The role of Churches including The Methodist Church Ghana to provide basic, secondary and teacher education was reduced in 1961 under the then Educational Reform programme. The Government decided to be responsible for education at all levels, and took over the responsibility for running the mission schools and training colleges. It also established the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast and many secondary schools and training colleges. Very recently, the University of Education, Winneba, the University for Development Studies, Tamale and the University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa have been added.

Despite the existence of these six state institutions, considerable concern has been expressed about the inadequacy of the institutional facilities in the Universities to cater for qualified candidates desiring to avail themselves of tertiary education. It is estimated that of the several thousands of candidates who qualify each year for admission into the existing public Universities, only about 25-30% of the total number gain admission. It is clear then that there is an urgent need in the country to provide training for the large number of qualified candidates wishing to have higher education. The Methodist Church Ghana is convinced that with her unique record and experience in the provision and development of quality basic, secondary and teacher education in the country, it can make a contribution to the solution of the problems of offering education at all levels.

At the 36th Annual Conference of The Methodist Church held in Cape Coast (1997), the then President of the Conference, Rt. Rev. Dr. Samuel Asante Antwi in his inaugural speech mentioned among the visions of the Church, the establishment of a Methodist University in Ghana. Prior to this, a number of Methodist academics, notably in Calvary Society in the North Accra Circuit had been discussing the possibility of establishing a Methodist University. When the President learnt about this, he invited and held discussions with some of them. Subsequently and in pursuance of the President’s vision statement, a Tertiary Education Advisory Council was set up by the President to consider and plan the establishment of a Methodist University College. The plans and decisions of the Council were approved at the Methodist Church 37th Annual Conference held in Sunyani in 1998.

The Methodist University College Ghana (MUCG) was granted accreditation by the National Accreditation Board in August, 2000. Its application for affiliation to the University of Ghana was approved in October, 2002. MUCG started academic work in October, 2000. The first batch of students reported for lectures in November, 2000. The College is in its eight academic year.