if this is deemed necessary by the Programme Co-ordinator.

 

•    Duration

The course is offered on a part time basis, the duration of which shall not be less than two and no more than three consecutive years of study. If this period of time needs to be exceeded, a student may submit a written motivated application which, on the recommendation of the Programme Co-ordinator, may then be submitted to Senate, which will then take a decision. No further extensions will be allowed.

              •     Mode of instruction           

Approximately one quarter of notional hours is dedicated to on-site contact sessions with lecturers. The remaining three-quarters are allocated to foundational, practical and reflective group work and, particularly, individual tasks.

•     Curriculum

The B Ed Honours degree is a 120 credit qualification at NQF level 7 (Educators in Schooling). To graduate with this degree, a candidate must obtain credit in six course modules as follows:

 

• Foundational Programme (Year 1 : 60 credits):

 

·          Education Theory (ETP501) (20 credits)

·          Curriculum Development 1 (CUD501) (20 credits)

·          Perspectives in Education (PIE501) (20 credits)

 

• Elective Programme (Year 2 : 60 credits):

 

·          Research Methods (REM501) (Compulsory) (20 credits)

 

Two elective modules from:

·          Curriculum Development 2 (CUD502)

·          Early Childhood Development(ECD) Curriculum Studies (ECE501)

·          Education Leadership and Management(ELM501)

·          Education Law (EDL501)

·          Education Literacy (ELT501)

·          Technology (TEC501)

·          Drama in Education (DIE501)

·          Language Education (LIE501)

·          Science Education(SCI501)

·          Mathematics Education (MIE501)

·          (All 20 credits each)

 

• For each of the modules the students will be required to submit  a  number of assignments and tasks which will vary in nature from module to module but, given the academic nature of the course, the major emphasis in assignments will be on academic reading, writing and oral presentation. 

Assessment

The final mark for each of the six modules will consist of two components: a year mark and an examination mark (‘research project’ for Research Methods) , with each component comprising 50% of the final mark.

 

Qualification requirements

A candidate for an Honours qualification must obtain –

•  an aggregate of at least 50% of the marks in all the six modules comprising the course; and

•  a sub-minimum of 40% in each module; and

•  a sub-minimum of 40% in every examination and in the Research Methods final written/oral presentation

The examination mark

• Students are required to write a three hour examination for each of the three modules studied at the end of the first year and for two of the three modules studied at the end of the second year of study.

•  For Research Methods in the second year, the ‘examination’ will take the form of an oral                 and a written research presentation (mini-dissertation).

General

• A candidate shall normally retain credit for any individual module passed for a period not exceeding three years.

• A candidate shall be awarded a pass with a distinction in a module if, at the first attempt, a final mark of at least 75% was obtained.

• A candidate will graduate cum laude if he/she obtains an average of 75% or more for all six modules of the course.

• There are no supplementary examinations for B.Ed. Honours. 

•  Students who score an average of 49% or less for all six of their course modules will not graduate.

•  Students who, by reason of exceptional circumstances, are unable to write the prescribed examinations at the end of a year may, subject to the permission of Senate, be permitted to write the examinations at a later date to be decided upon by the University.

•  Students who do not present themselves for an examina-  tion without prior permission for such absence from the Programme Co-ordinator may be deemed to have failed that examination and may be excluded from the course.