History of the School of Graduate Studies, Uniport
At its 12th meeting on Wednesday, 19th July, 1978, Senate considered and approved Paper No. SP 77-78/060 titled “The General Regulation for Graduates Studies”. This paved the way for the take-off of graduate training in the 1979/80 academic year. The then school of Humanities and Biological Sciences gave admission to candidates in the programmes of M.A. Comparative Literature and M.Sc. Plant Physiology and Fisheries Biology.
Initially, the graduate programmes were administered by the School (now Faculties) and the Registry. In October, 1982, the School of Graduate Studies was formally established with Professor E. J. Alagoa as the first Dean and it became necessary to streamline the procedures for the operation of graduate programmes. The General Regulations approved by Senate required each Faculty to set up Departmental Graduates Studies committees to make recommendations regarding all matters concerning graduate programmes to its Faculty Board. Senate also established the “Higher Degrees Committee” (a committee of the School of Graduates Studies) to “advise Senate on all matters relating to higher degrees”.
Further in 1984, the Higher Degrees Committee recommended for the approval of senate a paper entitled “Proposals for Amendment/Streamlining of the school of Graduate Studies” initiated by the then Dean Professor Francis A. Onofeghara. At its 68th Meeting held on the 23rd May, 1984, Senate considered and approved the paper No. SP/83-84/134, which among other things, established the Board of the School of Graduate Studies to replace the Higher Degrees Committee, and a new organizational structure for the school of Graduate Studies with effect from October, 1984.