North West University Distance Education Programmes

SAQA : 96365
The purpose of the BEd Foundation Phase programme is to develop teachers who can demonstrate general educational principles as well as focused knowledge and skills for Foundation Phase teaching. The qualification requires in-depth specialized knowledge, together with practical skills and experience in Foundation Phase classroom teaching context. As part of the qualification, students will be expected to gain experience in applying such knowledge and skills in the context of working with Grade R – 3 learners in a school. This will be realized by the proposed curriculum on the basis of the coherent and ongoing connection between the core theory of pedagogy, the theory of teaching and learning and the subject content of Foundation Phase teaching.

Advanced certificate in Foundation Phase teaching

Advanced certificate in Intermediate Phase teaching

The Advanced Certificate in Teaching is intended to acknowledge specialised academic or professional studies in education. The Department of Basic Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training realised that many teachers need more subject knowledge or want to change their direction or specialisation and/or teach a new subject or phase. The ACT is a new qualification that can fulfil that role. The ACT is primarily vocationally oriented, and the aim with the qualification is that teachers strengthen their subject knowledge or prepare themselves to teach a new subject. The ACT qualification will be based on the four school phases: Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase, Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Phase.  The UODL at the NWU will in 2016 present the Advanced Certificate in Foundation Phase Teaching (ACFPT) and the Advanced Certificate in Intermediate Phase Teaching (ACIPT).

To register for the ACT, a student should have at least one three year teaching qualification carrying 360 credits from an accredited higher education institution.  There is no requirement pertaining to experience.  It is the only qualification that students who have completed the NPDE can enrol for in order to further their studies up to honours or masters level. However, students with a completed ACE, BEd, PGCE or even BEdHons may also enrol, should they want to change their focus or sharpen their skills. It is a one year qualification which is presented over two years via distance education.

THE ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN FOUNDATION PHASE TEACHING (ACFPT)

SAQA 96436

This programme will equip teachers to teach in grades R, 1, 2, and 3. They do three generic modules (Foundations of Education, Information and Communication Technology and a Practice Teaching component) and six content-based modules which are CAPS based.

THE ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN INTERMEDIATE PHASE TEACHING (ACIPT)

SAQA 97199

This programme will equip teachers to teach grades 4, 5 and 6. They do three generic modules (Foundations of Education, Information and Communication Technology,  a Practice Teaching component) and three fundamental modules (two modules in English First Additional Language and one module Elementary Mathematics.) Students select two specializations from Life Skills, Mathematics, Science and Technology and Social Science.

Students pursuing the ACT are expected to complete the module in Work-integrated Learning (WIL). If they are practising teachers, the assessment will take place in their current school, by an approved mentor.  If they are not in a teaching position, they have to spend three weeks at a partner school of the NWU in order to complete the WIL.

SAQA ID: 94859

Qualification code: 4BE

Programme & Curriculum code: C01

• The ADE is on NQF 7
•  Students can articulate to a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDip) on NQF 8.

The ADE addresses the needs of three types of teachers. 

• Retraining, teachers who want to specialise in a new teaching subject.
• Upgrading, teachers with a professional qualification, who did not specialise in the phase but have experience teaching in the phase.

• Upgrading, teachers who want to strengthen their field of specialisation subject and/or phase

SAQA ID: 59302

• On completion of the studies, candidates will be able to demonstrate thorough understanding and have gained knowledge and skills of the principles, methods and procedures relevant to the specific programme specialisation in education.
• Candidates will be able to have gained knowledge and understanding of the role that research plays in education, conduct basic evaluation and educational research.
• These studies will enable students to play a leadership role in professional educational activities in the different sectors of teaching in South Africa.

Note: Each application will be dealt with individually.

SAQA ID: 91726
•    Prospective students must already be working at a school in Grade R to be able to apply for admission.
•    This is a three year diploma on NQF-level 6.
•    As part of this qualification, students will be expected to gain experience in applying knowledge and skills in the context of working with Grade R learners in a school.
•    This qualification will also provide a vast number of under- and unqualified Grade R practitioners with the opportunity to gain access to a higher education qualification.
•    The Diploma in Grade R Teaching is recognised by the Department of Basic Education and utilised to enable the practitioners to qualify for the relevant REQV level 13 for salary purposes.
•    This specialised qualification will provide the successful candidate with an opportunity to articulate into a BEd (Foundation Phase) qualification in order to gain status as a fully qualified Foundation Phase teacher.

SAQA nr: 97262  (Distance and Contact)

The Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Senior & FET teaching is a four year, vocationally specific, professional degree that integrates, from the first year, both the academic study and the professional preparation required to be a teacher.
Successful completion of the programme qualifies the student for registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) and for employment in South African schools as an educator. In addition to serving as an initial qualification to teach, successful completion of the degree provides students with the opportunity to continue their study of education at a postgraduate level.
Senior and FET-phase educators specialise in the education of learners in grades 7 – 12. They usually teach in selected subjects only and therefore are required to have a solid understanding of their subject and a mastery of core teaching skills.

SAQA nr: 97757

The ADT (Advanced Diploma in Teaching) programme in the Faculty of Education Sciences of the North-West University prepares student teachers to become competent professional educators in a variety of educational and training careers. The overarching goal of the educational experience in this particular programme is to provide all our students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to live and work in a globally interdependent world and with the support services to help them succeed. This requires a conscious, purposeful, sustained and social-constructivist focus on the actual learning of students that may take place because of their interactions in specific study-related groups. For this reason, this academic programme also seeks to foster inclusivity and to develop a sense of personal and social responsibility and ethical conduct in and among our students by encouraging involvement in environmental affairs, as well as in community and public service. It endeavours to offer and cultivate a teaching-learning environment that is hospitable to diverse socio-conventional and linguistic interests and activities.
The Advanced Diploma in Teaching (ADT) is focused on the initial training of teachers for teaching in the Senior and Further Education and Training Phases, thus Grades 7 to 12.
The ADT serves as a professional capping qualification for candidates who have completed a relevant B-degree or a relevant qualification with at least 360-credit qualification and wish to enter the teaching profession.
Students, who obtained this qualification with its focused vision on classroom practice, will be able to fulfil all the contextual roles and competencies of an effective educator.
With this certificate an educator can teach from Grades 7 to 12.
The programme equips and empowers prospective educators in the Senior and FET phases to:
•    Develop and demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of education theory and practice;
•    Integrate education theory and practice as applied competence;
•    Demonstrate and implement the subject specific pedagogical competencies of the Senior and FET educator that embrace teaching, learning and assessment in practice,
•    Develop and demonstrate knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to become responsible, independent and contributing scholars of the professional educational community in a diverse and changing national and international context; and
•    Develop and demonstrate critical, creative and reflective problem solving skills within educational and societal context.
The qualification consists of 140 credits divided into 14 modules. These modules include fundamental modules, generic modules and specialisation methodologies.

This specialised qualification will provide the successful student with both horizontal and vertical articulation possibilities. To articulate vertically, a student can seek access to the BEd Honours (NQF 8) or a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (NQF 8), specializing further in a cognate subject, phase or practice contained in this initial qualification. These NQF Level 8 qualifications ensure access to further postgraduate studies (Master’s & Doctoral Degrees) in cognate study areas. A horizontal articulation is also possible to the AdvDip (Education) qualification on NQF level 7, for students who want to develop a new role to support teaching and learning, for example school librarianship, education for the deaf, etc.