Ministry of Education

Identified Competency Focus Areas and Selected

Courses for Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions’
Exit Examination

Program: Batchalor of Arts (B.A.) in Political Science

and International Relations (PSIR)

Prepared By
Dr. Bayuligne Zemedeagegnehu, Addis Ababa University
Ato Yikeber Abebe, Bahir Dar University

August 2022
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Contents
1. Introduction .......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
2. Objectives of the Exit Examination ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3. Significance of the Document ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
4. Expected Profile of Graduates ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
5. Competencies for Graduates ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
6. Categorizing Courses with Credit Hours into Themes .......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
7. Matching Competencies with Courses ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
8. Summary............................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendices..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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1. Introduction

Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) is one of the oldest disciplines. Since its
introduction in Ethiopia, the discipline has been engaged in teaching and training appropriate
knowledge, skills and attitude for those seeking to work in the public, private and non-
governmental, international and domestic organizations. Besides teaching, professionals of the
discipline engaged in conducting research, and providing community services to various
stakeholders. The discipline is striving to cope up with the changing policy environment, changes
within the field of study at the national, regional, and international level.

An attempt is made to identify expected graduate profiles, core competencies and learning
outcomes which are essential for exit exam preparation for graduating Political Science and
International Relations students. Fifteen courses were selected for exit exam which will be
started in 2022/23 Academic Year. Courses included in the exit exam have been selected by
considering which courses could best help students depending on the demand in the market for
our students as well as for future profession and specialization. An attempt is made to balance
competencies of knowledge, skills and attitudes.

 The National Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) exit exam shall have
the following objectives.
 To produce skilled and competent manpower to national and international market;
 Assessing students’ educational achievement in major areas of Political Science and
International Relations (PSIR);
 Ensuring whether the graduation profile of PSIR curriculum have achieved at least
common standards of knowledge and practical skills;
 Improving public trust and confidence in public administration activities of professionals;
 Facilitating the efforts of students to revise the core learning outcomes of the courses
covered by the exit examination;
 Ensuring all graduates from HEIs satisfy the requirements of the labor market and
employability through the national wide implementation of competency-based exit exam;
 Creating competitive spirit among PSIR departments in Ethiopia with the aim of
encouraging them to give due attention to the national standards.

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It is important to set competency areas of the PSIR in order to measure the how much graduates
acquired the required skills, knowledge and attitudes.

 The following shows us the significance or setting competencies and identifying core
courses of the program;

 To set competencies that helps to assess the basic skills, knowledge and attitudes of
graduating students; and
 To systematically identify the core courses which will be included the exit exam.

2. Expected Profiles of Graduates’

The undergraduate curriculum aims at training early-career professionals in the fields of Political
Science and International Relations (PSIR). The graduates will be proficient in the field of study
in terms of grasping key theoretical knowledge in the field of study and develop strong analytical
skills in academic context as well as other levels. The PSIR undergraduate program aims at
imparting knowledge, skills and attitudes to enable students to be:

 Be equipped with the patterns and trends of the international system;

 Acquire the arts of diplomacy;
 Acquaint with the skills of administration and management of various institutions;
 Practice public policy formulations in the social, economic, and political domains of the
country;
 Be capable of approaching media outlets;
 Learn the ability to adopt a diverse and changing systems and societies;
 Have know-how in electioneering, electoral strategists and campaigners;
 Gain professional values and ethics;
 Equip with knowledge of peaceful conflict resolution methods under international law; and
 Acquire fundamental concepts concerning contemporary global issues like terrorism, drug,
and human trafficking, and others; learn how to combat them.
From the professional point of view, the PSIR undergraduate program provides education
and training catering to the needs of public as well as private institutions, with the following
profiles:

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  Diplomats, domestic and international civil servants;
 Policy analysts of domestic and international political affairs;
 Consultants/advisors of governmental and non-governmental institution;
 Researchers and experts of wide ranging themes;
 Program officers, evaluators, community empowerment in the areas of governance;
gender, human rights, conflict and conflict resolution;
 Trainers/teachers/instructors of secondary and tertiary education institutions; and
 Public/external/international relations officers.
3. Competencies and Learning Outcomes

Competencies commonly define the applied knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable students
to successfully perform in professional, educational, and other life contexts. Learning outcome,
on the other hand, is a very specific statement that describes exactly what a student will be able
to do in some measurable way at the end of the program. Graduating students in Political Science
and International Relations are expected to achieve the following knowledge, skill and attitude
competencies

3.1. Competencies

After completing the B.A. program in Political Science and International Relations, the students
shall be able to acquire the following competencies.

