Course And Description - Undergraduate
INFS 111: Information in Society. Topics to be treated in this course include types of information: the communication process; communication in pre-literature societies; oral tradition; social, cultural and economic factors affecting information: National Information Policies; the African information society initiative and barriers to communication and information transfer.
INFS 112: Introduction to Information Management. The course will deal with Information and communication; information as a strategic resource; information and structures – publishing; libraries, documentation, records and archives service; basic principles of information storage, retrieval and dissemination, Information Technology impact, trends and constraints.
INFS 211: Introduction to Information Technology. Topics to be treated in this course include Computers and telecommunications concepts, components and systems, Evolution and classification of computers, etc., Microcomputer hardware devices, Information representation on computer devices, ASCII and other coding methods, Operating system software, Application software, Networking of computers, Telecommunications concepts and devices, Information technology applications and issues in information centres in developing countries.
INFS 212: Principles of Management. The course will deal with the concept of management; principles of organization; styles of management; decision-making; functions of management; communication; delegation and motivation: problems of management in Africa.
INFS 213: Information Management. This course will explore Information needs and information gathering agencies in contemporary society; Environmental and organizational factors in information provision, User needs and behaviour and Legal and ethical issues in information management.
INFS 214: Introduction to Computing. The course will cover areas such as Computer software: classification, functions and use, Operating systems – DOS, Windows, Unix, Novell, etc., application software: word processing, spreadsheet, graphics, etc. Practical use of application software and introduction to programming.
INFS 321: Information Sources
The course will focus on types and characteristics of information sources used in libraries and other information agencies to provide services that assist in the location and use of information. Examination and study of representative selection of information sources will also be dealt with.
INFS 322: Theory and Practice of Classification.This course will deal with the theory of knowledge and the history of classification; definition and purpose of classification; Structure and use of the major classification schemes; major classification schemes and practical classification.
INFS 323: Research Methods. The course will deal with Introduction to research, types of research – survey, experimental, historical, data collection instruments – questionnaires, interviews, observation, literature review; data analysis, writing the research report and disseminating research results.
INFS 324: Indexing and Abstracting. The course will cover areas such as definition and purpose of indexing and the indexing process; indexing languages, semantic and syntactic relations in indexing pre-co-ordinate and post-coordinate indexing systems, Thesauri and their use, definition and purpose of abstracts, types of abstract, the abstracting process and techniques for abstracting.
INFS 325: Public Relations Areas to be covered in this course includes the concept of Public Relations (PR), the role of PR in information management developing constituencies; Internal PR – Interpersonal relations, hierarchical relations, parallel relations, Staff/user relations, Impersonal Techniques, External PR –Communicating with the community: Publicity and Public Relations, Institutional Publicity/Creating public image, Organizational level publicity and Media and methods of publicity.
INFS 326: Collection Development The focus of this course will be on the selection of materials – definition and types, factors affecting the selection of materials, responsibility for selection, selection tools, definition and types of acquisition, Weeding of materials, library cooperation, computerized selection and acquisition.
INFS 327: Information Services and User Studies The course will examine processes and techniques used in libraries and information centres to provide services and assist in the location and use of information, Information users as individuals and as members of groups, User needs assessment, monitoring information use behaviour patterns and user satisfaction.
INFS 328: System Analysis and Design This course deals with Information system concepts, Input, processing, storage and output, Open/close systems, system/sub-system decomposition, etc., tools for systems analysis and design; structure, flow and HIPO charts, etc., and System analysis and design case studies.
INFS 329: Database Management The course will look at elements of a database system: entities, records, fields, files and indexes, functions of database management systems (DBMS), practical use of DBMS, for creating, updating, organizing and reporting data, design of forms, views and reports and introduction to programming with a DBMS.
INFS 331: Records Management Topics to be treated in the course includes the history and development of records management; the components of records management from creation to disposition; development and implementation of records management programmes, records control; infrastructure of records management system and building a sound record keeping system.
