Background

Haramaya University launched Master’s degree in 1979/80 academic year with a few students in the fields of Agriculture. Since then, the University has gone through a lot of transformation and opened many postgraduate programs in various field of studies. The university also launched Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs in 2003/04 academic year. In the view of transformation, the Directorate for Postgraduate Program was recalibrated in 2014/15 academic year. Since the University began its transformation in all aspects of human resources and academic programs, many new programs have been launched during the past decades. The Postgraduate Directorate in collaboration with each school, institution, department and the colleges also plans to launch new programs in PhD and Masters.

The last years, the University has produced a considerable number of postgraduate students each academic year. The universities worked actively and delivered quality teaching and postgraduate student’s research that has contributed much towards the high-level trained human resource and problem solving research output. Since the postgraduate programs were launched at Haramaya University, 102 PhD and 4,620 masters have been graduated from various programs from different colleges hosting the programs. The colleges offering postgraduate study (most at masters level and some at both masters and PhD level) include Agriculture and Environmental sciences, Business and Economics, Natural and Computational Sciences, Education and Behavioral Sciences, Health and Medical Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, Computing and Informatics, Veterinary Medicine, Law, and Institute of Technology.

In this academic year (2015/16 G.C; 2008 E.C), the Postgraduate Directorate in collaboration with colleges, institutes, schools and departments that own the programs admitted more than 1022 MSc and 51 PhD students to various fields of study at the regular and non- regular (Summer and Continuing Education) programs.

Mission, vision, values and motto of the Directorate 

Mission: producing competent master’s and PhD graduates in diverse field of studies through equipping them with up-to-date theories in a respective field of science and engaging them in problem solving research.

Vision: to be among the leading African Postgraduate education offering and research Universities with international reputation by 2025.

Values:

  • creation of academic freedom and democratic environment
  • execution of expected duties and responsibilities
  • Good governance and impartiality
  • Maintaining morals and ethics of citizens
  • Working with team sprit
  • Creation and development  of new ideas
  • Harmonization with nature and keeping it safe for life

Motto: ‘building the basis for development’

List of Postgraduate Programs at Haramaya University

Currently, the University offers postgraduate studies in 22 PhD (regular) programs, 2 specialty (regular) residence programs, and 87 masters programs in the regular and non-regular programs. The programs are listed here under by colleges.  Click here For Masters  and Click here for PHD.

Admission of candidates to the Regular PhD and Masters’ Programs

Academic Requirements

1. The applicant must have completed the academic requirements for the bachelors’ degree to be admitted to the master’s programs, and should have master’s degree for admission to the PhD programs from accredited and recognized University. Prior degrees should be from the same field or related field to the postgraduate program to which admission is sought.

2. PhD applicants have to submit dissertation concept note.

3. Submission of filled application forms and letter of recommendation from three academic referees (one may be from employer).

4. Submission of letter of sponsorship from government or Non-governmental organization or proof of financial support in case the applicant is self-sponsored applicant.

5. The applicant to Master programs must satisfactorily pass entrance examination to be administered by the hosting department. Foreign applicants should present academic records equivalent to accredited Ethiopian Higher Learning Institutions and pass entrance examination.

6. Senior undergraduate students of accredited universities or colleges applying to join the graduate program immediately upon graduation may be allowed to register and/or sit for entrance examinations administered by departments provided their CGPA and/or major area GPA at the end of the first semester of their final year is above 2.50.

7. The School/Department Graduate Committee may include additional admission requirements in conformity with University’s rules and regulations and upon approval by Postgraduate Program Council (PGPC).

8. Upon admission, applicants shall be responsible to cover payments of tuition, accommodation and thesis/dissertation research costs as per internal rules and regulation of the University, except those holding sponsorship letters for whom the sponsor will pay according to the agreement entered with the applicant or Haramaya University.

The time for Entrance Examination is decided at the end of each academic year for admission during the subsequent academic year and broadcast on Radio and Television a couple of weeks before the examination date.

Special Admissions

  1. An applicant who is found deficit in undergraduate and/or graduate courses shall be required to take remedial courses recommended by the respective DGCs.
  2. Any such student who has been recommended to take remedial courses shall be admitted as a special student.
  3. The duration of the student’s stay in the University as a special student shall be determined by the respective DGCs, but shall not exceed one academic year.
  4. A special student who has satisfactorily completed the prescribed remedial courses and passed the entrance examination shall be granted regular graduate student status.
  5. The Registrar shall record separately the results of the examinations in the prescribed remedial courses. These grades may not count towards Masters or PhD degree.
  6. A special student may register for and take graduate level courses for which he is qualified.
  7. An applicant who has successfully completed a semester or more graduate study of another accredited University, and meets the special requirements of the faculty/department may be admitted to a similar graduate program.

Admission to summer and Continuing Education Graduate Programs

Application requirements set for regular graduate programs are applicable to summer and Continuing Education program (CEP) graduate programs. Note that PhD programs are not offered under these modalities and not also all masters postgraduate programs listed above. Interested applicants should consult the Non-regular Postgraduate Program Associate Director Office concerning the programs offered under the summer and CEP modalities.

Graduation requirements:

  1. Completion of the minimum credit hours requirement as stipulated by the respective programs curricula.
  2. Pass in all courses with a minimum of ‘B’ grade or ‘C++’ (in two courses).
  3. Not More than one ‘C’ grade.
  4. A minimum CGPA of 3.00.
  5. A pass in Comprehensive examination for PhD candidates.
  6. Pass in Thesis/PhD dissertation defense examination and approval of the same by the board of Examiners.
  7. In case of PhD program, at least one published article from the doctoral dissertation is needed.
  8. Submission of six hard copies of the approved thesis/dissertation, soft copy of the whole thesis/dissertation and soft copy of the abstract to the postgraduate Program Directorate.

Facilities:

  • Computer and printer  services in pool
  • Dormitory  through the office of  Student Service Directorate
  • Library with all its facilities such as books, journals, proceedings, Web and digital based resources.
  • Internet access (cable and WI-FI )

Duration of the study:

  • Two years (Regular master) and three years for Non-regular master programs.
  • Three- four years for PhD programs.

Note: Extension of the study duration beyond that set for the programs requires strong justification.