ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
REQUIREMENTS:
Candidates must possess a minimum of five credit passes at O’Level, in not more than two sittings, including English Language, Mathematics, and three other relevant subjects such as Chemistry, Biology/Agricultural Science, Physics, Economics, Geography, Food and Nutrition, Computer Science etc.
Additionally, candidates must have any of the following qualifications from institutions recognized by the Senate of the University:i. Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Engineering and other Sciences, or any other related field, with minimum of Second Class Honours
ii. Third Class Honours Degree/Higher National Diploma in relevant area, plus a minimum of Upper Credit in Postgraduate Diploma.
International candidates are required to provide evidence of proficiency in English language.
Mode of Study and Duration of Programme
There shall be two modes of study for the Master of Science Programme in Agroecology and Food Systems: Full Time and Part Time.
The Full Time Programme shall be for a minimum of four (4) semesters and a maximum of six (6) semesters, while the Part Time Programme will run for a minimum of six (6) semesters and a maximum of eight (8) semesters.
Application for Admission into the Programme:
Following advertisements for Admission, candidates are expected to visit the University website at www.uaes.edu.ng and click on the links for Application Procedure.
Registration
Candidates admitted for the Agroecology and Food Systems Master of Science Programme are required to register for the Programme after paying the requisite fees. Registration shall be online by visiting the University Postgraduate Portal/website. A candidate is required to register for the appropriate Courses at the beginning of every Session, but not later than four weeks from the commencement of the Session. Candidates who did not complete registration within four weeks are liable to pay prescribed late registration fee. Students are expected to renew their registration at the beginning of every academic session. Any student who fails to register six weeks after the commencement of any session, and without approval from the School of Postgraduate Studies, shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Programme. A student who registers a course and did not present himself/herself for examination in it, would be deemed to have failed the Course. A student cannot withdraw from a registered Course after six weeks of lectures without approval by the School of Postgraduate Studies.
Deferment of Admission
Application for Deferment of admission must be made not later than four weeks from the commencement of the Session. The maximum period for deferment of admission shall normally be one year.
Attendance
A student shall have attended a minimum of 75% of the total periods of formal instructions delivered for a particular course to be eligible for examination in the course.
Voluntary Withdrawal
Senate may grant a student Voluntary Withdrawal from the Programme on the recommendation of the Postgraduate Board of Studies following application from the Department through the Faculty Postgraduate Board of Studies. The approval for Voluntary Withdrawal shall ordinarily be given for a period not exceeding one academic session. During the period of Voluntary Withdrawal, the student is exempted from all fees, but is not allowed to use the University facilities. The period of withdrawal shall not be counted as part of the duration of the Programme. Students who withdraw voluntarily, shall be required to apply to Senate for re-admission through the appropriate channel.
Eligibility to Teach and Examine Courses The following are eligible to teach and examine courses in the Agroecology and Food Systems Programme
(i) Lecturers with Doctorate Degree and with a minimum of two years teaching and research experience in higher institutions
(ii) Lecturers with Master of Science Degree and with a minimum of five years teaching and research experience in higher institutions
Programme Requirements for Graduation The Programme consists of course work, research work, internship and seminar.
To be awarded a Master of Science Degree in Agroecology and Food Systems, a candidate must fulfil the following:
(i) Pass a minimum of 63 Credit Units as follows:
• Total of sixty (60) Units of Core Courses that include Dissertation, Seminar, and Internship
• Three (3) Units of Electives
(ii) Present a Library Research Seminar on a relevant topic in the area of specialization
(iii) Undergo a two-months internship in an Agricultural related Company/Firm and present a Report
(iv) Carry out research relevant to the area of specialization and submit a Thesis
Mode of Assessment/Course Evaluation
Students will be assessed based on a combination of performance in the following:
Examinations, Continuous Assessments/Assignments, Seminar, Internship, and Thesis. It is the responsibility of students to know the date, time and venue of each examination and present themselves for the examination in each course they have registered. Students will not be allowed into the examination hall thirty (30) minutes after the commencement of examination. The Courses will be scored and graded as follows:
| Mark (%) | Letter Grade | Grade Point |
|---|---|---|
| 70 and above | A | 5 |
| 60 – 69 | B | 4 |
| 50 – 59 | C | 3 |
| 0 – 49 | F | 0 |
Continuous Assessment shall constitute 30% of the total score in the Examination of any Course. The minimum pass mark in any Course is 50%. A student who fails any Course is required to repeat the Course by registering the Course again.
