Continuous assessment & examinations
Each course combines continuous assessment - assignments, tests, and class work - with an end-of-semester examination; weights and formats are set in each course outline.
- Duration 4 years
- Credits 120–180
- Mode Full-time
- Accreditation Fully accredited
I.
About
About the programme.
A degree in political theory, governance, and global affairs, preparing graduates for careers in policy, diplomacy, public service, and research.
II.
Curriculum
Four levels, one journey.
151 courses across 4 levels, totalling 329 credits. Each level builds on the last; the final year culminates in a capstone project.
Download the approved curriculum (PDF)
100
Level
41 courses
86 credits
| Code | Course | Cr. | Sem | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GST111 |
Communication in English I Listening and speaking skills, reading and writing techniques, language and society. Builds the academic English foundation expected of all… | 2 | 1 | Core GST |
IRS101 |
Ancestors of the Contemporary International System | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS103 |
Introduction to African Politics | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS105 |
History of Nigeria | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULPOL107 |
Introduction to Economics | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL101 |
Introduction to Political Science | 3 | 1 | Core |
POL103 |
Organisation of Government | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL105 |
Nigeria Constitutional Development | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULPOL109 |
Introduction to Business | 2 | 1 | Core |
CUL-POL111 |
Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULPOL113 |
Introduction to Sociology | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULIRS107 |
Introduction to Political Science | 2 | 1 | Elective |
CULIRS109 |
Introduction to Business | 2 | 1 | Elective |
CULIRS111 |
Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies | 2 | 1 | Elective |
CULIRS113 |
Introduction to Sociology | 2 | 1 | Elective |
AMS101 |
Principles of Management | 2 | 1 | Core |
AMS103 |
Introduction to Computers | 2 | 1 | Core |
CUL-PAD101 |
Elements of Public Administration | 2 | 1 | Core |
CUL-POL101 |
Introduction to Political Science | 2 | 1 | Core |
CUL-PAD113 |
Introduction to Sociology | 2 | 1 | Core |
CUL-POL103 |
Organisation of Government | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULPOL106 |
Leadership and Governance | 3 | 2 | Core |
GST112 |
Nigerian Peoples & Culture Indigenous cultures, value systems, social institutions, contemporary issues. Required NUC general-studies course. | 2 | 2 | Core GST |
IRS102 |
Evolution of the Contemporary International System | 2 | 2 | Core |
IRS104 |
The Rise of Nation States | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL102 |
Introduction to African Politics | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL104 |
Nigeria Legal Sysyem | 2 | 2 | Core |
CULPOL108 |
Introduction to Psychology | 2 | 2 | Core |
CULPOL110 |
Basic Statistics | 2 | 2 | Core |
CULPOL112 |
Basic French | 2 | 2 | Core |
CULIRS106 |
Leadership and Governance | 3 | 2 | Elective |
CULIRS108 |
Introduction to Psychology | 2 | 2 | Elective |
CULIRS110 |
Basic Statistics | 2 | 2 | Elective |
CULIRS112 |
Basic French | 2 | 2 | Elective |
CULIRS114 |
Nigeria Legal Sysyem | 2 | 2 | Elective |
AMS102 |
Basic Mathematics | 2 | 2 | Core |
AMS104 |
Principles of Project Management | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-PAD116 |
Leadership and Governance | 3 | 2 | Core |
CUL-PAD110 |
Introduction to Globalization | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-PAD112 |
Basic Statistics | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-PAD108 |
Introduction to Psychology | 2 | 2 | Core |
200
Level
33 courses
70 credits
| Code | Course | Cr. | Sem | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ENT211 |
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Business idea generation, opportunity recognition, business model design, startup financing. Required NUC course aligning graduates with na… | 2 | 1 | Core GST |
IRS203 |
Introduction to Political Analysis | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS205 |
Political Thought Since Hobbes | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS207 |
New States in World Politics | 2 | 1 | Core |
GST212 |
Philosophy, Logic and Human Existence | 2 | 1 | Core GST |
