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APPLIED INFORMATION SCIENCE

Major combinations:
NQF Level: 5: AIS1501, AIS1503
NQF Level: 6: AIS2601, AIS2602, AIS2603
NQF Level: 7: AIS3702, AIS3703, AIS3704, AIS3705, AIS3711, AIS3717

Developing and Managing Information Collections - AIS2605
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: AIS1501 & AIS1503
Purpose: This module forms part of the Bachelor of Information Science (BInf.) qualification. Students who successfully complete this module demonstrate integrated knowledge and understanding and competence to manage and develop information sources collections according to user needs in a multi-media and electronic library environment.
Subject Organisation - AIS3702
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: AIS2601
Purpose: This module forms part of the Bachelor of Information Science (BInf.) qualification. Students who successfully complete this module demonstrate integrated knowledge and understanding of classification and verbal subject headings theories, policies and practices as aspects of information organisation. Understanding of the underlying classification and verbal subject headings principles will enable students to conceptually analyse and evaluate subject content in order to appropriately classify and assign appropriate subject headings information sources. Competencies gained in the module will enable students to address the industry need for organisation, access and retrieval of information sources thereby enhancing the human right of access to information.
Serving the user in Library and Information Practice - AIS3703
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: Qualifying students will have the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to provide professional user services to satisfy the needs of various types of information users in a multicultural context. The purpose of the learning is to develop and design user guidance and outreach services for users
Applying Research Methodology in Information Science - AIS3704
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: This module forms part of the Bachelor of Information Science (BInf.) qualification. Students who successfully complete this module demonstrate integrated knowledge and understanding of the role of the research in LIS and the application of basic research methods relevant to a research problem in LIS. Students will demonstrate basic skills in collecting, analysing, interpreting, evaluating and communicating the relevance and applicability of research findings for solving specific problems in LIS. The qualifying student can conduct basic research in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS).
Practical Portfolio - AIS3705
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: AIS2601, AIS2602, AIS2603, AIS2604, AIS2605, INS2601, INS2602 & INS2603 Co-requisite: INS2701
Recommendation: It is advisable that students should have completed the two research modules RSC261 and AIS3704 before enrolling for this module. If possible, AIS should be one of the last modules students enrol for.
Purpose: Module AIS3705 contains the practical component of the degree and has been designed around continually assessed portfolio work. During the course of the year, students have to put together a portfolio that will showcase their progress and indicate what they have learned from the modules completed in the previous years as well as the current year. Students credited with this unit standard are able to apply theoretical information scientific knowledge and skills to solve practical problems in an information agency. Upon completion of this module, they should specifically be able to: ユ Identify and solve problems using responsible decision-making as well as critical and creative thinking. ユ Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.\ ユ Communicate effectively using language skills in the mode of written presentation
Recording Information Resources - AIS3711
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: AIS2601
Recommendation: The topics dealing with concepts embedded in the co-requisites are the key to understand the further hierarchically built knowledge in this module: basic resource description/ descriptive cataloguing; information conceptualize/ bibliographic control; classification; collection; document/information resource/ record; information access; information management; information retrieval/ discovery; information service; information user; internet; metadata
Purpose: Students use their knowledge, competencies and values to practically and correctly record various types of information resources. This is done according to international codes and standards, specifically, Resource Description and Access (RDA), Dublin Core and MARC21. They are thus enabled to manage, 2onceptu and retrieve- or discover- information, or the documents which are carriers of the sought-after information, for future library and information areas. This is a required and core module at advanced level which supports further studies and applications in Computer and Information Sciences, Data Processing and Information Science. The module is part of the Bachelor of Information Science (B Inf) degree. This online module requires students to use connected technological devices to interact with others daily. Due to complexities regarding record construction, students are required to attend various workshops 2onceptua online for support purposes.
