Haramaya University Sociology Department

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DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

BACKGROUND OF THE SOCIOLOGY PROGRAM

Social Sciences emerged in Europe in the 19^th century and gave birth to different disciplines embedded in specific socio-historical contexts. Sociology was supposed to deal with the transformations of modern Western societies, induced by social and intellectual forces though later it has become one of the sciences which have universal applications throughout the world.
For the last several decades, sociology has created experts on various social issues and produced pertinent theoretical perspectives as well as efficient methodological tools to offer a better understanding of contemporary social phenomena. Through empirical researches, and academic teaching, sociology treats various and complex social situations and potentially conflicting forms of sociability. Nowadays, sociology produces professional experts on various social issues like identity, urban/rural development, religion, health and medicine, crime, and education. By mobilizing specific theories and methods, sociology offers its own approaches as one field of social sciences.
Through its use of scientific methods and systematic theories, sociology is the study of diverse social groups as they emerge, persist, and change over time and of human behaviour in social settings. Sociologists seek to identify and explain the underlying patterns of social relations.
For an integrated economic, social and political development of a nation, educated man power is a key in several ways. It goes without saying that it is one of the key factors for alleviating poverty, technological advancement, cultural progression and political competency of a nation. Thus, it can be viewed as a key predicator for a secure and sustainable development. With this understanding, the Ministry of Education gave due attention to the education sector and has been implementing nationwide educational capacity building programmes.
However, the national demand of enhancing quality education in higher learning institutions of Ethiopia pressed the need for revisiting the existing curriculum in order to shape it for the purpose of producing competent citizens. Among various efforts of the ministry of education (MoE), to provide quality education, modularization of curriculums in Ethiopian higher leaning institutions were the prime concerns. As a result, it was officially declared that all higher education institutions in Ethiopia were required to develop a competence based modular curriculum for all programs.
To this end, a thorough reference was made to existing curriculum and this nationally harmonized modular curriculum was devised by a team of sociology professionals drawn from the different Ethiopian universities in July 2013.

Haramaya University Sociology Department Vision

To make the department of Sociology one of the renowned department at Haramaya University, so that students from all over the country would make the university their favorite and the department their first choice. The department aspires to be model for center of excellence by producing highly qualified graduates and by conducting various researches to solve the economic, social, cultural and political problems of the societies.

Haramaya University Sociology Department Missions

The department of Sociology at Haramaya University has the following missions:

Graduating qualified socio-cultural expertise to be part in the struggle to get rid of poverty
Producing industrious graduates who are creator of job opportunities instead of looking for employment from the government.
Supplying the market with ethical, well-disciplined andmorally shaped graduates
Feeding different sector offices and NGOs with qualified personnel
Producing highly qualified graduates who can undertake demand driven researches on various social dynamics, both at micro and macro levels.

Objectives of Sociology Program

Haramaya University Sociology Department General Objective

The department of Sociology at Haramaya University envisages in delivering a high quality education in order to produce graduates who are knowledgeable and skillful enough to tackle the multifaceted social, political and economic problems of the country.
Specific Objectives:
The present curriculum is designed to:

produce graduates in Sociology who are capable of integrating social theory, research, and practice;
train manpower knowledgeable of the objective conditions of the country and capable of contributing to further understanding of those conditions;
produce graduates who are capable of participating in research aimed at the identification of the causes and consequences of poverty and related social problems and generate data as inputs to the process of formulation of appropriate social policies;
produce graduates who will have the basic preparation for participating in the formulation of appropriate social policies and programs designed to expedite the process of social and economic development in both rural and urban areas;
Equip graduates with the knowledge, professional skills and attitudes necessary for working with and mobilizing individuals, groups and communities, from diverse cultures and multiple perspectives, for purposes of social development; and increase the capacity of graduates for independent or collaborative and multi-disciplinary research, and cross-cultural understanding to promote processes of economic and social development of the country.

Program under the Department of Sociology

NO.	Name of program	Level	Enroll type		Remark
1	Sociology	BA Degree	Regular and continuing program
2	Sociology	MA Degree	Regular, summer and continuing program
3	Peace and Development Studies	MA Degree	Regular
4	Peace and Development Studies	PhD Degree	Regular	By research
4	Peace and Development Studies	PhD Degree	Regular	Course work	To be opened in the near future

Profile of Sociology Program

Duration of the study

The program takes three years with 6 successive semesters for students to complete their study.