A. Knowledge

Be equipped with the knowledge of modern political thought and its applicability for
contemporary state and society.

 Be acquainted with knowledge of issues and parameters to be applied in comparison

process of political systems, institutions, political practices, structures, political actors,
states, governments;
 Be equipped with basic concepts and theories of international relations;
 Be able to explain concept, structure and function of major international organizations;

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  Be able to analyze different kinds of social movements and political changes such as
revolution, radical change, rebellion, revolt, coup d’état, political transition and political
reform;
 Be capable of explaining sources and subjects of international law;
 Be able to analyze factors determining interstate relations in the Horn of Africa;
 Be able to explain different theories development;
 Be capable of grasping specific global conditions that contributed to the emergence of the
various theoretical perspectives, their basic arguments and critiques;
 Be acquainted with the political dynamics and evolution of Ethiopian state;
 Be capable of explaining foreign policy making processes and implementing agencies;
 Be able to explain principles of Ethiopian foreign relations enshrined in the in FDRE
Constitution.
B. Skill
 Be able to adapt to a diverse and changing systems and societies;
 Be capable of contextualizing modern political thought to national, regional and local
realities;
 Be able to acquire skills of comparing political systems, political structures and
practices, governments and other political actors;
 Be able be evaluate the regional dynamics in the Horn of Africa;
 Be able to develop the habit of working with major international organizations;
 Be able to acquire the art of political communication;
 Be able to develop skills of political negotiation, conflict prevention and resolution; and
 Be capable of approaching and working with different media outlets;
C. Attitude

Be able to appreciate the contribution of different political thinkers and their thoughts in
designing different models of democracy and/or government;

 Internalize the concepts and theories that have been the foundations of contemporary
political discourses and practices;

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  Be able to see the advantage of observing international law for the creation of a
stable interstate relations and a stable global system;
 Recognize the efforts of international organizations to settle domestic and
international disputes;
 Be capable of treasuring political systems of Ethiopia under different regimes;
 Be able to appreciate the role of diplomacy in implementing foreign policy of a
county; and
 Be able to promote national interests of Ethiopia.
3.2. Learning Outcomes

At the end of the program, the students will be able to:

 Explain key concepts, theories of contemporary politics and government, political ideas,
institutions and practices;
 Relates key topics in political theories with contemporary politics and governments,
political institutions and processes;
 Compare and contrast theories of International Relations;
 Describe actors of International Relations;
 Discuss political ideas of prominent political thinkers of the modern period concerning
concepts about society, state, government, and constitution, sources of political authority
concepts of freedom, justice, liberties and rights;
 Internalize the concepts and theories that have been the foundations of contemporary
political discourses and practices;
 Bring to attention political ideas of non-western thinkers from Africa, Asia and South
America and indigenous people;
 Conceptualize social movements and political changes such as revolutions, radical
changes, rebellions, revolts, coup d’états, transitions and political reforms;
 Explain the dynamics behind, or the causes of, political changes, particularly of social
revolutions and their transformative characters;
 Grasp the meanings of important terms and the evolution of the concept of development;
 Distinguish the specific global conditions that contributed to the emergence of the various
theoretical perspectives, their basic arguments and critiques;

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 Explain the nature and the forms of state-society relations in countries in the Horn of
Africa, with the forms and norms of interaction among state-actors in the region;
 Reflect on the roles and functions of local governments and inter-governmental relations
in contemporary literature on the subject;
 Explain the history of the formations of local government in Ethiopia and the factors
accounting in organizing the same in different forms in different periods and contexts in
the modern history of Ethiopia;
 Elaborate the interaction between the media and politics;
 Define the key concepts, actors and modalities of political communication;
 Discuss the nature and impact of internet based political communication and media
politics;
 Explain how governments engage media to manufacture consent;
 Identify the nature of international law and the structure of the international legal system
and explain the basic elements of public international law;
 Reflect on International Law in different contexts, including the law surrounding the use
of force, norms governing environmental issues at the global level;
 Define the concept of diplomacy and its relationship with the concept of foreign policy;
 Explore the various dimensions and roles of diplomacy;
 Identify the purposes of foreign policy, institutions of foreign policy decision making and
implementation in the context of the dynamic field of International Relations;
 Analyze different forums of diplomacy, negotiations and conflict resolution including by
way of simulations exercises;
 Engage in negotiations in an international context, including preparing files for
international negotiators and contributing to efficient teamwork;
 Identify and discuss the various perspectives of state and society, the conceptual
underpinnings, and the manifestations of the state, and the various categories of the
society;
 Explore the various issues and forms of interactions in the relationships between state
institutions and the various categories of the population;

