UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM
POSTGRADUATE PROSPECTUS 2006/07 – 2009/10
For
The Institute for Marine Sciences
THE INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCES
One of the objectives of the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) when it
was established on 17th October 1978 under the University of Dar es
Salaam is to provide postgraduate studies in marine sciences. The
Institute’s areas of specialisation are grouped into three departments:
(i) Department of Marine Biology and Resources Management
(ii) Department of Chemical and Environmental Marine Sciences
(iii) Department of Physical and Applied Marine Sciences
The postgraduate training programmes offered by the Institute are aimed
at producing qualified marine scientists capable of dealing with various
issues in marine and coastal resources management and marine and
coastal environment. As such basic oceanographic concepts will be
imparted while exposure to the use of state of the art tools including GIS
and Remote sensing will be emphasised. The departments pool together
their courses required to constitute a given multidisciplinary teaching
programme. The Institute offers both MSc and PhD programmes as
follows:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
MSc by coursework and dissertation
MSc by thesis
PhD by thesis
Plans are underway to offer PhD by coursework and dissertation as well.
The University of Dar es Salaam General Regulations governs admission
conditions for both MSc and PhD degrees for Postgraduate Study
Programmes. A candidate for admission to the Masters degree shall have
an honours degree from the University of Dar es Salaam or an equivalent
from another recognized University but a candidate for MSc by Thesis
will have a slightly higher minimum qualification at a GPA of at least 3.5
during the first degree.
A candidate for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree shall have a
Masters degree from the University of Dar es Salaam or an equivalent
from a recognized University.
1. Master of Science (MSc) by Coursework and Dissertation
Students specialise in one of the following:
1. MARINE AND COASTAL GEO-INFORMATICS
2. MARINE AND COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
General description
The Master of Science programme by coursework and dissertation is
aimed at producing marine scientists with the general understanding of
oceanographic concepts but specialised in either marine and coastal
resources management or marine and coastal geo-informatics.
The marine and coastal geo-informatics specialisation is designed to
provide an advanced education in the principles and practice of GIS and
remote sensing in marine sciences. The programme comprises taught
courses, covering data models and data structures, acquisition and
management of data, spatial analysis and modelling, remote sensing, GIS
design and implementation issues, GIS programming and customisation
and database technology. Concepts and techniques are illustrated using
case study material drawn from a variety of application areas. Practical
work is undertaken using a variety of commercial software including,
BILKO, ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine. For the award of MSc the student
must undertake an independent research project, submitted as a written
dissertation.
The Marine and Coastal Resources Management specialization will give
emphasis to marine resources management as well as environmental and
Socio-economic issues. The programme can be seen as a convergent
programme in the sense that it may link/collaborate with other relevant
programmes and basic research and thus an opening for multidisciplinary research. It is hoped that this programme in collaboration
with others will contribute much in the offshore stock assessment that is
poorly known in Tanzania. The specialisation trains students to address
scientific and socio-economic issues related to coastal and marine
resources through an interdisciplinary education in marine science,
policy, law, quantitative analysis, databases and modelling.
Programme structure
The courses with GI and OC codes are specialisation courses for the
coastal and marine geo-informatics specialisation and those with MR
code are specialisation courses for the marine and coastal resources
management. Students take the specilaisation courses along with
compulsory ones as core courses while additional courses are selected
from the list of optional ones to make up the required number of units
while broadening student’s knowledge horizon.