POL201 |
Nigerian Government and Politics | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL203 |
Political Ideas | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL205 |
Introduction to International Relations | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULPOL209 |
Comparative Politics | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULPOL211 |
Politics and Media | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULPOL213 |
Gender and Politics | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULIRS209 |
Comaparative Politics | 2 | 1 | Elective |
CULIRS211 |
Politics and Media | 2 | 1 | Elective |
CULIRS213 |
Gender and Politics | 2 | 1 | Elective |
CULIRS215 |
Introduction to International Relations | 2 | 1 | Elective |
PAD201 |
Introduction to Public Administration | 3 | 1 | Core |
PAD205 |
Office Administration | 2 | 1 | Core |
CUL-PAD209 |
Ecology of Public Administration | 3 | 1 | Core |
CUL-PAD211 |
Politics and Media | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS202 |
Structure of International Society | 2 | 2 | Core |
IRS204 |
Political Thought: Plato to Machiavelli | 2 | 2 | Core |
IRS206 |
Foundation of Political Economy | 2 | 2 | Core |
SSC202 |
Introduction to Computer and its Application | 3 | 2 | Core |
POL202 |
Introduction to Political Analyses | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL204 |
Foundations of Political Economy | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL206 |
Introduction to Public Administration | 2 | 2 | Core |
CULPOL208 |
E-Governance in Nigeria | 2 | 2 | Core |
CULPOL210 |
State-Local Government Relations | 2 | 2 | Core |
CULIRS208 |
E-Governance in Nigeria | 2 | 2 | Elective |
CULIRS210 |
State-Local Government Relations | 2 | 2 | Elective |
PAD202 |
Nigerian Governament and Administration | 2 | 2 | Core |
PAD212 |
Rural and Community Development | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-PAD208 |
New Public Management | 3 | 2 | Core |
300
Level
39 courses
81 credits
| Code | Course | Cr. | Sem | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IRS301 |
International Economic Relations | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS303 |
The International Political System | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS305 |
Law of Nations (International Law) | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS307 |
International Politics in the Post-Cold War Era | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS311 |
Theory and Practice of Administration | 2 | 1 | Core |
SSC301 |
Innovation in the Social Sciences | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL301 |
History of Political Thought | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL303 |
Contemporary Political Analyses | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL305 |
Public Policy Analyses | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL307 |
Statistics for Political Science | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL309 |
Theories of International Relations | 2 | 1 | Core |
CUL-POL311 |
International Economic Relations | 2 | 1 | Core |
CULIRS313 |
Advance French | 3 | 1 | Elective |
PAD301 |
Administrative Theory | 2 | 1 | Core |
PAD303 |
International Administration | 2 | 1 | Core |
PAD305 |
Public Personnel Administration | 3 | 1 | Core |
PAD307 |
Research Methods | 3 | 1 | Core |
PAD309 |
Comparative Local Government | 2 | 1 | Core |
PAD311 |
Public Finance | 2 | 1 | Core |
PAD313 |
Administrative Law | 2 | 1 | Core |
GST312 |
Peace and Conflict Resolution | 2 | 2 | Core GST |
ENT312 |
Venture Creation | 2 | 2 | Core GST |
IRS304 |
Diplomacy | 2 | 2 | Core |
IRS306 |
Logic and Methods of Political Inquiry | 2 | 2 | Core |
IRS308 |
International Politics of Africa | 2 | 2 | Core |
IRS310 |
Theories of International Relations | 2 | 2 | Core |
IRS312 |
Integration Theories and Regionalism | 2 | 2 | Core |
SSC302 |
Research Method I | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL302 |
Theory and Practice of Marxism | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL304 |
Logic and Methods of Political Science Research | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL306 |
Political Behaviour | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL308 |
Politics of Development and Underdevelopment | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL310 |
Democratization Studies | 2 | 2 | Core |
PAD302 |
