Credit Hours - 3

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

The BSc Agriculture programme is a comprehensive undergraduate degree designed to equip students with the scientific knowledge, practical skills, and innovative mindset required to address challenges in modern agriculture and sustainable food systems.

Rooted in both theory and hands-on experience, the programme explores key areas such as crop and animal production, soil science, agribusiness, agricultural economics, biotechnology, and environmental management. Students are trained to apply scientific principles and technologies to increase agricultural productivity, ensure food security, and support rural development in Ghana and beyond.

Programme Objectives

• To provide a solid foundation in the biological, physical, and social sciences related to agriculture.
• To develop practical competencies through laboratory work, field training, and internships.
• To nurture problem-solvers and innovators capable of driving sustainable agricultural practices.
• To prepare graduates for diverse roles in the agricultural sector, including research, policy, agribusiness, and extension services.

Credit Hours - 75

1. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR PhD ANIMAL SCIENCE

Two main categories of students will be expected to enrol for PhD programmes at UG: 

1. Candidates applying with a first degree; and,
2. Candidates applying with a Master’s degree. 

The admission requirements and progression in the PhD programme for the two categories of applicants are outlined below: 

2.1. Candidates applying with a first degree

1. Candidates with a good first degree may apply for an MPhil or PhD programme. 
2. The PhD applicants will be given conditional admission letters by the School of Graduate Studies. 
3. They shall take prescribed courses (Level 600 courses) in the first year. 
4. On completion of the Level 600 courses, candidates will be assessed and may progress into MPhil or PhD, depending on performance.
5. Candidates who progress into MPhil will undertake their thesis research and, on successful completion, will be awarded an MPhil degree.
6. Candidates who progress into the PhD programme will be admitted into the PhD programme. They shall take Level 700 courses in Year 2 and continue to fulfil the requirements as outlined in Section 3 below.
7. Candidates who are unable to meet the criteria for a research degree may be offered the option to do an MA/MSc dissertation. 

2.2. Candidates applying with a Master's degree (e.g. MA/MSc/MPh/MBA/MPhil) 

1. Students with a Master’s degree may apply for a PhD programme. 
2. Such students will be given conditional admission letters by the School of Graduate Studies. 
3. They shall take prescribed courses (Level 700 courses) in Year 1 as well as "make-up courses", as necessary, in Years 1 & 2. 
4. Candidates will be assessed on successful completion of the prescribed courses and may progress to the PhD depending on performance. 
5. Candidates who qualify to progress to a PhD will be admitted to the PhD programme. 
6. Candidates who are unable to meet the criteria may be offered the option to do an MPhil, in which case, they shall proceed to do an MPhil thesis research.

3.  PROCEDURE FOR ADMITTING APPLICANTS INTO A UG PHD PROGRAMME 

The procedures outlined below shall be followed in admitting students into all UG PhD programmes.

 3.1. Entry point (screening at Academic Unit level) 

All students applying to do a PhD shall: 

1. Take an entrance examination, comprising a written examination and an oral presentation (Departments are encouraged to explore the use of technology in the case of students who apply from outside and may not be able to attend in person). 

and; 

2. Attend an interview to be organised at the Departmental level by the Departmental Graduate Committee. 

3.2. Transition from Level 600/700 to PhD 

Students progressing from the coursework year into the research years will have to take and pass both written and oral examinations in the courses taken. 

3.3 Doctoral Qualifying Examination 

Candidates who complete the Level 700 coursework successfully and progress into the PhD programme shall be required to take and pass a comprehensive examination (a doctoral qualifying exam) to progress to the internship/research years. The purpose of the comprehensive examination is to determine the candidate's capacity to do a PhD in the area selected, as well as to test capability in critical thinking. The comprehensive examination should be such that candidates will demonstrate the set of skills required to complete a PhD programme (e.g., ability to do independent work, in-depth knowledge of the selected discipline, ability to analyse and critique published works in the candidate's area, etc). This examination shall be organised within six weeks of the first Semester of the PhD Year 2 and shall include item (i) below and any one of items (ii)-(iv):

1. A series of written exams based on the general area of study, plus an oral exam by a panel of examiners. 
2. Submission of publishable papers (minimum of 1), based on research done during the 1/first semester of Year 2, for assessment. 
3. A presentation of a research proposal in the general area of study, but not on the thesis research area; i.e. this should be different from the thesis research proposal.
4. Submission of an in-depth review of literature on a thematic area to be assessed. 

Based on the candidate's performance in the Comprehensive Examination, the candidate shall be confirmed as a PhD student. 

4. CRITERIA FOR ADMITTING PHD STUDENTS 

In addition to existing requirements detailed in the UG Graduate Handbook (Vol 1), candidates selected into a PhD programme must: 

1. Present a good research idea, either developed by a student or in consultation with a potential supervisor (to be developed into a proposal by the end of the first semester in Year 2). The research idea must fit into the research interest/research themes of the targeted department, and there must be an expert in the area within the department, cognate department or external partner university to supervise the thesis research; 
2. Demonstrate ability to carry out research (publications would be an advantage, e.g., publications from a Master’s thesis); 
3. Demonstrate the capability to pay his/her fees and cover research costs. 
4. DURATION OF PROGRAMME         

The duration for completion of the Doctor of Philosophy degree shall normally be four years for full-time students and six years for part-time students.

6. REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION

To graduate, students must pass all core courses. In all cases, the University of Ghana Regulations in the Handbook for Graduate Studies shall apply. Students must obtain a total of 75-81 credits as indicated in the breakdown below.

Coursework: 18-24 credits

Seminar (I – IV): 12 credits

Thesis: 45 credits

Total Credits: 75-81