A student is required to maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of not less than 3.00 on a 5 point Grading System each Session, and would be advised to withdraw by the Registrar if he/she fails to attain a CGPA of 3.00 or more for two consecutive Sessions. GUIDELINES ON THE SUPERVISION OF POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS BY ACADEMIC STAFF
Assignment of Supervisor: On successful completion of registration, the Agroecology and Food Systems the School of Postgraduate Studies assigns two supervisors (a Principal Supervisor and a Co-Supervisor) to a student. The student's research interests and the Principal Supervisor’s area of expertise will be taken into account in the assignment of supervisors.
Responsibilities of Supervisors and Students: Supervisors are expected to guide the students on research topic, research design, methodology, and data analysis, and also monitor students’ progress through regular meetings. The Supervisors shall submit regular (once in a semester) reports on the students’ progress. The students are expected to present/submit reports from time to time as required by the Supervisors. However, it is mandatory that the student presents for approval his/her proposed Research title, and the design of the research in the second semester of the first year of study. Subject to the approval of Senate, a Supervisor may be changed on the recommendation of the Departmental Postgraduate Committee, through the Faculty Postgraduate Committee. A Lecturer can be a Principal Supervisor for a maximum of five (5) students.
Panel of Examiners for the examination of Theses:
There shall be a Panel of examiners for the examination of each Thesis. The Panel shall consist of the following:
The External Examiner (Chairman)
Dean, School of Postgraduate School or his/her representative
Dean, Faculty of Agriculture
The Head of Department
The Supervisors
The Internal Examiner
Examination of Thesis: A candidate shall submit six copies of his/her Thesis in paper binding to the Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies through the Departmental and Faculty Postgraduate committees not later than later than two months to the end of the last semester of study. There shall be an oral examination of the candidate by the Panel of Examiners. The examination shall focus on the subject of the Thesis, and the general field of knowledge of the subject. After the examination, the Examiners shall at the venue of the examination, in a joint report give a detailed assessment of the student’s performance in the oral examination. The report shall be forwarded to Senate through the Board of Studies of the School of Postgraduate Studies. Oral examinations such as those for Thesis and Seminar presentation may be conducted online at the discretion of the Dean, School Postgraduate Studies.
APPOINTMENT OF EXTERNAL An External Examiner shall be appointed by Senate for each student on the recommendation of the Departmental Postgraduate Committee, through the Faculty Postgraduate Committee and the School of Postgraduate Studies. External Examiners shall normally be Professors, however Lecturers not below the rank of a Senior Lecturer may be appointed after Senate has considered his/her Curriculum Vitae. Duties of the External Examiner: The External Examiner is required to assess the quality of the Thesis submitted by the student, and participate in the final oral examination as the Chairman. The External Examiner shall, along with other Examiners, submit a detailed report on the Thesis, and oral examination of the student. LIST OF COURSES
| Course Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| AEF 801 | Agricultural Production Systems | 3 |
| AEF 802 | Plants and Animal Health Management in Agroecological Systems | 3 |
| AEF 803 | Statistics and Research Methodology in Agroecology | 4 |
| AEF 804 | Horticulture and Landscape Management | 3 |
| AEF 805 | Agroecology and Sustainable Environmental Management | 3 |
| AEF 806 | Circular economy in agroecology | 3 |
| AEF 807 | Agroecology Systems and Knowledge Transfer | 3 |
| AEF 807 | Agroecology Systems and Knowledge Transfer | 3 |
| AEF 808 | Agribusiness and Farm Management | 3 |
| AEF 809 | Postharvest Handling of Agroecological Produce | 3 |
| AEF 810 | Internship | 3 |
| AEF 811 | Identification and Production of Neglected/Endangered Plant and Animal | 3 |
| AEF 812 | Agroecology Policy, Planning and Development (Agric Econ / Extension) | 3 |
| AEF 813 | Land and Soil Resource Management | 3 |
| AEF 814 | Agroecology and Food Security | 3 |
