Bachelor of Science Honours in Local Governance Studies (BSc)
September 16, 2026 2026-09-16 9:19Bachelor of Science Honours in Local Governance Studies (BSc)
Duration 4 Years
Actual Credit Load 528
Maximum Credit Load 540
Minimum Credit Load 480
Total MBKS Credit Load 408
ZNQF Level 8
- PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME
To develop in students’ knowledge, skills and competencies in the field of Local Governance and to equip them with analytical, diagnostic and intervention skills needed for efficient and effective management of local governance institutions in Zimbabwe.
- ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Normal Entry: 5 ‘O’ level passes including English language and any two relevant ‘A’ level passes
Special Entry: Candidates who have attained Level 5 and 6 of the Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework (ZNQF), awarded by a recognised university, college or institute
Mature Entry: 5 ‘O’ level passes including English language and at least 5 years’ experience in local governance area. Candidates must be at least 25 years old
- PROGRAMME CHARACTERISTICS
Area of study: Local Government Administration and Management, financial Planning and Management, human resource management, conflict Management and resolution change management, political science and governance, development studies, project management, disaster management, research methods
Specialist Focus: research guided inclusive and sustainable local governance system which underpins local and national economic and development.
Orientation: Research, creativity and innovation. Development oriented professional leadership and management
Distinctive features: Programme seeks to programme seeks to produce innovative, creative development oriented inclined professionals and pro-active, competent problem solvers and decision makers who are able to operate in a dynamic and constantly changing environment
- CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND FURTHER EDUCATION
Career opportunities lie in the Civil Service, local authorities, Provincial and Metropolitan Councils; Public and private sector; colleges, non-governmental organisations, and in consultancy. Graduates from the programme further their studies in Master in Local Governance Studies and in Public Administration and Management.
- PROGRAMME DELIVERY
Lectures and tutorials (face to face as well as on-line), seminars, group work, work related learning, research project, individual independent study, field trips
6.0 LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of this programme the graduate will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge in local government administration, public administration, project planning and development
- Apply skills in disaster management, strategic management, economics, public sector accounting
- Use appropriate research methods, skills, and tools, to conduct research which leads to innovative and problem-solving ideas in different contexts.
- Understand environmental health, policy issues, public relations, land management
- Explain politics and governance, human resources management and participatory planning.
- GENERAL PROVISIONS
Refer to Faculty General Regulations sections 4.1 to 4.4
8.0 PROGRAMME ASSESSMENT
8.1 Coursework
Assignments, workshop reports, placement reports, seminar and group presentations, field visits reports, practical work, in-class tests, and any other relevant assessments constitutes 40% of the total examination mark
8.2 Written Examinations
Students shall attempt a minimum of three questions in an examination, which constitute 60% of the examination total mark
8.3 Other
(i) Dissertation/research Project is assessed on the basis of a research project (75%) and
Oral presentation (25%).
(ii) Work Integrated Learning is assessed based on student’s Industrial Attachment report
(30%), assessment by work supervisor (40%) and assessment by Academic
supervisor
(30%).
- PROVISION FOR PROGRESSION
Refer to section 6 of Faculty Regulations
- FAILURE TO SATISFY EXAMINERS
Refer to section 9 of General Regulations
- GRADING AND DEGREE CLASSIFICATION
Refer to section 5 of General Regulations
- DEGREE WEIGHTING
Refer to section 11 of Faculty Regulations
- PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Level 1 Semester 1
LGS 131 Local Government Administration 12
LGS 132 Local Government Legislation 12
LGS 133 Introduction to Public Administration 12
LGS 140 Introduction to Political Science 12
CS 131 Communication Skills 12
HCS 135 Introduction to Information Technology 12
Level 1 Semester 2
LGS 134 Introduction to Urban and Rural Development 12
LGS 135 Public Sector Accounting and Auditing 12
LGS 136 Traditional Leadership Systems and Local Governance 12
LGS 137 Local Governance Systems and Practices 12
LGS 138 Local Government Human Resource Management 12
Level 2 Semester 1
LGS 231 Civil Society and Local Governance 12
LGS 232 Disaster Management 12
LGS 233 Local Governance Finance 12
LGS 234 Management of Change 12
ENT 235 Entrepreneurship 12
GSS 231 Gender Studies for Social Sciences 12
Level 2 Semester 2
LGS 235 Research Methods and Statistics 12
LGS 236 Planning and Project Management 12
LGS 237 Public Policy 12
LGS 238 E-Governance Management Information System 12
LGS 239 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in Local Authorities 12
LGS 240 Principles of Monitoring and Evaluation 12
Level 3 Semester 1
LGS 330 Work Related Placement Report 40
Level 3 Semester 2
LGS 341 Work Integrated Learning Report 30
LGS 342 Work Integrated Learning Academic Supervisor Assessment 20
LGS 343 Work Integrated Learning Work Supervisor’s Assessment 30
Level 4 Semester 1
LGS 431 Local Economic Development 12
LGS 432 Strategic Planning and Management 12
LGS 433 Ethics in Local Governance 12
LGS 434 Housing in Theory and Practice 12
LGS 435 Rural and Urban Service Provision Strategies 12
LGS 436 Quantitative and Qualitative Management analysis 12
Level 4 Semester 2
LGS 437 Human Rights in Local Governance 12
LGS 438 Public Sector Corporate Governance 12
LGS 439 New Public Management 12
LGS 450 Dissertation 24
14.0 MODULES SYNOPSES
LGS 131 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
The module introduces the broad spectrum of Local Government in Zimbabwe. It covers areas such as how local authorities are set up, their structure and functions, and roles of both elected and appointed officials. Tenets of good local government are looked at. It borrows from contemporary good governance principles. It establishes benchmarks for good local governance.
