HEAD OF DEPARTMENT Dr. Usman Alhaji Mohammed, B.Sc. (Uni. Abuja), PGDE (Unimaid), MSc, PhD (UBA, Sudan). [email protected], [email protected]
The Head of Department was born in 1985 in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State Nigeria and had his Primary and Secondary Education at Staff School, College of Education Azare now referred to Aminu Saleh College of Education Azare, Bauchi State. He obtained his first degree (BSc. Hons) in Biology from University of Abuja in 2010 and after his National Youth Service (NYSC) in 2011. He obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from Aminu Saleh College of Education in affiliation to University of Maiduguri in 2011 and Certificate in Computer Operation in the same Institution in 2012.
He joined the service of Aminu Saleh College of Education Azare as full time lecturer on 2nd August, 2012. In 2013, he was sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) for his MSc at University of Bakht Al-ruda, Sudan where he obtained his MSc and PhD Biology (Parasitology) in 2015 and 2018 respectively. He is a member of Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria (PPSN) and Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). He has published many articles and attained conferences at both national and international levels with many citations. He served for a period of one year as part-time lecturer (2011-2012) and good seven (7) years (2012-2019) as full time lecturer at Aminu Saleh College of Education Azare before joined the service of Nigerian Army University Biu in January 2019 as Lecturer I.
He has taught different categories of learners ranging from Diploma, NCE, Pre Degree and Undergraduates courses among which include all Biology/Zoology related courses at Aminu Saleh College of Education Azare and Nigerian Army University Biu. He has Chaired and a member of various Committees and hold many Administrative position at both Aminu Saleh College of Education Azare and Nigerian Army University Biu among which include level Coordinator, Assistant Exam Officer, Departmental Registration Officer, Departmental Exam Office, Faculty and Departmental Seminar Coordinator, Faculty and Departmental Research Coordinator, Chairman and member of Appointment and Promotion Committees, Ag. Head of Department etc. Currently, He is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Biology Department. He is happily married with two children.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Biology is amongst the Departments established since the inception of the University in October 2018. The Department started with ten (10) Academic Staff and fifty-one (51) students. The Staff strength has grown over years and now has more than twenty Academic Staff, five (5) Laboratory Technologists, two (2) Laboratory Assistants and some Administrative staff. The Students population has increase to about two hundred students and our pioneer set have graduated. The Department got a full accreditation status in 2022
The Department’s philosophy is to train and produce graduates with a sound, broad-based degree, who are capable of using the vast available natural resources in contributing to national growth and development, through basic and applied researches in the areas of Agriculture, Biomedical Sciences, Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences in line with the mission and vision of the University.
The pioneer Head of Department was Captain ME Atukpa (N/15052) BSc PGDE MSc, mNARC, mTRCN (2019-2021), then Ag Head of Department Major MM Danzaki (N/13072) FSS, BSc, MSc, PGDE, mTRCN, PhD (2021) and presently Dr. Usman Alhaji Mohammed, mPPSN, mTRCN from September, 2021 till date
Objectives of the Programme
The objectives of the degree programme in biology are:
⦁ To produce students that have an expansive and sound footing in both theoretical knowledge and practical skills of Biology.
⦁ To produce students that can favourably compete with their peers at both national and international Levels in any aspect of pure and applied Biology.
⦁ To produce students that can comfortably pursue advanced studies in specialized or interdisciplinary areas of biological sciences such as Molecular biology, Biotechnology, Genetics, Cytology, Cell and Tissue Culture, Environmental Conservation etc.
⦁ To train graduates that will create employments in varied areas of Applied Biology.
⦁ To produce students that appreciate the importance of biology in national development.
⦁ Structure of the Programme
The programme operates on a semester credit hour system. One semester credit hour represents 15 one – hour lecture period or 30 – hours of class exercise. For three year programme (i.e. for DE students) a minimum of 100 credit hours is needed for graduation while 134 credit hours is the minimum for the four year programme. Period of formal studies in the university: weeks/year for 3 or 4 years depending on level of entry. SIWES is —— at 300 Level Second Semester.