The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) at the University of Ibadan, as it stands today, has evolved from a rich history rooted in the Department of Computer Science. The Department of Computer Science was established in 1972 and initiated its postgraduate studies in 2001, offering academic M.Sc., M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science. During this period, it also introduced a Master in Computer Systems program, which was later reviewed and renamed as the Master in Business Computing.
Over the years, the Computer Science department established itself as a Centre of Excellence, consistently earning awards in both national and international competitions, and receiving excellent feedback from employers of its graduates across academia and industry. The department allowed M.Sc. Computer Science candidates to specialize in various knowledge areas, including Software Engineering, Data Science, Computer Networking and Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and Bioinformatics.
A significant transformation occurred with the unbundling of the Computer Science curriculum at the undergraduate level and the subsequent creation of specialized degree programs and associated departments. This necessitated a change in the M.Sc. Computer Science program's curriculum. In 2015, the Master of Science Degree in Computer Science curriculum underwent a review and was approved by the Senate, incorporating modern trends in computing. Further keeping pace with the rapidly changing Computing ecosystem, the department proposed another review which regrouped
courses and formally introduced specializations. This was approved by the University Senate in September 2023.
The proposed M.Sc. Computer Networking and Cybersecurity program, as detailed in the provided document, is a direct result of this evolution. It aims to align postgraduate courses with the recently approved unbundling of the Computer Science program at the undergraduate level by the University of Ibadan, in line with the National University Commission's (NUC) curricula. Consequently, the previously offered specialization tracks within the M.Sc. Computer Science program are now being upgraded to full degree programs, leading to the establishment of specialized departments like the
Department of Information and Communication Technology.
