collageIs masters degree in monitoring and evaluation in Canada on your radar? Would you like to apply for masters degree in monitoring and evaluation in Canada? If so, this article will help! This article will provide you with the most up-to-date information about masters degree in monitoring and evaluation in Canada for international students .
what is the scope of monitoring and evaluation
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is a combined term for the processes set up by organizations such as companies, government agencies, international organisations and NGOs, with the goal of improving their management of outputs, outcomes and impact. Monitoring includes the continuous assessment of programmes based on early detailed information on the progress or delay of the ongoing assessed activities.[1] Evaluation involves the examination of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and impact of activities in the light of specified objectives.[2]
Monitoring and evaluation processes can be managed by the donors financing the assessed activities, by an independent branch of the implementing organization, by the project managers or implementing team themselves and/or by a private company. The credibility and objectivity of monitoring and evaluation reports depend very much on the independence of the evaluators. Their expertise and independence is of major importance for the process to be successful.
Many international organizations such as the United Nations, USAID, the World Bank group and the Organization of American States have been utilizing this process for many years. The process is also growing in popularity in the developing countries where the governments have created their own national M&E systems to assess the development projects, the resource management and the government activities or administration. The developed countries are using this process to assess their own development and cooperation agencies.
Evaluation
The M&E is separated into two distinguished categories: evaluation and monitoring. An evaluation is a systematic and objective examination concerning the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainabilities of activities in the light of specified objectives.The idea in evaluating projects is to isolate errors in order to avoid repeating them and to underline and promote the successful mechanisms for current and future projects.
An important goal of evaluation is to provide recommendations and lessons to the project managers and implementation teams that have worked on the projects and for the ones that will implement and work on similar projects.
Evaluations are also indirectly a means to report to the donor about the activities implemented. It is a means to verify that the donated funds are being well managed and transparently spent. The evaluators are supposed to check and analyze the budget lines and to report the findings in their work.[3] Monitoring and Evaluation is also useful in the Facilities [Hospitals], it enables the donors such as WHO and UNICEF to know whether the funds provided are well utilized in purchasing drugs and also equipment in the Hospitals.
Monitoring
Monitoring is a continuous assessment that aims at providing all stakeholders with early detailed information on the progress or delay of the ongoing assessed activities. It is an oversight of the activity’s implementation stage. Its purpose is to determine if the outputs, deliveries and schedules planned have been reached so that action can be taken to correct the deficiencies as quickly as possible.
Good planning, combined with effective monitoring and evaluation, can play a major role in enhancing the effectiveness of development programs and projects. Good planning helps focus on the results that matter, while monitoring and evaluation help us learn from past successes and challenges and inform decision making so that current and future initiatives are better able to improve people’s lives and expand their choices
Monitoring
It is a systematic and routine collection of information gathered for the project work. This information can be of activities, products and other factors that affect the organization or project. Once everything is evaluated, the information can be used for the project work. Practically, it helps in keeping work on track, and helps management to know what is going wrong in the project work. If it is done briefly, it provides useful base for evaluation purpose. Moreover, it also helps the company to determine if the resources used are sufficient enough for the project.
Evaluation
This is perhaps a larger way of looking into the project. It is the comparison of actual project against the plan set. It is about how the project can be worked on and how it can be accomplished. It can be either formative, wherein you can make the strategy so that project functions better, or else it can be summative as well.
Both these focusing on three elements:
- Efficiency
- Effectiveness
- Impact
Both Monitoring & Evaluation are embedded concept of every project taken up by the organization. It is ideally understood with the development and progress between stakeholders. Basically, monitoring is an integral part of evaluation. During evaluation the previous information gathered during monitoring used for understanding the project and check if any changes needed.
The main reason behind evaluation & monitoring is to check the development work in the project. Moreover, you can:
- Review Progress
- Identify problems in planning or implementation
- Make adjustment according to the charges required.
Differences between monitoring and evaluation
In monitoring, the feedback and recommendation is inevitable to the project manager but in evaluation, this is not the case. The common ground for monitoring and evaluation is that they are both management tools. For monitoring, data and information collection for tracking progress according to the terms of reference is gathered periodically which is not the case in evaluations for which the data and information collection is happening during or in view of the evaluation. The monitoring is a short term assessment and does not take into consideration the outcomes and impact unlike the evaluation process which also assesses the outcomes and sometime longer term impact. This impact assessment occurs sometimes after the end of a project, even though it is rare because of its cost and of the difficulty to determine whether the project is responsible for the observed results.[2] Evaluation is a systematic and objective examination which is conducted on monthly and/or yearly basis, unlike Monitoring, which is a continuous assessment, providing stakeholders with early information. Monitoring checks on all the activities on the last [implementation stage] unlike Evaluation which entails information on whether the donated funds are well managed and that they are transparently spent.
Monitoring & Evaluation Course
Company that has a department of monitoring & evaluation looks for candidates who have earned higher degree certificate in the respective field. However, they are later trained to understand the work and project. There are universities that offer degree and diploma program in this field. Besides full time, universities also offer online courses for international students.
Students either taking up distance or full time course, are trained to create and understand the tools for management personnel. Students by taking this course can benefit by understanding program monitoring, evaluation and reporting in program. Students are trained through practical exercises and undergoing step-by-step process.
These courses are offered in various durations. There are also short term courses for 2 days or maximum for week depending on the requirement. Even international students can seek for master’s courses through online degree. Professional working people can seek for Certificate Advanced Course offered by universities to learn more about the field and put all expertise in the work.
