| Unit name | Managing and Evaluating Development |
|---|---|
| Unit code | POLIM2036 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Fornes |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit focuses on the development of personal and technical skills that development workers increasingly need when working with international development organisations. In order to achieve these objectives, the participants will be asked to analyse and present solutions to real management issues throughout the course. During this process, the participants will face different challenges, like making decisions in the absence of perfect information, allocating resources, leading multi-disciplinary teams, defending their findings, or asking for resources to implement their plans. They will also carry out a final project intended to find feasible alternatives to specific problems where they will have the opportunity to practice the abilities, skills, and knowledge acquired in this unit as well as in other units of the MSc programme. In order to complement this knowledge, the unit will also concentrate on the development of four personal skills: team building, project and resource management, effective communication, and leadership; abilities increasingly demanded by international development organisations when recruiting staff. It is expected that by the end of the unit, participants acquire hands-on experience in managing and consulting, along with the opportunity to practice the personal skills needed to perform these activities.
Aims:
This unit is designed to understand and apply some of the most important tools, techniques, and abilities needed in the management of development organisations, and focuses on the development of management capabilities increasingly required by such organisations. The unit also includes workshops intended to develop in the participants the personal skills required to manage staff and resources.
At the end of the unit, it is expected that you will acquire:
" An understanding of the management theory within the context of development,
" A comprehension of the meaning of analysing, planning, managing and evaluating development programmes,
" Hands-on experience in managing and consulting,
" Personal skills needed to lead multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary teams,
" The abilities to reflect on their own previous experience,
" The skills to think strategically.
The unit will be taught through blended learning methods, including a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities
(i) 1500 word essay (45%)
(ii) final project in teams (40%)
(iii) team-mates assessment (15%).
The changes try to incorporate the nature of the course, the development of personal skills, in the assessment process. The rationale for this assessment follows: (i) The aim of the short essay is to provide an opportunity for students to understand, use, and apply one of the management tools studied during the unit with the idea that this practice will help them in the final project in groups. The essay is due on week 20, as it falls in the middle of the term, it also aims at developing the skill of working under pressure. (ii) The final project in groups is an opportunity to test and practice what students have learned working as part of a team throughout the unit, mainly in terms of transferable skills such as teamwork, leadership, etc, This project is due on week 22. (iii) Assessment by team-mates attempts to minimise free-rider behaviours during the work in groups.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. POLIM2036).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
