Covenant University: History, Programs, and Achievements
Covenant University (CU), a private Christian university located in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, has rapidly risen to prominence since its establishment in 2002. Affiliated with Living Faith Church Worldwide, the university operates with a vision to raise a new generation of leaders and restore the dignity of the black race. Covenant University prioritizes cutting-edge learning to produce "the Total Man".
Founding and Early Development
The process of founding Covenant University started in October 1999, one month after the dedication of the Faith Tabernacle in Ota. The university is a product of the Liberation Commission established by World Mission Agency and the Living Faith Church Worldwide. Bishop Oyedepo kindled the fire to accomplish the new tasks. By November 27, 1999, an in-house consortium on the university's take-off was inaugurated. By December 1999, the application form for a private university operating license was issued by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
As the consortium wrapped up its activities early in 2001, an advisory council materialized on February 17, 2001, to develop the appropriate structures for the take-off of the University. By July 15, 2001, the verification team of the NUC came for the final inspection of facilities and programs. The outcome of that visit was the Federal Government's approval of CU on January 16, 2002. The NUC sealed the approval with the presentation of the operating license on February 12, 2002, by which CU, Ota, Ogun State, was authorized to operate as a private university in Nigeria. The approval was the fastest among the 16 applications filed for the establishment of private universities with the NUC at the time, while Covenant University's assessment score was also the highest.
The foundation stone of the permanent site was laid on Sunday, January 27, 2002, and construction began diligently in March of the same year. Thus, the first phase of development was completed eight months later. The first batch of about 1500 students was ushered into an ultra-modern university campus after an early morning inauguration in October 2002.
Academic Programs and Structure
Covenant University comprises four colleges: the College of Business and Social Sciences (CMSS), the College of Leadership Development Studies (CLDS), the College of Engineering (COE), and the College of Science and Technology (CST). These colleges offer a range of undergraduate and graduate programs.
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The university offers subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Management, Business Administration, Economics, Accounting, Mass Communication, Sociology, Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Civil Engineering, among others. Degree programmes at Covenant University are all-encompassing, with custom-built courses designed to package the student and deliver them to their world upon graduation as agents of change. Students are set to take charge of their environment and break the barriers of limitation confronting our nation and the continent at large.
Covenant University runs postgraduate programs in the entire curriculum listed above. The minimum duration of study for the award of the Master’s degree is two academic sessions for full-time students. The minimum duration of study for the award of Ph.D. degree is three academic sessions.
Available Programs
The table below displays academic fields with programs and courses that lead to Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees offered by Covenant University.
| Programs | Bachelor | Master | Doctoral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art & Design | No | No | No |
| Biology | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Business | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chemistry | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Computer Science | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Economics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Engineering | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Environmental Science | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mathematics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Medicine | No | No | No |
| Physics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Psychology | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Bachelor's Degree Programs: Accountancy, Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Architecture, Biochemistry, Biology, Building Technologies, Business Administration, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Criminology, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, English, Finance, Geophysics, Human Resources, Industrial Chemistry, Information Management, Information Sciences, International Relations and Diplomacy, Labour and Industrial Relations, Marketing, Mass Communication, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Political Sciences, Psychology, Real Estate, Social Work, Sociology, Statistics, Technology, Telecommunications Engineering.
Master's Degree Programs: Accountancy, Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Architecture, Banking, Biochemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Building Technologies, Business Administration, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Demography and Population, Economics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Electrical Engineering, English, Finance, Human Resources, Industrial Chemistry, Information Sciences, International Relations and Diplomacy, Labour and Industrial Relations, Marketing, Mass Communication, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Political Sciences, Psychology, Public Administration, Real Estate, Sociology, Statistics, Telecommunications Engineering.
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Master of Philosophy Programs: Accountancy, Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Biochemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Building Technologies, Business Administration, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Demography and Population, Economics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, English, Finance, Human Resources, Industrial Chemistry, Information Sciences, International Relations and Diplomacy, Labour and Industrial Relations, Marketing, Mass Communication, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Political Sciences, Psychology, Public Administration, Real Estate, Sociology, Statistics, Telecommunications Engineering.
Doctor of Philosophy Programs: Accountancy, Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Architecture, Biochemistry, Biological and Life Sciences, Biology, Biotechnology, Building Technologies, Business Administration, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Demography and Population, Economics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, English, Finance, Human Resources, Industrial Chemistry, Information Sciences, Information Technology, International Relations and Diplomacy, Labour and Industrial Relations, Marketing, Mass Communication, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Political Sciences, Psychology, Public Administration, Real Estate, Sociology, Statistics, Telecommunications Engineering.
Campus and Facilities
Covenant University has its campus located in the town of Ota in Nigeria. The university campus is urban and offers a range of services to students. The university offers sports like swimming, football, lawn tennis, basketball, volleyball, and table tennis. The university owns a stadium facility plus swimming pool and lawn tennis, table tennis, basketball and volleyball courts.
Covenant University's Centre for Learning Resources, also known as the university library, is located between the female halls of residence, Dorcas Hall and Esther Hall areas of the campus, and directly opposite the university chapel. The total floor area of the complex is 11,300 square meters. The library complex is a three-story edifice, and is one of the largest in Africa. It is designed as a glass structure. In addition, the ten halls of residence on campus can accommodate over 9,000 students.
The university also offers halls of residence, laboratories, classrooms, and computer labs in addition to dedicated study spaces and recreational facilities.
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Research and Publications
Covenant University has a strong research profile, with faculty and students actively engaged in various research areas. The university has published 10,198 scientific papers with 112,372 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Engineering, Environmental Science, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Political Science, Law, and Ecology.
