DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH STUDIES

HOD'S WELCOME MESSAGE

Prof. O. G. Nwoye

In a country where English is a major official language, a lingua franca, and  the language of instruction in the educational system, a high level of proficiency in it is usually expected from the graduates of higher institutions, especially the universities. A higher level of competence and communicative skills is expected even more from graduates of English. The students are also expected to study various literary works and be creative. There is therefore, need for improved knowledge of English and the acquisition of adequate oral and written skills by them. English graduates from Nigerian universities should be clearly and positively identified with articulate speech, adequate proficiency in pronunciation, correctness of grammar and usage, and elegance and style in diction, expression, and in the choice of an appropriate variety of English for use in the various administrative and professional job opportunities available in the labour market. In literary and creative writing domains, and in further postgraduate studies in language and literature, on less is expected.

This programme is designed to achieve the following objectives:

  1. To train students to acquire adequate communicative competence in both the spoken and written varieties of the English language and literature, thereby giving them a good grounding and effective mastery of the language in its various applications to achieve adequate self-expression and self-actualization; and train students to appreciate the relevance of literature to society.
  2. To equip the students with the knowledge of the forms and features of the varieties of English used in different professional domains such as business communication, legal communication, electronic broadcast media, print journalism, advertising and sports commentaries, book publishing, and biography writing.
  3. To equip the students with adequate linguistic knowledge of the English Language through a detailed study of its sound system, its lexicon, its syntax, semantics and usage.
  4. To adequately prepare the students for readiness to pursue postgraduate studies in English language, linguistics, and to take up teaching and research at the appropriate levels of education.
  5. To orient students towards self-employment by a focus on skills such as writing (e.g. of articles in magazines, of speeches, designing and presenting special programmes on radio or TV, designing and publishing magazines etc.), creative writing, and other kinds of original output through independent thought, inventiveness and creativity.
  6. To enable students appreciate and critic the various genres of written and oral literature and write creatively.

COURSE SCHEDULE
100 LEVEL FIRST SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 111English Language I2
*ENG 112Introduction to Drama & Theatre2
*ENG 113Spoken English 12
+GST 111Communication in English2
+GST 112Logic Philosophy & Human Existence2
+FRN 111Communication in French1
+IDS 111Rudiments of Christian Faith1
+GST 113Nigerian People & Culture2

100 LEVEL SECOND SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 121English Language II2
*ENG 122Introduction to Fiction2
*ENG 123Spoken English 112
*ENG 124Origin of Nigerian Literature in English2
*ENG 125Introduction to Children’s Literature2
*ENG 126Introduction to Gender Studies2
*GST 121Use of Library Skills & Information Technology2
+GST 122Communication in English II2
+IDS 121Life & Times of Archbishop Benson Idahosa1

200 LEVEL FIRST SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 114Introduction to Poetry2
*ENG 115Practical English Grammar2
*ENG 116Theatre Workshop2
*ENG 117Introduction to oral Literature2
*ENG 211Survey of Epoch in English Literature2
*ENG 212General Phonetics & Phonology I2
*ENG 213    Advanced English Composition I2
  • Direct Entry Students, in addition, must take GST 111, GST 112, FRN 111, IDS 111, bringing their unit to 19.

 
200 LEVEL SECOND SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 126Introduction to Children Literature 2
*ENG 127Practical English Grammar II 2
*ENG 221English Morphology 2
*ENG 222General Phonetics 11 2
*ENG 223Adavnce English Composition II 2
+GST 222Peace & Conflict Resolution (For UME Students only) 2
-MAC 121African Communication System 3

Direct Entry Students, in addition, must take GST 121, GST 122, bringing their credits to 17.

300 LEVEL FIRST SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 214    The African Novel2
*ENG 215English Syntax I2
*ENG 216An Introduction to Syntactic Models2
*ENG 218    Language and Society2
+ENT 318Entrepreneurship Theory2

 
300 LEVEL SECOND SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 224English Drama: From Shakespeare to the Present2
*ENG 225Advanced English Syntax 112
-ENG 226History of English Language2
+ENG 227Creative Writing 12
+ENG 228Language and Gender2
*ENG 321Discourse Analysis3
*ENG 322The Socio-Linguistics of English3

 
         
*ENG 315  Folklore in African Literature
400 LEVEL FIRST SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 217    Introduction to Semiotics2
*ENG 311Contemporary English Usage3
*ENG 312Phonology of English3
*ENG 313The English Language in Nigeria3
*ENG 314Introduction to Applied Linguistics3

                                    
400 LEVEL SECOND SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 229Literature popular Culture and the Mass Media 2
*ENG 230Philosophy of Language 2
*ENG 323African Drama 3
*ENG 324Research Methods I 3
*ENG 325African Poetry 3
*ENG 326Creative writing II 3
+ENT 328Entrepreneurship Practical 2

 
500 LEVEL FIRST SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 315    Folklore in African Literature3
*ENG 316Introduction to Semantics3
*ENG 317African-American/Caribbean Literature3
*ENG 411Pragmatics3
*ENG 412New Trends in Syntax3

               
500 LEVEL SECOND SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
-ENG 327African Oral Literature in Translation  3
*ENG 421Stylistics3
*ENG 422English for Specific Purposes3
*ENG 423Language and National Development3

                                    
600 LEVEL FIRST SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 413Psycholinguistics3
*ENG 414Literary Theory & Criticism3
*ENG 415Research Methods II3
*ENG 416Studies in Drama3
*ENG 417Mutilingualism3

                                      Total Credits                                        15
600 LEVEL SECOND SEMESTER

COURSE CODECOURSE TITLECREDITS
*ENG 424Studies in Poetry3
*ENG 425Semiotics Applications3
*ENG 426European Literature in Translation3
*ENG 499Research Project/Long Essay6

               
*   Compulsory Course
+  Required Course

– Elective Course

Candidates who shall qualify for admission to this programme are required to pass the UME and the BIU examinations and interview for the required session along with the requirements, namely:

5 credits in not more than two sitting at SSCE, NECO or GCE ‘O’ Level, including credits in English Language, Mathematics, Literature in English and any other two Arts subjects.

Direct entry candidates should possess, along with all UME requirements, any of the following:

An Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in English with a minimum of Upper Credit.

National Certificate of Education (NCE) in English from any recognized Tertiary Institution with a pass at credit level in at least one teaching subject, and overall merit pass in NCE, Two Advanced Level pass to include Literature in English and any other Art Subject.

Duration of study

A minimum of eight (8) semesters or four (4) Academic sessions for candidates who are admitted through UME. Maximum duration for this class of students of students is twelve (12) semesters or six (6) academic sessions.

Direct Entry Candidates shall complete their programme within six (6) semesters or three (3) academic sessions. Maximum duration for this class of students is eight (8) semesters or four (4) academic sessions.

Duration and Unit Value of the Courses

The full degree programme is to last four years for UME students. Candidates need a minimum of 154 credit units to qualify for the award of a degree.

PROFESSOR

Prof. Onuigbo G. NWOYE

PROFESSOR

Prof. Alexandra Uzoaku ESIMAJE

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Dr. Mark Osamagbe IGHILE

LECTURER I

Mrs. Charisa I. DADA

LECTURER I

Mr. Edomwonyi F. OMOROGBE

LECTURER I

Mr. Chukwuma Daniel EZIRIM

ASSISTANT LECTURER

Miss. Charity O. OSEGHALE

GRADUATE ASSISTANT

Mrs. Faith E. AMUZIE