Yearbooks

Programme: Master of Agriculture Rural Development

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Code Faculty Department
02256003 Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Department: Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
Credits Duration NQF level
Minimum duration of study: 2 years Total credits: 180 NQF level:  09

Programme information

Renewal of registration
As long as progress is satisfactory, renewal of the registration of a master’s student will be accepted for the second year of the study. Registration for a third and subsequent years will only take place when the Student Administration of the Faculty receives a written motivation which is supported by the relevant head of department and Postgraduate Studies Committee.

Curriculum
Subject to programme-specific requirements, the curriculum for the MAgric degree consists of the following:

  1. A dissertation;
  2. Attendance of the Department’s Research Methods module and
  3. Presentation of a research proposal during the first year of registration
  4. Further study in the major subject/s, augmented by ancillary modules prescribed by the Postgraduate Studies Committee, on the recommendation of the head of department. Such ancillary modules may be taken simultaneously with the major subject/s. Candidates in possession of the BScAgricHons degree may be exempted from additional ancillary modules.

Admission requirements

  1. BAgricHons degree (or equivalent) or BInstAgrarHons degree (or equivalent) or relevant honours degree

Note: Additional modules may be required in order to reach the desired level of competency

Core credits: 90

Core modules

  • Module content:

    The concept and interrelated causes of food insecurity (production, markets and socio-economic climate) and the global food economy.  Household coping strategies and response to risk and shocks.  Household dynamics (including livelihoods, purchasing behaviour and nutrition). Practical tools for programme and policy analysis and targeting. Evaluation of possible programme and policy options and their effectiveness in terms of achieving comprehensive and pro-poor growth. Sustainable Development Goal two that seeks to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

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  • Module content:

    The international and African context for monitoring and evaluation of Sustainable Development Goals related to food security. Indicators, scores, indexes, measurement approaches, systems and analysis methods for multisectoral food security monitoring and evaluation. Best practice related to the identification, selection, presentation and analytical approaches to managing and analysing large datasets across multiple sectors to generate clear, concise findings for policymakers. Communicating food security information for decision makers.

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  • Module content:

    Institutional and behavioural economics. This module will expose students to the principles of the New Institutional Economics paradigm and how it can be utilized to improve the analysis of agricultural economic and agricultural development problems and issues. Major themes covered are: The agricultural development challenge: stylised features; new institutional economics: distinctive features and concepts; institutions and development: A historical and macro-perspective techno-economic characteristics and agricultural systems and products in poor countries; NIE analysis of markets and markets structures; the State: Political and institutional determinants of agricultural policy; collective action; transactions costs in smallholder agriculture; case studies.

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  • Module content:

    Overview of rural finance: conceptual issues. Role of financial services in economic development. Relationship between financial development and economic growth. Economic theory underlying rural financial markets: market and government failure, imperfect information, transaction costs, agency theory, and pecking order theory. Supply of and demand for financial services in rural areas: theory and measurement issues. Estimating credit demand, supply and constraints. Institutions involved in the provision of rural financial services and innovations in rural finance. Assessing performance of institutions providing rural financial services.

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  • Module content:

    Review of theories and principles of growth and development. The role of agriculture in rural and economic development. The economic nature of smallholder agriculture. Problems and policies in agricultural and rural development: issues, options and challenges. Strategies for modernising agriculture (lessons from experience). Poverty dynamics, food and the environmental nexus. Land tenure reforms and policy.

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  • Module content:

    Research methodology and dissertation design. Research in perspective. The research process. Formulating research problems, hypotheses and objectives. Developing a conceptual framework. Review of literature. Methods and procedures. Data collection, processing and analysis. Developing a good research proposal.

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General Academic Regulations and Student Rules
The General Academic Regulations (G Regulations) and General Student Rules apply to all faculties and registered students of the University, as well as all prospective students who have accepted an offer of a place at the University of Pretoria. On registering for a programme, the student bears the responsibility of ensuring that they familiarise themselves with the General Academic Regulations applicable to their registration, as well as the relevant faculty-specific and programme-specific regulations and information as stipulated in the relevant yearbook. Ignorance concerning these regulations will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression, or basis for an exception to any of the aforementioned regulations. The G Regulations are updated annually and may be amended after the publication of this information.

Regulations, degree requirements and information
The faculty regulations, information on and requirements for the degrees published here are subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information.

University of Pretoria Programme Qualification Mix (PQM) verification project
The higher education sector has undergone an extensive alignment to the Higher Education Qualification Sub-Framework (HEQSF) across all institutions in South Africa. In order to comply with the HEQSF, all institutions are legally required to participate in a national initiative led by regulatory bodies such as the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The University of Pretoria is presently engaged in an ongoing effort to align its qualifications and programmes with the HEQSF criteria. Current and prospective students should take note that changes to UP qualification and programme names, may occur as a result of the HEQSF initiative. Students are advised to contact their faculties if they have any questions.

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