Publications and Citations by Major
| Major | Publications | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering | 5,981 | 68,430 |
| Environmental Science | 5,869 | 72,866 |
| Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | 5,358 | 61,628 |
| Physics | 4,994 | 56,398 |
| Chemistry | 4,731 | 56,913 |
| Biology | 4,554 | 53,081 |
| Computer Science | 3,716 | 41,975 |
| Political Science | 3,537 | 40,098 |
| Law | 3,379 | 39,148 |
| Ecology | 3,258 | 45,794 |
| Quantum and Particle physics | 3,247 | 33,376 |
| Business | 3,158 | 35,133 |
| Organic Chemistry | 3,091 | 38,379 |
| Geography and Cartography | 3,072 | 36,961 |
| Economics | 2,915 | 36,207 |
| Materials Science | 2,845 | 34,882 |
| Medicine | 2,661 | 30,208 |
| Mathematics | 2,581 | 32,767 |
| Geology | 2,545 | 32,013 |
| Philosophy | 2,143 | 22,251 |
| Statistics | 2,142 | 28,798 |
| Sociology | 2,123 | 21,657 |
| History | 1,995 | 24,892 |
| Archaeology | 1,925 | 24,417 |
| Metallurgical Engineering | 1,805 | 23,565 |
| Biochemistry | 1,707 | 19,574 |
| Development Studies | 1,581 | 19,741 |
| Psychology | 1,467 | 15,679 |
| Machine Learning | 1,376 | 20,572 |
| Environmental Management | 1,329 | 21,194 |
| Finance | 1,326 | 16,499 |
| Paleontology | 1,302 | 15,911 |
| Management | 1,286 | 13,758 |
| Electrical Engineering | 1,285 | 15,108 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 1,273 | 14,359 |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) | 1,235 | 13,751 |
| Linguistics | 1,160 | 11,914 |
| Genetics | 1,139 | 12,613 |
| Optical Engineering | 992 | 9,566 |
| Pathology | 984 | 12,641 |
Annual Publication and Citation Counts
| Year | Publications | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 0 | 1 |
| 1993 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 0 | 2 |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 | 0 | 3 |
| 2001 | 0 | 3 |
| 2002 | 0 | 3 |
| 2003 | 0 | 3 |
| 2004 | 1 | 2 |
| 2005 | 3 | 2 |
| 2006 | 13 | 5 |
| 2007 | 15 | 1 |
| 2008 | 34 | 9 |
| 2009 | 65 | 40 |
| 2010 | 92 | 121 |
| 2011 | 161 | 267 |
| 2012 | 185 | 498 |
| 2013 | 299 | 822 |
| 2014 | 441 | 1366 |
| 2015 | 444 | 1719 |
| 2016 | 492 | 2110 |
| 2017 | 640 | 2831 |
| 2018 | 1127 | 4966 |
| 2019 | 1463 | 7536 |
| 2020 | 1080 | 11437 |
| 2021 | 1331 | 15870 |
| 2022 | 1014 | 18627 |
| 2023 | 695 | 21358 |
| 2024 | 586 | 21642 |
Rankings and Achievements
Covenant University has experienced a rapid rise in its nearly two decades of existence. The webometric ranking named Covenant University the best Private University in Nigeria in its 2021 ranking and the second best university overall.
Covenant University is ranked 73rd globally in the Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, 63rd in Times Higher Education SDG Impact Ranking (Partnership for the Goals) and 1st in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings. CU continues to hold the top position in Nigeria and among private institutions. Covenant University is ranked amongst the top 600 universities in the world for Engineering according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The university was also ranked top university in the country by Webometrics. In January 2015, it was ranked as the best university in Nigeria according to Webometrics.
Notable Alumni
Covenant University has produced several notable alumni who have made significant contributions in various fields. Some of these alumni include:
- Simi: Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress.
- Bimbo Ademoye: Nigerian actress.
- Ini Dima-Okojie: Nigerian actress.
- Chike: Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actor. Graduated with Bachelor of Science in computer engineering.
Admission Requirements
Interested candidates shall complete the application form on the University portal and provide all relevant documents as specified on the application form, including certificates of degrees, official academic transcripts, Three reference letters (two Academic/Professional & One Spiritual), statement of purpose, concept note on the proposed area of research. Candidates who are Nigerian citizens shall, in addition, provide the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge, exemption, or exclusion certificate. Each candidate shall request and ensure that the institution(s) they attended process and forward official academic transcript(s) directly to the Secretary, School of Postgraduate Studies.
To qualify for direct entry into the Ph.D. degree the programme, a candidate shall have a minimum CGPA of 4.00 on a 5.00 scale or equivalent (60%) in the Master’s (M.A/M.Sc/M.Eng/M.Tech) degree result. Candidates who graduated with CGPA of 3.50-3.99 on a 5.00 point scale or equivalent (55-59%) in the Master’s degree may be considered for M.Phil/Ph.D programme.
Foreign & International Postgraduate Students applying for Postgraduate Studies at the Covenant University School of Postgraduate Studies are to pay close attention to the following additional requirements, which must be submitted before their applications can be considered: Interpretation of the Academic Results, by the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Education. Transcript Verification by the Embassy (in Nigeria) of the Nation where the Institution that the academic certificate was obtained from, is domiciled. A Social /Police Clearance by the Embassy (in Nigeria) of the Nation where the Institution that the academic certificate was obtained from, is domiciled.
Controversies
Covenant University has faced some controversies over the years, including:
- Expulsion of students for various reasons, such as watching pornography or not attending church service.
- Allegations of denying terminal benefits to sacked lecturers, leading to financial hardship and affecting their medical treatment.
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