Understand the NOUN Course Credit System: explore course levels, credit unit definitions, minimum/maximum loads, and the total credit units required for graduation for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at the National Open University of Nigeria.
Introduction to the Course Credit System at NOUN
At the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), academic progress is measured through a structured Course Credit System. This system breaks down the curriculum into examinable units, each assigned a specific credit unit weight. Students earn these credits upon satisfactorily passing the respective courses. This framework ensures a standardized approach to measuring student workload, academic progress, and ultimately, eligibility for graduation.
Understanding how this system works is crucial for every NOUN student, from course registration to final clearance.
What is a Credit Unit?
A credit unit is a quantitative measure of the academic value of a course. It signifies:
- Workload: It indicates the approximate amount of student effort and time required to complete a course successfully.
- Contact Hours: One credit unit typically represents one hour of lecture or tutorial per week per semester (of 15 weeks). For other forms of teaching like practicals, more hours might be equivalent to one credit unit (e.g., three hours of practical per week per semester for one credit unit).
- Weighting: It serves as a measure of course weighting, playing a significant role in calculating your Grade Point Average (GPA) and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).
Most NOUN courses are either 2 or 3 credit units. Law courses might have 4 credit units.
Course Levels and Codes
Courses at NOUN are organized into progressive levels of academic difficulty, typically corresponding to the year of study. This is reflected in their course codes:
- 100-Level Courses: These are typically introductory courses for first-year students. Their codes usually start with ‘1’ (e.g., GST101, CIT101).
- 200-Level Courses: For second-year students, building on foundational knowledge. Codes start with ‘2’ (e.g., ENT202, CSS212).
- 300-Level Courses: For third-year students, introducing more specialized and complex topics. Codes start with ‘3’ (e.g., ACC311, GST302).
- 400-Level Courses: For fourth-year students, advanced topics and preparation for projects. Codes start with ‘4’ (e.g., BUS420, LAW401).
- 500-Level Courses: For fifth-year students (common in programmes like Law). Codes start with ‘5’ (e.g., LAW511, LAW503).
- 700-Level Courses: For Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) and Master’s programmes. Codes start with ‘7’ (e.g., EDU711, MBA700).
- 800-Level Courses: For Master’s and PhD programmes. Codes start with ‘8’ (e.g., PGD801, EMA811).
Minimum and Maximum Credit Units Per Semester
NOUN has guidelines for the number of credit units students can register per semester to ensure a manageable workload and academic progress:
- Minimum Credit Load per Semester: The minimum credit load an undergraduate student can register for in a semester is typically 15 credit units.
- Maximum Credit Load per Semester: The maximum credit units allowed for course registration in a semester is usually 24 credit units. However, some sources indicate that the maximum for exam registration might also be 24 CUs, while course registration itself could allow up to 32 CUs. It’s crucial to consult your study centre or the official portal for the exact limits for your specific program and current academic year.
Students are advised not to overload themselves, especially those balancing studies with work or other commitments.
Credit Units for Graduation
To be awarded a degree, diploma, or certificate from NOUN, students must accumulate a specific minimum number of credit units, in addition to successfully passing all compulsory courses and fulfilling other programme-specific requirements (like projects, practicums, or seminars).
General Credit Unit Requirements for Graduation:
- Undergraduate Bachelor’s Degree (e.g., B.Sc., B.A., LL.B.):
- For a 4-year programme (starting from 100-level), a student generally needs to pass a minimum of 120 credit units from relevant courses.
- For a 3-year programme (e.g., Direct Entry into 200-level), typically requires passing a minimum of 90 credit units.
- For Direct Entry into 300-level, it’s usually a minimum of 60 credit units.
- Note: Some programmes, like Law, may have slightly higher minimum total credit units due to their professional nature.
- Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) Programmes:
- A student is typically required to pass a minimum of 30 credit units from relevant courses. Some PGD programmes may require up to 45 CUs.
- Master’s Degree Programmes (e.g., M.Sc., MBA, MA, LL.M.):
- A student is generally required to pass a minimum of 45 credit units from relevant courses (including project work). Some programmes may require up to 70 CUs.
- PhD Programmes:
- PhD programmes have coursework credit unit requirements (often 15-30 CUs), in addition to significant credit units for research, seminars, and dissertation work. The total is usually much higher, encompassing coursework and extensive research components.
- Diploma Programmes:
- Typically require a minimum of 60 credit units.
- Certificate Programmes:
- Usually require a minimum of 35 credit units.
Key Points on Graduation Requirements:
- Compulsory Courses: You must pass all courses designated as “compulsory” for your program, regardless of the credit units.
- Elective Courses: You are required to complete a certain number of credit units from “elective” courses within your programme.
- Project/Thesis/Dissertation: Final year projects (undergraduate) and theses/dissertations (postgraduate) also carry significant credit units (e.g., 6 CUs for undergraduate projects, higher for Masters/PhD).
- Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA): In addition to credit units, you must also achieve the minimum CGPA required for your specific class of degree (e.g., a minimum CGPA of 1.00 for a Pass degree at the undergraduate level).
Grade Point Average (GPA) and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) Calculation
The credit unit system directly influences your GPA and CGPA.
- Grade Point (GP): Each letter grade (A, B, C, D, E, F) is assigned a numerical grade point (e.g., A=5.0, B=4.0, C=3.0, D=2.0, E=1.0, F=0.0).
- Quality Point (QP): For each course, your Quality Point is calculated as Grade Point (GP) x Credit Unit (CU) of the course.
- GPA (Grade Point Average): This is the average of weighted grade points earned in a specific semester. It’s calculated as (Sum of QPs for all courses in a semester) / (Total Credit Units registered in that semester).
- CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average): This is the overall average of your academic performance from the beginning of your programme. It’s calculated as (Total Quality Points earned across all semesters) / (Total Credit Units registered across all semesters).
Example Calculation: If you take three 3-credit unit courses in a semester and score:
- Course 1 (3 CUs): Grade A (5.0 GP) = 5.0 * 3 = 15 QP
- Course 2 (3 CUs): Grade C (3.0 GP) = 3.0 * 3 = 9 QP
- Course 3 (3 CUs): Grade B (4.0 GP) = 4.0 * 3 = 12 QP
- Total QPs = 15 + 9 + 12 = 36
- Total CUs = 3 + 3 + 3 = 9
- GPA = 36 / 9 = 4.00
This GPA then contributes to your overall CGPA.
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