History of the Department of English Language and Literature
The Department of English Language and Literature in English was established in 1992 as a Unit in the then Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. It, subsequently, got a Departmental status when Arts was made a fully operational Faculty in 2000. The Department got her full NUC accreditation status in the year 2005.
The Department’s academic programme offers a four-year standard programme leading to the award of Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Hons.) degree. The entry mode is through JAMB/UME and a standard three-year direct entry programme for which mode of entry is through JAMB/DE (Direct Entry). It also offers a six-year Continuing Education Programme (CEP) as well as Sandwich programme to mature students. Entry requirements are the same as the aforementioned programmes. The Department has also mounted Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctoral (Ph.D) degree programmes.
The academic staff teach courses to students of the Faculty of Education as part of their requirement as future teachers. The Department also allows other Departments like Law, Igbo, African and Asian Studies, Linguistics, Theatre and Film Studies, Mass Communication etc., to borrow courses in English Language and Literature. The Department of English Language and Literature also offers university-wide GSS 101 and GSS 102 courses, that is, Use of English I and II, respectively, to all first year students of the University.
In the course of achieving the objective of producing graduates who are competent in English language and literary studies, stress areas have been developed for students’ concentration. The first and second years allow students to take all the courses offered in the Department, but from the third year (300 level), they concentrate their studies on either in language or literature. This helps the student to determine where to carry out the project/long essay and the area for further/future studies.
The programmes of study in the Department are periodically reviewed; the courses are constantly under review to reflect current changes and needs.
Pioneer Staff
Professor P.O. Umeh
Professor D.C. Ekpunobi
Professor R.N. Umeasiegbu
Mr. R.U. Uzoezie
Mr. A.C. Onuigbo
Heads of Departments
The Department of English language and Literature has been headed by persons of positive orientation. They are:
Professor Okey Umeh 1992 – 1998
Mr. R. U. Uzoezie 1998 – 1999
Professor D. C. Ekpunobi 1999 – 2002
Mr. Chidi Onuigbo 2002 – 2003
Professor Ezenwa Ohaeto 2003 – 2004
Mr. R. U. Uzoezie 2004 – 2006
Professor Joy Eyisi 2006 – 2011
Dr. (Mrs.) Ifeyinwa J. Ogbazi 2011 – 2013
Dr. Ephraim Chukwu 2013 – 2014
Prof. Stella Ekpe 2014 – 2016
Dr. Geraldine Nnamdi-Eruchalu 2016 till date
Philosophy and Objectives of the Department
The Department of English Language and Literature aims at providing the intellectual knowledge and training that prepare its students for life, giving them pragmatic education, sound knowledge of the linguistic theories and functions of the English language and literary studies, in order to equip them satisfactorily with the language skills required for excellent communication in all fields of human activity. It is the department’s determination to maintain the world standards in English and literary studies and to offer our students the kind of refinement and pruning that makes them marketable. To this end, some of our specific objectives include:
* To produce competent users of the English language
* To sharpen the student’s literary sensibility to enable them to respond adequately to any literary stimulus
* To produce students who can use their linguistic and communicative competence and literary awareness for effective literary appreciation
* To make students conversant with the major landmarks in the development of English and African literatures
* To produce graduates who can appreciate, adapt and transfer the knowledge gained from their studies in developing “Nigerian English” and produce significant works in English and mother tongues
* To train students to gain greater refinement of character and personality development through language and literary studies
* To prepare our graduating students for postgraduate studies and research in applied English and literary studies
* To produce competent middle-level manpower who have sound communication skills required for efficient and productive performance in the following areas of national and international services:
– Teaching in institutions of higher learning
– Television and radio news editing and broadcasting
– Newspaper/journal writing, editing and proof reading
– Teaching of English language and literature in schools and colleges.
– Public and civil service
– Political enlightenment and diplomatic service
– Publishing industry