ADMISSIONS START November 1st, 2022, PROGRAMS START January 1st, 2023
SOUTHGATE PROGRAMS
Our online programs and courses at Southgate University combines flexibility, speed and student’s dexterity in order to achieve set goals within defined time and resources. These programs are based on international higher education quality assurance and accreditation requirements and in compliance with the accreditation standards and requirements for private higher education institutions, as provided by the Namibia Qualification Authority (NQA) and Ministry of Education and Science, Ukraine.
Although Southgate University has not been quality-checked by way of program content and performance evaluation by NQA, this is due to NQA accreditation policy framework. However, the University is legally and legitimately authorized to use online and multimedia platforms to train learners, evaluate learner’s knowledge and experiences and certify same; having been registered under the Namibian Close Corporations Act 1988 and Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) Act No. 8 of 2016. Consequently, the University fully subscribes to the academic benchmarks provided by Namibia Qualification Framework (NQF) in quality and academic content delivery, pursuant to our anticipatory and mandatory documentation for NQA accreditation as required by law.
As a legally recognized organization, our commitment and adoption of these internationally applicable academic and higher education learning standards are based on our strict adherence and acceptance of the requirements and stipulations for new institutions as provided for, by Namibia Government Notice: No.124 (2006)-Regulations for the Accreditation of Persons and Institutions or Organizations and section 13 of Namibia Qualifications Authority Act 29 of 1996. In addition to compliance with these statutory regulations pending our direct accreditation by NQA when due, our degree programs validating partners, which are public universities and research institutions in Europe, shall regularly conduct reviews on our educational quality standards and processes, to ensure compliance with their own accreditation conditions and status in their home countries.
In addition to these recognized standards expected of Higher Education Institutions (HEI), Southgate University takes cognizance of credit currency knowledge contents and values from prior educational learning and practice oriented engagements of prospective students; especially for students who in the opinion of the University’s Directorate of Admissions, are highly skilled and knowledgeable, based on verifiable contents of their entry level certificates, curriculum vitae and other supporting and acceptable documentations. Such students at the point of admission processing are assessed and their lifelong prior learning are quantified and computed into student’s credit unit benefits.
However, where the Directorate of Admissions are not certain of the suitability of a candidate for admission, entry qualifying assessments in forms of online written test and oral interviews shall be conducted over skype and other audio-visual multimedia applications. For mature candidates, this policy reduces the credit unit workloads and number of courses that the student must mandatorily study and be examined upon. This policy also reduces the number of terms or duration of a student’s program with the University.
PROFICIENCY CERTIFICATION
These programs are designed for working adults who already possess significant degree of expertise in their chosen field of work but intend to optimize available resources in the industry, especially where new knowledge exist in their areas of expertise. Based on the desires of such students, the University can design specialized training modules to suit the needs of the particular student with respect to international best industry practices in that field.
The program is supported by high caliber experienced industry practitioners in different fields and runs for a duration of 4-8 months. If candidates’ assessment after 4 months of training and mentored sessions, returns satisfactory, Certificate of Proficiency is issued to the candidate and upon completion of the advanced form of the training at the 8th month, Practice Diploma is issued.
BACHELOR DEGREE PROGRAMS
This qualification is categorized under Level 8 NQF, with appropriate NQA rated credit units at 10 co-ordinated learning hours per credit unit as approved by the Namibia National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and Namibia Qualification Authority (NQA).
With a minimum of 25 and maximum of 31 courses, our Bachelor Degree programs can be completed within three years of 9 terms and maximum of four years of 12 terms subject to student’s assessed peculiarities. It should be noted that student’s final project report and its viva voce defense component is assessed at maximum of 10 credit units.
MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAMS
Master’s Degree programs at Southgate University is categorized at Level 9 NQF at the specified NQA rated credit units. These programs are designated for a maximum duration of 18 months of 4 to 6 terms with not less than 12 core application courses, 2 of which are electives. These courses are broken into 4 modules per course and 3 courses per term of 12 weeks. There is a maximum of 3 seminar presentations during the program and candidate’s final thesis viva voce defense before graduation. These seminar presentations together with written examinations form the basis for individual candidate academic assessment. Candidate’s thesis report and its viva voce components shall be computed at maximum of 10 credit units.
DOCTORATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
The University’s Academic Doctoral Degree Programs that are research based (i.e. PhD programs) are categorized at level 10 NQF, based on the specified NQA rated credit units with maximum of 7 courses in it coursework content. These specialized courses are in the candidate’s core specialty areas of research interest and provide the needed knowledge, research tools and intellectual components for the candidate’s approved dissertation title. It should be noted that the PhD research commences alongside the last one or two coursework, with the assignment of the candidate to two supervisors one of whom is a senior academic of international repute, of professorial cadre.
The candidates are mentored in these courses at the rate of two courses per term and are required to produce two lengthy term papers / publishable journals per course per term. The candidates are expected to make presentations and defend the two term papers in open seminars or close-webinar sessions with mentors and assigned faculties in observation for evaluation of student’s level of mastery of the subject and specific addition to existing knowledge or generation of new knowledge. The approved term paper titles and presentations shall have a connection or link to candidate’s chosen area of research dissertation. Candidate’s final dissertation shall be computed at 10 credit units.
Southgate University also offers Professional Doctorate Degrees (such as D. Eng, DBA, JD, etc) which are practice based. Entry qualifications for this professional doctorate is an acceptable Master’s Degree from recognized universities with not less than 7 years of demonstrable, cognitive and practical industry experience in the candidate’s core area(s) of practice. This claim as shown in candidate’s curriculum vitae must be verified by the Post-Graduate School of the University.
A second approved entry qualification for the University’s professional doctorate degree is a notarized endorsement of the highest level of professional competence, adjudged to be an equivalent of Master’s Degree certification from internationally recognized professional or research institutes or Professional Association with over 10 years of demonstrable, cognitive and practical industrial experience in the candidate’s core area(s) of practice.
This information must be verifiable and shall be based on information disclosed in candidate’s curriculum vitae. Individual candidates are expected to produce not less than 7 verifiable written reports of practical service delivery in their areas of competence over their years of industry exposure in situations where candidate had the task of team leadership for the projects in his or her place of work or engagement. Each report shall not be less than 5,500 words and should contain schematics, creative designs, graphs, charts, pictures, flow charts, components designs and assembly drawings, etc.
The peculiarity of individual student’s case is considered while harmonizing the candidate’s practical experience portfolio and submitted practice reports. However, where verification of candidate’s claims requires the University’s assessors, to travel for confirmation, candidates are to bear the cost and expense of such engagements. Final report of criteria assessment is further vetted by senior academics and high caliber industry professionals. Seminar presentations in selected areas are required before final doctoral dissertation defense. The doctoral dissertation for the professional doctorate degree shall be a summary of the candidate’s experience profile as documented in the 7 practical reports together with personal inputs and innovations to the practice area that produced the results or solutions in his place of work or in the industry.
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