Arba Minch University

College of Social Science and Humanities

Department of Geography and Environmental Studies

Need Assessment checklist on new masters program on Environment and Development Studies
(EDS) In Geography and Environmental Studies department at Arba Minch University

To be filled by selected Governmental and Non-Governmental organizations

Objective

The purpose of this survey is to collect data about current and future needs of trained
manpower on Environment and Development studies(EDS) in your organization. This will
be also important to get information which to be potential input while we develop the new
graduate programs in EDS. These surveys will be kept completely confidential.

Environmental and Development Studies is a multi-disciplinary field of study that links the
study areas of natural and social sciences and concerns on promoting integrated science,
planning, policy and development for managing the impacts of development on natural
resources as well as securing sustainable development through addressing climate, biodiversity,
gender and other political, socio-economic and technological issues

The MA program in EDS is needed to be designed to train and produce students (graduates)
who are competent through knowledge and practical skills in the Areas of environment and
development. It will also help generate trained professionals who are capable of designing
development policies and strategies on multifaceted environmental and related economic issues
to meet the unlimited needs of fast growing population of our country both in rural and urban
areas. In general it lays the base to balance the needs for socioeconomic development and the
needs to preserve the environment in order to meet the goals of sustainable development.

No individual or specific organization will be named in any report. This survey is based only
on your opinions and in no way implies any formal agreement or commitment from your side
or organization. We are grateful for your help with this effort.
Part I. General information
1. Name of the institution/organization

2. Position of the respondent within the institution/organization

3. Type of the organization/institution

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 a) Government b) NGO c) Private d) Government-donor bilateral e) Specify if other

4. Institution/organization funding source (circle your answer) ____________

a) Private b) state funds c) mix d) international e) other specify

Part II. Checklist

Below is a very comprehensive criteria checklist to guide the process of curriculum design.
Please note that this is an extensive list, and all items may not be applicable or useable for
No Items Yes No Comments
all readers. Use the criteria that you deem most applicable to ensure your design will meet
1 yourDoes your
quality the institute/organization
standards. You can mark yourneed employees
answer with
by using
educational background in:
A)Climate Change and Development
B) Biodiversity Conservation and Management
C) Environment management and related

D)Gender and Development

E) Development and related

2 Do you believe that there is a need for Environment and Dev

elopment studies professionals at 2nd degree program level?
3 Does the institute/ organization looking to hire trained staf &
managers with expertise in Environment and Development
studies?
4 Does your organization allow employees to pursue 2nd
degree in Environment and Development studies while
working with you?
5 If yes for the question immediately above, does your
organization cover the cost of the trainings?
6 Do you think that, your employees like to see additional training
MA program in Environment and Development studies?
7 In the future, does your institution/organization anticipate
needing people with expertise in national issues related to
Development and environmental resources management?

8 Is the new program to be opened in our university (in EDS)

included in area of your institute program strategic emphasis?

9 Do you think that, the program is appropriate to be opened at

Arbaminch University?

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 Part III. Fill out
1. What do you see in your Unit/Division's most important training needed about the program?
______________________________________________________________________________
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2. In your own words, in what aspects of environmental and Developmental issues does your orga
nization involved?
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3. What does your institution/organization need most in terms of future employees capacity and
expertise to be even more successful?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
________________________
4. Do Environment and Development Studies courses have direct or indirect relationship with the
activities of your organization? A. Yes B. No
5. if you say YES for question 4 please mention the relationship__________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
6.What courses do you suggest for this program?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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6. What do you suggest and comment about the program in general? ________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COOPERATION

I. Proposed courses
Development perspectives and theories
Development strategy and policy analysis
Environmental Economics
Natural Resource Management and Analysis
Environmental Impact Assessment
Climate change and human responses
Integrated watershed management
Research Methods(qualitative and quantitative)
II. Crosscutting issues
Population, and Development
Environment and Development
Culture, Gender and Development
III. Thematic Areas for Students Thesis
I. Environmental Management for Sustainable Development
Establishing local level environmental action plan and implementation
Rehabilitation and restoration of degraded lands
Pollution control and management
Integrated solid and liquid waste management
II. Integrated Natural Resource Management
sustainable land management
sustainable biodiversity conservation and management
integrated wetland management
dry land natural resources management
sustainable forest management
integrated watershed management
III. Water Resource Management and Development
Sustainable water use and management
Water supply and sanitation
Irrigation management
Management of trans boundary rivers and benefits sharing
Rain water harvesting
IV. Climate Change and Human Responses
Land use change dynamics and climate change
Assessment of climate change and coping mechanisms
V.Tourism and Development
Infrastructure and tourism development
Eco-tourism for sustainable development
Role of tourism to livelihoods diversification
VI. Agriculture and Rural Development
Sustainable use of agricultural land
Livestock production and productivity

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 Sustainable management of soil resource
Irrigation and sustainable rural development
Agricultural extension and technology transfer
Climate change and agriculture