THE B.A. HONOURS PROGRAMME IN AFRICAN LANGUAGES
All these courses can be done by full-time study, part-time study or by distance learning through correspondence. Our B.A. Honours programme comprises the following attractive course options or specialisation areas. You should choose one:
B.A. Honours in literature
This course is geared to students whose main interest lies in the field of literature. All the main genres of literature are covered in this course:
- Novel
- Short Story and Essay
- Poetry
- Drama, including stage, radio and television drama
- Oral Art, including praise poetry and prose narratives
The above modules include a theoretical study of literature as well as an application to the literature of a specific African language. Attention is also given to comparative literature with other African Languages and African literature in English.
Furthermore, each module will have a threefold aim: a critical analysis of literary works, creative writing of your own and a teaching methodology for literature.
B.A. Honours option in linguistics
The main areas of linguistics receive prominence in this study option:
- Syntax: Students will gain an insight into the properties of language structures in the African Languages. The approach invokes theoretical assumptions in syntax with an application to issues in the African Languages.
- Sociolinguistics: The main areas of sociolinguistics are covered in this module. Issues such as language contact and variation code switching and language planning are included.
- Morphology: Lexemes and morphemes form the basis of study in this module and attention is given to derivation, inflection, compounds, affixation and reduplication.
- Semantics: This module deals with the problem of meaning in language and develops a theory of meaning that accounts for a formal treatment of semantic intuitions.
- Pragmatics: In the broadest sense, pragmatics is concerned with the study of linguistic communication in context. Words can mean more – or something other than what they say, depending on factors such as familiarity with the context, cultural assumptions, and intonational clues. The same phrase may have different meanings on different occasions, and the same intention may be expressed by different linguistic means.
B.A. Honours option in Communication
Various communication contexts are explored within theories of communication, discourse and pragmatics. The following contexts receive special attention with reference to the African Languages:
- Interpersonal communication is a two-person context where only two people are involved. You will learn the requirements for such communication to be successful.
- Interviews serve a number of functions and this component will teach the student the basics of interview objectives.
- Small-group communication focuses on meetings where problems should be solved. You will learn how to solve communication problems.
- Public speaking: You will learn the functions of a speech in addressing an audience to inform, entertain or persuade listeners.
- Organisational communication: how can an organisation function more effectively? This component reflects on communication in business, schools, churches, clubs and so on.
- Intercultural communication between members of different cultures: You will learn how to communicate with people who have different languages, beliefs and values.
- Mass communication focuses on television, films, radio, newspapers, magazines and books. Learn how to communicate with large audiences.
- Pragmatics: In the broadest sense, pragmatics is concerned with the study of linguistic communication in context. Words can mean more – or something other than what they say, depending on factors such as familiarity with the context, cultural assumptions, and intonational clues. The same phrase may have different meanings on different occasions, and the same intention may be expressed by different linguistic means.
B.A. Honours option in Language Teaching and Learning
The need for language teachers of African Languages
The effective teaching of the African Languages has become a priority in education. To satisfy the demand for quality language learning and teaching of African Languages in education competent teachers are needed who have the kind of expertise required for successful language teaching of the African Languages.
This Honours option aims to prepare students to be effective language teachers of African Languages in the sense that they will be able to manage and perform successfully the comprehensive range of responsibilities and tasks required by language education. To achieve this aim, the B.A. Honours course in language learning and teaching includes the following modules:
- Literacy and language teaching: This module includes the study of influential theoretical approaches to language and literacy. The student will also study a range of non-fiction texts in African Languages that manifest how communicative purpose; ideology and power are expressed in language. Becoming literate in the modern world means much more than just becoming able to read and write. Becoming literate means being empowered in such a manner as to become a participant in the larger world community. In the twenty-first century, being literate means having the intellectual tools and skills that give access to all sorts of meanings and possibilities that would otherwise remain out of reach. It means greater freedom, responsibility, and the power to participate in social, economic, education, political, and other activities of the larger world communities. In this broader sense, literacy (to which language use is central) is the
essence of a practical education for modern living.
- Writing and language teaching: This module includes the study of the methodology for teaching writing (i.e. the study of language teaching practices, including theoretical under-pinnings) and the analysis of written texts in African Languages. Teaching writing successfully requires appropriate methodological decisions to be taken by the teacher in order to maximise the learning of writing skills.
- Reading in language teaching: The emphasis in this module is on theoretical approaches to reading and on the issues relating to materials for teaching reading. In this module extensive language-specific analysis and construction of language teaching materials for reading African Languages will be done.
