Department of Architecture
Brief
The Architecture Programme (now Department of Architecture) was established on 1st October 1991, along with two sister programmes of the School (now Faculty of Environmental Technology) with few pioneer staff and students.
It was established to fill the vacuum of Architectural education in the North Eastern Region of the Country which then had the only School of Architecture at Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri. In its over twenty (20) years of existence, the academic staff members have increased modestly while the students enrolment has been in leaps and bounds.
The Philosophy, a statement of objectives as well as a detailed curriculum was articulated and developed by a Technical Committee of experts drawn from various Nigerian Universities and professional associations a year after the Programme’s establishment.
The Programme has since gone through tremendous changes in its academic and operating environments; most important of these include changed course structure and curriculum, expanded resource and facilities against dwindling funding.
There has also been increase in quantity and quality of Academic staffing and an explosion in students enrolment.The Department in this time has graduated over fifteen (15) sets of graduands who are employed in the academics and various sectors of the national economy.
The Department also earned full accreditation of the NUC and NIA/ARCON. It currently runs a B. Tech Arch. Undergraduate Programme and PGD in Arch, M. Tech Architecture and Ph.D. Architecture Postgraduate Programmes.
Aims & Objectives
To realize the above philosophy, the course program is aimed at imparting a breadth of knowledge in the broad spectrum of the Environmental Sciences and a depth of knowledge in the core Architectural Science and Technology.
The Specific Objectives includes:
- The infusion in the student an understanding of design and construction in physical, cultural, social, economic and technological contexts.
- Comprehensive education geared towards understanding, analyzing and solving the myriad of environmental problems using scientific and technological tools.
- Provision of a professional education in creativity, specialized skills and leadership capabilities that will enable the graduate architect to harness, coordinate and control the design and construction processes and inputs thereto by allied professionals and operatives.
- And finally the production of graduate architects competent in the discharge of the following traditional and emerging functions of the Architect:
- Brief Development and Feasibility Studies
- Project Conception and Development
- Site Analysis and Development Planning
- Design and supervision of Sustainable Building Projects.
- Project Management and Building Contract Administration.
- Restoration and Preservation.
- Building Maintenance and Facilities Management.
The philosophy of Architecture Programme in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi is the re-establishment of the ‘Master Builder’ origin with a holistic view of the environment and the place of buildings in it.
Admission to the Programme shall be satisfied by meeting the general university admission requirements as well as the specific Programme requirements as follows:
ADMISSION TO THE 100 LEVEL OF THE PROGRAMME
Admission to the 100 Level of the Department shall be satisfied by obtaining passes at credit level in the SSCE, or their equivalents in the following subjects: English Language, Mathematics, Physics, and any two others from Geography, Technical Drawing, Biology, Economics, Chemistry, Fine Arts, and Building Construction. This shall be in addition to anacceptable score in the entrance examination (UTME) conducted by JAMB.
ADMISSION TO 200 LEVEL OF THE PROGRAMME
Admission to 200 Level of the Programme shall be satisfied as follows:Candidates who have obtained passes in Mathematics and Physics or Mathematics and any of the subjects listed in (i) in GCE ‘A’ level , IJMB and their equivalents in addition to credit level passes at ‘O’ level in appropriate subjects as in (i) shall be eligible through the D.E admission application through JAMB. They may however be required to take appropriate 100 level courses in which they are deficient.Candidates who holds ND, with pass at minimum of Upper Credit level or HND with pass at credit level, in Architectural Technology in addition to credit passes in appropriate ‘O’ level subject as in (i) above shall be eligible for DE admission by applying through JAMB. They shall be required to make up any deficiencies in their background by taking appropriate 100 level courses.
INTER AND INTRA UNIVERSITY TRANSFER
Candidates wishing to transfer from Department of Architecture of other University or from a sister Department in ATBU, Bauchi may be considered for absorption at the appropriate level subject to meeting the ‘O’ level subjects requirement as in (i) above provided that such candidate has a minimum CGPA of 2.5 and was not withdrawn on the account of examination misconduct, criminal act or being a member of a cult group. They shall also be required to take appropriate courses to make up any deficiencies in their background. In all cases admission is subject to the availability of vacancies in the Programme
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
The Degree Programme is a full-time undergraduate course leading to the award of Bachelor of Technology in Architecture, B. Tech (Arch). The Programme shall last for a minimum of five (5) academic sessions of ten (10) semesters, and four (4) academic sessions of eight (8) semesters for candidates admitted at the 100 and 200 levels respectively. An additional maximum period of 50percent of the minimum duration of the programme in each case may be allowed if a student fails to graduate within the minimum programme duration.The Programme incorporates a total of twelve (12) months of Industrial Working Experience broken down as follows: three (3) months of Students Work Experience Programme (SWEP) at the end of the 200 level during the long vacation: Three (3) months of Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES I) at the end of the 300 level during the long vacation and six (6) months of Students’ Industrial work Experience Scheme (SIWES II) during the second semester of the 400 level.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In addition to meeting the general University requirements for graduation, the following specific requirements of the Programme shall be met for an award of a B. Tech degree in Architecture:Successful completion of all stipulated courses within the maximum duration of study earning the minimum credit units of 193. All Design Studios, Construction and Structures courses must be passed in addition to the successful completion of the Industrial Training Component of study.