University of Dhaka
Department of Political Science
Professional Master in Governance Studies (PMGS) Program
Curriculum: An Overview

Journey of Enlightenment

The University of Dhaka is one of the rare examples of higher seats of learning which acted as a catalyst and performed the most significant role in the strenuous struggle for independent identity of a social community. Ultimately, in the tumultuous journey of the human beings in this deltaic geography, it took the lead, supplied the drive, gave the impetus and at the end of a critical juncture of internal colonialism established a nation which was there but got the solid footing in the global theatre. Along with this, the Dhaka University in one sense helped most to give birth to an independent country through long struggle culminating in a critical phase of liberation war. This is an institution which did its best to create a country, a new flag, a new state and a governance of our own.

This university was established in 1921 and from the very first day of its functioning, the department of political science was there with teachers and students combining with economics and named as economics and political science. In 1938 the department of political science got total and separate identity as an independent discipline and lunched its academic endeavor with the vision of generating and disseminating theoretical knowledge and empirical training in different sub-fields of political science. Over the course of the time the Department has emerged as one of the largest departments of the University of Dhaka with enrollment of about 500 hundred students in Bachelor of Social Sciences Honors), Master in Social Sciences, M. Phil. and Ph.D. programs each year. The department has in fact enriched itself with a very long journey to create a knowledge-based enlightened society through its teaching capability, learning process, rigorous research, intellectual efforts, regular journals, and publications of research books by the faculties and through its products – the students. From 2016, the department has put forward its vision through ‘Towards Hundred Years’. This vision goes forward: (i) with the objectives to overhaul its entire curriculum and governance, (ii) making the department attuned with new global surroundings and new problems and challenges ahead of our nation, (iii) preparing the learners to be intellectually capable and epistemologically sound to face boldly the issues in front, for simultaneously bringing individual and collective welfare of the country and of the committee of nations belonging to humanity as whole.

PMGS – a new horizon

The Department of Political Science, with a view to enriching academic excellence of teaching and fulfilling the social commitment, has introduced Professional Master in Governance Studies (PMGS) which is designed for individuals of different background, preferably young interested learners to be enlightened with theoretical and empirical knowledge about governance in a comparative perspective. The program duration is one year and a half (i.e., eighteen months). The degree awarded for this program is named Professional Master in Governance Studies (PMGS).

Professional Master in Governance Studies (PMGS) covers theoretical and empirical aspects of governance which include courses related to Concept, Theory and Perspectives of Governance; Democratization, Human Rights and Access to Justice; The Art and Science of Leadership; Introduction to Economics; Public Policy in Theory and Practice; Research Methodology and Quantitative Analysis; Public Sector Management: Theory and Practice; Political and Economic Governance in Bangladesh: Theories and Realities; Corruption, Politics and Development Challenges; Gender and Governance: Theory and Perspectives; Global Governance and Development Discourse; Local Governance, Empowerment and Social Stability; E-Governance in Comparative Perspective; Governance and Migration; Corporate Governance: Theory and Practice; Developing Public-Private Partnerships; Ethics in Governance; Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development; Building Accountability and Transparency; Thesis Research; Internship; and Comprehensive Examination.