MSc in Microbiology

Duration: 2 years

Fee Paying: No

Admission Requirements

At least a Second class Honours (Lower Division) Bachelor's Degree in the appropriate Biological Sciences. Depending on the candidate's background and desired specialty, the Department may prescribe remedial undergraduate courses not exceeding a total of 12 credits at the time of first registration of the candidate. The Department reserves the right to conduct a selection test and interview whenever necessary.

Objectives

In keeping with the general objectives of the Faculty, the Department recognizes the need for highly qualified personnel to participate in the development of science as a whole, and in particular the public and private sectors of Cameroon's economy. As such the overall goal of the Department is to train biologists with a modern view of the living world, who should be able to initiate and successfully conduct innovative research projects using the most recent state-of-the-art technologies and approaches. Throughout the programme, emphasis will be placed on independent study and personal initiative of the student, within the context of the interdisciplinary research projects of the Department. Special attention will be given to the applications of biological sciences to health, agriculture and services to industries. Specific Objectives The Microbiology programme offers the students a solid foundation in Medical and Environmental Microbiology. The objectives of the programme are therefore:

To produce graduates with the relevant skills and knowledge necessary for productive research.
To produce graduates with the requisite microbiological knowledge and techniques necessary for health care delivery especially in pathological, and immunological laboratories and to monitor environmental pollution. The Master of Science Degree programme initiates the candidates to research. The programme shall last for4 semesters extendable to24 months. Candidates are expected to successfully complete a prescribed course of studies, and carry out a research project on a topic approved by the department: The rows of the research shall be presented in a dissertation.

Graduation Requirements

To obtain the MSc Degree in Microbiology, the student must fulfil all of the following conditions:

Pass at least 120 credits of course work.
Conduct a research project, submit and defend a dissertation on the outcome of the project publicly.
Satisfy any other requirements of postgraduate studies that Senate may prescribe.

Employment Opportunities A graduate with a degree in Microbiology may engage in teaching; work in the paramedical field (Laboratory Technologists); or take up industrial based positions in the petroleum, food processing and beer and wine manufacturing industries. A graduate may also get into research or further his/her education to postgraduate levels for subsequent teaching and research position in Universities and other institutions of higher learning.