DEVELOPMENT STUDIES-CAREER INFORMATION SUMMARY
WHAT IS DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AND WHO IS A DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIT/SPECIALIST?
Development Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study whose mission is to provide graduates with skills in high quality teaching, research and consultancy and public service in different aspects of human development. After studying development studies, you will gain cultural understanding, analytical skills and research capabilities.
A person who has studied development studies is called a development analyst or Development Specialist. A development analyst/specialist is someone who has obtained a degree and is prepared for critical thinking on complex and multidimensional issues and problems affecting human society.
WHERE DO DEVELOPMENT ANALYSITS/SPECIALIST WORK?
The labour market in Zambia has come to recognize and appreciate the expertise possessed by Development Studies graduates as essential to effectively pursue political, economic and social development in Zambia. Many of the graduates of development studies have been traditionally absorbed as key players in various government ministries where they work as Administrative and Assistant Administrative Officers. At the Ministry of Health they work as Public Health Officers, at departments like Disaster Management & Mitigation Unit (DMMU) they work as Urban and Regional Planning officers, at Department of Immigration as Immigration Officers, and now increasingly they work at Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the private sector, including banks.
WHAT TASKS ARE INVOLVED IN THE WORK?
Mostly in the NGOs and other international organisations like NIRAZ Zambia, USAID, John Snow Health etc., they work as Monitoring and Evaluation Officers and Project Officers .Because a lot of projects that NGOs do in Zambia generate a lot of data, they also work as Data Entry Clerks as well. This means their work involves a lot of travel out in the fields where projects are done for data collection, monitoring, evaluation etc.
Consultancy is also one of the most common career paths for graduates with a degree in Development Studies in Zambia. Consultants cooperate with various social and charitable organizations that carry out projects dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout Zambia. They do various tasks like conducting the Climate Risk Assessment in various fields, assessing impact of climate change on water availability and crop and milk production and identifies the risk that climate change poses to each of the stakeholders’ business in the value chain.
As immigration officers they do surveillance operations, collecting statistics, report writing, and organising for people to be sent back to their country of origin if they’re not entitled to be in the Zambia.
In Government mostly they are involved in administrative works as well as planning. In the banks they are mostly employed as bank tellers, loan officers and credit officers at entry level because mostly the kind of work done in the bank is job on training. With experience, they can be promoted to higher level positions within the bank. The work of a development specialist involve usage of computer applications like excel, and SPSS for statistical analysis.
WHAT IS THE WORK SCHEDULE OF A DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIT/SPECIALIST?
The work schedule or shifts of a development specialist depends on the organisation one is working for. If one is working for a government department, they typically follow the normal 08hrs to 17hrs work schedule Monday to Friday. If one is working for a consultancy firm or NGOs they usually go out in the fields because they are in the fore front conducting Monitoring and Evaluation Surveys, data collection and entry, especially Bachelor’s degree holders. In the fields they can spend a few days to weeks before they return to a town office to analyse the data they collect.
WHAT DOES THE JOB MARKET LOOK LIKE?
The biggest employer of Development Studies graduates are the NGOs. A Development Specialist can find a job at an NGO. NGOs continue to look for more graduates of development studies with an understanding of Social, Economic and political problems of most Zambian communities. Therefore, the NGO can have a Development Specialist working at the office and working as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer or Project Officer out in the fields. The chances are also higher that one will find a job with International Organisations like the International Labour Organisation(ILO) that come in to look for development specialists. The banking sector is also another employer of development studies specialists ,but mostly at entry levels only as credit officers, loan officers as well as bank tellers. The government is another employer in its various departments such as the immigration department and ministry of health.
The job market for Development Studies graduates depends on the number of or organisations coming on board, be it NGOs, Charitable Organizations, international organizations. The more these organizations become, the more job prospects become for Development Studies graduates.
SALARY RANGES AND WHAT CONTROLS IT
In banks the entry level monthly salaries for a graduate as of 2020 started from 4000zmw to 6000zmw depending on the size of the bank. As one gains experience and advances the career salaries do increase.
In government the entry level salary for a degree holder is standardized for every civil servant between 6000zmw and 7000zmw. Thereafter, depending on experience and the skills one develops on the job, salary can rise.
For NGOs and other international organizations, Development Specialists get contractual jobs and they are paid well even at entry level usually in foreign currency depending on which type of organisation. The salary is between 8000zmw and 12000zmw at entry level and they receive field work allowances as they do the field works of monitoring and evaluation.
WHAT SORT OF CAREER-PERSONALITY MATCH IS REQUIRED?
To enjoy being a development specialist, you need to be a person who loves doing community and charitable works. In your first year you will learn why Zambia is less developed and why there is poverty and the need to eradicate it. After graduation, to enjoy work, you need to be a person who loves to see the social, political and economic development of the Zambian society. All that needs some good interpersonal and communication skills.
WHERE CAN I STUDY DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, FOR HOW LONG, TO EARN WHAT QUALIFICATION?
In Zambia there is the University of Zambia and ZCAS University that offer a degree program in Development studies. There is no known institution that offers Development studies at diploma level. Development studies degrees run for four years. Other institutions like the Zambia Open University and the Zambia Catholic University offer these programs as well. For more information you might also like to visit www.zambianlearner.com to view more universities, colleges and other programs.
WHAT SUBJECTS WILL THE PROGRAM COVER?
At the University of Zambia when one enrols into university to study Development studies, they belong to the category of Bachelor of Arts non quarter. And they can combine introduction to Development studies with any other three social science subjects from various departments like economics, political science, sociology etc. At second year they become development studies majors and they take on three intermediate development studies courses from the department of development studies and combine with any one of the three subjects they were taking at first year as a minor.
At ZCAS University the development studies is direct entry at first year and they combine the introduction to development studies with any other three subjects in line with development studies.
WHAT MODES OF STUDY ARE AVAILABLE?
At both universities i.e UNZA and ZCAS, there are four modes of study full-time, parallel, distance and part time.
WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS?
At the University of Zambia, they look for 6 (credit) or better in five subject including maths and English and any other three social science subjects but because of competition every year the cut-off point is set around 8 points for boys and 10 points for girls.
At ZCAS University they consider 6 or better in 5 subjects including maths and English and any other 3 social sciences.
WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS OF STUDY CAN MAKE SOMEONE A DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIT?
To work as a Development Specialist, there is only Economics as an alternative qualification. Because there is a field called development economics at master’s degree level in Economics.
WHAT ARE THE FUTURE ADVANCED QUALIFICATIONS AVAILABLE AND WHY?
Graduates in Development Studies can also continue education in other fields – usually all study programs in social sciences at a post graduate level welcome student with a Bachelor degree in Development Studies. Programs like Master of Economics, Master of Public Health or even Master of Business Administration.
Many graduates with a bachelor degree in Development Studies continue their education and receive a Master and PhD degree in order to start their research practice in higher educational or research institutions. They can also become professors in their area or become lecturers of Social Sciences and Development Studies after completing their Master’s Degree.