The United Nations African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) offers an innovative, 18-month, professional Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree Programme in Economic Policy and Management. The programme is designed to expose mid-career professionals and policy makers to a highly structured post-graduate course in economic policy and management that is particularly relevant to Africa's economic, social and political environment.
The programme aims at preparing candidates for senior-level policy-making positions in government, public and private corporations, financial institutions and inter-governmental subregional, regional and international organizations. It fills a rapidly-growing demand for managers and policy-makers with expertise in economic policy analysis and management.
It provides participants with knowledge that assists them in addressing development issues, designing and formulating economic policy more effectively and contributes to improving their skills in economic policy analysis, management and planning.
The specific objectives of the programme are to:
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Offer greater opportunities to IDEP's member states to increase the number of analysts in policy / decision-making positions;
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Provide a solid mastery of analytical and technical skills required for handling issues in macroeconomic policy analysis and management;
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Create a critical mass of Africans who are well equipped to solve development problems.
The M.A. degree programme consists of course work, examinations, seminars/workshops, field work and thesis. The course work is designed to sharpen participants' analytical skills through exposure to latest developments in economic theory and quantitative techniques. The seminars / workshops and field work are designed to further strengthen participants' understanding of economic policy formulation and management. Policy papers and case studies are examined to illustrate experiences at the country level in economic policy analysis and management. In the seminars/workshops, participants are encouraged to explore alternative options, question assumptions, debate differences, and collaborate in developing policy papers. The diversities in participants' backgrounds and perspectives are used to encourage more balanced, better informed, and more imaginative policy-dialogue and policy-making.
As part of the requirements, participants must complete their theses on topics of their choice approved by the Academic Committee.
1. General requirements:
- The minimum academic qualification for admission into the MA programme for applicants with Anglophone-type educational background is a recognised Bachelor's degree, or its equivalent in Economics or a related discipline, with at least a Second Class Lower Division or a B average. For applicants with a Francophone-type educational background, the minimum requirements is a “Maîtrise” Diploma or its equivalent in Economics or a related discipline delivered by a recognised academic institution. In both cases, a relevant professional experience of at least two years is required.
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The Institute has the right to ask a trainee to withdraw from the MA programme if the admissions requirements were observed to be irregular, notwithstanding progress made in the Programme.
Admission into the M.A. Programme is open to all qualified candidates. Applicants can download, complete and send their application forms as from December of each year. Any application received after the 31st of July will be considered during the selection process of the next academic year. For example, application forms received after 31st July 2005 is considered for the 2006-2007 academic year.
The following procedure is to be followed by applicants :
Complete the application form and return it with a one to two-page covering letter type-written in English or French, stating clearly the research interest the candidate plans to work on for the MA thesis.
Two letters of recommendation, one professional and one academic, are to be sent directly to the Chief of Training Division, IDEP.
Applications must be received at least three months prior to the anticipated enrolment for the academic year which starts in the first week of November.
Submission of an application authorises IDEP to investigate the accuracy of the information provided.
False information or documents submitted by any applicant, when discovered, will result in denial or revocation of admission.
Provisionally admitted candidates who have not secured funding can obtain letters of recommendation from IDEP in their search for fellowships.
If a candidate is accepted but does not register after two academic years, a new application must be submitted when the person wants to enrol.
2. Selection Committee
The Selection Committee assesses the applications for admission into the MA Degree Programme. The Committee, chaired by the Chief of the Training Division, is composed of members of staff of the Training Division.
The completed application form should be received at IDEP no later than 31st July. Decision of the Selection Committee will be communicated to the applicant by mid September of the same year and posted on the institute's website.
BREAKDOWN OF THE 18-MONTH M.A. PROGRAMME
The first semester of the programme runs from the first week of November to the third week of March (18 weeks).
The second semester begins in the first week of April and ends in the last week of July (18 weeks).
The third period begins in the third week of August and ends in October (10 weeks).
The fourth period begins in the first week of November and ends in April of the following year (24 weeks).
The programme of study leading to the award of the M.A. Degree in Economic Policy and Management spans a minimum period of 18 months and comprises 4 periods.
