School Of Public Service
The School of Public Service at our institution is devoted to delivering excellence in education, training, and research in order to cultivate the skills and knowledge required for success in the public sector. We are deeply committed to fostering an environment that encourages inclusivity, collaboration, and innovation, enabling all students to flourish and achieve their objectives.
School of Public Service and Governance
Dean’s Message
Dr. Patrick Tandoh-Offin
Dean, School of Public Service and Governance
I welcome you to the website of the School of Public Service and Governance (SPSG), one of the key academic sectors at GIMPA. The School was given its current name in August 2013 following the merger of the former GIMPA Public Services School (GPSS) and the School of Governance and Leadership (SGL), which were both established in 2005 to provide graduate training in Public Sector Management and Development.
The School of Public Service and Governance (SPSG) offers a setting that fosters the growth of a variety of gifts and talents, making it an interesting place to be. Our undergraduate and Postgraduate programs in governance, public, and development management enable our students to become leaders with the moral complexity and intellectual rigor required to tackle the challenges of an important period of social transition in our developmental states.
Public leaders today are faced with a wide range of challenges, from the local to the global, that frequently call into question the authority of institutions and the function of individuals in resolving public issues. Recent governance failures highlight the need for a fresh perspective on public policy that recognizes both the opportunity for educated and involved citizens as well as the constraints of the state.
Departments of School of Public Service and Governance (SPSG)
Department of Public Management
and International Relations, School of Public Service and Governance
Department of Development Policy ,School of Public Service and Governance
Academic Programmes
Undergraduate Programmes
Department of Public Management & International Relations (DPMIR)
Bachelor of Science in Public Administration (BPA)
In line with GIMPA’s mandate, the Bachelor of Science in Public Administration was instituted in August 2005 to provide undergraduate training in preparation for a career in the public service and other non-profit sectors. The Bachelor of Science in Public Administration programme at GIMPA is a professional degree designed to prepare participants for administrative careers in government, nonprofit organizations and some private sector organisations. We encourage students already employed to build their knowledge and skills while gaining the opportunity to improve administrative skills and enhance career prospects and mobility. Students are expected to serve the community by extending Public Administration expertise and intellectual resources, applying knowledge and engaging in professional activity. The curriculum is designed to provide students with both a broad-based education and in-depth exposure to Public Administration Theory and Practice. The programme seeks to provide students with a solid understanding of general Public Administration, Personnel Administration, Public policy analysis, and Budgeting. It also emphasizes advanced training in fields such as public administration, urban planning and political analysis, a good preparation for a career in public service.
Who Can Apply?
We target secondary school graduates for our day school and workers in government institutions, public sector and other sectors for our evening school. Our matured program target persons working in the private sector, civil society organisations, self-employed, people in leadership positions, and aspiring leaders with experience but requiring academic training and competencies. We also encourage persons interested in understanding public sector administration and management in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa to apply.
Duration: 4 Years
Sessions Available: Day and Evening
Campus: Accra Main Campus (Greenhill College, Achimota); Takoradi & Kumasi Campus
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma Programmes
Department of Public Management & International Relations (DPMIR)
Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration (DPA)
The DPA programme is the second level course in a scheme of service training package for Civil servants, in Ghana for progression and attractive for public servants and regional workers. The major purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration programme is to provide education, training and skills in public administration and public sector management at the Managerial levels. This leadership development programme also provides personal growth and spaces for reflections of leaders and managers assuming stewardship roles.
The programme helps participants to evolve on a personal level, drive change at an organizational level, and make a difference in their communities and the world at large. We provide the opportunity to explore fresh ways of thinking, discover exciting new directions, and build a national and regional network that will last a lifetime. Promote professional, unbiased and dedicated advisory support services to various areas of Government to enhance their capacity for sustainable development. The program now attracts all who want to acquire knowledge in public administration and sector management including Entrepreneurs.
Duration: 12 Weeks
Sessions: Day, Evening and Weekend
Campus: Accra Main Campus (Greenhill College, Achimota)
Who Can Apply?
We target policymakers and program evaluators in the public and private sectors, implementers and frontline workers in the ministries, departments and agencies, leaders in government, public sector, private sector, civil society organisations, regional and global leaders and aspiring leaders.
Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration
The major purpose of the Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration programme is to sharpen your capacity to evolve as a leader in the program, and reinvigorate your knowledge with your experience while learning from other participants across sectors and professions. Upon completion of the program, you will become a GIMPA alumni where the opportunities are endless. Through this short programme, we provide training, skills and unforgettable experience in public administration and public sector management. It is also part of the scheme of service programme for civil servants. It enables participants to progress in their career at the Ministries. Public servants also find the course useful where demonstration of knowledge and understanding of Public Administration is required.
Duration: 10 Weeks
Sessions: Day, Evening and Weekend
Campus: Accra Main Campus (Greenhill College, Achimota)
Who Can Apply?
We target policymakers and program evaluators in public and private sectors, implementers and frontline workers in the ministries, departments and agencies, leaders in government, public sector, private sector, civil society organisations, regional and global leaders and aspiring leaders.
Department of Development Policy
Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental Management
The course provide a thorough grounding in the principles, practices and skills that are necessary for effective safety and environmental management and reporting. The aims of the courses are to provide participants with knowledge and understanding of Safety, Health and Environmental issues and policy and the ability and skills to develop and implement strategies in response to these, in either the public or private sectors. It is also intended to sharpen and deepen the analytical skills of participants to enable them to solve the myriad of problems that confront Safety, Health and Environmental administrators/managers/officers in the performance of their duties.
Postgraduate Diploma Monitoring and Evaluation
The general objective function of the M&E programme is to adequately prepare participants to develop creative and analytical thinking, good judgment, enhanced policy making and other critical managerial skills. The specific objectives include helping participants explore and appreciate the meaning and application of Monitoring and Evaluation within the context of their working environment, and equiping participants with the requisite knowledge and skills related to the Theory and Practice of Monitoring and Evaluation.
Graduate Programmes
Department of Public Management & International Relations (DPMIR)
Master of Arts in Public Administration (MPA)
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a 1-year programme specially designed to equip participants with the knowledge, attitude and skills to effectively meet the leadership, management and administration challenges at the national, regional and global levels.
The program's emphasis is on Public Policy and Management in the broad areas of the Public sector. Students in the MPA program were trained in specific aspects of policy analysis the analytical tools that come to bear on the effective management of the public sector.
The MPA reinforces the School’s commitment to providing high-quality programmes, customized educational approaches and the cultivation of a participant-centred learning environment. It will also enable GSPSG to maintain a vigilant focus on human capacity development and institutional contribution to national development efforts.
The MPA programme is the third level course in a scheme of service training packages for Civil servants in Ghana for progression.
Who Can Apply?
We target policymakers and program evaluators in public and private sectors, implementers and frontline workers in the ministries, departments and agencies, leaders in government, public sector, private sector, civil society organisations, regional and global leaders and aspiring leaders and any person interested in understanding public sector administration and management in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa.
Duration: 1 Year
Sessions: Day, Evening and Weekend
Campus: Accra Main Campus (Greenhill College, Achimota); Takoradi & Kumasi Campus
Master of Public Sector Management (MPSM)
The MPSM is a one-year programme specially designed to equip participants with the knowledge, capacities, skills, attitudes and conceptual tools to manage real country public sectors. The programme adopts an interdisciplinary approach to provide students with sufficient academic foundation and professional skills for excellence, achievement and leadership in their respective countries. GIMPA, with the support of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), established the Public Sector Management Training Programme (PSMTP) as a sub-regional programme for five Anglophone West African countries, namely, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. The MPSM is an African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and GIMPA initiative that is designed to provide senior and middle-level managers, with practical experiences in Public Sector Management, and skills for efficient and effective management of public sector organizations.
Who Can Apply?We target policymakers and program evaluators in public and private sectors, implementers and frontline workers in the ministries, departments and agencies, leaders in government, public sector, private sector, civil society organisations, regional and global leaders and aspiring leaders and any person interested in understanding public sector administration and management in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa.