- Pragmatics: In the broadest sense, pragmatics is concerned with the study of linguistic communication in context. Words can mean more – or something other than what they say, depending on factors such as familiarity with the context, cultural assumptions, and intonational clues. The same phrase may have different meanings on different occasions, and the same intention may be expressed by different linguistic means.
- Sociolinguistics: The main areas of sociolinguistics are covered in this module. Issues such as language contact and variation, code switching and language planning are studied.
THE MASTERS PROGRAMME IN AFRICAN LANGUAGES
After having completed an Honours degree, students can apply for the Masters degree,
specialising in study and research in one of the fields described above for the Honours degree programme. The Masters degree programme includes a
coursework component followed by the writing of a
smaller thesis on a specific research topic in
Literature, Linguistics, Language Teaching, or Communication.
TUITION
FULL-TIME
Full-time students who are required to be resident in Stellenbosch can complete this course programme in one year.
PART-TIME
Students may attend lectures on a part-time basis at Stellenbosch in which case the course programme can be completed in
two years.
DISTANCE TUITION THROUGH CORRESPONDENCE
Distance tuition is available to all the different B.A. Honours and Masters courses. Students who want to study through correspondence have opportunities to attend lectures at Stellenbosch. Such students receive personal supervision from all staff members. The Honours and Masters degrees through distance learning can be completed in
two years.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
-
For the B.A. Honours degree:
Applicants for this course must have a B.A. degree with an
African Language as a major subject.
-
For the Masters degree:
Applicants must be in possession of a
B.A. Honours degree in African Languages.
-
Transition modules to fulfil the requirement of African languages for admission to Honours degree study
If you already have a BA degree but an African language was not one of your subjects up to third year level, you can study the required transition modules in African languages from the comfort of your home within a year that would qualify you for admission to Honours degree study. In other words you need not be full-time in Stellenbosch to study these transition modules in African languages – you will only be required to come to the Stellenbosch campus for one week to do examinations during November.
Should you want to study for the Honours degree (and subsequently perhaps the Master's degree) but need first to do the transition modules in African languages up to third year BA level, you can write a letter to apply for admission to the department, as soon as possible, but before the end of November.
EVALUATION
Honours degree programme
The B.A. Honours in African Languages at Stellenbosch is a continuous evaluation course. This means that all assignments will count towards the final mark of the course. In this way students are able to see after each assignment what real progress they have made towards the attainment of the final mark. Students are also required to write an examination at a centre near their home or in Stellenbosch. Three modules are studied in the first year and two further modules in the second year.
The Masters degree programme
The Masters programme is evaluated through the seminars and assignments that students will complete in their coursework component and the research project or thesis that students will write.
Students will get study guidance to do original research for their Masters thesis on a topic relevant to their professional environments after completion of the coursework component that will provide the appropriate groundwork for doing the research. Completing Masters degree qualification can be considered as a high-point in academic study.
PhD programme in African Languages
The specialization areas available for PhD study are similar, and/ or related to those described for the Master's degree Programme above. PhD study can be done on a full-time on campus , or part-time off-campus basis. Normally, extensive study is required for 6 – 12 months to prepare a doctoral proposal , once a prospective student has been allocated to a suitable study leader. Prospective students can send email enquiries and a preliminary concept proposal to the Department Secretary, Mrs de Wet at email address
ktdw@sun.ac.za, or the Chair of Department, Prof M . Dlali, at email address
mdl@sun.ac.za.
BURSARIES
The student fees of
part-time students are payable over two years: 50% in the first year of study and the other 50% in the second year of study. Students may apply for a bursary in their first and second year of study. Information about Honours and Master's bursaries is available on the University website. Application forms for Honours degree bursaries are available from Mrs de Wet, the department secretary and
Course Coordinator of the department at the following email address:
Email :
ktdw@sun.ac.za
Students should return their application forms
without delay in order to get a student number for reference purposes for the Bursary office. PLEASE APPLY FOR THE BURSARIES
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, since the allocation of a bursary will count towards your registration fees.
Postgraduate Bursary
This bursary is allocated on
ACADEMIC MERIT (remember to include a certified copy of your academic record of your previous qualification) and in terms of individual
NEED. It is not enough to pay tuition fees in full. The
closing date for students who will register for the first time next year is 30 October, but students are urged to send their applications to the Course Co-ordinator
as soon as possible. Students may apply for a bursary in their
first as well as second year of study.
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS
Closing date for applications is: 30 November
Please apply as early as possible to qualify for a bursary.
Registration
Registration takes place during
February – March in the
first and second year of study. Students who succeed in obtaining a bursary from the University (or a loan) will have the amounts paid directly into their University accounts.
