FACULTY REGULATIONS FOST 1.00 FOST 1.01 FOST 1.02 FOST 2.00 FOST 2.01 FOST 2.02 FOST 2.03 FOST 2.04 FOST 2.05 FOST 2.06 Preamble These regulations should be read in conjunction with the general academic regulations of the National University of Lesotho hereinafter referred to as the General Academic Regulations. These regulations are in respect of programmes offered by the Faculty of Science and Technology hereafter referred to as the Faculty. The appropriate degree will be awarded to a student upon the successful completion of study in an approved programme within the Faculty in accordance with these Regulations. Definition of Terms: Course: It is defined as a separate teachable and examinable component in a programme in a department. Certain courses may be designated as core courses, pre-requisites, compulsory, elective or optional courses. Definition of a core course and a pre-requisite are provided for in the General Academic Regulations. Core Course: It is a course which is considered to be essential for qualification in a particular programme, and it must be passed. In addition, it shall have at least three (3) credit hours but not more than eight (8) credit hours. Pre-requisite Course: It is a course in which a student must pass in order to register in a particular course. Compulsory Course: It is a course that must be taken in a given year of study as part of a study programme. It is considered to give a student the relevant knowledge in the field of training. Elective Course: It is a course in which a student may take from a list of courses stipulated by department to fill the required minimum number of credit hours in the study programme. Optional Course: It is a course in which a student may take to enhance his/her interdisciplinary knowledge.
FOST 2.07 FOST 2.08 FOST 2.09 Practical Course: It is a course in which a student is required to carry out a set number of prescribed laboratory experiments or field practical or clinical experience. In these regulations, a two-hour tutorial or a three-hour practical class shall be regarded as equivalent to one lecture hour/credit hour. Project Course: It is a course in which a student is required to carry out an independent study and/or investigations related to a particular topic within a subject. The work shall be carried out under the direct supervision of a member of the academic staff knowledgeable in that particular topic. FOST 2.10 Industrial/Professional Training Course: It is a course in which a student is required to work in some specified institution for a period of not less than three months and not more than ten months in one academic year. The student shall work under the supervision of a member of academic staff and delegated member of the specified institution for that period. FOST 3.00 FOST 3.01 FOST 3.02 FOST 3.03 FOST 4.00 FOST 4.01 Submissions of Applications and Student Admission: A prospective student shall apply to the Faculty Admissions Committee through the office of the Senior Assistant Registrar for entrance into any of the programmes offered by the Faculty. University application forms must be used for applying. The closing date for receipt of application forms for Normal Entry shall be 31 st March of each year. However, late applications for diploma holders and applications into professional programmes may be considered until 31 st July of each year. Faculty Structure and Programmes: The Faculty awards the following undergraduate degrees either as a Single or a Double Major B.Sc. degree and B.Eng. Graduate degrees offered are PGDIS, B.Sc.(Hon.), M.Sc. and PhD. Under the Faculty there are five Departments, namely; Department of Biology Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology Department of Geography and Environmental Science Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Department of Physics and Electronics
The subjects available for study in the Faculty are: Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Chemical Technology, Computer Science, Computer Systems and Networks, Information Systems, Electronics, Electronics Engineering, Geography, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics. FOST 4.02 In each Department there are programmes from which a student is registered for a particular degree. The following Double Major combinations for the basic sciences are offered within the Faculty: Biology and Chemistry Biology and Geography Chemistry and Computer Science Chemistry and Geography Chemistry and Mathematics Chemistry and Physics Computer Science and Statistics Mathematics and Computer Science Mathematics and Physics Mathematics and Statistics Physics and Computer Science Physics and Geography FOST 4.03 For the applied sciences and engineering degrees the Faculty offers the following professional degrees or any other programme approved by Senate from time to time: Bachelor of Electronics Engineering Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Systems and Networks Bachelor of Science in Chemical Technology Bachelor of Science in Electronics Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Bachelor of Science in Statistics Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science Postgraduate Diploma in Information Systems FOST 5.00 FOST 5.01 Entry Requirements: In order to qualify for admission into the First Year (hereinafter referred to as Year I) programme leading to any of the degrees offered by the Faculty,
applicants must have obtained a pass with credit in Mathematics in the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate examination or its recognized equivalent as well as a pass with credit in an approved Science Subject (Approved Science subjects include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physical Science, and the combination of Combined Science and Additional Combined Science). This section should be read in conjunction with the General Academic Regulations AR2.00 to AR2.16, and departmental regulations for professional programmes like Computer Science, and Information Systems. FOST 5.02 FOST 5.03 Students with a COSC grade of D or 7 or equivalent in English Language will be considered for admission. When ranking applicants for admissibility into the Common First Year of the Faculty, the Admissions Committee shall consider only the grades in Mathematics, an approved science subject, and the better of: Any additional approved science subject, Human and Social Biology, Computer Studies Geography and English Language In the case of a tie, the aggregate for six subjects may also be taken into consideration. FOST 5.04 FOST 5.05 When applying, applicants shall indicate in the application form which degree programme he/she is seeking admission into. Year I students may be required to attend a Pre-Entry Science Programme (PESP) before the beginning of the academic year. FOST 6.00 The Common First Year-Year I: FOST 6.01 courses: During the Common First Year I programme students shall take the following Five lecture hours of Mathematics per week or equivalent, four lecture hours of Biology per week or equivalent, four lecture hours of Chemistry per week or equivalent, and four lecture hours of Physics per week or equivalent. in addition students shall take 3 lecture hours or equivalent of English per week.
