1. MA Curriculum and Instruction

1.1. Objectives of the Program

The main objective of providing Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction is to produce teaching and leading staff that has the expertise and ability to design and develop curriculum and instruction for the various levels of study, undertake and disseminate research outputs that contribute to the overall growth and quality of education/training. Specifically, it is planned to:

  • Prepare individuals who are knowledgeable about the principles of modern and student-centered curriculum development and instruction;
  • Produce highly trained professionals in research and needs assessment pertinent to curriculum development, instruction and student assessment;
  • Produce personnel who can evaluate educational programs and projects in order to make the necessary improvements and adjustments when the need arises;
  • Prepare individuals who can adjust themselves and help others to adjust to the changing curriculum development processes and instructional practices, and
  • Prepare practitioners who have the ability to assess the implementation of academic programs in an institution

1.2. Professional Profiles

Graduates of curriculum and instruction are expected to perform the following:

  • Design and develop need-based curricula;
  • Serve as instructors of curriculum and instruction in colleges and institutes of teacher/higher education.
  • Work as researchers so that they can identify problems area in the field of study
  • Apply modern instructional and assessment skills and techniques in any learning-teaching situation of the tertiary level education as well as in schools
  • Evaluate technical and vocational programs, text books, curricula, etc.
  • Plan, develop and conduct curricula evaluation and research projects both in collaboration with stakeholders and independently;
  • Advocate for and influence the MoE, Regional Education Bureaus, and Teacher Education Institutions regarding curriculum evaluation and research models to promote quality and relevance of education in Ethiopia;
  • Initiate and promote research or evidence-based curriculum policy changes to ensure quality and relevance of educational practices in a competitive world;
  • Work closely with relevant sections of the MoE, Regional Education Bureaus and Teacher Training Colleges concerning curriculum evaluation, action research, and assessment of learning outcomes;
  • Play key role in policy dialogues regarding curriculum relevance and responsiveness issues at both national and global levels;
  • Develop contextualized reading materials on instructional media, curriculum development, classroom research and continuous assessment strategies and formats to improve quality of instruction;
  • Serve as a trainer on curriculum development, implementation, evaluation, and research methods in the assessment for learning strategies and techniques for teachers and other professions.

1.3. Graduate Profile

On successful completion of the MA in Curriculum and Instruction, graduates should be able to:

  • identify and organize instructional design in their respective fields of studies,
  • execute teaching learning and lead instructional procedures;
  • conduct research and needs assessment in their related fields of studies to improve curriculum development and teaching activities;
  • develop and/or review need-based curriculum;
  • apply modern instructional and assessment skills and techniques in any learning-teaching situation of a given institution;
  • have the capacity to assess the implementation of academic programs in an institution; and
  • evaluate conventional, and technical and vocational programs, curriculum materials, etc.

1.4. Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the admission criteria of the university. Besides they shall meet the following criteria.

  • Have first degree from a recognized University
  • Have taken a minimum CGPA of 2.00 and above
  • Pass entrance exam set by the department
  • Present statement of purpose explaining their motivation and reasoning why they are applying for the program

Thus, applicants will be ranked and admitted to the program based on the following criteria:

  • Entrance exam result and CGPA
  • Statement of purpose and academic credential submitted
  • In addition to the abovementioned criteria, other criteria will be applied to screen the applicants as deemed such as:
  • relevant courses taken at the undergraduate program
  • relevance of work experience to the area of training
  • relevance of current position to the area of training
  • Applicants from non-education background will take bridging courses

2. MA Curriculum and Quality Assurance

2.1. Objectives of the Program

Overall, the aim of this program is to produce professionals with good understanding about the role of curriculum and quality enhancement and assurance so that they can commit themselves for continuous enhancement of quality. Also, it is targeted to produce people who can cultivate quality culture among program leaders, academics and students at all level of the education system. Specifically, the program is targeted to produce graduates who can:

