REGULATIONS FOR THE MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN MONITORING AND EVALUATION (AH18)

1.0.        PURPOSE OF PROGRAMME

The purpose of the programme is to churn out development planners, strategists and managers with advanced knowledge and skills in monitoring and evaluation. The programme seeks to produce highly skilled personnel in monitoring and evaluation, capable of designing, implementing and evaluating development programmes.

2.0.        ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for enrolment into this programme prospective candidate should have attained an Honours degree in Monitoring and Evaluation or Honours Degree in Development Studies or any first degree plus a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation or a related Social Science and Humanities discipline. Work experience in the field of Monitoring and Evaluation is an added advantage.

3.0.        PROGRAMME CHARACTERISTICS

The programme is offered on a module basis, with a dissertation being part of the fulfiment requirements for the programme. The programme is undertaken over an 18-month period on a Block Release and Weekend School Programme basis.

4.0.        CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

Masters in Monitoring and Evaluation graduates have career opportunities in a wide array of institutions and organisations which include the following: Mainstream development organisations and agencies, Social Science research organisations, Non-Governmental Organsations, Policy Analysts, Evaluation Consultants, Public Sector Management positions, Government Ministries and Departments.

5.0.        PROGRAMME DELIVERY

Teaching is largely offered on a contract basis. However, online lectures will be adopted in line with the new international drive for cyber–based learning. Students are given ample practical exercises in line with the content of various modules.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

 

Level 1 Semester 1

Codes          Module                                                                    Credits

*MAME 701 Indicators and Measurement of Evaluation                 18

*MAME 702 Public Policy and Public Policy Evaluation                18

*MAME 703 Advanced Data Collection Methods for M and E        18

*MAME 704 Advanced Statistics and Essential Packages for M and E 18

*MAME 705 Planning and Management for Monitoring and

Evaluation                                                               18

Level 1 Semester 2             

*MAME 706 Risk Management in Monitoring and Evaluation        18

*MAME 707 Monitoring and Evaluation in the Public Sector          18

*MAME 708 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment            18

*MAME 709 Monitoring and Evaluation Data Management            18

MAME 710  Report Writing in Monitoring and Evaluation             18

 

Level 2 Semester 1             

*MAME 801 Evaluation report                                                      90

 

14.0   MODULE SYNOPSES

 

MAME 701 Indicators and Measurement of Evaluation

The module seeks to take students through the vital functions of indicators that assist programme or project planners and implementers carry out assessment plans to determine the achievement of objectives. The module takes students through the processes of effectively and efficiently reviewing progress in development work, identifying problems and making appropriate adjustments for the achievement of intended outcomes. Tools and techniques used in measuring project or programme performance will also be dealt with in this module.

 

MAME 702 Public Policy and Policy Evaluation

This course is designed to introduce students to concepts surrounding public policy and policy evaluation analysis. Public Policy and policy evaluation attempt to assess the outcomes of policies, and their effects on society, to compare them with the policies’ intended goals. It asks whether the goals have or have not been met, with what costs, and with what unintended consequences. It considers whether the policy is equitable and efficient and whether it has satisfied the interests demanding action. It will examine the various tools and stages of policy analysis and development that may be conducted in different governance contexts. The course will also review critical thinking skills associated with policy analysis work. This course also explores the tools and techniques of policy evaluation that is monitoring and evaluation tools within the public policy cycle.

 

MAME 703 Advanced-Data collection methods for monitoring and valuation

The module takes students through the philosophies of knowledge. This course introduces and discusses approaches, designs, statistical techniques and methods of evaluating development projects, programmes and policies. The focus is on developing analytical thinking skills, constructing appropriate evaluation questions, setting indicators and collecting evaluation data for these indicators.  The course will also equip students with an appreciation of the actual evaluation designs. Students who undertake this module will be equipped with practical skills in evaluation designs for projects, programmes and policy evaluation. Issues relating to validity, reliability and ethical considerations will be dealt with. To culminate in this final stage, students will be asked to carry out an evaluability assessment that will form the basis of future evaluation projects.

