The purpose for M Phil (Arts) is to equip learners with the necessary research skills and expertise that will enable them to undertake independent scientific research in a specialised area of inquiry, with aims that meet the requirements of each specific field of interest within the School of Arts. These specific areas include:

• Communication and media studies.
• Criminal justice and criminology.
• International studies.
• Geography and environmental studies.
• Philosophy.
• Sociology.
• Psychology.

Available at IIE MSA

The purpose of this programme is to build on students' existing knowledge of key areas in the field of communication in order to develop accountable and skilled communication professionals and leaders able to contribute meaningfully both to academic practice and to the communication planning, implementation and management activities of organisations, with specific emphasis on the strategic role of communication in realising organisational strategic initiatives. To this end, students will broaden and deepen their understanding of fundamental communication theories and research methodology and will be required to interrogate and evaluate multiple sources of knowledge in key areas of business-related communication. Graduates will thus cultivate the skills required for further specialised study in support of the principles of life-long learning. Through the development of crucial communication-related skills and competencies highly attractive to prospective employers, graduates will be equipped to take up communication-related positions in a variety of businesses and communication-related sectors where they will be able to add value to the organisation in which they are employed.

Available at IIE Varsity College

This qualification is designed to consolidate and deepen the students’ expertise in the disciplines of five core and aligned fields within Psychology, namely developmental, community, psychopathology, psychotherapeutic interventions and assessment. The research capacity of the students will be developed and will prepare students for further research-based postgraduate study. The purpose of this qualification is critical to further the developmental path to a successful career in the health professions through providing students with competencies in theoretical and practical application of relevant principles, processes, procedures and research techniques. By understanding processes in the mental health context, as well as best practice in the field, graduates will be able to strategically solve individual and social problems. These strategic problem-solving abilities will be developed through a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence. Furthermore, graduates will be adequately prepared to demonstrate competencies in contributing to the economic well-being of their organisation in a responsible manner. Graduates will be well-prepared with the insight and skills that are required for further specialised study in support of the principles of life-long learning.

Available at IIE Varsity College

​The aim of the course is to advance students' knowledge and competencies in the main areas of their chosen field of specialisation. The curriculum covers a wide scope of scholastic activities and integrates theoretical knowledge, research competencies and applied skills relevant to the specialisation field. By exposing learners to the latest trends in the theory, research and practice in these domains, the programme enhances their abilities to conceptualise and analyse critically various aspects of the specialisation field in a multicultural context. An integral part of the programme is the completion of a research project which will equip students with the necessary skills to conduct research and to present and disseminate findings.

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to:

• Construct a topical argument pertaining to a concept relevant of the field of study and display the ability to logically analyse and synthesise knowledge.
• Critically debate the current understanding of theoretical concepts/frameworks, potentially leading to a new and greater understanding of said concepts/frameworks, theory and practice.
• Develop and communicate a new understanding of the world as a set of related problems focused systems by exercising critical thinking and judgment.
• Work and communicate with others as a member of a multi-disciplinary team when studying theoretical perspectives of the field of specialisation.
• Design and conduct an independent research project in the specialised area of study, demonstrating a broad understanding of a body of knowledge with evidence of advanced understanding in some areas.
• Develop and communicate to various audiences a clear and coherent case pertaining to a topic in the field of specialisation.
• Contribute to knowledge in the specialised area by gathering, consolidating, interpreting and reviewing relevant data and revealing relationships between various concepts.
• Independently apply theoretical knowledge of the specialised area to complex problems and suggest possible solutions.

Available at IIE MSA

​The Bachelor of Arts Honours in Design Leadership serves to consolidate and deepen students’ expertise in design leadership and develop research capacity in the methodology and techniques of design leadership. This qualification follows an inter-disciplinary approach that is relevant to different design disciplines, these include but are not limited to strategic design, experience design, digital design, graphic design, communication design, multimedia design and game design. The qualification is designed with a balance of discourse, theoretical and creative components that facilitate the deepening of design knowledge and academic growth.

The Bachelor of Arts Honours in Design Leadership encompasses the use of human centered design approaches such as interactions and experiential design, the convergence of design and new technologies, as well as the overlap between design, brand and business to explore the creation of innovative design solutions to complex problems that are of economic, environmental and social value. The research component provides students with the research skills to generate evidence-based foundations for design solutions within their own field and area of interest. This qualification aims to develop students' ability to manage themselves and teams and, plan and develop complex design solutions as creative directors, senior designers or design entrepreneurs.

