Programme Summary

COURSE SYNOPSIS

MDS5101 Development Theory, Policy and Practice                                                           20 credits

This module provides grounding in the sociology and politics of development. It focuses on the concept of development, development theories and aspects of practices in the real world. The interplay between theory and practice and the outcome of this relationship will be explored together with development policy issues. The module provides a comprehensive survey of development thinking from “classical” development ideas to alternative and post-development theories. It then attempts to critically review contemporary debates about development, including the link between modernity and development, participation, empowerment, gender, trade, food sovereignty, corporate social responsibility and the role of the development practitioner.

MDS5102 Development Economics                                                                                  20 credits

The module will offer students an appreciation of how economics affects development, exploring the various strategies used to bring about economic growth and hence development. It provides insights for setting development programmes/initiatives with an appreciation of the economic fundamentals affecting the factors of production upon which the results of development are dependent. It also provides the student with enhanced knowledge on measures of development i.e. purely economic growth measures such as GNP, GDP, Gini co-efficient versus development indicators that also include a people’s living standards, health, education, rights i.e. human development index, which are important in assessing programme impact. It will also look at the justifications for having development banks such as IMF, World Bank etc. This module is strongly linked to other modules on the programme such as Development Theory, Policy and Practice and Governance and Development.

MDS5103 Governance and Development                                                                           20 credits

This module explores the relationship between governance and development. It sensitizes candidates to the importance of the political – legal framework in complying with the ideals of good governance. The module looks at issues, concepts, and trends in the field of political development; the dynamics of the political environment; constitutional provisions for governance and development; local governance and community- based development; public management and aspects of international relations.

MDS5104 The Natural Environment and Development                                                        20 credits

The module looks at the effects of the environment on human and economic development. It aims to equip candidates with skills of articulating how development activities can lead to environmental degradation and the strategies for mitigating degradation. It will examine the effect of the human-environment interaction such as land degradation, pollution, natural resource depletion, population settlements, and food security, environmental protection and issues around global climatic change, among others.

MDS5105 Gender and Development                                                                                  20 credits

The module aims to deepen students’ understanding on the interrelationship between gender and development. To this end, a comprehensive understanding of gender, gender identity and expression issues will be fostered. As gender has been understood differently over time, the module will help show how, historically, the approaches to Gender and Development have been changing in line with the changes in its conceptualisation. This understanding will help students relate how gender hierarchies and stereotypes are set in place through historical processes and how the measures and processes of development are gendered. The module will provide a firm understanding of economic and social processes that shape the contemporary world and their gendered outcomes. This understanding will be premised on four institutional domains which are: 1. the household, family and kinship; 2. the market; 3. the community; and 4. the state. Policies, strategies and institutions that have been put in place to advocate for gender justice will be examined

MDS5201 Development Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation                                              20 credits

The module focuses on the concepts and skills for planning development initiatives i.e. problem analysis and needs assessment, setting objectives, selecting among alternative methods, etc. It then looks at skills for monitoring and evaluating project/programme implementation. Standard planning and evaluation procedures are contrasted with the realities and needs of programs development at the grassroots level, exploring issues of participation, ownership, and accountability. The module will also explore aspects of Programme Accountability and Learning Systems (PALS).

MDS5202 Rights Based Programming                                                                              20 credits

This module enables students to gain an insight into current development paradigms and policies including, but not limited to The Human Rights Framework, from Needs Based to Rights Based Approaches, The Principles and Practice of Rights Based Programming, Debates and Dilemmas in Rights Based Programming, the UN convention on the Rights of the Child and other conventions. Students will deepen their knowledge about project and programme development from a human rights perspective and learn how to apply the principles of equity, empowerment, participation and accountability to various phases of project planning and implementation. They will also gain sensitivity to how programs can integrate non-discriminatory practice and give attention to vulnerable groups. The module will focus on practical tools for human rights situation assessment, programme planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation within the rights based conceptual framework.

MDS5203 International Development Issues and Trends                                                     20 credits

The module explores international issues and trends in the field of development. It introduces candidates to the larger context of international economics, politics, and policies so as to better understand the way these impact on grassroots reality and initiatives. Candidates will examine the requirements placed on national governments and analyse the impact of donor nation decisions about how much and what kinds of international aid will be made available in which regions of the south. The module will also examine contemporary issues to do with African Diaspora and international migration and their impact on development.

MDS5204 Research Methods                                                                                           20 credits

This module covers how to undertake the typical research process, with particular emphasis on development issues. It includes an analysis of the application of key research tools and methods in attempting to seek practical answers/explanations to development scenarios. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are covered. This should guide students in preparing for their fieldwork for dissertations.