| AEF 815 | Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (3 credits) | 3 |
| AEF 816 | Advanced Irrigation Practices in Agroecology | 3 |
| AEF 817 | Agroforestry and Climatology | 3 |
| AEF 818 | Special Seminar | 1 |
| AEF 819 | Gender, Entrepreneurship and Innovation | 3 |
| AEF 820 | Research/Thesis | 10 |
| AEF 821 | Aquaculture and sustainable aquaculture practices | 3 |
| AEF 822 | Animal nutrition and Feed Manage | 3 |
| AEF 823 | Biodiversity Conservation in Agroecosystems | 3 |
| Total | 75 |
COURE COURSES
| Course Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| AEF 801 | Agricultural Production Systems | 3 |
| AEF 802 | Plants and Animal Health Management in Agroecological Systems | 3 |
| AEF 803 | Statistics and Research Methodology in Agroecology | 4 |
| AEF 804 | Horticulture and Landscape Management | 3 |
| AEF 805 | Agroecology and Sustainable Environmental Management | 3 |
| AEF 806 | Circular economy in agroecology | 3 |
| AEF 807 | Agroecology Systems and Knowledge Transfer | 3 |
| AEF 807 | Agroecology Systems and Knowledge Transfer | 3 |
| AEF 808 | Agribusiness and Farm Management | 3 |
| AEF 809 | Postharvest Handling of Agroecological Produce | 3 |
| AEF 810 | Internship | 3 |
| AEF 811 | Identification and Production of Neglected/Endangered Plant and Animal | 3 |
| AEF 812 | Agroecology Policy, Planning and Development (Agric Econ / Extension) | 3 |
| AEF 813 | Land and Soil Resource Management | 3 |
| AEF 814 | Agroecology and Food Security | 3 |
| AEF 815 | Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (3 credits) | 3 |
| AEF 816 | Advanced Irrigation Practices in Agroecology | 3 |
| AEF 817 | Agroforestry and Climatology | 3 |
| AEF 818 | Special Seminar | 1 |
| AEF 819 | Gender, Entrepreneurship and Innovation | 3 |
| AEF 820 | Research/Thesis | 10 |
ELECTIVE COURSES
| Course Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| AEF 812 | Agroecology Policy, Planning and Development (Agric Econ / Extension) | 3 |
| AEF 816 | Advanced Irrigation Practices in Agroecology | 3 |
| AEF 821 | Aquaculture and sustainable aquaculture practices | 3 |
| AEF 822 | Animal nutrition and Feed Manage | 3 |
| AEF 823 | Biodiversity Conservation in Agroecosystems | 3 |
PROGRAME STRUCTURE - Harmattan Semester (First Semester)
| Course Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| AEF 801 | Agricultural Production Systems | 3 |
| AEF 803 | Statistics and Research Methodology in Agroecology | 4 |
| AEF 805 | Agroecology and Sustainable Environmental Management | 3 |
| AEF 807 | Agroecology Systems and Knowledge Transfer | 3 |
| AEF 809 | Postharvest Handling of Agroecological Produce | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
Rain Semester (Second Semester)
| Course Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| AEF 802 | Plants and Animal Health Management in Agroecological Systems | 3 |
| AEF 804 | Horticulture and Landscape Management | 3 |
| AEF 806 | Circular economy in agroecology | 3 |
| AEF 808 | Agribusiness and Farm Management | 3 |
| AEF 810 | Internship | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
Harmattan Semester (Third Semester)
| Course Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| AEF 811 | Identification and Production of Neglected/Endangered Plant and Animal | 3 |
| AEF 813 | Land and Soil Resource Management | 3 |
| AEF 815 | Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (3 credits) | 3 |
| AEF 817 | Agroforestry and Climatology | 3 |
| AEF 819 | Gender, Entrepreneurship and Innovation | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
Rain Semester (Fourth Semester)
| Course Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| AEF 814 | Agroecology and Food Security | 3 |
| AEF 818 | Special Seminar | 1 |
| AEF 820 | Research/Thesis | 10 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Total | 17 |
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF COURSES
UAES-AEF 801: Agricultural Production Systems (3 credits)
The students will understand the concepts, principles and interactions within agricultural production systems. They will gain knowledge on how to evaluates different farming systems, develops skill sets in crop and animal management, apply economic and policy principles in making salient decision in agricultural production. It covers the following topics: advanced agricultural production systems, principles and practices in soil resource and fertility management, principles and practices in crop production and animal production in relation to agroecology and environmental sustainability, agricultural economics.
