Overview of Department
Established in 2016, the Department of Governance and Development Management provides excellent training in the design, implementation, and governance of development interventions for the public and private sectors. The department offers the underlisted undergraduate, diploma, and post graduate programmes:
- Diploma in Development Management
- Bachelor of Science (BSc.) Development Management
- Master of Science (MSc.) in Development Management (Weekend)
- Master of Philosophy (MPhil.) in Development Management
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Development Management and Governance
Our progrommes
Programmes currently on offer in the department include the following:
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- Diploma in Development Management (2-year regular programme): The goal of the programme is to train a qualified middle-level workforce to provide the required technical skills to support top-level management to manage the development process sustainably.
- BSc. Development Management (4-year regular programme): This programme is designed to create and facilitate understanding of the theories, strategies, processes, techniques and issues involved in the execution of development projects and programmes in a sustainable manner in developing.
- MPhil Development Management (2-year regular programme): This programme gives students the skills set to understand contemporary key development problems, design evidence-based strategic solutions, and manage the implementation of the programmes that create and sustain social good with efficiencies and equity in mind.
- MPhil Development Management (Top-up) (1-year programme): This top-up research degree is designed for holders of MSc/MA in any social science programme who wish to obtain an MPhil in Development Management.
- MSc. Development Management (1-year regular programme): This programme is the non-research-based version of the MPhil in Development Management programme and is offered on weekends. Whereas the same courses are taught in both programmes, students on the MSc. Development Management are required to complete two taught sessions [semesters], and a term paper.
- Ph.D. Development Management and Governance (3/4-year regular programme): This is a unique interdisciplinary programme offered by the Department of Governance and Development. The programme is designed to develop, strengthen and crystalize the research skills of anyone who aspires to engage in research in the social sciences.
Diploma In Development Management
The programme consists of taught courses, field and industrial work, practical development management seminars and a final year project work. The taught courses are 20 in total, and the total number of credit hours required to complete the programme is 54.
BSc. Development Management
The programme consists of taught courses, field and industrial work, practical development management seminars and a final year dissertation project. The taught courses are 52 in total, and include forty-one (41) core courses, six (6) mandatory courses and five (5) optional courses. The total number of credit hours required to complete the programme is 153.
MPhil. Development Management
The programme consists of taught courses, practical development management seminars and thesis work. The first year of the programme is dedicated to the taught courses and development management seminars and the second year is devoted to the thesis work.
MPhil. Development Management (Top-up)
The programmes span a period of one year. Within this period, students take research courses in the first trimester of the academic year and proceed to complete their thesis in the second and third trimesters.
MSc. Development Management
The weekend sessions are run between September and November every year, and successful candidates graduate in April the following year.
Ph.D Development Management and Governance
The programme is offered in two streams.
The regular stream is three (3) years and holders of MPhil in the social sciences and related disciplines can apply. The first year of this stream is devoted to taught course work and seminar sessions, and the remaining period is set aside for fieldwork, writing up of their thesis and defence.
The second stream is the 4-year Ph.D. programme, designed for applicants who hold related non-research-based M.A. and MSc degrees. MSc, and M.A degree holders who opt for this stream will initially pursue a one-year top-up programme to qualify to transition to the Ph.D. programme. The following conditions must be met to qualify to ladder to the Ph.D. programme:
- The student must pass (with an average score of a B+) all the taught courses and successfully defend their Ph.D. research proposals at the end of the top-up phase.
- If a student admitted through this admission route is unable to transition to the Ph.D. phase, they will only be encouraged to complete their MPhil thesis and graduate with an MPhil degree.
Diploma In Development Management
The department is particularly interested in exploring relations between language, social actions, and cultural practices in Africa in relation to the rest of the world. Studies on how to apply discourse and communication approaches to researching and managing social change and development, with emphasis on promoting socially just, cohesive, and sustainable societies are of particular interest in the department.
Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE)/West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)
Applicants to degree programme must hold either a SSCE/WASSCE certificate, a certificate in social work or community development or be a mature applicant.
SSCE/WASSCE certificate holders
The applicant must possess at least three (3) credit passes in their elective subjects (i.e., C, C6 or better) and passes (D, D7) in both English Language and Mathematics.
NOTE: SSSCE and WASSCE results will be assessed as per the table below.
| SSSCE | WASSCE | GRADE | INTERPRETATION |
| A | A1 | 1 | EXCELLENT |
| B | B2 | 2 | VERY GOOD |
| C | B3 | 3 | GOOD |
| D | C4, C5, C6 | 4, 5, 6 | CREDIT |
| E | D7, E8 | 7, 8 | PASS |
| F | F9 | 9 | FAIL |
Community Development or Social Work Certificate Holders
An applicant who holds a certificate in Community Development Work or Social Work from a recognised institution may also be considered.
Matured Applicants
Matured applicants must have attained at least 25 years of age as at the time of the application. In addition to having relevant work experience in development, an applicant must have passes in SSCE/WASSCE/ ‘O’ Level and pass both a written and an oral entrance examination conducted by the department.
