Post-graduate courses popular at Colombo University's FGS

Hiran H. SENEWIRATNE

DEGREE PROGRAMMES: The Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS), which is one of the faculties of the University of Colombo, offers a wide range of postgraduate programmes of a multi disciplinary nature its Dean Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake said.

The main objective of the Institute is to enhance its focus on development studies with its forthcoming postgraduate Diploma/Master in Development Studies which also expects to strengthen its focus on country basis studies by introducing the post graduate Diploma/Master in American Studies in 2006.

Prof. Dissanayake said that it conducts diverse professional and academic backgrounds characterised the student population at FGS. Most FGS students are professionals who are engaged in full-time occupations in Colombo and other areas and who attend classes at FGS in the evenings and weekends.

Many are employed in professions that are directly related to the course of study pursued, he said.

The entry qualification for all them programmes is a graduation from any recognised university or any other qualification equivalent to a degree, he said.

There are more than 12 programmes and among them the most popular programmes are the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management and the Masters in Development Studies, and Women studies, which is especially designed for arts graduates. All programmes are designed for working personnel.

It has one-year Diploma programmes as well.

Having completed it they could proceed to the Master's and PhD levels. At present more than 580 students have been registered with the faculty in various postgraduate programmes, which are mostly one to two years in duration.

The charges are competitive and affordable for everybody, Prof. Dissanayake said. All programmes are targeted at private, public and NGO employees. FGS does not depend on the Government but generates funds of its own by way of course fees.

From this year, a fully equipped computer laboratory is available for the use of FGS staff and FGS students. The computer laboratory facilitates to introduce IT-based educational techniques to offset the current classroom introduction- based instructions, at FGS. The lab will also offer access to on-line educational resources and learning.

The Faculty also conducts a Japanese study programme in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy, and the embassy awards two scholarships for a year.

Those who have been trained in Japan, are lecturing in this area, Prof. Dissanayake said.

Visiting lecturers are invited from other faculties of the Colombo University and other academic and professional bodies to conduct study programmes.

The FGS took a vital step by linking its activities in postgraduate education with the other countries through discussions and collaboration work with two UK universities in 2005, he said.

A delegation from Leeds Metropolitan University visited FGS last year to create opportunities to conduct joint degree programmes (including PhD. programmes) between FGS and Leeds Metropolitan University in the field of human rights, conflict resolution, international peace keeping and IT. Staff and student exchange were discussed as well as e-leaning for local graduates.

Opportunities for foreign students to visit Sri Lanka to fulfil the practical components of peace keeping, conflict resolution and human rights in their courses were also discussed, he said.

A team from Anglia Ruskin University also visited the FGS in 2005 to discuss the possibility of conducting a collaboration programme in marketing and advertising, Prof. Dissanayaka said.

FGS maintained its valuable private sector link through the recruitment of top personnel as lecturers and resource persons on FGS courses, such as the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management, he said. FGS is in the process of negotiating with the Korean International Corporation Agency (KOICA) to improve the IT level in the faculty.