Statute 29: THE DIRECTORATE OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES (DPGS)

1. There shall be a Directorate of Postgraduate Studies whose mandate shall be to make recommendations to the Senate on the conduct and quality of postgraduate studies.
2. The Directorate shall perform the following functions:

• Harmonising postgraduate curricula and regulations;
• Admitting postgraduate students on the recommendation of Faculties/Schools/Institutes;
• Assuring quality and enforcing standards of postgraduate programmes;
• Soliciting and administering postgraduate scholarships and research grants;
• Making available to Faculties/Schools/Institutes/Campus Colleges/ Campuses and relevant offices information relating to postgraduate studies throughout the University by publishing a prospectus and bibliographic records of postgraduate research done and being done within the University;
• Maintaining a database of ongoing and published work arising from postgraduate research in the University;
• Maintaining records of all past and present postgraduate students;
• Ensuring that the approved research projects, theses, or similar presentations are deposited in the Library both as electronic and hard copies;
• Coordinating the Award Scheme for academic excellence amongst postgraduate students and forwarding recommendations thereon to the Deans Committee;
• Revising the Postgraduate Students Handbook;
• Coordinating postgraduate students’ supervision according to the following principles and requirements:
  • That supervisors are appointed immediately after the students have commenced their studies;
  • That postgraduate research supervisors are competent and specialised in the subject area within which the proposed research falls;
  • That supervisors keep regular contact with their students (at least once in three (3) months);
  • That supervisors ensure that students defend their Research Proposals and have them approved by the Board of Postgraduate Studies within six (6) months of completion of coursework;
  • That joint supervisors maintain regular consultations with one another regarding the progress of students;
  • That supervisors submit progress reports on their students’ research work on a quarterly basis;
  • That progress reports on students are evaluated by the Board on a quarterly basis;
  • That the student’s role as a researcher is fully reflected in any joint publications with the supervisor;
  • That the supervisor ensures that s/he works efficiently and harmoniously with the student;
  • That students’ complaints regarding supervision are addressed in a timely manner and objectively;
  • That appropriate disciplinary or other action is recommended to the relevant authority in relation to any supervisor who fails to perform the duties of supervision;
  • That the maximum number of students per supervisor at any one time shall be five (5) for the Master’s and three (3) for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.
• Coordinating the administration and processing of Master’s Research Projects, Master’s Theses, and Doctoral Theses, which shall include:
  • Appointing nominated Supervisors;
  • Appointing Examiners;
  • Coordinating the forwarding of submitted Master’s Research Projects, Master’s Theses, and Doctoral Theses to Examiners;
  • Coordinating defences;
  • Overseeing all defences;
  • Forwarding the recommendations of the Board of Examiners to the Chairperson of the Senate for approval on behalf of the Senate.
• Receiving reports on the welfare and conduct of students, deliberating upon and making such recommendations thereon to the Senate.
  • The Directorate shall perform such other functions as may be lawfully delegated to it.
  • There shall be a Director of the Directorate in accordance with Statute 22(17).
  • The Director of the Directorate shall report to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics, Research and Extension).
  • The Directorate shall have a Board in accordance with Statute 22(10).
  • The membership of the Board shall be:
• The Director of the Directorate– Chairperson;
• The Director (Research and Extension);
• The Director, Directorate of Undergraduate Studies and Career Services;
• The University Librarian;
• One (1) representative of each Faculty, School, and Institute at the rank of Senior Lecturer and above as recommended by the Faculty/School/Institute Board for a period of three years non-renewable;
• One (1) postgraduate student representative, Egerton University Students Association;
• Secretary – Shall be provided by the Office of the Director;
• Co-opted members, provided that such members shall not have the right to vote and shall not constitute more than one-third of the membership of the Board.
  • The Board shall adopt procedures in accordance with Statute 22(12).

PROGRAMMES AND PROCEDURES FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

Programmes Offered

Currently, the University offers five Postgraduate diploma programmes; 70 Master’s programmes and 61 Ph.D. programmes, all accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE).

DURATION OF THE PROGRAMMES

The University, through the Graduate School, offers three levels of programmes:

• Postgraduate Diploma programmes, whose duration is between one academic year and a maximum of two years;
• Master’s programmes, whose duration is two academic years. They can extend to a maximum of three years (for full time students) or four years (for part-time students);
• Doctoral programmes, whose duration is three years can extend to a maximum of four years (for full -time) or six years (part-time).

Note: All programmes Masters and PhD are by Course work, Examination, Research and project /Thesis/dissertation.

Statute 38:RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMME

1.Application Procedures

• Enquiries for all Postgraduate Diploma programmes shall be made to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, Egerton University, P. O. Box 536-20115, EGERTON, Kenya, or via email: bpgs@egerton.ac.ke.
• Application forms may be obtained from the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, or downloaded from the University’s website at: egerton.ac.ke. Applications may also be filled online at: https://application.egerton.ac.ke.
• Duly completed application forms shall be returned or submitted to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, on or before the due date upon payment of a prescribed non-refundable fee.

