Undergraduate
BA HONOURS CONFLICT PEACEBUILDING AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION (HCPST)
The BA Honours Conflict, Peacebuilding and Social Transformation (HCPST) is a 4-year programme. It aims at developing awareness of conflict, peacebuilding and social transformation among students. Among its objectives, the programme seeks to empower students with the skills to: analyse the causes, benefits and disadvantages of conflicts; evaluate the importance of nonviolent resolution of conflicts through mediation and negotiation interventions; identify and discuss the critical components of research methodology in conflict, peacebuilding and social transformation and the related ethical requirements and; understand the significance of gender mainstreaming in conflict, peacebuilding and social transformation. The programme’s learning outcomes include: training graduates with the ability to analyse, discuss, examine and assess the advantages and disadvantages of conflicts as the basis of encouraging conflicting parties to engage; producing graduates with the spirit of voluntarism and self-development who are able to constructively intervene in conflict, peacebuilding and social transformation activities; training students who are able to contribute to peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, conflict analysis, conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction and; producing graduates who are able to analyse the nature and extent of conflicts in Africa and design strategies of: preventing, resolving, managing and transforming them. The modes of teaching and learning in this programme include Lectures, Tutorials, Field Work, Community outreach, Independent Learning, Seminars, Workshops, and participation in Professional/ Subject Societies.
Job prospects/opportunities
Graduates can gain employment in a number of security sector organisations, including in government, NGOs, regional and international organisations. More so, graduates can be employed as specialists in conflict resolution, transitional justice, trauma counselling, development, non-violent social change, gender equality, conflict transformation, monitoring and evaluation, foreign affairs, project management and community development. Graduates can also advance their studies in Peace and Conflict Studies and related fields.
BA HONOURS HISTORY OF WAR AND SECURITY (HHWS)
The BA Honours History of War and Security (HHWS) is a 4-year programme. It aims at developing awareness of war and security issues among students and prepare them to understand the causes, nature and consequences of war as well as security issues, including the evolving nature of security with emphasis on both state security and human security. Among its objectives, the programme seeks to empower students with the skills to: analyse the relationship between war and security; explain the significance of strategies, tactics, technology and intelligence during the conduct of war and security operations; evaluate the nexus between war, security and the environment; identify and discuss the critical components of research methodology in war and security and challenges including opportunities and; understand the causes, nature and effects of war and security using case studies. The programme’s learning outcomes include: training graduates with the ability to identify and critically examine the causes, course and effects of war in order to improving the handling of and response to future wars; producing graduates with skills of researching on war and security challenges using relevant methodology, approach, research design and data gathering methods as well as taking into account appropriate scientific, social and ethical aspects; training students who are capable of assessing the impact of various strategic theories, technology, intelligence, military and political leadership on the outbreak, conduct and outcome of war and; producing graduates who are able to identify approaches and pathways for preventing conflict and enhancing security and sustainable development. The modes of teaching and learning in this programme include Lectures, Tutorials, Field Work, Community outreach, Independent Learning, Seminars, Workshops, and participation in Professional/ Subject Societies.
Job prospects/opportunities
Graduates can gain employment in a number of security sector organisations (commissioned army officers, intelligence and police), including in other government departments, NGOs, INGOs, regional and international organisations (Security officers, Safety officers) specialising in security matters. With comprehensive theoretical, practical and research skills, our students are able to solve complex war and security issues dogging the word. Consequently, their skills are much sought in security sector organisations, government departments, and NGOs and INGOs rooted in conflict resolution, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration and security policy. Graduates can also advance their studies in War and Security and related fields.
BA HONOURS DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT (HRRDM)
The BA Honours Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (HRRDM) is a 4-year programme. It aims at developing awareness of disaster management among students and prepare them to understand the causes, nature, manifestation and consequences of both man-made and natural disasters. Among its objectives, the programme seeks to empower students with the skills to: understand definitions, terminologies, causes and effects of different disasters; evaluate and promote the preparedness, prevention, mitigation and reduction of disasters by different stakeholders; identify and discuss the critical components of research methodology in disaster management and the related ethical requirements and; communicate, carry out awareness campaigns and adhere to ethics during disasters. The programme’s learning outcomes include: training graduates with the ability to monitor and evaluate disaster processes and activities during planning, programme implementation, responses and impact on socio-economic and political development; producing graduates with the ability to use the knowledge about the causes of both man-made and natural disasters, their history, and forms in order to lessen the socio-economic and environmental consequences of disasters; training students with the spirit of voluntarism and self-development and an ability to create, select and apply appropriate techniques, resources, and modern tools to secure the victims including in complex disaster affected environments and; producing graduates who are able to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to inform, educate and early warn populations threatened by disasters. The modes of teaching and learning in this programme include Lectures, Tutorials, Field Work, Community outreach, Independent Learning, Seminars, Workshops, and participation in Professional/ Subject Societies.
Job prospects/opportunities
Graduates can gain employment in municipalities, government, NGOs and INGOs as aid workers for emergency response situations including in: conflict zones, man-made and natural disasters, regional and international organisations as specialists in disaster management, project management, community development and monitoring and evaluation. Graduates can also advance their studies in Disaster Management and related fields.
