Development Planning, Project Preparation And Implementation
- Management Sciences
- 800 level
- 2 credit units
- 171 pages
- 11 units
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles and practices of development planning, project preparation, and implementation. It covers key concepts, models, and the political dynamics involved in planning processes. Students will learn about plan preparation, feasibility studies, project implementation strategies, and monitoring and evaluation techniques. The course also examines the Nigerian and African development planning experiences, providing practical insights and lessons for effective planning and execution.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 156 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of MPA858, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
MPA858 · UNIT 2: MODELS AND THEORIES OF DEVELOPMENT
In India Development Plan process is a provincial/state subject. There are various town planning authorities under each province/state that assess the growth of areas, identify suitable areas for housing, industry, public infrastructure and allocate budgets. Each of the metropolitan cities in India has an Agency which is responsible for Development Planning exercise of the cities.
What you should be able to do
- Apply development planning concepts
- Prepare development plans
- Analyze the politics of planning
- Implement development plans
- Monitor and evaluate projects
- Understand the Nigerian planning experience
What it prepares you for
- Development Planner
- Project Manager
- Policy Analyst
- Public Administrator
- Government Official
- Government
- Non-profit
- International Development
- Consulting
- Public Sector
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 2: Project Preparation and Planning
Unit 3: Project Feasibility Study
Requires understanding of complex financial models and forecasting techniques.
- Module 3: Project Implementation and Monitoring
Unit 3: Monitoring and Evaluation
Involves advanced statistical analysis and interpretation of project performance data.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 26 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Development Planning
Unit 1: The Concept of Development Planning · 2 hours
Define development plan and development planning. Explain the meaning of development plan and development planning. Differentiate types of development planning. State the need and the importance of development planning.
- Week 2Module 1: Development Planning
Unit 2: Models and Theories of Development Planning · 2 hours
Describe the concept of a planning model. Differentiate between basic types of planning models. Explain the aggregate model. Explain the sectoral planning model.
- Week 3Module 1: Development Planning
Unit 3: Politics of Development Planning · 2 hours
Define politics in planning. Appreciate the nature of politics in development planning. State the various implications of political behavior in planning.
- Week 4Module 1: Development Planning
Unit 4: Programme Planning · 2 hours
Describe the different stages of the planning phase of the project/programme cycle within the context of Results-Based Management (RBM).. Give an overview of the various components of RBM and explain how to integrate and apply this approach in practice.. Summarize briefly the other key phases of the cycle (assessment, implementation and monitoring, evaluation).
- Week 5Module 1: Development Planning
Unit 5: Procedure for Plan Preparation – The Case of Strategic Planning · 2 hours
Grab the basic concepts in strategic planning process. Outline the three main Levels of Strategic thinking. Explain the decision making in planning. State the planning process and procedure..
- Week 6Module 2: Project Preparation and Planning
Unit 1: Project Initiation and Designing · 2 hours
Appreciate the nature and content of Project Initiation Document. Prepare Project Initiation Document. Prepare a Project Design. Distinguish between project design in the public and in the private sectors..
- Week 7Module 2: Project Preparation and Planning
Unit 2: Project Preparation/Planning · 2 hours
Grab and differentiate between the concept of project plan and project planning. Be able to prepare a preliminary project plan (PPP) and project management plan (PMP). Master the art of writing a project plan in 10 simple steps.
- Week 8Module 2: Project Preparation and Planning
Unit 3: Project Feasibility Study · 2 hours
The concept of project appraisal or feasibility studies.. How to carry out and analyze Market Feasibility, Technical Feasibility, Financial Feasibility.. Economic Viability/Appraisal, The Social Cost of Investment, Risk Assessment, Critical Success Factors..
- Week 9Module 3: Project Implementation and Monitoring
Unit 1: Project Implementation · 2 hours
Familiarize with the concept of project implementation and management.. Converse with project Organisation structure. Converse with responsibility assignment through Linear Responsibility Chart (LRC). Carry out project network analysis (PERT, CPM, Slack Time, Spillage etc.)..
- Week 10Module 3: Project Implementation and Monitoring
Unit 2: Plan Implementation · 2 hours
Appreciate the need for Implementation Plan. Be able to prepare the Implementation plan Document. Master the steps to success of implementation. Be familiar with the implementation process. Know the common reasons for failure of plan implementation..
- Week 11Module 3: Project Implementation and Monitoring
Unit 3: Monitoring and Evaluation · 2 hours
Introduce project monitoring and evaluation processes. Familiarize with project monitoring guide and evaluation report..
- Week 12Module 3: Project Implementation and Monitoring
Unit 4: Development Planning Experience of Nigeria and Africa · 2 hours
To have an overview of development planning in Nigeria. Appreciate the need for planning in Nigeria after independence. The history of success or failure of earlier plans in Nigeria. Be familiar with the problems of plan implementation in Nigeria. Be able to relate Nigerian planning experience with other African countries..
- Week 13Module 3: Project Implementation and Monitoring
Final Revision · 2 hours
Review all course materials. Work on assignments. Prepare for final examination.
Preparing for the exam
- Review all module learning outcomes
- Create concept maps linking planning models to real-world examples
- Practice applying feasibility study techniques to sample projects
- Analyze case studies of successful and failed development plans
- Focus on understanding the political and institutional factors affecting plan implementation
- Practice writing concise and well-supported policy recommendations based on course concepts
Questions students ask about this course
What is MPA858 about?
This course introduces students to the fundamental principles and practices of development planning, project preparation, and implementation. It covers key concepts, models, and the political dynamics involved in planning processes. Students will learn about plan preparation, feasibility studies, project implementation strategies, and monitoring and evaluation techniques. The course also examines the Nigerian and African development planning experiences, providing practical insights and lessons for effective planning and execution.
How many units does MPA858 have?
MPA858, Development Planning, Project Preparation And Implementation, has 11 units across 3 modules, over 171 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is MPA858?
MPA858 carries 2 credit units, at 800 level in Management Sciences.
Is MPA858 hard?
MPA858 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does MPA858 take to study?
About 156 hours of study, spread across its 11 units.
How is MPA858 assessed?
MPA858 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with MPA858?
Development Planner, Project Manager, Policy Analyst, Public Administrator and Government Official.