Namibia Qualifications Authority NQA Professional Bachelor Award

Characteristics and purpose

Professional Bachelor degrees represent substantial attainment of a body of outcomes of learning greater than and in advance of a Bachelor degree.  Such degrees normally contain a substantial element of ‘learning by doing’ and often focus on preparation for entry into a professional field of practice.

Professional Bachelor degrees must:

• build to a level of conceptual sophistication, specialised knowledge and intellectual autonomy (similar to that described for Bachelor Honours degrees)
• include a terminal project or other supervised practice-based exercise(s) intended to demonstrate readiness for employment in the professional or occupational field of the qualification, and
• require performance in accordance with a regulatory framework administered by a regulatory or professional body (and thus have the direct recognition and endorsement of that body).

A lower qualification may not be awarded for early exit from a Professional Bachelor degree programme except where exit represents the attainment of another qualification.

Level of certification

A Professional Bachelor Degree shall be awarded at Level 8.

A minimum of 480 NQF credits at Level 4 and above are required of which a minimum of 120 credits must be at level 8.

Size of qualification

The number of contributing credits from Level 4 is restricted to a maximum of 40 credits.