Universities in Zambia

 The University of Zambia is the primary institute of higher education in Zambia. Apart from this, there are five other institutions that offer avenues of higher education. The Ministry of Education takes charge of regulating higher education institutions in Zambia.   The higher education in the country faces many challenges. The government of Zambia recognizes that the higher education institutions need to be supported to grow.

Higher education in Zambia consists of three stages –

• Bachelor’s degree
• Master’s degree
• Doctoral degree

The colleges in Zambia offer these programs in various faculties.

First stage- Bachelors Degree in Zambia

The holders of Zambia School Certificate are eligible to enter into a bachelor’s degree program in Zambia. Zambia school certificate exams are conducted at the end of secondary education. The bachelor’s degree programs require students to complete 4 to 5 years of study. Humanities, science, commerce, agricultural sciences, business and industrial studies are some of the bachelor’s degree courses offered by colleges in Zambia. Professional programs are also offered in faculties like engineering, law, medicine and veterinary medicine. Some colleges also offer courses on theaters, heritage studies, music and art.  The science based degrees take five years to complete, while degrees in medicine and veterinary medicine take 7 and 6 years respectively.

The admission requirements for bachelor’s degree programs in Zambia vary, according to the degree program chosen by the candidate. However, universities often consider the marks scored in individuals subjects like Mathematics and English, in the Zambia School Certificate Exam, are for admission into the respective faculty.

Second Stage- Masters Degree in Zambia

Master’s degree programs are offered by colleges in Zambia in various fields like education, psychology, agricultural science, mass communication, economics, political science, and literature. Master’s degree programs typically take two years to complete. However, a master’s degree in medicine takes four years to complete. Those who have scored upper credit in Bachelor’s degree can get admission into a master’s degree program. The upper credit requirement may be relaxed by the university, in case the candidate demonstrates significant research experience or teaching experience.

Master’s degree programs in Zambia are offered on a full time and part time basis. The students can choose a master’s degree program by course work and dissertation or research and thesis. The master’s degree programs by research and thesis are usually offered on a full time basis.

Doctorate Degrees in Zambia

Holders of masters’ degree are eligible for doctorate programs offered by universities in Zambia. Doctorate programs in Zambia usually combine coursework and research on a specific topic within the field of study of students. However, the colleges in Zambia offer PhD programs in a limited number of specializations. Hence, many students who want to pursue PHD go abroad. Doctorate degree programs usually take up to four years to complete.

Over the years, significant developments have been taken place in the higher education sector in Zambia. However, many people in the country are poor, and they cannot afford higher education. The Government of Zambia is taking steps to improve the condition of higher education.