REGULATIONS FOR THE BACHELOR OF EDUCATION HONOURS DEGREE ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY (EDU51)

Duration:                       2 years

Actual Credit Load           288

Minimum Credit Load:             240

Maximum Credit Load:                 300   

Total MBKS Credit Load: 192    

ZNQF Level: 8

1.0 PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME

To prepare in-service teachers to teach Economics up to ‘A’ Level and produce highly qualified personnel for educational institutions, government departments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

2.0 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Normal Entry: Diploma in Education, Training Management, with a pass in Economics and Mathematics at ‘O’ level at grade C or better.

3.0 PROGRAMME CHARACTERISTICS

Areas of Study: Economics and Development Policy Education

Specialist Focus: Training teachers in Economics Education

Orientation:  Solving economic problems, designing policies which promote economic growth and development, and training students to pursue relevant careers in education

4.0 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION

Employability: Graduates can be employed as teachers, lecturers, Education Inspectors, Training Officers, consultants, researchers etc.

Further Studies: Master’s and Doctoral studies in Economics Education

5.0 PROGRAMME DELIVERY

Teaching and Learning Methods: Lectures, tutorials, seminars, group work, industrial visits, micro teaching, teaching practice, research project, individual independent study, virtual and online interactions.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

 

Level 1 Semester 1

Code	Module Description	Credits
BED133	Information Communication Technology	12
BED144	School Curriculum Competencies and Innovation	12
HUEC101	Applied Economics I	12
HUEC102	Applied Statistics for Economists	12
HUEC103	Labour Economics	12
BCHS131	Culture and Heritage Studies	12

Level 1 Semester 2

Code	Module Description	Credits
HUEC202	Applied Economics II	12
BED131	Research Methods and Statistics	12
HUEC203	Environmental Economics	12
BED231	Assessment and Evaluation Techniques	12

Level 2 Semester 1

Code	Module Description	Credits
BEIE501	Entrepreneurship and Industrialisation in Education	12
BEFM231	School Administration and Financial Management	12
EDGS231	Gender Studies for Educators	12
HUEC401	Applied Economics III	12
HUEC402	Money and Banking	12
HUEC201	Methods of Teaching Economics	12

Level 2 Semester 2

Code	Module Description	Credits
BED232	Research Project	24
HUEC405	International Trade Theory and Practice	12
HUEC404	Investment Analysis	12
BED135	Contemporary Issues in Education	12
BEFM231	Educational Management	12
HUEC406	Economic Reform and Development	12

 

MODULE SYNOPSES

BED140 Computer Applications in Education                                               

This module equips students with skills to design, develop, use and evaluate instructional media technologies that are used to improve teaching and learning. Instructional technologies covered include traditional materials such as chalkboards, hand-outs, charts, slides, overheads, real objects, and videotape or film, as well as new and emerging technologies computers multimedia, electronic whiteboards, Internet, and e-learning platforms.

BED144 School Curriculum Competencies and Innovation

The module introduces students to the schools’ curriculum and basic theories of curriculum development. It explores the philosophy of the Zimbabwean competence-based curriculum and its implications for teaching. The specific competencies in the curriculum are analysed in relation to how they empower students with life-long competencies that prepare students for sustainable livelihoods inside and outside formal employment. Such competencies include, but are not limited to, creativity, innovation, industrialisation, and entrepreneurship.

HUEC101 Applied Economics 1

The module focuses on basic economic problems, economic systems, demand and supply, market equilibrium, elasticity concepts, and the theory of the firm. It enables students to design strategies which address the basic economic problems to attain efficiency in the production and consumption of goods and services. Students shall apply elasticity concepts in production and consumption decision-making.

HUEC102 Applied Statistics for Economists

The module focuses on theoretical and practical approaches to decision-making and business forecasting, hypothesis testing, goodness of fit, linear regression, index numbers and time series analysis. Students shall make forecasts of production output, sales and profits given different scenarios of risk.

HUEC103 Labour Economics

The module covers demand and supply of labour, market equilibrium; Marginal Revenue Product Theory, wage determination; competitive and non-competitive labour markets, collective bargaining; minimum wage legislation and other determinants of wages, trade unionism,unemployment and economic policies to curb unemployment, and trade -off between unemployment and inflation.

BCHS131 Culture and Heritage studies

This module introduces scholars to the definition terms of culture and heritage. The module will expose the learners to issues like civic education, spirituality, and tangible and nontangible Zimbabwean resources. History of Zimbabwe and its different ethnic groupings in different geographical locations. Learners would be challenged to be tolerant and enjoy the multicultural status of the nation.

