Before gaining admission into any Nigerian universities, or indeed any learning institutions around the world, a candidate needs to meet specific requirements. These requirements are mostly academic, but sometimes there are personal qualities, too, that a student needs to demonstrate because they are instrumental to his/her success in college. In today’s article, I’d like to explore the admission requirements, both aptitude and attitude, that students will need for studying MIS in Nigeria. The aptitude is primarily academic, related to achievement test, while the attitude is what I consider as personal skills, or you may call them study skills.
As a modern course, Management Information Systems has a lot of benefits and expectations that prospective students need to know particularly students who are not very much into technology. To know more about some of the benefits of MIS degree, read:
Now, let’s look at the admission requirements below:
Academic requirements (Nigerian universities)
No doubt, academic requirements are the first considerations in Nigerian universities for all courses. For that reason, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was established on 13th February by the Act (No. 2 of 1978) of the Federal Military Government, and later amended in August 1988 by the Federal Executive Council as Decree No. 2 of 1978, then codified into Decree No. 33 of 1989, and took effect 7th December of 1989. The board was saddled with the responsibility to conduct and regulate admissions into the higher institutions of learning, which include polytechnics, colleges of education and universities.
Every candidate seeking entry into the country’s higher institutions must sit for a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), mainly computer-based multiple questions, in a minimum of five subject areas related to his/her chosen field of study. And based on the scores the candidate gets he/she is offered admission by JAMB to the institution. The score points range from 180 to 400, depending on the course of study, the demand at the chosen institution, and sometimes some other political factors affecting only an insignificant portion of the admissions.
In addition to JAMB-UTME, institutions, mainly universities, have also come up with what they described as post-UTME screening or exam meant to reassess the students’ qualifications and skills. Since its introduction, this screening exercise has been under heavy criticism by the country’s superior examination body, claiming that it questions its constitutional integrity. Parents and students have also called for its abolition because they deem the screening constitutes a stumbling block to their aspiration for higher education. And yes, a lot of post-UTME reports show that many candidates lost admissions earlier given to them by JAMB as a result of post-UTME. The debate continues.
Therefore, the situation described above is a fundamental process that everyone (Nigerian) seeking admission into Nigerian higher institutions needs to go through.
Now, talking about MIS admission, a candidate needs a minimum of 180 points and above from JAMB. He/she also needs a minimum of five credit passes from any SSCE exams- WAEC, NECO and NABTEB. Most Universities require those credit passes to be in English language, Mathematics and any three related subjects, which vary from university to university.
For international students, 0’LEVEL or any End of High/Secondary School External Examination Grades, such as IGCSE, SSCE or the equivalent are the requirements. Also, they need to present travel documents, residency permit, etc. It is highly advisable that candidates should contact the university they are applying to get more details on further documents.
Since requirements sometimes slightly differ based on university, let’s look at admission requirement for MIS at some selected universities in Nigeria: American University of Nigeria (AUN) and Covenant University.
American University of Nigeria (AUN)
American University of Nigeria requires a minimum of 180 JAMB scores, and five credit passes in English language, mathematics and additional three subjects from WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, IGCSE etc. The university also considers candidate’s transcript from Senior School 1, Senior School 2 & Senior School 3. For more info check out their website.
Covenant University
Covenant University requires five credit level passes in English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and either of Biology and Agricultural Science according to UTME Brochure. The needed UTME score is a minimum of 180 points. And all candidates must undergo a post-UTME examination to be accepted in the university. Check out the detail requirement here
Candidate can check out all detailed requirements for all Nigerian universities in the UTME Brochure.
Universities outside Nigeria
For students that want to pursue an MIS degree outside Nigeria, mostly Nigerian SSCE is accepted everywhere in the world. Additionally, oversea universities require a student to write a personal statement – on why a student chose their university – to be accompanied with the application. Check out how to write a personal statement for admission here.
More details about any other documents required can be obtained on the university’s website, which a student is applying for the admission.
