The department of Humanities and Creative Arts Education focuses on the training of teachers to teach in the Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Band of schooling. We offer an undergraduate programme namely the Bachelor of Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training (B Ed SP & FET) with three streams namely: Creative Arts (Creative Arts, Music, History and English), Humanities (Social Sciences, Geography and History) and Languages (isiXhosa and English). In line with the streams our programmes are called Bachelor of Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training (Creative Arts), Bachelor of Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training (Humanities), Bachelor of Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training (Languages). Through these programmes we develop our students to emerge as specialists in their chosen fields.

3.1.2 Work-Integrated Learning (WIL)

School-based WIL, including supervised and assessed teaching practice, constitute an essential part of the BEd programme. In a full-time contact programme, students should spend a minimum of 20 weeks and a maximum of 32 weeks in formaly supervised and assessed school- based practices over the four-year duration of the degree. The purpose of school based experience is to expose student teachers to practice within a school context through structured classroom teaching which enables them to demonstrate their experience in the Senior Phase (SP) and Further Education and Training (FET) Phase Teaching.

School Based Experience (SBE) develops the student teachers’ competence to effectively teach in authentic, natural and diverse environments in the South African context. Also, it affords them with opportunities to integrate the knowledge and skills acquired through the different courses/modules studied, to deal effectively with diverse challenges in inclusive classrooms.
In addition, student teachers develop professionalism and important self-reflective skills which promote effective teaching, learning and assessment. Furthermore, it develops skills for the production and utilisation of teaching and learning resources and strategies for effective classroom management.

3.1.3 Partnerships

The Department of Humanities and Creative Arts Education has a working relationship with the Department of Basic Education in the province. We interact on a regular basis with the departmental officials, especially those within the areas of specialisation like Creative Arts, Humanities and the Languages. The department of Humanities and Creative Arts has over the years enjoyed a cordial working relationship with both the National Department of Sport, Creative Arts (DSAC) and the Provincial Department of Sport, Recreation, Creative Arts (DSRAC). We have also forged working relations with the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha. We get to be invited to a number of events these departments and entities are running that are beneficial to our students. During the Youth Month in 2022 the Nelson Mandela Museum in partnership with the Department of Sport, Recreation, Creative Arts invited fifteen languages students to take part in the Youth Month Reading Promotion Programme. The department’s Marimba Band was also invited to render performances during the event.

3.1.4 Graduates attributes
The programmes offered by the department will make individual students be aware of the importance of:

• Applying educational and theoretical knowledge needed to equip learners with relevant values, skills and knowledge applicable to their development;
• Utilising competencies in educating learners using diverse pedagogies;
• Applying leadership and innovative practices in the classroom, school and community;
• Applying basic research and academic principles to evaluate and manage information;
• Integrating relevant policies and technologies with classroom practice;
• Evaluating performance against given criteria and use the results to improve teaching and learning;
• Enhancing the teaching profession by demonstrating professional and ethical behaviour

3.1.5. Graduate opportunities

There is a plethora of opportunities available for our graduates after they have completed their studies. The majority of them commence their careers as teachers in the Senior Phase and the Further Education and Training Band. Some of them move up the ranks to become Heads of Department, Deputy Principals and Principals in the schools they are employed in. The Department of Education also employs our graduates as education officials.

3.2 Vision, mission, values

3.2.1 Vision
The Department of Humanities and Creative Arts Education aspires to be a technology-infused department in meeting the educational needs of local, national and global communities within an African context by pursuing academic excellence and innovation.

3.2.2 Mission
The Department of Humanities and Creative Arts Education through its teacher education programmes aims to respond to societal needs in ethical, scholarly, sustainable and entrepreneurial ways. We also strive to always be relevant through offering programmes that deliver future-ready graduates. We will do this by:
• applying, ensuring and complying to quality assurance systems and standards by regularly reviewing the responsiveness of our programmes.
• offering programmes that focus on developing creative, critical and reflective competencies and allow students to emerge as agents of change in pursuit of excellence and innovation through the use of technology.
• identifying community challenges and problems and seeking solutions
• generating new knowledge and ideas that shape, enhance and inform modern learning and teaching methodologies.
• participaing in community engagement to enhance values, wisdom, lifestyles, and quality of life in rural communities.
• upholding the values of the University.
• forging collaborations with other learning institutions.

3.2.3 Values

The department adheres to the institution’s core values namely:
Honesty and Integrity
Quality and Excellence
Respect
Ubuntu

3.3 Goals of the Department

The goals of the department are to:

• Develop and offer programmes that focus on creative, critical and reflective thinking competencies;
• Afford student-teachers opportunities to emerge as reflexive practitioners of change in pursuit of excellence and innovation through the use of technology;
• Equip student-teachers with modern pedagogies that assist in generating new knowledge and ideas through the use of technology;
• Utilise innovative basic research skills to respond to community challenges;
• Empower student-teachers with knowledge, skills and values to play pivotal roles in their communities for sustainable development.
• To produce teachers of the highest quality in Languages, Humanities and the Creative Arts.

3.4 Student societies and their roles
The Student Society is the sub-structure of the Student Representative Council (SRC).
Their roles include:
• Representing the student body in departmental and faculty academic-related matters.
• Liaising with the Class Representatives and SRC on academic matters that affect the student body.
• Liaising with the lecturer, Head of Department (HoD) and Dean on matters that affect students.