Introduction

In 2016, the GRZ, in collaboration with its development partners, commissioned a study undertaken by the University of Zambia to identify the training needs and assess the status of pre-service social protection specialty training in Zambia. Among the findings of the study was the absence of pre-service social protection specialty training at tertiary level of education. Also, the few available national social protection practitioners, with pre-service qualifications, were foreign trained. This was the case for the SADC region as a whole, indicating a large potential market for social protection specialty training. Similarly, the Social Protection Training-Market Survey undertaken by UNZA in 2018 indicated a high pent-up demand for social protection specialty training in Zambia. Over 90 percent of the survey respondents expressed interest in undertaking social protection specialty training at undergraduate and graduate levels. Therefore, provision of the Master of Arts in Social Protection Management will result in increased number of qualified social protection practitioners in Zambia; and provide training opportunities for prospective students at regional and international levels.

The need for a better understanding of social protection as a social safety net for prevention and alleviation of poverty and inequality is imperative given varied perspectives on the same. Such an understanding should include good working knowledge of the scope of social protection sector; and the range of programs and services and their vertical and horizontal functional relationships. Similarly, it should include an appreciation of the philosophical foundation of social protection systems as instruments for the creation of an inclusive society and promoting national socioeconomic development. The Master of Arts in Social Protection Management will increase the number of qualified social protection practitioners in Zambia. This is to help bridge the gap in human development problems and issues that exist across the life-span of individuals, groups and communities. The programme is important as it looks at the nature and ranges of human development problems and other issues as well as equipping students with knowledge and skills for effective management of social protection systems.

The programme intents to train professional social protection practitioners who will have a better understanding of the social system in order to reduce poverty, inequality and vulnerability in Zambia. It also aims to facilitate the development of higher-level critical analysis skills, and to develop students’ capacity for knowledge-informed practice and more original thinking in relation to the complex issues that arise in the contested field of social protection.

At this level, it is expected that the graduate shall:

1. Have an advanced knowledge and skills for better understanding of poverty and inequality as major problems and issues of concern for social protection policy planners
2. have a better understanding of the role of social protection in reducing poverty and inequality
3. Demonstrate his/her understanding of major research methods and the ability to make use of both quantitative and qualitative research techniques
4. Critically assess the utility and appropriateness of diverse methods and techniques for the study of relevant research issues in the Social Sciences
5. Use professional skills and tools required to strengthen the management, financial governance and sustainability of existing social protection schemes and development of new financially sustainable schemes.
6. Apply qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches to research to identify, interpret and solve various development challenges;
7. Manage social protection programmes and projects at national, regional and international level in public or private development organisations;

8. Demonstrate understanding of the process for designing, planning, monitoring and evaluation of social protection interventions