MDS5205 Migration and Development                                                                               20 credits

This module will unpack the relationship between human migration and development in era of increased transnational mobility driven by both structural and personal factors. It will interrogate the different avenues through which migration may be harnessed as a vector of development. The module will expand the students’ appreciation of postcolonial critiques of both development and migration studies and problematise the increasing relevance of national borders in the postcolonial world order characterised by increased transnationalism. It will expand the students’ appreciation of the challenges and opportunities faced by those who move and how different im/mobility practices shape public and private interactions, spaces and organizations. This module will also deepen the student's understanding of a plethora of perspectives on contemporary migration, mobility and displacement, drawing on theoretical engagements and empirical studies from the Global south. It will stimulate students to critically engage with and deconstruct traditional theories and analytical tools of migration studies and critically reflect on migration and asylum policies as well as state-led migration management interventions. The module will allow students to appreciate how different governance practices, control and contestations around issues of im/mobility trigger, reinforce or transform forms of global and regional inequalities in the development context with the aim of understanding the impact of migration on both the sending and receiving societies

MDS5301 Management of Development Institutions and Programme                                  20 credits

This module is designed to offer candidates specific and unique skills required to manage in an NGO/not-for-profit context. The module covers: creating a vision for the development organization, strategic leadership and board composition, organizational structure and operation, marketing and fundraising, development partner expansion, financial management, financial analysis and reporting, training and motivation of volunteers, assessment of stakeholders satisfaction and overall operating effectiveness, sustainability strategy planning and design, capacity mapping, program objective setting, program implementation and program evaluation.

MDS5302 Dimensions of Poverty Reduction                                                                      20 credits

This module seeks to address issues of poverty reduction strategies which have to deal with many difficult and complex challenges. Theories of poverty and poverty cycle will be interrogated and ways to integrate poverty reduction strategies will be examined.  The module would examine prominent views on the linkages between economic growth, inequality, and poverty reduction suggesting the proper definition and measurement of pro-poor growth. The module will also analyse pro-poor policies and legislative provisions which are focused on poverty reduction in Africa and the world. The module would explore different dimensions that are related to poverty reductions.

MDS5303 Civil Society and Development                                                                          20 credits

The module seeks to equip candidates with skills to critique the roles of civil society organizations. The module is expected to cover topical issues such as; the contemporary issues of civil society, the emergence of common challenges of civil society, the impact of globalization on development. The module will examine the roles of civil society organizations and their challenges and critique the value of civil society as a balance to the private sector and the state.

MDS5304 Social and Political Change in Developing Countries                                           20 credits

The module seeks to create an understanding on the dynamics that drive the developing countries. Candidates will examine the social and political changes and link these to development in this module. Issues such as political development, the economies of ideology in developing countries, anthropology and political development as well as issues related to World Trade Organization operations will also be discussed.  Candidates will analyze the theories of change in international development, within the social, political and environmental realities of their particular context.  The module also seeks to interrogate the roles of social, economic and environmental movements in their attempts to achieve desired social changes and harness the linkages in Peace, Conflict management and resolution.

MDS5305 Geographical Information Systems for Development Studies                                20 credits

This course covers the principles and applications of geographic information systems (GIS). The course explores how geographic reality is modelled in a GIS and what kinds of data are already defined, collected and available.  This course aims to introduce the basic concepts and information concerning the GIS (Notably referred to as Geographic Information System).  The module would examine the following areas: Understand the GIsystem, GIscience and GIservice; differentiate between a GIS and a non GIS; history of GIS; different sources of GIS data and their related errors; GIS components and the subsystems; the GIS data models i.e Raster, Vector and Attribute; appreciate the data input subsystem and GIS processing environment and Map projections

MDS5400 Dissertation                                                                                                    100 credits

The final module on the MSc in Development Studies programme is the dissertation, researched and written over at least six months.  In preparation for this research study, candidates are required to present a proposal for approval. This will equip the candidates with the research techniques and analytical tools they will need for their dissertations.    The dissertation shall, on its own, constitute the final part of the programme. A candidate is required to submit a dissertation of approximately 20 000 words on a topic relating to his/her area of development interest and approved in writing by the dissertation supervisor.  A candidate is required to participate in the final oral examination (viva voce) normally held after the submission of the dissertation. The oral defence contributes 20% towards the final dissertation mark. Two typed copies of the dissertation shall be submitted to the Institute. The format for the dissertation shall be as provided for the thesis of MPhil and PhD in the General Regulation.