Assoc. Prof. Gershom Atukunda (Ph.D.) is the current Director, Graduate Studies, Research and Innovations at Bishop Stuart University. He also served as an acting Vice-Chancellor (from 23rd February 2023 to 1st July 2024) and as the Dean, Faculty of Business, Economics and Governance at the same institution.
Directorate of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovations

Assoc. Prof. Gershom Atukunda (Ph.D.) is the current Director, Graduate Studies, Research and Innovations at Bishop Stuart University. He also served as a Dean Faculty of Business, Economics and Governance at the same institution. Prof. Gershom holds an MA in development studies and a Ph.D. in the same area under the mentorship of Professors Murindwa Rutanga and Mushemeza. Gershom has attended and presented in International conferences within East Africa and Sudan. Recently Gershom was appointed Chairman Board of Education for Ankole Diocese.
He has competencies in competencies in Quantitative methods (QM), Basic/Business Statistics, Research methods both at Graduate and Undergraduate levels, Management skills improvement, Human Resource Management, Monitoring and Evaluation(M&E), Participatory Development Methodologies, Public Policy and Management, Public Sector Management; Theory and Practice, Environment and Sustainable Development, Vulnerability, Gender and Management/Development, Urbanisation and Sustainable Development, Climate Change, Adaptation and Management/Development, Integrated Rural Development among others. Full profile
The Directorate of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovations was opened in 2013 as a Graduate school. In 2017, it was upgraded to a Directorate. The major role being to enhance the quality of graduate education by
- Promoting graduate studies, research, and innovations
- Coordinating graduate studies, research, and innovations across the University
- Improving the mentorship of graduate students The directorate fosters excellence in graduate studies, research, and innovations by providing leadership and administrative support guided by the principles of quality, diversity, and integrity.
The directorate fosters excellence in graduate studies, research and innovations by providing leadership and administrative support guided by the principles of quality, diversity, and integrity.
Objectives
These are programmes offered across the Directorate of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovations
Programme | Code | Duration | Session |
---|---|---|---|
Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies | PhD-DS | 3 Years | Weekend |
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration and Management | PhD-BAM | 3 Years | Weekend |
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration and Management | 3 Years | Weekend | |
Doctor of Philosophy in Development Management | PhD-DM | 3 Years | Weekend |
Doctor of Philosophy in Economics | PhD-ECON | 3 Years | Weekend |
Master of Social Work | MSW | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Social Economics and Community Management | MSECM | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Human Resource Management | MHRM | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Business Administration | MBA | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Office Management and Administrative Science | MOMAS | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Science in Procurement and Supply Chain Management | MPM | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Project Planning and Management | 2 Years | Weekend | |
Master of Arts in Economic Policy and Planning | MEPP | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Arts in Development Studies | MADS | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Arts in Public Administration and Management | MAPAM | 2 Years | Weekend |
Postgraduate diploma in Development Studies | PG-DS | 1 Year | Weekend |
Postgraduate diploma in Project Planning and Management | 1 Year | Weekend | |
Postgraduate diploma in Financial Management | 1 Year | Weekend | |
Postgraduate diploma in Public Administration and Management | PGPAM | 1 Year | Weekend |
Postgraduate diploma in Office Management and Secretarial Studies | PG-DOMSS | 1 Year | Weekend |
Postgraduate diploma in Human Resource and Management | PGDHRM | 1 Year | Weekend |
Bachelor of Business Administration | BBA | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance | BSAF | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Human Resource Management | BHRM | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Procurement and Supply Chain Management | BPSCM | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Office Management and Secretarial Studies | BOMSS | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Records Management and Information Science | BRMIS | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration | BSWSA | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Public Administration and Management | BPA | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences | BASS | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Science in Economics and Statistics | BSES | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Arts in Economics | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend | |
Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality Management | BTHM | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Accounting and Finance | DAF | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Human Resource Management | DHRM | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Business Administration | DBA | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Procurement and Supply Chain Management | DPSCM | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management | DTHM | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Records Management and Information Science | DRMIS | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Social Work and Social Administration | DSWSA | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Public Administration and Management | DPAM | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Higher Education Certificate | HEC | 1 Year | Regular/Weekend |
Programme | Code | Duration | Session |
---|---|---|---|
Doctor of Philosophy in Agriculture and Community Innovations | PhD-ACI | 3 Years | Weekend |
Master of Science Climatic Change and Food Security | MSCCFS | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Business Information Technology | MBIT | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Agriculture and Rural Innovations | MARI | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Agribusiness and Value Chain Management | MAVM | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Science in Agronomy (Dry Land Farming) | MSC.A | 2 Years | Weekend |
Postgraduate diploma in Agriculture and Rural Innovations | PG-DARI | 1 Year | Weekend |
Bachelor of Science in Animal Health and Production | BAHP | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Agribusiness Management and Community Development | BAMD | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Agriculture and Community Development | BACD | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Science Information Technology | BSIT | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Computer Science | BCS | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Conservation and Natural Resources Management | BCNRM | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Library and Information Science | BLIS | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Agribusiness Management and Community Development | DAMD | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Animal Health and Production | DAHP | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Computer Science | DCS | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Information Technology | DIT | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Environmental Health Science | DSC.ES | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Programme | Code | Duration | Session |
---|---|---|---|
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health | PHD-PH | 3 Years | Weekend |
Master of Science in Counseling Psychology | MSC.CP | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Public Health | MPH | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Science in Nutrition and Food Safety | MSC.NFS | 2 Years | Weekend |
Postgraduate diploma in Counseling | PG-DC | 1 Year | Regular/Weekend |
Postgraduate diploma in Medical Education | PGDME | 1 Year | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Science in Public Health | BSPH | 3 Years | |
Bachelor of Nursing Science Completion | BNSC | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Community and Counselling Psychology | BCPC | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Nursing Science | BNS | 4 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Midwifery Extension | DME | 11/2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Nursing Science | DNS | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Nursing Extension | DNE | 11/2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Community and Counselling Psychology | DCP | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Environmental Health Science | DCP | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Programme | Code | Duration | Session |
---|---|---|---|
Doctor of Philosophy in Language, Culture and Society | PHD-LCS | 3 Years | Weekend |
Doctor of Philosophy in Education Planning, Management and Administration | 3 Years | Weekend | |
Doctor of Philosophy in Religion and Modernity | PHD-RM | 3 Years | Weekend |
Master of Arts in Literature and Communication | MALC | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Education Management, Planning and Administration | MEAP | 2 Years | Weekend |
Master of Education in Educational Psychology | MEEPS | 2 Years | Weekend |
Postgraduate diploma in Education | PGDE | 1 Year | Weekend |
Postgraduate diploma in Education Management, Planning and Administration | PGDEMPA | 1 Year | Weekend |
Bachelor of Arts in Theology | BAT | 3 Years | Regular |
Bachelor of Commercial Industrial Fine Art and Design | BCIFAD | 3 years | Regular |
Bachelor of Arts with Education (Languages and Humanities) | BAEDHM/BAEDLL | 3 Years | Regular |
Bachelor of Arts with Education (Fine Art Double Main) | BAEDFA | 3 Years | Regular |
Bachelor of Digital Animations and Design | 3 Years | Regular | |
Bachelor of Education-Secondary | BEDS | 2 Years | Recess |
Bachelor of Education - Primary | BEDP | 2 Years | Recess |
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication | BAJMC | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Bachelor of Science with Education | BSCED | 3 Years | Regular |
Bachelor of Technology in Graphic Art and Animation | BTCA | 3 Years | Regular |
Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication | DJMC | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Primary Education | DIPE | 2 Years | Recess |
Diploma in Industrial Fine Art Design | DIFAD | 2 Years | Recess/Regular |
Diploma in Early Childhood Development (For Nursery School Teachers) | DECE | 2 Years | Recess |
Higher Education Certificate in Biology and Agriculture | 1 Year | Regular/Weekend | |
Higher Education Certificate in Biology and Chemistry | 1 Year | Regular/Weekend | |
Higher Education Certificate in Physics and Mathematics | 1 Year | Regular/Weekend | |
Higher Education Certificate in Mathematics and Chemistry | 1 Year | Regular/Weekend | |
Higher Education Certificate in Geography and Economics | 1 Year | Regular/Weekend |
Programme | Code | Duration | Session |
---|---|---|---|
Master of Laws | LLM | 2 Years | Weekend |
Bachelor of Laws | LLB | 4 Years | Regular |
Bachelor of Arts in Ethics and Human Rights | BEHR | 3 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Diploma in Law | DIL | 2 Years | Regular/Weekend |
Staffing of the Directorate includes a Director, a Coordinator of Graduate Studies/Acting Coordinator of Research and Grants, a Registrar/Administrative Assistant and an Office Attendant.

