Certificate in Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)

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About Course

Cullen University College – in affiliation with Mosa University

Duration: 6 Weeks | Level: Certificate | Price: ZMW 750 

 

Course Introduction

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) has become one of the most consistently in-demand skill sets across Zambia’s development sector donor-funded NGOs, government ministries implementing national programs, UN agencies, and increasingly the private sector all require staff who can design indicators, collect reliable data, and demonstrate whether programs are actually achieving their intended results. Almost every NGO job advert in Zambia today lists “M&E experience or qualification” as a requirement or strong advantage, yet very few people entering the sector have had formal, structured training in it most learn fragments on the job, often inconsistently.

This certificate is built to give you genuine, defensible M&E competence: not just definitions, but the actual tools practitioners use daily Theory of Change diagrams, Logical Frameworks (logframes), indicator matrices, sample size calculations, data quality assessments, and evaluation designs all taught through real Zambian and African development examples (health, WASH, agriculture, education, and livelihoods programs), so what you learn is immediately usable in a real job or program.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Explain the difference between Monitoring and Evaluation, and where each fits in the program cycle
  • Develop a Theory of Change and translate it into a Logical Framework (logframe)
  • Design SMART indicators at output, outcome, and impact level
  • Select and apply appropriate data collection methods, both quantitative and qualitative
  • Calculate appropriate sample sizes and apply basic sampling techniques
  • Build and manage a functional M&E system, including data quality assurance
  • Understand and apply major evaluation designs (formative, summative, process, impact)
  • Write M&E reports that meet donor and government reporting standards
  • Apply core ethical principles in data collection, particularly involving vulnerable populations
  • Use common digital data collection tools relevant to the Zambian/African development sector

Who this course is for: NGO program staff, government M&E officers, donor program officers, community development workers, and anyone seeking to enter Zambia’s development or public health sector. No prior M&E background required.

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Course Content

Module 1: Foundations of Monitoring & Evaluation
Introduction to Module 1 Before building any M&E system, you need a precise understanding of what monitoring and evaluation actually are, how they differ, and where they fit within the broader program management cycle. Many practitioners use these terms loosely or interchangeably this module ensures you never do.

  • Foundations of Monitoring & Evaluation

Module 2: Theory of Change & the Logical Framework
Introduction to Module 2 Before you can monitor or evaluate a program, you need a clear, explicit statement of how and why the program is expected to work. This module covers the two foundational planning tools of modern M&E practice: the Theory of Change and the Logical Framework (logframe).

Module 3: Indicators & Building an M&E Framework
Indicators are the measurable heart of any M&E system poorly designed indicators produce either meaningless data or, worse, misleading conclusions about program success. This module teaches you how to design genuinely SMART indicators and assemble them into a coherent M&E Framework/Plan.

Module 4: Data Collection Methods & Sampling
Introduction to Module 4 Even a perfectly designed indicator is worthless without a sound method for actually collecting accurate, representative data. This module covers the major quantitative and qualitative data collection methods used in African development programs, and the basics of sampling

Module 5: Data Management, Quality Assurance & Analysis
Introduction to Module 5 Collecting data is only half the task ensuring it is accurate, properly managed, and correctly analyzed is what actually makes it useful for decision-making and credible for donor reporting. This module covers data quality assurance and basic analysis techniques.

Module 6: Monitoring Systems, Reporting & Learning
Introduction to Module 6 This module focuses on the practical, day-to-day operation of an M&E system once designed — how routine monitoring actually happens, how findings are reported to different audiences, and how organizations build a genuine culture of using data for learning rather than compliance alone.

Module 7: Evaluation Designs & Conducting Evaluations
Introduction to Module 7 While monitoring tracks ongoing progress, evaluation asks deeper questions about whether a program truly worked, for whom, and why. This module covers the major evaluation types and designs used in development practice, including the methodological challenge of attributing observed change to a specific program.

Module 8: Ethics, Data Use & Career Pathways in M&E
Introduction to Module 8 This final module addresses the ethical responsibilities inherent in collecting data often from vulnerable populations and positions you for a genuine career pathway in Zambia's growing M&E profession.

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About Culleen University College

Culleen University College is committed to providing accessible, affordable, and high-quality online education through flexible learning that empowers students with practical knowledge and career-ready skills.

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