Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies (BADS)

Background

Development Studies as a discipline originates from the post-Second World War period.  It was part of Modern Development theory that was developed to explain how former colonies of Britain, France, Portugal, Spain and other European powers should be developed.  Modern Development Theory was concerned about how to transform and make countries that were gaining independence more productive.

Therefore, a new theoretical framework to understand what was happening in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) became necessary. This resulted into a discipline of Development Studies.  This discipline is now taught in many institutions of higher learning around the world and Kyambogo University would like to make a contribution by building a cadre of Human Resource to address development challenges.

Justification

In the last one and half decades, Uganda has undergone rapid socio-economic and political development that calls for multidisciplinary training in critical issues concerned with development, democracy, peace, human rights, environment, public policy, gender and women studies. The introduction of a Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies at Kyambogo University is designed to meet these challenges.  This Programme aims at producing highly but trained individuals specializing in either International development or Local development.  Therefore, Uganda with its expanding public and private sectors, offers an opportunity for Kyambogo University to provide locally trained personnel in the mentioned areas, to address the country’s development challenges, modernization and opportunities.

Staffing

The regular mode of this Programme will be coordinated and managed by the staff in the Department of Development Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.  (Appendix BI).  In addition, staff services from other faculties in the University and other institutions may be utilized.  As the Programme progresses more staff shall be needed.  This shall be guided by manpower projection as shown in Appendix B.

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Objectives

General Objective.
The Programme aims at producing development workers who will be able to identify socio-economic challenges in a holistic way (A type of Development that uses practical approaches whereby the physical, social, economic, political, emotional and spiritual growth of a person is catered for) and devise practical strategies that will affect development and enable them to work as highly educated, responsible citizens with capacity for self-employment, entrepreneurial and community leadership skills.
Specific Objectives

The Programme aims at:

  1. Preparing learners for professional employment in the public and private sectors.
  2. Identifying development challenges and opportunities of developing countries and propose strategies that can address the challenges and ensure sustainable development.
  3. Identifying various roles played by development actors in the development process and how these opportunities can be tapped to ensure development in our communities.
  4. Training and equip development professionals with knowledge, values and skills.
  5. Providing management and administrative skills with knowledge that meets workplace challenges and public demands of the 21st Century.
  6. Providing learners with the professional skills in policy and development practice that will prepare them to have the requisite intellectual competences for service delivery in diverse public and private agencies.

Programme Learning Outcomes

By the end of the Programme, the learners should be able to:

  • Acquire the professional administrative and management proficiency to efficiently respond to contradictory affairs of society
  • Have developed strategies and identified development opportunities necessary to overcome the development challenges of developing countries. 
  • Articulate, identify and appreciate various roles played by different development actors in development process.
  • Have acquired knowledge, values and skills necessary to promote development.
  • Apply academic and professional skills acquired on the Programme to carryout research on various socio-economic and political issues in society.
  • Plan and write projects in the relevant fields of specialization offered by BADS
  • Apply ICT Skills to overcome technical barriers in order respond to technological challenges in their areas of operation.

 The Target Group

The Programme targets the following categories of students:

  1. Holders of Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) or its equivalent and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) or its equivalent.
  2. Holds a Diploma passed at credit / distinction or its equivalent from a recognized institution like Dip. Development Studies, Dip. Social work and Social administration, Education, Guidance and Counseling, and Library science.
  3. Persons who shall have passed Mature Age Entrance Examinations.