Postgraduate
MA CONFLICT PEACE AND GOVERNANCE (MCPG)
The MA Conflict Peace and Governance is a one year and six months or three semesters for full-time study and two years or six semesters for part-time study programme. It aims at empowering students with knowledge and skills in conflict, peace and governance. Among its objectives, the programme seeks to deepen students’ knowledge and proficiency in conflict, peace and governance; empower students with theoretical understanding and practical skills in resolving, managing and transforming conflicts; equip students with negotiation and mediation skills; equip students with the knowledge and skills about peacebuilding and; empower students with the knowledge and skills to mainstream gender in peacebuilding and governance. The programme’s learning outcomes include: producing post-graduates that are able to establish heritage-based and context-specific peacebuilding models for use in stabilising communities in conflict; training post-graduates capable of designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluation strategies to manage, prevent, resolve and transform conflicts; producing post-graduates who are able to mainstream gender in peacebuilding processes, activities and interventions; producing post-graduates with skills of researching in conflict, peace and governance challenges utilising relevant methodology, ethical issues, research design and data gathering techniques and; training post-graduates able to engage leadership skills to build multi-cultural teams and work dutifully and creatively as they handle conflicts, build peace and ensure good governance. The modes of teaching and learning in this programme include Lectures, Tutorials, Field Work, Community outreach, Independent Learning, Seminars, Workshops, and participation in Professional/ Subject Societies.
Job prospects/opportunities
Graduates can gain employment in a number of security sector organisations, including in government, NGOs, regional and international organisations. More so, graduates can be employed as specialists in conflict resolution, transitional justice, trauma counselling, development, non-violent social change, gender equality and empowerment, conflict transformation, monitoring and evaluation, foreign affairs, project management and community development. Graduates can also advance their studies in Peace and Conflict Studies and related fields.
MA WAR AND SECURITY (MWS)
The MA War and Security is a one year and six months or three semesters for full-time study and two years or six semesters for part-time study programme. It aims at exploring the significance of war and security issues on contemporary society. Among its objectives, the programme seeks to equip students with the knowledge and skills of war and security issues; empower students with skills to assess the theories of war and engage them to prevent, manage, resolve and transform conflicts; equip students with knowledge and skills to carry out research that inform policy on war and security issues and; deepen students’ research knowledge and skills on war and security aspects. The programme’s learning outcomes include: producing postgraduates who are conversant with complex contemporary challenges in African security and able to formulate possible solutions and provide advice to the security sector; producing postgraduates who are knowledgeable about the changing security environment and are capable of formulating a nation’s strategic doctrine, tactical approaches and security systems; producing postgraduates able to develop and transform military and security technology; and producing postgraduates who are capable of carrying out independent research that helps in drawing lessons from military campaigns, advise on the significance and consequences of military campaigns, negotiate and mediate between or amongst the warring parties with a view of enhancing the nation’s peace and security. The modes of teaching and learning in this programme include Lectures, Tutorials, Field Work, Community outreach, Independent Learning, Seminars, Workshops, and participation in Professional/ Subject Societies.
Job prospects/opportunities
Graduates can gain employment in a number of security sector organisations, including in government, NGOs, regional and international organisations. More so, graduates can be employed as specialists in conflict resolution, security, transitional justice, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security policy. Graduates can also advance their studies in War and Security and related fields.
MA DISASTER RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (MDRRM)
The MA Disaster Risk Reduction Management Systems is a one year and six months or three semesters for full-time study and two years or six semesters for part-time study programme. It aims at empowering students with advanced knowledge and skills of planning, early warning, disseminating information and resources and managing multi-stakeholder contribution to disaster management. Among its objectives, the programme seeks to equip students with the knowledge and skills to analyse theories of disasters and engage them to enhance practical handling of disasters; empower students with skills to monitor and evaluate the processes and activities before during and after disasters; equip students with knowledge and skills to carry out research that inform policy on disaster management issues and; deepen students’ research knowledge and skills on disaster management. The programme’s learning outcomes include: producing postgraduates who are capable of examining the: causes of both man-made and natural disasters, history, forms and consequences of disasters and rekindle coping strategies with a view of mainstreaming them into the modern coping strategies; producing postgraduates who are able to comprehend leadership skills and build teams capable of developing resilient structures needed for effective use in disaster management; producing postgraduates capable of using ICT to educate and early warn populations affected by disasters; and producing postgraduates capable of establishing institutional frameworks, information systems, resource bases, warning systems, emergency and response management and public education and training. The modes of teaching and learning in this programme include Lectures, Tutorials, Field Work, Community outreach, Independent Learning, Seminars, Workshops, and participation in Professional/ Subject Societies.
Job prospects/opportunities
Graduates can gain employment in a number of organisations, including municipalities, government, NGOs, regional and international organisations as specialists in disaster management, project management, community development and monitoring and evaluation. Graduates can also advance their studies in Disaster Management and related fields.
RESEARCH GROUP
Peacebuilding
This research group sets out to focus on the different aspects aimed at building peace from the grassroots to international level. While peacebuilding essentially seeks to achieve durable peace, it differs considerably in terms of approaches, scope of activities and period depending on one’s underlying understanding of peace. In this context, the DPSS’s peacebuilding research group’s research focus/ areas include: human security, war and society, disasters and society, healing and reconciliation, transitional justice, civil-military relations, non-violence, and media and society.