[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Geography and Regional Planning, Igbinedion University was established in 2005/2006 academic session and Dr. M.O. Asikhia was in charge. With the increase in staffs, the Department came into shape and started evolving into its present form and size. The Department was fully accredited in 2012 by the Nigerian University Commission (NUC). Since inception the Department has grown in terms of student’s population, staff strength, learning and research materials etc.
During the 2005/2006 session, the Department admitted the first batch of undergraduate student who graduated from the Department with the degree of B.Sc in Geography and Regional Planning in July, 2009.
ACADEMIC PHILOSOPHY
The undergraduate courses of the Department are structured to lay a strong foundation in all the major branches of Geography and Regional planning. Students are trained also in the applied aspects of the subject to equip them for a wide range of professions that are open to Geographers and regional planners in Nigeria, including Urban and Regional Planning, Environmental Management, Climatology, Geomorphology, Rural Geography, Geographic Information System (GIS), Population Geography, Transportation Geography, Political Geography, Population Projects and challenging work in industry and government parastatals. Training is also given to the students in the philosophy and techniques of the subject to equip them for further specialization at the post-graduate levels
AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The basic aims to produce high level geography and regional planning personnel and contribute through research and publications towards the growth in knowledge of geographical philosophy and methods of explanation and the improvements of the quality of learning. Students are trained also in applied aspects of the course to equip them with wide range of professions that are opened to geographers and planners in Nigeria.
The Department also aimed at providing sound empirical and theoretical training that will enable students to understand, analyze and interpret the spatial patterns of human activities and natural processes operating on the earth’s surface. The impact of these processes on both the human and natural environment and policy option to tackle them at national and international levels represents a core part of the curriculum.
Another objective of the Department is to produce graduates in different fields of geography who are imaginative, practical, creative, well prepared and dedicated to the service of humanity at different levels of involvements and to make high quality contributions to academics and geographical knowledge through researches.
To produce graduates equipped with the skills for public, private, self-employment and professional practices towards solving various scientific, environmental, socio-cultural, economic and other problems in Nigeria and globally.
DEPARTMENT CONTROL OF THE PROGRAMME
The Bachelor of Science Geography and Regional Planning Programme is controlled by the Department of Geography and Regional Planning. The Department is headed by a senior staff, having other academic and non-academic staff for the services of the Department and the Programme.
The courses offered in the Department are coded GRP. However, the College of Arts and Social Sciences is the supreme authority on matters affecting the Department, that is, all academic programmes of the Department, approval of results, curriculum review and other issues that may come to the College from the Central Administration of the University.
UNDERGRADUTE PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
The Department provides a four-year programme leading to B.Sc Degree in Geography and Regional Planning. Direct entry students join in the second year of the programme.
The first year consists of introductory courses aimed at providing the link between higher school geography and the new orientations of the more advanced course from the second year. The elements of physical and human geography are introduced. Also, a local field studies of the environment (Okada and environs) is embarked upon to familiarize the students to the physical and human features of the environment.
In the second year, students are presented with geographic thought theories and models in natural ecosystem, spatial organization as well as features of physical and human geography. It also introduces the students to geographic information system, climatology, descriptive and inferential statistical techniques.
The third-year courses are basically laboratory and field techniques, advanced quantitative statistical methods, detailed studies in the physical and human aspects of the discipline and examined. The regional geography of Africa is also exposed to the students. A seven-day field course is organized within the year to acquaint students with more examples/illustrations of the geographical features in the place of study outside Edo State. The field studies are aimed at presenting the field techniques of some simple geographical problems, data collecting and analyses. Students are examined on the bases of the field notebooks and essay reports.
In the fourth year, students are expected to be equipped and capable to apply the various spatial attributes in geography. These are treated in the form of student seminars, group field project reports and lecture sessions to present the problems and discuss the findings. In the level, each student is expected to submit the original essay based on their study of local problems under the supervision of a member of academic staff.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
UME (Four-Year Degree Programme)
- Five ordinary level credit passes which must include English, Mathematic, Geography and any other two subjects at not more than two sittings.
Direct Entry (Three-Year Degree Programme)
- NCE with at least a merit pass in Geography and any other subject. A merit pass in the NCE General English is acceptable as fulfilling the English Language requirement for direct entry only; plus credit pass at least two relevant subject at ‘’O’’ Level including mathematics.
- At least five credit passes in the General Certificate of Education or its equivalent of which at least two shall be at the advanced level or five Credit passes of which at least three shall be at the Advanced level provide that such are not counted at both levels of the examinations. The ‘A’ level subject must include Geography and any subject (s), while the ‘O’ level subjects must include English Language and mathematics.
DEGREE PROGRAMME AND REQUIREMENTS
In order to obtain a Bachelor of Science (B. Sc. Degree in Geography and Regional planning), a student in the fourth year programme is requires to complete a minimum of 170 units of courses as prescribed by the department, while those on the three-year programme are complete a minimum of 140 units. To graduate, all compulsory and required courses in the department must be passed. This is in addition to completing and passing courses in general Studies and approved elective course from the following department: Agriculture, Business Administration, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Administration, Sociology and Anthropology.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]