2. Admission Requirements

• Applicants must fulfil the following minimum requirements:
• Hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent from a recognised institution;
• Meet special requirements as may be prescribed by the Department, Faculty, School, Institute or Campus.

• Applicants shall be admitted to only one Postgraduate Diploma programme at a time.
• Admission shall be done through a letter from the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies.

3. Duration of Study and Course Loading

• A Postgraduate Certificate programme shall last for a minimum of nine (9) months for full-time students and a maximum of eighteen (18) months for part-time students.
• Students shall register for a minimum of twenty-four (24) Credit Factors (CFs) for the whole programme.
• A student shall pass at least twenty-four (24) CFs of prescribed courses to qualify for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate.

4. Regular Examinations

• All examinations shall be conducted under the authority of the Senate as specified under various Rules and Regulations.
• Only a student who has registered and has fulfilled all the requirements shall be eligible to take examinations.
• Subject to approval by the Senate, Departments shall establish a Moderating Committee comprising the Chairperson of Department and three academic staff at the rank of Senior Lecturer and above who shall internally moderate the examinations.
• A candidate shall pay to the University in respect of examinations such fees as the Council shall from time to time prescribe.
• Examinations shall consist of Continuous Assessment Tests, which shall constitute forty per cent (40%) of the total marks for each course, and the final examinations, which shall constitute sixty per cent (60%) of the total marks for each course.
• Seminars and courses which are of a practical nature may be assessed entirely by continuous assessment.
• Marks obtained in examinations shall be converted into letter grades as follows:

Total Marks (%) Bracket	Grade	Attribute
100-70	A	Excellent
69-60	B	Good
59-50	C	Average
49-0	F	Fail

 

The Postgraduate Diploma shall be classified as follows

Total Marks (%) Bracket	Classification
100-70	Distinction
69-60	Credit
59-50	Pass

5. Special Examinations

• Special examinations shall be offered to students who, due to circumstances acceptable to the Senate, were unable to sit for the regular final examinations.
• Special examinations shall be graded on the same basis as the regular examinations.
• A student taking special examination(s) shall be required to pay a special examination registration fee at a rate to be determined by the Council from time to time.
• Special examinations shall be taken and processed on dates prescribed by the Senate.

6. Resit Examinations

• A candidate who fails in twenty-five per cent or less (≤ 25%) of the total CFs in the programme but has a Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) mark of fifty percent (50%) or more (≥ 50%) shall be required to resit the failed examination(s).
• Resit examinations shall be taken and processed on dates prescribed by the Senate.
• The maximum marks awarded in a resit examination shall be fifty percent (50%) only and shall earn the letter grade “C”.
• A student taking resit examination(s) shall be required to pay a resit examination registration fee and a fee for the CFs taken at a rate to be determined by the Council from time to time.

7.  Discontinuation: A student shall be discontinued if s/he:

• Fails more than twenty-five percent (>25%) of all CFs taken in the programme;
• Obtains a CWA of less than fifty percent (<50%), grade “C” in the programme;
• Fails a resit examination;
• Fails to register for and attend scheduled lecturers for two (2) weeks or longer without the consent of the Senate;
• Fails to meet any other condition stipulated by the Faculty for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate.

8. Remarking of Examinations: A student shall be allowed to appeal for remarking of an examination as per Statute 37(13).

9. Examination Irregularities and Penalties: A student who commits Examination Irregularities shall be penalised in accordance with Statute 37(15)(a) and 37(15)(b).

10. Suspension from the University: A student shall be suspended from the University in accordance with Statute 37(18).

11. Expulsion from the University: A student shall be expelled from the University in accordance with Statute 37(19).

12. Appeal: A student who has been discontinued suspended or expelled from the University may appeal in accordance with Statute 37(20).

Statute 39:RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME

1. Application Procedures

• Enquiries for all Postgraduate Diploma programmes shall be made to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, Egerton University, P. O. Box 536-20115, EGERTON, Kenya, or via email: bpgs@egerton.ac.ke.
• Application forms may be obtained from the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, or downloaded from the University’s website at: egerton.ac.ke. Applications may also be filled online at: https://application.egerton.ac.ke.
• Duly completed application forms shall be returned or submitted to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, on or before the due date upon payment of a prescribed non-refundable fee.

 2. Admission Requirements

a) Applicants must fulfil the following minimum requirements:

• Hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent from a recognised institution;
• Meet special requirements as may be prescribed by the Department, Faculty, School, Institute or Campus

b) Applicants shall be admitted to only one Postgraduate Diploma programme at a time.

c) Admission shall be done through a letter from the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies

3.  Duration of Study and Course Loading

• A Postgraduate Diploma programme shall take a minimum of nine (9) months for full-time students and a maximum of eighteen (18) months for part-time students.
• Students shall register for a minimum of thirty (30) Credit Factors (CFs) for the programme.
• A student shall take and pass at least thirty (30) CFs of prescribed courses to qualify for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma.

