Dr Emmanuel Ekow Asmah

Dear All,
I feel very excited and honored on behalf of the entire faculty and staff to welcome all of you who have taken time off to visit our website to read more about us in the Department of Economics here at the University of Cape Coast (“Our University of Choice”). More than this, I wish to extend our warm welcome to our new and continuing students who have joined us to begin this ambitious academic year.

As a Department, we take great pride in what we have accomplished these past 53 years and will continue to keep our tradition of creating the student-centered learning environment that helps students to become critical thinkers, active problem-solvers, diligent researchers and productive citizens.  Beyond our regular teaching programmes, the Department engages in diverse research and outreach-related activities that should be of interest to you. Our Center for Data Archiving, Management, Analysis and Advocacy (CDAAMA) provides a one-stop shop for all issues related to micro data management and analysis. We also have an economic policy modeling unit which offers strategic advice to public policy makers as well as a Microfinance center which collaborates with industry stakeholders to streamline activities through research and capacity building.

On a more exciting note, I wish to also extend a friendly invitation to all our students to participate and take active interest in the activities of the Association of Economics Students (AES) – a platform for our students to demonstrate their leadership and organizational skills and put into practice the theories and concepts learned from textbooks and during lectures. Please do not hesitate to contact me personally or any of our dedicated and friendly staff if you have any questions or concerns.  It is always an honor and a privilege for us to serve you and we look forward to working with all of you on your path to greatness. Once again, thank you for your interest in the Department of Economics and accept my best wishes in all your endeavors!

Sincerely,

E. Ekow Asmah (PhD)

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

  • 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

The Department of Economics, UCC is one of the best Economic Departments in Ghana with internationally acclaimed Lecturers. Students admitted into the Department of Economics are trained to get deeper understanding of economic issues and also enjoy rigorous analytical reasoning. The economics courses that we teach are more analytical and mathematical than in other Ghanaian universities.

The Department has a wide range of programmes from the undergraduate level to postgraduate level. Our undergraduate students are given strong foundations in economics that prepares them for both graduate level programmes and the world of work. Graduate students are also given the best of training in economics for a professional career as an economist.

Many of our undergraduate and postgraduate students have won scholarships accepted into top US and European universities for their masters and PhD studies. Department of Economics, UCC prepares students for the rigours of such advanced studies.

Our graduates have high employment prospects in academic and research institutions, Development Agencies/Partners, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Bank of Ghana and Other Financial Institutions, and Private Organizations.  Most of our former students are employed at the Bank of Ghana, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and some foreign Universities. The department offers students opportunities that they cannot get in any other university in the