Postgraduate Certificate in Development Management

This postgraduate certificate is for anyone with an interest in development and a desire to bring about change as it introduces the theory, policy and practice of development management. It also explores the nature of development from an international perspective. It addresses the needs of development managers as well as other professionals, such as engineers, health workers, educationalists, agriculturalists, bankers, scientists, who need the capacity to manage development if they are to do their work effectively. Completing this course provides a worthwhile qualification in its own right, and a good foundation to continue to the diploma and MSc in development management.

This postgraduate certificate is designed for people in government, non-governmental organisations, international and inter-governmental agencies and public and private enterprises, who have responsibility for development interventions, programmes and policies. It is also of value for anyone wishing to move into these areas, or who for personal and/or professional reasons want to build up a better understanding of the complex processes labelled ‘development’, with a view to managing those processes better.

It offers:

• a wide-ranging exploration of the contexts in which development takes place
• a critical review of how development management has evolved as a discipline
• a critical analysis of the nature of development management
• an opportunity to examine and practise the use of key tools that contribute to development management practice.

Like all our qualifications in development management, this certificate encourages you to make connections between your learning and your own involvement in development.

The certificate is part of our development management programme, which also offers a Postgraduate Certificate in Conflict and Development (C67), Postgraduate Certificate in Human Rights and Development (C96), Postgraduate Diploma in Development Management (D37), and MSc in Development Management (F11).

There is no time limit for completing the qualifications in the development management programme, though we cannot guarantee that the same selection of modules will continue to be available.

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

Career relevance and employability

Managers working in development contexts need the ability to appreciate the diversity and complexity of these contexts and the capacity to bring about good change. They also need the capacity to understand their own role and the roles of others in bringing about change that works. The modules making up this certificate provide an historical and interdisciplinary framework for analysing the contexts in which development interventions take place and a set of skills for planning, implementing and evaluating those interventions. They equip practitioners to make more effective contributions to the policy and practice of their organisations.

You should normally hold a bachelors degree from a UK university (or equivalent), or have experience in this field. If you are a non-graduate we suggest that you contact us before registering on your first module.