UAES-AEF 802: Plants and Animal Health Management in Agroecological Systems (3 credits)
The course explains the principles of plant and animal health management in agroecological systems in view of using sustainable and comprehensive approaches to control pests and diseases in plants and animals. It deals with relevant topics in advanced levels including agroecology and health management, management of pests and diseases in crops and animals, weed management, biological control, bio pesticides and comprehensive health management. The students will learn to develop health management strategies in agroecology systems.
UAES-AEF 803: Statistics and Research Methodology in Agroecology (4 credits)
The course uses statistical and biometrical techniques to analyse and interpret data in agroecology systems. Emphases are laid on experimental design, data analysis, inference and writing of research proposals. The students will learn to use statistical principles to conduct researches and interpret research findings in agroecology. It covers the following courses: advanced statistics, experimental designs, hypothesis testing and confidence intervals, regression model, biometrical techniques, statistical software applications, research development and writing of research proposals.
UAES-AEF 804: Horticulture and Landscape Management (3 credits)
The course is more based on empirical knowledge than theory. It explains the advanced concepts and practices of horticulture and landscape management in relation to sustainable and environmentally friendly production strategies. The students will be taken to ornamental garden or site and landscaped buildings and environment; here plants will be identified and described. The students will be asked to propagate a number of ornamental plants and landscaped a given environment. In class, the following topics will be taught; advanced horticulture, plant biology and identification landscape design and management, plant propagation and production, lawn and ornamental management, urban agriculture and landscape maintenance. The students will learn to apply horticultural principled and practice in enhancing the aesthetic values of a place, identify and select plants for landscaping.
UAES-AEF 805: Agroecology and Sustainable Environmental Management (3 credits)
The course deals with salient topics including agroecology systems, principles of soil and water management and conservation, biodiversity and ecosystems, sustainable agricultural practices, climate change and agriculture. The students will learn to apply agroecological principles to sustainable environmental management, develop strategies for climate-resilient agriculture and discuss issues concerning agroecology.
UAES-AEF 806: Circular economy in agroecology (3 credits)
The course deals with the principles and practices of circular economy with reference to sustainable agroecology. It covers circular economy, agroecological concepts and principles, circular agroecology systems, waste management strategies, circular business models in agroecology, policy and regulation. The students will learn to apply circular economy principles in agroecology and discuss effectively on issues concerning circular economy.
UAES-AEF 807: Agroecology Systems and Knowledge Transfer (3 credits)
This course covers systems thinking in agroecology, knowledge transfer systems, community participation and outreach, innovation and scalability in agroecology, policy and governance in agroecology, communication outreach and advocacy, field trips and farm visit. Students will learn how to apply system thinking in solving problems in agroecological systems, develop effective knowledge transfer strategies and mobilize communities in participating in agroecological projects.
UAES-AEF 808: Agribusiness and Farm Management (3 credits)
The course describes the concepts and principles of agribusiness and farm management in relation to agroecology and sustainable agricultural enterprise. It covers advanced agribusiness, farm management, agricultural marketing, agricultural finance, agricultural policy and regulation, entrepreneurship and leadership. The students will learn to apply the principles of agribusiness to develop farm management strategies and demonstrate leadership qualities.
UAES-AEF 809: Postharvest Handling of Agroecological Produce (3 credits)
The course explains advanced principles and practices of post-harvest handling techniques and management of agroecological produce. The following topics will be discussed: post-harvest handling, isolation, identification and control of post-harvest pests and diseases, handling and storage techniques, quality and safety standards of agroecology produce, post-harvest management systems, sustainable post-harvest practices, value addition and processing of agroecology produce, policy in post-harvest handling. Students will learn to apply post-harvest principles in solving problems related to food losses and develop effective storage techniques to reduce post-harvest losses.
UAES-AEF 810: Internship (3 credits)
At the beginning of this semester, students are allowed to go for internship in an identified agricultural company for two months, after which they will return and make a presentation on the knowledge acquired at the course of their internship programme. The students will be externally assessed at the organisation where they did their internship as well as internally in by the University.
UAES-AEF 811: Identification and Production of Neglected/Endangered Plant and Animal (3 credits)
The course describes the identification, conservation and sustainable production of neglected and endangered plant and animal species. Emphasis will be placed on their importance in agroecology and food security. The students will be exposed to the following topics: Neglected / endangered species, plant identification and conservation, animal identification and conservation, sustainable production strategies, market survey and economic viability, agroecological restoration, community participation and outreach. The students will gain knowledge on the identification and conservation of neglected and endangered plant and animal spp.
