Semester Project
Semester Project
Semester Project
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My journey to gain admission into the University of Ghana, Legon was an arduous one,
but I wasn’t alone. I had help from members of the computer science department. I want to give
special thanks to Doctor Ebenezer Owusu, The Head of Department of the Computer Science
Department, who by his goodwill and knowledge helped me to gain admission to The Premier
University. I also want to offer thanks to Professor Mark Atta Mensah who advised the head of
the department on the most effective way for me to gain admission to the university.
I also want to give acknowledgments to my mother, Mrs. Rebecca Yaa Kankam, and my
father, Mr. Frederick Yaw Kankam. Because of their love for me, they came with me to the
University until my admission was guaranteed. I will want to offer thanks to my elder sister who
offered emotional support to be able to deal with my WASSCE results and help me with my
needs. I also want to acknowledge the effort of my uncle, Mr. Stephen Kwesi Afari, whose
support and guidance gave me the confidence to pursue the course of Computer Science.
Throughout this semester I have had marvelous help from newly found friends, some of
whom I would like to mention by name. Mr. Justice, who help
I would like to use this opportunity to express my gratitude to all those who have thought
me formally. Paramount among all of them is my Integrated Science teacher in Junior High
School, Mr. David Abraham. His teachings made me love science in general and I believe that
the knowledge he imparted to me led me to study computer science.
Page 1 of 22
ABSTRACT
This project is all about the author, Frederick Kwaku Kankam. It gives a vivid description
of the author physically, mentally, and educationally. This project dives into the life and family,
aspirations, goals, and hobbies of the author. This describes the author’s program of study, gives
a detailed description of the courses the program entails, compares the various courses, and
emphasizes his favorite courses so far. This project aims to describe the teaching methods, the
lecturers who handle the course, and how the lectures assess the knowledge the students have.
This project also brings to bed the author's motivation to choose The University of Ghana
as the best to study. The history of the University of Ghana will be discussed. It will discuss the
past and present leadership of the University of Ghana. The project will chronologically describe
the schools which the University contains, the departments and the faculties, etc.
This project aims to tell readers about the current housing situation of the author, its
advantages, and disadvantages of living in my current location. The author is also going to
describe his favorite place on campus. You will get to see what makes the place his favorite. This
project will describe the author’s experiences in participating in various extracurricular activities
he got himself involved, the new friends he made, his favorite lecturer, and the difficulties in
adjusting to the new environment.
In this document, the author will narrate the interactions he had with the university’s
administrative components. This will include the Head of the Computer Science Department,
Course Advisor, etc. He will share all the benefits he gained from applying the advice given by
influential people in the university. Finally, the author will discuss what will be discussed when
he has been granted the opportunity to have an audience with the Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Ghana Nana Aba Appiah Amfo.
All the various topics enumerated will be backed by beautiful artwork and images to make this
work enthralling.
Page 2 of 22
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.................................................................................................................................1
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................................2
LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................................................4
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................5
Chapter 1: Biography..................................................................................................................................6
Chapter 2: Program of Study......................................................................................................................8
Chapter 3: My courses................................................................................................................................9
DCIT 101: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE........................................................................9
DCIT 103: OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS.........................................................................................9
MATH 121: ALGEBRA AND TRIGONOMETRY....................................................................................9
MATH 123: VECTORS AND GEOMETRY..........................................................................................10
STAT 111: INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY 1....................................................10
UGRC 110: ACADEMIC WRITING....................................................................................................10
Chapter 4: University of Ghana (PREMIER UNIVERSITY)..........................................................................12
Chapter 4.1: HISTORY............................................................................................................................12
Chapter 4.2: LEADERSHIP......................................................................................................................13
Chapter 4.3 SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS...........................................................................................13
Chapter 5: My Housing.............................................................................................................................17
Chapter 6: Campus Experience.................................................................................................................18
Page 3 of 22
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1..........................................................................................................................................13
TABLE 2..........................................................................................................................................17
Page 4 of 22
INTRODUCTION
Upon awakening from slumber and rising from the comfort of my bed, my mind became
singularly occupied with the anticipation and contemplation of my impending examination
outcomes. Yes, my WASSCE results. WAEC created a huge suspense regarding the time for our
results to be released. They constantly changed the date and time of the release. Days seamlessly
transitioned into weeks, and weeks into months, each passing hour marked a sense of eager
anticipation for that day. Finally, the day had come. It was the 21st of December, 2023. I knew
the time I checked my result wouldn’t change the outcome so I checked it immediately I woke
up. I shouted, “Wow”. Followed by a decreasing tone of, “No”.
