| Code | Faculty | Department |
|---|---|---|
| 02256003 | Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences | Department: Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development |
| Credits | Duration | NQF level |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum duration of study: 2 years | Total credits: 180 | NQF level: 09 |
Residence
On the recommendation of the relevant head of department, the Dean may set specific residential requirements for the MScAgric degree.
Renewal of registration
As long as progress is satisfactory, renewal of the registration of a master’s student will be accepted for the second year of the study. Registration for a third and subsequent years will only take place when the Student Administration of the Faculty receives a written motivation which is supported by the relevant head of department and Postgraduate Studies Committee.
Curriculum
Subject to programme-specific requirements, the curriculum for the MScAgric degree consists of the following:
General
Candidates are required to familiarise themselves with the General Regulations regarding the maximum period of registration and the requirements on the submission of a draft article for publication.
Note: Additional modules may be required in order to reach the desired level of competency
Core credits: 90
Module content:
The concept and interrelated causes of food insecurity (production, markets and socio-economic climate) and the global food economy. Household coping strategies and response to risk and shocks. Household dynamics (including livelihoods, purchasing behaviour and nutrition). Practical tools for programme and policy analysis and targeting. Evaluation of possible programme and policy options and their effectiveness in terms of achieving comprehensive and pro-poor growth. Sustainable Development Goal two that seeks to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
Module content:
The international and African context for monitoring and evaluation of Sustainable Development Goals related to food security. Indicators, scores, indexes, measurement approaches, systems and analysis methods for multisectoral food security monitoring and evaluation. Best practice related to the identification, selection, presentation and analytical approaches to managing and analysing large datasets across multiple sectors to generate clear, concise findings for policymakers. Communicating food security information for decision makers.
Module content:
Institutional and behavioural economics. This module will expose students to the principles of the New Institutional Economics paradigm and how it can be utilized to improve the analysis of agricultural economic and agricultural development problems and issues. Major themes covered are: The agricultural development challenge: stylised features; new institutional economics: distinctive features and concepts; institutions and development: A historical and macro-perspective techno-economic characteristics and agricultural systems and products in poor countries; NIE analysis of markets and markets structures; the State: Political and institutional determinants of agricultural policy; collective action; transactions costs in smallholder agriculture; case studies.
Module content:
Overview of rural finance: conceptual issues. Role of financial services in economic development. Relationship between financial development and economic growth. Economic theory underlying rural financial markets: market and government failure, imperfect information, transaction costs, agency theory, and pecking order theory. Supply of and demand for financial services in rural areas: theory and measurement issues. Estimating credit demand, supply and constraints. Institutions involved in the provision of rural financial services and innovations in rural finance. Assessing performance of institutions providing rural financial services.
Module content:
Review of theories and principles of growth and development. The role of agriculture in rural and economic development. The economic nature of smallholder agriculture. Problems and policies in agricultural and rural development: issues, options and challenges. Strategies for modernising agriculture (lessons from experience). Poverty dynamics, food and the environmental nexus. Land tenure reforms and policy.
Module content:
Research methodology and dissertation design. Research in perspective. The research process. Formulating research problems, hypotheses and objectives. Developing a conceptual framework. Review of literature. Methods and procedures. Data collection, processing and analysis. Developing a good research proposal.
Core credits: 90
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