DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION STUDIES AT UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION STUDIES AT UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
INFS 111: Information in Society
Topics to be treated in this course include types of information: the communication process;
communication in pre-literature societies; oral tradition; social, cultural and economic factors
affecting information: National Information Policies; the African information society initiative and
barriers to communication and information transfer.
INFS 112: Introduction to Information Management
The course will deal with Information and communication; information as a strategic resource;
information and structures – publishing; libraries, documentation, records and archives service; basic
principles of information storage, retrieval and dissemination, Information Technology impact,
trends and constraints.
INFS 211: Introduction to Information Technology
Topics to be treated in this course include Computers and telecommunications concepts,
components and systems, Evolution and classification of computers, etc, Microcomputer
hardware devices, Information representation on computer devices, ASCII and other coding
methods, Operating system software, Application software, Networking of computers,
Telecommunications concepts and devices, Information technology applications and issues in
information centres in developing countries.
INFS 212: Principles of Management
The course will deal with the concept of management; principles of organisaton; styles of
management; decision-making; functions of management; communication; delegation and
motivation: problems of management in Africa.
INFS 213: Information Management
This course will explore Information needs and information gathering agencies in contemporary
society; Environmental and organisational factors in information provision, User needs and
behaviour and Legal and ethical issues in information management.
INFS 214: Introduction to Computing
The course will cover areas such as Computer software: classification, functions and use, operating
systems – DOS, Windows, Unix, Novell, etc, application software: word processing, spreadsheet,
graphics, etc. Practical use of application software and introduction to programming.

INFS 321: Information Sources
The course will focus on types and characteristics of information sources used in librarieand other
information agencies to provide services that assist in the location and use of information.
Examination and study of representative selection of information sources will also be dealt with.
INFS 322: Theory and Practice of Classification
This course will deal with the theory of knowledge and the history of classification; definition and
purpose of classification; Structure and use of the major classification schemes; major classification
schemes and practical classification
INFS 323: Research Methods
The course will deal with Introduction to research, types of research – survey, experimental,
historical, data collection instruments – questionnaires, interviews, observation, literature review;
data analysis, writing the research report and disseminating research results.
INFS 324: Indexing and Abstracting
The course will cover areas such as definition and purpose of indexing and the indexing process;
indexing languages, semantic and syntactic relations in indexing pre-co-ordinate and post-coordinate
indexing systems, Thesauri and their use, definition and purpose of abstracts, types of abstract, the
abstracting process and techniques for abstracting.
INFS 325: Public Relations
Areas to be covered in this course includes the concept of Public Relations (PR), the role of PR in
information management developing constituencies; Internal PR – Interpersonal relations,
hierarchical relations, parallel relations, Staff/user relations, Impersonal Techniques, External PR –
Communicating with the community: Publicity and Public Relations, Institutional Publicity/Creating
public image, Organizational level publicity and Media and methods of publicity.
INFS 326: Collection Development
The focus of this course will be on the Selection of materials – definition and types, factors affecting
the selection of materials, responsibility for selection, selection tools, definition and types of
acquisition, Weeding of materials, library cooperation, computerised selection and acquisition.
INFS 327: Information Services and User Studies
The course will examine processes and techniques used in libraries and information centres to
provide services and assist in the location and use of information, Information users as individuals
and as members of groups, User needs assessment, monitoring information use behaviour patterns
and user satisfaction.
INFS 328: System Analysis and Design
This course deals with Information system concepts, Input, processing, storage and output,
Open/close systems, system/sub-system decomposition, etc, tools for systems analysis and design;
structure, flow and HIPO charts, etc, and System analysis and design case studies.
INFS 329: Database Management
The course will look at elements of a database system: entities, records, fields, files and indexes,
functions of database management systems (DBMS), practical use of DBMS, for creating, updating,
organizing and reporting data, design of forms, views and reports and introduction to programming
with a DBMS.

