Admission Requirements to the Programme

Candidates seeking admission into the PhD programme in Information Resources Management are required to have a Master’s degree in Information Resources Management (MIRM), Library and Information Science, or Information Science or Archival studies, wherein they would have obtained an average of at least 60% (4.0 on a 5-point scale). Candidates must submit official transcripts as evidence.

Candidates with a CGPA of 3.50 and 3.99 on a 5-point scale or 55-59% in the MIRM may be admitted under conditional status to the PhD programme, provided that they successfully complete a minimum of 16 additional credits in Master’s level coursework in information resources management in Babcock University prior to commencing any coursework in the PhD in Information Resources Management programme.

Candidates who score between 3.00 and 3.49 on a 5-point scale or 50-54% in the MIRM may be admitted into the MPhil programme. The MPhil programme shall be for two years (4 semesters). In the first year, the MPhil candidate will be expected to complete the first year (2 semesters) of PhD coursework. In the second year, the MPhil candidate will complete the MPhil program, as well as submit an MPhil Dissertation. The MPhil must be completed with a minimum of 60% for the candidate to be eligible for regular admission into the PhD in Information Resources Management programme. After the successful completion of all requirements for the MPhil, the candidate may directly proceed to the second year of the PhD programme.

For candidates with Master’s degree in an area other than Information Resources Management, or Library and Information Science or Information Science, but that meets the required level of proficiency, the transcript will be reviewed to ascertain which of the required courses in the Babcock University Master’s in Information resources Management have been completed. Any outstanding deficiencies must be completed prior to admission to the doctoral programme.

An MPhil in IRM from Babcock University, with a minimum proficiency level of 60%, will count for the first year of the PhD programme, with the student commencing with the activities of the 2nd year of the PhD programme of studies. If the student has an MPhil in IRM from any other institution, with a minimum proficiency level of 60%, the student will commence with the first year of the PhD programme of studies.

Note: Professional experience may not be counted to waive a deficiency in the programme requirement.

Policies pertaining to admissions to a PhD programme

Regular admission: to a PhD programme may be granted when the applicant brings a Masters’ degree from a recognized university and all admission requirements have been successfully completed.

Provisional admission: to a PhD programme may be granted when the applicant brings a Masters’ degree from an institution whose recognition cannot be adequately determined (especially in the case of a foreign institution), but who otherwise has successfully completed all other admission requirements to the PhD programme.

Conditional admission: to a PhD programme is granted when the applicant brings a Masters’ degree in a non-related area or in a professional rather than academic programme and must consequently complete remedial coursework. No coursework may be taken which will be counted as part of the doctoral programme while the student is under conditional admission.

Note: Students who have started the PhD programme in another university cannot transfer earned credits to a Babcock University PhD programme should they wish to transfer to Babcock University.

The Department reserves the right upon the approval of the CPGS to offer or deny admission to prospective applicants based on existing faculty and/or staffing needs, budgetary considerations, strategic needs/plans, and so on.

Curriculum for the Programme

Candidates for the PhD will be required to complete three semesters of coursework in areas related to the focus of their PhD programme, and then will spend a minimum of three semesters developing a doctoral thesis and carrying out research related to the attainment of the PhD.

Coursework for the PhD shall amount to 40 credits, and the thesis shall amount to 16 credits, for a total of 56 credits. The minimum CGPA for graduation shall be 4.0 on a 5-point scale.