DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND WAR STUDIES

The Nigerian Defence Academy, the premier Officer Cadet training institution was established in January 1964 in response to the needs of independent Nigeria.  In the beginning, the qualification attained in academic pursuit was the Nigerian Defence Academy Certificate of Education (NDACE) moderated then by the University of Ibadan.  The Academy was upgraded to a degree awarding institution in 1985.  With this development, the course was increased from three to five years: four years of academic and one year of purely Military training.  The Cadets of the 36 Regular Course commenced the Degree programme leading to the award of Bachelor’s degree.

History was one of the five programmes established at the beginning of 1985/86 Academic year, under the new status of the Academy as a degree awarding institution.  The Department started with fifteen Cadets, the pioneer staff of the Department included now Dr. LO Amadi, Professors OE Tangban, AE Ekoko and CN Ubah.Gradually, the number of academic and administrative staff grew and is at the current strength of seventeen and seven respectively.  The Department has the highest number of Professors in the Academy and has graduated over 100 commissioned Officers in the tri-service in the Nigerian Arm Forces.  It has also graduated military and civilian personnel from the Postgraduate school, where Masters, PhD and Part-time Certificate Programmes are offered.

The B.A History and War Studies programme at the Nigerian Defence Academy is designed to respond adequately to the needs for research and training in History and War Studies. The discipline provides a distinctive education by reconstructing the past and creating avenue for lesson learnt for application in the field.

To build and sustain an academic Department of excellence in research, teaching and service delivery, evaluating historical events and imparting knowledge there from and intellectual practices to meet the needs of its immediate community, the nation and the world at large

To sustain a community of scholars in the discipline of History and War studies that will provide rigorous training in History and War Studies, and to impart knowledge and positive as well as productive attitude to officer cadets. The Department also teaches critical thinking, analytical and evaluative skills and writing skills to prepare the officer cadets to face the military and leadership challenges of the 21″century.

1. To give students a thorough understanding of Nigerian History and historiography planted firmly in the context of African history and historiography
2. To make students comprehend the historical forces and developments which have shaped and are still shaping the lives of the peoples of Nigeria, West African sub-region Africa and the entire world.
3. To educate cadets on historical movement s of global importance from other continents to enable them acquire better knowledge of the world and thus promote world peace.
4. To develop a sense of academic commitment and capacity to consciously relate to historical forces and developments in such a way that Nigerian and African unity, independence and prosperity can be sustained.
5. To provide the cadets with benefits usually associated with historical training, viz: critical and analytical faculties and balanced judgment needed in leadership, administrative and managerial responsibilities.

1. BA History and War Studies: BA degree programme in History took off in 1985/86 academic year as one of the five programmes the Nigerian Defence Academy started with when it became a degree awarding institution. The Department started with fifteen cadets. Since then, the Department has been preparing Cadets for the award of B.A Honours Degree in History after a course of study which lasts for four years. Thus, since 1987/1988 session, the programme has been taught at four levels of Regular courses. However, in 2010, the nomenclature of the Department was changed to History and International Studies in line with what is obtainable in most Departments of History in many other Universities in Nigeria. Due to the peculiar nature of the Academy where the entire students are military, the name of the Department was changed again in 2016 to History and War Studies to enable the Department deliver on the core mandate of the institution. The Department has been assessed three times 1999, 2007 and 2012 and, on these occasions, it received full accreditation.
2.  Postgraduate Programmes 

1. Ph. D Military History 
2. Ph. D International Studies
3. M.A Military History
4. M.A International Studies

1. 1. Master in Leadership Studies (MLS)

1. 2. Master in Conflict, Security and Development (MCSD)

1. 3. Master in Development Studies (MDS)

4. Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Security Studies (PGDLSS)