Admission requirements

Students admitted directly from secondary school are required to meet the national higher education enrolment criteria of that year. Students placed to the college of social sciences and humanities can join the program on competitive base.

Haramaya University Sociology Department Graduation Requirements

Students registered in the Department of Sociology must take a total of 180 ECTS. A student is required to have a minimum CGPA of 2.00 upon graduation without any Fx and F grade in any of the modules/courses.

Haramaya University Sociology Department Profile of Sociology Graduate

The graduates of Sociology program from Ethiopian Universities are supposed to acquire wide-ranging conceptual, pragmatic, methodological and civic competencies that shall prepare them to undertake the following tasks:

Evaluate, critically appraise and discuss various social science theories and perspectives that inform our interpretation of social processes and institutions
Develop and undertake sociological research projects, while being capable of documenting, writing up and critically assessing empirical findings;
Embark on multidisciplinary and thematic research projects; this will broaden our understanding of social processes from various vantage points and perspectives;
Promote well informed civil discourse within local communities, Ethiopia and the world beyond;
Apply sociological perspectives to community and organizational problems;
Serve as change agents by ensuring active participation and effective teamwork amongst community members and by applying sociological knowledge and practice.
Influence national policy making and implementation exercises at different tiers of government administration encompassing the local, regional and federal levels.
Advocate on behalf of disadvantaged groups, including herders, minorities, the poor, the handicapped, the dislocated, famine victims, women, children, etc., who require a culture sensitive and compassionate understanding to their causes;

Function effectively in positions like socioeconomic planning, rural and urban development, technology transfer, health and social service delivery, relief provision, labor relations, culture office, teaching, etc., where sociological perspectives and methods are in high demand.

Admission Requirements for MA sociology program

Concerning admission requirements, candidates must have a BA degree in Sociology or other related fields like social anthropology, economics, law, political sciences, philosophy, linguistics, rural development, environmental studies, gender, and health sciences. Applicants must submit to the School of Graduate Studies a formal application, official copies of transcripts and diplomas obtained from the universities attended, and two letters of recommendation, preferably from former instructors. They have to pass an entrance exam which can be either a written exam or an interview. And their credentials are also evaluated and given credit comparably. These modalities are yearly discussed and established by the instructors involved in the MA program. Final admission into the MA program in Sociology requires the approval of the Council of Graduate Studies of the university and is effected according to the formal rules and regulations set forth by the university. Depending on their entrance exam results, and the state of their credentials, the candidates who are admitted to the MA program may be advised to attend and pass some courses from sociology undergraduate program with minimum grade of “C”. However, credit for such courses cannot be applied toward graduate degree requirements.

