The MPhil and PhD degrees are intended to provide advanced knowledge and understanding of the theories and procedures in the discipline of Population Studies including advanced training in critical appraisal, statistical analysis of demographic and socio-economic data, study design and protocol development.
Further, the MPhil/PhD programme is aimed to equip students with knowledge, skills and applied competencies to do independent demographic research that contributes to new knowledge and understanding in Population Sciences and to prepare students for working in universities, government departments and national and international research organizations.
• To equip students with the state- of -the art knowledge and techniques in Population Studies in order to prepare them to function as practicing independent demographers in academic, public and private organizations, including self employment.
• To provide rigorous training and a solid foundation for the development of analytical, conceptual and theoretical skills required for conducting demographic research.
• To help students develop the practical, intellectual and technical skills necessary for making linkages among conceptual issues, theoretical issues and empirical methodological concerns pertaining to demography and related disciplines.
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Population Studies are post-graduate programmes carried out through supervised research.
Unless otherwise specified, the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) General regulations 50.1 and 50.2 shall apply for the programme. The MPhil/PhD degree Programme is envisaged to carry out through supervised research, preceded by preparatory course work deemed necessary by the Departmental Board.
2.2 The Department of Population Studies shall offer an MPhil / PhD Degree in Population Studies by supervised research and coursework for those meeting the requirements of SGS General Regulations 50.0.
3.1.1 School of Graduate Studies (SGS) General Regulation 50.1 shall apply.
3.1.2 A candidate for admission into M. Phil programme will be required to have
a Master’s Degree in Population Studies/ Demography or a related discipline as approved by the Departmental Board.
3.1.3 Candidates must have shown a potential to do independent research as evidenced by his/her past record especially at Master’s level.
3.1.4 Candidates without a Masters qualification, but with a strong undergraduate degree in Population Studies or related discipline, may be admitted, as provided for under SGS General Regulation 50.1.
3.2.1 In addition to the provisions of the General Regulations, all candidates are expected to complete satisfactorily the following course requirements:
3.2.2 First Semester:
POP 800 Recent Advances in Population Studies (6 credits)
FSS 800 Advanced Social Science Research Methods (3 credits)
1.2.3 Second Semester:
POP 802: Guided Readings and Seminars in Population Studies (6 credits)
POP 803: Thesis Proposal (9 credits)
3.2.4 POP 804: Supervised Research and Thesis for MPhil in Population Stud-ies (24 credits)
3.3.1 Full-time candidates are expected to meet the Part I requirements within two Semesters and part-time candidates within four semesters.
3.3.2 At the successful completion of Part I a candidate shall either proceed to Part II of the MPhil Programme or will be allowed to transfer registration for Part II of the PhD programme on the recommendation of the Departmental Board and approval by the Graduate Studies Board.
The SGS General Regulations 50.2 shall apply:
For instance :
4.1.1 Applicants who have obtained an appropriate Master’s Degree (MSc, MA, MPhil or equivalent) with course work and research are eligible to apply.
4.1.2 a)Subject to paragraph “d”, applicants shall normally be admitted into an MPhil programme.
b) After completion of a maximum of two semesters of full-time academic work (or the equivalent) the programme shall recommend the student either for transfer to the PhD programme or for continuation as an MPhil candidate.
c) When transfer to the PhD programme occurs, the credits accumulated as an MPhil student shall be applied toward the 72 credits required for completion of the PhD degree.
d) Applicants with previous research experience may be admitted directly into a PhD programme, upon recommendation of the Departmental Board and approval by the School of Graduate Studies.
Part I
In addition to the provisions of the General Regulations, all candidates are expected to complete satisfactorily the following requirements (except those who have successfully completed Part I of MPhil programme and have been selected to transfer to the Part II of PhD programme).
4.2.1 First Semester:
POP 800: Recent Advances in Population Studies
(6 credits)
FSS800: Advanced Social Science Research Methods (3 credits)
4.2. 2 Second Semester:
POP 802: Guided Readings and Seminars in Population Studies (6 credits)
POP 803: Thesis Proposal (9 credits)
4.2.3 Part II
POP900: Doctoral Research and Thesis in Population Studies (48 credits)
The general SGS Academic Regulations 50.9 – 50.9.6.8 shall apply.
POP 800: Recent Advances in Population Studies (6 credits)
This course is meant to review, revamp and equip students with the state of the art developments, globally, in both substantive and technical aspects of Population Studies. A major objective is to introduce students to the recent developments in the core areas of demography (fertility, mortality, migration, and population aging) and examine critically how researchers tackle contemporary demographic issues. The current trends in the growth of the population of the world in general and sub-Saharan Africa in particular- Analysis of the components of growth and their determinants - The social and economic consequences of population change - The demographic and health transitions underway and their socio-cultural implications. 1994 Cairo International Confe-rence on Population and Development (ICPD) plan of action and its implementation – Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - The differential effects of legal and illegal immigration. This course considers a variety of procedures for measuring and modelling demographic processes. These include increment/decrement tables, generalizations of stable population relations, two-sex models, and indirect estimation procedures.
POP 802: Guided Readings and Seminars in Population Studies (6 credits)
This course is meant to be supervisor oriented. The main supervisor, in consultation with Co-supervisors, will decide on some selected topics which mirror the cutting edge areas in Population Studies and ask the students to read extensively and digest it. It is implied that the students will receive sufficient guidance from the faculty. Then, each student is mandated to give at least two departmental seminars which will be evaluated by the Departmental board in attendance.