Relationship Between Mode Of Admission And Academic Performance Of Students Of French In The Department Of Foreign Languages, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria

Many studies have examined the performance of students of French as a Foreign Language in Nigeria and the influence of the linguistic environment on their performances; however, little or no attention has been paid to the impact of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)'s mode of admission on the academic performance of students of French in the Department of Foreign Languages. This mode of admission allows for candidates seeking admission to be taken into either what is known as Beginners or Non-beginners Class. This study, therefore, aims to appraise the academic performances of the two categories of students of French as a Foreign Language in the Department of Foreign Languages. For its data, the study relies on the academic performance of the two groups of students over a ten-year period (2010-2019) through their Part IV (Final Year) results and overall CGPA. The study reveals that the non-beginners have an edge generally. However, a comparison across the years shows that the difference in performance was not significant in most academic sessions. The paper concludes that even though secondary schools remain the best feed for admission into French studies in tertiary education, credibility should be accorded to the OAU model. Owing to the peculiarities associated with admission into the French degree programme in Nigeria, the paper recommends adopting the OAU model in other Nigerian universities, particularly now that NUC is pushing for a uniform curriculum in the Common Curriculum Minimum Academic Standard (CC-MAS).