Background of MA peace and development studies program

We live in a time of unparalleled opportunities for human and material development^_ as shown by the relative access to instant information communication technology, global interconnection and integration, and rapid economic development. In stark contrast to this, we also live in a time of unparalleled challenges to keeping and maintaining peace as welldue to conventional and non-conventionalconflicts at the local, national, and international levels. Today, one-fifth of the world’s population lives in countries experiencing serious violence, political conflicts and insecurity. Countries with major violence have poverty rates 20 per cent higher than average.
The Horn of Africa is one of the most conflict prone regions of the world. For the last 150 years, the Horn has been a theater for strategic power struggles—the British Empire’s demand to control the Red Sea, Egypt’s almost exclusive and until recently unchallenged control of the Nile Waters, the Cold War confrontation between the two superpowers in which each of the principal countries of the Horn turned into proxies, and most recently emerging as a major center of the “Global War on Terror.” Countries of the Horn -Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, the Sudan and South Sudan-also suffer from protracted political strife, arising from local and national grievances, ethnic politics and regional inter-state rivalries. These rivalries and grievances tend to result in conflicts and violence if not properly handled. Conflicts destroy hard-won development gains and hold back human progress by diverting critical finance away from economic development.
Peace is not only the absence of war, but it is also the capacity and ability of the nation-state to protect the safety and security of all its citizens. When citizens are capable of moving, working and interacting with one another or with neighbors freely and predictably in a sovereign territory, then it is possible to talk about peace and development. Further, peace is maintained and sustained with persistent and consistent engagement in human and material development. Citizens find themselves at peace when they are making choices and render their duties and responsibilities in the context of social contracts, such as the country’s Federal Constitution. Stable and strong state creates and maintains conditions that allow internal or external sources of conflicts to be resolved peacefully. Scarcity and inefficient use of resources, unequal opportunities, and poor performances may weaken peace and may pave the way to conflicts and disputes in a society.
Ethiopia has planned and seriously engaged to mobilize its human and material resources to realize economic development, to ensure peace and stability, and to bring about social transformation. This is clearly stated in the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), FDRE, 2010a&b), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in the Vision for a Climate Resilient Green Economy (FDRE, 2008). All these agenda call for the new-era of multi-ethnic Ethiopia to work hard to coordinate its traditional and modern institutions and promote democratic pluralism, peace and stability, social transformation (in the economy, culture, tourism, science and technology) and competitively partake and benefit from the indispensable opportunities that aspects of globalization may offer.
Equally important is the need to deliberately seek warm relations with neighboring countries on the basis of mutual interests by emphasizing to fighting poverty and the promotion of democratization so as to keep and sustain peace, stability and economic development among the countries of the region. This in turn may guarantee the joining of the club of the middle income countries of the world.
For this reason, Haramaya University Research Thematic Areas (2013) has selected, as among the top priority research and development themes, “Peace and Conflict Management System studies” and “Development Studies”. Under these themes, the University plans to launch research on mechanisms that generate practical knowledge of the nature, types, causes, and social level of recurrent conflicts; and major impacts of the conflicts on the rights of individuals and interest groups, and on various socio-economic aspects of the society. Research Thematic Areas guideline also targets under the same themes, research topics that investigate dynamics of conflict, understanding of the customary dispute settlement and its interface with the formal dispute settlement process, capacity of justice sectors and conflict resolution mechanisms, including inquiry on rehabilitation, concordance and restoration of traditional justice systems. The complexity and dynamism of peace and development in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa will be the focus of the MA program in Peace and Development Studies. This proposed curriculum is in line with the aims of the university to play a critical role in the development efforts of the country and the region at large.

General Objectives of the Program

The general objective of the MA program is to produce highly qualified researchers and specialists in contemporary issues of peace and development.

Specific objectives of The Program:

To produce qualified professionals that can contribute to the development efforts of the country
To equip trainees with the required skills in researching on issues of peace and development;
To encourage research on such conflict-ridden areas like the Horn of Africa
To produce capable graduates who can make their own contributions in handling local and regional conflicts

Admission Requirements

The M.A. in Peace and Development Studies admits graduates with B.A. degree from any recognized university in the following disciplines/areas: Sociology, Economics, Management, Philosophy, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Political Science, Socio-Linguistics, Languages, International Relations, Law, Journalism and Communications, Social Work, History, Public Administration, Social Anthropology, Social Psychology, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Studies, Civics and Ethics, and Rural Development.
Applicants have to pass a written entrance exam. Final admission into the program requires the approval of the Council of Graduate Studies of the Haramaya University.

Duration of the Study

Successful completion of the program requires two years of full-time study or four semesters of which two semesters (first year) will be for course work and the remaining two semesters will be for thesis writing based on a detailed and/or empirical field work.

Graduation Requirements

Academic standing of the Peace and Development student is determined by the Haramaya University Legislation Article 121.3: Academic Standing of Postgraduate Students.
In order to graduate from the program, students are required to complete their course work of 28 credit hours, and write an original MA thesis (6 credit hours) on issues of peace and development. In addition, students must maintain a minimum of 3.00 CGPA in all taken courses in order to graduate.

Graduate Profile

The graduates of the M. A. in Peace and Development Studies can:

Conduct independent research in peace and development areas;
Design and offer trainings in peace and development matters;
Support and advance research, teaching, publication, and practical field experience on issues of peace and development
Map and analyze local, national, regional and global conflicts;
Teach in higher educational institutions;
Provide consultancy services on issues of peace and development to concerned GOs, NGOs, and CBOs;
Design possible mechanisms for resolution of organizational and institutional conflict; and
Inspire people to work for a culture of peace and tolerance while enhancing their capacity, knowledge, and skills by generating interactions between practitioners and academics.

