Geography

Degree Type: 

Doctor of Philosophy

Department: 

Department of Geography and Regional Planning

Programme Duration: 

4 years (Standard Entry)

Modes of Study: 

Regular

Entry Requirements: 

.

Goal / Aim / Objectives: 

Aim

The aim of the programme is to produce competent higher-level students with the capability to undertake research, design and implement programmes and contribute to policy making. 

Objective

The objectives are to:

  • Develop students’ critical, analytical thinking and problem solving skills;
  • Equip student with knowledge and skills to undertake research in geography and regional planning; and
  • To enhance the capacity of students in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of public policies.

Programme Structure

Level 900

First Semester

FSS 901: Philosophy of Social Science Research
3 Credit(s)

Objective

To expose students to the Western, African and Asian philosophical thoughts which have shaped and have the potential to shape social science research and practice. 

Content 

It traces the development of various philosophical points of view about knowledge, sources of knowledge and schools of thought, which is about knowledge generation and research. Among the issues to be discussed are: Nature of science: Theory of science, the scientific enterprise; Theories of knowledge and ideas, ontology (the being of things) and methodology (ways of doing things); sources of knowledge; Selected philosophers in Western thought: e.g. St. Augustine; Plato; John S. Mill, John Locke, Hume, Kant, Berkley; Wiredu, Gyekye; Confucius; Schools of thought which have influenced social science research: e.g. positivism, phenomenology, hermeneutics, existentialism, feminist epistemology, epicurean thought, Marxist thought (socialism), cosmological and ontological arguments, justice; Selected Eastern (Indo-Chinese) thought; and Africa cosmology of life; and ethics in research. Emphasis will be on implications of these thoughts for knowledge generation and for research. 

Mode of delivery

The course will be delivered through lectures, seminars, group discussion, and applied problem solving approach.
FSS 903: Advanced Quantitative Techniques
3 Credit(s)

Objective 

The objective of the course is to:

  • Enhance the capacity of students to understand quantitative research processes; and 
  • Strengthen the skills of students to conduct independent quantitative research.

Content 

This course focuses on: theoretical issues inherent in quantitative research, when to use quantitative techniques and types of quantitative techniques. It also deals with issues of validity, reliability and representativeness as well as design of research instruments, how to apply theoretical and conceptual frameworks, employ appropriate data collections and analysis techniques and writing of research reports. 

Mode of delivery

The content will be delivered through lectures, assigned data analysis, individual and group presentations. 
GEO 902: Geography of Ghana and Development Planning Issues
3 Credit(s)

Objective 

To discuss broad issues on the development and regional socio-economic growth in Ghana. 

Content

Concepts and models in geography and regional planning will be applied to specific case programmes/projects implemented at the national, regional, metropolitan, municipal and district levels. Also to be discussed are opportunities and challenges offered by the country’s physical environment; north-south development divide and implications for national cohesion; structure of the economy and implications for Ghana’s status as lower middle-income country; Ghana as an oil and gas economy; urban and environmental challenges and implications for quality of life; population dynamics including internal displacements and refugeesm; Ghana in a global economy; and rural/urban transport infrastructure and development. 

Mode of delivery

The course will be delivered through lectures, seminars, group discussion, fieldwork and practical or applied problem solving approach.
GEO 904: Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems
3 Credit(s)

Objective

To equip students with the knowledge and skills in remote sensing/GIS and their application to resource management, especially oil and gas. 

Content

Areas to be covered include principles of electromagnetic radiation, atmospheric effects on images, spectral response patterns of geographic phenomena, image characteristics and interpretation, operational earth observation systems, image data acquisition and pre-processing. Under the GIS component, concepts such as database systems, spatial data integration, data quality, map projections and coordinate systems will be covered. Students will also be equipped with practical skills in the handling of digital spatial data using state of the art software. Students will also undertake field data collection and integration using a variety of tools including Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. 

Mode of delivery

The course will be delivered through lectures, laboratory exercises, seminars, group discussion, fieldwork and practical or applied problem solving approach.
GEO 905B : Seminar Series
3 Credit(s)

Objective

To build the capacity of students to be able to identify, analyse and resolve challenges in geographic discourse.

