About Department
Political Science is one of the core disciplines in the Faculty of Social Sciences the world over. The course deals with what David Easton (1965) described as the authoritative allocation of values in any system. Again, when we try to analyse who gets what, when or how? we are gravitating in the epi-centre of Political Science.
In Akwa Ibom State University, the Department of Political Science is poised to develop erudite, intelligent, sophisticated and well-behaved students who are expected to serve as models for others. For this reason, our students are expected to be groomed in such courses as Organisation of Government: The Citizen and the State, Citizenship Education, Introduction to Political Science and Political Analysis, Political Ideas, and others.
Our aim is to carry students along and involve them in both class and extra-curricular activities. Through hard work and concerted effort, the Department received full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Currently, the Department of Political Science runs a programme that leads to the award of Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. The Department will soon commence Diploma and Postgraduate Programmes by next academic session.
The purpose of this profile is to assist the students with their registration exercise as well as to familiarize them with the rules and regulations of the Department. To be sure, this profile is expected to serve as a signpost to guide the students as they navigate the University space.
We strongly encourage our students to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by this profile to be part of the unfolding dreams in the Department of Political Science.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Political Science was established in Akwa Ibom State University in 2011/2012 academic session as the Department of Political Science and Public Administration to run a four – year programmes leading to the award of B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Political Science and Public Administration. However, following the National University Commission (NUC) visitation panel and its subsequent report, the hitherto Department of Political Science and Public Administration was split into two distinctive Departments namely; Department of Political Science and Department of Public Administration respectively. Moreover, following the creation the Faculty of Social Sciences from the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, the Department of Political Science became one of the pioneer Departments in the Faculty of Social Sciences with the then Head of Department, Late Prof. Godwin T. Umoette doubling as the Dean of the new Faculty. The course contents were reviewed as core Political Science courses that were not included in the course contents were introduced. This was, however, done strictly in line with the NUC Benchmark. Political Science as a discipline is designed to provide the students with an adequate theoretical, conceptual and empirical knowledge in the study of politics as a Social Science discipline.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE DEPARTMENT
The Department’s academic programme is based on comprehensive excellence in research, teaching, learning and service provision. The underlying philosophy is to produce graduates with a critical mind, requisite ability and skill to analyse, comprehend, predict and influence the factors that shape and mould power relationship in an ever-changing socio-political environment in a globalising world. With this philosophy and vision, a political science graduate from this Department, would have a deep and broad knowledge of the various sub-fields of political science and would be well-grounded in quantitative and empirical methodologies. With this, our graduates would posses’ adequate analytic tools to interpret political and social events locally, nationally and globally.
OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT
The main objectives of a degree in Political Science are:
- To provide training in the principles of political science and their application to the type of degree programme concerned.
- To stimulate the students intellectually through the programme in such a way that they can appreciate and analyse social problems.
- To provide solid foundation of knowledge about the workings of society and its institutions, and develop the skills for the constructive use of such knowledge.
- To develop in students, the ability to apply the knowledge to the resolution of societal problems and conflicts.
- To develop in students, such skills and competences that would allow them to be self-reliant and entrepreneurial.
- To provide the students with the necessary skill for studying and analysing society.
- To provide the students with the skill-base from which they can proceed to higher studies in Political Science.
- To imbue in the students, a deep appreciation of the political dynamics of society and the impact of this on socio-economic development as well as societal wellbeing.
The B.Sc. programme in Political Science is compatible with the mission of Akwa Ibom State University as well as with the current Minimum Bench Mark of the National Universities Commission.
