Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Regional Integration

African countries are vigorously using regional co-operation and integration as a strategy to achieve sustainable economic growth and development as well as be an effective and major player in the global marketplace. However the pace of integration has been slow and progress is very mixed. Cognisance of the slow pace of a continent-wide integration, African leadership has provided a framework under which the integration agenda would be carried out. This framework is enshrined in the 1991 Abuja Treaty of African Heads of State and Government. Under the framework of the Treaty, Africa would become an economic union by 2027, with a common currency, full mobility of the factors of production and free trade among the 53 countries that make up the continent.

Regional Integration

To achieve national development plans, the Treaty suggests that the process of integration or the creation of Africa Economic Community (AEC) be carried out over a period of 34 years (1994-2027), in six different stages of different duration: (1) to establish free trade areas and custom unions at the regional level; (2) to stabilize existing tariff and non-tariff barriers, customs duties and internal taxes as well strengthen sectoral integration at the sub-regional and continental levels in areas such as trade, agriculture, transport, money and finance; (3) to create free trade areas and customs unions at the level of the RECs; (4) to coordinate and harmonize tariff and non-tariff barriers among RECs, setting the stage for a free trade area and a customs union at the AEC level; (5) to establish the African Common Market; and (6) to establish the African Economic Community (AEC) culminating in the creation of a Pan-African Economic and Monetary Union with a single currency for the continent.

International Relations

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the fundamental principles of international relations. We will examine the theories of realism, liberalism and constructivism as they are understood in world politics. We will also explore issues that relate to the politics of conflict, diplomacy, environmental concerns, human rights, and examine the role of Africa in international relations. At the end of this course, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the basic principles and concepts of International Relations, as well as the ability to critically examine the global political system.

A key challenge in RI is the slow implementation of integration process by African countries arising from lack of necessary institutional mechanisms for achieving their objectives. This is often evident in inconsistencies between national legislation and integration commitments and mechanisms and in the absence of strong enforcement mechanisms. RI initiatives require a large degree of public management and implementation at national levels. Without an absolute commitment to implementation at the national level, there can be no progress at the sub-regional and continental levels. Therefore, doing nothing or little to implement agreed programs at the national level can severely hamper the integration agenda.

To foster integration and turn it into leverage for development, member States have to come out with clear “mainstreaming” strategies for domesticating the Africa-wide RI agenda into National Development Plans (NDPs). The process of mainstreaming refers to the systematic integration of the objectives and related initiatives of RI as well as the process of creating ownership of the agenda into the overall NDPs, poverty reduction strategies and in the society in order to attain the “popular legitimacy” necessary for the success of RI. More broadly, the concept of mainstreaming RI should ultimately contribute to economic growth, poverty alleviation and overall socio-economic development. Though crucial to Africa’s development, the concept of mainstreaming RI is still little understood or practiced, hence the need to build the capacity to implement it in African countries.

Course Topics
Introduction to international relations; the nation-state system; realism; liberalism; constructivism; globalisation; clash of civilisations; human rights; environmental issues; diplomacy; non-state actors; Africa in international relations.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
Discuss and explain key theories in international relations.
Outline the historical development of interstate relations and the place of the nation state in that development.
Describe the differences between national and transnational actors in the international arena.
Identify and discuss issues related to human rights.
Identify and discuss global environmental issues.

Negotiation and Mediation is a course on the two fundamental peaceful methods of conflict resolution, considering the conflict at hand, the different methods of dealing with it and their success conditions. Every day families, neighbours, businesses and nations face the dilemma of how to get to “yes” without escalating the conflict or damaging relationships. To help you understand and apply mediation and negotiation in different situations and settings, this course gives you an overview of the methods and research findings as well as provides a practical approach for negotiating agreements amicably in every day life.

Course Scope:
Understanding of conflict, Methods of peaceful conflict resolution (mediation and negotiation), Research findings on conditions for successful conflict resolution, Presentation of mediation and negotiation techniques, Applying conflict resolution techniques.

Course Level:
Offered through an engaging mode of delivery, the course is designed for highly motivated individuals of diverse backgrounds who are looking forward to getting to know conflict resolution methods on a theoretical level as well as learning how to apply them in disputes, concerning relatives, friends, employees, business partners, nations, etc.

Teaching Method:
Course sessions generally include weekly online tuition, providing the main aspects of conflict resolution methods, mediation and negotiation and related topics. In addition to theories, findings and case studies presented by the instructor, students practice acquired knowledge via exercises, discussions and case study analysis.