  • Articulate the history and philosophy of education in order to analyze and critique the contemporary education philosophies;
  • Demonstrate understanding of the policy and legal framework for quality assurance in Ethiopia;
  • Explain the importance of relevance and quality assurance in education;
  • Report the importance of competence-based curriculum design;
  • Design competency-based curriculum in Ethiopian higher education;
  • Conduct research and produce research that meets the required standards;
  • Review academic programs at all levels of the education system;
  • Devise quality enhancement mechanisms for a given education institution;
  • Evaluate the adequacy of quality enhancement system of an institution and develop plan for improvement
  • Appreciate the importance of quality enhancement in the system of education
  • Give value to research and competence-based curriculum design and development

2.2. Professional Profiles

Professionals in the field of curriculum and quality assurance are expected to perform the following:

  • Plan, organize, teach and lead educational activities in their respected fields of studies;
  • Develop need assessment tools and conduct the assessment practices as way to improve the existing curriculum and learning teaching activities;
  • Identify a problem area in the field of curriculum studies and conduct investigation
  • Design and develop need-based curricula;
  • Apply modern instructional and assessment skills and techniques in any learning-teaching situation of the tertiary level education as well as in schools
  • Evaluate technical and vocational programs, text books, curricula, etc.
  • Plan, develop and conduct curricula evaluation and research projects both in collaboration with stakeholders and independently;
  • Advocate for and influence the MoE, MoSHE, HERQA, Regional Education Bureaus, and Teacher Education Institutions regarding curriculum and curriculum research models to promote quality and relevance of education in Ethiopia;
  • Initiate and promote research or evidence-based curriculum policy changes to ensure quality and relevance of educational practices in a competitive world;
  • Work closely with relevant sectors of the MoE, MoSHE, HERQA, Regional Education Bureaus and Teacher Training Colleges concerning curriculum, action research, and assessment of learning outcomes;
  • Play key role in policy dialogues regarding curriculum relevance and responsiveness issues at both national and global levels;
  • Develop contextualized reading materials on instructional media, curriculum development, classroom research and continuous assessment strategies and formats to improve quality of instruction; and
  • Provide localized trainings on curriculum development, implementation, evaluation, and research methods in the assessment for learning strategies and techniques for teachers and other professionals development
  • Graduate Profile

2.3. Graduate Profile

The specific program in curriculum and quality assurance is targeted to produce experts who can:

  • Serve as an educational quality expert at Regional, Zonal, Woreda and various schools’ level (including tertiary level);
  • Provide training on suitable and innovative strategies/ techniques of instruction and quality assurance, such as implementation of active learning and continuous assessment techniques;
  • Collect necessary data on school practice which help to improve quality education;
  • Apply necessary technologies in collecting, organizing and evaluating information on quality practices to make decision;
  • Conduct action and other educational research with the aim of improve the teaching learning process;
  • Render consultancy service for governmental and nongovernmental educational institutions;
  • Teach professional courses such as curriculum studies and related courses at public and private teacher training colleges.

2.4. Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the admission criteria of the university. Besides they shall meet the following criteria.

  • Have taken a minimum of 20 Credit hours of professional and pedagogic courses in their undergraduate study;
  • Applicants who have not taken adequate pedagogical courses are expected to attend bridging courses such as general methods of teaching, instructional media/technology, secondary school curriculum and instruction and action research. More pedagogical courses may also be added based on the background of the applicants and Department Council decision.
  • Have basis on computational skills and statistical aspects of research; and
  • First degree from recognized university
  • A minimum grade point average GPA of 2.00 and above
  • Pass entrance exam set by the department
  • Present statement of purpose explaining their motivation and reasoning why they are applying for the program

Applicants will be ranked based on the following criteria:

  • Entrance exam and GPA
  • Statement of purpose
  • Relevant courses taken at the undergraduate program
  • Relevance of work experience to the area of training
  • Relevance of current position to the area of training

3. MA in Adult Education and Community Development and Adult Education and Lifelong learning

3.1. General Objective

The general objective of the Masters in Adult Education and Community Development is to enrich the process of community development and provision of various adult education programs by preparing professionals who can take different roles in the areas of community development and adult education in different sectors of private, governmental and non-governmental organizations. Simply, the program aims to provide the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate adult education and sustainable community change and development.

