PhD Bioengineering

Background information

The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering was established in 1971 as one of the component departments of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University. The department offered courses in Agricultural Mechanization to students of the 4‑year Honours undergraduate programme in Agriculture.

There was then no institution in Ghana that was established to train professional Agricultural Engineers. The few Ghanaian professional Agricultural Engineers then had to be trained in Overseas Colleges and Universities.

Following the acceptance of proposals submitted to the University in 1971, the department was charged with the responsibility to run a 4‑year undergraduate degree programme to train professional Agricultural Engineers additional to its commitments to the Faculty of Agriculture. The then School of Engineering was mandated to be the degree awarding body for this professional engineering programme. This gave birth to the Department as it exists today.

In 2004, the MPhil/PhD Bioengineering programme was commenced to train high-level manpower in applied research and extension in engineering for agriculture.

Aim and Objective

The MPhil/PhD programmes in Bioengineering facilitate the close integration of biological, physical, and computational sciences and engineering in the study of biological processes. The programme adopt a systematic and quantitative approach to the study of biological systems. The aim is to provide students with the necessary knowledge to contribute to the biological industry as well as to optimize existing bioprocesses, and to develop new technologies. A candidate for an MPhil or PhD degree is expected to demonstrate knowledge in the discipline and to synthesize and create new knowledge, making a contribution to the field.

The objective of the programme is to provide training in engineering for biological related activities to meet the demands of agriculture, industry, and rural development.

Students’ admission, progression and graduation

The duration of the PhD programme shall be 6 semesters consisting of research project and thesis. Candidates who did not pursue MPhil Bioengineering or related programmes may have to take taught courses as approved by the Departmental Board.

• The minimum time for the completion of the PhD (Bioengineering) Programme shall be three years
• Each student is supposed to undertake a detailed research project under the supervision of a university lecturer leading to an externally and internally examinable thesis. The thesis is then defended during an oral examination.
• The minimum number of credit hours required for graduation 36 credit hours for the PhD Programme.
• The pass mark for any course subject shall be 50% and the minimum Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) for graduation shall be 55%.

Employment:

Graduates will be trained for job opportunities with:

• Ministry of Food and Agriculture at the National, Regional and District levels.
• Bioenergy companies
• Agro-environmental Companies.
• Teaching and Research Institutions.
• Integrated Rural Development Projects (Multilateral and Bilateral).
• Consulting Firms in Agribusiness and Rural Development.
• Forest Engineering Companies.
• Environmental Conservation and Protection Agencies.
• NGOs in Agricultural and Rural Infrastructure Development.
• Agro-industrial Waste Management Projects.
• Commercial Farms.
• Self-Employment.

MODE OF APPLICATION

1. Applicants (International) must apply online. International applicants who are admitted will be required to pay an application fee of USD 200.00 before registration.
2. Candidates should proceed to online admissions website: KNUST Application Portal and begin the application process.
3. Once the process has been completed, candidates MUST PRINT OUT 2 COPIES of the completed application form from the portal and submit them (by post) to the School of Graduate Studies together with all relevant documents (Photocopies of Certificates, Recommendation Letters, and Transcript for those attending KNUST for the first time) to the following address:

The Secretary

School of Graduate Studies

KNUST

Kumasi-Ghana