Duration: 1 year Sessions: Day, Evening and Weekend Campus: Accra Main Campus (Greenhill College, Achimota)Master of International Relations and Diplomacy (MIRD)
The Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy was first accredited in 2015.
specially designed to equip participants with the knowledge, attitude and conceptual tools to analyze transnational issues and manage real-world organizations, the programme adopts an interdisciplinary approach to provide students with a strong academic foundation and professional skills for excellence, achievement and leadership in a highly complex, multipolar and globalized world. MIRD seeks to provide an excellent academic and professional programme of study to contribute to the capacity building of relevant Ministries and their Departments, international organizations in Ghana and the West African region, and corporations in Ghana and the region.
Who Can Apply?
We target persons working with foreign affairs, diplomatic corps, regional and sub-regional organizations, leaders in government, policymakers and program evaluators in public and private sectors, aspiring diplomats, civil society organizations, international organizations and multi-national corporations.
Duration: 1 year
Sessions: Day, Evening and Weekend
Campus: Accra Main Campus (Greenhill College, Achimota)
Master of Arts in Regional Integration and African Development
Regional integration is a relentless reality of modern times, and it is even more important for Africa, as featured prominently in the Continental Agenda 2063. The continent’s policymakers, private sector groups, civil society organizations and development partners have made regional integration a priority, as well as a key driver and the way forward for the structural transformation of African economies. The rationale for an Executive Masters programme in Regional Integration and African Development is based on the crucial need for highly skilled and trained experts to consolidate and improve integration processes in Africa. Individuals working in the field need to have a well-rounded understanding of the multi-dimensional complexities of integration, in order to successfully manage the challenges and utilize the opportunities provided by integration. Who Can Apply? We target persons working with foreign affairs, diplomatic corps, regional and sub-regional organizations, leaders in government, policymakers, program evaluators, leaders in the public and private sector, aspiring diplomats, civil society organizations, international organizations and multi-national corporations. Duration: 1 year Sessions: Day, Evening and Weekend Campus: Accra Main Campus (Greenhill College, Achimota)
Executive Masters in Regional Integration and African Development (EMRIAD)
The unique 1-year online executive course seeks to build cadres of highly trained and skilled experts to enhance national capacity for regional and continental integration in Africa, particularly as the continent is operationalising the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Who can Apply?
It provides a much-needed opportunity for state actors (e.g. staff of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies) and non-state actors (e.g. private sector, civil society, journalists, and individuals) to have a well-grounded understanding of the multi-dimensional complexities of integration for management of regionalism and African development.
For detailed information, https://www.cria-africa.org/executive-master-arts-degree-regional-and-african-development
Master of Governance and Leadership
The Masters in Governance and Leadership (MGL) Programme was first established in 2000. The Governance and Leadership Masters Programme is offered as regular or executive masters. It is specially designed to strengthen the competencies and aptitude of participants with the knowledge, attitude and skills required to lead, manage, reflect and become executive administrators of their organization, communities and groups. It equips participants with the capacity to effectively address challenges across administrative levels and in people management while appreciating the contextual needs against global impact. The purpose of the programme is to achieve excellent professional standards in management, administration and leadership. It also seeks to equip graduates with specialized knowledge and skills to play a meaningful role in management and provide professional leadership in government, public and private sectors of the economy as well as the NGOs.
Who Can Apply?
Every year some we have members of parliament, leading figures in government, church and industry and aspiring leaders enrol on the programme. We target policymakers and program evaluators in the public and private sectors, implementers and frontline workers in the ministries, departments and agencies, leaders in government, public sector, private sector, civil society organisations, regional and global leaders and aspiring leaders.
Duration: 1 year
Sessions: Day, Evening and Weekend
Campus: Accra Main Campus (Greenhill College, Achimota)
Department of Development Policy
Master of Public Health
The programme aims to train well-developed health professionals to address and tackle twenty-first-century public health challenges including applying the relevant leadership skills to enhance public health practice and designing and conducting assessments that integrate evidence-based reasoning to determine the health status and/or health needs of a population. It also seeks to:
- Integrate public health theories and models, into health research and practice to produce an intended public health outcome.</br>
- Apply quantitative and qualitative research findings found in medical, and public health, for enhancing public health preparedness.
- Apply systems thinking concepts to effectively implement and manage public health interventions.
- Understand how to develop and implement public health policy and strategy.
