Entry into the undergraduate year one of the Geological Sciences programmes requires either:
(i) Successful completion of the Pre-science programme of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka; or
(ii) Attainment of a minimum score (determined yearly by the University) in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(in English, Chemistry, Math, Physics and Biology or Geography)
(iii) And subsequent attainment of minimum scores of Post U.T.M.E examination organised by the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka.
Admission Requirement for B.SC. Geology Students
B.Sc. Geological Sciences
Five credits at SSCE (or its equivalent) in English and Maths, Chemistry, Physics, and any other science subject preferably Biology or Geography.
‘A’ level pass in Geology, Physics and any other science subject; or credit passes in Chemistry and Physics.
UTME subjects are: English, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology or Geography
Duration of Programmes
Each academic session shall comprise of two semesters and each semester shall last for a period of twenty (20) weeks comprising of: one (1) week for registration; fifteen (15) weeks for lectures/tutorials/laboratory and studio works; and two (2) weeks for examination. Mid-semester break shall normally be for two (2) weeks.
The minimum duration for B.Sc. Geological Sciences programme is four (4) years for candidates who enter with Senior Secondary School Certificate or GCE ‘0’ Level qualifications or equivalent or through matriculation programme of the university. Direct Entry (DE) candidates will spend a minimum of three years provided that they satisfy all the other University requirements.
Students shall be required to complete their studies in not more than one and a half times the normal duration of the programme to qualify for an Honour’s degree, except in cases of ill-health or as determined by Senate. This means about 6 years for our 4-year degrees or 5 years for the DE students.
Course Credit Units and Level of Study
In line with the guidelines of the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka shall also operate the course credit system. A credit is the minimum unit of workload of a course. It depends on the total number of contact hours spent on the course. The contact hour is defined in terms of number of hours spent for the duration of the course. One credit unit is defined as: one hour of lecture or tutorial per week; two hours of seminar per week; three hours of laboratory or field work per week; and one month of industrial attachment.
The equivalent of 1 credit unit in a semester of 15 weeks shall be one of the following:
✓ 15 hours of lecture
✓ 15 hours of tutorial
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✓ 45 hours of laboratory work
✓ 60 hours of fieldtrip
✓ 2 days of fieldwork
✓ 1 month of Industrial attachment.
3.4 Course Classification
a) Core Courses (CC)
Core/Compulsory Courses are courses students must take and pass before graduation. However, a student may be allowed to proceed to the next level of study if he/she failed some Core-Courses, but have earned enough credit units to qualify for the next level.
The failed Core -Course will always reflect in the remark column of his/her results as outstanding.
b) Elective Courses (EL)
Elective courses are courses students take base on their areas of specialization and interest. In addition, to the Core- Courses, students are allowed to take these courses to enable them to register for the minimum allowable per semester.
However, there are restrictive and un-restrictive electives, depending on areas of specialization and Faculty. Students may consult their academic advisers for guidance in selecting Elective Courses.
c) Pre-Requisite Courses
Pre-requisite courses are those that students must take and pass before registering higher level course(s). However, a student in a graduating class may register for a higher and lower course concurrently, provided that he/she had attempted the lower course once and that the total number of credit units registered in a semester, does not exceed 24.
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d) General Studies Courses (GST)
All undergraduate students are required to pass all the General Studies Courses for a total of 8 Credits Units. This must be passed before a degree can be awarded.
3.5 Industrial Training
Industrial attachment is very crucial for all students in the Department of Geological Sciences in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. The minimum duration of this training is 6 months (24 weeks, semester plus long vacation).
The Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) will make our undergraduate training effective, as students will be exposed to various equipment, manufacturing processes and quality control procedures during the attachment. The SIWES is to be conducted under strict supervision and on successful completion of the scheme, it is graded and no students shall graduate without passing it.
Registration Procedure
It is the primary responsibility of every student to ensure that he/she is properly registered for a course and for the semester/session programme. No student would receive credit for a course in which he/she is not properly registered. This is applicable even if the student attended classes and wrote all the examinations prescribed in that course. Students shall normally complete registration for courses for the semester not later than two weeks after the start of semester.
A student cannot withdraw from a course after registration, without approval from the Head of Department and Dean. A student who fails to sit for the final examination without reasons acceptable to the Faculty Board, shall be deemed to have failed that course.
Also if a student is properly registered in a course and later dropped the course without notification and proper amendment to his/her registration records, the student would be deemed to have been absent in that examination and would be regarded as having failed in that course; and this will affect the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA).
Students are required to register their courses online through the University portal and print out their course registration slip. The Department would not accept credits earned in electives that were not originally registered in the Departmental registration records.
All course registration slips must be signed personally by each student and his/her academic adviser before presenting it to Departmental ICT Officer. No student can register or sign for another who is not physically present