Course Topics

So what is Democracy about?
Human Dignity – the Core Value of Democracy
Is Democracy a Western Concept?
Understanding Leadership
Paradigms of Leadership
Developing Leadership Core Schemes
Linking Democracy and Leadership

Prerequisites:
The core components of the course are designed for an audience of undergraduate standing and highly motivated individuals of diverse backgrounds. Senior Executives, Managers and Leaders at all levels benefit from this one semester course. The course assumes no prior knowledge of the subject material.

Objectives
The course is designed to:

Help course participants to better understand and harness the core values of democracy and good leadership in one’s community.
Highlight the meaning of human dignity in relation to human rights and respect for human security as a foundation for a healthy community – and leadership within.
Widen the leadership horizon of Africans to enable them to help their communities, societies and nations to develop positively with respect to people’s living conditions.
Help African refugees, former refugees, victims of war, underprivileged, those with access to education, etc., to strive for transformation into good leaders in Africa.
Clarify existing Leadership paradigms and to help individuals to tap into their inner resources and the resources in their communities.
Motivate course participants to apply the core competences for societal development.

How many times have you tried to unleash your writing potential but failed to do so due to perhaps procrastination or lack of motivation? How many books have you stopped half-way reading simply because you’d thought you could have written better than the author? Have you written a book now? Do you have a story idea you intend to develop? Are you writing a story with difficulty? Is it your dream to have your story published and released both in print and audio? If there is at least one YES in your responses, then this is your opportunity to learn how to plan, draft and complete a 90,000-word novel in 50 days or less… Plus how to get published… and Plus how to successfully market your work online and offline.

If you’ve survived a civil war, an unspeakable ordeal, plane crash, shipwreck, it’s a book. If you’re a top athlete, you’re a book. If you hold the national eating competition, it’s a book. If you’re a big drug cheat, you’re a book. If you’ve told one interesting story a thousand times, tell it once more in a book. If you’re a cancer survivor, you’re a living book. If people are amazed to hear your life experiences, you have a book in you. Unleash your writing potential… and marry the basic skills in Entrepreneurship and Authorship to become an Authorpreneur.

Core Topics Covered:
This Creative Writing and Authorpreneurship self-help-driven course material is about guiding you to quit talking and begin doing; and to bundle your knowledge, interests, hobbies, expertise, passion, skills, talents, motivational speaking, and all the good stuffs you’re good at, into a published book for your many potential readers in-wait.

Introduction to Authorpreneurship
Writing the Book Proposal
How to Write a Novel in 50 Days
Preparing your Manuscript (MSS)
Querying the Literary Agent
Creating Niche Information Materials
Introduction to eNewsletter Business
Developing Your Business Website
Marketing Campaign Schemes
Brand Management

Course Scope

Quantitative Analysis I is a course on the fundamental concepts and methods of statistics, covering topics such as averages, frequency distribution tables, stem & leaf diagrams, data analysis and use of probability tools such as correlation. Many jobs or professions require you to make objective decisions based upon statistical data. To help you make these kinds of decisions, this course shows you how to collect, analyse, and interpret data correctly. The course also shows you how to present data in ways that are clear and accurate.

Quantitative Analysis I Course Content: Collecting and recording data; Averages and spread; Processing data; Representing data; Interpreting data; Scatter graphs and relationships; Probability; Regression.

Quantitative Analysis II is a course on the representation of sample data and methods of summarizing data. It also involves the use of probability tools such as correlation, regression analysis, as well as use of random variables, the Binomial, Poisson, Normal and Continuous Distributions and Hypothesis Tests to interpret data. Many jobs or professions require you to make objective decisions based upon statistical data you have collected and analysed accurately. To help you make these kinds of decisions, this course shows you how to collect, analyze, and interpret data correctly. The course also shows you how to present data in ways that are clear and accurate upon which management of companies and organization can based their decisions.

Quantitative Analysis II Course Content: Representation of sample data; Methods for summarising sample data; Methods for Summarising data (dispersion); Probability; Correlation; Regression; Discrete random variable; The normal distribution; The binomial and Poisson distributions; Continuous random variables; Hypothesis tests.

Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Certificate Courses in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Professor Raphael O. Olaniyan

Alfred Latigo, PhD

Christine Lokko, PhD

MAINSTREAMING REGIONAL INTEGRATION

Browse Courses

International Relations

Objectives

Negotiation and Mediation

Organisational Conflict Management

Course Objectives:

Democracy and Leadership: A Way of Life

Creative Writing & Authorpreneurship

Basic Research Methods

Course Topics

Applied Statistics

Course Scope

Academic Writing and Publication

Course Topics