Personal requirements
As mention earlier, there are certain expectations an individual who wants to study MIS should meet in order to face the challenges of the course. On a personal level, students who wish to succeed in MIS should have these qualities or at least should be ready to develop them.
Problem-solving skill
MIS is a course that is designed to train people or employees that can be readily available with all the expertise and commitment to help managers and organisations solve their ever-existing problems. So, as an MIS student problem solving should be part and parcel of your skills because that is what you are going to be doing throughout your school life and eventually your career. Your professors will always throw a case study problem scenario to you, and you must come up with a satisfying solution – just as they do in a real-life situation. Therefore, it is pertinent to note that problem-solving skill is a must-have ability for an MIS student without which a student cannot survive the course. And the moment a student masters this, then he or she is set to reach the higher level of his/her career if eventually graduated and got a job. Afterall problem-solving skill is a life-saver skill, why not develop it even if MIS is not your choice?
Thinking outside the box about technology
Management Information System, as you might have known, is a course that is technologically driven. Studying the course means everything but working with modern technologies, mainly computers, web applications and so on. You would be taught in the school that technology is an ever-evolving field and as an individual being trained to work with it, you must be able ever to evolve and come up with innovations as the need arises. You must think outside the box all the times because you will undoubtedly be confronted with lope holes that will need to be patched on a regular basis. You must be able to solve problems using the technology at hand or even as far as creating one yourself if need be.
Be both business and tech savvy
Technology and business are sides of the same coin in Management Information Systems – you cannot escape from either of them. As a bridge between business and technology, its students need to have the interest and zeal to understand both business and technology to succeed academically, and ultimately, it’s the same skill that will help achieve the organisational goal (s) when in the field. That does not mean a student must be extremely good at both at the same time; it however means, a student must develop an open mind about the two. He/she will learn or at least be introduced to them in the university, then from there, you will know what to do.
Developing and implementing own ideas
Developing ideas is key to business. So, an MIS specialist, right from school, must be conversant with coming up with ideas, developing those ideas, and then implementing them themselves. This is very important for prospective students to know and put at the back of their mind – you cannot be a backbencher and succeed in Management Information Systems. Whenever an organisation hire an MIS specialist, they expect that the employee should be able to help them to improve or solve their problems to achieve their goal (s). And one of the jobs is to come up with new ideas, then develop those ideas and oversee their (ideas) implementation to the finish.
Interhuman relationship skill
Interhuman relationship skill has always been an essential ingredient in the workplace, but more than ever remains most needed in today’s working environment. As an MIS student, you need to be able to learn to work with people from different background. In other words, a student must have the skill to collaborate with co=workers, clients and other organisations to solve problems. Part of your training will always be to work on group projects with other students. Interpersonal skill is very crucial to your success in this course and ultimately in the place of work after graduation.
Communication skills
Effective communication is at the forefront of every successful organisation. Good communication skill helps organisations to sell ideas and products. It sometimes doesn’t matter how great those ideas and products are. Therefore, because of the strategic position that an MIS specialist occupies in an organisation, excellent communication skill is vital. Ability to communicate well with customers or any other outside client is a key to achieving the organisational goal (s). It is also a key to enhancing interpersonal skill which I just discussed. On that ground, an MIS student must work hard to develop his/her communication skill.
Time and resources management skill
Because resources, such as time, are always scarce, an MIS student needs to be able to master the art of managing them effectively. Work is going to be given to a student that needs to be delivered in a very short period, must of the time such work will require a tremendous amount of time and recourses (and those are always very limited at your disposal). An MIS student must be ready to figure out how to manage those little recourses at hand and deliver excellent results in the end and on time – that is MIS for you!
Lastly, to study Management Information Systems, a student needs to be ready to face all these expectations that come with it we discussed above. But I assure you, every bit of it is entirely worth it. Let’s challenge ourselves and apply for MIS, prospective students!