Course Terminology
Several attributes are used to describe our courses
- Compulsory: A course specified for a degree/programme which a student must take and pass before graduation
- Elective: A course which a student may choose in order to make up the required additional credits for the award of a degree
- Prerequisite:A course whose knowledge is essential for another specified course. A prerequisite is fulfilled by attaining a pass in the course. However, a student who fails the course but scores a minimum of D in it is deemed to have met the prerequisite requirement, but will not earn any credit for the course if it is compulsory for his/her programme.
- Concurrent:A specified course at the same level which must be taken during the same semester
- Required:A course specified by a Department which students must take. The minimum standard to be attained by students offering such a course is D to earn credit.
Course Evaluation
Performance in courses offered in the Faculty of Science is recorded according to the following schedule:
| Marks/100 | Letter Grade | Grade Points | Evaluation |
| 80 - 100 | A | 4.00 | EXCELLENT |
| 70 - 79 | B+ | 3.50 | VERY GOOD |
| 60 - 69 | B | 3.00 | GOOD |
| 55 - 59 | C+ | 2.50 | FAIR |
| 50 - 54 | C | 2.00 | AVERAGE |
| 45 - 49 | D+ | 1.50 | BELOW AVERAGE |
| 40 - 44 | D | 1.00 | POOR |
| 0 - 39 | F | 0 | FAIL |
The final aggregate mark for a course is a whole number. Letter grades and grade points are awarded on the basis of the final aggregate mark.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
In order to determine the Grade Point Average of a candidate, the appropriate grade points assigned to the corresponding letter grade is multiplied by the credit value of the course. The products are added for all courses registered for and the sum divided by the total number of credits registered for. The quotient so obtained is the G.P.A.
| Course | Grade | Credit Value | Grade Points | Weighted Points |
| CHM201 | A | 6 | 4.0 | 24.0 |
| CHM203 | B+ | 6 | 3.5 | 21.5 |
| MAT201 | B | 6 | 3.0 | 18.0 |
| CSC201 | C | 6 | 2.0 | 12.0 |
| CPT205 | B+ | 6 | 3.5 | 21.0 |
| ENG101 | c+ | 2 | 2.5 | 5.0 |
| Total | 32 | 101.1 | ||
GPA = 101/32 = 3.16
To earn credit for a course the student must score a minimum of 50% (C) in that course if this is compulsory. Students may gain credit in the case of an elective/required course if they score 40% (D). In any event, the total number of D grades for which credit is earned may not exceed 10% of the total credits required for the degree programme.
All courses are examined by continuous assessment through assignments and / or tests and examination. The grades obtained through such continuous assessment constitute 30%. However, Faculties may propose different proportions for particular courses, subject to the approval of Senate. In any case, the proportions may not exceed a 50:50 ratio for continuous assessment and final examinations.
If a student obtains a pass mark in a course after re-sitting the course once or any subsequent number of times, the final mark given shall be the average of the marks obtained in the different sittings if this average of the marks obtained in the different sittings is higher than 50 percent, or 50 percent if the average obtained is less than 50 percent. Only this average mark shall be used to calculate the student’s cumulative grade point average (G.PA). The fail mark shall no longer enter into the calculation of the cumulative grade point average (GPA).