Course Code: C134

Course Title: Project planning and management

College: SOAS CEDEP

Course Director: Laurence Smith

Course Description: This course is about the modes and mechanisms through which development assistance is channelled, via investment in developing countries, for the promotion of agricultural and rural development. It is thus primarily about the rationale, context, and methods of planning, appraising and evaluating development projects and programmes.

Projects and programmes are widely used when attempting to allocate limited resources for specific development purposes as effectively as possible, and a core part of the module is on methods for appraising the financial and economic efficiency of rural and agricultural development projects. These methods of appraisal are informed by economic theories and, in particular, those of applied welfare economics.

While the course emphasises financial and economic efficiency, other important issues in assessing project design and impact are presented. Planning and management techniques for the project cycle are covered; including project identification and logical framework analysis. Approaches for social and environmental appraisal of projects are also reviewed. Finally a guide to project and programme monitoring and evaluation is provided.

By the end of this course, you will have:

• Familiarity with current "aid architecture" and the modalities of development assistance

• Ability to use tools for project identification and design, including logical framework analysis

• Capacity to apply key concepts in project analysis, including investment criteria and the valuation of costs and benefits over time

• Knowledge and use of core techniques of project appraisal, including the calculation of:

• Ability to compare the investment opportunities of different projects

• Recognition of critical project-related social and environmental issues, as well as knowledge of approaches for their appraisal and evaluation

• A grasp of key aspects of monitoring and evaluation, as an intrinsic part of project design and management

Assessment: Exam 100%

Course Credit: All SOAS CeDEP short course students receive a certificate of completion. Students of SOAS CeDEP Short Courses who may wish to transfer credit to Certificate, Diploma or Masters-level programmes are advised to select short courses which also act as Core Modules on CeDEP's various programmes.

Course Study Hours/Duration: 240 hrs over 35 weeks

Schedule of Availability: Feb - Oct (Enrolment deadline prior to Feb start - 30th November)

Delivery Mechanisms: Print; CD-Rom; Online Discussion

Cost: £960

How to apply: To enquire about applying for this course, or for any other information, please contact the Course Administrator using the online Enquiry Form below