DEPARTMENT of PSYCHOLOGY - UWC
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UNIVERSITY of the WESTERN CAPE
DEPARTMENT of PSYCHOLOGY
Private Bag X 17, Bellville 7535, South Africa,
Telephone: +27 21 959 2453/2283 (Departmental Administrative Officers)
Fax: +27 21 959 3515
B.A. Honours (Psychology)
Prospectus
2021
(Faculty of Community & Health Sciences)
1
2021 ProspectusThank you for your interest in the BA Honours Psychology degree at the University of the
Western Cape.
This booklet contains information about the course, admission requirements, selection process, as well as the
structure and content of the various modules offered.
It is important that you read through the entire prospectus and departmental application form
carefully!
Honours’ Administrative Officer
Mrs Nomapondumiso Makengo
nmaganya@uwc.ac.za
Programme Coordinator
Dr Serena Isaacs
Email: sisaacs@uwc.ac.za
Tel. +27 21 959 3096
All queries should be mailed to: psych-honours@uwc.ac.za
Please note that the due date for 2021 submissions is: 30 October 2020
The deadline has been extended until 30 November 2020
IMPORTANT:
All applicants must complete BOTH a UWC online application AND a departmental
application form (DAF) available on:
o https://www.uwc.ac.za/Students/Admin/Pages/Online-Applications.aspx (UWC Application)
o https://www.uwc.ac.za/Faculties/CHS/Psychology/Pages/Postgraduate.aspx (DAF)
Course fees enquiries may be posed via Student Accounts Department: at 021-959-
2154.
The Psych Hons full-time course code is (8753) and the part-time course code is
(8751).
Queries, submissions and other correspondence may ONLY be emailed to psych-
honours@uwc.ac.za
As from 2015, the 6 month practicum (post-Honours Internship) is no longer offered
by the Department of Psychology at UWC
2
2021 Prospectus1. INTRODUCTION
The University of Western Cape BA Honours Psychology degree has been offered for over
three decades. It has been adapted and refined in accordance with the changing needs of
South Africa and increasingly the African continent, as well as the requirements of the
Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Alongside creating space for our students to learn and teaching the traditional
psychological theories, practical skills, and research know-how, our Department seeks to
be responsive to the needs of socially and economically deprived communities, cultivate
the ability to work within and with members of these communities, and move students to
participate in creating a different world.
The Honours in Psychology is a course-work degree involving seminars, intensive
preparation of academic papers, class presentations by students, and written
examinations. The emphasis is on student initiative, participation, and independent work,
with diversity and difference amongst both staff and students considered an asset.
Modules are semester-based, with the exception of the Research Project.
The aim of the course is to produce students who are equipped with theory and skills,
poised to make intelligent, creative and relevant contributions to the rapidly changing
needs of our country and the world.
2. ADMISSION (Rule J. 184 in University Calendar 2011, Part 8 p.68)
Subject to the general authority of the Senate to refuse a student admission to the course,
a student shall have obtained a bachelor’s degree approved by the Senate for this purpose
and unless the Senate on the recommendation of the Head of department decides
otherwise, such a student shall have obtained, before admission to the course, an average
minimum of 65% in the final Psychology 3rd-year examinations. Please note that the
selection process is very competitive and therefore obtaining an average minimum of 65%
in the third-year Psychology modules, does not guarantee you a placement in the
programme. All applicants must ensure that they meet full requirements of their
respective degree programmes in order to be eligible for selection. Admission into the
programme is contingent on successful completion of all undergraduate or Bachelor degree
requirements i.e. whether the Bachelor’s degree will be conferred.
Special or Concessionary examinations: Students who are still writing Special exams or
concessionary exams will only be eligible to apply for the Honours programme once they
have completed all degree requirements i.e. passed the special/ concessionary
examinations. At the time of selection, such candidates will be considered ineligible if they
still have to write the exam or are still awaiting the outcome of such exams.
