Tubman University Concern Students Movement (TUCSM) has condemned a newly introduced Master’s Degree program in Civil Engineering.
They raised concerns over the growing negative impact of the program in Construction Management on undergraduate studies in the Civil Engineering Department.
In a statement released through its Press and Advocacy Platform, TUCSM said, while it welcomes the introduction of the graduate program as a progressive step toward academic expansion, the manner of its implementation has created gaps at the undergraduate level.
The statement is attributed to Apollo Milton Obotee Paye, a senior student of the Civil Engineering Department.
The group said, the decision to prioritize staffing for the new Master’s program has left the undergraduate Civil Engineering program with inadequate faculty coverage in core areas.
TUCSM named affected courses as Architectural Drafting, Highway Engineering, Foundation Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, and Quantity Surveying; all considered essential pillars for training competent civil engineers.
The movement claimed that the Civil Engineering Department currently has only two lecturers on ground, both specialized in Structural Analysis and Design, while at least four lecturers, have been assigned to the Construction Management Master’s program.
“This imbalance could affect students’ practical exposure to specialized areas of Civil Engineering, and weaken the quality of undergraduate training.”
TUCSM denied being in opposition to the graduate program itself, but called for a balanced approach that would ensure growth at the graduate level.
Paye: ”The strength of any advanced program depends on a sound undergraduate foundation. If the base is weakened, the entire academic structure suffers.”
