Rationale

West Africa’s coastal areas are home to about one-third of the sub-region’s population. Over 42% of the sub-region’s GDP is generated from coastal resources. The coast hosts major cities, ports, agro-industries, fisheries, offshore petroleum exploration and production. Despite these benefits, the coastal zones face growing challenges such as pollution of vital coastal ecosystems limiting economic growth, erosion and declining livelihoods. Unfortunately, expertise in resolving some of these challenges is limited. Hitherto, training in higher level academic manpower was done outside the continent, sometimes with capacities built in areas not of regional relevance. Again, the associated cost of such training is prohibitive. The Africa Union currently advocates for intra-continental capacity building in higher education. The University of Cape Coast has the advantage due to its unique geographical location to train the much needed human resource to address these contextual challenges. The PhD programme in ICZM is therefore designed to provide the human capacity for continuous research and education for policy enactment to promote socioeconomic development in coastal areas of the sub-region.

Goal/Objectives

The goal of the PhD Programme in Integrated Coastal Zone Management is to train high level professionals with the needed technical and scientific competencies to engage in research, extension and training in marine and coastal resources management.

At the end of the programme, graduates will be equipped to:

• provide technical policy advice to government and coastal-related industries;
• provide technical assistance to enforcement and regulatory efforts at all levels of coastal management
• provide evidence-based solutions to help sustain the social and economic assets of coastal areas
• engage in teaching and research in coastal resources management
• provide continuous capacity development opportunities to meet the staff needs of higher education in the sub-region.

Entry requirement

Candidates applying for admission into the PhD programme in any of the specialized areas must hold a good research-based Master’s degree in the relevant field of study. Visit the admissions requirements page on the University of Cape Coast website for details.