cross cutting courses - mak oct 2013
TRANSCRIPT
Grounding PhD students at Makerere University:The Case for Cross-cutting Courses
George Nasinyama
Assoc Prof and Deputy Director
Directorate of Research & Graduate Training
Presented at SLU – October 17, 2013
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
Content
PhD programs at Makerere UniversityWhy cross-cutting coursesOutline of Cross-cutting coursesDevelopment and Delivery modeConclusion
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
Forms of PhD programs
Two basic formsBy Thesis i.e. research alone
Most Common formOffered by all academic units/disciplines
By Course work & DissertationYear 1 – course workYears 2-4 for Research and write-up
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
The need for Cross-cutting coursesPrior to 1999, PhD was by Thesis aloneInitiatives for taught PhD followed Mujjaju
Report (1999):PhD qualification required for appointment as a
lecturer at Mak Increased support by staff development to train
staff to PhD levelPhD degree programs by research alone were
considered inadequateValue addition and intellectual discourse
Developments
Subsequently, a few pioneer Faculties developed PhD programs by both course work and researchFaculty of Computing and Information
TechnologySchool of EducationFaculty of Economics and Management
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
Currently…
The following colleges run some PhD programs by Course work & Dissertation
College of Education and external StudiesCollege of Computing and Information SciencesCollege of Business and Management StudiesCollege of Agriculture and Environmental
Sciences
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
The Challenge
Feedback from PhD students revealedcourses offered dealt adequately with the
technical aspects in the various disciplines Inadequacy in terms of content in basic
courses required for sharpening the students’ skills in research and publication
Knowledge areas identified - Research methodology, Data analysis, Information Management, Philosophy of Method, and Scholarly writing and communication
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
Birth of cross-cutting courses - 2000
School of Graduate Studies developed and coordinated cross-cutting courses with support from development partnersSida/SAREC of SwedenCarnegie Corporation of New YorkNorad of Norway in collaboration with some units of the
university
Cross cutting courses offered 2000-2007Course Collaborating
InstitutionDates No. of
participantsPhilosophy of Method Linkoping University,
NorwayAugust/Sept 2001 Sept-2002Aug/Sept 2003
202814
Advanced Gender Research Methods
Gottenberg University, Germany
July 2003 June 2005
2217
Quantitative & Qualitative Research Methodology
Lund University, Sweden
Nov/Dec 2001Nov/Dec 2002Nov/Dec 2004Nov/Dec 2006
30242526
Statistics and Computer Applications in Research
May 2002May 2004July 2007July 2008
20201010
Genes and Genomes Conducted 5 times
100
Information Competence & Management
200620072008
123236
Total 436
Curriculum of CCCs
a) Core Courses
ITS code
Course name LH PH TH CH CU
CCC 9101
Advanced Research Methods
30 40 10 60 4
ART 9102
Philosophy of Method 30 - 15 45 3
ART 9105
Scholarly Writing & Communication Skills
20 20 15 45 3
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
b) Electives
ITS code Course name LH PH TH CH CU
LIB 9103 Information Competence & Management
20 20 15 45 3
WGS 9104 Advanced gender Research Methodology
20 20 15 35 3
ISE 9106 Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis
30 20 20 60 4
SOC 9107 Advanced Qualitative Research Methodology & Data Analysis
30 20 20 60 4
FOM 2087 Mechanisms & epidemiology of Cancer with focus on Africa
20 20 15 45 3
FOM 9108 Clinical Epidemiology 20 20 15 45 3
FOM 9109 Genes and Genomes in the Tropics
25 20 10 45 3
FVM 7201 Advanced Epidemiology 30 10 25 60 4
FOM 9110 Biomedical Research Methods 30 60 - 60 4
In addition…
Workshops for academic staff annually:Scholarly writing & Communication SkillsResearch Management
Includes grant proposal writingSupervision
For staff with PhDs
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
Content and Delivery
Identification of staff in Mak with competence and expertise in the areas
Interest by PhD students is high Value of courses rated highly from feedback/
course evaluations Courses taken for credit and credits are
transferable Curriculum developed and with senate DRGT coordinates the running of the courses
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
Conclusion
Development of CCCs arose out of need to better ground and produce quality PhD students
Positive evaluation of CCCs by PhD students
Drive is to have some taught component in all PhD programs at Mak
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
Presentation by George Nasinyama at SLU - Oct 17, 2013
TAC
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