HUEC202 Applied Economics II

The thrust of the module is on budget constraints, utility maximisation, revealed preference, technology, profit maximisation, market structures, perfect competition, monopolistic competition, monopoly, and oligopoly. Utility maximisation is analysed graphically and mathematically. Students shall analyse profit- maximisation by firms operating in different market structures found in their economy.

BED131 Research Methods and Statistics

The module introduces students to the basic principles of research. It develops the students’ knowledge and skills in the following areas: identification of research problems in education, selection of appropriate research designs and data collection tools, data analysis techniques, research findings and conclusions, and research report writing. The module also introduces students to educational research that is aligned with sustainable development issues such as environmental conservation and poverty eradication.

HUEC203 Environmental Economics

The module focuses on the goal of sustainable development and its achievement through the application of economic principles of productive and allocative efficiency; innovation; cost-benefit analysis; equity/equality, poverty alleviation and economic policy; green growth; negative externalities; consumption and lifestyles; and opportunity cost.

BED231 Assessment and Evaluation Techniques

The module covers assessment and evaluation issues in education across all subject areas. The content of the module includes an analysis of the concepts of evaluation, assessment and measurement in education; contemporary ideas on how to improve assessment and evaluation in schools; test designing; analysis of test results; national examinations and grading.

BEIE501 Entrepreneurship and Industrialisation in Education

The module equips the students with entrepreneurial skills on how to set up and successfully operate business/production units within and outside educational environments. Students are expected to develop a conceptual framework for entrepreneurship and distinguish between wage employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship. Familiarisation with the incubation hub and the transformation of education into an industry are considered.

BEFM231 School Administration and Financial Management in Education

The module introduces students to sound administration and financial management practices followed in schools and other educational institutions. It tackles the basic tenets of the nature and purpose of administration and familiarises students with skills in budgeting and budgetary control. Students are further introduced to the accounting systems in schools and the interpretation of policies and statutes that govern financial and asset management in educational institutions.

EDGS231 Gender Studies for Educators

The module exposes students to the concept of gender and its significance to education. It also exposes students to how education spaces construct gender differences and the implications of these differences on learners and staff, and how schools can close the gender gap by studying theoretical perspectives on gender, cultural dimensions and their implications to education. It also exposes students to different empowerment frameworks and legislation.

HUEC 401 Applied Economics III

National income accounting, consumption theories, investment theory, IS-LM model, macro-dynamics, balance of payments constraints and remedies, national income determination, income distribution, the multiplier process, monetary and fiscal policy, international trade, balance of payments, and foreign exchange markets. The module enables students to analyse macroeconomic problems and design fiscal and monetary policies to address them.

HUEC402 Money and Banking

The module covers technical aspects of financial decision-making, the flow of funds, how companies make money, banking patterns as a form of investment and problems in the financial environment in which companies have to operate. Emphasis is given to sensitivity analysis and the treatment of risk.

HUEC201 Methods of Teaching Economics

The module focuses on the application of pedagogical content knowledge specific to the teaching and learning of Economics. It enables students to design appropriate teaching and learning strategies and to design valid and reliable test instruments. Focus is also on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in Economics education.

BED232 Research Project

In this final year, two-semester module each student carries out a research project in an area of his/her choice under the guidance of a supervisor. Through the study, students are expected to apply their knowledge and skills in research in the resolution of an identified research problem, as well as showing their appreciation of research as a viable process of addressing contemporary challenges and issues in education and their local environments.

HUEC405 International Trade Theory and Practice

The module focuses on trade theories, free trade, trade protection, exchange rates, balance of payments, and regional co-operation and integration. It empowers students to apply trade theories and policies to improve the performance of economies in international trade. Students shall be in a position to evaluate the benefits of regional and international co-operation and integration to their economy.

HUEC404 Investment Analysis

The module focuses on financial markets, sources and uses of funds, investment risks and returns, efficiency of capital markets, valuation of securities, and investment appraisal techniques. It enables students to use various techniques to appraise investment projects and make sound investment choices which maximise stakeholders’ wealth.

BED135 Contemporary Issues in Education

The module exposes students to the most current global trends like Globalisation, Millennium development goals, Gender, Human rights, and Health pandemics, how they feed into Agenda 2030 and also how they affect the Zimbabwean Education system.  The thrust is to leverage on current trends in promoting innovation, industrialisation and modernisation through Education 5.0.

HUEC406 Economic Reform and Development

The module focuses on real and unstated objectives of economic reform programmes, placing emphasis on the conditionalities of the reforms, circumstances surrounding the institution of reforms and the effects of reforms on economies. Investment opportunities brought by reforms and debt management are also considered.