Requirements to be a University lecturer in Ghana
- Professor
Applicants must have a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in any of the areas of specialization.
In addition, they must have a considerable number of years of teaching/research experience in any reputable university or a comparable institution.
The applicant should have not less than eight (8) publications in a refereed journal since appointment as Associate Professor or a total of twenty (20) publications in a refereed journal since appointment as Lecturer.
They must have taught for a minimum of two (2) years as Associate Professor.
- Associate Professor
Applicants must have a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in any of the areas of specialization. He/she should have not less than seven (7) publications in a refereed journal since appointment as Senior Lecturer or a total of twelve (12) publications in a refereed journal since appointment as Lecturer.
Applicants must have taught in a reputable university or a comparable institution for a minimum of four (4) years as Senior Lecturer.
- Senior Lecturer
Applicants must have a minimum of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in any of the areas of specialization with at least four (4) years teaching/research experience as a Lecturer.
The applicant should also have a minimum of five (5) publications in a refereed journal.
- Lecturer
The minimum academic requirement is Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in any of the areas of specialization.
Teaching experience, in a reputable university or a comparable institution, will be an added advantage.
You will be required to teach courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, supervise students’ thesis, conduct research and engage in community/outreach service, among others.
Per the new standards of the National Accreditation Board(NAB), you must have a PhD to be a Lecturer in Ghana. You can however lecture with the minimum of a Master’s degree provided it was a researched degree. There’s a bit more preference for MPhil holders that is Master of Philosophy, due its research-orientation.
The NAB is doing this to increase the standards for teaching in Ghanaian universities, however very few of the universities adhere to it.
The ones that can afford to employ PhD holders are mostly public universities, plus there’s not a lot of PhD holders to go round across the over the numerous universities in Ghana.
Nonetheless you can lecture in most universities if you can prove your industry credentials well, with a minimum of a Master’s degree and have plans to obtain your PhD in the nearest possible time.
The best you can get in the University of Ghana without a PhD however is Assistant Lecturer. The university is very strict with that.
Publications is also critical
There are exceptions whereby some private Universities admit Mphil holders as lecturers. You may see some lecturers having Mphil and other masters degrees lecturing in public universities but they may have been enrolled or planning to further their studies in various PhD programs to meet the ultimatum set by government through the Ministry of Education in Ghana less they are sanctioned or sacked in the near future.
To this exception, it is only prudent to have the PhD for a smooth process for the position as Lecturer in Ghana.
Note that;
If it is a new Educational Institute that just came on board, they may accept someone with masters degree that has good grades with years of experience .