Course code Course name
Compulsory Courses
Units
Advanced Image Processing for Marine and Coastal
GI 605
Environment
OC 609
Applied Marine Geology and Geophysics
OC 614
Applied Physical Oceanography
Specialisation Courses for Coastal and Marine Geo-informatics
GI 602
Research Methodology for Marine Physical Sciences
6
4
2
2
GI 603
Spatial Data Management and GIS Databases
6
GI 606
Advanced Spatial Analysis and Modelling
3
GI 607
Programming for GIS
2
GI 699
Dissertation
Specilaisation Courses for Marine and Coastal Resources Management
MR 601
Sustainable Utilisation of Coastal and Marine
Biological Resources
MR 602
Research methodology for marine biological sciences
MR 603
Applied Marine and Coastal Ecology
MR 608
Marine Conservation Science
MR 609
Socio-economic Aspects of Marine and Coastal
Ecosystems
MR 699
Dissertation
Optional Courses
3
GI 604
Case Studies in GIS and Remote Sensing
2
MR 605
MR 614
OC 605
Maritime Policy
Integrated Coastal Zone Management
Marine Pollution and Control
2
3
2
RM 602
Principles of Environmental Impacts Assessment
6
2
3
2
2
The course work is taken in two semesters (one year). The minimum
units are thirty (30). Dissertation is graded in pass/fail
2.
Master of Science (MSc)
by Thesis
The programme lasts for 24 months and is pursued through research
followed by writing a thesis. Some coursework may be taken when
directed by the Institute’s Higher Degrees Committee. A student may
submit a two-page statement of the intended research topic, which will
guide the department in assigning the supervisor. Within 4 months of
registration, the student must present a comprehensive substantive
research proposal.
3. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
by Thesis.
The duration of each programme is three years for full-time candidates
and five years for part time candidates. A student must submit a
substantive and comprehensive research proposal within 6 months after
registration. Full studentship commences immediately after formal
registration
GENERAL REGULATIONS
Each candidate must satisfy all the requirements of the University’s
regulations for higher degree in all faculties.
Special regulations:
The following special regulations shall also apply to the course work
for the MSc. programme of the Institute of Marine Science.
o To be eligible for admission to the programme, the applicant
should normally have an overall grade of B or higher in the BSc
degree subject he/she wishes to study under the programme.
o Admission may be based on equivalent qualifications.
o Each MSc. study programme shall start in the beginning of the
academic year and conclude 24 months later for fulltime students
and 30 months later for part-time students. Beyond these limits,
Senate approval is necessary.
o The MSc programme shall consist of coursework Part I
research project Part II.
and
o A minimum of 30 units must be completed. Completing a course is
defined as obtaining a B grade or higher.
o For departments offering a core/compulsory/elective combination
in their course work, these courses must amount to at least 50% of
the total units.
o A maximum of 6 units of undergraduate courses, approved by the
Department, may be taken and counted towards fulfilling the MSc
requirements. Such course must be passed by MSc candidates
with at least a B grade.
Examination Regulations
o Candidates will be required to score at least a B grade in all their
MSc courses examined.
o Candidates who fail in one or more examination s
but, whose
GPA is 2.7 and above shall be allowed to do supplementary
examination in the failed course s .
o After the supplementary examination(s)
those candidates who
have upgraded their GPA to 3.0 and above, will be allowed to
proceed with the thesis phase of the MSc programme.
o Candidates who fail in any supplementary examination and have a
GPA of 3.0 and above may be allowed to repeat the failed course(s)
but shall not be allowed to proceed to the dissertation phase.
o Candidates who fail to attain a GPA of at least 2.7 shall be
discontinued from studies.
o Courses will be assessed and grades awarded within the semester
in which they are completed.
o Part II of the MSc examination shall consist of an assessment of a
dissertation by at least 2 examiners one of whom shall be external
to the University, Examiners may require the candidate to present
himself/herself for oral questioning in addition to such other
examinations as may be prescribed.
o In order to qualify for MSc degree, a student must satisfy the
examiners in both Parts I and II of the MSc examination.
o At least one month before a dissertation is submitted a candidate
shall give notice in writing to the Chief Academic Officer of the
University with the proposed title and an outline of the plan and
general scope of the work.
o Every dissertation or thesis submitted shall be examined by at
least two or three specialists, respectively. The specialist must be
approved by the Institutes Higher degrees Committee and SENATE.
One of these must be external to the University.
o PhD and MSc students by Thesis shall appear for a viva voce
examination
o There shall be no classification of MSc Degree.