3
2021 Prospectus3. INTERNATIONAL/ FOREIGN-TRAINED APPLICANTS
Applicants who are in possession of an international qualification must have the following
documentation:
• SAQA certification – All applicants must ensure that they have submitted their degree
qualifications to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) for an equivalence
evaluation. In order to be eligible for the Honours programme, your degree programme
must receive a SAQA certification that is equivalent to a National Qualifications
Framework Level 7 (NQF7). Students can contact SAQA via the following details:
SAQA House
Postnet Suite 248, Private Bag X06
Waterkloof, 0145
Tel. +27 12 4315070; Helpdesk: 0860103188; Switch board: +27+12+4315000
Website: saqainfo@saqa.org.za
• International applicants are required to be in possession of a study permit to continue
their studies at the University. These permits must be applied for in the student’s
country of origin and must be kept valid at all times. Final documentation must be
submitted to the Student Administration Office upon registration.
• Applicants, who hold a valid work permit and wish to study part-time, must apply for
an amended work permit or visa that clearly indicates that they are eligible to enrol at
the University for Part-time Studies.
• International students are required by law to have adequate medical cover as
stipulated by the South African Department of Home Affairs and the University. The
contact details of the former follows below.
Department of Home Affairs
Hotline: 08600 60 11 90; Tel. +27 12 810 7322
www.home-affairs.gov.za
• International students who wish to further their studies at UWC should also contact
the Matriculation Board to determine whether they qualify for any type of exemption.
The address of the Matriculation Boards is as follows:
The Director, Higher Education South Africa (HESA)
Matriculation Board
P.O. Box 3854, Pretoria, 0001
Tel. +27 10 591 4401/2
www.hesa.org.za
• International students are encouraged to contact the International Relations Office
(IRO) at UWC for general information regarding the University and entry
requirements. Contact IRO on: Tel. +27 21 959 2884
4
2021 Prospectus4. SELECTION PROCESS
Only complete applications will be considered for selection. It is imperative that applicants
accept full responsibility for submitting their final marks before the selection date.
Applications without a final and complete transcript will be considered as incomplete.
The Department typically receives in the region of 300-400 applications annually.
However, there are only 55 places in the Honours programme which means that the
selection process is highly competitive. The selection process is undertaken by a panel of
academic and administrative staff members who take the following into consideration:
• Academic merit: The typical academic cut-off is around a 72% aggregate in
Psychology III.
• Recognition of Prior Learning: Applicants who have worked in a Psychology-related
field will be considered for recognition of prior learning to be taken into account
when marks are lower or there has been a long period between completing third
year and applying for the Honours programme.
• Equity targeting: Race, Gender and Disability are some of the criteria taken into
account for redress.
• Community involvement: Although this is not a prerequisite, applicants with a
history of community involvement will be looked upon favourably.
• Resource constraints: The final number accepted into the programme will be
dependent upon the availability of staffing and other resources.
Please note that the decision of the selection panel is FINAL. No
correspondence will be entered into in this regard.
5
2021 Prospectus5. DURATION OF CURRICULUM (Rule J.186)
Unless the Senate decides otherwise, the duration of the curriculum for full-time students
shall be ONE year and for part-time students TWO years.
6. MODULES
The following modules are currently offered in the department:
Module Name Alpha Numeric Credit
code value
• Advanced Research Project PSY701 30
• Abnormal Psychology PSY702 20
• Psychological Interventions PSY703 20
• Research Procedures & Statistics PSY704 20
• Personality Development PSY705 20
• Social Psychology PSY707 20
• Community Psychology PSY708 20
• Psychological Assessment PSY709 20
Degree requirements
• To fulfil the requirements of the BA Honours Psychology degree students are
required to complete SIX modules (130 credits) in total, of which FIVE are
compulsory and ONE elective. The elective modules are:
• Social Psychology PSY707 20
• Community Psychology PSY708 20
• Personality Development PSY705 20
.
• You are required to choose ONLY ONE elective of the above three modules.
• The number of places in a class is limited to 20.
• Therefore, the Department cannot guarantee an applicant a place in the elective
module of his or her choice. However, every effort will be made to fairly match
available resources to the applications accepted.
6
2021 Prospectus7. ACADEMIC COURSE CONTENT
7.1. Goal and purpose of the course
Besides the development of a broad understanding of the discipline, the course aims to:
• enhance student’s capacity to think critically about mental health issues and to
promote mental health at all developmental stages in deprived and disadvantaged
communities
• develop the capacity to apply knowledge in the form of social and psychological theories
and interventions, and
• bridge undergraduate (general, fact based, academic and theoretical) knowledge and
professional post-graduate knowledge and skills training.
