When choosing a course to study in the university, there are many things to put into consideration. First is whether you like the course enough to spend at least four years studying it. Secondly and most importantly is the marketability of the course. For a course to be marketable, it has to have a market value after the university environment. This doesn’t mean that the course is useless; however, it means that the course does not pay in the particular environment you find yourself in. This brings us to the worst courses one can study in Nigeria. Courses in the arts and science departments are contained in this category.
The Nigerian environment limits the choice of courses one can study in the university. This does not mean that they do not have other foreign courses on their course list. However, it implies that certain courses studied in Nigerian universities cannot be practiced in Nigeria fully. They are the worst courses because they do not fetch enough money in Nigeria, and are not valued here. In other countries, they may be of great value, but they are not in Nigeria. It is important to note that these courses are not worthless, and those who studied them still find jobs. The only thing is that they may not find jobs in their disciplines apart from teaching the course or subject in schools and universities. There is also the fact that in Nigeria, you can work anywhere no matter the course you studied, except the medical field.
List of Worst Courses To Study In Nigeria
- Geography
- Development Studies
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Horticulture
- Crop Science
- Library and Information Science
- Physical Education
- Animal Science
- CRK/IRK
10 Least Marketable Courses In Nigeria
1. Geography
Geography is a field of science that is interested in the study of features, lands, phenomena, and inhabitants of the planets and earth. The course is all-encompassing as it studies humans, nature, and objects to show how they changed and how they came to be. Geography is a course that demands a lot from the students. In Nigeria, however, it gives back to its graduates lesser than it collected from them. After studying this course in the Nigerian university, you get to work in surveying, real estate, meteorology, emergency management, etc.
The course is one of the worst courses you can study in Nigeria. Those who study Geography in Nigerian universities end up working in other people’s fields as we have seen. It is less marketable in Nigeria because it does not directly pay its graduates. Graduates of this course end up scrambling for jobs and taking jobs from other fields. The course’s interdisciplinary nature allows its graduates to fit into other disciplines but provides less opportunity for its own discipline.
2. Development Studies
Development Studies is a multidisciplinary social science course that is interested in development. It has two branches; one is interested in political, social, economic, and ecological change, while the other is interested in improving the well-being of the people and sustainable use of natural resources.
It is clear that this course is not well marketable in Nigeria. On the one hand, it is not well known in the country. On the other hand, the course studies the political and cultural development of a people and prefers a solution to some of the problems. Nigeria is a country that does not accept changes easily. Job opportunities are limited and the graduates are left to fight for jobs with other disciplines.
3. Sociology and Anthropology
Sociology is the study of society, patterns of social relationships, human social behavior, and the aspects of culture that are part of the everyday life of an individual. Sociology uses empirical investigations and critical analysis to carry out its research. Anthropology, on the other hand, is the study of human cultures and how they evolved over generations. Anthropologists are interested in studying what makes human beings human and also study the different aspects of human history and life. Some universities like the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, study the two courses together, while others study them as separate disciplines.
These are good courses that fetch money for those who practice outside Nigeria. However, in Nigeria, there are limited job opportunities for graduates of this course. They do not have a variety of places to work that are solely for their discipline. By this, we can say that Anthropology is one of the worst courses one can study in Nigeria.
4. Archaeology
Archaeology is one of the worst courses to study in Nigeria, and it does not have a good market value in the country. Archaeology is the study of past human activities through the material remains they left behind. They use these fossils and artifacts to study human history and prehistory. From the sound of this, it is well-practiced in the western world. Although Nigerians have produced good archaeologists, they still do not have many job opportunities in the country. This course is not marketable in Nigeria because it does not have a good ground and sponsorship to carry out its services and pay archeologists well.
5. Horticulture
Horticulture is the culturing of plants for food, beauty, comfort, and material. It is one of the worst courses one can study in Nigeria. Horticulturists grow flowers, vegetables, and fruits for food and ornamental purposes, but it is not valued in Nigeria. This is because anyone can cultivate all these things without attending a university. Also, Nigeria is not a country that values ornamental items. It is difficult to see an organization hiring a horticulturist because anyone can do the job. Because of these reasons, the course is one of the least valued courses in Nigeria.
6. Crop Science
Crop Science is the science that studies crops. It has to do with the selection, improvement, and production of crops that are useful to man. It has to do with everything about planting, harvesting, and maintenance of crops.
