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Basic Education

Vision statement: 
To become a Department of world-wide acclaim, of excellence for teaching, competency-based training and cutting-edge research in Early Childhood and Basic Education.
Mission statement: 
To pursue and promote quality teaching and learning aimed at the preparation of professionally oriented teacher-trainers, headteachers, administrators and supervisors for Basic Schools in Ghana. To serve as a catalyst to influence teaching and learning in teacher education institutions by producing high calibre graduate professionals with solid background in childhood education, management and administration, to improve basic school work as well as serving teachers in the classroom.  To promote quality teaching and learning aimed at the preparation of professionally-oriented teacher for Early Childhood Centre and Basic Schools in Ghana.
History: 
Basic Education is universally accepted as the foundation to achieve broad-based development of children to contribute meaningfully to nation building. This means ensuring that all pupils are able to develop their cognitive, social, emotional, cultural and physical skills to the best of their abilities and preparing them to identify and pursue their preferred career. It is in this light that the Department of Basic Education is providing quality training to teachers to unearth the potentials and talents of children in order to achieve the Sustainable Goal 4 which aims at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Background In 1992, the Department of Primary Education (DPE) now known as Department of Basic Education (DBE) was initiated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Accra with the Vice Chancellor, Dean, and the senior members of Faculty of Education.  The Department was officially established on October 12, 1993 under the Primary Education Programme (PREP) with the collaboration of USAID as one of the ways to ensure quality Primary Education in Ghana. DPE was established as a unique department, to fulfill the long-standing function of the University to train teachers in Training College acquire skills in all aspects of Primary Education.  The programmes of the DPE are planned such that the energetic and high calibre professionals produced will serve as teachers, administrators, supervisors, and circuit officers in the decentralised Education Offices that have been created as part of the policies in the improvement of the Primary Education in Ghana. The Department also prepares graduate professional educators with special competencies in Primary School pedagogy, different content areas, administration, management and supervision.  USAID supported the new-born Department by supporting staff development and providing material resources. Currently, this support had been withdrawn and the Department is virtually weaned from any kind of support and provision from USAID. In 2007, the name was changed to reflect the new concept of Basic Education in Ghana. The M.Phil. in Basic Education was introduced to train competent personnel for the basic schools and Colleges of Education so as to enhance the quality of education in Ghana. In addition to this, the introduction of Kindergarten (KG) in the primary school system necessitated the training of teachers and attendants to fill vacancies in the schools nationwide. The Department of Basic Education took up the challenge by introducing Bachelor’s degree and Certificate programmes in Early Childhood Education. Again, in response to the over whelming demand for higher and further training in Early Childhood Education, the Department introduced Diploma in Early Childhood Education in the year 2011 on sandwich basis. Rationale for the Department The programme prepares Ghanaian teachers with a global outlook in Basic Education, who have advanced knowledge and skills needed to promote effective teaching and learning in basic schools. The programme reflects the University of Cape Coast strategic vision which aims at training teachers with cutting-edge research and technological knowledge to empower children to become collaborative, independent and lifelong learners. The programme focuses on critical thinking, reflective practice and ethical behaviour that enable graduates to be pedagogical leaders in Basic Education. Graduates from this programme will develop deep conceptual and practical understanding of the Ghanaian national policy and curriculum documents as well as international practices informing Basic Education. Objectives Upon successful completion of the programme, graduates will: develop deep affective, cognitive, technical and creative skills to teach effectively at the basic education level. develop advanced knowledge of teaching and learning and apply these in their professional practice. demonstrate ethical understanding and scholarly practice to extend professional practice through enquiry and research. understand the diverse range of cultural practices, safety and wellbeing, and demonstrate responsive relationship with children, families and other stakeholders. develop professional leadership, values and commitment to inclusion and social justice. develop research and problem-solving skills and be able to analyze and interpret data to inform policy, planning and practice. Academic Staff The Department currently has staff strength of eleven (11). This is made up of one   Associate Professor, six Senior Lecturers, two lecturers and two Assistant Lecturers in addition to two teaching Associates. Research Assistants The Department currently has two teaching Associates. One is in the area of basic Mathematics and Numeracy and the other in Educational Administration. Non-Academic Staff The Department currently has five non-academic staff including a driver. They perform non-academic duties such as photocopying, typing letters and posting mails among others. Linkages with other Departments/Schools The Department collaborates with the Department of English, Ghanaian Languages, Arts Education where our students also study some courses as part of their academic programme. The Department also collaborates with the Institute of Education and the Colleges of Education in Ghana. At the International level, the Department has a stronger collaboration with Auburn University, United States of America. Library The Department has a library stocked with books mainly on education particularly, Basic Education and Early Childhood Education.
Core Values: 
Not Published
College/Faculty/School/Department: 
Department of Basic Education

Optimization

This course introduces the principal algorithms for linear, network, discrete, nonlinear, dynamic optimization and optimal control. Emphasis is on methodology and the underlying mathematical structures. Topics include description of the problem of optimisation and the geometry of Rn, n > 1, convex sets and convex functions, unconstrained optimization: necessary and sufficient conditions for local minima/maxima,  constrained optimization: equality and inequality constraints, Lagrange multipliers and the Kuhn-Tucker conditions, computational methods  for unconstrained and constrained optimization, steepest descent and Newton's methods, quadratic programming, penalty and barrier methods, sequential quadratic programming (SQP) implementation in MATLAB/OCTAVE. 

