HOD’S WELCOME NOTE

You are warmly welcome to the Department of Languages & General Studies. The Department is dedicated to teaching, learning and research. We drive excellence and prepare our students for greater challenges beyond the classroom. Indisputably, language is the hub of any human society, which sustains the wheels of communication and national cohesion; it is indispensable to social interaction and central to service delivery in all sectors of the economy, information and communication technology inclusive. It is therefore clear that national development and language are really inseparable.
In addition to its role as Nigeria’s official language, English is a medium of skills and knowledge acquisition in Nigeria. These roles then justify the concerted efforts by all stakeholders to bolster its teaching and learning in Nigerian schools as well as institutions of higher learning. Apart from the core English Language courses, the Department teaches writing skills across numerous genres, including fiction and non-fiction literature. There are French and media courses too, a fact which indicates our commitment to the University’s mandate to encourage active interdisciplinary trainings and collaborations.
Since its inception, the Department has turned out a number of students, who today are highflying individuals in their various careers within and beyond the shores of this country. It is exciting to know that graduates of English are equipped to explore career interests in Communication, Criminology, Sociology, Public Relations, Advertising, Education, and Sociology. Our graduates’ outstanding performances and exemplary work attitudes cannot be separated from their root – Covenant University. Our students easily find spaces in industries such as insurance, marketing and communication for vacation jobs or industrial training, which often become permanent after graduation. The Department has been able to maintain a healthy relationship with several industries over the years and, as an institutional practice has sustained the town and gown interactions, which involves hosting professionals in the various industries who have background in English/language and communication to hold seminars with our students, sharing their experiences and successes.
The excellent performances of our graduates are linked with the world-class expertise and professionalism of our faculty members. The Department has highly qualified academics of the various cadres. We have well established foreign linkages. For instance, Prof. Iyunolu Osagie, a Professor of Literature and playwright from Pennsylvania State University, United States of America, was a Visiting Lecturer to the Department; and her play, The Shield, was staged by students of the Department.
The Department is well-equipped to run English and Foreign Language Programmes. We have a standard modern Language Laboratory (Smart-Class+) and state of the art teaching equipment. Our classes are moderate in terms of number of students per class. Academic progress and success of our students are equally well-monitored.  Thus, there is mutual lecturer-student relationship and sound mentorship framework.
Currently, we run a B.A degree programme in English as well as postgraduate programmes (M.A and Ph.D) in English with language and literature options.
We welcome prospective students for both our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Dr. Samuel T. Owoeye
Head, Department of Languages and General Studies