UPSA Launches Three New Postgraduate Degree Programmes
The University of Professional Studies, Accra has introduced three new Postgraduate Degree programmes as part of its expansion programme and in line with the University’s vision of being globally recognized and regionally entrenched.
The programmes: Master of Arts in Brands and Communications Management, Master of Arts in Peace, Security and Intelligence Management as well as Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Impact Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which commence this academic year, would address the complexities of industry in key areas such as security, branding and entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the launch of the new programmes, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of UPSA, Professor Charles Barnor, said the sophistication of modern industry called for regular alteration of existing academic programmes and the designing of new ones to train the required manpower that meet the changing trends. He explained that it was imperative for institutions of higher education to train or equip students with the requisite skills that would give them competitive advantage at the workplace.
“UPSA is constantly evaluating its environment, scanning to look for opportunities for programmes that would meet the manpower requirement of this country. We always provide academic programmes with a professional touch and that is what separates us from them [other institutions],” he said.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor further stated that it was the hope of the University that these three programmes would contribute to the development agenda of the government of Ghana and further help to address the unemployment challenges in the country.
Prof Barnor, however, observed that although most of the programmes designed and initiated by the University have been duplicated in recent times by other institutions, the University remain committed to ensuring that UPSA students are unmatched on the job market.
“We will not compete on that [duplication] landscape but we will compete to make sure that the quality of our programmes, the quality of its content and the information provided from industry is constantly incorporated into our programmes to the extent that our student at the market place will not be matched by other students from other competing institutions,” he emphasized.
Business Consultant and Chairman for the occasion, Mr Adam Sulley, urged the management of UPSA to create a robust brand beyond its unrivalled infrastructure by designing and churning out programmes that meet the corporate and social needs.
He also entreated the University to rather perceive the duplication of its programmes by some institutions as a strong attestation of its current dominance when it comes to delivering quality business education
“The fact that UPSA has been rolling out programmes and the others [institutions] are beginning to duplicate. For me, that is good news because it will keep on you on your toes. It has to be that way and not the other way round. Let the others duplicate so you stay ahead of them,” he said.
About the Programmes:
MA in Peace, Security and Intelligence Management: The programme is strategically designed for persons with professional background and working at various levels in different environments – people in policy-making, operational level, crisis management and those seeking further studies in peace, security, law enforcement, intelligence gathering, defence and national security.
The MA in Brands and Communications Management is a well-researched programme that will combined theory and practice in a multi-track curriculum. It is first of its kind to be introduced and seeks to address all challenges and harness opportunities in the brands and communication industry.
The MBA in Impact Entrepreneurship and Innovation programme is in partnership with the Catholic University of Milan, Italy and targeted at young entrepreneurs and business moguls who seek further studies in Entrepreneurship. It has meticulously been structured to cover a period of 18-months where students will have the opportunity to visit Milan in Itlay after the second semester to pitch their business ideas to foreign investors.
