Department of Population & Health

Rationale

The Department of Population and Health was created in the 2007/2008 academic year out of the former Population and Family Life Education programme of the Department of Geography and Tourism. Started in 1996 with support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Ghana Education Service (GES), to train personnel in issues of population and development, the programme was reviewed in 2006 as part of the restructuring of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The review led to a proposal to bring together population-related courses in the Faculty into one composite programme.

Furthermore, departments in the Faculty of Social Sciences are also involve in various research activities on aspects of population and health such as the social dimensions of HIV/AIDS, malaria, traffic-related morbidity and mortality, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, migration, refugee studies, poverty and health economics.  The intention, therefore, was to re-focus and consolidate courses and research activities in population and health in one Department to enable it contribute to the addressing of some of the national challenges in those areas.

Goal

The Goal of the Department is to train a group of graduates who will be able to understand and appreciate population issues as well as participate in policy formulation and implementation of programmes in population and social dimensions of health-related issues.

Objectives of the Programme

The specific objectives of the programme are to:

• Introduce students to issues which will enable them acquire both personal and professional skills in population and health issues;
• Promote an understanding of issues on population and health among students which will enable them contribute to national programmes on them; and
• Assist to empower students to become agents of change on issues in population and health

Admission Requirements

A. Senior High School students

Candidates to this programme should have passes in core English, core Mathematics and Integrated Science/Social Studies. In addition, they should have passes in three of the following subjects: Geography, Economics, Elective Mathematics/Statistics, History or Government.

B. Mature Students

Qualified mature students will be admitted as per the conditions set out by the University.

Programme Structure

The structure of the programme is provided in the tables below. At levels 300 and 400, students have the option to select from a number of elective courses which will be offered at these levels.