Overview
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Conduct of Studies and Supervision
- A candidate registered in accordance with these regulations shall be required to pursue his programme of study under the supervision of academic staff appointed in that capacity by Senate on the recommendation of the Faculty Board concerned and the Board of Postgraduate Studies.
- (i) Candidates shall be required to consult their supervisor(s) at least once every month, and to submit a termly written progress report to the Dean of the Faculty through the supervisor(s) and Chairman of the Department with the copy to the Board of Postgraduate Studies.
(ii) Each candidate shall be required to attend and participate in seminars organized at the relevant Faculty/Department once a month to enable the Faculties and the supervisors to assess the candidates progress more effectively and to keep candidates in constant touch with their respective faculties.
- Recommendations of the appointment of supervisors shall be processed in the first instance by Departments through the Faculty Postgraduate Studies Committee. The recommendation shall then be forwarded to the Faculty Board for approval and onward transmission to the Senate through the Board of Postgraduate Studies.
- Before recommending the appointment of any supervisor, the Faculty Board shall satisfy itself that the proposed supervisor is competent in the subject area and field of research in which the candidate proposes to work.
- Where a supervisor is appointed from outside the University, such a supervisor should show evidence of competence in the area of study through publications produced since obtaining his higher degree, and as indicated in a curriculum vitae. Such evidence should be requested only once from respective external supervisors.
- Normally, two supervisors will be appointed for each candidate, one of whom must be among the academic staff in the Department. However, Faculty Boards may appoint additional supervisor(s) as they may deem necessary in individual cases.
- It shall be the duty of each of the supervisors to direct and supervise the work of the student in so far as it relates to the programme of study. In particular, the supervisor shall be required to:-
(i) Maintain constant and effective contact with candidate(s) assigned to him.
(ii) Submit individually or jointly with other supervisor(s) academic reports through the Chairman of Department to the Dean on the progress of each candidate at the end of every term.
(iii) Certify at the end of every term that the candidate has received adequate supervision.
(iv) Inform the Dean through the Department and Faculty PSC at once if in his opinion a given candidates work is unsatisfactory and unlikely to reach the standard required for the award of a degree of Ph.D.
- Where the performance of a candidate is considered unsatisfactory as shown by:- either
(i) Failure to consult the supervisor as required under (ii), or
(ii) The receipt of an unsatisfactory report from the supervisor(s) under Regulation 16 (iv),
Then the candidate shall be given a written warning by the Dean, copied to the Director Board of Postgraduate Studies to the effect that unless he shows signs of improvement within three months he would be considered for de-registration.
A recommendation for de-registration shall be made to the Senate through the Board of Postgraduate Studies only after receipt of two consecutive negative reports following the warning.
Structure
- (i) Minimum Duration
A candidate registered for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall carry out a programme of original study or research over a minimum period of 18 months after the date of registration or after completion of any required coursework examination, shall submit a thesis based on the study or research done.
(ii) Maximum Duration
No candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be registered as a full-time student for more than four years or as a part-time student for more than five years without submitting his thesis, except by permission of Senate.
- Subject to the approval of Senate, Faculties may require the candidate to attend such a course or courses as may be considered appropriate to remedy deficiencies in the candidates academic background or to endow the candidate with specialised skills or knowledge to assist him in his study or research. Performance in courses offered may be assessed.
- On the recommendation of the Faculty Board concerned the Senate may permit a candidate to change his registration status from part-time student or vice versa once only, in which case regulation 7 (ii) above shall apply to such a candidate as if he had initially been admitted to the status he now seeks.
Admission Requirements
- The following shall be eligible to apply for registration for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the university:- either
- a holder of a Masters degree from the University of Nairobi. or
- a holder of a Masters degree or equivalent academic qualifications of another institution recognised by the University of Nairobi Senate as of comparable status.
In either case, the applicant should be able to produce evidence, to the satisfaction of Senate, of his capacity to carry out original research.
- Subject to the approval of Senate, Faculties may formulate regulations requiring applicants to have obtained such academic or equivalent qualifications as are considered necessary for registration within the academic area of interest of the Faculty and may require applicants to submit to such tests or interviews as the Faculty regulations permit.
Careers
Doctor of Philosophy (Geographic Information Systems)
Fees and Funding
Doctor of Philosophy (Geographic Information Systems)
Exam Regulations
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Submission of the Thesis and Examination of the Candidate
- At least three months before a thesis is submitted, a candidate shall give notice in writing to the Director of the Board of Postgraduate Studies with copies to the Dean of the Faculty and Chairman of the Department and an abstract outlining the general scope of work.
- (a) Every thesis submitted for examination shall be in quadruplicate and in loose form, and must include a declaration by the candidate confirming that the thesis has not been submitted for a degree in any other institution of higher learning and that the contents of the thesis are the original work of the candidate. Every thesis shall bear the signature of the supervisor(s) indicating that the thesis has been submitted with his knowledge.
(b) The final version of the thesis (6 copies) after examination and approval for the award of the degree must be in bound form. All six copies shall remain the property of the University of Nairobi.
- A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must make a distinct contribution to the knowledge and show an understanding of the subject and display originality of thought. It must also include a complete bibliography or references to the materials used in its preparation, whether published or otherwise; and it must also conform to the regulations for the submission of thesis of the University of Nairobi.
- The Senate shall, on the recommendation of the Board of the Faculty concerned, appoint in respect of each candidate presenting a thesis, a Board of Examiners consisting of:-
(a) Dean of the Faculty as Chairman
(b) An external examiner
(c) Two internal examiners one of whom must not have supervised the candidate.
(d) Two other persons competent in the candidates area of research, and at least one external to the Department, and
(e) A representative of the Board of Postgraduate Studies.
- The external examiner and the internal examiners shall each be required to submit to Board of Postgraduate Studies within two months, an independent written assessment of the thesis indicating:-
(a) whether or not the thesis is adequate in form and content;
(b) whether or not the thesis reflects an adequate understanding of the subject and show display for original thought and significant contribution to knowledge and in consequence;
(c) whether or not the degree should be awarded;
(d) whether or not the thesis make significant contribution to the existing knowledge.
- Within a month of the receipt of all examiners reports, the Board of Postgraduate Studies in consultation with the Dean of the Faculty concerned shall convene a meeting of the Board of Examiners at which the Examiners reports, other academic matters arising from the thesis, and the candidates defence shall be considered.
A consolidated report and appropriate recommendation shall be prepared for submission to Senate through the Board of Postgraduate Studies within two weeks. Provisional results shall be released to the candidate after the meeting only where the recommendation of the Board of Examiners is unanimous.
- Candidates shall be required to present themselves for oral examinations and the Dean shall inform them of the time and place of the meeting of the Board of Examiners.
- Where the recommendation of the Board of Examiners is unanimous for or against the award of the degree, and where such unanimous recommendation is consistent in all respects with the reports of the external examiner and the results of an oral examination, the Director of Board of Postgraduate Studies shall forward such recommendation to the Vice-Chancellor for approval on behalf of the Senate.
- Where the recommendation of the Board of Examiners is not unanimous, or the recommendation is not consistent in material respects with the matters referred to in regulation 22 it shall be referred to the full Board of Board of Postgraduate Studies for an appropriate recommendation to Senate.
- The Senate may, on advice of the Board of Examiners and Board of Postgraduate Studies permit a candidate to re-submit a thesis for re-examination in a revised form once only.
Provided that a candidate whose thesis referred under this sub-section shall be required to re-submit it within twelve months.
- A thesis accepted by the University of Nairobi and subsequently published in part of, in whole and in whatever form, shall bear the inscription "Work forming part of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Nairobi".