 Content

Opportunity will be provided for guest lecturers to share their thoughts with students on topics in geography and related disciplines. Students will be encouraged to participate in interactive small group discussions and role-play simulations. Students will also be guided to make presentations on issues such as authorship, conflict of interest, data acquisition and management, and ethical considerations in research.

Mode of delivery 

Lectures, seminars, group discussion, and applied problem solving approach

Second Semester

FSS 902: Theory building in Social Sciences
3 Credit(s)

Objective 

To equip students with the knowledge of the nature and objectives of social sciences, as well as the epistemological and ethical foundations of theory building in social sciences.  

Content 

Emphasis will be given to the strengths and weaknesses of positivist and hermeneutics traditions, functional dependency and statistical laws, building blocks and theory formulation. Sources of new theories, measurement models and their applications in the social sciences, objectivity and the question of value free social sciences, and feminist epistemology are also addressed. Discussions will involve systems thinking and analysis and logical, empirical and epistemological processes that theory formulation or construction sin the social sciences pass through. 

Mode of delivery

The course will be delivered through lectures, seminars, group discussion, and applied problem solving approach.
FSS 904: Advanced Qualitative Techniques
3 Credit(s)

Objective

The objective of the course are to:

  • Enhanced the capacity of students to understand qualitative research processes; and 
  • Strengthen the skills of students to conduct independent research.

Content

This course focuses on:

Theoretical issues inherent in qualitative research, when to use qualitative techniques and types of qualitative techniques. It will include concept of validation (e.g. trustworthiness and reflexivity), how to develop research guide and screening forms. It also deals with how to apply theoretical and conceptual frameworks, employ appropriate data collection and analysis techniques (computer-assisted qualitative data analysis) and writing of reports.

Mode of delivery

The content will be delivered through lectures, assigned data analysis, individual and group presentations. 
GEO 901: Contemporary issues in Geography & Regional Planning
3 Credit(s)

Objective 

To expose students to emerging geographic issues that have implications for national and continental planning and development. 

Content

The course focuses on the dynamics of the issues in relation to the geopolitics of Ghana’s lower middle-income status. Among the issues to cover are global warming and climate change; governance and political corruption; globalisation and development in developing countries; natural/artificial disasters and their management; challenges of food security in Africa; emerging issues in regionalism and integration; access, inclusion and exclusion; environmental injustices; and green transport with focus on urban walkability. Students will be encouraged to make presentations on the topics for discussion.

Mode of delivery

The course will be delivered through lectures, seminars, group discussion, fieldwork and practical or applied problem solving approach.
GEO 903: Physical and Environmental Systems Analysis
3 Credit(s)

Objective

To deepen students’ understanding of physical and environmental processes and systems to be able to understand complex environmental issues at the local and global scales.

Content

A systems perspective is required in order to understand today’s multidisciplinary environmental problems, and to identify both long-term solutions and alternatives. The course is founded in systems science theories (system thinking, critical thinking, systems analysis and system dynamics). It approaches problem solving with the help of conceptual and quantitative modelling as well as scenario techniques focusing on landscape, natural resource management, anthropogenic environmental impact sustainability and climate change. 

Mode of delivery

The course will be delivered through lectures, seminars, group discussion, fieldwork and practical or applied problem solving approach.
GEO 905A: Seminar Series
3 Credit(s)

Objective

To build the capacity of students to be able to identify, analyse and resolve challenges in geographic discourse.

 Content

Opportunity will be provided for guest lecturers to share their thoughts with students on topics in geography and related disciplines. Students will be encouraged to participate in interactive small group discussions and role-play simulations. Students will also be guided to make presentations on issues such as authorship, conflict of interest, data acquisition and management, and ethical considerations in research.

Mode of delivery 

Lectures, seminars, group discussion, and applied problem solving approach

Level 950

First Semester

GEO 999: Thesis
3 Credit(s)

Objective

To build the capacity of students to develop their writing and research skills in the main areas or fields of specialty.

Content

Students will present a thesis in their areas of interest. A thesis should be between 120 and 300 pages as prescribed by the School of Graduate Studies.

Second Semester

GEO 999: Thesis
3 Credit(s)

Objective

To build the capacity of students to develop their writing and research skills in the main areas or fields of specialty.

Content

Students will present a thesis in their areas of interest. A thesis should be between 120 and 300 pages as prescribed by the School of Graduate Studies.