Statement of the Problem. The main purpose of this study was to develop a model for establishing a higher education administration degree program at a Nigerian University. The establishment and expansion of universities in Nigeria has increased rapidly in recent years. With increases in student enrollment, and in the functions of the university administrators, it seemed desirable for people who aspire to administrative positions in Nigerian universities to have more formal academic preparation in higher education administration.
Study Procedures. This study was limited to the thirteen Nigerian universities which in 1980-81 actually had campuses. The population for the study was the Nigerian university administrators from the rank of dean and above. Since this was a perception survey, the use of a questionnaire was considered appropriate.
Before developing the questionnaire, there were reviews of published and unpublished related literature, ten selected higher education programs in the United States, official Nigerian sources, and university catalogs to identify pertinent items. The director of the Nigerian Universities Office, in Washington, D.C., was visited for consultation on the study. A trip was made to Nigeria to collect data for the research. Finally, the questionnaire data were analyzed and the summary, conclusions, model degree program, and recommendations were developed.
Findings. (1) There is need for the establishment of a higher education administration degree program at a Nigerian university as indicated by the data and Nigerian sources reported in the study. (2) A model program should be developed at the master's and doctor's degree levels, since higher education administration programs are graduate degree programs and the respondents indicated this choice. No Nigerian university offered a degree program in this field. (3) The responding Nigerian university administrators indicated need for further preparation in planning, communication, personnel administration, public relations, financial management, and curriculum development. They also identified courses related to these preparation areas that should be appropriate for the program. (4) The purposes, goals, organization, administration, and evaluation of a model program should be developed in relation to institutional and national needs. . . . (Author's abstract exceeds stipulated maximum length. Discontinued here with permission of school.) UMI
