Program Duration
Academic year: Mid-August - Mid-May
Fall semester: Mid-August - Mid-December
Spring semester: Mid-January - Mid-May
Program Description
Offered through the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE), this program in Ghana is co-sponsored with UW-Madison. Participants study at the University of Ghana, which has an enrollment of 23,000 students. This program is designed for a wide variety of students, including those interested in studying the political and economic challenges facing sub-Saharan Africa and developing nations, and those interested in studying West African cultural practices in various musical and dance forms.
The CIEE Study Center is located in Legon, approximately ten miles from Ghana’s capital city, Accra, at the University of Ghana. While still characterized by a vibrant atmosphere, Legon has a slower pace than the bustle of central Accra. Because of its close proximity to Accra, students have the opportunity to experience first-hand the challenges of a large urban environment within an African context.
Academics
The University of Ghana was established in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast, an affiliate college of the University of London. Following Ghana’s independence in 1957, the university was reorganized as the University of Ghana and, in 1961, began to award its own degrees. The university includes Faculties of Agriculture, Arts, Law, Medicine, Science and Social Sciences; the School of Administration; three agricultural research stations; and institutes for adult education, African studies, archival training, international relations (primarily for graduate students) and communication, medical research, population studies, and statistical, social, and economic research.
Participants are required to take a Ghanaian language course (Twi), along with four additional courses chosen from the regular offerings at the University of Ghana. The university has a wide range of traditional offerings similar to most U.S. undergraduate programs. All students are required to take at least one course in a subject related to Africa. The Resident Director also assists interested program participants in finding a suitable community service internship or in organizing an independent study project.
Housing
Students have the choice of three housing options: a homestay with a Ghanaian Family, an on-campus dormitory, or off-campus houses. In the off-campus houses participants live with other CIEE students. In the dormitory, participants live with CIEE, Ghanaian, or other international students. Some meals are provided in the homestay option, in the other housing options meals are not included.
Excursions and Activities
The academic program is supplemented with field trips and excursions to various points of interest. Past semesters have included field trips and excursions to Kumasi, Dodi Island, Elmina, Cape Coast, Aburi Botanical Gardens, the Wli Falls in the Volta Region, and a weekend trip to Lome, Togo. Local conditions will dictate the field trips and excursions offered each semester, and thus they are subject to change. In addition to travel, there are many other ways for students to become involved in Ghanaian society, including volunteerism and student clubs.
Each term, a number of students volunteer in local businesses, social services, and cultural institutions, as well as assist in local schools. Through the Voluntary Work Camps Association of Ghana, and for an additional fee, students are also able to participate in a variety of rural work camps. Individual students may participate, usually for two to four weeks, in a number of community service activities after the end of the fall and spring semesters.
Participants have a mandatory week-long program of activities after they arrive in Ghana. The goal of orientation is to introduce students to the country, culture, and the academic program, and to provide practical information on living in Legon. Orientation includes excursions and lectures on topics such as Ghanaian history, culture, religion, economy, and family life.