Available at IIE Vega School

​The purpose of this programme is to enable individuals in various fields to adopt a digital brand-business approach to strategy in any sphere. This qualification focuses on digital strategy for the purpose of building brand identity, reputation and equity. Strategic brand building and management principles are leveraged to facilitate analysis and systemic consideration of the digital aspects which enable corporates, not-for-profit organisations, entrepreneurial ventures and start-ups to be well-positioned and visible in the market, and to increase both equity and profitability.

Available at IIE Vega School

​The purpose of this qualification is to provide students with the necessary skills for a career in the broad field of Corporate Communication, by developing both practical and cognitive higher order skills using the core theme and practice of responsible, critical citizenship. Through core modules that demand critical thinking, problem solving, writing and oral communication skills, graduates of this qualification will be well-prepared for this field, armed with a set of skills that will enable them to place  new knowledge in context and using appropriate methods for seeking resolutions to communication problems.  The qualification will also position graduates for further study in a related specialisation given its strong emphasis on research skills.

Available at IIE Varsity College 

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare students for careers in the creative brand communication industry, as well as to equip them with the relevant skills and capacity to nurture their own creativity. Graduates from this qualification will be able to enter industry as creative concept developers and skilled copywriters, visual communicators (graphic design and art direction) and multimedia designers or to continue their studies in an appropriate postgraduate qualification. This qualification will provide the brand communication industry with highly creative, self-motivated, skilled individuals who are able to think beyond the traditional, capable of integrating strategic and creative disciplines and sensitive to the complexities of the South African communication arena.

Available at IIE Vega School

The purpose of the Bachelor of Communication Design is to equip students with the knowledge and applied competencies, to meet communication design demands in industry and society in a human-centered, ethical, culturally appropriate, and sustainable manner. The programme aims to develop creative thinkers who conceptualise and create strategic and human-centred visual design solutions for different purposes, communication contexts and audiences and who can work independently or in multi-disciplinary teams. 

Available at IIE Vega School

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare graduates to contribute and work in the local interior design industry, delivering the quality of designs that can compete in the international design industry which influences trends and demands in the local industry. The qualification will provide the students with a solid grounding in the academic theory that underpins the main critical success factors of this industry both creatively and commercially. The programme offers a broad spectrum of educational experiences in a creatively and intellectually stimulating environment to prepare graduates who will be able to distinguish themselves in this competitive industry. 

This programme is designed to promote access to higher education by providing a niche qualification in a small campus environment and to qualify students to follow a career in Interior Design backed by a sound degree level theoretical and conceptual base. This 3-year degree is structured in accordance with the new HEQF guidelines.

Available at IIE Vega School

​The purpose of this programme is to promote access to higher education and to qualify students for careers in the brand communication industries. This 3-year degree is structured in accordance with the new HEQF guidelines and will provide learners with the knowledge, skills and applied competencies identified by industry as critical for employees to enter the world of work as planners and managers of brand communication in either the private sector, the government sector or in NGOs. Graduates will be well-prepared with insight and skills that are both employable and relevant to further specialisation study in support of the principles of life-long learning.

Available at IIE  Vega School

​The purpose of this Bachelor of Experience Design is to equip students with the knowledge, skills and graduate attributes required for a career in Experience Design, with a focus on areas such as User Experience Design (UX) and Motion Design. Experience Design as a discipline is concerned with designing people’s experience of their interactions with objects (physical or digital), spaces (real or virtual) and systems. Experience Design focuses on the utility, usability, satisfaction and delight resulting from people’s interactions with man-made artefacts. It encompasses human experience of many different aspects such as mobile and web applications, digital content, interior and exterior spaces, wayfinding, products, retail environments and services. The Bachelor of Experience Design will provide students with the option to either focus on User Experience (UX) Design or Motion Design, from the second year of study.

User Experience (UX) Design focusses specifically on people’s experience of their interaction with digital technology such as mobile and web applications, in particular the usability of such technology and the interfaces that make interactions with the technology possible.

Motion Design focusses on people’s experience of digital content such as videos, animations, infographics, maps, and data visualizations, in particular clarity of meaning, comprehensibility of communication, entertainment value and emotional engagement during a person’s interaction with the content. Students specialising in User Experience (UX) Design develop knowledge of theories, processes and practices relating to user-centred design, human- computer-interaction design and usability, brand strategy, digital and immersive technologies and digital application development frameworks and platforms. The students focusing on Motion Design will develop knowledge of the theories, processes and practices relating to user-centred audio-visual communication design, motion design, brand and marketing as well as current, emerging and future digital media and technologies.

In keeping with the purpose of a bachelor’s degree, this qualification will expose students to context-specific research about collaborative design and industry best practices. This qualification will enable students to apply a well-rounded knowledge base to practice as experience designers across a broad range of fields within business, government departments, or as entrepreneurs.

