Short course in Social Impact Assessment (SIA)
| Social Impact Assessment coursework The UJ Sociology Department offers a structured, accredited short course in Social Impact Assessment. This course is offered both as a module as part of a structured MA and as a Postgraduate Diploma. The course is taught in two block weeks that must be attended on campus. | |||
| Career Prospects The National Environmental Management Act of 1998 requires that the social and economic impact of all new development projects must be assessed. This affects the construction of new roads, factories, shopping centres, etc. The Social Impact Assessment MA provides training in social and economic impact assessment, and it is the only degree of its kind in South Africa. It, therefore, offers an excellent opportunity for entry to the many job opportunities that are being opened up by the act. The degree consists of the following four components: The Social Impact Assessment Process. The purpose of this module is to enable learners to predict the ability of a community or group to adapt to changing conditions; define the problems or clarify the issues involved in a proposed change; anticipate and assess impacts on the quality of life; illuminate the meaning and importance of anticipated change; identify mitigation opportunities or requirements; and advise communities and other stakeholders on how to comply with regulations and policies. | |||
Participation and Institutional Development The purpose of this module is to enable learners to analyse and contextualise the concepts and practice of participation and institutional development. It critically assesses the meaning of participation and investigates strategies for increasing the quality and quantity of participation in development, especially in relation to disadvantaged communities. For more information about the Postgraduate Diploma, contact the SIA course coordinator, Prof Luke Sinwell at Lsinwell@uj.ac.za (Applications for 2021 are now closed. The online portal will open 1 April for studies in 2022.) For more information about the Master’s degree in SIA, contact the Master’s coordinator, Prof Tapiwa Chagonda tchagonda@uj.ac.za and Prof Melanie Samson melanies@uj.ac.za |