This program is designed for a wide variety of students, including those interested in studying the political and economic challenges facing sub-Saharan Africa and developing nations, and those interested in studying West African cultural practices in various musical and dance forms.
This program also offers wonderful opportunities, in the classroom and in the community, for students interested in critical issues of public health, development, and African history and culture. Through these mechanisms students become participants in, and contributors to, Ghanaian intellectual, cultural, economic, and social life.
What You'll Learn
Established in 1994, the CIEE Study Center at the University of Ghana provides an opportunity for students from all academic disciplines to live and study in Ghana, learning firsthand about the country and its people, while continuing to pursue their own academic goals. These goals are achieved through integrated study with Ghanaian students and immersion into the cultural and social life of the University and the surrounding community.
Program Snapshot- Students become participants in and contributors to Ghanaian intellectual, cultural, economic, and social life
- Community involvement through excursions, student clubs, and volunteer activities
- Wide range of courses including West African performing arts, Twi language, and African Studies
- Development Studies Track in social and economic development in Ghana
- Internship and independent study option
- Excursions to places such as Kumasi, Dodi Island, Elmina, Cape Coast, and the Aburi Botanical Gardens
- U-Pals
SubjectsAfrican Studies
Archaeology
Business
Community Health
Development & Planning
English Literature
Geography
History
Independent Study
Internship
Music
Philosophy
Political Science
Religion
Science
Sociology
Theater
Theology
Twi Language
Eligibility- 3.0 GPA
- Junior standing and above
- College-level coursework in African studies recommended
Academic Program
The University of Ghana has a wide range of traditional offerings similar to undergraduate programs at U.S. colleges and universities. The CIEE Arts and Sciences program provides an opportunity for students from all academic disciplines to live and study in Ghana, learning firsthand about the country and its people, while continuing to pursue their own academic goals. These goals are achieved through integrated study with Ghanaian students and immersion into the cultural and social life of the University and the surrounding community. The program also offers a Development Studies Track.
Development Studies
Students interested in examining the developmental challenges facing Ghana today can enroll in the Development Studies track. Participants take the Sociological Foundations for Development Studies seminar course with the integrated internship, Twi Language, and two additional University of Ghana elective courses. Internship placements are available within a variety of local NGOs, schools, clinics and hospitals, and community-based organizations. By combining in-class analysis of Ghanaian culture, history, family issues, politics, health care, and media with field-based practical training in and around Legon, students explore Ghanaian and global perspectives and think critically about the current critical perspectives that play a role in social and economic growth in Ghana. Students must pre-register for this track during the application process and submit both a current résumé and a project proposal so that appropriate internships can be arranged.
Academic Culture
Students are required to undertake a full program of courses, including all prescribed assignments and written exams. Teaching methods at the University normally involve a mixture of lectures, tutorials, seminars and, in the sciences, laboratory classes.
Students will notice striking differences between their home educational system and the Ghanaian system. This system, following the British model, allows students greater responsibility and initiative in a less structured environment. Courses may involve relatively few contact hours each week, since professors expect a great deal of individual study. Learning by rote is the model most often used in classes. This entails professors reading from notes or books, with the expectation that students copy word for word their recitation. Most classes at the University of Ghana are very large, thus making classroom interaction with the professor very rare.
For semester participants, the program includes one week of orientation, thirteen teaching weeks, one week of review, and two weeks of examinations. For academic year participants, the program includes one week of orientation followed by two semesters; there is a four to six-week break after the end of the fall semester. Students can stay in their housing during this time, but they are responsible for meals.
Where You'll Study - University of Ghana
As the oldest and largest of the six public universities in Ghana, the University of Ghana has an enrollment of over 28,000 students and a faculty of over 900. The University is comprised of faculties of agriculture and consumer sciences, arts, law, medicine, science, and social sciences; schools of business, nursing, and public health; three agricultural research stations; and institutes for adult education, African studies, international relations, journalism and communication, medical research, population studies, and statistical, social, and economic research.
Program Requirements
Students take the required Twi intensive language course. In addition, students take four courses chosen from the regular offerings at the University of Ghana. Students are required to take at least one course in a subject related to Africa.
Students enrolled in the Development Studies Track must take the Sociological Foundations for Development Studies seminar course, the internship course, Twi Language, and two additional University of Ghana elective courses.
Credit
Total recommended credit for the semester is 15?18 semester/22.5?27 quarter hours and for the academic year is 30?36 semester/45?54 quarter hours.
