Dr. S. O. Igbinedion (Ag. Head of Department, Department of Economics)
Welcome Address
Welcome to the Department of Economics, the major objectives of the Department of Economics are to offer sound educational background in Economics to all students enrolled in the programme and to give them firm foundation for effective participation in the society in general and in Nigeria in particular as Economists, Bankers, Financiers, Administrators, Management Executives and Allied Professionals. To this end, the Department offers academic programmes leading to the award of B.Sc. and M.Sc. Degrees in Economics and PhD Degree in Economics.
History of the Department
The Department was established in September 1975 as a sub-section of the Department of Economics and Business Studies. It became autonomous and full-fledged in July 1977 as a Department of Economics, and in 1978, produced its first set of graduates. The Department became known as the Department of Economics and Statistics and in the 2017/2018 academic session changed its status to the Department of Economics. The Department is one of the few in Universities in Africa running the Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP) in Economics with the Africa Economic Research Consortium (AERC), Kenya. The Department is also involved in Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), M.Sc. and PhD in Reproductive Health Economics under the Centre for Reproductive Health and Innovation (CERHI), University of Benin. The Department also has a vibrant Nigeria Economics Students’ Association (NESA).
Student Enrolment
Enrolment in the Department has continued to grow especially at the 100 and 200 levels. The trend is likely to continue in the future, particularly because of the expanding services provided by this Department to other Departments within and outside the Faculty of Social Sciences. A good number of students are enrolled in the Department’s Postgraduate Programmes.
Future Plan
The Department’s Postgraduate Programme has made significant progress in terms of students’ enrolment. No opportunities will be spared to further strengthen the Postgraduate Programmes in the Department. To facilitate the achievement of these objectives, the Department is working towards expanding and uploading its Computer Laboratory.
Admission Requirements
Four Years B.Sc. Programme in Economics
West African School/SSCE Certificate (WASC) with credit passes in at least five subjects which should include English Language and Mathematics, Economics and an additional Social Science subject (obtained in not more than two sittings) or equivalent Credit Passes in the General Certificate of Education at the Ordinary Level (also obtained in not more than two sittings). As well as there are no waivers for Credit Passes in English Language and Mathematics. National Examination Council (NECO), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB).
The required Joint Matriculation Examination Subjects are: English Language, Mathematics and Economics plus any other subject; preferably in the Social Sciences.
Three-Year B.Sc. Programme:
Requirements in A above plus two or more subjects in the General Certificate of Education at the Advanced Level or the Higher School Certificate, one of the subjects must be Economics.
Degree Programmes and Requirements
A minimum of 168 Credits is required for the four-year degree programme and 126 Credits for the three-year degree programme. This works out as at least 42 credits or 14 courses (excluding General Studies courses) each session.
Registration of Courses by Students
Students enrolled in the Department are required to select 100 Level courses from the Department of Economics and other Department in the Faculty. 200 Level courses must be selected from the Department and one other Department in the Faculty. 300 and 400 Level courses are normally taken entirely within the Department with the exception of CED 300 (Entrepreneurship Development) which is compulsory for all 300 Level students in the University.