First Semester
The first semester is devoted to course work broadly aimed at sharpening participants’ analytical skills through exposure to latest developments in economic theory and quantitative techniques:
- ECN 801 Microeconomic Theory and Applications
- ECN 802 Macroeconomic Theory and Policy Analysis
- ECN 803 Development Economics: Theories, Problems and Policy Strategies
- ECN 804 Quantitative Techniques for Economic Management:
ECN 804A Econometric Methods and Applications I
ECN 804B Econometric Methods and Applications II
ECN 804C Introduction to Computer Applications
- ECN 805 Macro and Multi-Sectoral Modelling
- ECN 811 Population and Development
- ECN 813 Research Methodology
Second Semester
The second semester is organized in the form of seminars/workshops which are designed to strengthen participants’ practical understanding of economic policy and management. Participants are encouraged to explore alternative policy options, question assumptions, debate differences and develop policy papers. The courses offered in the second semester are:
- ECN 806 Public Finance : Theory and Practice
- ECN 807 International Trade, Finance and Debt Management
- ECN 807A International Trade and Finance
ECN 807B Debt Management
- ECN 807C Issues in Trade and WTO Negotiations
- ECN 808 Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration
- ECN 809 Project Analysis, Evaluation and Management
- ECN 810 Regional Development and Planning
- ECN 812 National Planning Experiences, Strategic Planning and Long Term Perspective Studies
- ECN 814Financial Programming and Policies
- ECN 815 Governance and Economic Policy
The third period is devoted to make-up examinations, thesis proposals preparation and field work .
The fourth period is devoted to field work, thesis preparation and defence.
The pedagogic approach adopted in all courses of the programme is hands-on, emphasizing practical policy applications through use of presentation graphics, audio-visual aids, country case studies and sharing of experiences, computer simulation experiments, group projects, study trips and fieldwork.
To obtain the Master of Arts degree in Economic Policy and Management, candidates must pass the examinations in all subjects in the two semesters with a score not less than 60 percent in any course and an overall average grade of 65 percent. In addition, they are required to defend the MA thesis satisfactorily. Furthermore, full attendance and participation in classes, lectures, seminars, and other training activities, is required. A trainee wil have to resit, during the third period, a course in which a score less than 60 percent is obtained. Candidates who do not obtain the required overall average of 65% as well as those who do not satisfactorily complete their thesis may be asked to withdraw from the programme.
The MA candidate shall demonstrate through the thesis an adequate knowledge of the subject area, a good grasp of research methods and analytical tools, sufficient skills in writing original and coherent scientific documents, presenting results and putting forward arguments.
Work already submitted by a trainee for another degree cannot be re-submitted as such or with minor adjustments for a degree award at IDEP.
Thesis is written either in English or French.
Any extension of the normal period for completing the thesis must be approved by IDEP.
The Academic Committee is presided over by the Deputy Director & Chief of Training. It is composed of lecturers in the M.A. programme and other resource persons. The Committee is responsible for the supervision of all academic activities related to the training programme.
Also, the Academic Committee is responsible for the review of research proposals as well as theses.
Other functions of the Committee include:
- assisting the trainees in formulating their theses topics;
- reviewing the trainees' progress at the end of each semester or period including trainees' performance at the Training Seminar/Workshop;
- taking special interest in the trainee's progress;
- reviewing and proposing improvements of the academic programmes.
THESIS PREPARATION AND DEFENCE
The main purpose of M.A. thesis is to introduce participants to original supervised research. Upon completion of the thesis, the participant should have demonstrated a good understanding of the topic as well as the research process and related analytical methods. For further details, see the Academic Rules & Regulations , section 23 on MA thesis Preparation and Defence.
The cost of the MA Degree per trainee consist of tuition (paid to IDEP) and a recommended minimum allowance for trainee's expenses.
The breakdown is as follows :
| Monthly Rate (US$) | Period (months) | Total (US$) | ||
| Tuition fee | 6,000 | |||
| Trainee allowances | ||||
|
Stipend in first month (travel rate) |
1 | 682 | ||
|
Stipend at monthly residential rate |
455 | 17 | 7, 735 | |
|
Book allowance |
70 | 18 | 1 ,260 | |
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Provision for medical expenses |
200 | 18 | 3,600 | |
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Thesis processing |
500 | |||
|
Termination allowance |
150 | |||
|
Sub Total |
13,927 | 13,927 | ||
| Total | 19.927 | |||
The deadline for payment of tuition fees is 31 December .
Please note that this does not include the trainee's round trip ticket from the country of departure to Dakar, Senegal.