7.2 Evaluations
Continuous Evaluation
• Each module will have specific assessment measures to generate a continuous
assessment (CA) mark. Module lecturers can and do allocate a specified portion of the
CA-mark for class attendance and participation.
Examinations
• Examinations are usually written during the end of semester period. A 3-hour
examination paper per module is written, except in the case of PSY701.
• Note that except where Senate, on recommendation of the Senate Assessment
Committee, determines otherwise, a student shall not be allowed to undertake the
examinations in a module unless (s) he has obtained a continuous assessment (CA)
mark of at least 50% for that module. (Rule A.5.3.5 (b), page 92)
Pass requirements (Rule A.5.3.6 (b), page 93)
• The final mark for a specific module is based on a Final Assessment (FA) i.e. a written
examination paper, and Continuous Assessment (CA) of student’s work.
• In order to pass, a student must obtain a final mark of not less than 50% in the final
assessment task.
Awarding of honours degree cum laude (Rule A.5.3.9, page 93)
• To be awarded the Honours Psychology degree cum laude, a student shall complete the
course in the minimum applicable time, and shall have obtained an average final mark
of not less than 75% for all modules.
Other examination rules
1. No supplementary examination/second chance assessment shall be granted for the
degree. However, a special examination may be granted for valid reasons.
2. Original supporting documentation must be provided at the CHS Faculty in this
regard.
3. Do not make any travel arrangements during the examination period. You may
check the academic calendar for these dates
7
2021 Prospectus8. COURSE OUTLINES
A brief introduction to the different modules offered now follows. This includes information on
objectives of the modules and proposed course content. Questions regarding these modules can be
raised with the course coordinator.
PSY701: ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECT
This module is meant to provide students with the opportunity to
• Broaden their knowledge of and deepen their engagement in research in a practical way.
• Assist students in conceptualizing, executing and writing up a research study.
• Encourage guided discussions in your smaller research groups in order to develop your
critical thinking and writing skills.
Students have to select a research topic, develop a proposal, conduct the study (collect and analyse
data) as well as write up the final report in consultation with the lecturer and relevant supervisor
(s).
PSY702: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
The objectives of this course is to
• provide an overview of current theory and practice of psychopathology
• undertake a more detailed study of the major groupings of mental illnesses with regard to
their key features, aetiology and treatment, as well as the practical application of such
knowledge
• Critically focus on issues of class, race, gender and culture in relation to mental health in
the South African context
• Explore alternative/contextual approaches to mental health.
PSY703: PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS
The main objective of the course is to introduce students to the relevance of the interface between
theory and practice. The learning outcomes of this course include the following.
• Understanding the view of human nature, key concepts and therapeutic principles
associated with contemporary theories of counselling including psychoanalytic
psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and person-centred psychotherapy.
• Demonstrating knowledge of the “theory of change” associated with some of the
contemporary theories of counselling including psychoanalytic psychotherapy, cognitive-
behavioural therapy (CBT) and person-centred psychotherapy.
• Identifying and extracting relevant information from clinical case studies to inform
diagnosis and basic case formulation.
• Synthesizing information from case studies and relevant psychological theories (e.g. CBT)
to develop a basic case formulation for certain types of psychological problems (e.g.
depression).
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2021 ProspectusPSY704: RESEARCH PROCEDURES & STATISTICS
This module is designed to introduce students to research procedures and designs for quantitative
and qualitative research. The methodological issues selected for discussion and the nature of
illustrations are primarily intended for students of psychology. The course is intended to:
stimulate and promote an appreciation of different methodologies and debates in researching
psychological and social reality and engage students at a reflective level in respect of their own
knowledge.
Objectives
• To help students gain an understanding of quantitative research methods and integrate
research methods with psychology.
• To assist students to develop a basic understanding of the philosophies and creation of
knowledge through qualitative and other discursive research methods and techniques.
PSY705: PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT (elective)
The objectives of this module are to
• Provide a detailed overview of the “mainstream” and “alternative” theories of personality
development
• Examine the impact of personal and socio-historical influences on the development of these
theories
• Develop the skills required to evaluate theories of personality development
• Examine the inter-relatedness of theory and research.