My result was good. But didn’t meet the point of excellence I wanted. Before and after
the results came out the University of Ghana, Legon allowed me to choose the course I would
love to study. I chose Dentistry as my first choice and Mathematical Sciences as my second
choice. Despite harboring unwavering optimism and confidence in my ability to secure
admission into dental school, I found myself faced with the bitter reality that my aspirations did
not align with the outcome I had hoped for. Because of my choice of Mathematical Sciences as
my second choice, I almost didn’t get admission to the School of Mathematical Sciences. I was a
real hustle to gain admission, moving from one department to another, trying to look for the
Dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences to plead for his assistance. At the end of it all
through Jah's undeserved kindness, I received assistance from the Head of the Mathematical
Department (Doctor Ebenezer Owusu).
My parents were a big help in helping me get the application as well. My heart was filled
with overwhelming joy when I finally had my admission letter. With all readiness, I prepared to
start a new journey of self-improvement. The first thing I did to prepare was to visit the market
to get some items that would be needed for me to survive throughout my tertiary education.
Unfortunately, I had a disadvantage. I attended a day school, that is Chemu Senior High
Technical School. This means I didn't have any knowledge about my life far from my parent.
This affected the things I bought.
The University of Ghana was one of the schools that hosted the African Game this year
so the management designated most of the rooms in the hostel to the athletes and volunteers as
residents. This left the school with little to no rooms available to accommodate us. Those of us
who didn’t get the opportunity to get a Hall had no choice but to find residence off-campus.
Looking for accommodation in Legon, Accra wasn’t as smooth as u would think. Eventually, we
had one which met my parent’s standard. We will be talking more about that in the proceeding
chapters.
This is just the fringes of the stress I went to even before the semester started. In my
write-up, we will discuss all the things I have faced on and off campus. I will talk about my
highest moments as well as the lowest. I will give you a clear picture of what my course entails. I
will give you a comprehensive description of myself and the University of Ghana, Legon.
The aforementioned topics, alongside numerous others of equal importance, will be
thoroughly examined and analyzed in the next chapters. I invite you to settle in and anticipate the
gradual unveiling of each chapter's contents. To commence our journey, I will describe myself.
Page 5 of 22
Chapter 1: Biography
I am Mr. Frederick Kwaku Kankam. I am a teenager at the age of 19, born on the noon of
th
10 November 2023. Dark in complexion with black hair. My family was created by my parents
who intermarried. My dad is from Koforidua, in the eastern region of Ghana while my mom is
from Kumasi, in the Asante Region of Ghana. My family is made up of three individuals
excluding me. My dad, Mr. Frederick Yaw Kankam. My mom Mrs. Rebecca Yaa Kankam. My
Sister, Mrs. Rachel Yaa Asabea Kankam. I am a Christian, specifically, I am a Jehovah’s
Witness.
I am a student at the University of Ghana, Legon. Currently, I am pursuing a Bachelor's
degree in Physical and Mathematical Sciences. As mentioned in the introduction to this project I
had my secondary education at Chemu Senior High Technical School, Tema. I attain my Basic
school education from Cejose Wisdom International School. I am driven by curiosity and passion
to have a positive impact on the world I was born into. I believe in continuous improvement to
unlock my full potential and achieve excellence in an uncertain world. This is the reason why I
exert myself in all I do both educationally and otherwise.