With the exception of courses in the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana course contact hours are 39?42 hours and recommended credit is 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours per course.
Courses in the Institute of African Studies, designed for first-year students at the University of Ghana, have a recommended credit of 1 semester/1.5 quarter hours and 13?16 contact hours.
The CIEE Twi language course has 48 contact hours and recommended credit is 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.
The Sociological Foundations for Development Studies Seminar has 45 contact hours and recommended credit is 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours. Students in the Development Studies Track must take the CIEE Internship class for 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours.Application Deadlines
Spring 2009: 11/1/2008
Fall 2009: 4/1/2009
Academic Year 2008-09: 4/1/2008
DurationSpring 2009: 17 weeks: mid-February - mid-June
Fall 2009: 17 weeks: mid-August - mid-December
Academic Year 2008-09: 38 weeks: mid-August - mid-May
The CIEE fees for 2008-09 include tuition, housing, optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, excursions to locations such as Kumasi and the Cape Coast, field trips in the greater Accra area (such as the Aburi Botanical Garden and Dodi Island), host institution identity card (for access to library, sports facilities, computer labs), admission fees to host university events, immersion activities, a comprehensive student handbook, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.
*Students placed in Homestays will have breakfast and dinner provided during the week and three meals a day on weekends.
Orientation
The goal of the mandatory orientation is to introduce students to the country, culture, and the academic program, and to provide practical information about living in Legon and in Ghana. CIEE students participate in a weeklong program of activities, including excursions and lectures on topics such as health and safety, cross-cultural communication, academics, and life in Ghana. Faculty from the University of Ghana provide additional orientation lectures on Ghanaian history, culture, religion, economy, and family life.
Housing and Meals
Housing is included in the program fee. Students have the choice of two housing options:
On-Campus Dormitory--There are two dormitories in which CIEE students may be placed: a University of Ghana dormitory or a privately administered dormitory on campus shared with CIEE, Ghanaian, and other international students. In both dormitories, students share double rooms and basic kitchen facilities. Meals are not included in the dormitory option. Students can prepare their own meals with the limited cooking facilities in the dormitory or eat at establishments on or off campus. Students living on campus can expect fewer amenities and more basic accommodations but will benefit from close interaction with Ghanaian and other African peers. The dormitories are a ten-minute walk from the CIEE Study Center.
Homestay with Ghanaian Family--This option provides an excellent opportunity for immersion into the local culture and is strongly recommended for students who wish to take full advantage of their experience in Ghana. Breakfast and dinner are provided during the week; breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided on weekends. Lunches during the week are the responsibility of the student. Since homestay families are located throughout greater Accra (beyond Legon), students are required in most cases to utilize public transportation to and from the University, a 20?30 minute commute.
Internet
E-mail access is available throughout the campus at the University of Ghana and at the CIEE Study Center office. Students also have access to the Internet at numerous cyber cafés in the area. Limited Internet access is available in the dormitories; students are encouraged to bring wireless-enabled laptops.
Cultural Activities and Field TripsThe academic program is supplemented with field trips and excursions to various points of interest. Past semesters have included field trips and excursions to Kumasi, Dodi Island, Elmina, Cape Coast, Aburi Botanical Gardens, and the Wli Falls in the Volta Region, as well as day trips to the National Museum, the Dubois Center, and the Nkrumah Mausoleum. Local conditions dictate the field trips and excursions offered each semester, and are subject to change.
Volunteering
Students can volunteer in local businesses, social services, and cultural institutions, as well as assist in local schools.
Students who want to volunteer or get involved in a non-credit community service project are encouraged to do so. Previously, students have volunteered in hospitals and rural health clinics, the Ghana National Museum, various NGOs, day care centers, elementary and junior high schools, and a Liberian refugee camp.
Through the Voluntary Work Camps Association of Ghana students are also able to participate in a variety of rural work camps for an additional fee. Students may participate, usually for two to four weeks, in a number of community service activities after the end of the fall and spring semesters.
Student Activities and Clubs
Opportunities are available to join music, theater, or art groups; participate in athletics; and attend lectures, discussions, and receptions. Sports such as soccer, basketball, field hockey, and tennis are popular with Ghanaian students.
U-Pals
Local University students, or U-Pals, assist CIEE participants with day-to-day matters, organize various social events, and help students to adjust to their new environment both at the University and in Legon. These students are recruited and trained by CIEE and are a true hallmark of the program.