 

MAME 704 Advanced Statistics and Essential Packages for Evaluators

The module assists students to understand how they can make use of statistics to support evaluation endeavours. The module deals with measures of central tendency and variability, tests of statistical significance, relationships and correlations and how these could be used by evaluators for development programmes. The module also offers the opportunity to explore the preparation of data for computer analysis, using packages such as Excel and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

 

MAME 705   Planning and Management for Monitoring and Evaluation

This module focuses on equipping students with knowledge and skills relating to project and programme management and evaluation. It intends to empower students with management techniques that enable monitoring of the achievement of a project or programme goals, dealing with stakeholders, managing work plans and timings, dealing with issues of risk, building effective teams and working with global and virtual teams. Making critical decisions is crucial in management and students need exposure to this. Good communication skills and the ability to manage resources and budgets are essential tools in managing a project or programme. Students will also be exposed to management processes and approaches such as Result-Based Management or Life Cycle approach to provide an edge towards success in project or programme outcomes.

 

MAME 706 Risk Management in Monitoring and Evaluation

The module examines the risk management designs in monitoring and evaluation, and the key steps and approaches to monitor and evaluate the adopted risk management options. It is designed to equip students with tools for Risk Analysis and Management as a key practice to ensure that the least number of surprises occur in the project life cycle.

 

MAME 707 Monitoring and Evaluation in Public Sector

The module equips students with knowledge and skills for effective monitoring and evaluation processes and tools in the public sector. Students will be brought to an understanding of the purpose or uses of monitoring and evaluation in the public sector. In this module, students will critically examine government officials’ roles and responsibilities in public sector monitoring and evaluation of projects/programmes. The module will also deal with a Government-wide framework for monitoring and evaluation. Other areas to be covered by this module include project cycle and management, the role of indicators in project plans, data collection, analysis and statistical techniques for monitoring and evaluation, and performance management systems for the public sector.

 

MAME 708 Environmental and Social Impact Assessments

This is a development module that focuses on people and the environment in which they live. It aims to expose students to the various aspects of development intending to offer an in-depth understanding of sustainable development and livelihoods. Through this, module students develop an appreciation of the need to monitor and evaluate the resources available through a variety of strategies. Students are expected to use theoretical frameworks to come up with informed arguments on the dialectal relationship between people and the environment.

 

MAME 709 Monitoring and Evaluation Data Management

The module offers students with basic concepts in data management for monitoring and evaluation teams. Students will be exposed to an understanding of data management policies and procedures. Data capturing tools such as appropriate software will be dealt with. The module will give students some understanding of data management systems that are used in measurement and evaluation. Key concepts in data management such as data quality, data cleaning, data security and data sharing will be dealt with.  Statistical measures used in data analysis and interpretation that assist students as researchers to process data into useful information will be exposed to students. These would include a measure of central tendency, a measure of variances and ratios. Students will further be exposed to varied data capturing and analysis packages such as GPRS, ODK, GIS remote sensing and Kobo toolbox among others. These packages will promote remote monitoring and evaluations to cater for third- party monitoring and evaluation.

 

MAME 710 Report Writing in Monitoring and Evaluation Practice

This course focuses on the key product of an evaluation: the evaluation report. In this course, students will learn best practices for effective and creative report writing specifically evaluation reports. Learning points and practical exercises are combined to develop skills in putting together an effective and engaging evaluation report. This course aims to provide students with writing skills specific to evaluation reports, key preparatory elements for an effective evaluation report as well as best evaluation principle structure, content and design.

MAME 801 Evaluation Report/ Dissertation

This module requires candidates to undertake an empirical study linked to the monitoring and evaluation of a genuine development project. Students will undertake a process or outcome evaluation of an ongoing or completed programme. The primary focus of outcome evaluations will be to assess whether the programme was able to deliver the intended benefits to the target population. The evaluation questions must relate to outcome evaluations. Process evaluations on the other hand should largely assess how the programme was implemented. The process evaluations will show whether a programme was implemented as planned. A process evaluation will further assess the different components of a programme individually based on the foregoing and other criteria. Likewise, the process evaluation questions must relate to process issues. Based on the evaluation type, project/ programme description and the logical framework, the student must produce a program theory (also known as the theory of change). The programme theory should be presented in its graphical form as opposed to a narrative form. The length of the written project shall be approximately 20 000 words (100 pages). However, the project must not exceed 120 pages including appendices. The evaluation dissertation will be done under the stewardship of an academic staff member in the Department. The study will be presented using Times New Roman, Font size 12 and double-spaced.