Bachelor Degree in Visionary Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Rural Development and Gender – Curriculum

Title of the Programme: Bachelor of Visionary Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Rural Development and Gender

Objectives

The objectives of the programme will be:

To enable participants to acquire understanding of the interrelationships of development disciplines as well as a detailed knowledge of individual subject content.

To understand the importance of integrating various disciplines and techniques in one's own and in a community's learning and action.

To understand the importance of ethics in entrepreneurial and all other social activities.

To appreciate the role of the rural development professional as well as the limits of his/her responsibility for change.

To plan development interventions with the communities using the principles of the creative process.

To recognize and utilize unifying values that transcend gender, religious, ethnic and other differences.

To assess participants and their communities' learning and development activities.

Entry Requirements

A participant shall be admitted to the degree programme if he/she satisfies any of the following:

Possesses at least an Ordinary Level Certificate or equivalent qualification obtained at one sitting and two Advanced Level principal passes in the Arts, Sciences, Commercial or other subjects obtained at one sitting of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of education or its equivalent.

Passed the Mature Age Entry examination of ARU.

Holds a diploma or its equivalent from a recognized institution of higher learning.

Holds a degree or its equivalent from a recognized university.

Duration

The duration of the bachelor degree in Visionary Leadership, Entrepreneurship will extend over a period of three academic years each consisting of two semesters. Each semester shall comprise 15 weeks of teaching/study and 2 weeks of initiation (registration) and examinations. There will be a break of 4 weeks between semesters. All courses are compulsory.

Commencement of the Programme

The Bachelor Degree in Visionary Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Rural Development and Gender is expected to start in September 2006.

Programme Layout

SEMESTER I YEAR 1
CODE COURSE CONTACT HOURS CREDIT UNITS
BVER 111 Fundamentals of Creative Process 60 4
BVER 112 Introduction to Development Studies 60 4
BVER 113 Rural Sociology 60 4
BVER 114 Research Methodology and Study Skills 60 4
BVER 115 Computer Applications 60 4
SEMESTER II YEAR 1
BVER 121 Fundamentals of the Learning Community 60 4
BVER 122 Economics of Development 60 4
BVER 123 Integrative Scientific and Stature Growing Method 60 4
BVER 124 Rural Development 60 4
BVER 125 Project Work 60 4
SEMESTER I YEAR 2
BVER 211 Visionary Leadership 60 4
BVER 212 Transcending Traditional Gender Roles 60 4
BVER 213 African Philosophy and Indigenous Knowledge 60 4
BVER 214 Business Administration (handle also organizational development and change) 60 4
BVER 215 Project Work 60 4
SEMESTER II YEAR 2
BVER 221 Fundamentals of Rural Entrepreneurship (handle also financial services and microfinance) 60 4
BVER 222 Rural Economics 60 4
BVER 223 Community Health 60 4
BVER 224 Programme Development and Management 60 4
BVER 225 Internship (Cooperative Education) 60 4
SEMESTER I YEAR 3
BVER 311 Environmental Ethics and Sustainable Development (handle also sustainable agriculture) 60 4
BVER 312 Appropriate Technologies 60 4
BVER 313 Human Rights, Peace and Good Governance 60 4
BVER 314 Extension and Functional Adult Literacy 60 4
BVER 315 Research Project 60 4
SEMESTER II YEAR 3
BVER 321 Leadership Practicum 60 4
BVER 322 Public Policy Management and Analysis (handle also development planning and policy in Uganda) 60 4
BVER 323 Civil Society Organizations Work and Management 60 4
BVER 324 Resource Mobilization and Management (handle also rural communication) 60 4
BVER 325 Research Project 60 4

Important to Note:

  • 17 weeks = one semester
  • Week 1 = orientation/administration
  • Week 17 = examination/evaluation
  • Week 2-16 = lectures/practicals
  • One course = 4 hours per week
  • One lecture = 1 hour = 1 contact hour
  • 15 contact hours = 1 credit unit

