Accra, Sept. 6 GNA - The University of Ghana, Legon, has introduced a Petroleum Geoscience course as part of the university's new post-graduate programmes to respond to the high professional demand in Ghana's petroleum industry.

The new master's degree programme was developed in collaboration with the university's Geology Department and supported by the Ghana National Petroleum Company.

Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the University announced this on Saturday in Accra at the matriculation ceremony held for students admitted for the 2009/ 2010 academic year.

Other newly introduced programmes include a master's degree in Clinical Trials, mounted by the School of Public Health and higher degrees in Biotechnology and Plant Breeding.

The university had also introduced a Graduate-entry programme in the Medical School aimed at giving science graduates the opportunity to pursue medicine over reduced duration.

Prof. Tagoe said the university had introduced bachelor's degree courses in Adult Education and Sign Language as well as professional programmes in Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine. He said the university had made conscious efforts to revise the course curricula to meet national demands and added that more than 130 courses had so far been revised.

Prof. Tagoe said the university had put in place scholarship schemes to complement the 10 scholarships, sponsored by a US charity organisation, for bright but needy students admitted this year at an average amount of GH¢ 2,000 per year.

Speaking on the issue of accommodation he expressed the hope that the construction of the university's hostels complex would facilitate the accommodation of some 3,000 students in order to ease the stress. He said the university authority would start investigating the several allegations of students who sublet their beds to their counterparts.

"Let me say that those caught to have indulged in this as well as the so-called tenants will be summarily dismissed," he said. He cautioned students against the flippant use of the media in resolving matters that could otherwise be amicably addressed, through dialogue with the university authorities and stressed the use of institutional channels available on campus to solve complaints and other concerns.

Prof. Tagoe told the matriculants to take advantage of other activities such as seminars, studio performances and sports to enrich their life on campus.

"While developing your intellectual capacities, do not forget to also develop your spiritual life by devoting some of your time to worship and serve God," he said.

The university offered 16,943 applicants admission to pursue either the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes out of which 9,361 so far have enrolled.