UNISA Higher Certificate in Education

Higher Certificate in Education

Qualification stream:	Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching
Qualification code:	90093 – SPF
NQF level:	5
Total credits:	120
SAQA ID:	101813
APS/AS:	18
Rules: This Higher Certificate in Education is the only Higher Certificate articulating into the UNISA Bachelor of Education Senior Phase and FET qualification. Students who completed the Higher Certificate in Education prior to the stream will still be considered for admission into the Bachelor of Education. For the Foundation Phase and Intermediate Phase access, students must have MTE1501 or Matric Mathematics. Students should note that these are year modules except AFL1501, BPT1501 and EUP1501 and should be registered at the beginning of the year.
Purpose statement: The purpose of this qualification is to provide access, with a reasonable chance of success, to candidates with potential who otherwise would not meet the new minimum entry requirements. The curriculum is aimed at providing these students with the necessary basic skills to succeed within the Open Distance Learning (ODeL) environment and also some articulation into first year undergraduate Degree/Diploma qualifications offered. The purpose of the learning therefore will be to enhance generic competencies within ODeL such as basic language and learning skills, information management skills and teaching skills, as well as some elective subject knowledge.
This qualification will be presented using both online and distance learning modes.

Who can register?

Applicants (new applicants & Unisa students who applied for admission to a new qualification) may only register if they have received an offer of placement from Unisa and have accepted the offer online. Unisa reserves the right to not process and / or to cancel your registration if it is found that you were incorrectly admitted to a qualification.
Re-registering students may register for the 2023 academic year once the registration period opens.

Please note: Should you wish to start a new qualification, please apply online for the alternative qualification during the prescribed application period.

How to choose your modules

Each Unisa qualification is structured in such a way that you need to pass a certain number of NQF level credits within a certain amount of time in order to graduate.

Co-requisite: Module A is a co-requisite for Module B. You want to register for Module B, but have not yet passed Module A. You must then register for both Modules A and B simultaneously. You may NOT cancel your registration for Module A unless Module B is also cancelled.
Pre-requisite: If Module A is a pre-requisite for Module B, you must pass Module A before you may register for Module B.

You may not register for more than the allowed maximum number of credits / modules per academic year and / or semester: 60 credits per semester or 120 credits per academic year.

The maximum number of credits do not include supplementary and / or aegrotat examinations from a previous semester. Modules taken for non-degree / non-diploma purposes also count towards the maximum number of credits allowed.

You must take your available time into consideration when choosing your modules, as this will impact your academic performance. You need approximately

6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.

Click here for more information on managing your studies.

Curriculum for this qualification

As you are deciding on the modules you will be registering for, remember to write down the module names and codes so that you have something that you can refer to when completing your registration.

Please click on the modules below to see further information

First level

All modules from Group A are compulsory, select TWO modules from Group B from the same subject field
(GCS1501 and IED1501; MTE1501 and MTE1502; SCC1501 and SCC1502; TEC1501 and TEC1502).

Module (Please click on the module to see further information)	Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory
AFL1501 – Language Through an African Lens
BPT1501 – Being a Professional Teacher
CAD1501 – Child and Adolescent Development
DPP1501 – Diversity, Pedagogy and Practice
EST1501 – Academic Proficiency in English for student Teachers
EUP1501 – Ethical Information and Communication Technologies for Development Solutions
INS1502 – Developing Information Skills for Lifelong Learning
PSC1501 – Practical Science for the Classroom
Group B. Choose 2 modules from the same subject field.
GCS1501 – Guidance, Counselling and Life Skills Development
IED1501 – Introduction to Environmental Education
MTE1501 – Mathematics 1 for Teachers
MTE1502 – Mathematics 2 for Teachers
SCC1501 – Science for the Classroom 1
SCC1502 – Science for the Classroom 2
TEC1501 – Technology 1 for the classroom
TEC1502 – Technology 2 for the classroom

A higher certificate pass is one of the four types of passes that you can achieve in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) programme in South Africa. A higher certificate pass allows you to study further at a higher learning institution for a higher certificate programme.

To get a higher certificate pass, you will need at least 15 APS points. This means that you will need to meet the following requirements:

You must obtain at least 40% for your home language.
You must obtain at least 40% in two other subjects, excluding Life Orientation.
You must obtain at least 30% in any other three subjects.
You can only fail one subject.

To obtain a Higher Certificate, you need to earn 120 credits by completing ten modules. Eight of these modules are mandatory and you have no choice but to take them. The other two modules are optional and you can select them from a list of electives. This is how you can finish your Higher Certificate course.

Is Unisa open for 2023 applications for higher certificate?

The University of South Africa (UNISA) Online Applications for 2023 Admission to higher certificate courses in Education open from 11 August 2022 to 15 October 2022.

How many years is a higher certificate at Unisa?

You will note that a Higher Certificate (which consists of 120 credits) must be completed in three years.

To qualify for the Higher Certificate in Education, you need to have a National Certificate (Vocational) Level 4 and score at least 40% in the language that you will use for teaching and learning, according to the NSC standards. Please note that this certificate does not make you a professional teacher.