In its quest to bring quality tertiary education to the doorsteps of people in Ghana and beyond, the University of Cape Coast College of Distance Education (CoDE) has successfully produced its pioneer Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Education (M.Ed.)  and Master of Arts in Education graduates.

In all, 394 graduated, made up of 246 MBA and 148 M.Ed. and M.A. The pioneer graduates comprised top-notch business executives from financial institutions, entrepreneurs, administrators in education and various organisations. The pioneer class of the distance postgraduates successfully completed their programmes within the stipulated period and were duly graduated during the 12th Session of the 49th Congregation held on Saturday,  March 25, 2017 at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) campus.

UCC, as part of its commitment to produce highly skilled human resource for all sectors of the economy, introduced cutting-edge postgraduate programmes in Business and Education through the distance mode in the 2013/2014 academic year at four centres in the country, namely Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi and Tamale. Currently, two additional postgraduate centres have been opened in Sunyani and Takoradi to meet the high demand for UCC graduate programmes through the distance learning mode.

The University of Cape Coast has over the years created an exciting and enviable niche in higher education in Ghana through high innovative academic standards that permeate all aspects of teaching and learning through the conventional and distance modes. As the leading tertiary institution for distance learning in Ghana, UCC has for the past 16 years extended quality tertiary education to train professionals for the educational sector and different fields of business.

The UCC College of Distance Education currently runs the following programmes:

1) Education:  M.Ed.

Areas of speciality:

a. Administration in Higher Education

b. Educational Psychology

c. Guidance and Counselling

d. Measurement and Evaluation

e. Special Education

2) MA (Master of Arts)

Areas of speciality:

a. Guidance and Counseling

b. Administration in Higher Education

c. Measurement and Evaluation

3) Business: MBA

Areas of speciality:

a. Accounting

b. Finance

c. Human Resource Management

d. Marketing

 Network Session for Pioneer Master’s Graduates

The University of Cape Coast College of Distance Education has held a network session for pioneer Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Education (M.Ed.)  and Master of Arts in Education graduates of the college.

The network session was aimed at creating a common platform for the pioneer graduates of CoDE to socialise, share experiences and also evaluate the programmes they pursued. It also created an opportunity for management of CoDE to interact with the graduates to further enhance their professional networking among themselves.

Present at the function were the Provost of the CoDE, Prof. Isaac Galyuon, Head of Science and Mathematics Education, Prof. John Nelson Buah; Head of Education Studies, Prof. Emmanuel K. Gyimah and the Head, Department of Business Studies, Dr Anokye Adam. Others were the Coordinator of Postgraduate Programmes, Dr Joseph Eddiebright Boadu and college Registrar, Mr Oku Afari Opoku.

Addressing the fresh graduates,  Prof. Galyuon urged them to market the academic programmes run by the University of Cape Coast (UCC).  “If the programme will be marketed, you are our marketers. It’s your responsibility as the pioneer alumni of UCC Distance Postgraduate Programmes to market the university”, he said.

Prof. Galyuon used the occasion to announce the procurement of e-learning, including video conferencing, materials by the college to facilitate teaching and learning at all its approved study centres.

Prof. John Nelson Buah charged the pioneer graduates to be good ambassadors of the UCC to project the enviable image of the university.

For his part, Prof. Kofi Gyimah said the idea to run postgraduate programmes by distance mode was conceived in 2012 under the leadership of Mr Albert Kobina Koomson, former Director of the Centre for Continuing Education (now CoDE) who brought the concept of distance education into fruition in the university. He noted that a lot of opportunities abound through the UCC postgraduate distance programmes and appealed to the government to provide financial support for workers who sacrifice their weekends to pursue higher degrees. He disclosed that the university would soon run PhD programmes through the distance mode.

Dr Anokye Mohammed Adam reminded the graduates that they had acquired the requisite practical and theoretical knowledge to build on their capacities and, therefore, urged them to use the knowledge gained to impact positively at their respective organisations. He noted that the content delivery at UCC was the same for regular and distance modes.“We do not compromise on quality so lecturers who handle regular programmes are the same instructors for distance programmes”, he added.

The graduates, thanked the college for giving them the opportunity to upgrade themselves academically and promised to be good ambassadors of UCC wherever they found themselves.

Some of the fresh graduates who could not hide their excitement thanked the University of Cape Coast in general and the College of Distance Education in particular for extending quality postgraduate education to their doorsteps and also guiding them to complete their studies on schedule. 

Mr Frank Opoku, an MBA (Accounting) graduate, said, “ the UCC has really been very helpful to me in terms of accessing quality graduate education. I’m well equipped to make a difference at my work place. The quality of tuition we received affirms the fact that UCC is the university of Choice”,. Ms Irene Aryeetey, an MBA (Finance) graduate who studied at the  Papafio Hills Centre in Accra, said her class enjoyed the interactive lectures, participatory and experiential learning that comprised formal presentations, group discussions and hands-on activities.

“I am a proud graduate with M.Ed. (Information Technology) and I must confess that the postgraduate distance programme of UCC has really enriched my knowledge in teaching ICT at all levels of the educational ladder,” says Emily Tachie-Menson. 

Some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion

 The Provost of UCC CoDE, Prof. Isaac Galyuon addressing the pioneer graduates of UCC Distance Education programme at the network session

Some of the pioneer Masters’ Degree holders of the UCC College of Distance Education in a group photograph after the congregation.