INFS 332: Introduction to Archives Administration The focus of this course will be on the theories and principles of archival acquisition, arrangement and description, user services in archives and the archivist as manager.
INFS 333: School Libraries Areas to be dealt with in this course include basic concepts of curriculum, the functions of the library in the school curriculum, educational trends and their implications for school libraries, Standards for school library provision, management, organization and development of school library resources and services, design, implementation and evaluation of school library programmes.
INFS 334: Publishing and the Book trade In this course we will explore the history of printing and publishing; the writer, publisher and bookseller; reasons and functions of book provision; legal aspects of publishing; literacy in the African context; reading habits in Africa; the publishing industry in Ghana; publishing inter-relationships; marketing and book promotion.
INFS 420: Long Essay
This course is spread over 2 semesters. Students are encouraged to conduct an independent research -based study on a topic approved by the Department on the basis of which they will write an essay of not more than 10,000 words.
INFS 421: Automation of Information Systems This course will deal with definitions of automation, information technology and information systems, reasons, history and evolution of automation in organizations and information centres, feasibility of automation: technical, economical, and other factors, Case studies of automated information systems, automated system planning and implementation: stages, processes and issues and System development life cycle. Other topics include proposals –requesting, writing, evaluating; costing and budgeting; software acquisition, development and evaluation; project management and automation problems and prospects in developing countries.
INFS 422: Information Storage and Retrieval Areas to be covered under this course include principles and objectives of information storage and retrieval systems; types of storage and retrieval systems – manual and automated systems, factors that influence storage and retrieval systems – space/storage equipment, retrieval tools; measurement of retrieval – Relevance, recall and precision.
INFS 423: Preservation of Information Resources The course will look at types of information resources; the nature and characteristics of documentary materials; the agents of deterioration; collection care – Preventive; storage environment control; handling of documents; microfilming and digitization.
INFS 424: Marketing of Information Services The course includes philosophy of planning and planning strategies, the nature of marketing: Introduction to marketing concept, assessing needs and capabilities: the marketing and strategies audit, collecting and using appropriate data, product development and distribution, marketing communication: product publicity and promotion and evaluation
INFS 426: Introduction to Administrative History This course will trace the evolution of the machinery of Government from the colonial era till independence. The establishment and growth of Departments of Central Government and the implications for records and archives administration will also be considered.
INFS 427: Automated Information Retrieval This course will deal with types of information retrieval: manual/automated, fact/information, etc., types of data and data storage in computerized information retrieval systems, types of computerized databases: online catalogues, online databases, CD-ROM and Internet sites, Computer interfaces: menu, form, command and hypertext, Searching computerized databases; skills, behaviours, strategies and tactics, and practical searching of computerized databases.
INFS 428: Telecommunications and Information Network We will examine Computer networks: Ring, star, bus, etc, Communications media: twisted pair, coaxial, fibre optic, aerial channels, etc. Signal transmission methods, Communications equipment and devices, Communications protocols, LAN, WAN, Internet, Internet resources and services.
INFS 429: Programming of Information Centre Applications The course will look at the types and evolution programming languages, programming concepts and methodologies: structured design, program control structures, structure and flow charts, pseudo code, etc., data processing requirements in archives, libraries and other information centres and the practical use of a programming language for data processing applications in information centres.
INFS 431: Literature and Services for Children The course will look at the importance of providing children’s literature and services, the need for developing reading habits, Characteristics of children at the various stages of growth, Selection of materials for children, Development of children’s literature in Ghana, Reading promotion and the development of children’s services in Ghana
INFS 432: Organizational Information Systems. The course will examine the nature and structure of organizations, formal and information communication systems and methods in organizations, types of organizational information, the role of humans, documents and computers, types of organizational information sub-systems: transactions processing systems, management information systems, decision support systems, R&D systems, Records Management Systems, Library systems, etc. and Organizational information audits and policies.