My academic journey hasn’t been devoid of challenges. It has been marked with a lot of
bumps and obstacles on the way to this point. I wasn’t as studious as I am today. During my
early primary years, I grappled with youthful traits such as obstinacy, disrespect, and arrogance –
traits common to boys of my age. This posed a great threat to my educational development. The
constant prevalence of these attitudes led to a day in my life I cannot seem to forget. I was
transferred to a new school so I had to take an assessment to determine whether I was well-suited
to be in class 3. I failed miserably and was repeated to class 2. The pain that came with being
repeated molded my attitude and helped me to be who I am today.
My life is all studying and boring, I have hobbies. I love going out with my friends to
release the stress accumulated during the week. I love playing football, especially when I play
with friends. When I am not with friends but I want to enjoy myself, I play video games. The
video games I love playing are FIFA, Need for Speed, NBA 2K 20, etc. Sometimes during my
leisure time, I keep fit by jogging around my neighborhood or doing an indoor exercise routine.
My dad always teaches me to be versatile anywhere I might find myself. I studied
General Science during my secondary education. Even though I don’t use most of the knowledge
I have acquired now some skills like critical thinking, self-reliance, obedience, how to make
records, and how to study to gain the maximum out of what I have learned have been very useful
in helping me adapt to the university conditions. My dad owns a company that deals with editing
creating, formatting, and printing of documents necessary for agents to import or export goods
and services. This requires skills in MS Word, Excel, Photoshop, etc. As I go there each vacation
I get to learn these skills.
I am a young man with big dreams. My current career path is geared towards being the
best Software and web developer there working for the best Tech Company in the world
(Microsoft). I know achieving this is not going to be an easy task but I am eager to learn new
skills, further my education, and expand my knowledge in specific areas of interest. My dreams
and aspirations aren’t for selfish gains but or impact the lives of those in my community by
spearheading many developmental projects through technological advancements in their daily
lives
Page 6 of 22
Let's move away from talking about myself and let us talk about the courses I am doing
this semester in the next chapter.
Page 7 of 22
Chapter 2: Program of Study
My program of study is Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences. It never occurred to me that there was
such a program to study until I started my application process. I choose this program as my second choice after
doing my research. I realized I could open a way for me to do Computer Science. My WACCSE results
showed that I can fare well in the world of mathematics. This and some advice from my uncle made me
consider putting it as my second-choice option. Unfortunately, I wasn’t offered my first choice but Jah’s Grace
I am now in the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.
As the name suggests the school is subdivided into two parts, Mathematical Sciences and Physical Sciences.
We will be talking about the mathematical Sciences part of the school since I am doing a bachelor of Science
in Mathematical Sciences.
In level 100 we are doing a general course in mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, and Office
Productivity Tools. In level 200, I am expected to specialize and any of the above-mentioned courses. My
personal preference is to specialize in Computer Science. This means I will need to choose courses that will
enable me to specialize in it.
One of the most fundamental procedures a student will need to undergo immediately after gaining admission
into the university is to choose the courses he or she will be studying for the upcoming semester. For us
freshers, especially does who don’t have anyone to help him or her through the registration process are left to
figure it out by themselves and that was the position I found myself in. Through Jah’s underserved Kindness, I
befriended Mr. Justice who helped me choose the appropriate course related to what I want to do in Level 200
(Computer Science). Let’s effectively digest all the courses I am doing this semester
Page 8 of 22
Chapter 3: My courses
I do a maximum of six courses and the choice of these courses for the semester is based on the fact that I want
to do computer science at level 200. The courses I am doing currently are:
Page 9 of 22
MATH 123: VECTORS AND GEOMETRY
The lecturer for this course is Dr. John Boiquaye. This course is designed to provide proofs of
some geometrical theorems and give an intuitive understanding of a vector. It is also designed to
enable students to appreciate the beauty and power of vectors and the applications of the various
vector concepts to the geometry of straight lines in a plane and circles. In brief, it is designed to
develop an appreciation for using vectors in solving geometry problems. Math 123 is a three-
credit hour course but the timetable gives it four credit hours. The reasons aren’t known to me.