3.2. Specific Objectives

By producing high level specialized professionals in adult education and community development, the program aims to:

  • Improve the ability of coordinators and experts of adult education and community development to design and carry out effective community development programs and projects;
  • Enhance adult educators and community development workers skills in planning, organizing, coordinating and monitoring educational programs and projects;
  • Build the capacity of facilitators of adult and non-formal education programs in designing and providing relevant and need-based training using appropriate methods.
  • Facilitate the implementation of the national adult education strategy and development plans and strategies at different levels
  • Provide inputs to policy and practice of adult education, lifelong learning and community development through research.
  • Develop capabilities for the provision of consultancy and technical services as well as short-terms specialized training for both public and private sectors
  • Produce adult education and community devilment planners and managers who can initiate changes, innovations and development by addressing local and regional needs and realities
  • Produce change agents that can mobilize and involve the local communities and thereby strengthen development endeavors and community relationship

3.3. Professional Profile

The graduates of Adult Education and Community Development with MA degree will have the opportunities to secure employment in a wide range of community service organizations both locally and internationally work in:

  • Line Ministries as Ministry of Education,
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,
  • Ministry of Health,
  • Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA),
  • Ministry of Women and Children,
  • Ministry of Urban Development, and in all other Ministries’ personnel training/capacity building departments
  • Crisis intervention centers (internally displaced people, refuge and rehabilitation centers),
  • In public and private financial institutions (banks, micro-finance, insurances)
  • Academic institutions (colleges and universities),
  • Community resource mobilization and development centers;
  • Community and outreach services,
  • Training departments of international and inter-governmental institutions (AU, UN organizations),
  • In local and national civic society organizations (CBOs, Community development firms, CLCs)
  • They can work as researchers and consultants in various national and international organizations.
  • They can work in distance, extension and e-learning offering institutions.
  • As self-employees in their own education and business firms.

3.4. Graduate Profile

Graduates of adult education and community development can:

  • Formulate policy frame work and directives
  • Depict positive attitude towards diversity and promote national and international understanding.
  • Coordinate international humanitarian interventions.
  • Purse professionalism and practice professional ethics.
  • Use E-learning as well as digital and mobile literacy programs
  • Employ   learners centered instructional approaches and methods
  • Appreciate self-directed and work-place learning
  • Develop a program for and apply alternative new trends and best practices in
  • Open and distance learning,
  • Adult education and community development and
  • Alternative basic education programs, etc.
  • Serve as a trainers of adult and non-formal education program facilitators and  practitioners,
  • Prepare adult teaching learning materials in different settings
  • Design and conduct research proposals on issues related to adult education and community development (Adult education and lifelong learning),
  • Organize and execute development-oriented adult and non-formal education programs
  • Initiate innovative educational projects related to adult and non-formal education programs
  • Provide consultancy services in the area of adult education and community development/lifelong learning.
  • Manage various forms of adult education and community development/ lifelong learning programs and
  • Monitor and evaluate adult and non-formal education programs and projects
  • Create self-employment opportunities.
  • They can work as instructors and researchers and training experts in academic institutions

3.5. Admission requirements

The program shall be open to all applicants regardless of their academic specialization.  Relevance of educational background of applicants, their academic performance as displayed in their credentials and entrance exam results will be considered to select applicants. Female applicants are encouraged.

If it is found necessary, applicants coming from unrelated educational background will take preparatory courses with undergraduate students.

The admission is subject to the approval of the CGS (Council of Graduate Studies) of each University and the Universities legislation. Besides, admission to this program is competitive and based on an entrance exam. Good performance in an entrance examination administered as part of screening process. Applicants may be organization-sponsored or self-sponsored.

3.6. Duration of the study

The Program will take two years on regular full-time basis. Students who shall extend from the above specified years of stay will be treated according to the Universities’ legislation.