PREFACE FOR DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS & STRATEGIC STUDIES
Department of International Relations and Strategic Studies was established within the College of Arts and Social Sciences on September 1, 2001 with students at the time admitted via Direct Entry in the 2001/2002 academic session. It graduated its first batch of students in the 2003/2004 session. The vision of the Department is to be counted among the first ten outstanding departments of International Relations and Strategic Studies in the world. Over the years, the department has produced a number of graduates of high quality who have competed favourably with their colleagues all over the world in securing high profile jobs in embassies, consular offices, United Nations (UN), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and other international institutions of repute. Graduates from this department have also been gaining admission into postgraduate programmes of highly reputed universities across the Europe, America, Asia and Africa. The department, since inception, has been privileged to have on its faculty top-rate academics. The roll call includes Prof, EghosaOsaghae, a world-renowned scholar of Comparative Politics, Prof O.B.C. Nwolise, a versatile scholar of Strategic Studies, Prof Fred AjaAgwu, a prolific researcher on International Law and International Economic Relations, Dr. Jami Leibowitz of East Carolina University, USA, who has been teaching the recondite course “Global Understanding”, Prof. NnamdiNwaodu, a scholar of globalization studies and the European Union, Prof. Femi Olufunmilade, a specialist in security affairs and international political economy amongst several others. The department which offers B.Sc in International Relations also gives priority to Strategic Studies. The essence is to enable the University be part of the pioneering processing of Africa for the advancement of strategic thought for improved security on the continent, better governance, and a catalyzed development to make Africa relevant in 21st century world affairs. In addition, this area gives the students a robust knowledge of state interest and its nexus to national security. The programme of the department also offers students the opportunities for field trips both locally and internationally; internship at embassies or other relevant institutions like the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs or ECOWAS; Global Exchange Programme with our overseas partners in Education; Professional Course in Diplomatic Practice etc. This course upon completion continues to offer job opportunities in diverse areas for our graduates which include: working in the embassy as an admin officer, admin assistant, consular admin officer, immigration inspector, head of chancery, senior admin officer, diplomat, senior diplomat, or ambassador etc. Outside the embassy opportunities include foreign affairs journalist, intelligence agent; international political analyst, international finance analyst, defence policy analyst, security analyst, security consultant, travel agent, immigration officer, custom officer, export/import sales manager or officer, administrator or officer in an international institution (governmental or non-governmental), United Nations interpreter, translation specialist, international relations’ researcher amongst several other job opportunities out there. The entrepreneurial studies embedded in our programme also builds the students’ capacity to not only be self-reliant as a graduate, but also to become an employer of labour.