The IIE’s Bachelor of Experience Design balances the development of critical thinking and creativity through the application of theoretical knowledge and practical skills to real-world scenarios and/or cases that reflect the rapidly evolving digital landscape, ensuring industry relevance. Graduates will therefore have both the theoretical depth and applied skills relevant to the world of work, as well as a solid foundation in research to further their studies at a postgraduate level.

Available at IIE Vega School

The purpose of this qualification is to provide a quality undergraduate Degree in multimedia design which addresses the skills demands in industry and enables learners to enter and contribute to the multimedia design industry competitively. This qualification is designed to develop the knowledge, skills and meet the outcomes which are internationally and locally identified as critical for a career in this industry. Through this qualification, learners will develop the ability to develop and produce innovative interactive design solutions combining video, animations, still images and audio using a wide variety of media creatively to communicate with various audiences for a variety of purposes. Learners will be well-positioned to add value to the establishment that employs them; to pursue further studies in this field; or enable them to work as independent multimedia designers or consultants in the industry.

The qualification will provide learners with a thorough grounding and sound theoretical base in multimedia design including key disciplines informing professional multimedia design and production such as: design research, visual communication and digital media production and development. This qualification is designed to produce multimedia design professionals who are equipped to implement the design process from concept to the end product and who are empowered with the necessary skills to compete in and contribute to multimedia in the commercial sector.

Available at IIE Vega School

Together with the following blurb: The purpose of the Bachelor of Arts in Copywriting is to develop the principled knowledge, applied competencies and skills needed for a career in copywriting in areas such as advertising, digital content creation and brand and corporate communication. This includes developing knowledge of theories and practices relating to brand strategy, social media content development, creative processes and design, traditional and digital media, as well as technology. Exposure to context-specific research and industry best practices enables learners to address business, social, and environmental challenges through the development of copywriting solutions that can strategically inform, persuade, entertain, instruct, and change behaviour. This qualification will enable learners to apply a well-rounded knowledge base to practice as copywriters across a broad range of fields within business, government departments/ entities, or as entrepreneurs.

Available at IIE Vega School

​The purpose of this qualification is to develop and prepare students for a career in computer graphics and design. Three skills tracks are offered, namely creative thinking, visual communication and graphic development. The programme involves the manipulation of images, and the creation of print layouts and web designs.  Graduates will be well-positioned to work as independent graphic designers or consultants, to contribute to the commercial graphic design industry and to pursue further studies in this field.

Available at IIE Rosebank College

​The qualification will provide learners with foundational knowledge, cognitive and conceptual tools and practical techniques applicable to English Language and Communication Practices. Learners will:

• Develop skills to gather, process, produce and present information,
• Gain foundational knowledge and conceptual tools in ideation and visualisation, and active social media practices.

On completion of this qualification, learners would have developed academic, professional writing and presentation skills which they can apply in both the academic context and entry-level work positions. The qualification provides learners with basic knowledge of fundamental methodology which provides a framework for identifying, conceptualising and solving fundamental communication problems in the work environment. Learners will acquire basic knowledge about a design thinking framework which is a useful tool for innovative ideation and problem solving within academic and organisational contexts. The exposure to the design thinking framework will enable students to identify areas which can hinder the effectiveness of communication processes and practices in the work context.

Available at IIE Varsity College and IIE Rosebank College

The purpose of this qualification is to provide an entry level qualification that will enable students to access internships, learnerships, entry-level positions as well as diploma and degree programmes within any of the creative brand communication fields. It introduces creative brand principles, and develops students' creative and conceptual skills. The programme focuses on the theories and principles of brand building and creative communication as encountered in visual communication, multimedia design and copywriting using a combination of theoretical, experiential and practical components to facilitate students' academic growth, particularly their critical, strategic and conceptual thinking. Students are introduced to the principles and practices of academic writing and research to equip them to further their studies​

Available at IIE Vega School

This Higher Certificate in Video and Photography is an entry-level higher education qualification that is primarily vocational, with a strong industry-oriented focus. The purpose of the Higher Certificate in Video and Photography is to provide students with the basic introductory knowledge, cognitive and conceptual tools and practical techniques for higher education studies in the field of video and photography. The course is designed with a balance of practical, theoretical and creative components that facilitate the enhancement of creative thinking and academic growth. This qualification aims to develop the students’ ethical awareness and ability to become economically viable as entrepreneurs and to acquire the creative and practical technical skills needed to create video and photographic content for different purposes. The qualification focuses on the selected general principles, together with more specific procedures and their application. Successful completion of this qualification signifies that the student has attained a basic level of higher education knowledge and competence in the field of video and photography and can apply such knowledge and competence in an occupation or role in the workplace. The Higher Certificate in Video and Photography includes a simulated work-integrated learning component.

Available at IIE Vega School