LGS 132 LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION
The module focuses on the enabling legislation for Local Government. It examines the principal statutes detailing local authority operations; powers and responsibilities.
LGS 133 INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
The module seeks to introduce students to the practice and study of public administration and policy. It introduces students to the historical, normative and institutional context of public administration in both developed and developing countries.
LGS 134 INTRODUCTION URBAN AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
The module examines the dynamics of urban and rural development. It looks at the basic concepts including developments which have taken place in both pre and independence Zimbabwe. In addition, the module seeks to create a better understanding of the interface and interdependence of rural and urban development policies, processes and programmes
LGS 135 PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING
The focus of this module is on how Local governance institutions manage public funds and how they sustain themselves financially. It explores their involvement in partnerships with private and third sector organisations in an effort to manage their funds sustainably. It also looks at auditing techniques, role of auditing, its attributes, communication of audit findings and recommendation, follow-up on audits reports and performance measurement and assessment. It also examines the enabling legislation of the supreme audit institutions
LGS 136 TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP SYSTEMS AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE
The module examines local authorities and traditional leadership. It looks at the influence of local authorities on the selection, appointment, monitoring, succession issues and how they administrator local inhabitants. It focuses on the relationship between local and traditional authorities and trends in other countries in the region. Also, the vision and mission behind traditional leadership will be captured
LGS 137 LOCAL GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES
It looks at Local Governance as a part of the broad system of governance. It establishes connections and linkages to other levels of governance namely provincial, national, central, regional and global governance. The modules deals with practice required in the local government sector and covers topics such as policies and procedures (by-laws, code of ethics, roles and responsibilities, hand books, records management, stores management); meetings (agenda setting, conduct of meetings, minute taking); communication (newsletters, speeches and press release, service charter, customer care); human resource management (recruitment and selection, performance management, staff development, the work environment)
LGS 138 LOCAL GOVERNMENT HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
The module explores the human resources practices in the Local Government sector. The module will cover issues inclusive of the HR legal framework in the Local Government sector, employee resourcing, human resource planning, reward management and motivation, performance management, human resource development among others issues
LGS 140 INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE
The module explores the discipline of Political Science as a “science” in the Social Studies with a focus on the study of processes, principles and structures of governments and political institutions. The module includes a discussion and comparison of political ideas, processes, theories, systems and policies. It also focuses on the analysis of political problems on a national and global level, as well as a definition of central concepts.
CS 131 BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Refer to the Department of Communications Skills
HCS 135 INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Refer to the Department of Information Systems
HRM 139 INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Refer to the Department of Human Resource Management
LGS 231 CIVIL SOCIETY AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE
This module identifies Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and examines their roles in local governance. It focuses on the history of local government and CSOs relationship. It delves into opportunities and constraints on civic society
LGS 232 DISASTER MANAGEMENT
The major thrust of this module is on local governance apparatus in light of various forms of disaster. The focus is on the preparedness, mitigation measures, prevention and management of disaster
LGS 233 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE
This module focuses on how local authorities finance their activities, the significance of various revenue sources and sources of funding of local authorities, main expenditure drivers and laws governance public sectors finances. The budgeting processes at local level are explored including the concept of participatory budgeting, special groups, participation, role of local governance actors, role of residents’ associations
LGS 234 MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE
The objective of the module is to maximize the collective efforts of all people involved in the change process and minimize the risk of failure of implementing the change. Students need skills and knowledge to be able to manage change in an ever-changing local government environment
LGS 235 RESEARCH METHODS AND STATISTICS
The module is designed to assist students to develop a deep understanding of methodological approaches which are relevant when conducting social science research. Areas to be covered in this module include but not limited to identification of research problem, literature review, assumption, hypothesis, research questions, sampling, data collection, quantitative methods, qualitative methods, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and probability. The module equips students with skills that enable them to gather, analyse, and interpret data, problem solving and decision making
LGS 236 PLANNING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
The module focuses on planning elements for local governance. It looks at the planning process in local authorities, the types of plans and the relevant legislation that governs the planning process. Project identification, implementation, monitoring and evaluation aspects are looked at in detail. Project Management and monitoring discusses evaluation frameworks such as the Log frame matrix
LGS 237 PUBLIC POLICY
This module looks at public policy issues and their linkage to Local governance. Focus is on policy framework, formulation, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and the key public policy areas like health, education, poverty, agriculture and budget.
