University of Cape Coast UCC Department of Economics

Overview

The Department of Economics was established in 1972 with the primary task of training economic teachers for the various second cycle institutions in Ghana. With time and in particular, with increase demand for high level skilled personnel in the country, the Department expanded to include professional and postgraduate programmes in economics. The Department prides itself on its long – established reputation for excellence in both teaching and research.

The senior members in the Department have high international – level reputations both in teaching and research. Some of them are editors in several academic journals. In addition to teaching and research, members provide consultancy services to governmental and non-governmental institutions. The Department offers a comprehensive and well-established portfolio of courses at certificate, diploma, undergraduate and graduate levels. It also caters for huge number of students from the Faculty of Education, School of Business and Department of Mathematics. The Department has two Units (Microfinance Unit and Economic Policy Modelling Unit) and a Centre (Centre for Data Archiving, Management, Analysis and Advocacy).

The Department is currently collaborating with the African Economic Research Consortium in the Collaborative Masters Programme (CMAP). With increase in the capacity to teach and research, the department has been elevated to the status of a category B. Department. The department therefore teaches the AERC recommended core courses, i.e. Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Quantitative Methods at the masters level, and also send students to participate in the Joint Facility for Electives (JFE) in Kenya. The department is housed in the Faculty of Social Sciences Building (on the first floor of the building).

The strength of every academic department lies with the number and quality of research conducted by its academic staff. Recognising this fact, the Department of Economics-UCC has, in line with the broader research agenda of the University of Cape Coast, identified three main thematic areas for research, namely:

Climate Change, Agriculture, Food Security and Economic Development;
Health, Education and Human Capital Development in a Globalizing World;
Microfinance and Development.

These thematic areas have over the past few months attracted a number of research work among Lecturers and Graduate students of the department. In addition, plans are far advanced to upgrade the Department from its current status as a Department to a School with a department and five research centres.

Student who wish to study at the Department of Economics-UCC will benefit from being taught by renowned academics. The Department of Economics is large and culturally diverse.

Vision

To establish itself as a national and international hub for driving a knowledge-based economy towards economic development and improvement in welfare.

Mission

To produce economists with excellent capability skills to contribute to solving contemporary economic challenges in a coherent manner. Ultimately, the Department aims at becoming a research-oriented School

Strategic Plan

Create an environment that seeks to improve student life, foster student-focused learning and students with strong ethics and commitment to society
Create a conducive working environment which recognises equal opportunity for faculty, staff and students.
Recruit, develop and retain high calibre and motivated faculty and administrative staff

Why choose the Department of Economics

DEPARTMENT PROGRAMMES