Overview

The PhD Entomology Programme is a four-year programme embodying course work in the first year, plus one year of experiential learning and two years of extensive research relating to thesis on an approved topic. 

Year 1 - In the first year, a number of core and elective courses plus a series of seminars will be taken by students.  

Year 2 - Students will be attached to an institution, an external project or a department project for experiential research learning.  

Years 3 & 4 will be devoted to research, seminar presentations, thesis writing, and submission. 

 

Requirements for Graduation 

Course Work: (Year 1): 18-24 credits  

Seminar I, Seminar II, Seminar III & Seminar IV (Years 2, 3 & 4):12 credits 

Thesis: 45 credits 

Total: 75-81 Credits  

 

First Year 1st Semester Core Courses

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
FASC 701
Science and Society
3
ENTO 701
Advances in Entomological Research
3

1st Semester Elective Courses

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
FASC 700
Special Topics in Science
3
ENTO 703
Commercial Insects
3
ENTO 705
Urban Entomology
3

Second Year 1st Semester Core Courses

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
FASC 702
Advanced Qualitative Research Methods
3
ENTO 702
Insects and the Environment
3

Second Year 2nd Semester Elective Courses

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
ENTO 704
Forest Entomology
3
ENTO 706
Aquatic Insect Ecology and Conservation
3
ENTO 708
Biology of Heamatophagus Insects
3

Second Year Internship/Experiental Learning

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
ENTO 700
Thesis
45
ENTO 710
Seminar I (Research Proposal)
3
ENTO 720
Seminar II (Experiential Learning Seminar)
3

Third and Fourth Year Thesis Research

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
ENTO 730
Seminar III (Progress Report 1)
3
ENTO 740
Seminar IV (Final Results)
3

Course Descriptions

The course examines historical and contemporary issues in science, relating to the student’s area of specialization and relevance. Such topics are expected to challenge the students into exploring current and relevant research trends/discoveries in scientific approaches. The course will enable students explore scientific knowledge in modern science and add on to their depth of information in their chosen areas of specialty. It is expected that, the course will compliment other courses on the PhD flagship of the various departments in the Sciences and elsewhere. Additionally, it will expose students to current trends of presentations, and foster stronger confidence-building attitude that will enable enhanced international academic competitive spirit.

This course will enable students gain insights in the practice of science as a discipline including major scientific concepts like inductivism are examined as well as the history of science and science itself, an overview of current approaches to research and an understanding of research partnerships, networks, and appropriate methods of communicating science depending on audience. The aim of the course is to help students to fit their research to relevant trends and directions for national development. Course content will cover topics such as the basis for the scientific method; conceptual frameworks; the philosophy of science; ethics in research; pure versus applied science debates; approaches to research; science for development and the merit of broader impact criteria; north south/south south collaboration and partnerships; research networks; communicating science to the policy make, lay audience and to media

The course will serve as a step up for students who need to add up to their knowledge in quantitative methods of research techniques and analyses. Topics to be covered include: Sampling distributions and hypothesis testing. Sample size determination. Categorical data and chi-square, Nonparametric tests. Principles of Design of Experiments. Analysis of variance and its assumptions. Experiments with single and multiple factors. Orthogonal and multiple Comparisons. Completely Randomized, Randomized Complete Block, repeated measures, cross over and Latin square designs. Nested designs. Fixed, random and mixed effects models. Factorial designs. Confounding. Fractional factorial designs. Split plot designs. Incomplete block designs. Analysis of covariance. Regression models: basic concepts; Regression Model Diagnostics. Categorical data analysis. Logistic regression, univariate and multivariate. Confounding and collinearity in logistic regression. Model selection in logistic regression.

It is anticipated that many of the students who go through the PhD programme in the Sciences may nurse special interest in teaching and academia. Focusing on group discussions, this course is expected to equip students with the requisite knowledge in overall management of students at the tertiary level. The course will focus on teaching the methodologies and techniques in handling Science-teaching at the undergraduate level. Topics such as laboratory supervision and safety, grading issues, special needs students, lecturing and tutoring techniques, examination preparation, teacher/student relationship, tertiary education management, will be discussed through reading, class/group discussions as well as presentations.

This course will focus on new approaches and advancement in entomological research. Topics will cover the latest research developments ranging from molecular biology to applied pest management. This course is intended to cover a range of aspects of modern entomology, including emerging pest management technologies, insect-plant interactions and insecticide toxicology, to emerging technologies in pest management; functional ecology (advances in molecular ecology), behaviour and ecology (the responses of insects to global warming), molecular biology (use in evolution to trace evolutionary history), emerging pest management strategies and technologies, Pesticide toxicology and insecticide resistance management, forensic entomology. Entomophagy (insects as food and feed), entomopathogens (the use of pathogens as a management option), extension services (setting up insect diagnostic labs, insect ID database, radio farms). 

This course will focus on the role insects play in the environment and how insects live in their environments. It is intended to enable students understand how insects help the environment; insect behaviour and role in the environment; importance of insects in environmental impact assessment; environmental benefits of insects as food and feed; contributions of insects to food security, livelihoods and the environment; harmful insects and the environment; social insects and the environment; climate change and its role in insect distribution in the environment; adaptation of insects to different environments; adaptation of insects to environmental change, seasonal adaptation of insects; ecological and environmental physiology of insects; insects as bioindicators of environmental change. 