Information and Knowledge Entrepreneurship - AIS3717
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to introduce the principles, skills and knowledge required to be a knowledge entrepreneur. These competencies contribute to the development of business plans in knowledge-based initiatives in southern Africa, Africa or globally. The module seeks to create an awareness of the changing information environment and the opportunities that exist for students with a background in information science. Students can engage in this module with fundamental knowledge at introductory level, with imbedded skills and values which support further studies and applications in the sector of the discipline of information science, as part of the Bachelor of Information Science qualification. Enrolled students in this blended mode are required to engage using computers and the Internet to connect with others to learn, on a weekly basis, and to participate in online discussions via myUnisa with a required portfolio submitted at the end.
Descriptive Cataloguing and Subject Organisation - AIS4801
Post Graduate Diploma Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 24
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: This module is intended for students, who hold a Bachelor's degree in any other field other than information science and who wish to develop their career in LIS. Provision of information and knowledge services forms an integral part of LIS environment. The purpose of this module is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to provide and manage knowledge and information services in the LIS environment to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
Introducing Applied Information Science - AIS1501
Under Graduate Degree,Higher Certificate Semester module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: To gain insight into the library as information agency in general, as well as into different types of library and information services in particular.
ICT Applications in Library and Information Services - AIS4802
Post Graduate Diploma Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 24
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: This module is intended for students, who hold a Bachelor's degree in any other field other than information science. Students who wish to develop their career in LIS. Technology forms the basis of most of the LIS operational activities. The purpose of this module is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to utilize and manage existing ICTs in the LIS environment to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
Introducing Information Records and Sources - AIS1503
Under Graduate Degree,Higher Certificate Semester module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: To introduce students to the contents of various types of printed, electronic and internet-based information records, as well as the application of knowledge and skills in evaluating and utilising information resources.
Library and Information Practice - AIS4803
Post Graduate Diploma Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: This portfolio module is intended for students, who hold a Bachelor's degree in any other field other than information science and who wish to develop their career in LIS. The portfolio should showcase the competencies obtained throughout the duration of the Post Graduate Diploma in LIS. The purpose of this module is to provide the students with an opportunity to integrate apply and report on the acquired knowledge and skills in the LIS environment.
Using the Internet as a Reference Tool - AIS1601
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to equip students with the necessary theoretical knowledge to understand and apply the use of the Internet applications within the library and Information service environment and also acquire the skills to access and distribute information sources via a number of Internet applications.
Introducing Management in Libraries and Information Centres - AIS1602
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the concept of management in libraries and information centres. The module will cover what the management of libraries and information centres entails, what management is, and briefly what management does. A student qualified in this module will understand how management functions apply in a library or information centre.
Bibliographic Control, Basic Descriptive Cataloguing and Classification - AIS2601
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: AIS1503
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to introduce students to the concept of bibliographic control and equip them with basic skills to enable them to organise information sources in order to facilitate access to and retrieval of information. The qualifying student will be able to do basic original cataloguing and simple classification by applying two international standards, namely the Anglo-American cataloguing rules and the Dewey decimal classification system.
Learning How to Provide Reference Services - AIS2602
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: AIS1503
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to introduce knowledge and skills required to offer personal assistance in reference work by using the latest information and communication technologies and other reference tools to access information effectively.
Describing Library user Group and Meeting their Needs - AIS2603
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: AIS1503
Purpose: This module forms part of the BInf degree. The purpose of this module is to equip students with competencies such as the application knowledge and understanding of different forms of schools of thought in varying contexts. Students should be able to apply appropriate methods and techniques of different groups of library users and their needs and their usage behaviour. Students should be able to select relevant information sources and records to meet different user group needs.
Utilising Electronic Library Systems and Services - AIS2604
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: AIS1503 Co-requisite: AIS1601
Purpose: The purpose of this module is to provide students with knowledge and critical understanding of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and its associated technologies in libraries and information services. Many specific ICT technologies such as cloud computing, security management, web 2.0 tools, social media networks, and web-based applications and search tools are addressed in this module. Students qualifying for this module will be able to understand library systems and services. This module will provide students with an exposure to the automated library environment.