Program Overview

Programme Overview

The BEdHons Teacher Education and Professional Development (Distance Education) programme is offered by the Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria.

Programme Information

• Code: Faculty of Education
• Credits: 128
• Duration: Minimum duration of study is 2 years

Admission Requirements

A candidate can be admitted if they hold one of the following qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree and a teacher's diploma/Postgraduate Certificate in Education
• A four-year composite degree in Education
• An M+4 appropriate teacher's diploma, subject to specific approval and an appropriate Advanced Diploma in Education
• Another academic qualification and appropriate prior learning, considered equivalent by the Dean for admission to a specific package

Additional Requirements

Selection is based on:

• Meeting the minimum academic requirements required for admission
• Previous academic performance
• Applicable academic and/or teaching background
• Availability of supervision for the required research project
• Proven academic potential which may include academic communication and computer application skills
• An interview may be requested
• The requirements of professional registration bodies
• The discretion of the head of department

Examinations and Pass Requirements

• A student may not sit for an examination for the honours degree more than twice in the same module, subject to exceptions approved by the Dean.
• A final-year student who has failed a maximum of three semester modules or their equivalent, with a final mark of at least 40% in each, may be admitted by the Dean to a special examination/s in these modules during January of the following year.

Research Information

A research project is compulsory and must be handed in for examination, as prescribed by the particular department.

Pass with Distinction

The degree is conferred with distinction on a student who has obtained an average of at least 75%, with a minimum of 70% in each module.

Core Modules

Minimum Credits: 32

• EDS 733: Philosophy and social imperatives of education
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Meta-theories in education, empiricism, rational empiricism, critical rationalism, critical theory, phenomenology, hermeneutics, system theory, philosophies in education, the influence of modernism and postmodernism on education, sociological imperatives for education.
• NMQ 734: Educational research methodology
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: The nature of educational enquiry, contexts of research, research ethics, truth, rationality, subjectivity and objectivity, quantitative and qualitative modes of enquiry, research designs and data collection techniques.

Additional Core Modules

Minimum Credits: 32

• API 733: Assessment approaches and instruments
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Foundations, principles, and ethics of assessment practices, international trends, quantitative and qualitative modes of assessment and appropriate instruments.
• CDD 733: Curriculum development
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Principles and foundations of curriculum/programme design and development, international and national models and trends in curriculum/programme development.

Fundamental Modules

• NMQ 735: Research proposal
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Guided literature research, formulation of a conceptual framework, and development of a research proposal for a supervised research project of limited scope.

Elective Modules

• JGL 733: Multi-literacies
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Concepts of multi-literacies and multimodality, language and literacies, language acquisition theories, current language policies, the multilingual classroom, English as a lingua franca, World Englishes, globalization and school and social literacies.

Final Core Modules

Minimum Credits: 32

• CDV 781: Research report
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Writing a short report, small-scale action research in the school or workplace, research proposal development, use of qualitative and/or quantitative methods.
• PFO 733: Professional development
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Professional development as an educator to optimize independence, interdependence, and self-renewal, implementing principles of personal vision, personal leadership, personal management, interpersonal leadership, creative cooperation, and balanced self-renewal through action research.