COURSE STRUCTURE/OVERVIEW

REFERENCES AND OTHER RESOURCES
Every unit contains a list of References and texts for further reading. Students are expected to get those textbooks and materials listed get as many as possible, especially as these textbooks and materials are carefully selected to deepen the knowledge of students on the course.

ASSIGNMENT FILE
There are twenty-four (24) assignments (TSA’s) in the different units of this course guide, and students are expected to attempt all of them by following the schedule prescribed for them in terms of when to attempt the homework and submit same for grading by your tutor.
Module One
Module Two
Module Three

ASSESSMENT
Your assessment will be based on tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) and a final examination which is written at the end of the course. The TMA’s will be submitted at the completion of the entire modules and presented to the Tutor. Students are expected to turn in their TMAs at the due date as it constitutes a major part of the grades.

TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENTS (TMAs)
Assignment questions for the 11 units in this course are presented at the end of each module. The TMAs usually constitute 30% of the total score for the course.

EXAMINATION AND GRADING
The final examination will be of three hours’ duration and have a value of 70% of the total course grade. The examination will consist of questions which reflect the types of self-assessment practice exercises and tutor-marked problems you have previously encountered.

All areas of the course will be assessed. You should use the time between finishing the last unit and sitting for the examination to revise the entire course material. You might find it useful to review your self-assessment exercises,
tutor-marked assignments and comments on them before the examination.

HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM THIS COURSE
One of the greatest advantages distance learning offers is that the programme is fluid and allows students to determine their own reading time. However, while that is an advantage, it has been observed to make some students complacent too. Thus, this section provides a guide to help students get the best out of the course.

First note that each of the study units follows a common format. The first item is an introduction to the subject matter of the unit and how the particular unit is integrated with the other units and the course as a whole. Next is a set of learning objectives. These objectives let students know what you should be able to do by the time you
have completed the unit.

You should use these objectives to guide your study. When you have finished the unit, you must go back to them and check whether you have achieved the objectives. If you make a habit of doing this, you will significantly improve your chances of passing the course and getting the best grade.

The main body of the unit is designed in a self-explanatory way and guides students through the key issues in the unit. There are also self-assessment questions attached to the end of every unit titled Tutor Marked Assessments. You should do each self assessment exercises as you come to it in the study unit.

The following is a practical strategy for working through the course. If you have any challenges understanding the discussions, do well to consult your Tutor. Remember that your Tutor’s job is to help you, so do not hesitate to call and ask your Tutor to provide the help.

1. Read this Course Guide thoroughly.
2. Organize a study schedule. Refer to the `Course overview’ for more details. Note the time you are expected to spend on each unit and how the assignments relate to the units.
3. Once you have created your own study schedule, do everything you can to stick to it. The major reason that students fail is that they get behind with their course work. If you get into difficulties with your schedule, please let your Tutor know before it is too late for help.

4. Turn to the introduction of each unit you come across and see the objectives for the unit.
5. Work through the unit. The content of the unit itself has been arranged to provide a sequence for you to follow. As you work through the unit you will be instructed to read sections from your set books or other articles. Use the unit to guide your reading.
6. Review the objectives for each study unit to confirm that you have achieved them. If you feel unsure about any of the objectives, review the study material or consult your Tutor.
7. When you are confident that you have achieved a unit’s objectives, you can then move on to the next unit.
8. When you have submitted an assignment to your Tutor for marking, do not wait for its return `before starting on the next units. Keep to your schedule.

9. When the assignment is returned, pay particular attention to your Tutor’s comments, both on the tutor-marked assignment form and also written on the assignment. Consult your Tutor as soon as possible if you have any questions or problems.
10. After completing the last unit, review the course and prepare yourself for the final examination. Check that you have achieved the unit objectives (listed at the beginning of each unit) and the course objectives (listed in this Course Guide).

COURSE MARKING SCHEME
The table presented below indicates the total marks allocated to the two key components of the course: assessments and examinations. The various assessments in the course will amount to 30% of the students’ entire score, while the final examination will be 70%, making a total of 100%. Students are expected to score at least 50% to pass the course.

COURSE OVERVIEW
The table presented below indicates the modules, the units, number of hours per week
and assignments to be taken by students to successfully complete the course.

COURSE CONTENT
MODULE ONE: Understanding the concept of Social development
Unit One: The meaning and Definitions of Social Development
Unit Two: Factors and Agents of Social development
Unit Three: Dimensions of Social development
Unit Four: Implications and Challenges of Social development

MODULE TWO: Social development theories and Practice
Unit One: Development theories and Social development
Unit Two: Approaches to Social development (Statist, Enterprise, Populist, etc.)
Unit Three: Politics, Governance and Social development
Unit Four: Policies for Social development

MODULE THREE: Social development theories and practice in Africa
Unit One: Social development challenges.
Unit Two: Rural development and Social development in Africa
Unit Three: Gender issues and Social development in Nigeria.

CONCLUSION
On successful completion of this course, a student would have developed critical thinking skills for efficient and effective discussion of the issues surrounding the phenomenon of development and social development in Nigeria and Africa. However, to gain a complete understanding of the course content, students are advised to read intensively and extensively, including literature from other academic fields.