MPhil Blue Economy, Governance and Social Resilience
The MPhil Blue Economy, Governance and Social Resilience is a two-year multidisciplinary research degree of the Department of Applied Economics, School of Economics, University of Cape Coast.
Aim of the programme
To produce graduates with the capacity to undertake multidisciplinary research, implement programmes and contribute to policy-making in the blue economy, ocean governance and sustainable development.
Objectives
- Equip students with theories, concepts and strategies in blue economy, ocean governance and social resilience.
- Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills of students to be able to formulate, implement, monitor and evaluate policies related to blue economy, ocean governance and social resilience.
- Strengthen the theoretical and analytical skills of students to conduct scientific research from a multidisciplinary perspective to inform policy and practice in the areas of blue economy, ocean governance and social resilience.
- Develop the competencies and attitudes of students to evaluate contemporary and indigenous issues in the blue economy for improved livelihoods and reduced vulnerabilities.
The first year is taught. It combines a core of applied microeconomics and applied macroeconomics for the blue economy, contemporary issues in the blue economy of Africa, ocean governance, gender, social resilience and sustainable development in Africa, coastal resource management, the economics of natural resources and the environment, climate change mitigation and adaptation in coastal communities, research methods and computer applications, and the University-wide Academic Writing for Graduate Students, with two electives drawn from blue tourism and recreation economics, marine transport and trade, fisheries and aquaculture, marine minerals and renewable energy, finance and insurance for marine business, marine biotechnology, and human rights and the law of the sea.
The second year is devoted to research: Graduate Research Seminars I and II and the thesis. The programme is practically oriented - students undertake field work in coastal communities and a compulsory one-month industrial attachment, which is graded, and take a non-scoring course in Blue Entrepreneurship aimed at building the entrepreneurial skill set needed to create jobs in the blue space.
Facilitators are drawn from the School of Economics, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the School of Law, the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Business.
Background
The MPhil Blue Economy, Governance and Social Resilience programme was developed in response to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the AU Agenda 2063, which give a prominent role to the blue economy in advancing the achievement of sustainable development. The programme is also supported by the Ghana Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies (CPESDP) (2017-2024), which set out to "build an optimistic, self-confident and prosperous nation, through the creative exploitation of our human and natural resources, and operating within a democratic, open and fair society, in which mutual trust and economic opportunities exist for all."
The programme was first accredited by GTEC on 20th September 2022. The first batch of MPhil students was admitted in the last quarter of 2022 with assistance from the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) at the University of Cape Coast; sixteen MPhil students benefited from the World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE) Impact III grant. In 2023 a total of fourteen MPhil students were admitted - eight benefiting from the ACE Impact III grant, four supported by the Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) scholarship and two self-sponsored. The programme has admitted both national and international students over the years, with gender diversity among them.
Career opportunities
Graduates of the programme are employed in public and private sector organisations. Key institutions in which they can be employed include:
1. Ministry of Food and Agriculture; Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Trade and Industry; Ministry of Tourism and Creative Arts. 2. Institute of Economic Affairs; Ghana Statistical Service; Fisheries Commission; Coastal Development Authority; National Development Planning Commission; Ghana Maritime Authority; Ghana Shippers Authority; Ports and Harbours Authorities. 3. Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and financial institutions. 4. Non-governmental organisations, including environmental NGOs. 5. Tertiary institutions and research institutions. 6. International organisations such as the African Union, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the FAO and UNEP.
Some of the first batch of graduates have gone on to PhD programmes in Ocean Management in America and Australia, while others have found employment with national blue economy agencies.
Course structure
The courses mounted for this programme, by year and semester.
Level 800
First Semester
| Code | Course | Type | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGS801 | Applied Microeconomics For The Blue Economy | Core | 3 |
| BGS803 | Contemporary Issues In The Blue Economy Of Africa | Core | 3 |
| BGS804 | Research Methods And Computer Applications | Core | 3 |
| BGS805 | Ocean Structure And Governance | Core | 3 |
| BGS807 | Gender, Social Resilience And Sustainable Development | Core | 3 |
| FAS836 | Coastal Resource Management | Core | 3 |
| SGS801 | Academic Writing For Graduate Students | Mandatory | 3 |
Second Semester
| Code | Course | Type | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGS802 | Applied Macroeconomics For The Blue Economy | Core | 3 |
| BGS804 | Research Methods And Computer Applications | Core | 3 |
| BGS806 | Economics Of Natural Resources And The Environment | Core | 3 |
| BGS808 | Blue Tourism And Recreation Economics | Elective | 3 |
| BGS810 | Marine Transport And Trade | Elective | 3 |
| BGS812 | Fisheries And Aquaculture Economics | Elective | 3 |
| BGS814 | Marine Minerals And Renewable Energy | Elective | 3 |
| BGS816 | Finance And Insurance For Marine Business | Elective | 3 |
| BGS818 | Marine Biotechnology | Elective | 3 |
| BGS820 | Human Rights And The Law Of The Sea | Elective | 3 |
| FAS841 | Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Coastal Communities | Core | 3 |
Level 900
First Semester
| Code | Course | Type | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGS851 | Graduate Research Seminar I | Research Component | 3 |
| BGS899 | Thesis | Research Component | 6 |
Second Semester
| Code | Course | Type | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGS852 | Graduate Research Seminar | Research Component | 3 |
| BGS899 | Thesis | Research Component | 6 |
