1. Admission Requirements

A candidate must satisfy the prescribed University of Nairobi and Faculty of Arts admission requirements, namely: 

1. A K.C.S.E. with a mean grade C+ or equivalent 
2. A K.C.S.E. with a mean grade C plain or equivalent plus a Diploma or equivalent from a recognized post-secondary institution 
3. A K.C.S.E. with a mean grade C- or equivalent plus a Certificate and a Diploma or equivalent from a recognized post-secondary institution
4. A K.C.E./E.A.C.E Div. III/ Ordinary GCE or equivalent plus a Diploma or equivalent from a recognized post-secondary institution
5. A K.A.C.E. or E.A.A.C.E/ Advanced GCE Certificate with one principal pass plus a Diploma or equivalent from a recognized post- secondary institution
6. A K.A.C.E. or E.A.A.C.E. certificate with two principal passes or equivalent
7. An International Baccalaureate Diploma 
8. A degree from a recognized university or equivalent

 

A candidate shall be allowed to register only in those course units whose combinations are approved by the Faculty. Any modification of such combinations will be allowed only after obtaining approval from the Dean.

2. Credit Transfer and Exemptions

2.1Credit Transfer

A candidate from a recognized university or an equivalent institution of higher education recognized by the University of Nairobi Senate wishing to transfer to the B.A. programme at the University of Nairobi will be allowed to transfer credits from his or her university if those credits are deemed to be relevant and meet the required minimum contact hours. The transferred credits cannot be more than a third (1/3) of the total prescribed credits and/or course units required for the award of the B.A. degree.

 

2.2 Exemptions

• A candidate seeking an exemption shall pay an exemption fee approved by the University of Nairobi Senate.
• A candidate seeking an exemption will be required to follow the Faculty-approved procedure.

 

3. Examination Regulations 

 

1. The common University of Nairobi and Faculty of Arts examination regulations shall apply.
2. Candidates shall sit for examinations at the end of each semester. All course units must be examined and the examinations processed at the end of the semester in which they are taken. 
3. A candidate shall not be permitted to sit an examination unless he/she has attended the prescribed courses of study in accordance with the relevant regulations and to the satisfaction of the Department and the Faculty.
4. Unless otherwise specified, an end-of-semester examination shall consist of a two-hour paper for each course unit taken. 
5. The assessment of each candidate’s performance in the course unit taken must be done through both Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs), as course work, and an end-of-semester examination. Course work assessment will be done through at least two CATs. The CATs shall constitute 30% of the total course work marks in a given unit, while the end-of-semester examination shall constitute 70% of the unit examined. Each course unit shall be graded out of 100 marks. 
6. The pass mark shall be 40% for each unit. The range of marks is translated into letter grades as follows:

A: 70% – 100%

B: 60% – 69%

C: 50% – 59%

D: 40% – 49%

E: 39 and below 

7. A candidate shall be allowed to sit for supplementary examinations for a maximum of six (6) failed units in an academic year.
8. A candidate who, upon sitting for four (4) to six (6) supplementary examinations, fails in four or more of the units will be required to repeat the whole academic year. 
9. A candidate who has seven (7) or more failed units in an academic year shall be discontinued.
10. A candidate who fails any end-of-semester examination paper at the first attempt shall be allowed three more attempts to sit and pass that paper when a supplementary examination is offered.
11. A candidate who fails a paper may, in consultation with the department and with approval by the faculty, substitute that course unit, as long as it is not a core unit, with another of the same level from the same department. This regulation shall apply in Levels III & IV.
12. Subject to regulation (x) above

(a) A candidate who has failed in a course unit or units shall not be allowed to proceed to the next level unless he/she has passed the failed units.  However, if the failed units happen to be prerequisites for other advanced courses in the same level, the candidate must first pass them before he/she can be allowed to register in the advanced units that require the prerequisites.  A supplementary examination shall carry a maximum of 40% of the total marks and coursework marks shall not be considered. When taken as special examination, a unit shall carry a maximum of 100% of the total marks and course work shall be considered.

(b) No candidate with failed grade(s) shall be allowed to proceed to the next level unless he/she has successfully taken and passed the supplementary examination(s) in the failed course unit(s). 

(c) A candidate shall be allowed to do a maximum of three supplementary examinations in the same course unit. 

(d) A candidate who fails in three consecutive supplementary examinations in the same course unit shall be discontinued. 

(e) A candidate who fails a special examination can be allowed to take a maximum of three supplementary examinations in the same course unit. 

(f) Supplementary/Special Examinations shall be conducted at the end of each academic year.

4. Award of Degree

 

(i) In order to qualify for the award of a B.A. degree, a candidate must have registered for, attended lectures, sat examinations and passed in at least 44 units taken throughout the period of study for the degree.

(ii) A student who satisfies the examiners for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Arts shall be recommended for the award of the degree.  He/she shall be placed in one of the four classes listed below according to his/her performance. The final classification of the degree shall be based on all the required units taken during the degree programme. The total score on the required units shall be based on a cumulative average score to arrive at the final degree classification as follows:

70% – 100% (First Class Honours)

60% – 69% (Upper Second Class Honours)

50% – 59% (Lower Second Class Honours)

40% – 49% (Pass)