Background and Rationale of PhD peace and development studies program

We live in a time of unparalleled opportunities for development–instant information communication technology, global interconnection and integration, free market and so forth. In stark contrast to this, we also live in a time of unparalleled challenges to peace and development as well–conflict at the local, national, and international levels (racial and ethnic conflict, economic conflict, interpersonal conflict, political conflict, class conflict, identity conflict). All societies have the need for promoting peace, cooperative relationships, improving security, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness and sustainable development at all levels of economy, education, governance, and environmental protection.
Peace is not only the absence of war, but it is also the capacity and ability of the Nation-State to protect the safety and security of all its citizens. When citizens are capable of moving, working and interacting with one another or with neighbors freely and predictably in a sovereign territory, then it is possible to talk about peace. Further, peace is maintained and sustained with persistent and consistent engagement in human and material development. Citizens find themselves at peace when they are making choices and render their duties and responsibilities in the context of social contracts, such as the country’s Federal Constitution. Stable and strong state creates and maintains conditions that allow internal or external sources of conflicts to be resolved peacefully. Scarcity and inefficient use of resources, unequal opportunities, and poor performances may weaken the peace and may pave the way to conflicts and disputes in a society. The complexity and dynamism of peace and development in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa will be the focus of the PhD program in Peace and Development Studies of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities at Haramaya University.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) of Ethiopia (FDRE 2010), Ethiopia’s Vision for a Climate Resilient Green Economy (FDRE 2008), and the Haramaya University Research Thematic Areas (HU 2013) all call for Ethiopia to work hard to coordinate its traditional and modern institutions and promote democratic pluralism (multilingualism, multiculturalism, tolerance, and etc.), peace building (conflict management, aversion, and resolution), social transformation (in economy, culture, tourism, science and technology) and competitively partake and benefit from the indispensable opportunities that globalization offers. Peace-building and democratization of the governance system is one of the fundamental conditions for the sustainable social transformation, green economy, and sustainable development of Developing Countries. In turn, these guarantee them to enter into the club of the Middle Income Economies.
Subsequently,Haramaya University has selected in its Research Thematic Areas (2013) “Peace and Conflict Management System Studies” and “Development Studies” as among the top priority research and development themes. Under these themes, the university has planned to launch research on mechanisms that generate practical knowledge of the nature, types, causes, and social level of recurrent disputes and conflicts and their major impacts on the rights of individuals and interest groups and on various socio-economic aspects of the society. The Research Thematic Areas guideline also targets, under the same theme, research topics that investigate the dynamics of conflict, the understanding of the customary dispute settlement and its interface with the formal dispute settlement process, capacity of justice sectors and conflict resolution mechanisms, including inquiry on rehabilitation and restoration of traditional justice systems and so forth.
The societal need and market demand for the program is extremely high and justifiable by a number of indicators. To begin with, the Growth and Transformation Plan I stipulated that there should have been 25% PhD holders in all universities of the country. However, only 12% has been achieved which shows that there is a dire need for higher level knowledge and skills. Along with this, many universities are also coming into picture and they demand highly qualified manpower at PhD level. What is more, the need assessment conducted for MA in Peace and Development Studies indicated that there is high demand for this program. Moreover, as the regional geopolitics (the Horn and East Africa) in which the university functions is conflict prone area, the demand for professionalsat this level is indispensible.
Haramaya University intends to launch this PhD by Research Only Program in Peace and Development Studies (PDS) with the aim of addressing the current needs of highly qualified professionals in Ethiopia and other countries of the Horn of Africa. The university works towards becoming the center of excellence in the area of Peace and Development Studies in Africa in general and the Horn of Africa in particular. Hence, it works hard to producing experts who are equipped with multidisciplinary and multi-perspective approaches to teaching, studying, researching and solving the societal problems pertaining to peace and development.
As a result, along with the existing PhD programs with coursework, it is believed that this new approach shall pave the way for producing professionals with maximum efficiency and effectiveness for the societal needs and the needs of the market. Moreover, this will contribute to seeking alternative perspectives for universities to fulfilling the requirement of 0:75:25 staff profile set by the GTP-I of the country.