4.  Regular Examinations

• All examinations shall be conducted under the authority of the Senate.
• Only students who have registered and have fulfilled all the requirements shall be eligible for examination.
• Subject to approval by the Senate, Departments shall establish a Moderating Committee comprising the Chairperson of Department and three academic staff of the rank of Senior Lecturer and above who shall internally moderate the examinations.
• A student shall pay to the University in respect of examinations such fees as the Council shall from time to time prescribe.
• Examinations shall consist of Continuous Assessment Tests, which shall constitute forty per cent (40%) of the total marks for each course, and the final examinations, which shall constitute sixty per cent (60%) of the total marks for each course.
• Seminars and courses which are of a practical nature may be assessed entirely by continuous assessment.
• Marks obtained in examinations shall be converted into letter grades as follows:

Total Marks (%) Bracket	Grade	Attribute
100-70	A	Excellent
69-60	B	Good
59-50	C	Average
49-0	F	Fail

 

The Postgraduate Diploma shall be classified as follows

Total Marks (%) Bracket	Classification
100-70	Distinction
69-60	Credit
59-50	Pass

 

5.  Special Examinations

• Special examinations shall be offered to students who, due to circumstances acceptable to the Senate, were unable to sit for the regular final examinations.
• Special examinations shall be graded on the same basis as the regular examinations.
• A student taking special examination(s) shall be required to pay a special examination registration fee at a rate to be determined by the Council from time to time.
• Special examinations shall be taken and processed on dates prescribed by the Senate.

6.Resit Examinations

• A student who fails in twenty-five per cent or less (≤ 25%) of the total CFs in the programme but has a CWA of fifty (50%) or more (≥ 50%) shall be required to resit the failed examination(s).
• Resit examinations shall be taken and processed on dates prescribed by the Senate.
• The maximum marks awarded in a resit examination shall be fifty percent (50%) only and shall earn the letter grade “C”.
• A student taking resit examination(s) shall be required to pay a resit examination registration fee and a fee for the CFs taken at a rate to be determined by the Council from time to time.

7. Remarking of Examinations: A student shall be allowed to appeal for remarking of an examination as per Statute 37(13).

8. Discontinuation:  A student shall be discontinued if s/he:

• Fails more than twenty-five percent (> 25%) of all CFs taken in the programme;
• Obtains a CWA of less than fifty percent (< 50%), grade “C”, for the programme;
• Fails a resit examination;
• Fails to register for, and/or attend scheduled classes for two (2) weeks or longer consecutively or cumulatively without the consent of the Senate;
• Fails to meet any other condition stipulated by the Faculty for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma.

9. Examination Irregularities and Penalties: A student who commits Examination Irregularities shall be penalised in accordance with Statutes 37(15)(a) and 37(15)(b).

10. Suspension from the University: A student shall be suspended from the University in accordance with Statute 37(18).

11. Expulsion from the University: A student shall be expelled from the University in accordance with Statute 37(19).

12.Appeal: A student who has been discontinued or suspended or expelled from the University may appeal in accordance with Statute 37(20).

Statute 40:RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMME

1. Application Procedures

• Enquiries for all Postgraduate Master’s programmes shall be made to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, Egerton University, P. O. Box 536-20115, EGERTON, Kenya, or via email: bpgs@egerton.ac.ke.
• Application forms may be obtained from the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, or downloaded from the University’s website at: https://www.egerton.ac.ke/postgraduate-forms Application forms may also be filled online at: https://application.egerton.ac.ke.
• Duly completed application forms shall be returned or submitted to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, on or before the due date upon payment of a prescribed non-refundable fee.

2.  Admission Requirements

• Admission shall be offered to holders of a Bachelor’s Degree with an Upper Second Class Honours or above, or equivalent qualification from recognised institutions.
• Holders of Lower Second Class Honours may be admitted if they have at least two years of relevant work experience.
• In exceptional cases, admission may be offered to non-holders of Upper Second Class Honours degree provided that such candidates can, on the basis of the research and other scholarly work done, demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Senate, qualification to undertake postgraduate studies.
• Subject to approval by the Senate, Departments may formulate regulations requiring applicants to have attained other academic qualifications as may be consistent with the goals of their Master’s programmes or to appear for interview to determine their suitability for admission.
• Applicants shall be admitted to only one degree programme at a time.
• Admission shall be through a letter from the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies.

3.  Duration of Study and Course Loading

i) For non-medical programmes:

• Full-time students shall be registered for a minimum of eighteen (18) months and a maximum of thirty-six (36) months except for special cases where the relevant Faculty/School/Institute shall guide the Senate.
• Part-time students shall be registered for a minimum of twenty-four (24) months and a maximum of forty-eight (48) months except for special cases where the relevant Faculty/School/Institute shall guide the Senate.
• Students must successfully complete at least thirty (30) Credit Factors (CFs) of coursework and a Master’s Thesis of fifteen (15) CFs or successfully complete thirty-six (36) CFs of coursework and a Master’s Project of nine (9) CFs to qualify for the award of the Master’s Degree.

ii). For Medical programmes:

• Full-time students shall be registered for a minimum of twenty (24) months and a maximum of sixty (60) months except for special cases where the relevant Faculty shall guide the Senate.
• Part-time students shall be registered for a minimum of thirty-six (36) months and a maximum of seventy-two (72) months except for special cases where the relevant Faculty shall guide the Senate.
• Students must successfully complete the mandatory thirty (30) CFs of coursework and a Master’s Thesis of fifteen (15) CFs or successfully complete thirty-six (36) CFs of coursework and a Master’s Research Project of nine (9) CFs to qualify for the award of the degree.