Assoc. Prof. Rebecca Kalibwani Mutebi
Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Environmental Sciences and Technology & Faculty Research and Publications Coordinator

Dr. Ronald Bahati
Dr. Ronald Bahati is a seasoned researcher in the field of mental health focusing on stigma, depression, substance use, and suicidality among vulnerable and marginalized populations. He is a Psychologist, Educationist and a Project Management Expert

Atuhaire Annah
Atuhaire Annah is an Administrator under the Research Ethics Committee of Bishop Stuart University. Annah holds a Master of Education in Research obtained from Moi University, a Post Graduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation from Uganda Management Institute and a Bachelor of Arts with Education from Bishop Stuart University.

Prof. Fina Asinasi Opio
Prof. Fina Opio is a professor of Crop Science at Bishop Stuart University and one of Uganda’s top agricultural development experts. She is highly skilled in participatory agricultural research, technology development and dissemination, rural development, plant pathology, bacteriology, gender and agricultural-related issues.

Dr. Atwiine Johnson
Dr. Johnson Atwiine is currently a Caretaker at the Directorate of Graduate Studies, Research and Innovations (DGSRI), a Research Coordinator at the Department of Economics, Statistics and Tourism Management and a committee member of Curriculum Review and Assessors at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Governance at Bishop Stuart University.