INFS 331: Records Management
Topics to be treated in the course includes the history and development of records management; the
components of records management from creation to disposition; development and implementation
of records management programmes, records control; infrastructure of records management system
and building a sound record keeping system.
INFS 332: Introduction to Archives Administration
The focus of this course will be on the theories and principles of archival acquisition, arrangement
and description, user services in archives and the archivist as manager.
INFS 333: School Libraries
Areas to be dealt with in this course include basic concepts of curriculum, the functions of the
library in the school curriculum, educational trends and their implications for school libraries,
Standards for school library provision, management, organisation and development of school library
resources and services, design, implementation and evaluation of school library programmes.
INFS 334: Publishing and the Booktrade
In this course we will explore the history of printing and publishing; the writer, publisher and
bookseller; reasons and functions of book provision; legal aspects of publishing; literacy in the
African context; reading habits in Africa; the publishing industry in Ghana; publishing interrelationships;
marketing and book promotion.
INFS 420: Long Essay
This course is spread over 2 semesters. Students are encouraged to conduct an independent
research -based study on a topic approved by the Department on the basis of which they will write
an essay of not more than 10,000 words.
INFS 421: Automation of Information Systems
This course will dealt with definitions of automation, information technology and information
systems, reasons history and evolution of automation in organizations and information centres,
feasibility of automation: technical, economical, and other factors, Case studies of automated
information systems, automated system planning and implementation: stages, processes and issues
and System development life cycle. Other topics include proposals –requesting, writing, evaluating;
costing and budgeting; software acquisition, development and evaluation; project management and
automation problems and prospects in developing countries.
INFS 422: Information Storage and Retrieval
Areas to be covered under this course include principles and objectives of information storage and
retrieval systems; types of storage and retrieval systems – manual and automated systems, factors
that influence storage and retrieval systems – space/storage equipment, retrieval tools; measurement
of retrieval – Relevance, recall and precision.
INFS 423: Preservation of Information Resources
The course will look at types of information resources; the nature and characteristics of
documentary materials; the agents of deterioration; collection care – Preventive; storage
environment control; handling of documents; microfilming and digitization.
INFS 424: Marketing of Information Services
The course includes philosophy of planning and planning strategies, the nature of marketing:
Introduction to marketing concept, assessing needs and capabilities: the marketing and strategies

audit, collecting and using appropriate data, product development and distribution, marketing
communication: product publicity and promotion and evaluation
INFS 426: Introduction to Administrative History
This course will trace the evolution of the machinery of Government from the colonial era till
independence. The establishment and growth of Departments of Central Government and the
implications for records and archives administration will also be considered.
INFS 427: Automated Information Retrieval
This course will deal with types of information retrieval: manual/automated, fact/information, etc,
types of data and data storage in computerized information retrieval systems, types of
computerized databases: online catalogues, online databases, CD-ROM and Internet sites,
Computer interfaces: menu, form, command and hypetext, Searching computerized databases;
skills, behaviours, strategies and tactics, and practical searching of computerized databases.
INFS 428: Telecommunications and Information Network
We will examine Computer networks: Ring, star, bus, etc, Communications media: twisted pair,
coaxial, fibre optic, aerial channels, etc. Signal transmission methods, Communications equipment
and devices, Communications protocols, LAN, WAN, Internet, Internet resources and services.
INFS 429: Programming of Information Centre Applications
The course will look at the types and evolution programming languages, programming concepts and
methodologies: structured design, program control structures, structure and flow charts, pseudocode,
etc, data processing requirements in archives, libraries and other information centres and the practical
use of a programming language for data processing applications in information centres.
INFS 431: Literature and Services for Children
The course will look at the importance of providing children’s literature and services, the need
for developing reading habits, Characteristics of children at the various stages of growth, Selection
of materials for children, Development of children’s literature in Ghana, Reading promotion and
the development of children’s services in Ghana
INFS 432: Organizational Information Systems
The course will examine the nature and structure of organizations, formal and information
communication systems and methods in organizations, types of organizational information, the role
of humans, documents and computers, types of organizational information sub-systems: transactions
processing systems, management information systems, decision support systems, R&D systems,
Records Management Systems, Library systems, etc. and Organizational information audits and
policies.