4. Credit Transfer

• CFs may be considered for Credit Transfer (CT) to a Master’s Degree programme provided that they have been obtained from the same level of study and from a recognised institution.
• No more than forty per cent (40%) of the total required CFs shall be accepted for CT.
• All CFs transferred must be of grade “B” and above and must be indicated in the applicant’s transcript.
• The relevant Department shall guide the Board of Postgraduate Studies on transferable courses through the relevant Faculty/School/Institute or Campus.

5. Master’s Degree Tracks:

 There shall be two tracks for the Master’s degree:

• Master’s Degree by Coursework, Examination and Thesis: Under this track, the students shall be required to do coursework (amounting to a minimum of 30 CFs), take examinations, conduct research, and submit a Thesis at the end of their study programme.
• Master’s Degree by Coursework, Examination and Research Project: Under this track, the students shall have a third semester of coursework of at least six (6) CFs before embarking on the Research Project.

6.  Conduct of Study and Supervision

• Students registered in accordance with these regulations shall be required to pursue their programmes of study under the guidance of supervisors approved in that capacity by the Senate on the recommendation of the relevant Department and Faculty Board through the Board of Postgraduate Studies.
• There shall be one (1) supervisor appointed for students under the Coursework, Examination and Thesis track, who must be a qualified member(s) of academic staff in the relevant field of the research study in the Department offering the Master’s programme, provided that in cases where diverse expertise is required or when inter-country collaboration is involved two (2) supervisors shall be appointed.
• There shall be one (1) supervisor appointed for students under the Coursework, Examination and Research Project track. The supervisor must be a qualified member of academic staff in a relevant field of the research study.
• The student shall consult with his/her supervisor(s) at least once in three (3) months.
• The student shall submit progress reports authenticated by the supervisor(s) to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, through the Chairperson of Department and Dean of Faculty in a prescribed form once every three months.
• Where the progress of the student is unsatisfactory, the student shall be warned in writing by the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, through the Dean of Faculty and Chairperson of the Department concerned.
• If a student does not show improvement within six months after a warning about unsatisfactory progress, the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, shall recommend to the Senate the student’s deregistration.
• Where in the judgment of the Board of Postgraduate Studies, a student is not being properly supervised, the Board shall, in consultation with the respective Chairperson of the Department, change the Supervisor(s).

7.  General Examination Procedures and Ranking

• All examinations shall be conducted under the authority of the Senate.
• Examinations shall consist of Continuous Assessment Tests, which shall constitute forty per cent (40%) of the total marks for each course, and the final examinations, which shall constitute sixty per cent (60%) of the total marks for each course.
• Courses which are purely of a practical nature and/or seminars may be assessed entirely by continuous assessment.
• For non-medical programmes, marks obtained in examinations shall be converted into letter grades as follows:

 Marks and letter grade

Total Marks (%) Bracket	Grade	Attribute
100-70	A	Excellent
69-60	B	Good
59-50	C	Average
49-0	F	Fail

 

Other designations related to examinations shall be as follows:

P: Pass

I:  Incomplete

CP: Course in Progress

CT: Credit Transfer

Au: Audit

• For Medical programmes

i) A student shall be required to fulfil the following requirements before making a formal application to sit the final qualifying examinations:

1. Complete all the courses of Part I and Part II;
2. Attain a minimum score of 50% in every examination in Part I;
3. Attain a PASS grade in the logbook assessment;
4. Attain a PASS grade in the dissertation.

ii) . Marks obtained in examinations shall be converted into letter grades as follows:

Total Marks (%) Bracket	Grade	Attribute
100-75	A	Distinction
74-65	B	Credit
64-50	C	Pass
49-0	F	Fail

 

• A student shall not proceed with research work without having satisfied all examination requirements.
• Examination results shall be processed and approved by the Faculty Board of Examiners and submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies for ratification before being presented to the Senate by the relevant Dean of the Faculty.

8.  Special Examinations

• Special examinations shall be offered to a student who, due to circumstances acceptable to the Senate, was unable to sit for regular final examinations.
• Special examinations shall be taken and processed only once in an academic year on dates prescribed by the Senate before the commencement of the next academic year.
• A student taking special examination(s) shall be required to pay a special examination registration fee at a rate to be determined by the Council from time to time.
• Special examinations shall be graded on the same basis as regular examinations.
• A student who fails a special examination shall reset the failed examination.