Students interested in any of the professional degree programmes OR Geography, Statistics OR Computer Science may take these in their second year OR third year depending on departmental regulations. FOST 6.02 FOST 6.03 Formal non-externalized comprehensive examinations will be given in Year I courses. These examinations are ordinarily administered one to two weeks after the end of lectures of the first semester, and one to two weeks after the final teaching week of the second semester. At the end of Year I, subject to departmental regulations, a student will be promoted to Year II if: An overall weighted average of 50 percent, excluding English, is obtained. All the requirements of a study programme for which they have applied are satisfied. FOST 6.04 FOST 6.05 FOST 6.06 FOST 6.07 FOST 6.08 A student who has passed only one science subject with a minimum of a D and obtained at least an E in two other science subjects may be allowed to repeat Year I provided a minimum weighted average of 45%, excluding English, is obtained. A repeating student who has passed English shall not be required to repeat it during the repeat year. A student repeating Year I will be required to repeat the entire First Year programme, excluding English as in 6.01. A student repeating Year I will be assessed according to the performance in the repeat year. The classification of a student who has achieved an overall average of 80% or above in Year I shall be a Proceed with Distinction. The classification of a student who has achieved an overall average greater than or equal to 70% and less than 80% in Year I shall be a Proceed with Merit. FOST 7.00 FOST 7.01 Special Entry Requirements: The following candidates may apply for Special Entry and permission to proceed to a degree with exemption from the whole or part of the normal entry requirements. However, no students shall be admitted at the final year of a programme.
FOST 7.02 IB Diploma holders: A prospective student may be exempted from Year I provided he/she satisfies the following minimum requirements: For Biology and Chemistry Majors: The mathematics score should be 3 at higher level (HL) or 4 at subsidiary level (SL). The score for Biology/Chemistry should be 4 at HL or 6 at SL. FOST 7.03 FOST 7.04 FOST 8.00 FOST 8.01 FOST 8.01.1 FOST 8.01.2 FOST 8.02 (c) For Physics Single Majors: The mathematics score should be 5 at HL or 7 at SL. For Physics/ Mathematics Double Majors: The mathematics score should be 4 at HL or 6 at SL. Other Diploma holders: An applicant who has obtained a diploma from this or another academic institution of similar status, may be exempted from part or whole of the normal entry requirements provided such an applicant satisfies the English, Mathematics and Science Equivalency in 5.00 above. in such a case the equivalency will be judged by the department concerned. These are only guidelines and each Department reserves the right to consider individual cases. Degree Requirements (Year II, III, and IV): Requirements for Proceeding A student shall be considered to have passed a year of study provided the following marks are obtained: At least (c) 50% in all core courses, project courses and practical courses 50% in all pre-requisite courses needed in the subsequent year. 40% in each of the courses taken. (d) The weighted average of 50% from all the courses taken in a year up to 36 credit hours. For a student who takes more than 36 credit hours of courses in a year, one or more courses or part of a course may be ignored when calculating the overall weighted year mean, provided that such an action does not lower his/her total number of credit hours to less than 36 per year and that all the courses used to calculate the overall weighted year mean are compulsory and elective courses. During Year II of studies, students shall take courses leading to a degree for which they have applied. in the case of a double major degree programme a student shall normally take one or two major subjects and one or two ancillary subjects depending on the regulations of the department concerned. For a B.Sc.
