In response to COVID-19 pandemic, the department has adopted both online and face to face modes of teaching in both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in order to meet the WHO COVID-19 containment measures, the School has continued to conduct research in the Laboratories through inviting few students in turns who learn through face to face while undertaking their research practicals to minimize spread of the virus. No student is allowed to access the Laboratories without wearing a face mask. Besides the strict washing of hands with soap before they access the School Laboratories.
MODE OF DELIVERY OF OUR PROGRAMMES
Under-Graduate programmes are offered under two modes, full time (Modules I & II) or through Open, Distance and Electronic Learning (ODeL) (Module III) for students who cannot attend the full-time university program.
1. Face -to-Face
i. The duration of the course shall be eight semesters (four years).The course will be evaluated in term of units. A course unit will be defined as consisting 45 contact hours of lectures, tutorials and practicals. For this purpose one 1-hour lecture is equivalent to one 2-hour tutorial or one 3-hour practical or any combination of these that may be recommended by the School Board and approved by Senate. Candidates shall take a total of 50 units amounting to a total of 2250 hours during the four years of study as follows.
Students in class during a lecture
ii. In the first and second year of study, apart from Geology courses, the candidates will be required to take approved courses in Mathematics and either Chemistry or Physics. In addition, candidates will be required to take undergraduate Common Courses. Candidates will be expected to take a total of 13 course units in the first and second year.
iii. In the third and fourth year of study, candidates will be expected to take a total of 12 approved course units per year covering various areas of Geology.
iv. During their fourth year, candidates will undertake a research project (SGL 413) under supervision of an academic member or members of staff. The project runs throughout the academic year at the end of which the candidates are expected to submit a written report and orally present their results before a panel of examiners.
v. Students pursuing a general degree programme in Geology may register only for the core courses in their third and fourth years of the B.Sc. programmes respectively.
2. Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL)
i. The course structure and requirements for the degree program through open, distance and electronic learning (ODeL) remain the same as under the full-time mode of study.
Open and Distance Learning in Progress
ii. The open, distance and electronic learning (ODeL) mode of study will run for a minimum of eight (8) semesters of twenty four (24) weeks each and a maximum of sixteen (16) semesters from the date of registration. The open, distance and electronic learning mode of study will be offered using multi-media approach, including a variety of self-instructional print and electronic study materials.
iii. In addition, there will be face-to-face instructional engagements during residential training. The face-to-face instruction shall not exceed one third (1/3) of the instruction time as under the full-time mode of study.
3.Blended
This mode combines the face to face leaning and online learning delivery methods. Currently due to Covid 19 containment measures, all programmes are offered online through various Learning Management Platforms approved by the University of Nairobi Senate.
The online mode of delivery consists of comprehensive coverage of the syllabus through lectures, assignments, quizzes, tutorials, practicals, seminars, workshops using online learning platforms like eClass, SOMAS, Microsoft teams & Google meet, the Student Management Information System (SMIS) and the University of Nairobi Learning Management Systems.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated containment measures issued by the Government, the department has adopted the blended teaching method in the delivery of its programmes
Due to Ministry of health covid-19 Protocols and Guidelines learning will be effectively be online.
The following are resources for the online learning. Lectures and and exams are online. This requires each student to register themselves in the respective units.
SOMAS - E-Learning Portal and Exams System.
EClass - UNIVERSITY of NAIROBI eLEARNING PORTAL
Google Classroom - Google for schools that aims to simplify creating, distributing, and grading assignments.
Google Meet - Real-time meetings by Google.