University of Jos

Dr. (Mrs) Janet P. Plang
Head of Department

INTRODUCTION

The Department has two programmes namely; Sociology as well as Criminology and Security Studies. Courses in the Department are therefore designed primarily for undergraduates who are reading towards the B.Sc. degree in Sociology as well as B. SC. degree in Criminology and Security Studies. However, the range of the courses is such that many of them have interdisciplinary relevance. Thus several courses in the department can be taken as electives by students from other academic departments of the University.

PROGRAMMES OBJECTS

The department's overall academic and social expectations are that the disciplinary skills and insights of the sociological and anthropological sciences contained in these programmes, will usher the students into a more .scientific and comprehensive understanding of the nature and dynamics of human societies and cultures in general, and Nigerian and African socio-cultural worlds in particular. The programmes deliberately favour a cross-cultural and Afrocentric problematization of the disciplines’ conceptual perspectives and paradigms, as well as the analysis of the concrete problems .of change and development confronting Nigeria at national, community and individual levels. The objectives of the programmes may thus be further specified as: i. The training of students whose sociological and anthropological knowledge of human societies and cultures inspires them to overcome cultural prejudices, parochialisms, and to respect value orientations and social institutions which uphold the dignity of humankind; ii. the training of students whose concrete knowledge of Nigerian society enables them to fulfill social development roles in the fields of administration, management, teaching, communications, culture, counseling, welfare, health, education, housing, social security, series, public policy formulation and analysis, industry, and the like; and iii. the training of students who are able to undertake postgraduate work in the disciplines of sociology, security, social anthropology and social welfare and anthropology with a view to, taking up careers in higher educational and research institutions.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The degree programme consists of: i. The tour-year programme to which admission is obtained through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(U.TM.E.), and ii. The three-year programme to which admission is obtained by Direct Entry, i). The Four-Year Programme A candidate seeking admission into the four-year progamme must possess a minimum of five credits (including English Language) at the S.S.C.E. Ordinary Level or its equivalent, plus, at least a pass in Mathematics. In addition the candidate should pass the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (U.T.M.E.) at a level prescribed by the University. ii). The Three-Year Programme A candidate seeking admission into the three-year programme (Direct Entry) must possess either: a. A minimum of two subjects at the G.C.E. Advanced Level or its equivalent, plus at least three credits at the S.S.C.E. Ordinary Level or its equivalent. A credit pass in English Language and at least a pass in Mathematics are required. b. A minimum of three subjects at the G.C.E, Advanced Level or its equivalent, plus at; least a credit in English Language and another subject. At least a pass in mathematics is required. c. A Diploma in Social Works for Development of the University of Jos passed at the Lower credit Level and above (i.e. 50% and above) or its equivalent from other institutions of higher learning.

DECREE REQUIREMENTS

i. Candidates for the B.Sc, degree in any of the two programmes are required to take a minimum of 36 credit units and a maximum of 48 credit units in each academic year comprising of two semesters. A credit unit is defined us one contact hour, per week per semester. ii. Candidates for the degree must pass a minimum of 36 credit units each academic year, making a total of 144 credit units for the four year programme and 108 credit units for the three-year programme. iii. Candidates are required by the University regulations to, take and pass four University-wide General Studies courses (GST). These are: GST 101 - Use of English - 4 credits. GST 102 - Philosophy and Logic - 2 credits. GST 103 - Nigerian History and Culture - 2 credits. GST 104 - History and Philosophy of Science - 2 credits. The credit units required for graduation must be earned from courses offered within the department, and recommended (elective) courses offered outside the department. The following table illustrates the recommended minimum spread of credit load from departmental and elective courses in a typical four-year degree programme.