A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of English and Communication Art started in 1975 with the responsibility of preparing students for the award of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) in what was then the Rivers State College of Education. It comprised two departments: the Department of English Language and the Department of Literature.

The Department started its Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programme in 1981 after the College was upgraded to a degree awarding institution. In 1993, the two departments were merged into one Department of English.

The change of name from Department of English to the Department of English and later Department of English and Communication Art in 2017 with an introduction of communication option took effect in 2017 with the new status of the institution as University of Education.

VISION, MISSION, PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT

Vision

Department of English and Communication Art is established to be among the best Department of English in tertiary institutions in the country, and to produce graduates who would distinguish themselves anywhere in the world.

Mission

The mission is to attract and train high calibre students to become first-rate English Language, literary and communication students, through the use of creative and conscientious staff who are committed to building a unique university of education in Nigeria, Africa and the world.

Philosophy

The philosophy of the programme is based on the fact that English is an official language, a second language as well as lingual Franca in Nigeria. It is also the language of instruction in the educational system. Therefore, high level of proficiency and competence in oral and written communication is expected from graduates of English. The graduates from the Department of English & Communication Art of this University should be clearly and positively identified with adequate proficiency in pronunciation, correctness of grammar, elegance in style and diction. They should also show mastery in the choice and appropriate varieties of English for various administrative and professional job opportunities available in the labour market. They should be able to function effectively in literary and creative writing domains.  

Objectives

 The objectives of the programmes are as follows:

1. To train students to acquire adequate communicative competence in spoken and written English, thereby giving them effective mastery of language in its various applications.
2. To develop in the students the ability to understand, analyze and discuss critically any piece of literary writing by helping them to develop their own powers of written and oral expression in English language.
3. To provide the students with intellectual and professional background adequate for their future assignment and to make them adaptable to any changing situation not only in the life of their country but in the world at large.
4. To equip students to teach effectively in any aspect of English language and literature at the secondary school level.
5. To demonstrate adequate preparedness for post-graduate

                                  studies in English Language, Linguistics, Literature,

communication and allied disciplines.

Admission Requirements

1. Admission into the four-year degree programme in the Department is by entrance examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). In addition, candidates may be required to write a Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME), organized by the University.
2. Candidates for the four-year degree programme must possess a minimum of five “Ordinary Level” credits from GCE or WAEC or NECO or other similar recognised agency. Such credits, which must include English Language, Mathematics and Literature, obtained from any of those exams or from a combination of any two of them, shall have been from not more than two sittings.
3. A Grade II Teachers Certificate (TC II) with credit or merit in five subjects, all of which must be relevant to the courses in the Department.
4. Candidates who wish to pursue the three-year degree programme(for the Direct Entry option) must have the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) or National Diploma (ND) qualification, with a standard pass as specified by the University in the relevant subjects.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To Obtain B.A  or BA (Ed) degree in English , a student must fulfil the following conditions:      

1. Complete and pass all Departmental compulsory courses. Four (4) courses from Faculty of Humanities and minimum of eight elective courses. Also, he/she must pass all GNS courses as the Faculty and the University may specify.
2. Obtain a minimum of CGPA specified by the University but not less than 1.00
3. Earn the minimum credit units of not less than 120 within a maximum of six Academic Sessions or twelve semesters.

GRADING SYSTEM

1. Every course of instruction is continuously assessed at the end of the semester in which it is given.
2. 30% of the total mark is adopted for continuous assessment weighting in view of the work input expected from the student.
3. Continuous assessment of students is by means of term papers, tests and assignment (formal/informal).
4. Students are obliged to sit for examination in all registered courses. Any student who fails to sit for a course examination without satisfactory reason earns the grade of

‘F’.  

Registration done after the initial two weeks attracts a late registration fee stipulated by the University. Students are expected to register for all courses they intend to take during the session (which includes previously failed courses), to ensure that such courses are authenticated by the Head of Department, before proceeding for the endorsement by the Dean of the Faculty. Course registration forms are obtainable from the office of the Faculty Officer.

Students, who attend classes for courses that they are not registered for, will not be allowed to write the examination for such courses. Students who do not register at all for the session shall be deemed to have voluntarily withdrawn from the university and their results, if any, will not be presented to the University Senate for that session.

CONTINUATION, PROBATION AND WITHDRAWAL

Grades obtained from all courses, irrespective of whether the course is designated Compulsory, Required or Elective, and whether the course was passed or failed, must be included in the computation of a student’s CGPA.  Accordingly, a student at the 100 level might be required to withdraw from the University if at the end of the session such a student has failed to obtain the minimum CGPA of 1.0 as well as the required minimum of 20 units.