PSY707: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (elective)
The course content for this Social Psychology module consists of a theoretical overview of the
psychology of social oppression, an examination of the dialectical relationship between the
oppressor and the oppressed, a depth understanding of Manichean Psychology and its
manifestations in social problems in most societies. A critical component of the course is also an
understanding of how the oppressed can engage in preventive transformative processes to address
social oppression on a personal, social and psychological level in order to rehabilitate their own
fractured psyches. The course draws primarily on the work of Frantz Fanon (1968), Hussein
Bulhan (1985), Steve Biko (1975) and Amilcar Cabral (1970) and other critical social psychology
scholars. These theorists and social commentators offer insight into social oppression in situations
of colonialism, neo-colonialism, both in Africa and the wider African diaspora.
Course objectives will include the examination of the historical development and contemporary
character of racism, sexism and classism in psychology and in society; the study of personal and
historical accounts of oppression from the perspective of the victims/survivors;, the examination of
key paradigms put forth to explain the oppressor and the oppressed dialectic; the examination of
how each of us unwittingly and sometimes consciously partakes in oppression; the examination of
the development of psychology in South Africa and its role in influencing social policies; and the
exploration of avenues of constructive action and change, at least for the self if not the other
9
2021 ProspectusPSY708: COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY
The community psychology course aims to transform students’ understanding of psychology within
the context of community and other contextual factors that permeate in the lives of South African
citizens. Students will gain knowledge and insight into the theoretical foundations and
intervention strategies within the field of community psychology. Students will also have an
opportunity to practice these strategies and theory in a short community engagement trip.
Objectives
• Gain a clear understanding of community psychology
• Explore the historical developments
• Assess the pertinent debates and theories in the field
• Explore the different models of intervention (and intervention strategies)
• Gain practical training and experience in intervention strategies
• Develop intervention programmes
PSY709: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
Psychological assessments are procedures psychologically trained persons use to answer a variety
of questions pertaining to assessing psychological health, providing diagnostic information, and
creating “road maps” for treatment and research. The procedures include clinical interviews,
checklists, formal testing, and interpretation. This module is aimed at covering the principles and
application of the above procedures, and contextualising it within South Africa. It is hoped that
students enrolled in this module will find this important area of professional practice stimulating
and interesting.
Objectives
• Explore the theoretical and historical bases for psychological assessment.
• Identify, define, and apply measurement concepts such as reliability, validity, and standard
error.
• Evaluate psychometric properties of tests.
• Identify and evaluate key issues in test design, including issues of test translation and
adaptation.
• Explore various fields of assessment (developmental, cognitive, personality, career
counselling), and critically evaluate the use and relevance of these tests in the South
African context.
• Assess and analyse the ethical and professional use of psychological assessment.
The above objectives will be realised through prescribed reading, practical exercises, seminars,
class discussions, and online activities. It is thus imperative for students to attend all classes and
complete assigned tasks timeously.
10
2021 ProspectusCONCLUSION
Please adhere to the departmental closing date for applications
Although the online applications for the University are already open, please note
that departmental applications for the Psych (Hons) OFFICIALLY close on 30
October 2020
We look forward to your application. It is your responsibility to ensure that your
application is complete and your final results sent to us in timeously
Ensure that you have completed both the university online application and the
departmental application form (with the attached academic transcripts)
Remember that the selection process is highly competitive, and we can only
accommodate a certain number of applicants each year.
The decision of the selections panel is final and no correspondence will be entered
into this regard
The 6-month practicum (post-Honours Internship) is no longer offered by the
Department of Psychology at UWC
Tuition fees and options can be discussed by contacting the following people:
o For Student Credit Management enquiries, please contact 021-959-
3101/3103/3104.
o For Student Fees enquiries, please contact the Student Accounts office at
021-959-2154.
o For NSFAS/Financial Aid matters, please contact the NSFAS office 021-959-
2737/3157.
o You may consult the following pages:
https://www.uwc.ac.za/Students/Financial-Matters/Pages/default.aspx
https://quote.uwc.ac.za/default
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