Masters in information systems in Canada are offered as MEng/MASc in Information System Security and MS in Management Information System (MIS). Some universities of Canada also offer MS/MA in Information Systems such as York University and Athabasca University. This program is mainly focused on creating, managing and protecting information databases of organizations or individuals.
- The program duration of masters in information systems ranges between 1 to 2.5 years.
- Total program fee of Canadian universities offering masters in information systems is around 14,500 CAD to 31,400 CAD.
- Average annual salary of information security system and information system management graduates in Canada is 90,639 CAD and 72,891 CAD respectively.
Why Study Masters in Monitoring And Evaluation in Canada
Following are some of the reasons contributing to the popularity of masters in monitoring and evaluation among students:
- Monitoring and evaluation was ranked at 6th place in the Forbes 2019 list of 10 best master’s degrees for jobs in the world.
- Forbes stated that jobs in monitoring and evaluationare expected to grow by 18.1%.
- An increase of 73% in salary of MIS graduates is also expected in the future years, according to Forbes.
Paygrade of information system security graduates is slightly higher than that of monitoring and evaluation graduates in Canada. A student with master’s in monitoring and evaluation security degree can earn an average salary of 90,639 CAD. However, the average pay for masters in monitoring and evaluation graduates is 72,891 CAD per annum in Canada
Top Universities in Canada Offering Masters in Monitoring And Evaluation
Following are some of the popular universities offering masters in information systems in Canada:
| University | QS News Ranking 2019 | Programs Offered | Total Program Fees (in CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of British Columbia | 51 | Masters in Management Information Systems | $17,904 |
| Queen’s University at Kingston | 239 | MSc Management Information System | $14,898 |
| Concordia University | 462 | MASc and MEng in Information System Security | $19,599 |
| York University | 511 – 520 | MA in Information System & Technology | $31,375 |
| Athabasca University | – | MSc in Information System & Technology | $22,230 |
Masters in Monitoring And Evaluation in Canada Course Details
The monitoring and evaluation program is an interdisciplinary field that makes room for a plethora of specializations. The basic course structure, however, is built to prepare professionals to exhibit creativity and outstanding prowess in designing, implementing and promoting programs and systems for clients. It also deals with preservation of information and data for effective and efficient use.
Although both masters in monitoring and evaluation and masters in monitoring and evaluation are concerned with handling the database, they are slightly different from each other:
- Masters in Monitoring And Evaluation: Creating, monitoring and evaluating database or information
- Masters in Monitoring And Evaluation: Protecting the database or information.
Students can choose to pursue thesis-based or course-based masters in information systems in Canada.
Admission Process for Masters in Monitoring And Evaluation in Canada
A bachelor’s degree in computer science, information system or related field and GRE score is required for admission in most of the Canadian universities offering masters in information systems.
Admission Requirements for Masters in Monitoring and Evaluation in Canada
University-wise admission requirements for studying masters in information systems in Canada are provided below:
Masters in Information Systems at University of British Columbia (UBC)
- Undergraduate degree with an overall average of 76% or B+ grade
- Three academic references
- Statement of Interest
- GRE test score
Masters in Information Systems at Queen’s University at Kingston
- 4-year undergraduate degree with 77 average
- Two academic references
- Resume
- Statement of research interest and career goals
- GMAT or GRE test score
Masters in Information Systems at Concordia University
Bachelors or equivalent degree in one of the following discipline:
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Computer Science
Masters in Information Systems at York University
- 4-year bachelor’s degree in information technology or related discipline with 77% to 79% average in the last two years of study OR
- Bachelor’s degree in any other field with 5 years of work experience in information technology
- Resume
- 3 letters of recommendation
- 1 to 2 page long statement of interest
- GRE score of 2000 or above
Masters in Information System at Athabasca University
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, or related area OR
- Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with experience in information system field
Proof of English Proficiency
International students are required to submit IELTS or TOEFL test scores as proof of English proficiency. Minimum test scores accepted by the universities for admission in masters in information systems in Canada is provided below:
| University | Minimum IELTS Score Required | Minimum TOEFL (iBT) Score Required |
|---|---|---|
| University of British Columbia | 7.0 | 100 |
| Queen’s University at Kingston | 7.5 | 100 |
| Concordia University | 6.5 | 85 |
| York University | 7.0 | 90 |
| Athabasca University | 6.0 | 80 |
Cost of Studying Masters in Information Systems in Canada
Cost of studying masters in information systems in Canada is estimated to be approximately between 10,000 CAD to 36,000 CAD. It can be divided into three categories: Pre-arrival Cost; Tuition Fees and Cost of Living.
Pre-arrival Cost
The table below shows the pre-arrival cost for international students at a glance:
| Type of Expense | Amount (in CAD) |
|---|---|
| Program Application Fee | $100 – $168 |
| Canadian Student Visa Application Fee | $305 |
| Health Insurance | $13,000 |
| IELTS fee | $240 – $247 |
| TOEFL fee | $208 – $325 |
| Airfare | $584 – $1,820 |
Tuition Fees of Masters in Information Systems in Canada
Masters in Information system’s annual tuition fee for universities of Canada ranges between 8,000 CAD to 20,000 CAD. Concordia University has the highest annual tuition fee of 19,599 CAD.
Cost of Living in Canada
Cost of living in Canada for international students includes expenses of books/academic materials, food, clothing, cost of accommodation and transportation fees.
| University | Annual Cost of Living (in CAD) |
|---|---|
| University of British Columbia | $16,954 |
| Queen’s University at Kingston | $10,070 – $18,450 |
| Concordia University | $15,982 |
| York University | $24,990 |
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