CFPs: Doctoral Programme Climate Change and Human Habitat

WASCAL’s mission is to provide information and knowledge services at the local, national and regional levels to West African member countries to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change. They do this through capacity building support to young West African scholars in fields of climate, natural and social sciences and by strengthening the regional universities deliver climate and environmental services in member countries.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Climate Change and Human Habitat is designed to encourage cross-border collaboration in education and research aimed at addressing the impacts of climate change in West Africa in an integrated, cross-disciplinary and multi-sectoral manner, with focus on developing Sustainable Cities, specifically on Settlement Dynamics and Modeling; Green Infrastructure and Urban Development; Transport Planning and Sustainable Mobility; and Rural and Urban migration issues. This is a call for qualified candidates from the participating countries to apply for the WASCAL DRP (PhD) in Climate Change and Human Habitat for the 2025 Academic Session.

Program Duration

• The programme duration for WASCAL CC & HH DRPs is 42 months, which comprises the following:
  • 4 months of English/French language course in Ghana/Togo.
  • 6 months of lectures to be completed within the first academic session of the study in FUT Minna (including submission of research proposal to Accra, Ghana), which must include a continuous assessment followed by an examinable component. Students must pass these courses. Any student whose CGPA falls below 3.0 at the end of the course, will be required to withdraw from the programme.
  • 30 months of research and scientific field visits including a maximum of 6 months visit to Germany.
  • 6 months preparation for final defense in FUT Minna. The final PhD oral defense takes place in the Postgraduate School.

Expected Outcomes

• At the end of the 42 months programme, the graduates of the DRP in Climate Change and Human Habitat are expected to:
  • Demonstrate state-of-the-art expertise in their field of specialization;
  • Independently formulate and execute research in accordance with academic standards within their field of specialization, thus contributing to the body of knowledge in this field;
  • Develop and apply research techniques independently;
  • Convert knowledge of complex physical and biological processes into useful modelling concepts and apply this to real world situations;
  • Recognize, understand and apply new concepts as they emerge in the various related fields;
  • Translate scientific knowledge in their field of specialization into policy recommendations;
  • Show evidence of scholarship by presenting Ph.D. thesis and publishing at least one article from the research in a reputable, high impact, international journal.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications are accepted from any of the eleven countries participating in WASCAL. Applicants should have the following requirements:
  • Five O’ Level credit passes in Mathematics, English, Physics and any two of the following relevant subjects (Geography, Agricultural Science/Biology, Economics) or its equivalent in Francophone countries (i.e. hold preferably a Baccalaureate C or D).
  • First Degree (B.Tech. or B.Sc.) with a minimum of 2nd Class Upper Degree (or Assez Bien (B) for the Francophone applicants) from recognised academic institutions in any discipline related to the built environment or settlements (most especially Geography, Urban and Regional Planning, Building, Transportation Studies, Landscape Designers, Environmental Management, Climate Science, Estate Management).
  • Master’s Degree graduates from a recognised University, but must be citizens from countries participating in WASCAL, in any discipline related to the environment (most especially Geography, Urban and Regional Planning, Building, Transportation Studies, Landscape Designers, Environmental Management, Climate Science, Estate Management).
  • Such Master degree must be of an average performance of “B” grade or weighted average of 60% or a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.50.
  • Applicants must possess basic knowledge and skills of GIS and remote sensing applications, with a minimum of B-grade in the transcript of either the Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
  • Applicants should ensure that academic transcripts from items (ii) and (iii) and research interest/motivation are received before the selection process.
  • Candidates selected into the WASCAL funded PhD programme are on full time basis only.
  • For Nigerian applicants, NYSC Certificate/Exemption is required.
  • Candidates must provide 3 referees, one of whom must be his/her Master’s thesis Supervisor. If it is a WASCAL Alumnus, the Director’s recommendation will be required as top priority.
  • Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

For more information, visit WASCAL.