PROGRAMME PHILOSOPHY

The biological roles of plants, as the primary producers on which all other consumers depend upon to thrive and the increasing use of plants and plant products in the area of biotechnology to improve human health and the environment, make them an important and indispensable component of the ecosystem. This makes the scientific study of plants to the benefit of humankind inevitable. It is, therefore, crucial and imperative to train and produce graduates that will be able to manage the plants in a sustainable manner, promote plant diversity and modification, ensure plant conservation and encourage technology transfer. These are global mandates on plant genetic resources which this programme also intend to pursue.

In pursuance of these mandates, it is the philosophy of the programme to promote effective teaching, learning and meaningful researches in the best tradition of Botany, to produce graduates who will use their acquired knowledge on plants to solve the world’s social, economic and ecological problems within the context of sustainable development.

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES

1. Developing students’ appreciation for plants and plant uses
2. Familiarizing students with the names, identity and distribution of plants.
3. Exposing students to practical Botany techniques that will enhance their quick understanding of the course.
4. Acquainting students with the medicinal plant and medicinal uses of plants and general economic importance of plants.
5. Building research culture into students to make them become plant scientists that will be able to manipulate plant genomes for beneficial purposes through Biotechnology.
6. To organize training workshops on conservation of plant diversity and management of plant resources for sustainable development.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

(a) UTME Admission:

Candidates seeking admission through Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examinations must offer the following subjects:  English Language and three other subjects out of Chemistry, Biology, Agricultural Science and Physics or any other relevant science subject.

In addition, candidates must have five credit passes at SSCE/NECO/GCE in English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics in not more than two sittings.

(b) Direct Entry Admission:

Candidates may be admitted into the 200 Level of the programme by direct entry if they have at least two A-Level passes in Biology/Zoology, Chemistry or any other relevant subject in addition to the five credit passes at SSCE/NECO/GCE in the subjects specified for UTME candidates.

PROGRAMME DURATION

The normal duration of the programme is four academic sessions for students admitted to 100 level through UTME and three academic sessions for those admitted into 200 level through Direct Entry. Students may take longer than the normal duration to complete the requirements for graduation but will not be allowed to exceed twelve (12) semesters for candidates admitted through UTME and ten (10) semesters for candidates admitted by Direct Entry.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for the B.Sc. degree in of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, a candidate must

• pass all prescribed core courses, School and University required courses as well as electives;
• complete successfully a minimum of 155 units for candidates admitted through UTME and 111 units for candidates admitted through Direct Entry, and obtain a CGPA of not less than 1.0, and
• complete successfully all prescribed industrial attachments, projects and seminars.