ISSN 2039-2117 (online) ISSN 2039-9340 (print) Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy Vol 5 No 23 November 2014 1419 Degrees or Diplomas? Two Scenarios in an Environmental Management Programme in a Faculty of Applied Sciences Tholang Maqutu Cape Peninsula University of Technology maqutut@cput.ac.za Bonita Kleyn-Magolie Cape Peninsula University of Technology kleynmagolieb@cput.ac.za De Wet Schutte Cape Peninsula University of Technology schutted@cput.ac.za Doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1419 Abstract The Management of a Faculty of Applied Sciences in a South African university of technology is keen on the Faculty offering degrees rather than the current system of diploma qualifications. But different programmes have different structures and purposes which may make them more or less suitable as degree qualifications. All the current programmes are in Muller’s (2009) terms ‘outward-looking’ and involve applied theory as they are aimed at developing students directly for careers. However, some careers involve high levels of scientific theory which would need to be taught in a vertical and cumulative fashion over a longer period. These sorts of diploma qualifications, for example, biotechnology, may be quite suited to be developed as degree qualifications. Even though other careers, such as environmental management, involve the natural sciences, they have a strong focus on the social sciences. Such diploma qualifications may be more difficult to convert to degree programmes as it involves two different, sometimes considered to be opposite sciences, namely the natural and human sciences. The article aims to examine the current drivers at play in the field of environmental management and what effects the introduction of degrees may have on these actors. It also examines possible changes and how these could impact on the introduction of degree holding workers and the degree programme itself in a university of technology using scenario methodology. These will include the professional environments and the nature of the knowledge taught in the fields. Keywords: Degree, diploma, scenario methodology, university of technology, forms of knowledge, vocational curricula 1. Introduction Prior to 2004, the tertiary education system in South Africa was offered by universities (higher education) and technikons (vocational education). The naming of tertiary education institutions changed in 2004, when all technikons were renamed universities of technology (UoT). This process of re-naming is not new, as calls for a common name, namely, ‘universities’ for all tertiary institutions were also made back in the 1970s in Australia (Young, 1975). In 2007, the then South African Department of Education and Training introduced the Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF). According to the HEQF all existing qualifications and programmes offered by higher education institutions had to be aligned with this framework by 2009. None of the current UoT- type qualifications such as the National Diploma and Bachelor of Technology featured on the HEQF. Therefore, a new suite of “HEQF – compliant” qualifications needed to be designed by the UoTS. As time went by, the UoTs could not comply by the required date and a transitional period was granted to ensure full compliance with the HEQF policy. The primary purpose of tertiary education is to skill the workforce and citizens (Beddie, 2010) and the main aim of the Higher Education Qualification Council (HEQC) was to transform higher education in South Africa by creating a single qualifications framework for a single coordinated higher education sector (Republic of South Africa, 1997). The implementation of this policy provided UoTs with the opportunity to reflect on their current qualifications offerings and to allow them to engage in a major curriculum reconstruction exercise, referred to as recurriculation in a South African