The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is an amalgamation of three Faculties, Sixteen (16) Departments and a Research Centre. The amalgamation was in line with the University’s objective to achieve good governance and academic excellence through restructuring of academic and administrative units into colleges.
The year witnessed tremendous improvements in institutional linkages, income generation, receipt of donations, renovation of laboratories, procurement of facilities to enhance teaching and learning, presentations at conferences workshops and seminars, etc. Research output was comparatively better. Besides, invaluable services of diverse nature were rendered to the university, local and international communities whilst capacity building received a boost.
The College is not relenting on its mission of ensuring the realization of its core duty of research and publication and also building capacity to strengthen its workforce. The College, nevertheless, faces a lot of challenges including inadequate infrastructure especially, staff offices, spacious laboratories, workshops and equipment to make them function effectively, with growing student numbers and an unbearable student-staff ratio, some progress has been made to achieve excellence in teaching, learning and research area of the college.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences with its constituents, viz. Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Business, Faculty of Law and Centre for Cultural and African Studies at the KNUST, serve all departments in the University through the teaching of Language, philosophy, Law, Morality, Logic, Economics, Sociology, Management and Entrepreneurship, Ethics, etc. which have a bearing on various aspects of human life.
Such courses are important for the Sciences. Indeed, the College of Science, for example, has expressed interest in the teaching of Philosophy and Logic to its students while lecturers from the Departments of English, French, Law, Sociology and Business have been servicing the Colleges of Science, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Architecture and Planning, Engineering, Health and Allied Sciences.
The Languages
Language considered as the human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication is an essential ingredient in any higher institution of learning. The teaching of Communication Skills technical report writing (Remedial English) organised by the Department of English to all first year students of KNUST goes a long way to prepare all students to effectively articulate their thoughts in whatever endeavour they find themselves. The Department also offers tuition in English Language to students from Francophone countries who come to the University to offer courses in Science and Engineering. The learning of the French language made available to all students of KNUST provides them with the opportunity to seek employment in francophone countries.
It can be stated without a shred of doubt that KNUST cannot do without Art, the Humanities and the philosophical sciences as both science and the humanities aim at individual and collective wellbeing. While pragmatic approaches to meaningful enhancement of material well-being informed by the application of research, science and technology must play a central role in development initiatives, tapping the spiritual roots of human motivation provides the essential impulse that ensures genuine social advancement. It must be observed that civilization does not arise merely from material progress but rather is defined by, and founded upon, the ideals and shared beliefs that weld society together. The human experience is uniquely defined by the transcendent component of life, which also unlocks the creative capacities within human consciousness and safeguard human dignity.
The Law & Legal
The study of Law transcends the boundaries between the humanities, science and technology. In the field of science and technology, law is a completely central institution and is a necessary component of all disciplines within that field. The running of service courses such as medical law, building and construction law, engineering law, pharmacy law, mining law, environmental law and many others in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology holds adequate testimony to this fact.
The Scientists need the requisite knowledge of statutes and case law which establish the basic principles of law relating to their various professions. Law educates the Scientists about the legal spheres and consequences of their operations and actions, because any rules about contract, tort, property law, labour law, company law, intellectual property and many more can have long lasting effects. At the national level, all scientific researches or technological development policies incorporate the practical manifestation of rules and regulations coming from the legal disciplines.
Since all human relations are governed by law which is enforceable through institutions, the role of law lecturers (lawyers) in this regard cannot be ignored in an institution of Science and Technology. They have developed a tendency to view the “law” as a discrete body of rules and regulations which by governing conduct, ensures justices and the enhancement of morality. They do not only serve on University disciplinary committees but also assist in drafting memoranda of understanding for scientific undertakings and give legal advice, on litigations ranging from family matters to patent rights, to administrative bodies and individual members of the University community of which the Scientists are also beneficiaries.
Business & Management
Although we live in a world of science, we also live in a social world where both worlds exist to help improve the society. It is not enough for technicians to create a product. What is required in this age is the ability to get the product across to the customers. Essentially Business Schools all over the world and for that matter KNUST School of Business exist to expose students to managerial skills (accounting, management, directing, planning and controlling) and entrepreneurial skills ( risk-taking and how to start a business)
Alan Geare, Head, Department of Management, University of Otango made a statement that, ‘even if you end up as a surgeon, or rock-tennis-opera-movie star, your career will surely involve working in organisations’. He went on to state that ‘one would need good models about organisational behaviour, organisational theory, communication and industrial relations’. This lays credence to the fact that regardless of the area of one’s specialty in the field of pure science, there is the need to acquire business acumen so as to be able to perform well within one’s organisation. “As people grow in their professions, they end up as managers of their institutions.”
The School of Business plays this role of empowering these scientists with the requisite managerial skills. The School of Business services all Colleges with lectures on entrepreneurship. A platform is therefore provided to scientists to understand the essence of risk taking and start up their own businesses after school. In this fast-paced world with varying customer requirements, the scientist needs to identify the gaps in society, and take steps to create organisations that can fill these gaps with the aim to solve society’s needs.
The establishment of the School of Business has no doubt brought in its wake the flocking of professionals in the field of marketing and others to KNUST to interact with staff and students and this has had positive impact in the area of appreciating customer relations in the day to day dealings of the University.
The Social Sciences
One major problem of our society is more of morality, integrity and sincerity, which fall within the religious studies specialty, other than production of the tangible which lies within the domain of science. The two fields must therefore operate in tandem to train the required manpower to advance the national development agenda. At KNUST, there is the recognition of the delicate nexus between science and technology, on one hand, and the Art and Humanities, on the other. It is in this view that the Department of Religious Studies organised its first very well patronised International Conference on Science and Religion in 2008.
Sociology, which is the scientific study of human societies focuses on understanding societies, their cultures and institutions to be able to explain social phenomena and human behaviour. It makes people aware of their social environment.
This is of relevance to science and technology as well as educational and research institutions that have such inclination. Science and technological innovations and inventions are meant to solve the problems of humanity and make the life of people better. As such, an understanding of people, their cultures and societies is relevant in appreciating the problems and other areas that require scientific and technological developments.
Again sociological knowledge is important for scientists to understand how and why people behave the way they do as well as understanding the behavioural patterns of others, which is fruitful for human interaction. This is because of the fact that humans are social beings.
Social work’s integrative teaching approach focuses on training that gives students the skill to re-design social technology to provide holistic social services and solutions to existing social menace that face families, small groups, communities and the nation.
At KNUST, sociology and social work training strive to maintain a clear connection and balance with the community. This training expands students’ knowledge base with sharpened ethical orientation and strong critical thinking and problem solving skills to provide solution focused outcomes in the field of service. It is against this background that sociology and social work knowledge is offered to various departments in the university including Optometry, Theoretical and Applied Biology, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Publishing Studies, School of Business, Law, Engineering as well as the Medical School.
KNUST Social Work education addresses the barriers, inequities and injustices that exist in our society. Students who graduate from this programme readily respond to crises and emergencies as well as to everyday personal and social problems by utilising a variety of skills, techniques and activities consistent with its holistic focus on persons and their environment.
Social work interventions range from primarily person-focused psychosocial processes to involvement in social policy, planning and development. They include individual, family and group counselling, community and medical social work, crisis intervention, substance addiction treatment, child welfare, mental health care and generic social work practice. Interventions also include agency administration, community organisation and engaging in social and political action to impact social policy. Sociology plays a key role in technology transfer and project implementation in communities.
All these foci of sociology and social work are relevant in making the Ghanaian society, Africa and the world as a whole a better place since it gives students better appreciation of themselves, others and their environment to make meaningful contributions for societal advancement.