Sol Plaatje University Courses Offered
BACHELOR OF COMMERCE (GENERIC)- B.COM.
Period of study: 3 Years
The Bachelor of Commerce exits at HEQSF level 7 and the minimum duration is three years. A student needs to obtain a total of 416 SAQA credits in order to obtain the degree.
There is a strong focus on core functional areas of Business Management with majors offered in Business Management and other disciplines. The B.Com intends to develop skilled graduates who are able to engage critically with the world and apply disciplinary content to the resolution of problems.
Career opportunities
The demand for commerce graduates is high, as they fit into a variety of jobs. There are numerous options for B.Com graduates, including becoming accountants or taxation specialists. The job may include administration, credit control, hospitality, production planning and control, purchasing, quality management, marketing and travel and tourism.
B.Com graduates have a fundamental knowledge of finance, marketing, operations and systems, budgeting and business planning and are preferred in most departments and allows you to work in management, development, investment, sales or valuation.
Commerce Graduates have good employment prospects and there is almost no area of business today where your analytical, accounting, human resources and research skills cannot be used.
DIPLOMA IN RETAIL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Period of study: 3 Years
This diploma provides students with the knowledge, insight and skills needed to follow a successful management career in the retail or wholesale fields. Retail and wholesale businesses strive to satisfy the needs of consumers by providing the necessary products and services.
Career opportunities
The retail industry offers national and international career opportunities for the graduate. The variety of retail and wholesale businesses is enormous and includes departmental stores, hypermarkets, shopping centres, speciality stores, general dealers, chain stores, supermarkets, factory stores, boutiques and restaurants.
Retail managers are generally required to work in teams and the programme therefore focuses on the development of professional communication skills which prepares students to work both independently and as part of a team. Strong emphasis is placed on problem solving and students are also exposed to good management practices in the field of retailing. Our work integrated learning programme allows students to gain some retail management experience. Students are also exposed to uncompromising approaches in the ethical practice of this management discipline.
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (B.Ed.) Degrees
Period of study: 3 Years
The B.Ed. programmes in Senior Phase and FET Teaching and Intermediate Phase Teaching, are specifically designed to prepare students for teaching in the South African schooling system. National imperatives such as the shortage of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Geography and Technology teachers, as well as regional imperatives such as the need for Afrikaans and Setswana teachers in both primary and secondary schools in the Northern Cape, were important considerations in the design and development of these programmes.
It is intended for students who want to obtain a degree in Education, specialising in Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Life Sciences, Geography, Technology, History, Afrikaans, English or Setswana that would qualify them as professional educators for the Senior Phase and Further Education and Training or Intermediate Phase. These qualifications are also suitable for expertise in education-related careers such as training officials
The purpose of the B.Ed. degree is to provide a well-rounded education that will empower graduates with an integrated knowledge base enabling them to demonstrate competence, commitment and responsibility as academically and professionally qualified beginner teachers. The curriculum and the accompanying classroom practice is a shaping force of the students admitted to this University. The approach to teaching, learning development and assessment on this degree programme is strongly guided by the intellectual and professional attributes that our graduates need to develop in order to have a positive impact on the schooling needs of the diverse communities in our country.
BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (B.Ed.) SENIOR PHASE (Grade 7-9) & FET PHASE (Grade 10-12)
This programme targets potential students who have successfully completed Grade 12 with admission to degree studies and who want to teach one or more of the following subjects at school: Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Life Sciences; Geography, Technology, Languages, History Accounting, Economics and Business Management.
BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (B.Ed.) INTERMEDIATE PHASE (Grades 4-6)
These programmes target potential students who have successfully completed Grade 12 with admission to degree studies and who want to teach Languages, Mathematics, Natural Sciences or Languages, Life Skills and Social Sciences to Grade 4-7 learners
SCHOOL OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN DATA SCIENCE
Period of study: 3 Years
The Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree has a strong mathematics core and a focuses on data science and applications thereof. The degree is designed to develop highly skilled graduates in areas in which there are considerable shortages across the country. Graduates in possession of this degree will be both employable and eligible for further study, whether in honours or postgraduate diploma studies.
Data Science focuses on finding solutions to solving the �big data� problems. This qualification addresses the need for predictive models in diverse disciplines such as clinical research, intelligence, consumer behaviour and risk management continues unabated. It also addresses the critical skills shortage in the country and will provide access to students to an advanced area of study in a critical contemporary discipline.
At least one university is presently developing postgraduate qualifications in Data Science (the University of the Witwatersrand), thus ensuring vertical articulation possibilities and further encouraging the development of academic programmes in this field.
Career opportunities
� Data Scientist � Software Engineer � Business Analyst � Solutions Architect � Statistics � Computer Network Professional � Network Administrator � Network Analyst � Software Applications Programmer � Software Applications Developer � Web Administrator � Web Designer � Web Developer � Chief Information Officer � Business and Systems Analyst � Intelligence Analyst � Systems Administrator
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (B.Sc.)
Period of study: 3 Years
The Bachelor of Science degree has been carefully designed to address a critical skills shortage in the country and will provide access to students to an advanced area of study in a critical contemporary discipline.
The programme aims to produce science graduates who have a systematic and coherent body of knowledge and an understanding of underlying concepts and principles; the ability to assess and evaluate scientific information; a high level of cognitive and other generic skills; written and spoken communication, computer literacy and competence in applying knowledge through basic research methods and practice.
The programme is offered in four specific sub-field specialisations, namely Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Computer Sciences and Biological Sciences.
