Postgraduate Certificate in Development Management - Learning Outcomes

Educational aims

  • To provide a grounding in the basic concepts and frameworks of development management.
  • To develop capabilities in the basic tools and skills of development management.
  • To enable you to reflect on and improve your own development practice.

Learning outcomes

The modules making up the certificate provide opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas.

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this certificate you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following:

  • the history of ideas leading to development management as a new field of study
  • current conceptions of and debates on development management
  • the strengths and limits of key development management tools
  • the nature of policy and policy change
  • the nature of strategy and strategic thinking for development.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this certificate you will be able to:

  • outline and assess key debates in development management
  • critically evaluate different approaches to development management
  • assess interventions and policies
  • make a case for particular courses of action
  • distinguish and apply different approaches to policy development.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of this certificate you will be able to:

  • critically use tools for project design and implementation, such as logical framework, participation analysis, stakeholder analysis, problem trees, etc.
  • design project evaluations
  • make proposals for strategy development
  • critically appraise policy
  • choose appropriate investigative approaches for researching issues in development and policy.

Key skills

On completion of this certificate you will be able to:

  • use concepts correctly
  • structure an argument
  • use evidence to support an argument
  • structure and write essays
  • structure and write reports.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

To help you develop your knowledge and understanding and to nurture your skills the modules offer:

  • core teaching texts and study guides
  • extensive guided reading
  • case studies, using text and audio-visual media
  • audio and visual resources
  • face-to-face and online tutorials
  • activities, individual and group, giving opportunities to develop and practice a range of skills
  • opportunities for you to reflect on your own practice.

Throughout there is support from your tutor.

Assessment is carried out through tutor-marked assignments and an examination at the end of Development: content and practice (T877) and a project report at the end of Capacities for managing development (T878). 

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