Dr. John Boiquaye is my second favorite lecturer. His lectures are interesting to be in.
Sometimes I get confused with the math but he gets time to neutralize my confusion.
If I am to rank the courses mentioned from highest to lowest, this will be the rank.
1. DCIT 101: OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS
2. MATH 123: VECTORS AND GEOMETRY
3. DCIT 101: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE
4. MATH 121: ALGEBRA AND TRIGONOMETRY
5. STAT 111: INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS AND PROBABILITY 1
6. UGRC 110: ACADEMIC WRITING
Among all the courses that have been mentioned DCIT 101: OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS
has been the best of the six for two distinct reasons. The course is;
Practical: The course has helped me build on old skills and form new ones. This course
has taught me a lot about MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint in three months than
I was able to acquire before coming to the university.
Page 10 of 22
Has a good lecturer: So far Pro. Mark Atta Mensah has been an excellent lecturer. He is
our course advisor and lecturer so always finds time to tell us what we need to do to get
what we want.
Page 11 of 22
Chapter 4: University of Ghana (PREMIER
UNIVERSITY)
My decision to choose the University of Ghana, Legon, as the university to further my education
was based on two factors. One of such factors is the proximity to home. I currently live at
Mataheko- Tema and comparing the distance between the other universities to home, the
University of Ghana is the closest. Another reason why I chose the University of Ghana to
continue my education is because the University of Ghana is The Premier University in Ghana. It
is rated the best university when it comes to health, IT, infrastructure, and many other topics.
Health and IT were the two options I had regarding what I wanted to do in the university. My
research said the University of Ghana has the most resources to train students in those areas. One
thing that also motivated me to choose the University of Ghana over all the other universities is
that it has a very long and excellent history with training the best. Let us discuss the history of
the University of Ghana. For you to appreciate why the University of Ghana is the Premier
University in Ghana let's discuss four main subtopics.
Page 12 of 22
Chapter 4.2: LEADERSHIP
In a University such as the University of Ghana the leader of the university is the Chancellor. In
most Commonwealth nations such as Ghana, the chancellor is usually a ceremonial non-resident
head of the university. In such institutions, the chief executive of a university is the vice-
chancellor, who may carry an additional title such as president (e.g. "president & vice-
chancellor"). The chancellor may serve as chairperson of the governing body; if not, this duty is
often held by a chairperson who may be known as a pro-chancellor (Wikipedia, 2024). The
University of Ghana has had 10 chancellors throughout its history.
Table 1
Chancellors of the University of Ghana Years of ter
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah 1961-1965
General Joseph Arthur Ankrah 1966-1968
General Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa 1969
Justice Edward Akufo-Addo 1970-1971
General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong 1972-1979
Dr. Hilla Limann 1979-1981
Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings 1982-1991
Oyeeman Wereko Ampem II 1998-2005
Kofi Annan 2008-2018
Mary Chinery-Hesse 2018 to date.
It is worth noting that most of Ghana’s best and influential leaders have assumed the postion of
Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon.
Page 13 of 22
University of Ghana Medical School
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
University of Ghana Dental School
Bachelor of Dental Surgery
School of Pharmacy
Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Dietetics
Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory
Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy
Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy
Bachelor of Science in Radiography
School of Nursing & Midwifery
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Midwifery
School of Public Health
Bachelor of Public Health (Health Promotion, Nutrition, Health Information, Disease
Control, Environmental Health)
COLLEGE OF BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCES
Groupings
Group 1: Physical Sciences
Physics, Chemistry, Geophysics
Group 2: Mathematical Sciences
Mathematics, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Computer Science, Biomathematics, Physics
Group 3: Earth Sciences
Geology, Applied Geology, Applied Geophysics
Group 4: Information Technology
Group 5: Biological Sciences
Animal Biology and Conservation Science, Biochemistry Cell and Molecular Biology, Nutrition,
Food Science, Plant and Environmental Biology, Marine Science, Fisheries Science, Psychology,
Microbiology.
