MASTER OF SCIENCE IN POPULATION INFORMATICS AND ANALYTICS (MPIA)

Module Code	Module Name	Description
MPIA501	Advanced Demography	The aim of this module is to ground students in demographic fundamentals hinging on the components of growth including fertility, mortality and migration and their interrelationship with development processes. Thus, the module will cover: reproductive health and its underlying factors; morbidity and mortality and their underlying factors and migration and its determinants and consequences to innovation and industrialisation. Through this module student will be able to apply demographic knowledge to innovative and developmental planning in industrialisation and human development. Utilizing demographic data, students will produce research papers highlighting the extent to which demographic data will enhance innovation and industrialization, consequently, sustainable development.
MPIA502	Demographic Techniques and Informatics	This module is aimed at equipping students with the technical skills needed for the creation of demographic data and the estimation of demographic indices. Thus the module will cover: direct methods of analysing population size, growth and composition; techniques for the estimation and standardisation of fertility, mortality and migration; and application of the outputs to industrial development planning. Through this module students will be able to produce Zimbabwe specific demographic data sheets with demographic estimations of various demographic and industrial growth indicators.
MPIA504	Demographic Estimations and Analytics	This module is aimed at producing graduates with skills that will enable them to correct errors in demographic data collected using the different methods including: censuses, surveys and vital registration. Indirect estimation of fertility, mortality and migration measures using specific models and computer applications will be covered. Attention will be given to the assumptions of the identified models and also their relevance in estimating population measures and industrial indicators specific to developing countries and Zimbabwe in particular. At the end of this module, graduates will be able to produce and clean census and vital registration data sets for Zimbabwe. In addition, students will produce refined demographic estimates for the country.
MIDSB501	Information Digital Skills for Postgraduates (University Wide Module)	The module introduces students to the use of information technologies and their application in academic research.
MSSRM501	Advanced Social Science Research Methods (Faculty Wide Module)	The module aims to provide advanced skills in research methods for graduate students. It enhances postgraduate students’ knowledge and skills for conducting, analysing and interpreting research in the field of sociology, anthropology and gender studies. The module focuses upon both qualitative and quantitative techniques and the knowledge gained, will be useful for conducting research and as tools for professional practice. The module will also equip learners with the use of digital technologies in data collection, processing, analysis and management. Students to conduct gender sensitive research for the relevant government institutions, UN agencies, NGOs and communities to inform gender policies and programming.
MPIA505	Reproductive Health	The overall aim of the module is to give students skills to analyse reproductive health issues, their determinants and consequences to the individual, and socio-economic development of the country. Thus, the module will cover the reproductive health issues using a life-cycle approach; adolescent reproductive health issues, youths’ reproductive health issues, male reproductive health issues, females’ reproductive health issues, HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, family planning, mortality and morbidity, reproductive health rights, gender and reproductive health and policies on reproductive health. At the end of the module, graduates will be able to advise and design reproductive health policies for the country.
MPIA506	Morbidity and Mortality	The aim of this module is to give students the expertise to identify behavioural and demographic factors underlying morbidity and mortality globally, regionally and nationally. Thus, the module will cover: current issues and debates in the morbidity, mortality and health discourse. The module will also cover the following morbidity and mortality issues: global patterns; differentials; theories; infant and child; maternal; HIV and AIDS and health intervention programmes and strategies, and their impact on innovation and industrialisation. At the end of the module, graduates will be able to advise and design intervention programs for the reduction of morbidity and mortality in Zimbabwe.
MPIA507	Environment Population and Development	This module is aimed at equipping students with a holistic and advanced approach to the linkages between population and development from a global, regional and Zimbabwean perspective, while linking such to innovation and industrialisation. Thus, the module will cover the conceptualisation of population and development; Theories of Population and Economic growth, demographic factors and economic growth, migration and development, fertility and development, mortality and development, population and environment and also economic growth and sustainable development will be covered. At the end of this module, students will be able to produce critical reviews of existing policies on the environment, population and development, and produce policy briefs highlighting the needed changes and additions.
MPIA508	Globalisation and Migration	This module is aimed at producing students with skills for the analysis of the impact of migration on development and industrialization. Hence, at the end of the module students will have in-depth knowledge and skills for migration analysis from global, regional and Zimbabwean perspectives, and their consequences on innovation and development in Zimbabwe within a global village. The following concepts will be covered in the Migration module: definition of migration and measures; levels, trends and patterns of migration; theories of migration as they assume the determinants of migration; the effects of migration on development; the nexus between migration and gender; and migration policies and programmes. At the end of the module, graduates will be able to produce papers on the impact of immigration and emigration on specific sectors of Zimbabwe ranging from agriculture, industry and respective services.
MPIA570	Dissertation	Through their dissertations students will be able to show case their ability in conducting innovative research. Each student is expected to come up with a research topic, write the research proposal, clearly articulate either the qualitative research methods or the quantitative research methods or both, the research design(s), research tools, data management and analysis, presentation and discussion of research findings. This module will produce a graduate who is able to undertake research with recommendations that will enhance policy and programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. At the end of the module, students will be able to undertake the entire research process on varied topics on demographic, social and economic development.