UCC reduces post diploma programmes duration to two years

The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has reviewed the duration of some of its post diploma programmes from three to two years.

This is to motivate more people to pursue further studies without compromising on quality and content of the programmes.

Professor Domwini D. Kuupole, Vice Chancellor, who disclosed this on Wednesday, acknowledged the fact that the duration of an academic programme could be a de-motivating factor to those who have had enough of academic work.

Hitherto, students with Higher National Diploma had to do three years to acquire a degree from the College of Distance Education.

He made this known at the 12th matriculation ceremony to officially admit 16,770 fresh students into the university’s College of Distance Education (CoDE) for the 2014/2015 academic year.

Out of the total number of students that matriculated, 13,839 are pursuing various programmes in education with the remaining 2,931 pursuing business related programmes while 517 students were admitted for the post graduate programmes.

On the gender break down, 9,376 are males while 7,394 are females; a ratio of 55.9: 44.1 which, according to Prof. Kuupole, was significant because the university was aiming at a gender ratio of 1:1 admissions.

This year’s ceremony was decentralised into zones to reduce the long journey risks and other inconveniences students from centres across the country went through in order to attend the ceremony.

Prof. Kuupole announced that CoDe had introduced a three-year Diploma in Tourism Management and there-year Hospitality Management aimed at broadening employment opportunities to the numerous youth who desired to upgrade themselves in the hospitality industry.

He said the university had also reviewed some of its academic modules for the first semester programmes and it would be uploaded online for access by students to facilitate learning while the remaining modules would also be reviewed and uploaded.

He said the university, in collaboration with the Distance Education Students Association of Ghana (DESAG), had procured 10,000 tablet computers from Huawei Technologies for distribution to CoDE first year students to enhance academic work at the college.

Prof. Kuupole urged students to adhere to all the rules and regulations of the university and their programmes of study adding; “you have a role to play in maintaining your reputation and that of the university… the university does not compromise on its academic standards”.