9. Resit Examinations

• A student who fails in twenty-five per cent or less (≤ 25%) of the total CFs in the programme but has a CWA of 50% or more (≥ 50%) shall be required to resit the failed examination(s).
• Resit examinations shall be taken and processed only once in an academic year on dates prescribed by the Senate before the commencement of the next academic year.
• The maximum marks awarded in a resit examination shall be fifty percent (50%) only, which shall earn the letter grade “C”.
• A student taking resit examination(s) shall be required to pay a resit examination registration fee and a fee for the CFs taken at a rate to be determined by the Council from time to time.

10. Remarking of Examinations: A student shall be allowed to appeal for remarking of an examination as per Statute 37(13).

11. Discontinuation: A student shall be discontinued for:

• Failing more than twenty-five percent (> 25%) of the total CFs taken in the programme;
• Failing a resit examination(s);
• Obtaining a CWA of less than fifty percent (< 50%) for the programme;
• Failing to register for, and/ or attend scheduled classes for two (2) weeks or longer consecutively or cumulatively without the consent of the Senate;
• Absconding from research work for a period of sixty (60) days;
• Failing to meet any other condition stipulated by the Faculty/School/Institute for the award of the Master’s degree.

12. Submission and Examination of the Thesis or the Research Project

a) To complete the Master’s programme, a student shall:

(i) Submit a Thesis or Research Project of a number of words as guided by the Commission of University Education Standards and Guidelines (2014), except for special cases approved by the University Senate, written according to the format and specifications stipulated by Departments and Faculty/School, Institute or Campus and approved by the Board of Postgraduate Studies.

(ii) Show proof of acceptance for publication of one (1) paper in a refereed journal.

b) At least three (3) months before a Thesis or a Research Project is submitted, a student shall, with the consent of the supervisor(s), give notice in writing to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, indicating an intention to submit the Thesis or the Research Project, accompanied by an Abstract of the Thesis or the Research Project.

c) The Thesis or the Research Project shall be submitted as per the rules prescribed by the Directorate of Postgraduate Studies.

d) The Thesis or the Research Project shall bear the signature of the supervisor(s) indicating approval to submit.

e) Upon receipt of the Thesis or the Research Project, the Directorate of Postgraduate Studies shall forward the same to the Examiners within two (2) weeks.

f) The Senate, on the recommendation of the Board of Postgraduate Studies, shall appoint in respect of each student presenting a Thesis or a Research Project, a Board of Examiners consisting of:

• In the case of the Research Project: the Dean of Faculty – Chairperson; the Chairperson of the Department; one (1) Internal Examiner who supervised the student; one(1) Independent Internal Examiner; one (1) Senate representative; and the Faculty representative to the Board of Postgraduate Studies.
• In the case of the Thesis: the Dean of Faculty – Chairperson; the Chairperson of the Department; Internal Examiner(s) who supervised the student; one (1) Independent Internal Examiner who is competent in the student’s area of study; one (1) External Examiner; one (1) Senate representative; and the Faculty representative to the Board of Postgraduate Studies.

g) The External and Internal Examiners shall be required to submit within two months, an independent written assessment of the Thesis or the Research Project to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, indicating:

• Whether or not the Thesis or the Research Project is adequate in form and content;
• Whether or not the Thesis or the Research Project reflects an adequate understanding of the subject, and, in consequence;
• Whether or not the Degree should be awarded.

h) The Thesis or the Research Project shall be graded as Pass or Fail.

i) The Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, shall notify the Dean of the relevant Faculty to set a date for the defence which shall be fourteen (14) days from the day of the notice. On this date, the Faculty Board of Examiners shall consider the reports and other academic matters arising from the Thesis or the Research Project and subject the candidate to an oral examination to enable it arrive at a satisfactory recommendation on the merit of the Thesis or the Research Project.

j) The Board of Examiners shall arrive at a decision as to whether the candidate passes, fails, or re-writes, re-submits and re-defends the Thesis or the Research Project, by consensus or, in the absence of consensus, by a majority vote of the Board of Examiners

k) In the event that the Board of Examiners requires the candidate to re-write, re-submit and re-defend the Thesis or the Research Project, this shall be done once only.

L) If the Board of Examiners judges the candidate to have failed in both the quality of the Thesis or the Research Project and the defence, the decision of the Board of Examiners shall be final.

m) The decision of the Board of Examiners shall be communicated verbally to the candidate immediately following the defence and in writing by the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, within two weeks of the defence.

n) Where corrections to the Thesis or the Research Project are required, a signed Certificate of Corrections shall be issued by the supervisor(s) before the Thesis or the Research Project is submitted to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies

0) The Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, shall submit the result of the examination of the Thesis or the Research Project to the Dean of Faculty who shall present the same to the Faculty Board of Examiners to ratify and recommend to the Senate.

