Ghana

Ghana: Beyond the Classroom

Required Independent Study

An independent study, called the EAP Special Study Project, is required of all students in all programs in Ghana. EAP students will design special study projects on topics related to West Africa, especially Ghana, which may include research or internship activities.

Special Study Projects are under the general direction of the Study Center Liaison Officer and the supervision of a local faculty member or other qualified person on site.
Special Study Projects will normally be worth 4.0 UC quarter units, but may vary depending on the type and amount of work involved.
Special Study Projects are graded with a letter grade; the P/NP option is not permitted.

Pre-departure

Students must research possible study topics or internships and consult appropriate UC campus faculty members for advice. It may be possible to develop a project related to the research interests of a UC faculty member or to the student’s long-term research or honors work at the home UC campus. It is a good idea to have a second, alternate topic in mind in case the first one does not work out.

Each student is required to compose a preliminary proposal and send it to UOEAP so that it can be forwarded to the Study Center Liaison Officer before the term begins. Instructions for completing and submitting the proposals are included in the EAP online packet.

Former students have explored topics such as Ghanaian textile printing, the African Renaissance Mission, availability of local health care, Trokosi religious traditions, the effects of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), the impact of the World Bank stabilization projects, effects of Habitat for Humanity on local communities, the use of theatre as education in rural areas, the Brazilian-descended Ga community in Accra, and the impact of conflict on women in northern Ghana.

Numerous suggestions can be gleaned from the notebook “Resources for Independent Study Proposals” and the collection of books and journals of published research about Ghana available at the Campus EAP Office.

Students should see the instructions for using the California Digital Library in the EAP General Information Guide and test its use before leaving for Ghana.

On site in Ghana

Once in Ghana, students will complete a Special Study Project form and a formal research proposal or plan of study in consultation with the Study Center Liaison Officer and the host university faculty member or other designated supervisor. At this time the topic will be refined, revised, or possibly shifted to better fit the resources available or the cultural-political environment in Ghana.

Special Study Project form

The proposal requires:

title
explanation of the topic, including the objective of the study
methodology to be used
expected result (including the type of work to be submitted for a grade)
outline of the steps to implement the project
list of sources to be consulted (bibliography, archives, exhibit, performances, interviewees, etc., as appropriate to the topic)

Community service opportunities and volunteer positions, which may be developed into a Special Study Project, are available at many local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and at local school libraries, the University Hospital, the National Theatre, the Family and Development Programme, UNESCO, and the World Health Organization. There are a number of institutes or projects on the University of Ghana campus and at KNUST that might offer opportunities for research or internships. The Study Center has a binder of information on NGOs.

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