MSc Programs

In addition to the general requirements laid down by Addis Ababa University, admission to ACEWM MSc program requires satisfactory completion of a baccalaureate degree at a college or university of recognized standing. Priority will be given for applicants whose undergraduate Cumulative GPA greater than 2.75 for males and not less than 2.50 for females on a 4.0 scale.

The age limit at the time of application for MSc applicants is 30 years or less.

Documents to be Compiled in One PDF and Submitted During Application

1. A cover page containing applicant’s full name as it appears on applicant’s ID/Passport, full contact details including
   residential and postal address, email and telephone number (s), and intended field of study
2. A copy of identification card/Passport,
3. Detailed curriculum vitae not exceeding 4 pages,
4. Authenticated copies of previous degrees and official transcripts from previous university/college,
5. (Official original transcripts from each college or university at which the applicant has completed course work must be on file
   before an application can be processed),
6. Applicants who have completed their degree/diploma from foreign universities (other than Ethiopia) are required to obtain their
   degree/diploma equivalent from the Ethiopian Higher Education Relevance and Quality Agency (HERQA) before admission. (Academic
   documents authentication by relevant office is mandatory during admission),
7. A personal statement/motivation letter describing the candidate’s interest to join the program not exceeding 500 words, stating
   clearly and succinctly the reason for seeking graduate study in Water Management at Addis Ababa University, the applicant’s career
   goals, and research interests. (The applicant may include information about any unique circumstances, special abilities, awards,
   achievements, scholarly publications, or professional history that are relevant to the admission decision),
8. Letters of recommendation from three referees who are knowledgeable about the applicant’s academic, professional and scholarly
   ability and potential must be submitted. Applicants should not request letters from individuals who would have an objective
   conflict of interest (e.g. friends and family). Additional recommendations may be requested,
9. Applicants sponsored by their institutions are required to submit a sponsorship letter from their institution. (The form can be downloaded from http://www.aau.edu.et/documents/registrar/),
10. Employed applicants must provide a letter of full commitment from their employers that they will be granted study leave,
11. Certificate of professional experience if there is any,
12. Cost-Sharing clearance documents for Ethiopian applicants,
13. Applicants must have sufficient knowledge of English language and provide proof of proficiency,
14. Applicants are required to take and pass the Graduate Admission Test (GAT) (http://www.aau.edu.et/blog/announcement-_-graduate-admission-test-gat/),
15. Applicants need to meet also the general requirements laid down by the School of Graduate Studies, Addis Ababa University (www.aau.edu.et(Admission Requirement).)

 
Intended Learning Outcomes of the MSc Program
Content (Knowledge)
By the end of the program, students will:

• Understand the principles, concepts and tools of water management in the respective specializations;
• Have a broad, multi-disciplinary foundation in water science, technology and management;
• Have formed associations with a substantial number of students in other disciplines.

Skills By the end of the program, students will:

• Be able to effectively apply their disciplinary knowledge in a multi-or, inter-disciplinary setting;
• Effectively communicate project analyses and results to classmates and faculty;
• Be able to develop new interdisciplinary knowledge.

Values By the end of the collaborative program, students will:

• Be able to work cooperatively with experts in water management;
• Understand the importance of multi-, inter-or trans-disciplinary approaches in the water sector;
• Be able to identify the role of their discipline expertise in multi-or interdisciplinary problem solving.

Teaching-Learning Approaches

The teaching-learning methods include, in addition to class lectures, other collaborative learning activities such as presentation, tutorial, assignment, seminar, demonstration, etc. They are specific to a given module, and thus they are included in the module syllabus. Practical and professional skills are promoted through the taught lecture program and practical work including fieldwork and group class activities. Laboratory practical classes enhance the learning experience and introduce a wide variety of testing and analysis techniques. Group workshops and practical sessions develop skills in the development of numerical and computational modeling strategies for different processes. The course modules will use structured and unstructured problem-solving approaches.

Assessment Strategies

ACEWM will ensure that each module will have formal written examination for a module at the end of each semester and in-class testes. Students in the master programs are eligible to sit the program examination leading to the degree of Master of Science in the program they are registered for.

The assessments also involve the preparation of technical reports, field and lab reports, research style articles and oral and poster presentations. Practical skills are assessed through coursework assessments in the form of laboratory and field exercises, technical report writing, oral and poster presentations, field-based reports and research articles. The research project allows the student to demonstrate practical skills to the highest standard.

These have been selected to enhance the employability skills of the students through the use of reporting mechanisms that are standard in the work place and research world, presentation skills through the presentation of complex water related problems of conceptual modules in written or oral forms at a technical audience. Standard university rules apply.

Master Thesis

Upon completion of the course works, research supervisor(s) with a rank of Assistant Professor or above is/are assigned by the CGC for each student. The primary responsibility of the supervisor is to assist the student the research to the required standards and complete within an agreed time-frame. In particular, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to follow up progress of the student research and provide adequate and timely feedbacks and evaluations of student’s progress.

A mandatory agreement between supervisor and student is signed prior to the start of research work and finally authorized by the center. The duration for the completion of a Master’s program is two years. Extension of the duration of study may be allowed where by the students is unable to complete his/her studies within the specified period due to force majeure. A maximum of 2 years extension time, as per the Senate Legislation of AAU, is allowed for regular MSc student as long as the request is supported by the supervisor and approved by the CGC.

A thesis constitutes a partial fulfillment of the requirement for a mater’s degree. The students involved in the graduate programs identify topics for their thesis in constitution with their respective advisors. Thesis topic of each student is approved by the CGC. The fully developed research proposal is reviewed by two experts in the field and publicly presented for defense. It is after accommodating the comments provided by the reviewers and getting approval by the center that the actual work on the thesis research begins.

It has been stipulated in the Senate Legislation of AAU that no candidate may be permitted to submit a thesis is less than one academic year from the date of the first registration except with a special permission of the Center. A candidate may submit a thesis any time during or after the last semester of their course work but no later than a year after the completion of course work with the exception of candidates who are allowed extended time of submission by the CGC.

In addition to the thesis, a master’s degree program candidate shall produce at least one publishable manuscript which the candidate shall present during the thesis defense.

Learning Opportunities
This qualification allows graduates to continue for PhD studies in the field of water science and technology or related science and engineering fields.

Employment Information

Students successfully completing this program can join higher education institutions, research institutions, national and international water sector organizations and will have an opportunity to exercise the profession and entitled to obtain professional license from competent authorities such as the Ministry of Water and Energy, Environmental Protection Authority, etc.

As all our MSc. programs are internationally accredited, graduates from ACEWM will have a competitive advantage to join regional and international academic and water and environmental related organizations.