BSc. Development Management
Applicants to degree programme must hold either SSSCE/WASSCE certificate, a diploma in a related field or a be a mature applicant.
Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE)/West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE)
SSCE/WASSCE Certificate Holders:
Passes in the three core subjects (A-D/A1-C6) at the Senior Secondary/Senior High School level, namely English Language, Mathematics, and Integrated Science/Core Science.
Passes in three elective subjects from Category A, or two (2) courses in category A and one (1) in category B.
| Category A | Category B |
|
|
NOTE: SSSCE and WASSCE results will be assessed as per the table below.
| SSSCE | WASSCE | GRADE | INTERPRETATION |
| A | A1 | 1 | EXCELLENT |
| B | B2 | 2 | VERY GOOD |
| C | B3 | 3 | GOOD |
| D | C4, C5, C6 | 4, 5, 6 | CREDIT |
| E | D7, E8 | 7, 8 | PASS |
| F | F9 | 9 | FAIL |
Diploma Holders
Applicants with Diploma and HND in a relevant field with at least Second Class Honours (Lower Division), or its equivalent can apply for placement at level 200. They must pass a written test as well an oral interview.
Matured Applicants
Matured applicants must have attained at least 25 years of age as at the time of the application. In addition to having relevant work experience in development, an applicant must have the necessary passes in SSCE/WASSCE and pass both a written and an oral entrance examination conducted by the department.
MPhil. Development Management
A Second Class Honours (Lower Division) or better. However, the University welcomes applications from all potential students regardless of their previous academic experience; offers are made following detailed consideration of each individual application.
MSc. Development Management
Applicants must hold Second Class Honours (Lower Division) or better. However, the University welcomes applications from all potential students regardless of their previous academic experience; offers are made following detailed consideration of each individual application.
Ph.D Development Management and Governance
The following general admission criteria is prescribed for prospective students:
- Admission into the Ph.D. programme is open to MPhil., MSc., and M.A. degree holders in the relevant disciplines from accredited universities in Ghana and beyond.
- All students seeking admission to pursue the Ph.D. in Development Management and Governance programme shall go through a thorough academic selection interview and pass the interview to gain admission.
Diploma In Development Management
The main objective of the programme is to grant students the opportunity to acquire the necessary technical competencies and managerial skills to respond adequately to the bottlenecks in the development management process. Specifically, the programme seeks to afford participants the platform to gain:
- Understanding and appreciation of the rationale for planning and development management.
- Knowledge in the theory and practice of development planning and development management; and
- Competencies in applying planning and development management principles to solve practical problems in the development process.
Ph.D Development Management and Governance
The programme is designed to prepare students for an academic career with the following objectives:
- To provide the students with a strong theoretical foundation in philosophy, theories and concepts related to development and governance so that they would be able to develop clear and meaningful insights for their professional growth;
- To train the students in multiple disciplinary perspectives so that they are able to critically analyse, compare, and synthesize theories, perspectives, concepts, and complex issues in development and governance;
- To improve the students’ ability to integrate knowledge and research methodologies in the field of development and governance, more specifically in the fields of organization, human resource, management, policy, development, public finance, and financial management;
To provide the students with rigorous skills to do research on real world challenges concerning development and governance; - To develop the students’ communication skills that they can use in the presentation of their research on development and governance in academic conferences and seminars and in the research publishing processes at both national and international levels; and
- To foster and nurture a new generation of leaders for change who possess knowledge, integrity, and responsibility for self, profession, and society: qualities that they can use to formulate innovative ideas relating to development and governance for the improvement of the lives of people.
Diploma In Development Management
On completion of your course, you will develop the capacity to enable you to:
- Ladder onto the BSc. in Development Management programme and obtain a degree in three years.
- Coordinate projects and programme implementation in the Public, NGO, and Private for-profit sectors.
- Assume an administrative position in the Public, NGO, and Private for-profit sectors; and
- Work as a support staff in the research and M&E units of any development organization.
BSc. Development Management
On completion of your course, you will have developed the capacity to enable you to:
- Analyse development policy and formulate appropriate responses to a diverse range of problems, including those relating to planning and managing for sustainable development;
- Work as a development and humanitarian practitioner with enhanced ability and innovative skills to engage in development and change processes;
- Function very well as a development planner in the local government system in Ghana and beyond;
- Work as a project or programme manager in a Public, NGO, and Private for-profit organization;
- Assume an administrative position in the Public, NGO, and Private for-profit sectors; and
- Perform research and monitoring and evaluation functions in any Public, NGO, and Private for-profit organization.
MPhil. Development Management
On completion of your course, you will be able to understand and critically examine:
- The discipline of project and programme management, within an overall appreciation of the nature and purpose of projects;
- The principles and practice of project planning, design, preparation, and appraisal techniques for projects in a development context; and
- The theory and practice of management skills for project and programme management, focusing particularly on ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills for successful project.