By Sileshi Yilma & Shemsedin Mohammed/Public and International Relations Directorate
Haramaya University’s (HU) Department of Biology, which is under the College of Natural and Computational Sciences, conducted a curriculum review workshop on May 9, 2014 at HU’s Resource Center.
According to Dr. Meseret Chimidesa, head of Biology Department, need assessments from different stakeholders has been carried out to ensure the feasibility of launching need-based curricula in M.Sc. program in Botany and PhD in Microbiology.
The first draft of the curriculum was evaluated by external advisors who came from Addis Ababa, Jimma, and Bahir Dar universities, Dr. Meseret explained in an interview with HU Online. There were also four internal advisors from HU.
The following step is to send the draft curriculum to the University’s Senate. If the Senate approves it, the next step will be an evaluation by HU’s Board.
“If the curriculum is finally approved, we will start accepting students in the next academic calendar,” said Dr. Mesert adding that such phenomenon would make College of Natural and Computational Science to have its first PhD program in its history.
Four M.Sc. programs in Applied Biology, Biotechnology, Genetics, and Microbiology and M.Ed. in Biology were opened in the University and students have been trained since 2004.
The information sent by Biology Department shows that the department began as a unit to train science teachers at a diploma level for junior and secondary schools, and offering introductory courses for students who specialize in agriculture.
The then Biology unit became a full-fledged department in 1996, and since then it has been training students in Bachelor degree in both regular and summer-in service programs.