programme, one of these must have been passed in Year I, and the other if so chosen, may be a second passed Science subject or any of the following: Geography, Computer Science or Statistics. Any double major combinations shall be considered by the Faculty for approval. FOST 8.03 FOST 8.04 FOST 8.05 FOST 8.06 In Years II, III or IV students shall take courses in their respective departments leading to degrees for which they have applied, and they may take them either as a single major or a double major depending on programmes. A Double major shall be composed of two subjects, each subject consisting of between 9 to 12 credit hours per week per semester. A single major shall consist of one subject with the number of credit hours ranging from 18 to 24 per week per semester. A student may be permitted to take a single major only if all the relevant regulations of the Faculty concerned are satisfied. At the end of Year II there will be formal externalized comprehensive examinations. A student will be allowed to proceed to Year III if: The English requirement as stated in AR5.04 is satisfied, at least two major subjects for a double major programme have been passed and the departmental regulations for a professional degree or a single major are satisfied. Unless specified otherwise in the departmental regulations, the overall classification in Year II shall be in accordance with the regulation given in 15.00 below. FOST 8.07 If a student is required by Senate to repeat Year II, he/she may repeat in either the same or different subjects. For purposes of assessment and of determining suitability for proceeding to Year III, a repeating student shall be assessed according to the performance in the repeat year. FOST 8.08 At the end of Years III and IV there will be formal and externalized examinations. To be promoted from Year III to Year IV, a student in a double major must pass both subjects, according to the requirements of the department concerned. A student in the single major programme or a professional degree programme must pass the subject and fulfil the stated ancillary requirements set by the department concerned. Classification for Proceeding: A student who has achieved a weighted year mean of 80% or above in a continuing year of study, other than Year II,
shall be classified as a Proceed with Distinction, provided all requirements to proceed into the subsequent year are satisfied. A student who has achieved a weighted year mean greater than or equal to 70% but less than 80% in a continuing year of study, other than Year II, shall be classified as a Proceed with Merit, provided he/she has satisfied all requirements to proceed into the subsequent year. A student who has achieved a yearly weighted mean greater than or equal to 50% but less than 70% in a continuing year of study shall be classified as Proceed. FOST 8.09 FOST 8.10 FOST 9.00 In any year of study a minimum of a D grade in 28 credit hours of compulsory and elective courses and at least an E grade in all remaining courses shall be required for a student to proceed in any programme with a minimum of D in 12 credit hour per subject in a Double Major. The weighted year mean shall be calculated based on the marks obtained from the compulsory and elective courses taken in that year. (Any 28 credit hours of compulsory courses may be treated as core courses unless specified otherwise in the special regulations of a department). The final overall weighted mean (OWM) of the degree shall be obtained from the average of the weighted year means considered in a given Programme. The years to be considered shall be indicated in the special regulations of each department of the Faculty. Repeat and Discontinue: In any year of study, a student who does not fulfil all the requirements to pass a major as defined in regulation 8.01 above (after supplementary examination if taken) shall be considered to have failed that subject. The result in such a case shall be: (c) Fail and repeat failed courses in a subject if overall weighted year mean is at least 50% in a year. Fail and repeat the year if overall weighted year mean is at least 45% in a year. Fail and discontinue from the Faculty if overall weighted year mean is between 30% and 44%. (d) Fail and discontinue from NUL if overall weighted year mean is below 30%.
Notwithstanding the above, a final year undergraduate student who obtains an OWM of between 40 and 49 may be allowed to repeat the year provided he/she is within the allowed maximum period of seven years within the university. Moreover, a student who obtains a Fail and discontinue recommendation while doing the Common First Year programme, regardless of the faculty under which he/she is registered, shall not be allowed to register in the Common First Year programme before the stipulated two-year time period has elapsed. FOST 10.00 FOST 10.01 FOST 10.02 FOST 10.03 Course Assessment and Formal Examinations: Normally all courses with at least 4 credit hours are each examined by a 3 hour paper and other courses by 2 or 3 hour papers. Such other courses may be combined for examinations purposes. The final course mark in each formally examined course is obtained by combining Course Work and Formal Examination Marks in a ratio between 1:1 and 1:2. Any deviation from this formula must be submitted to the Faculty for approval. The weighted year mean in any year shall be calculated by dividing the sum of the products of credit hours and percentage scores by the sum of the credit hours from all compulsory and elective courses taken in a year up to 36 credit hours. FOST 11.00 FOST 11.01 FOST 11.02 Supplementary Examinations: Supplementary examinations may be allowed subject to the faculty and departmental regulations. However, a student may not supplement with the sole purpose of raising his/her grade or degree classification. A student who achieves a final grade of "E" for a course may be allowed to write a supplementary examination provided a pass in the course is necessary for getting an overall percentage average of 50% or for proceeding to an acceptable programme.
