Bachelor of Science in Digital Government and Public Service Innovation
This programme replaces secretarial studies, office administration, records management and generic public administration, which together account for a substantial share of regional enrolment and which train people to perform exactly the tas...
Employment thesis
What this programme is designed to produce
Forward publishes the destination of every programme before you enrol. If the thesis stops holding, the programme is reviewed and, where necessary, retired. Next review: 2031.
Roles
- Public service designer
- digital government officer
- e- government systems analyst
- public finance and budget analyst
- programme delivery manager
- records and information systems modernisation officer
- local government transformation officer
- public sector product manager.
Employer types
- Ministries, departments and agencies
- local governments
- the national information technology authority
- revenue and registration authorities
- parliament and oversight bodies
- development partners funding public sector reform
- and civic technology organisations.
Target outcomes we hold ourselves to
- Large public sector absorption with a clear reform agenda and donor funded transformation programmes, plus consulting demand.
Compulsory · The Forward Core
How the Core works →Every Forward programme, including this one, carries the same five cross-cutting requirements. They are graded, not optional.
- AI Fluency
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Ethics and African Context
- Human-Advantage Skills
- Enterprise
Includes 12 months paid work-integrated learning
Am I eligible?
Check yourself against the published requirements
7 questions written specifically for Bachelor of Science in Digital Government and Public Service Innovation. Every answer is checked against a requirement Forward has published, and the result tells you which page that requirement comes from. Indicative only, the admissions office decides on your full file.
What is the highest qualification you hold or are completing?
Curriculum structure
The same degree, in both pathways
Every Forward programme is published in both pathways: Path One, the term plan of two six-month terms, and Path Two, the block sequence of twelve four-week blocks. Same competencies, same assessments, same award. Toggle to see this programme in each.
Path One term plan shown
Path One · The Term Model
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 101 | AI Fluency I: How Intelligent Systems Work Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| GLA 110 | Government, Public Institutions and Administrative Systems Objective | 4 | 3-2-0 |
| GLA 111 | Service Design and Citizen Journey Mapping Performance | 5 | 1-0-8 |
| GLA 112 | Data Handling and Analysis for Government Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| GLA 113 | Public Financial Management and Budgeting Both | 4 | 2-2-2 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 102 | Quantitative Reasoning and Evidence Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| GLA 130 | Digital Public Infrastructure: Identity, Payments and Registries Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| GLA 131 | Public Policy, Law and Administrative Procedure Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| GLA 132 | Systems, Databases and Government Information Architecture Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| GLA 133 | Public Procurement and Contract Management Both | 3 | 1-2-2 |
| COP 190 | Workplace Immersion (4 weeks, recess term) Performance | 0 | 0-0-0 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 201 | Ethics, Society and the African Context Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| GLA 210 | Public Service Redesign Studio Performance | 5 | 1-0-8 |
| GLA 211 | Delivery Management and Programme Implementation Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| GLA 212 | Data Protection, Records and Information Governance in Government Both | 4 | 2-2-2 |
| GLA 213 | Intelligent Systems in Public Administration Performance | 4 | 1-2-4 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 202 | Human Advantage: Argument, Writing and Teams Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| COP 290 | Co-operative Education Placement I (6 months) Performance | 10 | 0-0-0 |
| GLA 230 | Government Placement: Agency or Local Government Performance | 5 | 0-0-0 |
| GLA 231 | Public Sector Analytics and Performance Measurement Performance | 3 | 1-0-4 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 301 | AI Fluency II: Building, Evaluating and Auditing Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| COP 390 | Co-operative Education Placement II (6 months) Performance | 10 | 0-0-0 |
| GLA 310 | Local Government, Decentralisation and Service Delivery Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| GLA 311 | Accountability, Anti-Corruption and Transparency Both | 3 | 1-2-2 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 302 | Enterprise, Employability and Financial Literacy Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| FDC 401 | AI Fluency III: Domain Deployment, Governance and Assurance Both | 3 | 1-2-0 |
| FDC 402 | Capability Portfolio and Day One Preparation Both | 3 | 1-2-0 |
| GLA 330 | Digital Government Capstone: Service Commission (client verified) Performance | 8 | 0-2-14 |
| GLA 331 | Change Management and Public Sector Leadership Both | 4 | 2-2-2 |
Total credit units: 132
Curriculum source
Forward University Curriculum Compendium
Assessment
Coursework + project + integrated exam
Work-integrated learning
12 months paid co-operative education
Your week at Forward
A typical week on Bachelor of Science in Digital Government and Public Service Innovation
Path One, the Term Model: your own pace across a six-month term, one live session a week, short flexible lessons, and assessment on demand.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Curriculum explorer
Drill into the degree, step by step
Choose a study path, then a year, then a term or block, then a course. Credit totals add up as you go, and every course shows what comes before it and what it unlocks.
Step 1, choose a year
Step 2, choose a term
TERM 1 (SIX MONTHS) | FORMERLY YEAR 1, SEMESTER 1
Year 1 · this step is worth 22 CU
Cumulative
22
Programme total
132
22 CU of 132 CU completed by the end of this step (17%)
Step 3, choose a course
Pick a course to see the detail
Credits, assessment, prerequisites and what each course unlocks later.
The twelve Forward capabilities
What this programme develops in you
Every Forward degree develops the same twelve cross-cutting capabilities. The profile below is the level this programme is designed to develop and verify by graduation, on the four-level scale in Part B2 of the Curriculum Compendium. Every claim above Level 2 is verified by someone other than the teaching lecturer.
- C1Intelligent Systems Fluency CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C2Quantitative and Evidential ReasoningLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C3Ethical and Contextual JudgementLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C4Communication and PersuasionLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C5Disciplinary MasteryLevel 3 of 4, Independent
- C6Technical Production and CraftLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C7Problem Framing and Systems Thinking CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C8Collaboration and Multidisciplinary TeamingLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C9Enterprise, Value and Commercial Literacy CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C10Professional Conduct and Workplace PerformanceLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C11Learning to Learn and Adaptive CapacityLevel 3 of 4, Independent
- C12Stewardship and Public Contribution CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
Critical capabilities for this programme: Intelligent Systems Fluency · Problem Framing and Systems Thinking · Enterprise, Value and Commercial Literacy · Stewardship and Public Contribution. A graduate cannot pass out of this programme below the stated level on any capability marked critical.
Programme Learning Outcomes
What you will be able to do
Each outcome is assessed, and each is tagged with the Forward capabilities it is verified against.
- PLO 1Map and redesign a public service around the citizen rather than the institution.
- PLO 2Specify and evaluate digital public infrastructure components and their interoperation.
- PLO 3Analyse public finance, budgets and expenditure data to support delivery decisions.
- PLO 4Manage delivery of a public sector project against measurable outcomes.
- PLO 5Apply public administration law, procurement rules and accountability requirements.
- PLO 6Use data and intelligent systems in government responsibly and lawfully.
- PLO 7Design services accessible to citizens with low literacy, low connectivity or disability.
Why this programme exists
This programme replaces secretarial studies, office administration, records management and generic public administration, which together account for a substantial share of regional enrolment and which train people to perform exactly the tas...
Admission requirements
UACE with two principal passes in any subjects, plus UCE with five passes including Mathematics and English. Alternative pathways: Foundation Year, diploma entry with advanced standing, mature age entry and recognition of prior learning, all governed by Part A5 and Part G. Online applicants additionally complete the compulsory Digital Readiness orientation under Part D6.
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