Engineering & Technology
Development Planning
Development Planning trains you to plan how communities, regions, and the nation develop -- balancing economic growth, infrastructure, and social needs. You'll learn how to analyze development challenges and design strategies that help places grow in organized, sustainable ways.
Program objectives
- 01Understand development theory and planning principles at national and regional levels.
- 02Learn to analyze economic, social, and infrastructure development needs.
- 03Build skills in policy analysis and development strategy design.
- 04Get grounding in community engagement and participatory planning methods.
Why choose this program
Trains you for genuinely needed public-sector work
Ghana's Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies need trained planners to manage growth and development challenges.
A pioneering, well-established program
KNUST's Department of Planning is the oldest and first planning school in Ghana and West Africa, with over six decades of experience training planners.
Broad, meaningful career impact
Development planners influence decisions that shape how entire communities and regions grow over time.
Skills you'll build
- Development theory and policy analysis
- Regional and national planning methods
- Data analysis for development indicators
- Participatory and community-based planning
- Analytical thinking
- Communication with government and community stakeholders
- Problem-solving for complex development challenges
- Project coordination
Tools & software
- GIS and planning analysis software
- Development data and policy analysis tools
Challenges to expect
Academic
- Involves substantial coursework, workshops, and a research project across a genuinely broad range of development topics.
Personal
- Fieldwork can involve travel to different regions and communities to understand real development challenges firsthand.
Tips from the field
- Engage seriously with real Ghanaian development case studies -- District Assembly planning challenges make excellent, practical learning material.
- Build genuine data analysis skills alongside planning theory, since sound development decisions increasingly rely on solid data.
- Consider which level interests you most (national policy vs. local district planning), since it can shape your electives and career direction.
Career paths
- Development planning officer
- District/Municipal Assembly planner
- Policy analyst
- NGO development program officer
- Regional planning consultant
Where you can study this
| Name | Latest cutoff | Tuition (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyBSc | 9(2024) | — |
FAQs
Is this the same as Human Settlement Planning?+
They're closely related and both offered by KNUST's Department of Planning, but Development Planning focuses more broadly on economic and social development strategy, while Human Settlement Planning focuses specifically on managing urban and rural settlement growth.
Will I work for the government after graduating?+
Many graduates do go into Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assembly roles, though NGOs and private planning consultancies also hire development planning graduates.
Where can I study this in Ghana?+
KNUST's Department of Planning, established in 1958, is the oldest and most established planning program in Ghana and West Africa.
Does this program involve a research project?+
Yes, the undergraduate program typically includes a Special Study (research project) alongside coursework and workshop-based learning.
Is this program only relevant to Ghana, or does it have wider application?+
The core planning principles apply broadly across developing economies, and some graduates go on to work with regional or international development organizations beyond Ghana.
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