Year 1 Semester II/Year 2 Semesters I and II/Year 3 Semesters I and II

  • In Year 1 Semester II and Year 2 Semester I, participants do project work on the following areas:
    • Public policy
    • Civil society organizations work
    • Community development and mobilization
    • Agriculture
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Gender
    • Local government and decision-making
  • In Year 2 Semester II, participants do internships and attach themselves to non-governmental and governmental organizations dealing with:
    • Public policy analysis
    • Community mobilization and development
    • Gender issues
    • Agricultural development
    • Advocacy and networking
    • Human rights
    • Business development
    • Organizational development and change
    • Research
    • Training
  • In Year 3, participants carry out research activities to do their degree dissertation in the following areas:
    • Visionary leadership
    • Rural development
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Gender
    • Public policy
    • Human rights, peace and governance
  • In Year 3 Semester II, participants do a Leadership Practicum, which emphasizes the following areas:
    • Facilitation skills (TOT) (design a training programme)
    • Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) skills (design an action-oriented research programme)
    • Project Proposal writing skills (formulate a project proposal)
    • Business Plan writing skills (formulate a business plan)
    • Financial Management skills for non-financial managers (a package of financial management for not-for-profit organizations)
    • Organizational Restructuring skills (formulate a strategic plan)

Examination Regulations

  • There shall be progressive coursework assessment that shall consist of continuous assignments per course per semester contributing up to 50% toward the final mark in each course.
  • No student shall be allowed to sit for the end of any semester examination if denied a certificate of due performance on account of failure to attend classes or do course work during a semester.
  • There shall be internal and external examiners appointed by the University Senate. The Faculty Board shall receive, consider and recommend to Senate the final examination results of each candidate.
  • Final examinations relate to the whole range of materials covered in a particular course.
  • Final examinations shall be written in all courses.
  • The final examinations shall account for 50% and coursework 50% of the final mark in each course.

Pass Mark

  • The range of final average marks that shall be used to determine the bachelor's degree progress at the end of each semester will be a Grade Point of 2.0 on all courses examined.
  • A candidate is deemed to have passed the semester examination if the candidate obtains at least 50% of the marks in each course individually.
  • The range of marks on the Academic Transcript for the individual courses shall be as follows:

    Marks (%) Letter Grade Grade Point
    80-100 A 5.0
    75-79.9 B+ 4.5
    70-74.9 B 4.0
    65-69.9 B- 3.5
    60-64.9 C+ 3.0
    55-59.9 C 2.5
    50-54.9 C- 2.0
    45-49.9 D+ 1.5
    40-44.9 D 1.0
    35-39.9 D- 0.5
    Below E 0.0

    Important to Note:

    • Excellent (80% and above)
    • Very Good (70%-79%)
    • Good (60%-69%)
    • Pass (50%-59%)
  • The following additional letters are used where appropriate:
    • W – Withdraw from course
    • I – Incomplete
    • AU – Audited course only
    • F – Failure
    • P – Pass

Progression through the Programme

Progression through the degree programme shall be assessed in three ways:

  • Normal Progress – This occurs when the candidate passes each course taken with a minimum grade point of 2.0.
  • Probationary Progress – This occurs when a participant fails a course or obtains a cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of less than 2.0. Probation is removed when either condition ceases to hold.
  • Discontinuation – A student shall be discontinued from the programme if he/she has received two probations on the same course or two consecutive probations based on CGPA.

Retaking Course

There shall be supplementary examinations in any course of the programme. However, a participant may retake a course when it is offered again in order to:

  • Pass if the participant had failed
  • Improve the first grade if the pass grade was low

Submission of Dissertation

A participant shall submit four copies of the dissertation at the end of the third year. To pass the dissertation, the candidate shall satisfy the examiners in the written dissertation. A participant who fails to satisfy the examiner shall resubmit a revised dissertation in accordance with the guidance of his/her facilitator. A participant shall resubmit the revised dissertation within months after notification.

Award

The Degree of Bachelor of Visionary Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Rural Development and Gender will be awarded to candidates who have accumulated a minimum of 30 course units and a dissertation.