Career Opportunities
Science graduates are open to various career opportunities in academic, government and industry. A Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree emphasises coursework in the sciences, mathematics or career-specific topics. The degree can serve as foundation for a variety of careers. Job prospects for B.Sc. graduates offer a diverse range of professional fields to work in, such as healthcare, finance, biology, chemistry, forensic sciences, consulting, engineering and computer programming.
Diploma in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Specialised in Applications Development
Period of study: 3 Years
The pervasive use of computers has resulted in an ongoing need for a wide range of highly skilled human capacity in ICT disciplines. The field is subject to rapid technological changes and therefore requires professionals who are well-educated, who keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the field and who can engage future trends and developments in the field.
The purpose of this Diploma qualification is to provide a career-focussed, professional qualification featuring industry-referenced knowledge and skills transfer, technological competencies, critical cross-field skills as well as attitudinal development. The programme deals with the conceptualisation, design, development, implementation and testing of computer software applications to meet the enormous commercial and social demand for such products. Students are prepared for careers in Computer Programming and Systems Analysis & Design but will gain exposure to a wide range of related topics. The diploma graduate will be knowledgeable and competent in the discourse and practice of the ICT discipline and have specialist knowledge of the Applications Development sub-discipline of ICT. The curriculum features a range of professional and personal development initiatives relevant to the ICT industry and the promotion of lifelong learning skills. Qualifying students will therefore be proficient in the general discourse of ICT but have specialised knowledge and skills that are focussed on Applications Development. The programme is designed to promote initiative and responsibility in an academic and/or professional context to respond to the local, regional and national, community and industry needs.
Diploma graduates in ICT specialising in Applications Development are able to:
- Create and modify general computer applications software or specialised utility programs for stand-alone and distributed environments including the web environment,
- Analyse user needs and produce a suitable specification for a system, covering a medium sized business problem,
- Develop computer programs to demonstrate the ability to store, locate and retrieve information from different data sources, and
- Deploy a suitable, secure software solution based on a given scenario demonstrating an understanding of systems architectures.
ICT practitioners are generally required to collaborate in teams to accomplish a common goal by integrating personal initiative and group cooperation around ICT projects. The course therefore also focuses on the development of professional communication skills which prepares students to work both independently and as part of a team. Strong emphasis is placed on creative problem solving and structured project management approaches.
The dynamic nature of the ICT industry demands that practitioners remain aware of developments and continuously update their skills. Practitioners must be au fait with the best practices and benchmark standards of the ICT industry. The programme therefore focuses on developing the lifelong learning skills of students.
Security of information has become a key concern in the modern business environment. As future ICT practitioners, students will therefore be exposed to uncompromising approaches in the ethical practice of their profession.
Applicants to the Diploma in ICT qualification must have a Matric with reasonably strong First Language (and English) and Mathematics or Mathematics Literacy marks. It is highly recommended that applicants should also have Computer Applications Technology (CAT) or Information Technology (IT) as subjects in their Matric curriculum.
Career Opportunities
An exciting career awaits those who successfully complete the Diploma in ICT specialised in Applications Development qualification. A world without ICT and software application is unimaginable! Applications Development manifests in every facet of life – mobile phone apps, ATMs & banking, mining, television, medical equipment, agriculture, finance & accounting, education, geographical information systems, film & video, motorcars and aeroplanes, toys, social media & the internet… The list is endless.
In South Africa and across the globe, ICT is regarded as a scarce skill� and opportunity awaits those who have the right knowledge, skills and attitude.
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
BACHELOR OF ARTS (B.A.)
Period of study: 3 Years
The Bachelor of Arts exits at HEQSF level 7 and the minimum duration is three years. The B.A. intends to develop skilled graduates who are able to engage critically with the world and apply disciplinary content to the resolution of problems. There is a strong focus on languages (Afrikaans, English and Setswana), History, Heritage Studies, Geography, Mathematics and Sociology.
Heritage Studies is a compulsory 1st year module to provide students with an interdisciplinary academic field that takes a critical look at the way we preserve, present, participate and interrogate heritage and the unofficial objects and symbols of heritage.
For the B.A. Degree, it is envisaged that articulation into postgraduate qualifications will enable further development of the majors or in selected professional fields. The package is aimed at equipping the learner with communication skills as well as in-depth knowledge of the subjects of their choice. Students from the B.A. acquire perspectives on different aspects of people and their interaction with the world.
Career Opportunities
B.A. graduates are equipped to become researchers or practitioners in a variety of professional domains such as museums and other heritage organisations, language based positions (translation and editing), teaching, communication, journalism, creative writing, media work, community development, tourism and the diplomatic service.
HIGHER CERTIFICATE IN HERITAGE STUDIES
Period of study: 1 Year
This course provides students with a theoretical and practical grounding of knowledge and skills about the heritage sector.
A key benefit is that this Certificate provides an opportunity for studying further in heritage or another discipline. This Certificate would enable a pathway for ongoing learning and successful graduates could enter one of the various undergraduate degree course such as the B.A. or B.Ed. Degrees. We are keen to produce students with a strong ability for independent thinking who can be prepared for this level of learning.
Career opportunities
The skills developed, would encourage work in diverse roles within national and provincial heritage management bodies or privately-managed heritage organisations. This could include roles from administration in heritage institutions such as museums. Other possible roles could include assisting in archival work in a wide range of institutions including universities, public and private bodies, or working within the tourism industry.
For full details and admission requirements please download the brochure here
For further information on the applications process, please contact:
Contact Details:
Ms Nombulelo Matroos
information@spu.ac.za
053 491 0000