Objective of the Program

The general objective of the graduate program is toproduce highly qualified experts and specialists in contemporary issues of peace and development.

Haramaya University Sociology Department Admission Requirements

Direct from MA in Peace and Development Studies

The applicants for this program who directly come from MA in Peace and Development Studies areas have to have at least one article published in the same area on reputable and peer reviewed journal/s as a solo author or 2 articles as a first or co-author in a team of two authors.
Besides, it is obligatory that the applicants from Higher Learning Institutions present written evidence of outstanding performance and effective services of at least three years in teaching, research, community services, and university affairs.
Applicants from outside Higher Education Institutions must also produce a written evidence of:

at least one article published in the same area on reputable and peer reviewed journal(s) as a solo author or 2 articles as a first or co-author in a team of two authors
outstanding academic and research performance (excellent/Very Good in MA Thesis) and
effective performance and services of at least three years in areas of peace and development with evidence

Haramaya University Sociology Department Related Study Areas

Applicants coming from the following Related Areas of Social Sciences must produce evidence of publication of at least one article in reputable and peer reviewed journal(s) as a solo author or 2 articles as a first or co-author in a team of two authors in their respective disciplines.

Besides, it is obligatory that the applicants from universities present written evidence of outstanding performance and effective services of at least three years in teaching, research, community services, and university affairs after completion of their Masters’ Degree. Applicants from outside Higher Education Institutions must also produce a written evidence of outstanding performance and effective services of at least three years in their professional areas from their organizations.
The Related Areas, which are assumed to have incorporated some Masters’ courses in Peace and/or Development Study areas, are:

Sociology
Gender and Development
Political Science and International Relations
Social Anthropology
Economics
Management

Applicants from these related areas whose masters’ degree courses are not similar or equivalent to the MA courses in Peace and Development Studies are required to audit some or all of the courses that are set to be audited by the applicants coming from the Peripheral Area group below depending on the DGC decision.

From Peripheral Study Areas

The Peripheral Areas, which are assumed to have not incorporated some Masters’ courses in Peace and/or Development study areas are:

Law
History and Heritage Management
Geography and Environmental Studies
Language and Linguistics
Journalism and Communication
Philosophy
Education
Tourism Management

Applicant coming from these Peripheral Areas to PDS must submit evidence of publishing two articles on reputable and peer-reviewed journals in their respective disciplines as a solo author or 1 article as a solo author and 2 articles as a first/co-author in a team of two authors or 4 articles as a first/co-author in a team of two authors for each article. Furthermore, it is obligatory that the applicants from universities present written evidence of outstanding performance and effective services of at least three years in teaching, research, community services, and university affairs after completion of their Masters’ Degree. Applicants from outside Higher Education Institutions must also produce a written evidence of outstanding performance and effective services of at least three years in their professional areas from their organizations.
Applicants from this category are also required to audit the following five courses from MA in Peace and Development Studies immediately after registering for the PhD program and before starting the PhD research. The applicants in this category cannot proceed to candidature of this PhD program unless they produce evidence of grade for auditing the courses and get approval of Board of Advisors.These courses are:

Theories on Peace and Development
Social Science Research Methods
Peace and Sustainable Development in the Horn of Africa
Indigenous Knowledge of Conflict Resolution: Focus on Ethiopian Context
The Institutions of Society and Social Transformation

All applicants should submit an application with authenticated educational documents (Official Transcript, Official MA Diploma, Copy of MA Thesis, and Copy of Published Articles), Curriculum Vitae, three recommendations written by candidate’s former instructors and/or employers, a letter of sponsorship to cover tuition fees, living costs and doctoral research costs, and a three-four pages excellent synopsis of a proposal for PhD research.
Females and applicants with disability will get 3% additional points as affirmative action. When the applicants become female and disable at the same time, the point will be 6%. In the case of tie-point between these applicants and others, these applicants will get precedence.

Haramaya University Sociology Department Duration of the Study

The duration of the study for this program is three years. An extension of study period for one more year may be allowed by CGS with strong justifications by the student and with the consent of advisors and approval of the DGC.

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