1. Master of Arts Degree in Peace and Development Studies Program
1.1 Background of the program
We live in a time of unparalleled opportunities for human and material development_ as shown by the relative access to instant information communication technology (ICT), global interconnection and integration, and rapid economic development. In stark contrast to this, we also live in a time of unparalleled challenges to peace due to conflicts at the local, national, and international levels. Today, one-fifth of the world’s population lives in countries experiencing serious violence, political conflicts, and insecurity. Countries with major violence have poverty rates 20 per cent higher than average.
The Horn of African countries are among the most conflict prone countries of the world. Before the colonial era, the Egyptians attempt to control the source of the Blue Nile had led to the war between Egypt and today’s Ethiopia. Though the Egyptians lost the battle and could not control the source of the Blue Nile, due to later developments, particularly during the colonial period, they have had almost exclusive and until recently unchallenged control of the Blue Nile. In addition, the Horn has been a theatre for power struggles and territorial competitions among the British, French, and Italians during the colonial period. These power struggles and territorial competitions led to the partitioning of the Horn of Africa among these colonial powers which in turn divided the Horn into different social, political, and cultural groups and created conducive environment for various types of conflicts such as territorial, ethnic, and political conflicts. On the other hand, the Cold War confrontation between the two superpowers in which each of the principal countries of the Horn turned into proxies had also created a condition for a protracted conflict in the region. Most recently, the Horn of Africa emerging as a major center of the “Global War on Terror” has also become one of the centers of conflicts in the world.
Ethiopia has had some initiatives to mobilize its human and material resources for the objectives of realizing economic development, peace and stability, and social transformation. These are stated in the Growth and Transformation Plans (GTP I and II), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in the Vision for a Climate Resilient Green Economy (FDRE, 2008). All these initiatives call for the new-era of multi-ethnic Ethiopia to work hard to coordinate its traditional and modern institutions and promote democratic pluralism, peace and stability, social transformation and competitively partake and benefit from the indispensable opportunities that these possibly offer.
Haramaya University (HrU) has been producing competent and qualified professionals in various fields of studies for over sixty years. The University strives to become one of the leading universities in Africa by 2025. Currently, it is running more than 200 programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Further, the University has been working hard to develop demand- driven academic programs that address the social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental problems of the country. In line with this, the College of Social Sciences and Humanities of the University launched M.A. program in Peace and Development Studies in 2015 in addition to its already existing eleven undergraduate and seven graduate programs. Since the 3 launching of the program, two cohorts of students have graduated. Currently, the College of Social Sciences and Humanities has nine MA and three PhD programs which have revision plans to check standards and periodically update the quality of the programs. Accordingly, the existing MA curriculum in Peace and Development Studies is revised based on the revision plan of the curriculum, the provision of the project titled “HU-UIBK Partnership for Strengthening Institutional Capacity in Peace building and Conflict Transformation”, and feedback from the stakeholders. In line with this, the College of Social Sciences and Humanities decided to revise the curriculum in the modular approach to meet the requirements of the international standard such as relevance, quality, comparability, credibility, and compatibility. This revision is also made to go in line with the higher education policy of the country that stipulates the necessity to shift from the conventional curriculum design and implementation to the competency-based modular approach.
1. 2 Admission Requirements
The revised MA curriculum is designed in such a way that it exposes students and academics to the comprehensive understanding of the inter-relationship between peace and development for the overall societal transformation.
1. 3 Graduation Requirements
Academic standing of the Peace and Development Studies student is determined by Haramaya University Senate Legislation Article 122 Academic Standing of Postgraduate Students.
In order to graduate from the program, students are required to complete their coursework of 90 ECTS, and write an original MA thesis of 30 ECTS on issues of peace and development score a minimum of B grade. In addition, students must maintain a minimum of 3.00 CGPA in all taken courses in order to graduate. However, students who obtain more than one ‘C’ grade cannot graduate from the program but they may be given the chance to remove the ‘C’ grades based on the Provision of the University’s Senate Legislation. All other pertinent rules, regulations and procedures of the University as stipulated in the University’s Senate Legislation would also be applied as graduation requirements for the program.
1. 4 MA Degree Nomenclature
The degree nomenclature of the revised program is Master of Arts (MA) Degree in Peace and Development Studies. The Amharic version of the degree is የአርት ማስተር ዲግሪ በሰላምና ልማት ጥናት
2. Master of Arts Degree in Sociology
2.1 Admission Requirements
Concerning admission requirements, candidates must have a BA degree in Sociology or other related fields like social anthropology, economics, law, political sciences, philosophy, linguistics, rural development, environmental studies, gender, and health sciences. Applicants must submit to the School of Graduate Studies a formal application, official copies of transcripts and diplomas obtained from the universities attended, and two letters of recommendation, preferably from former instructors. They have to pass an entrance exam which can be either a written exam or an interview. And their credentials are also evaluated and given credit comparably. These modalities are yearly discussed and established by the instructors involved in the MA program. Final admission into the MA program in Sociology requires the approval of the Council of Graduate Studies of the university and is effected according to the formal rules and regulations set forth by the university.