Department Of Metallurgical Engineering
Brief History
Ahmadu Bello University has, been in the fore front in the development of engineering and technological needs of the country.’ Apart from the fact that it has the oldest faculty of engineering in the country, it has always looked ahead and planned for the future needs of the nation.
The planning for a department of metallurgical engineering in Ahmadu Bello University dated as far back as 1965, when a plan was drawn up for the establishment of this department, and a tentative approval was given, by the then Senate of the University. However, the plan was shelved in favour of the development of other programmes, namely medicine and pharmaceutical sciences due to the fact that doctors and pharmacists were not trained in the whole of the then Northern Nigeria. The training of staff actually started in the 1970/71 session in the anticipation of an early take off since the first set was expected in 1977. In October 1977, Metallurgical Engineering started as a division in the department of Mechanical Engineering after the formal approvals of the faculty board & Senate. The Department of Metallurgical Engineering was officially created in October 1980 as an independent department in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The first set for the degree programme graduated in 1981.
In October 2008, the Department metamorphosed from metallurgical to metallurgical and materials engineering department after all the necessary requirements have been met. The 200 level 2008/2009 took off with the new name plus the new code and expected to graduate metallurgical and materials engineers to the public from 2012 forthwith.
Mission
The Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (MMEN) programme will emphasize the structure, properties, processing and performance of materials. The MMEN programme will be designed and implemented so as to develop graduates who:
1. Have a broad- based knowledge on materials.
2. Can apply fundamental metallurgical and materials concepts to solve problems.
3. Can acquire written and oral communication skills as well as team work skills to be successful in their careers.
4. Understand the importance for self-acquisition of knowledge and continuing education.
5. Can employ their breadth of knowledge so that they are able to provide a range of solutions to a wide range of materials engineering problems, and ultimately an optimal choice.
Philosophy
To produce the needed manpower for the various metallurgical and other allied industries nationwide, the Department has established general academic requirements, which shall apply to all students working towards a first degree. These requirements reflect the Departments commitment to a broad-based quality education. The main components of undergraduate programme are:
a) Core curriculum in which students concentrate their studies and receive B.Eng. degree. Electives which permit students to take course of their own choice in consultation with their academic advisers (up to a maximum of 8 C.U. throughout student’s residency).
b) General studies courses, which acquaint students with the foundation of general education in the sciences, social sciences and humanities, as well as inculcating, in the undergraduate student, the essence of nationalism and morality.
c) The Department offers Bachelor of Engineering in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering i.e. B.Eng. (Metallurgical & Materials)
Registration Guidelines
Categories of Course
The courses within the Faculty fall under the following headings:
a) Core courses
b) Cognate courses
c) Restricted electives
d) Unrestricted electives
e) Pre-requisite courses
3.1.1 Core Courses
These are central to degree programme in view
a) Definition: Core courses are central to the degree programme in view.
b) CORE COURSES are normally offered by the Department offering the degree
c) CORE COURSES constitute not less than 60% (i.e. 90 credit units) of all the course units that the student must take to complete the requirements for a degree in a given Department.
3.1.2 Cognate Courses
a) Cognate courses are prescribed course units from related fields which are indispensable for an understanding and appreciation of the student’s major field.
3.1.3 Restricted Electives
a) Restricted Electives are optional courses i.e. a set of required courses from which a student is made to select one or more courses as the case may be.
b) Restricted electives are normally offered by OTHER Departments within the same Faculty.
c) Restricted electives constitute about 15% (i.e. 23 credit units) of all the course units required for the degree before graduating.
3.1.4 UNRESTRICTED ELECTIVES
a) Unrestricted electives are courses which are opted for by the student in accordance with his or her own interest.
b) Unrestricted electives are normally offered from OUTSIDE the Faculty
c) The status of the unrestricted elective courses taken by a student shall be determined by the Faculty
d) Unrestricted electives constitute about 5% (i.e. 8 credit units) of all the credit units of the required course units for the degree in view.