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  Make critical assessment of the perspectives on or the dynamics of state & society and
factors which affect or determine social, political and economic outcomes of the
interactions;
 Explain concept, structure and function of major international organizations;
 Analyze the fundamental political issues that often undermine the effectiveness
of international organizations;
 Identify the mandates of selected international organizations and relate these with the
actual practices of these organizations;
 Explain how states organize institutions to make and implement foreign policy;
 Discuss how states’ foreign policies are designed, information are gathered and analyzed,
and policy makers are advised;
 Elaborate factors shaping the formulation and implementation and conduct of Ethiopian
foreign policy and relations;
 Explain the external and domestic contexts and determinants of Ethiopia’s foreign policy;
 Define the concept comparative politics, and conduct the comparison of political systems,
structures and functions of political institutions;
 Appreciate how different factors, political contexts result in differences in institutional
arrangements, and shape political processes and outcomes;
 Apply knowledge about comparative politics in the analysis of political systems,
institutions, processes and outcomes in different contexts;
 Comprehend political developments in Ethiopia since the late 20th Century;
 Explain the political dynamics that led to the 1974 revolution, land reform, socialism and
military rule;
4. Courses to be Included in the Exit Exam
 Introduction to Politics and Government
 Introduction to International Relations
 Modern Political Thought
 Introduction to Politics of Development
 Introduction to Comparative Politics
 Theories of State and Society

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  Social Movements and Revolutions1
 Theories and Practices of Local Government
 Politics and Government in Ethiopia
 Politics and Interstate Relations in the Horn of Africa
 International Organizations
 International Law for Political Science Students
 Media Politics and Political Communication
 Foreign Policy and Diplomacy
 Ethiopian Foreign Policy and Diplomacy
5. Categorizing Courses into Themes

Theme Selected Courses ECTS/Cr.Hrs

Theme I: State and Society Modern Political Thought 5/3
Theories of State and Society 5/3
Social Movements and Revolution 5/3
Theme II: Politics and Introduction to Politics and Government 5/3
Government Introduction to Politics of Development 5/3
Introduction to Comparative Politics 5/3
Theories and Practices of Local Government 5/3
Politics and Government in Ethiopia 5/3
Media Politics and Political Communication 5/3

Theme III: International Introduction to International Relations 5/3

Relations International Organizations 5/3
Politics and Interstate Relations in the Horn of Africa 5/3
International Law for Political Science Students 5/3
Theme IV: Foreign Policy Foreign Policy and Diplomacy 5/3
and Diplomacy Ethiopian Foreign Policy and Diplomacy 5/3
Total 75/45

1
In the Harmonized Curriculum the nomenclature of this course is Political Change and Social Revolutions. By
taking the curriculum variations in different public universities, we have taken the name Social Movements and
Revolutions.

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6. Conclusion

Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) is a discipline that deals with the study of
political phenomena (theory and practice of government and politics) at local/state, national and
international level. Its main goal is to deepen student understanding of the forms and nature of
political action and to develop theoretical tools for interpreting politically meaningful
phenomena or practices.

In this document, an attempt is made to select core courses for national exit exam for prospective
graduates of PSIR. Besides, we have prepared competencies and learning outcomes mainly based
on the harmonized curriculum. In preparing competencies and learning outcomes we have also
tried to take into account curriculum variations in different public universities. We have also
considered operational definition of competencies and learning outcomes. Competencies are
bundles of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) students are expected required to
achieve an acceptable level of performance, while learning outcomes are measurable statements
that articulate at the beginning what students should know, be able to do, or value as a result of
taking a course or completing a program.

The aim of the exit exam is to enable students to acquire core competencies and achieve learning
outcomes for the selected courses in Political Science and International Relations thereby
contributing to quality of education in the field. Having selected fifteen courses, we have tried to
align competencies with learning outcomes. Alignment with the competency is the congruence
of the learning outcomes to the level of knowledge, skills, and attitudes described in the
competency. Students who have completed PSIR undergraduate program are expected to take the
national exit exam to fulfill the requirements set by the Ministry of Education

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Appendix 1

No Name Role University

1 Dr. Bayuligne Zemedeagegnehu Writers Addis Ababa University
2 Ato Yikber Abebe Writers Bahir Dar University
3 Dr. Bantayehu Shiferaw Validator Bahir Dar University
4 Dr. Bamlak Yideg Validator University of Gonder
5 Ato Birhanu Bitew Validator Debremarkos University
6 Ato Guta Balch Validator Ambo University
7 Ato Goshime Yibrahu Validator Dire Dawa University

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