FOST 11.03 If a student receives an overall percentage average of 49 or less, he/she will be allowed to write supplementary examinations only if successful supplementation raises the overall percentage average to 50 or greater. in determining his/her chances of success, the Faculty shall assume a maximum Final Supplementary Mark of 59 for each course in which the student may supplement. FOST 11.04 A student will not normally be allowed to supplement more than a total of 16 credit hours. FOST 11.05 FOST 11.06 A student who achieves an overall percentage average of less than 45% shall not normally be allowed to write supplementary examinations. A student who achieves a final grade of "F" in a course shall not normally be allowed to write a supplementary examination in that course. However, supplementary may be allowed provided: (c) A higher grade is required in the course, The total number of credit hours, where an F grade has been obtained, does not exceed 4, The "F" grade is not below 30% and (d) The weighted percentage average is at least 50%. A student not allowed to supplement an F grade course, falling under the above conditions, because of the regulations of another faculty shall be permitted to carry forward that course (not exceeding 4CH) into the proceeding year of study. Moreover, if the above F grade course is a terminal one, the student shall be permitted to proceed into the next year of study with an F(not exceeding 4CH) in one course. However, students in BSc. Computer Science, BSc. Information Systems and BSc. Statistics may be allowed to supplement first year courses, subject to faculty regulations. FOST 11.07 FOST 11.08 There shall not normally be supplementary examinations in the Common First Year. A student will not normally be allowed to write a supplementary examination in the same course more than once in a year.
FOST 11.09 FOST 11.10 FOST 11.11 Supplementary examinations shall normally be given four to six weeks before the beginning of the Academic Year. The student's supplemented Final Mark, shall be computed by substituting the Supplementary Examination Mark for the Formal Examination Mark, and by using the same ratio of Course Work: Examination Mark as was used in determining the original Final Course Mark for the course. For the purpose of computing the students overall assessment, the higher of the two marks (Final Course Mark or Final Supplementary Mark) shall be used. Where a course has been passed by a supplementary assessment, the record and transcript shall indicate the marks of the supplementary assessment, which shall not be more than 59%. In a course or course component which has no formal examination, the method of supplementing and the assessment of the student's Final Supplementary Mark must be submitted by the department to the Faculty for approval. FOST 12.00 Core Courses, Pre-Requisite and Other Courses: In their special Regulations, each Department in the Faculty shall describe its acceptable programmes, indicating clearly where necessary, the core courses, pre-requisite, co-requisite, compulsory courses and optional courses. FOST 13.00 FOST 13.01 FOST 13.02 FOST 13.03 Transfers: All the student s intra-and inter-faculty transfers must be done by application through the office of the Faculty Senior Assistant Registrar. Satisfying special requirements of a programme will not ensure admission. However, a minimum of a C grade will be required for any such transfer. For transfers from other recognized institution, the Faculty Admissions Committee, in consultation with the concerned department, will satisfy themselves that the prospective student is fully qualified especially as it pertains to the English, Mathematics and Science requirements, and/or any other requirements in that department. A student who has been required to discontinue from one faculty or programme and decided to transfer to another faculty or programme shall not be allowed to register for the same subjects from which he/she was discontinued.
FOST 14.00 FOST 14.01 FOST 14.02 Computer Literacy: All non-computer students in the faculty are required to take CS1301 (Computer Literacy) or CS2301 (Introduction to Computer Applications for Science Majors) at second year level as stipulated in the regulations/requirements of the majoring departments. Students required to register for CS2301 should satisfy the following course requirements:- (c) A minimum grade of D is required in the course. The marks obtained in the course may be used in the calculation of OWM. A student not satisfying the minimum D grade requirement shall be allowed to carry forward the course once into the proceeding year of study. However, the marks obtained in the repeat year shall not be used to recalculate the second year OWM. FOST 14.03 FOST 15.00 All students required to register for CS1301 should satisfy the following course requirements (c) A minimum grade of D is required in the course following the general regulation of the university. The marks obtained in the course shall not be used in the calculation of OWM. A student not satisfying the minimum D grade requirement shall be allowed to carry forward the course once into the proceeding year of study. Degree Classification: A student's overall degree classification shall be in accordance with the provision of the general regulation AR6.12: FOST 16.00 FOST 16.01 Recognitions: A student who is considered to have excelled in his/her subject(s) at the end of any academic year shall be placed in the Dean s Honours List. Such a student shall have obtained the weighted year mean of at least 80% in all the courses taken in that year.
FOST 16.02 FOST 17.00 Special prizes may be awarded to students with the best academic performance in certain years of study. Such a student shall have obtained the weighted average of at least 70% in that year. Post-Graduate and Professional Programmes Regulations for any of the postgraduate degree programmes shall appear in the special regulations of the department offering the programme. However, appropriate undergraduate degree or approved equivalent qualification shall be required. in addition, applications shall be submitted on the official university forms. FOST 18.00 Interpretation of the Regulations: In any case of application of the Special Regulations for any of the Degree Programmes in the Faculty, if an interpretation of the Regulations is required, the Faculty Board shall be the final arbiter.