English And Literary Studies

The Department of English and Literary Studies offers four-year programme, leading to the award of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English and Literary studies. Admission into the programme is usually through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board.

Philosophy

In a country where English as an added language, 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 graduates of higher institutions, especially the universities.

A higher level of competence and communicative skills is expected even more from graduates of English.

Hence, there is need for devoting greater attention to the achievement of improved
knowledge of English and the acquisition of adequate oral and written skills in it.

English graduates from Nigerian universities should be clearly and positively identified with adequate proficiency in pronunciation, articulation in speech, corrections of grammar and usage, elegance and style in diction 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 postgraduate studies in language and literature.

Objectives

1. To train students to acquire adequate communicative competence in both the spoken and written varieties of the English language, thereby giving them a good grounding and effective mastery of the language in its various applications in order to achieve adequate self-expression and self-actualisation.
2. To equip the students with the knowledge of the forms and features of the varieties of the English language used in different domains such as business communication, legal communication, electronic broadcast media, print journalism, advertising and sports commentaries, book publishing and 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, its semantics and usage.
4. To adequately prepare the students to pursue postgraduate studies in English language and linguistics, and to take up teaching and research at the appropriate level of education.
5.  To orient students towards self-employment by a presentation of special programmes on radio or television, and other kinds of original output through independent thought, inventiveness and creativity.
6. To produce graduates who possess an informed literary and aesthetic sensibility and intellectual tools to appreciate any literary stimulus and event.
7. To equip students with adequate knowledge of major landmarks in literature-in-English in all genres and periods.
8. To produce skilful and eloquent users of English for literary and artistic creativity.
9. To impart a humanistic perspective to students by acquainting them with literature as an expression of lofty ideas and aspirations, to stimulate in the students the aptitude for creativity and innovation in the exploration of investment opportunities in the culture and art industry.