Module Descriptions
BA Honours in Psychology (Academic)
Below is the Module Descriptions.
Important Notice:
The Bachelor of Arts Honours (BAHons) in Psychology – Academic Option – is a one-year full-time or two-year part-time postgraduate program offered through contact and distance learning at NQF Level 8, carrying 130–132 credits. Designed for students with a strong academic foundation in psychology (minimum 70% in third-year Psychology), the programme deepens theoretical and research expertise across core and elective areas. Students develop a comprehensive understanding of psychological theory, research methods, psychopathology, ethics, therapeutic modalities, and community psychology within the South African context. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cultural relevance, with students required to complete a research project across two semesters. Admission requires an appropriate undergraduate degree, academic references, and may include a written assignment for candidates who narrowly miss the 70% benchmark but qualify through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
This page provides key information about the module descriptor.
Study Year 1 (basic level; NQF 8)
This module is designed to facilitate the independent planning, execution and reporting/writing up of a research project in a community setting. A community setting is any placement which addresses the psychosocial issues present within the South African context (i.e., substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and community violence among others). Students will conceptualize the research project as a group although they write on an individual basis. The project is guided by the assigned supervisor. This module comprises (i) the research proposal, (ii) the research report and (iii) a poster and oral presentation.
This module aims to introduce students to basic concepts of psychological assessment and provide students with a general overview of psychometric assessment. Students will be exposed to the practical components of assessment and gain a clear understanding of scoring and interpreting various assessments. Emphasis will be placed on the assimilation of various assessment methods. The interpretation and integration of psychometric assessments will be presented in a report form. Attention will be given to scope of practice for registered counsellors and to the impact of psychological assessment within a multi-cultural society.
This course is designed to equip students with the skills to plan, execute and critically evaluate research studies. Qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection and analysis will be explored. Students will be able to select appropriate techniques for various research situations, execute these techniques and interpret the findings contextually within the conventions of the relevant research traditions.
This module is designed to prepare students for the recognition and identification of mental disorders. A methodology for organizing information about symptomatology and the diagnostic features are presented. Appropriate treatment options, and contextual factors will be explored and responses to ethical dilemmas in psychopathology addressed. The use of structured and semi-structured interviews will also be addressed.
This module is designed to facilitate the independent planning, execution and reporting/writing up of a research project in a community setting. A community setting is any placement which addresses the psychosocial issues present within the South African context (i.e., substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and community violence among others). Students will conceptualize the research project as a group although they write on an individual basis. The project is guided by the assigned supervisor. This module comprises (i) the research proposal, (ii) the research report and (iii) a poster and oral presentation.
This course is designed to introduce students to mainstream theories of personality and behavioural change that inform the planning and management of psychotherapeutic interventions. Students will be sensitised to the cultural applicability for mental health professionals, as well as be introduced to case formulations and the ability to select effective treatment modalities.
Electives Module
This module is designed to deepen your knowledge and understanding of community psychology within the South African context. The module will further your own understanding of the history of community psychology and highlight the theoretical and applied perspectives within a South African community psychology context. The course will contribute to your own understanding of the different interventions and methodologies available in addressing challenges affecting South African communities, the pertinent debates in the use of the different intervention modalities and theoretical perspectives as well as contribute to developing your own social justice perspective.
This course is designed to provide the student with an integrated view of key psychological theories that underpin personality formation, motivation for behaviour, optimal development and psychopathology.
This module provides students with an overview of the major theories of Developmental Psychology. Furthermore, the module aims to address contemporary concerns in lifespan development from conception to late adulthood/death and dying. The course will engage with developmental theories from a range of orientations, including learning/cognitive theories, theories of language development and a socio-cultural perspective.
This module provides a theoretical and practical overview of family systems theory and development. The purpose is to help students to explore and evaluate dysfunctional patterns of interactions and the family’s resources for change. In doing this, the students will be invited to reflect on their own process of differentiation and their ‘self’.
In this module, students will learn about mechanisms of the brain and other biological influences on behaviour, and the basic foundations of neuropsychology. This module will be contextualised within the culturally, educationally and linguistically diverse South African context.