The academic year
The year has two semesters of 16 weeks each: 14 weeks of teaching, one week of revision and one week of exams. One credit is one contact hour a week across the semester (or one practical session, or six hours of fieldwork), so a 3-credit course is 45 hours.
A four-year degree must be completed within six years and a three-year diploma within five.
Registration
- Register for each semester in the Student Portal. You are registered only once the Finance Office has received your bank deposit slip.
- Registration closes two weeks after the first lectures. Later registration needs the Admissions Committee’s approval.
- Add or drop courses until the end of week 2, with the consent of the course instructor and the Dean of Students.
- Registration by proxy only in special cases approved by the Admissions Committee.
Assessment and grading
Each course combines continuous assessment (coursework) and an end-of-semester exam. You must pass both. The pass mark is 40%.
| Grade | Marks (%) | Grade points |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 98–100 | 3.88 |
| A | 88–97 | 3.28 |
| A- | 85–87 | 3.10 |
| B+ | 82–84 | 2.92 |
| B | 73–81 | 2.38 |
| B- | 70–72 | 2.20 |
| C+ | 68–69 | 2.08 |
| C | 62–67 | 1.72 |
| C- | 60–61 | 1.60 |
| D+ | 55–59 | 1.48 |
| D | 45–54 | 1.12 |
| D- | 40–44 | 1.00 |
| F | 0–39 | 0 (fail) |
Incomplete (I). With the approval of your lecturer and Head of Department before grades are due, a course can be marked Incomplete. Clear it by the end of week 2 of the next semester, or it becomes an F.
Results and re-marking. Your results are published in the Student Portal. To request a re-mark, apply to your Head of Department within two weeks of the results, with the remark fee. Results cannot change once the Senate has published them.
Exams
To sit an end-of-semester exam you need:
- At least 80% attendance. More than 20% absence bars you from the exam unless your HOD approves in writing, and the course must be repeated.
- A coursework mark at the pass level, with all assignments submitted.
- Full fee clearance. The Academic Committee may allow a student with arrears to sit, with results withheld until payment.
Bring your University ID and exam card to every paper. No one may enter more than 30 minutes after the start or leave before half-time. Cheating, impersonation and plagiarism lead to a mark of zero and can lead to dismissal.
Supplementary and special exams
Students who fail a small number of courses sit supplementary exams at the start of the next semester; failing a supplementary means retaking the course. Failing several courses in a semester can lead to an academic warning, repeating the semester or discontinuation, according to the Senate’s progression rules. Ask the Registry how they apply to you.
Students who miss an exam for a genuine reason can apply for a special exam, recommended by the Dean of Students to the faculty Dean and checked by the HOD and Registry. Missing an exam without a genuine reason incurs a fine. The Senate approves all results, including supplementary and special exams.
Final-year research project
- Submit your topic before the end of Year 3, Semester 2.
- The department board approves the topic and assigns a supervisor, who meets you at least two hours a week and supervises no more than 30 students.
- References follow the APA style.
- Requests to change supervisor or appeals on a proposal go to the HOD, then the faculty research committee.
Graduation and awards
To graduate you must pass all core courses and the final-year research project, reach a cumulative GPA of at least 1.00 and clear all fees.
| Class of degree | Cumulative GPA |
|---|---|
| First Class Honours | 3.50 and above |
| Second Class Honours, Upper Division | 2.50 – 3.49 |
| Second Class Honours, Lower Division | 1.50 – 2.49 |
| Pass | 1.20 – 1.49 |
| Conditional Pass | 1.00 – 1.19 |
Students with a semester GPA of 3.5 or above are named on the Dean’s List.
Deferment and withdrawal
Students in good standing may defer for up to one academic year through the Dean of Students; students in Years 1 and 2 cannot defer, and more than a year away requires readmission. To withdraw, write to your Head of Department; tuition refunds follow the refund schedule.