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What you Should Know About OAU Change of Course

A. A. BadmusJune 9, 2023Last Updated: June 9, 2023

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I would like to firstly like to welcome Freshers into OAU. As you should know, it is a place for “Learning and Culture” as the prestigious anthem says. For the new incoming students who did not get their dream courses and were taken to other departments they had not thought of, do not be discouraged. I would advice you to read up (make research) on the course given and develop an interest in it. If you give it a chance, who knows, you might just fall in love with the course. While some of you who might be reading this are determined to follow the path they had dreamed of. I would be giving some tips when it comes to changing of courses here in OAU and probably other universities.

Table of Contents

1. Changing courses is all about Connections

I know that most people already feel that they know, but it’s must more. What does it mean to have connections? It means you have someone of a high status or respected individual who can influence decisions within whatever aspects you are dealing with.

Change of course can only take place with how smart you can be or who you know here in OAU. When it comes to course registration, you need to know someone who can influence decisions for you. For example, there is a lady that was able to transfer from PHE to medical sciences. How did she do it? She had a connect! You would be surprised that that person wasn’t from OAU. That person was from Ondo state!

The ability for a person to have someone that can stand in for them is okay, but the ability to use such is pertinent. You need to understand who and who is involved and how it can be of importance to you.

2. Pend your initial registration until you are sure of what you want.

For those that are planning to do change of course immediately after resumption, pend your “initial department registration” till you are sure about your future or the “change of course”. Many people do not know this, but a lot of departments like: Building, Physical and Health Education, Agric Engineering or Local Government studies make their students sign an oath that you can’t cross to other departments and many people don’t even realize when they do it.

3. Crossing to another department within the same faculty

Another thing many people are not aware of is that one should not attempt course registration if the courses offered in the department you are admitted to and the one you want to cross to are different in part 1.

You should also know that it is easier to cross to other departments that have a lower standard. Not that one department Is more important than the other, but it is just that way. For example microbiology to Zoology From mechanical engineering to Agric engineering and so on. Also, some departments do not accept students from unrelated faculties or departments to their own, for example, crossing from Agriculture or EDM to Medical College.

READ ALSO: OAU Predegree 2023/2024 Admission Form, Requirements and Deadline

4. Crossing sometimes can be based on merit

This is the most popular known way when it comes to changing courses. If you want to cross to another department, you must have a really good CGPA during your first year. The downside to this is that no department would also like to release a star student. You could have a 3.5 CGPA and thus be encouraged by the department to continue as “you are one of their best students” therefore, they can’t release you. Funnily enough, even if your department eventually released you, it remains for the department you are going to to accept you, this depends on your performance and availability of space.

5. Meet People, Don’t go in Blindly

Another thing about changing course is that after taking the form, you’ll have to take it manually to Deans to sign before you submit it, meeting up with anyone who has successfully changed from one department to another is one thing that would assist you in your change of course journey. Don’t just go in blindly.

6. Crossing to Another department and Departmental Requirements

What if all of that does not work? If you are still determined to cross to another department that receives transfer students. For example, crossing from Microbiology to Sociology in the social sciences faculty. Or like the sciences to Agric. Although psychology in social sciences do not accept transfers anymore you can still cross to other departments within that faculty from part 2 downwards to part 2.

Don’t be fooled, you will still be required to do part one courses (because you can’t escape departmental requirements) which may probably lead to an extra year. And if all hell breaks loose and nothing works, my dear, pick a new JAMB form and study harder, this is like a safer path, you know?. Who knows, you might just land your dream occupation.

7. The Process is Long

One other thing about the internal change of course in OAU is that it is a long process, and it takes tons of days (if it’ll be approved), and you have to be monitoring it, which means your fate is left hanging and you might have even started attending classes (which may be the wrong one). Also, it’s always said that the process has to be completed before matriculation (for freshers). This means if you’re still thinking about changing course, either as a fresher, you should start the process immediately by going to ICT or as a staylite, by taking the form as soon as you heard that the application is open (it’s always in the second semester of the session for staylites).