Group 6: Agriculture
Animal Science, Crop Science, Soil Science, Agriculture Economics, Agribusiness, Agriculture
Extension, Post-Harvest Technology.
Group 7: Family and Consumer Science (Food and Clothing Option)
Group 8: Family and Consumer Science (Family and Child Studies Option)
Group 9: Engineering Sciences
Page 14 of 22
Material Science and Engineering, Computer Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Food
Process Engineering, Agriculture Engineering
Group 10: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES
University of Ghana Business School
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
University of Ghana School of Law
Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
School of Arts - Bachelor of Arts –Available in the following Departments:
Department of Religions
Department of Philosophy and Classics
Department of History
Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies
School of Languages - Bachelor of Arts –Available in the following Departments:
Department of English
Department of French
Department of Modern Languages
Department of Linguistics
School of Social Sciences – Bachelor of Arts –Available in the following Departments:
Department of Economics
Department of Political Science
Department of Sociology
Department of Geography and Resource Development
Department of Social Work
Department of Psychology
School of Performing Arts – Bachelor of Fine Arts/Bachelor of Arts –Available in the following
Departments:
Department of Dance Studies
Department of Theatre Arts
Department of Music
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
School of Information and Communication Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Information Studies
School of Education and Leadership
Bachelor of Arts in Education (English, Linguistics)
Page 15 of 22
Bachelor of Arts in Education (Information Studies, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Adult
Education)
Bachelor of Science in Education (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, statistics)
Bachelor of Education - JHS Specialism
Bachelor of Education - Upper Grade Specialism
Bachelor of Education - Early Grade Specialism
Bachelor of Arts in Sports and Physical Culture Studies
School of Continuing and Distance Education
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Bachelor of Arts – Available in the following Departments:
Department of Economics
Department of Political Science
Department of Sociology
Department of Psychology
Department of Information Studies
Department of Adult Education and Human Resource Studies
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (For professional nurses who already have a Diploma in Nursing
from a recognized Nursing Training College)
Page 16 of 22
Chapter 5: My Housing
The University of Ghana is one of the biggest universities in Ghana and this translates to the
number of hostels and halls which are on campus. Unfortunately, the university was one of the
universities in Ghana that hosted the 13th All-African Games. Due to this, some of the halls and
hostels on campus were designated for the athletes and volunteers to reside throughout the event.
This has left most of the University of Ghana Applicants this year without a hall.
I am one of those who couldn’t secure a hall on campus. I had to look for a hostel closer to the
university immediately. This wasn’t as easy a task as it may seem. This is so if you take into
consideration the fact Legon, Accra is one of the most industrial cities in Ghana which means to
live in Legon requires money (Lots of it). The difficulty comes from looking for a place with
affordable rent. By Jah’s Grace, we were able to find an affordable place.
The hostel is located at North Legon., which is behind THE UGTF Gate. The hostel is a 7-
minute walk from the UG TF Gate. It isn’t a long walk but two factors make the travel longer
and stressful. The most significant reason that makes the journey tiring is the distance between
my department and the UGTF Gate. The walkway from my department to the Gate is a sloppy
one so it is much easier but the same cannot be said when walking up the slope to my
department. Another reason why the distance is stressful is that most of my classes are during the
periods of 3 to 7:30 pm. The classes that are around those periods are very involving and drain
me out.
The hostel comfortability isn’t the best but not the worst there is. We had the worst options
compared to my current hostel. Each room in my hostel accommodates five individuals. The
disadvantages and advantages of living that hostel are tabled in Table 1 below.
Table 2
Disadvantages Advantages
Page 17 of 22
Chapter 6: Campus Experience
The journey of accommodating to the changed circumstances has been fraught with challenges.
All my problems started on the first day on campus. It was one of Africa’s hot, dry days of 12th
January 2024. I didn’t know a single thing about what was going to take place that day. Knowing
what was going to happen was my aim for the day. As I enter the university into the university, I
found my way to the School of Basic and Applied Sciences. Applicants are expected to register
both online and manually.
