History is one of the most desired academic degrees amongst students when it comes to pursuing a Bachelor of Arts.
History degrees are designed to teach you to move beyond yourself and envision other worlds, to explore the interplay between material circumstances and human character. History combines the careful analysis of evidence with compelling storytelling. Moreover, History degrees aim to increase cultural sensitivity and literacy.
This degree is divided into various areas of expertise such as Classical History or Art History, which will help students gain relevant knowledge for themselves.
History is one of the most versatile undergraduate majors, due to the fact that it touches upon all forms of human endeavour from arts and languages to science and economics.
Candidates studying a History course will also be taught how to effectively collect, analyse, interpret, and arrange a wide variety of sources into persuasive arguments. Thus, having these skills will increase the chance of any graduate finding a job, no matter if it is in this field or not.
A report from Georgetown University’s Center on Education illustrates that graduates from History majors have the highest salary amongst graduates from all other humanities majors.
History courses are usually a three-year commitment and offer many academic programmes ranging from foundational courses to specialised ones. Some universities even have site excavations, through which students gain more practical knowledge.
Like most of the degrees, any History course concludes with a dissertation in any chosen area of interest.
Nnamdi Azikiwe University is one of the most sought-after universities in Nigeria. In my early years as an undergraduate, the environment was somewhat conducive to learning, with good security and freedom. However, in recent times, it is not. The University has been suffering incessant killings and robbery of both students and residents of the student areas, especially as a result of the increased insecurity in the country.
Studying a programme in Unizik as fondly called, is like going on a dangerous or suicide mission. Lecturers’ frustrations, administrative workers’ rudeness, poor time management, extortions and strike actions by the University have left students in great dismay. Four-year programmes turn five to six-year programmes. Their have been cases of students who dropped out of school or committed suicide out of school frustrations.
On the part of the students, there are three categories of them. The serious ones who really came to study, the semi-serious ones who may have a full-time business, or are fully involved in students’ and lecturers’ politics and have shuffled schooling as a side hustle, and the unserious ones, who just came to school to show off wealth and body endowments and not attending lectures. At the end, it still all boils down to the ‘survival of the fittest’.
History and International Studies is an interesting programme to study especially due to the richness of the lecturers’ knowledge and ability to teach. But for quite a good number of my classmates, the programme is perceived as difficult, and lecturers make it overly serious. However, what we lacked was practical experience of class exercises and learning. We lived with so many curiosities and lack hands on experiences. And in many, it reduced the drive, enthusiasm and energy to want to further more after graduation.
Lecturers and students’ relation is poor. Lecturers instill fear in students making them believe that they are not good enough and would not scale successfully because the programme is difficult, even for them as undergraduates, years past. Lecturers are not punctual and consistent to class, making the students lose the enthusiasm they have in studying.
Nnamdi Azikiwe University includes the top performing institution in Nigeria. Comparing to most Federal Universities in the country, Unizik has attained certain level in facilities. But the facilities are still not enough for academic and social developments.
However, I wouldn’t mind recommending Nnamdi Azikiwe University to students who want to take part time programmes, first degree and short courses. Because, what is obtained in Unizik is generally obtained in all Federal Universities in Nigeria. But I would not recommend Unizik for Post-graduate studies, especially for Masters and PHD.
Lest I forget, with all that have been said, it would not be surprised to learn that even the students of the aforementioned institution nicknamed it “Uni-stress”.
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