UAES-AEF 812: Agroecology Policy, Planning and Development (3 credits)
The course explains the policy, planning and development aspects of agroecology, focusing on sustainable agriculture, food systems and rural development. Agroecology policy, policy framework and governance, agroecological planning, development theories and practice, agroecological project development and communication.
UAES-AEF 813: Land and Soil Resource Management (3 credits)
The course explains the principles and practices of sustainable land and soil resource management. Emphasis is laid on land and soil resources dynamics and soil degradation and conservation strategies. The following topics will be taught: Land and soil resources, fundamentals of soil science, soil degradation and conservation, land use planning and policy, watershed management, climate change and land and soil management.
UAES-AEF 814: Agroecology and Food Security (3 credits)
Definition and scope of agroecology and food security, food security frameworks and indicators, sustainable agriculture practices, food system analysis, nutrition and public health, policy and governance. The students will understand how to apply agroecological approaches to food security.
UAES-AEF 815: Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (3 credits)
The course is a practical oriented course that explains the application of remote sensing and GIS technologies in agroecology. The students will be exposed to the following topics: remote sensing and GIS, fundamentals of remote sensing, fundamentals of GIS, satellite and aerial imagery, precision agriculture and monitoring, GIS Data analysis and mapping. The student will acquire practical knowledge on how to apply remote sensing and GIS principles to solve problems in agroecology system.
UAES-AEF 816: Advanced Irrigation Practices in Agroecology (3 credits)
This course explores the principles and practices of advanced irrigation systems in agroecology, focusing on sustainable water management, crop water productivity, and ecosystem services. Students will learn about innovative irrigation technologies, water saving strategies and precision irrigation methods.
UAES-AEF 817: Agroforestry and Climatology (3 credits)
The course explains the principles and concepts of agroforestry in relation to climatology and climate change. It focuses on sustainable food production and mitigation of climate change with agroforestry practices. It covers advanced agroforestry, fundamentals of climatology, agroforestry and climate change, carbon sequestration and mitigation, agro-climatology and weather patterns.
UAES-AEF 818: Special Seminar (1 credits)
Each student is expected to come up with a seminar paper that states one of challenges in food production in Africa and proffer solution to these problems using agroecological principles.
UAES-AEF 819: Gender, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (3 credits)
The course discusses interactions amongst gender, entrepreneurship and innovation in agroecological systems, emphasizing on equitable and sustainable development. It covers the following topics: Gender and agroecology, entrepreneurship in agroecology, innovation in agroecology, gender and entrepreneurship, innovative business models, policy and regulatory frameworks. Students will develop skill set gender sensitive entrepreneurship and apply intersectional perspectives to agroecological innovation.
UAES-AEF 820: Research Thesis (10 credits)
Each student is expected to carry out an experiment (field or/and) on Agroecology depending on their core area or area of specialization and a well written thesis will be produced from the field experiment. The thesis will be vetted and examined by an external examiner from any of the partner university in West Africa.
UAES-AEF 821: Animal nutrition and Feed Manage (3 Credits)
This course explores the principles and practices of animal nutrition and feed management, focusing on the nutritional needs of livestock and the management of feed resources. Students will learn to design and manage feeding systems that promote animal health, productivity, and sustainability. It covers the following topics: advanced animal nutrition, nutrient requirement and feedstuffs feed formulation and rationing, feed management and conservation, feed additives and supplements, sustainable feed management
UAES-AEF 822: Aquaculture and sustainable aquaculture practices (3 Credits)
This course explores the principles and practices of aquaculture, focusing sustainable and environmentally responsible methods. Students will learn to design and manage aquaculture systems that promote ecosystem health, animal welfare, and economic viability. The course covers the following topics: advanced aquaculture, aquaculture systems and design, aquatic animal health and nutrition, sustainable aquaculture practices, aquaculture and the environment, social and economic aspects of aquaculture, best management practices and certification
UAES-AEF 823: Biodiversity Conservation in Agroecosystems (3 credits)
The course explores the principles and practices of biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. Students will learn to design and manage agroecosystems that promote biodiversity ecosystem services, and sustainable agriculture. The course will cover the following topics: advanced biodiversity conservation in agroecosystems, principles of biodiversity conservation, agroecosystems design and management, conservation strategies and tools, policy and practice.