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POL441

Development Administration

This course introduces students to development administration, exploring its definition, origin, and related concepts like development, growth, and modernization. It examines the environment of development administration, emphasizing economic, political, administrative, and socio-cultural factors. The course covers development planning, public enterprises, and privatization, providing a global perspective and focusing on Nigeria's viewpoint. Students will gain knowledge of national planning and the challenges affecting development administration.

About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
75 hours
Maths
Basic
Content
Theoretical, case study
Practical work
No
How it is assessed
  • Assignments
  • Tutor marked assessments
  • Final examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of POL441, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

POL441 · UNIT 1 MEANING OF DEVELOPMENT

Adam, A. A. (2017). An Assessment of the Relevance of Development Administration as a System of Action in Developing Nations. Global Journal of Economic and Business – Vol. 3, No. 3 , 2017, pp. 312- 321 e-ISSN 2519-9293 , p-ISSN 2519-9285. Available online at http:// www.refaad.com.

What you should be able to do

  1. Explain the concept of development administration.
  2. Examine approaches that aid in understanding development administration.
  3. Discuss the institutional frameworks guiding national planning for national development.
  4. State the challenges affecting development administration in Nigeria.
  5. Analyze the prospect and future of development administration.

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Policy Analyst
  • Development Officer
  • Public Administrator
  • Project Manager
  • Consultant
Where it is applied
  • Government
  • Non-Governmental Organizations
  • International Development Agencies
  • Consulting Firms
  • Research Institutions

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 3: Approaches to Understanding Development Administration

    Unit 4: The Dependency Approach

    Requires understanding of complex theoretical frameworks and their application to real-world scenarios.

  • Module 5: Development Planning Process and Challenges of Development Administration

    Unit 3: Privatization and Commercialization for National Development in Nigeria

    Advanced knowledge of economic principles and policy implementation is needed to grasp the concepts.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 30 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1: Definition and Related Concepts of Development Administration
    • Unit 1: Meaning of Development · 2 hours

      Read Unit 1: Meaning of Development, focusing on different perspectives and the scope of development.. Reflect on the questions: What is development? How do scholars define it?.

  2. Week 2Module 1: Definition and Related Concepts of Development Administration
    • Unit 2: What is Administration? · 2 hours

      Study Unit 2: What is Administration?, paying attention to the concept of public administration.. Differentiate between administration and public administration..

  3. Week 3Module 1: Definition and Related Concepts of Development Administration
    • Unit 3: What is Development Administration? · 2 hours

      Cover Unit 3: What is Development Administration?, focusing on its characteristics and features.. Consider: How does development administration differ from traditional administration?.

  4. Week 4Module 1: Definition and Related Concepts of Development Administration
    • Unit 4: Understanding Growth · 2 hours

      Study Unit 4: Understanding Growth, paying attention to the factors that influence growth.. Distinguish between economic growth and development..

  5. Week 5Module 1: Definition and Related Concepts of Development Administration
    • Unit 5: Meaning of Underdevelopment · 2 hours

      Read Unit 5: Meaning of Underdevelopment, focusing on the concept of dependency.. Reflect on the questions: What is underdevelopment? How does it relate to dependency?.

  6. Week 6Module 2: Elements/Features, Origin and Perspectives of Development Administration
    • Unit 1: Elements/Features of Development Administration · 2 hours

      Study Unit 1: Elements/Features of Development Administration, focusing on its key elements.. Consider: What are the essential features that define development administration?.

  7. Week 7Module 2: Elements/Features, Origin and Perspectives of Development Administration
    • Unit 2: Origin of Development Administration · 2 hours

      Cover Unit 2: Origin of Development Administration, paying attention to its emergence.. Reflect on the question: How did the concept of development administration originate?.

  8. Week 8Module 2: Elements/Features, Origin and Perspectives of Development Administration
    • Unit 3: Marshall Plan · 2 hours

      Study Unit 3: Marshall Plan, focusing on its contribution to Europe's recovery.. Consider: How did the Marshall Plan contribute to Europe's rapid recovery after WWII?.

  9. Week 9Module 2: Elements/Features, Origin and Perspectives of Development Administration
    • Unit 4: National Development · 2 hours

      Read Unit 4: National Development, focusing on its meaning and scope.. Reflect on the question: What do you understand by the term 'national development'?.

  10. Week 10Module 3: Approaches to Understanding Development Administration
    • Unit 5: Problems Associated with Development Administration · 2 hours

      Study Unit 5: Problems Associated with Development Administration, focusing on the challenges.. Consider: What are the major problems affecting development administration?.

    • Unit 1: The Modernisation Approach · 2 hours

      Study Unit 1: The Modernisation Approach, focusing on its basic tenets.. Consider: What are the key tenets of the Modernisation Approach?.

  11. Week 11Module 3: Approaches to Understanding Development Administration
    • Unit 2: The Statist Approach · 2 hours

      Cover Unit 2: The Statist Approach, paying attention to its focus on the state's role.. Reflect on the question: How does the Statist Approach view the role of the state?.

  12. Week 12Module 3: Approaches to Understanding Development Administration
    • Unit 3: The Radical Approach · 2 hours

      Study Unit 3: The Radical Approach, focusing on its key tenets.. Consider: What are the key tenets of the Radical Approach?.

  13. Week 13Module 3: Approaches to Understanding Development Administration
    • Unit 4: The Dependency Approach · 2 hours

      Read Unit 4: The Dependency Approach, focusing on its key tenets.. Reflect on the question: How does the Dependency Approach explain underdevelopment?.

    • Unit 5: The Participatory Approach · 2 hours

      Study Unit 5: The Participatory Approach, focusing on its key tenets.. Consider: What are the key tenets of the Participatory Approach?.

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Review all unit objectives and ensure you can address each one.
  • Create concept maps linking the different approaches to development administration (Modernization, Statist, Dependency, Participatory).
  • Focus on the historical context of development administration, particularly the Marshall Plan and its implications.
  • Practice applying the different theoretical approaches to specific case studies of development in Nigeria.
  • Pay close attention to the challenges affecting development administration in Nigeria and potential solutions.
  • Create timelines of the various administrative reforms in Nigeria, noting key features and outcomes.
  • Prepare summaries of the key arguments for and against privatization and commercialization.

Questions students ask about this course

What is POL441 about?

This course introduces students to development administration, exploring its definition, origin, and related concepts like development, growth, and modernization. It examines the environment of development administration, emphasizing economic, political, administrative, and socio-cultural factors. The course covers development planning, public enterprises, and privatization, providing a global perspective and focusing on Nigeria's viewpoint. Students will gain knowledge of national planning and the challenges affecting development administration.

How many units does POL441 have?

POL441, Development Administration, has 25 units across 5 modules, over 177 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is POL441?

POL441 carries 3 credit units, at 400 level in Social Sciences.

Is POL441 hard?

POL441 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.

How long does POL441 take to study?

About 75 hours of study, spread across its 25 units.

How is POL441 assessed?

POL441 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.

What can I do with POL441?

Policy Analyst, Development Officer, Public Administrator, Project Manager and Consultant.

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