MSc. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
The MSc. programme prepares students to be researchers at various levels of organization including; the molecular or subcellular, the cellular, the organismal or whole-plant, and the population level. They are relevant in areas such as horticulture, agriculture, food science, forestry where they carry out research in fruit drop, nutrition, ripening, fruit set, optimal planting and harvesting times and post harvest storage of plant products. Furthermore, production of secondary products like drugs and cosmetics, biofuels hinge on the understanding of plant physiology and biochemistry. Plant Physiologists are also able to contribute to studying of biological diversity and its conservation
Programme Courses
| FIRST YEAR FIRST SEMESTER | |
| SBT 801 | Methods and Techniques in Botany |
| SBT 802 | Biometry, Experimentation and Methodology |
| SBT 803 | Herbarium Practice |
| SBT 804 | Applied Ecology |
| SBT 805 | Special Topics |
| SBT 806 | photosynthesis |
| SBT 807 | Plant Water-Relations |
| FIRST YEAR SECOND SEMESTER | |
| SBT 808 | Plant Mineral Nutrition |
| SBT 809 | Secondary Plant Metabolism |
| SBT 810 | Physiology of Higher Plant Reproduction |
| SBT 811 | Physiology of Plant Growth and Development |
| SBT 812 | Physiological Plant Ecology |
| SBT 816 | Plant Production Ecology |
| SBT 832 | Microbial Physiology |
| SBT 837 | Biotechnology |
| SBT 862 | Research methodology and Proposal writing |
| SECOND YEAR FIRST SEMESTER | |
| SBT 899 | Research Project [data collection] |
| SECOND YEAR SECOND SEMESTER | |
| SBT 899 | Research Project [data analysis and thesis writing] |
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
(i) Candidates must satisfy the minimum requirements laid down in the University Common regulations for Masters Degrees as spelled out in the School of Graduate Studies common Regulations
(ii) In addition, candidates should normally have a minimum of a B.Sc. Second Class, Lower division degree or its equivalent in Botany or related Plant Sciences from a recognized university.
PROGRAMME DURATION
The duration of M.Sc. degree shall normally be two academic years.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
- The Masters Degree programme in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry shall, normally, consist of coursework, examination and thesis, normally extending over a period of two academic years distributed over four semesters of full time/part-time attendance provided that part-time attendance shall not exceed a period of four calendar years from the date of registration.
- The Masters degree in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry shall consist of a minimum of 14 units, and a maximum of 19 units of coursework, examination and thesis distributed over four semesters
- Courses are structured in units, where a unit is defined as a three-hour lecture or two hours of tutorials, or three hours of practical and 1 hour lecture session per week per semester. A semester is defined as fourteen teaching weeks, plus another two weeks of university examinations.
- The candidate shall submit a research proposal to the DPGSC within 2 weeks of the third semester.
- The processing of the submitted research proposal from the DPGSC to School of Graduate Studies shall take a maximum of four (4) weeks.
(vi) In the second year, the student shall undertake a supervised research project in accordance with the School of Graduate Studies Rules and Regulations and the Department of Botany requirements.
(vii) Students found deficient in certain core courses shall be required to audit and pass examinations in the pertinent courses.