Is a SA National Diploma a degree? I tryed to look it up on wiki and now I am even more lost. Can anyone help me out?
The minimum study period of the Bachelor of Technology in Technikons that are now renamed to Technical Universities or University of Technology is four years although in most cases there are exit points at lower levels enabling students to enter a career at an earlier stage of their study lives. Technikons should be contacted to establish for which courses a National Certificate (after one year) and a National Higher Certificate (after two years) are offered as lower exit levels. The National diploma (after three years) still remains a major exit point in the Technikon qualification hierarchy. Just like in UK you have exit point every year of study.
What so funny. I actually like this type of system. In USA you have 2 year Associates degree and then additional 2 years to study for Bachelors degree. There in SA they have exit point after each year of the university study. You can take appropriate combination of classes to earn after first year of study the National Certificate (similar to 30 semester units undergraduate certificate from university in USA). Then you can study for Higher National Certificate , this is usually one more year at University. In UK they call it Foundation Degree = US 2 year Associates Degree. Then you can go and study for the National Diploma, this will require one more year. You can find many Job opportunities advertising what level of education is required for the position. So wile you are in college or University completing you 4 year Bachelors degree you are also working in the field. Then after the 4th year you earn a Bachelors degree. In USA we have some progressions as well, people with AS degrees working as Junior Engineers or Engineering Technicians wile they are completing their Bachelors degrees then they move in to Engineers jobs. Nurses such as RN's starting with their Associates degree and then move toward BSN etc. Exit point toward national certificate or diploma is cool concept that I really like.
In SA it works like this: Grade 10=Junior Certificate (Only issued when pupils leave school early) Grade 12=Senior Certificate (Matriculation) Trade certificates (plumbers, electricians etc - reduced post school years as they may have attended a 'technical' school to learn the trade) National Certificate - Matric + 2 years National Diploma - Matric + 2 years (In many cases you need a year of practical experience on top of your National Certificate to qualify for the Diploma) Higher Diploma - Matric + 3 years B degree (3 or 4 years). A Honours diploma is added to a 3 year B degree to become a 4 year degree equivalent. Usually general degrees are 3 years while specialist ones are 4. IE a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Journalism is 3 years (plus 1 year with honours) but a Bachelor of Journalism (BJourn) is a four year degree. 'Universities of Technology', or what used to be called Technicons (Polytechnic in the UK I think) usually award the 4 year BTech or Bachelor of Technology degree. They often offer the diploma as an exit point put traditional universities do not. There are also 'Colleges' (similar to community colleges, I think) specializing mostly in trades (from graphic art to hairdressing to business management and electrical engineering etc) but usually there are LOADS of courses where you can study up to the National Certificate or Diploma (usually with the above practical requirements).
Lukeness, thank you for clarifying all of that. One question: I was under the impression that a BHons was a step above an American 4-year Bachelor's, but you say it's equal. Does this mean that an American 4-year Bachelor's is enough to meet the minimum requirements for a SA Masters degree admission? I ask because UNISA Masters are dissertation-only whereas the graduate level coursework seems to be expected from a completed BHons program. Please correct me if I am wrong.
The US 4 year degree is the equivalent to the Bhons degree is SA. One example would be the Journalism track at Rhodes Uni. You can do the BA, Journalism & Honours or the BJourn. Both have the same status. The four year degree will often actually carry more weight as there are less places in the fourth your journ degree programme so at the end of 3rd year some opt to take the BA degree and go for honours rather than not get a place in fourth year BJourn. In other words anyone who has the four year degree would have been a top student in 3rd year so theoretically better than the honours grad.
South Africa - Trade, Technical and Vocational Qualifications Trade Qualifications One of the following qualifications plus completion of a relevant Contract of Apprenticeship endorsed by the Registrar of Apprenticeship or Registrar of Manpower Training: National N4 Certificate National N5 Certificate National Certificate National Certificate for Technicians Other Trade, Technical and Vocational Qualifications Advanced Technical Certificate Higher Certificate Higher Certificate in Technology National Higher Certificate (for Technicians) National N Diploma National N6 Certificate National Technical Diploma National Diploma - 3 year National Diploma for Technicians National Engineering Diploma (The diploma will be issued after completion of the theoretical requirements and 12 months approved experiential training.) National Higher Diploma - 4 year National Diploma of four years duration, and a 'Statement of Equivalence with a National Higher Diploma' Baccalaureus Technologiae (BTech), 1995 onwards Master Diploma of Technology - 1 year exit point (1/2 of Masters degree or 1 year above Baccalaureus) Magister Technologiae (MTech) Doctor Technologiae (DTech) Laureatus in Technology
Example: Progression for librarians Technikon SA offers undergraduate as well as postgraduate training in Library and Information Studies since 1993. The following national instructional programmes are offered: • National Certificate: Library and Information Studies (first year subjects) • National Higher Certificate: Library and Information Studies (first and second year subjects) • National Diploma: Library and Information Studies (first, second and third year subjects) • B Tech: Library and Information Studies (five fourth year subjects) • M Tech: Library and information Studies (Coursework and research paper or Dissertation)
