Written Examinations

A written examination for a course unit of 45 contact hours, shall have a minimum duration of 2 hours. A course with more than or less than 45 contact hours shall generally be examined for a duration proportional to the two hours. The written examinations account for 70% of the total marks for the course unit unless otherwise stated.

The general rules and regulations governing examinations and award of degrees in the University of Nairobi shall apply.

In particular;

Courses shall be evaluated in terms of course units. A course unit shall be as defined in the approved course syllabus.

Courses that are spread over two semesters shall be examined at the end of the second semester.

All courses taken in a given semester shall be examined by ordinary examinations at the end of that semester unless otherwise specified.

A written ordinary examination for a course unit, where it applies, shall have a minimum duration of two hours. A course with more than or less than 45 contact hours shall generally be examined for a duration proportional to the 2 hours for the one-course unit, such as:45 Contact Hours, 2.0-Hour Examination | 60 Contact Hours-5-Hour Examination.

The pass mark in each course shall be 40% of the maximum mark possible in the course unit.

The assessment shall be graded as follows:

Each course unit covered in a semester shall be graded independently out of a maximum of 100 marks.

The complete assessment of a course unit shall consist of continuous assessment tests, course/ laboratory/field assignments and end of semester written examinations, with the two components ordinarily carrying 30 and 70 marks out of 100 respectively.

Where a course unit does not have any laboratory/field assignments, or coursework, the continuous assessment test and semester written examination shall carry 30 and 70 marks of 100 respectively.

Where a course unit is examined entirely by coursework, or laboratory/field assignments, such course unit shall carry all the 100 marks.

Where distribution of the marks for a course does not conform to (b), (c) or (d) above, the distribution of the marks for the course unit as approved by the Senate shall be followed.

The final year project shall be considered as two-course units.

To be allowed to proceed to the next year of study, a candidate shall have obtained an aggregate mark not less than 40% and passed all course units or satisfied 7.1.9 (a).

A candidate who fails:

An accumulated number of not more than four units and attains an aggregate mark not less than 30% in any academic year of study shall be allowed to sit for supplementary examinations within three months.

The project in the final year of study shall be allowed to resubmit the revised project within three months. A candidate who fails the re-submitted project shall repeat the project unit during the next academic year.

A course unit examined entirely by coursework shall be allowed to re-submit the coursework within three months. A candidate who fails the re-submitted coursework shall repeat the unit during the next academic year.

A candidate who fails to satisfy the examiners in the supplementary examinations in:

Not more than two units in any one academic year, shall on the recommendation of the School Board of Examiners and approval by Senate, be allowed to proceed to the next year of study and sit the examinations in the failed course units at the next ordinary university examinations, subject to the provision of regulation 7.1.11. A pass obtained in such examination shall be adopted as 40% and will be entered as such in the candidate’s academic record.

In more than two units on the recommendation of the Board of examiners and approval by Senate, be allowed to repeat the year and sit the examinations in the failed course units at the next ordinary university examination, subject to the provision of regulation 7.1.11.

A candidate who obtains an aggregate mark of not less than 30% and has failed in more than an equivalent 4-course unit but in not more than an equivalent of 8, shall on the recommendation of the School Board of Examiners and approval by the Senate, be required to repeat the year of study and attend classes in the failed units and take the examination in the failed course units at the next ordinary university examinations. Marks obtained in such examinations shall be adopted fully and will be entered as such in the candidate’s academic record.

A candidate who:

Obtains an aggregate mark of less than 30 % or

Has failed in more than an equivalent of 8-course units, or

Has failed the same course four times or

Has failed to take prescribed examinations without good cause, shall on the recommendation of the School Board of Examiners and approval by the Senate, be discontinued from the course of study.

A candidate who fails to take prescribed examinations with good cause shall be:

Allowed by Senate on the recommendation of the School Board of Examiners to take Special Examinations at the next Ordinary University Examination/ Supplementary Examinations.

Examinations taken under clause 12 (a) shall be treated under clause 7.1.6 and shall be graded in full.

 Compensation may be allowed in a maximum of two failed course units only for any year of study, provided the mark for the failed unit is between 35% and 39% inclusive and the average mark for the candidate is 50% or above and shall be applied by taking two marks from the highest scores to make up for each mark failed. The compensation shall not apply to Final Year Project.