IIE Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology

Please note, not all programmes are available on all IIE Varsity College campuses. To find out if your programme of interest is available, contact the campus directly.

Course Information
  • Course: Postgraduate Degree
  • Mode: Full Time (Minumum 1 Year)
  • NQF Level: 8
  • Credits: 120
  • SAQA ID: 105032
  • 2024 Fees: Click to view

The IIE Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology is designed to develop high-level skills in the field of applied psychology. These skills include measurement skills (e.g. how to operationalize the measurement of complex processes); environmental awareness (e.g. habit formation and social appropriateness); interpersonal awareness (e.g. the mechanisms of social communication and potential sources of interpersonal conflict); problem-solving skills (e.g. the ability to tackle a range of different types of problems and to employ a range of approaches to understanding problems); critical evaluation (e.g. to identify the shortcomings and pitfalls of a particular action); perspectives (e.g. the ability to explore issues from multiple points of view); higher order analysis (e.g. identifying recurrent patterns in human activity); and, pragmatism (e.g. a pragmatic approach to work and problem-solving). All of these skills are scarce and promote employability

For admission requirements please click here

The IIE Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and is registered by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as a 120-credit qualification on level 8 (SAQA ID: 105032).

The qualification focusses on four core and aligned fields within Psychology, namely: psychopathology, therapeutic interventions, psychological assessment as well as one of the following electives: developmental psychology or community psychology, depending on availability. All of these areas of study will have a sustained focus on their utility in the South African context, and the contribution that they can make to address the challenges currently faced in South African society. These core aspects of psychology are presented in five respective modules carrying the names of these aspects (Psychological Assessment, Psychopathology, Therapeutic Interventions and Developmental Psychology or Community Psychology). Examples of possible career opportunities for graduates include:

  • Clinical Psychology/Counselling/Therapy (with further postgraduate studies)
  • Human resources
  • Teaching ((with further postgraduate studies)
  • Community worker
  • Marketing or advertising
  • Research
  • Academia

At The IIE’s Varsity College we are proud of, and passionate about, our shift away from the ‘traditional lecturing’ methodology to our blended-learning strategy – the VCBlend.

This blended-learning strategy extends learning beyond the confines of the classroom and creates opportunities for our students to work collaboratively, with peers and their educators, to construct their understanding of concepts. Student engagement is supported by the use of a learning management system (LMS) and the online learning materials that have been developed to underpin our teaching strategy.

Due to the VCBlend approach, you will be expected to spend time conducting your own research, study for assessments and work on assignments. To gain the most from the blended learning experience, VC’s Wireless classrooms and campuses, students are required to BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) such as mobile devices, netbooks, laptops or tablets, etc. so as to develop the necessary academic and digital literacies over the three years of this diploma. This student-focused approach compels our students to be accountable for their learning while developing the critical skills they will need to thrive in the rapidly changing 21st century work environment.

As such, academic life for our students is dynamic, challenging and relevant.

The IIE Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and is registered by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as a 120-credit qualification on level 8 on the same level as other equivalent Honours degrees at South African universities. The opportunity to apply for further study at any South African university exists subject to meeting specific programme entrance requirements.

The IIE is not only accredited in South Africa but its dedication to providing quality education also led to it being accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC) in 2014. The British Accreditation Council is an independent authority in the United Kingdom that accredits private providers globally, including Greece, Switzerland, Singapore, India, Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates. In 2017 The IIE had its accreditation status confirmed by the BAC as an Independent Higher Education Institution confirming our confidence in the international comparability of our standards.

South African students need to know, when they select a private higher education institution, that the standards offered are equivalent to those of a public University. Our students get this from our extensive local accreditation and registration. The students also benefit from knowing that we meet international standards too. The IIE is accredited as an Independent Higher Education Institution by the British Accreditation Council. Locally and internationally we have demonstrated the quality of what we offer.

The IIE’s Varsity College students can be confident that their IIE learning experience meets international best practice standards.