Course Code: 
MAT 413
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Pre-requisite: 
MAT 301 and MAT 302
Select Programme(s): 
Mathematics

Numerical Analysis II

This course is designed to equip students with the basic techniques for the efficient numerical solution of problems in science and engineering. Topics will include: Curve fitting and function approximation.  Approximation formulae for kth derivatives.  Composite rules and Romberg integration, Gauss quadrature, numerical method for multiple integrals. Numerical methods for ordinary differential equations.  Numerical methods for Eigenvalues, the power method for finding dominant eigennvalues, the inverse power method for finding smallest eigenvalues, the shifted inverse power method, for finding an eigenvalues closest to a given approximate eigenvalue. Piece-wise polynomial interpolation, cubic splines.

Course Code: 
MAT 412
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
Second Semester
Pre-requisite: 
MAT 407
Select Programme(s): 
Mathematics

Quantum Mechanics

This course develops concepts in quantum mechanics such that the behaviour of the physical universe can be understood from a fundamental point of view. It provides a basis for further study of quantum mechanics. Content will include: Historical origin of Quantum Theory: Blackbody radiation, Photoelectric effect, Compton effect, Optical Spectra of atoms. General formalism of Quantum theory: operators, wavefunctions and their physical significance, expectation value, commutation relations, uncertainty principle. The Schroedinger equation, infinite square well, the square well in three dimensions, central potential, step potential. The Harmonic Oscillator, Angular momentum in quantum mechanics. Approximation methods: Stationary Perturbation theory, Variational method, WKB approximation, Theory of Scattering.

Course Code: 
MAT 410
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
Second Semester
Pre-requisite: 
MAT 411
Select Programme(s): 
Mathematics

Classical Mechanics

This is an introductory mechanics course designed to consolidate the understanding of fundamental concepts in mechanics such as force, energy, momentum etc. more rigorously as needed for further studies in physics, engineering and technology. Topcs covered include kinematics and dynamics of point masses, Newton’s laws,  momentum, energy, angular momentum and torque, conservation laws, motion under gravity, central force problem, Virial theorem, Kepler’s laws, Rutherford problem,  coupled oscillations, dynamics of rigid bodies, moment of inertia tensor, Euler’s equations, orthogonal transformation and Euler’s angle, Cayley Klein parameters, symmetric top,  Lagrangian dynamics, generalized coordinates and forces, Lagrange’s equation, Hamilton’s principle, and variational methods.

Course Code: 
MAT 411
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Pre-requisite: 
MAT 202
Select Programme(s): 
Mathematics

Operations Research

This course serves as an introduction to the field of operations research. It will quip students with scientific approaches to decision-making and mathematical modelling techniques required  to design, improve and operate complex systems in the best possible way. Topics covered include linear programming, the simplex method, duality and sensitivity analysis, integer programming , nonlinear programming, dynamic programming and  network models. 

Course Code: 
MAT 409
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Pre-requisite: 
MAT 206
Select Programme(s): 
Mathematics
Mathematics-with-Economics

Introductory Functional Analysis

This course is intended to introduce the student to the basic concepts and theorems of functional analysis and its applications. Topics covered include linear spaces, topological spaces, normed linear spaces & Banach Spaces, inner product spaces,  Hilbert spaces, linear functional and the Hahn-Banach theorem.

Course Code: 
MAT 408
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
Second Semester
Pre-requisite: 
MAT 401
Select Programme(s): 
Mathematics
Mathematics-with-Business
Mathematics-with-Economics

Numerical Analysis I

This course is designed to equip students with the basic techniques for the efficient numerical solution of problems in science and engineering. Topics covered include round off errors and floating-point arithmetic,  solution of non-linear equations, bracketing, fixed point methods, secant method, Newton's method, zeros of polynomials, Polynomial interpolation, orthogonal polynomial, least squares approximations, approximation by rational function, numerical differentiation, numerical integration, and  adaptive quadrature.

Course Code: 
MAT 407
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
Second Semester
Pre-requisite: 
MAT 302 and MAT 307
Select Programme(s): 
Mathematics-with-Business

Partial Differential Equations

This course introduces students to the theory of boundary value and initial value problems for partial differential equations with emphasis on linear equations. Topics covered include first and second order partial differential equations, classification of second order linear partial differential equations, derivation of standard equation, methods of solution of initial and boundary value problems, separation of variables, Fourier series and their applications to boundary value problems in partial differential equation of engineering and physics, internal transform methods; Fourier and Laplace transforms and their application to boundary value problems.

Course Code: 
MAT 406
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Pre-requisite: 
MAT 405
Select Programme(s): 
Mathematics
Mathematics-with-Business

Ordinary Differential Equations

The construction of mathematical models to address real-world problems has been one of the most important aspects of each of the branches of science. It is often the case that these mathematical models are formulated in terms of equations involving functions as well as their derivatives. Such equations are called differential equations. If only one independent variable is involved, often time, the equations are called ordinary differential equations. The course will demonstrate the usefulness of ordinary differential equations for modelling physical and other phenomena. Complementary mathematical approaches for their solution will be presented. Topics  covered include linear differential equation of order n with coefficients continuous on some interval J,  existence-uniqueness theorem for linear equations of order n, determination of a particular solution of non-homogeneous equations by the method of variation of parameters,  Wronskian matrix of n independent solutions of a homogeneous linear equation,  ordinary and singular points for linear equations of the second order,  solution near a singular point, method of Frobenius, singularities at infinity, simple examples of  Boundary value problems for ordinary linear equation of the second order, Green’s functions, eigenvalues, eigenfunctions, Sturm-Liouville systems, properties of the gamma and beta functions, definition of the gamma function for negative values of the argument; Legendre, Bessel, Chebyshev, Hypergeometic functions and  orthogonality properties.

Course Code: 
MAT 405
No. of Credits: 
3
Level: 
Level 400
Course Semester: 
First Semester
Pre-requisite: 
MAT 301
Select Programme(s): 
Mathematics
Mathematics-with-Business
Mathematics-with-Economics

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