The online registration is not a hustle if you know which courses you are to register and the
online should precede the manual registration. The manual registration is done in all the
departments with which you registered their courses online. This fact was utterly unknown to me
on that day.
Fortunately, it wasn’t my first trip to the school. I befriended the Computer Science department
receptionist, so she was the first person I went to. She directed me to a room where the
registration of the Computer Science courses was done. I went there not knowing that courses I
should register. I was totally confused to what to do as I entered the room but I made a friend in
Mr. Justice who helped me to understand the registration process. The guided me through the
online registration and showed me where I should go for my manual registration. I did exactly
what he said and to the Mathematics and Statistics department to do my manual registration. One
challenge in all of this is that, I never knew that I needed to pay for the registration. Each
department had their set price. I had to call my parent multiple times in order to be sent money.
The short come of the university is that they didn’t give a detailed description of how the
registration was done.
At the end of that day, I felt relieved and satisfied. The following days came with its challenges.
Acclimatizing to life at the University Of Ghana is an entirely different huddle to deal with. For
Example; A timetable wasn’t created for us but we were to create our timetable based on our
schedule, making sure that it doesn’t clash with others.
These were some of the problems I faced during the first two weeks of my stay on campus
Life at The University of Ghana has always been dull and gloomy, but there many positive
campus experiences so far. Let's talk about them:
Akwaba Night: this is a nighttime event organized by the various departments and schools to
welcome freshers into the school. My circumstances permitted me to attend one night at the
mathematics department. We watched an interesting action movie called THE ESCAPE. It kept
all of us in our seats.
Page 18 of 22
Educational Programs: The University of Ghana has many organizations on campus. The aim of
most of the organizations on campus is to help us start our educational journey well and gain
success in our academic pursuits. The organizations often organize events that help us
educationally or in our daily lives. For example, I attended an event organized by Smart Life
Solutions where I learned much about finances and how to make money or start a business.
These and many other aspects of the University make it an interesting place.
In all of this, I have made some friends. Some I don’t meet very often while others I meet every
day. I met Blessing Yeboah when I was registering for my courses in the mathematics
department. While I was trying to understand what was going on in one of the lecture rooms is
met Blessing and his brother who is on level 200. His brother was very helpful in showing us
around campus. From there onwards Blessing and I have always been together, helping each
other in any way possible.
Page 19 of 22
Chapter 7: University Admins
The University has various administrative components depending on the department, hall,
program, or course one is doing. I have had a personal conversation with the Head of Department
of the Computer Science Department and the course Advisor of Level 100.
The Head of Department of the Computer Science Department is Doctor Ebenezer Owusu. He is
a dark older man of average weight and height. I had a discussion with him on two occasions,
before and after my admission into the University. Even though I saw him as a very busy man.
He warmly welcomed me into his office on both occasions. He patiently listened to me and gave
me either a friendly suggestion or used his time to help me solve the problem. I am sincerely
grateful for the listening ear he gave me.
The Course Advisor for Level 100 is Professor Mark Atta Mensah. He is a dark middle-aged
man of average weight and height. He is the lecturer of the course DCIT 103: Office Productivity
Tools. He is an excellent course advisor and lecturer. The only negative I can say about him is
that he cannot find the difference between a course advisory session and a lecture. He is a
friendly person whose office is always open to those who want his help. My first interaction with
him was before I got admitted into the university. I was talking to the Head of the department
and he called him to seek advice on what he should do to enable me to gain admission. His
accurate and sound advice is the reason I am here today. The second time I spoke to Professor
Mark Atta, I wanted his verification of my course selections. Even though he seemed not to have
time he looked through and approved it. The third time, he called me to advise me on which
machine I should buy. I all of these occasions he was approachable.
Page 20 of 22
The Final Chapter
Chapter 8: Meeting With the Vice Chancellor
Page 21 of 22