13. Examination and Research Irregularities, Disciplinary Procedures and Penalties

a) The following academic and research malpractices, if committed by a student, shall lead to his/her expulsion from the University:

• Engaging in research misconduct including plagiarism, fabrication and falsification of data;
• Any deviation from the research procedures as prescribed in the approved research proposal without consent of the designated supervisor(s) and the Board of Postgraduate Studies;
• Taking an examination script out of the examination room instead of handing it over to the Examiner at the end of examination time;
• Impersonation in the examination room.

b) The following academic and research malpractices, if committed by a student, shall lead to his/her suspension from the University for two (2) academic years:

• Copying or reading from another student’s script or from any other unauthorised source;
• Bringing into the examination room any unauthorised materials relevant to the examination, for example, books, notes, electronic devices with pre-set formulae, Kindle, mobile phones, and pre-written answers;
• Abetting, aiding or covering up an examination malpractice;
• Seeking or obtaining a deferment of examination on false pretence.

c) Disciplinary procedures and penalties

• Any examination malpractice shall be reported within twenty-four (24) hours in the case of written examinations and as soon as it is detected in the case of research study to the Chairperson of Department, who shall subsequently make a report to the Dean of Faculty/Director of School/Institute. The report shall include statements by the student involved, Invigilators, and Examiners in the case of written examination and a statement by the Supervisor and Examiners in the case of research.
• On receiving the report of examination malpractice, the Dean/Director shall convene, not later than two (2) weeks after the examinations period or after the malpractice was reported, a Faculty/School/Institute Students Disciplinary Committee to deliberate on the case.
• The membership of the Disciplinary Committee shall be as follows: The Dean of Faculty/Director of School/Institute where the course was offered/the research was carried out – Chairperson; the Chairperson of Department where the course was taught/the research was carried out; two (2) representatives of the rank of Senior Lecturer and above of the Faculty/School/Institute where the course was offered/the research was carried out; one (1) representative from the Board of Postgraduate Studies.
• The recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee shall be reported to the Faculty/School/Institute Board of Examiners and the Senate as soon as possible, but before the Senate deliberates on the relevant examination results.

14. Suspension from the University: A student shall be suspended from the University if s/he:

• Has committed an examination malpractice in accordance with Section (13)(b) of this Statute;
• Is suspected of having committed an offence, pending investigations and determination of the case by the Students Disciplinary Committee;
• Has engaged in alcohol and drug abuse, has caused disturbance of the peace, has vandalised University property, and related offences.

15. Expulsion from the University;

a) A student shall be expelled from the University if s/he:

• Has committed an examination malpractice in accordance with Section (13)(a) of this Statute;
• Has demonstrated gross misconduct, such as theft, fraud, physical violence, drug trafficking, and bribery;
• Has been discovered to have been admitted irregularly.

b) A student expelled from the University for Irregular Admission shall not be entitled to any previous academic records.

16. Appeal:  A student who has been discontinued or suspended or expelled from the University may appeal in accordance with Statute 37(19).

Statute 41:RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAMME

1.  Application Procedures

• Enquiries for all Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes shall be made to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, Egerton University, P. O. Box 536-20115, EGERTON, Kenya, or via email: bpgs@egerton.ac.ke.
• Application forms may be obtained from the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, or downloaded from the University’s website at: https://www.egerton.ac.ke/postgraduate-forms-phd. Application forms may also be filled online at: https://application.egac.ke
• Duly completed application forms shall be returned or submitted to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, upon payment of a prescribed non-refundable fee.

2. The Doctor of Philosophy programme shall be by course work, examination, research, and thesis.

3. Admission Requirements and Procedures:

Candidates wishing to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy programme must meet the following requirements:

• Be a holder of a Master’s Degree or an equivalent academic qualification in a relevant field from a recognised institution;
• Fulfil specific requirements as may be stipulated by the respective Department, Faculty/School/Institute with regard to the field of study;
• Submit a Concept Note together with the Application Form for admission;
• Applications for registration shall first be processed through the relevant Department in which registration is sought; the Department shall then forward such applications with appropriate comments to the Faculty/School/Institute or Campus Board concerned for approval and onward transmission to the Directorate of Postgraduate Studies;
• Before recommending a candidate for admission, the Department and the Faculty/School/Institute or Campus Board concerned shall ensure that:
  • The proposed field of study is academically sound;
  • There exist adequate facilities and resources to support the proposed research.

4. Duration of Study and Course Loading

• The Doctor of Philosophy programme shall take a minimum of thirty-six (36) months and a maximum of forty-eight (48) months for full-time students, and seventy-two (72) months for those studying on part-time basis except by special permission of the Senate.
• Research shall form an integral part of the Doctor of Philosophy programme and shall constitute not less than two thirds (⅔) of the entire programme duration.
• Continuance of registration as a student shall depend on evidence of satisfactory progress as approved by the Senate.
• On expiry of the study period an extension of the duration of study may be granted by the Senate subject to satisfactory reasons being presented by the student.
• On the recommendation of the Faculty/School/Institute or Campus Board concerned, the Senate may permit a student to change registration status from full-time to part-time or vice versa.
• A student must successfully complete eighteen (18) CFs of coursework and thirty six (36) CFs of Thesis, giving a total of fifty four (54) CFs, in addition to other existing requirements, to qualify for the award of the Degree.