Administration Behaviour | 2 | 2 | Core |
PAD306 |
Development Administration | 2 | 2 | Core |
PAD308 |
E-Government | 2 | 2 | Core |
PAD310 |
Inter-Governmental Relations | 2 | 2 | Core |
PAD312 |
Traditional Administrative System in Nigeria | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-PAD320 |
Gender and Administration | 2 | 2 | Core |
400
Level
38 courses
92 credits
| Code | Course | Cr. | Sem | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IRS401 |
Foreign Policy Analysis | 3 | 1 | Core |
IRS403 |
Human Rights | 3 | 1 | Core |
IRS405 |
Foreign Policies of the Powers | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS407 |
Research Project | 6 | 1 | Core |
SSC401 |
Research Method II | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL401 |
Civil-Military Relations | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL403 |
Contemporary Defence and Strategic Studies | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL405 |
Nigerian Foreign Policy | 2 | 1 | Core |
POL407 |
Research Project | 4 | 1 | Core |
CUL-POL409 |
Ethics in International Relations | 3 | 1 | Core |
PAD401 |
Theory and Practice Planning | 2 | 1 | Core |
PAD403 |
Public Police of Analysis | 3 | 1 | Core |
PAD405 |
Workshop in Public Administration | 2 | 1 | Core |
PAD407 |
Public Finance Administration | 3 | 1 | Core |
PAD409 |
Public Service Ethics and Accountability | 2 | 1 | Core |
PAD411 |
Social and Welfare Administration in Nigeria | 2 | 1 | Core |
CUL-PAD413 |
Global Environment Issuing | 2 | 1 | Core |
IRS402 |
Nigerian Foreign Policy | 2 | 2 | Core |
IRS404 |
Contemporary Strategic Studies | 3 | 2 | Core |
IRS406 |
International Institutions | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL402 |
State and Economy | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL404 |
Nigerian Local Government System | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL406 |
International Law and Organization | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL408 |
Political Sociology | 2 | 2 | Core |
POL410 |
Political Parties and Pressure Groups | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-POL412 |
Religion and Politics | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-POL414 |
Nigerian Environmental Policy | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-POL416 |
Metropolitan Economic Management | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-POL418 |
Election and Electoral Management | 2 | 2 | Core |
CUL-IRS408 |
Election and Electoral Management | 2 | 2 | Elective |
CU-LIRS410 |
Metropolitan Economic Management | 2 | 2 | Elective |
CU-LIRS412 |
Religion and Politics | 2 | 2 | Elective |
CU-LIRS414 |
Nigerian Environmental Policy | 2 | 2 | Elective |
CUL-IRS416 |
Ethics in International Relations | 2 | 2 | Elective |
PAD402 |
Public Project Analysis and Management | 2 | 2 | Core |
PAD404 |
Public Enterprises Management | 2 | 2 | Core |
PAD490 |
Research Project | 6 | 2 | Core |
PAD408 |
Comaparative Public Administration | 2 | 2 | Core |
Course descriptions and learning outcomes are reviewed annually in line with NUC CCMAS guidelines and industry feedback. Download the approved curriculum (PDF) →
III.
Learning outcomes
What you'll be able to do.
Graduates leave equipped with the foundational rigour and the practical skills the field demands.
- Analyse politics. Apply political theory to government, power, institutions, and political behaviour.
- Understand international relations. Explain the actors, structures, and dynamics of global politics.
- Evaluate policy and diplomacy. Assess foreign policy, diplomacy, and international cooperation and conflict.
- Conduct political research. Design and carry out empirical research on political and international questions.
- Engage governance. Analyse governance, democracy, and development in Nigeria and beyond.
- Communicate and advocate. Present political analysis and arguments clearly to varied audiences.
VI.
Assessment
How you'll be assessed.
Research essays & project
Research essays, presentations, and a final-year project complement written examinations.
External examiners
In line with NUC requirements, qualified academics from other universities moderate examinations and assess final-year projects.
NUC CCMAS compliance
Assessment follows the National Universities Commission's Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards for the discipline.
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