In Nigeria, there are a lot of farmers, both educated and uneducated. If you study this course in the university, you are rarely hired for any job based on your course. The good thing is that you will start up your own farm if you wish, or get employed in another field. To spend years and money in the university studying a course you may not practice after school is such a waste of resources.
7. Library and Information Science
Library and information science is a course that studies the collection, organization, access, and protection of information in digital and physical libraries. This course is one of the most important courses to study in the university in this computer age. However, it is one of the worst courses in Nigeria.
Graduates of this course end up working for meager pay or remain jobless. In Nigeria, very few people visit physical libraries. Libraries in the country are nonfunctional, and filled with outdated books. Nigerians prefer online or digital libraries to physical ones. Others do not visit physical libraries and know little or nothing about digital libraries. For this reason, this course is not marketable in Nigeria, and anyone who studies it does not have enough opportunity to be employed.
8. Physical Education
This is one of the worst courses to study in Nigeria. Studying fitness training as a course in the university is not a bad idea as there are opportunities for you to practice your course. It is true that opportunities abound but that is outside the country. Apart from teaching, there are little or no opportunities for graduates of this course in Nigeria.
The reason why there are fewer opportunities for this course is that it does not avail those that study it good jobs after school as they end up practicing in other fields. Another reason is that Nigerians rather be their own fitness experts than pay someone to help them with it. A few Nigerians value the course and those who studied it. For these reasons, Physical education is one of the least marketable and worst courses in Nigeria.
9. Animal Science
This is the study of farm livestock production and how to manage it. Those who study this course should have job opportunities, especially in agricultural producing countries. They get employed in farms and ranches among other places. Graduates of this course also have the opportunity to create and manage their own livestock businesses.
Unfortunately, Animal Scientists do not have a good job opportunity in Nigeria. Nigeria is an agricultural country but those who filled the livestock and animal sectors are uneducated, semi-skilled, and sometimes unskilled people. This has left the graduates of this course without a job. Some other employers prefer to employ the uneducated ones saying that they are more experienced than the educated ones. For these reasons, Animal Science graduates end up jobless, competing with uneducated counterparts, or working in other fields.
10. CRK/IRK
Christian Religious Knowledge (or Studies) and Islamic Religious Studies are religion-based courses. They are among the worst courses to study in Nigeria. Graduates of these courses are left with little to no job opportunities considering the rate of churches and ministerial activities in Nigeria. The only readily available job opportunity for graduates of these courses is teaching jobs. Some go further to lecture in the university.
Consequences of Studying a Bad Course in Nigeria
There are some consequences of studying a course that is less marketable. Some of these consequences are.
- You may not practice in your field
- You might have wasted your time and money studying the course
- After school, you may struggle to find your feet in the labour market
- You may be left confused after school and finding a job may be difficult
FAQs
What Are the Hardest Courses in Nigeria?
Medicine and Surgery is considered the hardest course to study in Nigeria. Pharmacy and Petroleum Engineering are considered among the top three hardest courses to study in Nigeria
What are the Highest-Paying Courses to Study in Nigeria
The highest-paying courses you can study in Nigeria are Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacy and Petroleum Engineering
What are the Problems of Studying in Nigeria?
Some of the problems of studying in Nigeria include
- Inadequate funding,
- Inadequate infrastructural facilities,
- Shortage of academic staff,
- Strike actions,
- poor research,
- Insecurity.
Which Course Has More Job Opportunities in Nigeria?
Medicine and Surgery is the most sought-after course in Nigeria. With a growing population and increasing healthcare needs, medical professionals are in high demand.
What Are the Easiest Courses to Study In Nigeria?
The easiest courses to study in Nigeria are
- Religious Studies
- English Language and Literary Studies
- Linguistics
- Music
- Sociology
- Mass Communication
Why Is Education Falling in Nigeria?
Some of the reasons behind the fall of Education in Nigeria include
- Inadequate provision of facilities,
- Declining competence and commitment of teachers,
- Non-maintenance of available facilities,
- Irrelevant and largely outdated curricula
- Poor implementation
Why Do Nigerians Prefer Going to the UK to Study?
The UK provides intensive, short courses without sacrificing academic excellence. Unlike the four-year degree offered in Nigeria, a graduate program can be finished in just three years. This saves you a substantial amount of money that can be used for living expenses and tuition in addition to saving you time.