LGS 238 E-GOVERNANCE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS
The focus of E-Governance Management Information Systems is on the application of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) to delivering government services, exchange of information, communication transactions, integration of various stand-alone systems and services between government-to-citizen (G2C), government-to-business (G2B), government-to-government (G2G), government-to-employees (G2E) as well as back office processes and interactions within the entire government framework
LGS 239 NEGOTIATION AND RESOLUTION OF CONFLICT IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES
The module seeks to explore the different types of conflicts in Local Authorities, their causes and impacts on the operations of Local Authorities. It also seeks to find ways to better handle these conflicts in ways that minimize the recurrence of these conflicts. The module examines the roles of actors in the Local Government System and the provisions that are provided in the Local legislation that minimize or cause conflicts.
LGS 240 PRINCIPLES OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION
This module is aimed at developing the capacity of the module participants with the concepts and principles, applied knowledge and practices of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. It introduces students to the notion of M&E which includes the concepts and practices of data collection, data documentation/management, data processing, analysis for M&E and reporting, and the adjustment of programme/project targets and directions.
ENT 235 ENTREPRENEURSHIP 1
Refer to the Department of Entrepreneurship
GSSS 201 GENDER STUDIES FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES
This module is an introductory module focused on giving students a broad understanding of the discipline of Gender Studies, its subject matter, key issues and concepts. It is designed to help students develop a critical understanding of basic gender issues as well as prepare them to be agents of change, particularly in Southern Africa and Zimbabwe. In so doing GSSS 201 adopts an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach that takes as its subject matter all aspects of the human experience in a gendered world, viewing gender as a field of study, analytical tool and a social phenomenon structuring the social world itself.
LGS330 Work Related Learning Placement Report
The students will submit a comprehensive work placement report which shows their understanding of the organisation placed.
LGS341 Work Related Learning Report
As part of the examination the students will be required to submit a comprehensive academic report of their work related learning experience to the department and it will be marked and awarded a mark that will be ratified by the departmental examinations board.
LGS342 Work Related Academic Supervisor’s Report
As part of the examination the students will be assessed and awarded a mark by the academic supervisor and this will be presented to the departmental examinations board for processing of final marks.
LGS343 Work Related Learning Supervisor’s Report
The employer will assess the student and award a mark which will be presented to the departmental
examinations board for processing of final marks.
LGS 431 LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The module lays emphasis on local opportunities and the use of local resources for the development of its own economic potentials of how to create jobs, income, develop local infrastructure and enhance revenue sources for the local authority and its people. The module further focuses on the emerging role of local governments in economic development and how they can create economically viable localities. In addition, the module explores how LED fits into the general planning processes in a local authority and discusses tools, approaches and strategies that local authorities can use for the development of their localities
LGS 432 STRATEGIC PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
The thrust of this module is on organizational management. It examines the vision and mission statement, aims and objectives, plan of action, implementation and continuous monitoring and evaluation periodically for organizations to meet intended goals
LGS 433 ETHICS IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE
The module focuses on the rules, laws, and local governance ethics. The module also looks at the legislative context of local governance in Southern African countries particularly Zimbabwe. The module also addresses issues of accountable local governance including corruption
LGS 434 HOUSING IN THEORY AND PRACTICE
This module focuses on human settlement in both rural and urban environments and approaches to rural and urban settlement provisions. Issues to do with resettlement before and after independence is explored. In the context of urban housing, policies and models of housing provision exploring opportunities and constraints in developing nations will be highlighted
LGS 435 RURAL AND URBAN SERVICE PROVISION
The module focuses on the social and economic aspects that should be included when considering issues of service delivery in various sectors. A number of theoretical and practical questions will be raised in the context of relevant policies. The module focuses on urban and rural livelihoods and the issues to be examined include reduction of poverty, equitable gender relations, environmental conservation, community participation, agricultural development and policy, population and development, the role of external support agencies in development among others.
LGS 436 QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
The aim of the module is to give students a substantive theoretical background in quantitative management, and at the same time to include modelling skills and systematic thinking when solving decision making problems. A judicious combination of qualitative and quantitative methods can play a valuable role in decision making at local government level.
LGS 437 HUMAN RIGHTS IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE
The modules focuses on the key role local governments play in the promotion and protection of human rights. The different forms and functions as determined by the constitutional and legal systems of the State are explored. The provision of public services that address local needs and priorities related to the realisation of human rights at the local level is discussed. The module discusses concepts that include human rights education, awareness-raising and training for public officials at both the national and local government levels and the obligations of citizens are discussed.
LGS 438 PUBLIC SECTOR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The module takes students through the models of corporate governance principles. Issues covered include Transparency, accountability, openness, responsibility, corruption, organizational structures and processes, Risk management and business continuity
LGS 439 NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT
The module focuses on the theory, skills and processes of the New Public Management approach as they apply to local governance. Topics are inclusive of the history and origins of New Public Management (NPM), theory, concepts and characteristics of NPM, major differences between Traditional Public Administration and NPM and relating NPM concept to the Zimbabwean public sector.
LGS 440 DISSERTATION
This is a double semester module where a student undertakes research in any local governance related area under the guidance of an academic supervisor.