- Prepare students for PhD studies and careers that are research-oriented in public health studies and public policy
Note: Candidates with a Master of Public Health (MPH) or an equivalent master’s degree in public health from any recognized/ accredited university will be admitted to the second year of the two-year MPhil programme
MSc. Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental Management
The GIMPA School of Public Service and Governance (GSPSG) is at the forefront of scholarly and policy debates concerned with the formulation and implementation of governance mechanisms addressing the challenges of safety and poor environmental practices that have characterized our various industries in Ghana. The MSc. OHSEM degree is intended to deliver this experience and provide students with the capacity, capability and clarity to excel in the performance of their duties in the public sector, private and non-governmental sectors.
It will provide an academically and professionally challenging curriculum designed and led by a full-time faculty of exceptional diversity and strength and an active adjunct faculty of noted professionals. The programme is designed to address the capacity needs of the private sector and public services to carry out the task of occupational health, safety and Environmental Management, especially about the environment. This programme shall equip participants with the skills of reducing accidents in various workplaces in Ghana and beyond. The Master of Science in Occupational Safety and Health degree program provides students with a flexible, relevant and current curriculum that includes opportunities for students to demonstrate the depth and breadth of knowledge in safety and health theory and technology necessary to lead and oversee the occupational safety and health efforts of a medium to large organization.
Note: Candidates with the GIMPA Post Graduate Diploma in Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental Management or equivalent professional qualification from a recognized body will be given exemptions. This will be decided by the School
M. A. Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is an important management tool for the effective implementation of projects and public policies. Yet, M&E has not attracted the desired attention over the years leading to a weak understanding and practice of M&E in many organizations. Indeed, a study on the demand and supply of M&E by the Centre for Learning and Evaluation Results (CLEAR, 2013) pointed to weak M&E capacity in many organizations within Sub-Saharan African countries. There is a compelling need for Ghana to build M&E capacity by developing a critical mass of people with the requisite knowledge and skills in M&E.
The Master’s degree in M&E seeks to address this capacity gap. Such a programme also fits into the current Ghana Government’s emphasis on M&E, as reflected in the establishment of a Ministry for M&E. The programme will also strengthen the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of interventions by governments, civil society and non-government organizations as well as development partners The Program will create training opportunities for graduates at higher levels of the education system. While existing programs have tended to focus on in-country context, the Master of Arts in monitoring and evaluation is a global thing and gives generally accepted knowledge and skills across countries.
The aim of the programme is to develop a long-term to strategy create training opportunities for graduates at higher levels of the education system. The programme is designed to promote and enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of interventions by the government, private sector, development partners and civil society organizations. It is expected that these could be achieved through capacity building in the areas of monitoring and evaluation. The main therefore is to equip M & E professionals with the skills and competencies required to perform in the ever-changing socioeconomic environment.
MPhil Public Health
Admissions
Why Study at GIMPA, School of Public Service and Governance ?
- The School of Public Service and Governance (SPSG) is one of the key academic sectors at GIMPA.
- The School was given its current name in August 2013 following the merger of the former GIMPA Public Services School (GPSS) and the School of Governance and Leadership (SGL), which were both established in 2005 to provide graduate training in Public Sector Management and Development.
- The GPSS carried GIMPA’s original mandate of developing the capacity of the human resources and personnel in the Civil and Public Services through Scheme of Service training programs. The GPSS also expanded its mandate to provide Undergraduate training and awards a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration (BSc. PA).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get application forms?
How much is the application fee?
Application fees are as follows:
Doctorate/PhD.: GHc450
Masters/Postgraduate Diploma - GHC 250
Bachelors (including WASSCE LLB)/Diploma –GHC 200
International Students- USD 100
What number can I call for enquiries?
The main numbers for the school are +233-(0) 501620138, +233-(0) 332095432, +233-(0) 302908076, +233-302-401681-3</br>
Email: spsg@gimpa.edu.gh
Email: admissions@gimpa.edu.gh
What is the duration of your degree programmes?
- Undergraduate programmes are usually 4 years.
- Masters programmes are for 1 or 2 years, depending on the programme.
- Post Graduate Diploma programmes are usually a year.
- However, you are encouraged to confirm with your prospective secretariat as some programmes may have a unique timeline.