5.  Conduct of Study and Supervision

• A student shall attend and participate in seminars at the relevant Department and Faculty/School/Institute or Campus.
• A student shall pursue the programme of study under the guidance of at least two (2) supervisors approved in that capacity by the Senate on the recommendation of the Department and the Faculty/School/Institute or Campus Board through the Board of Postgraduate Studies, provided that one (1) of the supervisors shall be a member of academic staff of Egerton University in the relevant field of the research study in the Department offering the programme.
• The student shall submit progress reports authenticated by the supervisor(s) to the Board of Postgraduate Studies through the Chairperson of Department and the Dean of Faculty/Director of School/Institute in a prescribed form once every three (3) months.
• Where the progress of the student is unsatisfactory, the student shall be warned in writing by the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, through the Dean of Faculty and the Chairperson of Department concerned.
• If a student does not show improvement within six (6) months after a warning of unsatisfactory progress, the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, shall recommend to the Senate the student’s deregistration.
• Where in the judgment of the Board of Postgraduate Studies, a student is not being properly supervised, the Board shall, in consultation with the respective Chairperson of the Department, change the Supervisor(s).

6. General Examinations Procedures and Ranking

• Examinations for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree shall be conducted under the authority of the Senate.
• Coursework Examinations shall consist of Continuous Assessment Tests, which shall constitute forty per cent (40%) of the total marks for each course, and the final examinations, which shall constitute sixty per cent (60%) of the total marks for each course.
• Seminars and/or courses which are purely of a practical nature maybe examined entirely by continuous assessment.
• Marks obtained in examinations shall be converted into letter grades as follows:

Total Marks (%) Bracket	Grade	Attribute
100-70	A	Excellent
69-60	B	Good
59-50	C	Average
49-0	F	Fail

 

The pass mark shall be 50%, grade “C”.

• A student shall be required to attain a minimum average of fifty percent (50%) in the courses taken in order to continue with the programme.
• A student who fails a course shall be required to take a resit examination once only.
• No student shall be permitted to proceed with research work without having satisfied all examination requirements.
• Examination results shall be processed by the Faculty Board of Examiners and submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies for ratification before being presented to the Senate by the Dean of the Faculty.

7. Special Examinations

• Special examinations shall be offered to a student who, due to circumstances acceptable to the Senate, was unable to sit for regular final examinations.
• Special examinations shall be taken and processed only once in an academic year on dates prescribed by the Senate before the commencement of the next academic year.
• A student taking special examination(s) shall be required to pay a special examination registration fee at a rate to be determined by the Council from time to time.
• Special examinations shall be graded on the same basis as regular examinations.
• A student who fails a special examination shall resit the failed examination(s).

8. Resit Examinations

• A student who fails in twenty-five per cent or less (≤ 25%) of the total CFs in the programme but has Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) of 50% or more (≥ 50%) shall be required to resit the failed examination(s).
• Resit examinations shall be taken and processed only once in an academic year on dates prescribed by the Senate before the commencement of the next academic year.
• The maximum marks awarded in a resit examination shall be fifty percent (50%) only, which shall earn the letter grade “C”.
• A student taking resit examination(s) shall be required to pay a resit examination registration fee and a fee for the CFs taken at a rate to be determined by the Council from time to time.

9. Remarking of Examinations:

A student shall be allowed to appeal for remarking of an examination in accordance with Statute 37(13).

10.  Discontinuation: 

A student shall be discontinued in accordance with Statute 40(11).

11.  Submission and Examination of Thesis

a) To complete the Doctor of Philosophy programme, a student shall:

• Submit a Thesis embodying the results of original research of a number of words as guided by the Commission for University Education Standards and Guidelines (2014), except for special cases approved by the University Senate. The Thesis shall be written according to the format and specifications stipulated by Departments and Faculty/School, Institute or Campus and approved by the Board of Postgraduate Studies;
• Publish at least two (2) papers from his/ her thesis in refereed journals.

b) The Thesis shall be submitted as per the rules prescribed by the Directorate of Postgraduate Studies.

c) A student shall, with the consent of the supervisors, give notice of intention to submit the Thesis at least three (3) months before the date of submission. The notice shall be accompanied by an Abstract of the Thesis.

d) Upon receiving the notice to submit a Thesis, the Chairperson of the Department shall identify one (1) External Examiner and one (1) Independent Internal Examiner, who did not supervise the student but is an expert in a related area of academic study, and submit the names of the proposed Examiners to the Board of Postgraduate Studies through the Dean of Faculty/Director of School/Institute or Campus.

e) On recommendation of the Board of Postgraduate Studies, the Senate shall appoint the Internal and External Examiners.

f) The Senate, on the recommendation of the Board of Postgraduate Studies, shall appoint in respect of each student a Board of Examiners consisting of:

• The Dean of Faculty/Director of School/Institute – Chairperson;
• The Chairperson of the Department;
• One (1) External Examiner;
• The Internal Examiner(s)/Supervisor(s);
• One (1) Independent Internal Examiner;
• One (1) Senate representative;
• The Faculty representative to the Board of Postgraduate Studies;
• The Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies – Secretary.

g) The External and Internal Examiners shall be required to submit within two months, an independent written assessment of the Thesis to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, indicating

• Whether or not the Thesis is adequate in form and content;
• Whether or not the Thesis reflects an adequate understanding of the subject, and, in consequence;
• Whether or not the Degree should be awarded.

h) The Thesis shall be graded as Pass or Fail.

i) The Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, shall notify the Dean of the relevant Faculty to set a date for the defence which shall be fourteen (14) days from the day of the notice. On this date, the Faculty Board of Examiners shall consider the reports and other academic matters arising from the Thesis and subject the candidate to an oral examination to enable it arrive at a satisfactory recommendation on the merit of the Thesis.

j) The Board of Examiners shall arrive at a decision as to whether the candidate passes, fails, or re-writes, re-submits and re-defends the Thesis, by consensus or, in the absence of consensus, by a majority vote of the Board of Examiners.

k) In the event that the Board of Examiners require the candidate to re-write, re-submit and re-defend the Thesis, this shall be done once only.

l) If the Board of Examiners judges the candidate to have failed in both the quality of the Thesis and the defence, the decision of the Board of Examiners shall be final.

m) The decision of the Board of Examiners shall be communicated verbally to the candidate immediately following the defence and in writing by the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, within two weeks of the defence.

n) Where corrections to the Thesis are required, a signed Certificate of Corrections shall be issued by the supervisor(s) before the Thesis is submitted to the Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies

o) The Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, shall submit the result of the examination of the Thesis to the Dean of Faculty who shall present the same to the Faculty Board of Examiners to ratify and recommend to the Senate.

p) The Director, Directorate of Postgraduate Studies, shall submit the result of the examination of the Thesis to the Dean of Faculty who shall present the same to the Faculty Board of Examiners to ratify and recommend to the Senate.

12. Examination and Research Irregularities, Disciplinary Procedures and Penalties

a) The following academic and research malpractices, if committed by a student, shall lead to his/her expulsion from the University:

• Engaging in research misconduct including plagiarism, fabrication and falsification of data;
• Any deviation from the research procedures as prescribed in the approved research proposal without consent of the designated supervisor(s) and the Board of Postgraduate Studies;
• Taking an examination script out of the examination room instead of handing it over to the Examiner at the end of examination time;
• Impersonation in the examination room.

b) The following academic and research malpractices, if committed by a student, shall lead to his/her suspension from the University for two (2) academic years:

• Copying or reading from another student’s script or from any other unauthorised source;
• Bringing into the examination room any unauthorised materials relevant to the examination, for example, books, notes, electronic devices with pre-set formulae, Kindle, mobile phones, and pre-written answers;
• Abetting, aiding or covering up an examination malpractice;
• Seeking or obtaining a deferment of examination on false pretence

c) Disciplinary procedures and penalties

• Any examination malpractice shall be reported within twenty-four (24) hours in the case of written examinations and as soon as it is detected in the case of research study to the Chairperson of Department, who shall subsequently make a report to the Dean of Faculty/Director of School/Institute. The report shall include statements by the student involved, Invigilators, and Examiners in the case of written examination and a statement by the Supervisors and Examiners in the case of research.
• On receiving the report of examination malpractice, the Dean/Director shall convene, not later than two (2) weeks after the examinations period or after the malpractice was reported, a Faculty/School/Institute Students Disciplinary Committee to deliberate on the case.
• The membership of the Disciplinary Committee shall be as follows: The Dean of Faculty/Director of School/Institute where the course was offered/the research was carried out – Chairperson; the Chairperson of Department where the course was taught/the research was carried out; two (2) representatives of the rank of Senior Lecturer and above of the Faculty/School/Institute where the course was offered/the research was carried out; one (1) representative from the Board of Postgraduate Studies.
• The recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee shall be reported to the Faculty/School/Institute Board of Examiners and the Senate as soon as possible, but before the Senate deliberates on the relevant examination results.

13. Suspension from the University: 

 A student shall be suspended from the University if s/he:

• Has committed an examination malpractice in accordance with Statute 41(12)(b);
• Is suspected of having committed an offence, pending investigations and determination of the case by the Students Disciplinary Committee;
• Has engaged in alcohol and drug abuse, has caused disturbance of the peace, has vandalised University property, and related offences.

14. Expulsion from the University

a) A student shall be expelled from the University if s/he:

• Has committed an examination malpractice in accordance with Statute 41(12)(a).
• Has demonstrated gross misconduct, such as theft, fraud, physical violence, drug trafficking, and bribery.
• Has been discovered to have been admitted irregularly.
• A student expelled from the University for Irregular Admission shall not be entitled to any previous academic records.

15. Appeal:

A student who has been discontinued or suspended or expelled from the University may appeal in accordance with Statute 37(19).