University of Botswana

Transcription

1 University of Botswana Country: Botswana Chance of Placement: ISEP-Exchange chance of placement for US students is generally Very Limited. ISEP-Exchange chance of placement for I-to-I students is generally Very Limited. ISEP-Direct chance of placement for both US and I-to-I students is generally Good. Fields of Study Available: SCIENCE Biology Chemistry Computer Science Geology Information Systems Mathematics Natural Resource Management Physics, Environmental Science EDUCATION Educational Technology Mathematics and Science Education ENGINEERING Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering Industrial Design Architectural Planning & Design HEALTH SCIENCES Environmental Health Nursing Courses in English available: Courses within all of the above fields of study are taught in English.

2 Renowned Faculty: Professor Abegaz (Analytical Chemistry) Professor Majinda (Natural Products Chemistry) Professor Lungu (Mathematics), research interest includes mathematical hydrology, epidemiology and fluid mechanics Professor Chanda (Environmental Science), a human geographer and cultural ecologist interested in the theories and perspectives on human drivers of environmental change and sustainable rural resource development and management. His current research focus is on sustainable rural livelihoods and development in Botswana. Accreditations/Awards/Grants Received: Professor Bagele Chilisa: NIH grant on Capacity Building for Research in HIV/AIDS Jose Jackson Malete: EU grants for research on Morama bean; Reseach Management Systems Research/Internship Opportunities: The Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre offers internship opportunities in wetland research and environmental conservations. Students may also work with an NGO, such as the Forestry Association, in Gaborone. Partnerships: The University of Botswana has 75 partnerships with institutions in 20 countries, including a number of partnerships in organizations such as the Development of the Vaccine Institute with Pitzer College. Syllabi/Course Descriptions The university online catalog provides a list of courses by faculty/department: Full course descriptions online are forthcoming. Fields of Study Details: FACULTY OF SCIENCE BIOLOGY The Department has two general laboratories used by students in Years 1 and 2. It also contains six specialized laboratories: Microbiology, Virology, Biochemistry, Botany, Exercise Physiology, and Computer laboratories. These laboratories are used for practicals in the relevant disciplines. Block 235 also houses a Herbarium and a Museum. The Museum houses invertebrate and vertebrate teaching materials. The herbarium is supported by the Southern African Botanical Network (SABONET) and houses a growing collection of plant specimens from various regions of Botswana. Block 234 houses a Green House and an Animal House. Facilities also include walk-in cold-rooms and incubators, autoclave and wash-rooms, an extensive and comprehensive stores system of consumables and equipment, instruments laboratories, a histology room, microscopy and tissue culture laboratories, insectory, and postgraduate laboratories. For field work, the Department has two motorized boats and an inflatable raft, camping equipment, GPS, animal

3 tracking equipment, a host of other field kits, and access to suitable vehicles from the university fleet. The Department has access to instruments such as the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Induced Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS), X-Ray Diffraction. Facilities in other Departments and the Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre (HOORC) are also available to staff and students in the Department. PHYSICS Facilities include SEM and TEM electron microscopes. Currently, the department has research groups in various areas of specialization including Atmospheric and Environmental Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Geophysics, Theoretical Physics, Radiation Physics, and Material Science (which includes Solar Energy, Electronics, Thin films & Nanotechnology). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE There is a computer laboratory specialized in Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing applications. A Soils laboratory, an Environment Modelling laboratory, and a GIS laboratory allow many analyses in the fields of Soil Science, Remote Sensing, and Geomorphology to be carried out. An X-ray diffractor is also available. The Cartography laboratory has facilities needed for the courses offered in this field. Field equipment, including camping gear, is also available. The Department subscribes to the maxim "practice what you preach." The most active urbanbased environmental NGO (Environment Watch Botswana) in Botswana was instigated and initially nurtured from the Department over 13 years ago. Today, this NGO is operating as an independent Trust with a nation-wide membership and environment projects running in hundreds of thousands of Pula. To promote competency in environmental management within public sector institutions charged with environmental protection, the Department introduced short hands-on in-service courses during the University's long vacation. Courses offered include environmental impact assessment, remote sensing, and geographic information systems for environmental management and public participation for natural resource management. Recently, the Department ran two short courses in Integrated Environmental Assessment Reporting for UNEP with participants coming from Sub-Saharan African countries. Student Environmental Organization Support: There are two UB-based student environmental organizations, namely the Environmental Conservation Society (ECS) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). COMPUTER SCIENCE The Department of Computer Science has extensive computing facilities that are continuously being upgraded and improved. It has four laboratories each equipped with 30 machines for undergraduate teaching and projects, and two laboratories each equipped with 15 machines for postgraduate students. The machines all offer Windows-based personal computing, but also have access to the UNIX environment. There is also a smaller laboratory equipped with 10 Solaris workstations available for research students and staff. FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING The broad field of Electrical Engineering encompasses; Electrical Power, Electrical Machines, Control, Electronics, Telecommunications, Computer Engineering, and several others. The

4 discipline, therefore, offers the greatest opportunity for future development and lifelong employment for any student who takes any of its ever-expanding areas as a field of specialization. DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Facilities include workshops for wood, plastics and metal, a graphic studio, ceramics studio, an electronics lab, a CAD/CAM lab with semi-industrial CNC machines, and a Rapid Prototyping 3D Printer. Also available are lecture rooms equipped with the state-of-the-art presentation and instructional technology. Further, the Department offers some short courses in Design and Technology, Product Design and Industrial Design, and Design- and Technology-related subjects. DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING The curriculum of the B.Eng. program covers a wide range of fundamental courses, being the core of mechanical engineering science. There is however also a chance for students to develop special interests in a variety of topics. This is fulfilled by optional courses dealing with specific aspects of mechanical engineering theory and applications, and also by elective courses to be chosen from other engineering programs. We can also show that mechanical engineering is the most exciting branch of engineering in our well equipped labs and workshops where we have added to the traditional tools of metalworking and power machinery the sophisticated equipment based on desktops, laptops, palmtops and the other information technology driven tools that engineers use. Our graduates work in a number of industries, in consulting companies, and in government, as either managers or specialists. FACULTY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY A small teaching department that trains education students on the development and utilization of educational resources, one of its goals is to offer quality academic and professional programs that ensure a commitment to and a mastery of life-long learning skills as well as encouraging a spirit of critical enquiry in the area of educational/instructional technology. It also aims to develop a student-centered, intellectually stimulating, and technologically advanced teaching, learning, and research environment that is relevant to Botswana context and is internationally accepted. DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION This department has the responsibility of training high-quality mathematics, science, and computer studies teachers for Botswana's rapidly growing education section. It provides quality instruction and professional support to both pre-service and in-service mathematics, science, and computer teachers at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Environmental Health (EH) is a multidisciplinary field that integrates several disciplines with emphasis on assessment of exposures to environmental contaminants, toxicology, occupational health, risk assessment, and health promotion. The EH program is strategically focused on analyzing the complex relationship arising from human impact on the environment and the effect of environmental conditions on human health. DEPARTMENT OF NURSING EDUCATION

5 This department is committed to helping students acquire both knowledge and skills through a systematic approach to learning. The programs are based on the principle that nursing is a goaldirected service derived from a scientific knowledge base for the purpose of assisting the individual, family, and community to promote, restore, and maintain health. The department provides community service in collaboration with other partners in health care to individuals, families, groups, and communities.