European Journal of Training and Development Studies Vol.2, No.2, pp.35-40.June 2015 Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org) 35 ISSN 2057-5238(Print), ISSN 2057-5246(Online), STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN SOCIAL STUDIES AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA Essien, Essien Ekpenyong 1 ; Akpan, Okon Edem 2 & Obot, Imo Martin 3 1. Department Of Curriculum And Teaching, University Of Calabar 2. Department Of Curriculum And Instructional Technology, Cross River University Of Technology, Calabar 3. Department Of Educational Foundation, Guidance And Counseling, University Of Calabar ABSTRACT: This research examined students’ interest in social studies and academic achievement in tertiary institutions in Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, one hypothesis was formulated to direct the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A sample of seven hundred and fifty-three (753) students was randomly selected for the study. The instruments for data collection were the Students’ Interest in social Studies Questionnaire (SISSQ) and Social Studies Achievement Test (SOSAT) developed by the researchers were subjected to validation by experts in measurement and evaluation. The reliability estimate of the instruments was established through the split-half reliability method and it associate Spearman Brown prophecy formula. Pearson product moment correlation analysis was adopted to test the hypothesis at.05 level of significance. The result of the analysis revealed that students’ interest in social studies significantly relate to their academic achievement in the subject. Based on the finding of the study, it was recommended that teachers/facilitators should explain all subject matter in away that each student can comprehend in order to arouse their interest in the subject among others. KEYWORDS: Students’ Interest, Social Studies, Academic Achievement, Tertiary Institutions, Cross River State, Nigeria INTRODUCTION Interest could be defined as the focusing of the sense organs on or giving attention to some person, activity, situation or object. It is an outcome of experience rather than gift. It could either result or cause motivation. It could also be regarded as a pre-determinant of one’s perceptions that is, what aspect of the world one is mostly likely to see always (McClnermey, Dowson, Young and Nelson, 2005). It could also be viewed as a condition in which an individual associates the essence of certain things or situation with his needs or wants.Schiefele (1998) maintained that one’s interest is enkindled or killed through participation, experience, familiarity, study and work. It is what one perceives in these engagements that shape interest. Interest according to Schiefele (1998) is a feeling of identification with a person and some conditions, things or other persons. It has been variously defined as a kind of consciousness accompanying and stimulating attention, a feeling, pleasant or painful directing attention, the pleasurable or painful aspect of a process of attention, and as identical with attention of itself (Schiefele and Krapp, 1996). Thus it may be said, "I attend to what interests me". The term is also used to indicate a permanent mental disposition (Schiefele and Krapp, 1996).