This course will equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills needed to establish and manage beekeeping (apiculture) and silk farming (sericulture) enterprises as alternative income generation options. Topics to be treated include: Introduction to sericulture, silkworm seed technology, silkworm pathology, biology, breeding and agronomy of mulberry plant, cultivation and management of food plants and other host plants of wild silkmoths, postharvest technology of silk, sericulture development, economics of sericulture, Fundamental aspects of bee keeping and rearing, beekeeping equipment and apiary management, bee forage plants, bee pests, predators, diseases and their control, bee products and their marketing. 

This course deals with the forest types in Ghana, General description of the major groups of forest insect pests: Defoliators and woodborers of living plants, Life history, damage and management of serious pests of living plants, Special reference to pests of commercial and economic plants, Pests of flowers, fruits and seeds of high value tree species and exotic plants, Biology and management of pests of logs, lumber and other forest products. Detailed treatment of the biology and management of termites in forest ecosystems: nutrient cycling, water penetration, soil aeration, soil formation and profile management.

The various groups of urban insect pests will be looked at considering their identification, description, biology, damage symptoms and management practices. Insect pests of humans, in and around buildings, insect pest problem associated with urbanization and in recreational and food vending areas, pests of stored food products, fabrics, paper, pets, house plants will be focused on. Nuisance pests on ornamentals, pests of urban agricultural systems and miscellaneous pests associated with the urban environment. Damage symptoms, biology and management of urban insect pests. The role of the pest control operator in the community. 

The biology and ecology of aquatic invertebrates and their use in monitoring environmental conditions in aquatic habitats will be the focus of this course. Topics to be treated include: Identification and classification of major groups of aquatic insects, ecology and biology, food habits, role in food chains, description of the physical and chemical characteristics of aquatic habitats, adaptations that enable aquatic insects occupy different aquatic habitats, techniques involved in aquatic insect sampling, water chemistry, environmental toxicology, the use of aquatic insects as bio-monitors for quality of aquatic habitat, environmental impact and risk assessment. 

A broad overview of how insect behaviour is modulated by chemicals and the mechanisms involved in insect host interactions will be addressed by this course. It is intended to enable students understand and explain insect behaviour based on function, evolution, causation and development. Emphasis will be placed on discussions on: Insect behaviour and communication using tactile, acoustic, visual and chemicals and mimicry and migration. Demonstration of how insects use various types of semiochemicals to aid in their feeding and mate finding behaviours; principles and dynamics of insect olfaction, insect-host interactions, chemistry and application of novel insect control techniques and chemical ecology studies.  

This course is designed to enable students appreciate the diversity, evolution and importance of insect haematophagy to disease transmission and the utilization of such knowledge in the development of novel vector-borne disease control tools. The main topics Include: General introduction to haematophagous insect groups and their medical importance. Evolution of haemotophagous behaviour. Feeding preferences in haematophagous insects; host choice and species complexes. Host location. Ingestion of the blood meal. Blood meal management. Vertebrate host–insect interactions. Transmission of parasites by blood-sucking insects. 

This course is aimed at equipping students with the requisite knowledge and skills in vector management towards the control of vector-borne diseases. They will be exposed to be laboratory and field Identification techniques for medically important disease vectors. Disease vectors incrimination techniques. Estimation of disease transmission parameters. Sampling strategies for vectors. Development and management of insecticide resistance. Determination of insecticide susceptibility or resistance levels. Vector control strategies. Principle and role of integrated vector management strategies in control of vector borne diseases. 

Students will be taught techniques for safe and effective application of pesticides for plant pest control. Topics will include: the National Pesticide regulatory programme (Ghana)- registration , enforcement); Types of pesticides approved for Ghana; Pesticide properties, storage and sale of pesticides, disposal and decontamination of pesticides; types of spraying equipment; Types and selection of nozzles; Calibration of sprayers and calculations involved in the application of pesticides; safety in the use of pesticides. 

This course is designed to allow students comprehend the potential insect molecular biology holds in the development of innovative ways of managing vector-borne diseases and enable them to employ the knowledge and skills gained in planning and developing efficient control of medically important diseases. Topics to be discussed include Introductory microbiology: DNA and other nucleic acid replication, Proteins and protein synthesis, Regulation of gene expressions. Insect genomics: Genome sequencing and analysis, Proteomics, and structural genomics, Metabolomic and systems biology. Molecular mechanisms and biological role of micro-RNAs. Molecular modification of insects. Insect immunology; Basic concepts and development of innate immunity. 

Each student will present a formal research proposal seminar in the first semester of the second year of the programme. This will include justification or relevance of the study including objectives and methodology. 

Students are required to give a seminar and submit a report to the department in the second semester of the second year. The seminar would be based on experiential research learning by attachment of the student to a departmental or external project. Invitation is to the general University community. Also, as a mini project, students will also be required to collect one hundred different species of insects from at least ten different families of ten insect orders. Students will be required to make a presentation on the different species collected.

In the third year, each student will present a progress report on his/her research to the department. The University community will be invited. 

This will be a presentation of the results of the research in the fourth year before the thesis is finally presented to the University. Invitation is open to all.