WI-2-58-4-3(2/40/1/1)
Diploma in Information Technology
JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
OF
AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SCIT)
REGULATIONS AND SYLLABUS
FOR
DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
REVISED FEBRUARY 2013
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Diploma in Information Technology
DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Preamble
The Diploma course in Information Technology (IT) is intended to provide students with a wide
range of software, technical and technological ICT skills required by industry at the diploma level.
The student is expected to develop an IT solution to a practical business problem using an
engineering approach.
Program Justification
The program aims to provide adequate training, knowledge and skills in order to develop solution
providers in the ICT dynamic world and prepare graduates for progression to higher levels of
study in their fields of specialization.
Vision
The Diploma in Information Technology is designed to promote the IT Department vision, which
is “To be a department of scholarly excellence in the field of Information Technology”.
Philosophy
The program is anchored on the philosophy of producing scholars and practitioners to offer
competitive leadership in all aspects of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the
national and international market, and cultivating positive attitude towards ICT knowledge and its
dynamics in a view to produce graduates capable of adapting to the changing global needs.
Core Values
The core values, which shall be upheld and embraced by the program, include quality, teamwork,
professionalism, innovation, dynamism, accountability and integrity.
Mission Statement
To provide quality education that is adaptive to changes in technology and to produce highly
trained Information Technology professionals who can innovate solutions using technology.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student should be able to:
i) Provide consultancy and advisory services in a dynamic world of ICT
ii) Design and develop quality and acceptable software solutions
iii) Diagnose, support and develop quality and acceptable ICT infrastructure
iv) Design, implement and support security in information systems /ICT environment
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Diploma in Information Technology
ACADEMIC REGULATIONS FOR DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
A. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
1. ICSIT-DIT-1
1.1. To be eligible for admission into the Diploma in IT, a candidate must satisfy one of the
following minimum requirements:
1.1.1. An aggregate grade of C (PLAIN) in KCSE and grades C- (MINUS) in
Mathematics and English or
1.1.2. Division II in KCE with credit passes in Mathematics and English or an
equivalent qualification recognized by the University Senate.
1.1.3. A credit pass in JKUAT IT Certificate.
1.1.4. A KACE certificate with a subsidiary pass in Mathematics
1.1.5. Any other equivalent qualifications approved by Senate
CERTIFICATE COURSE
Candidates for admission into the Certificate in Information Technology should satisfy the
following minimum requirement:
1.2. An aggregate grade of C- (MINUS) in KCSE or
1.3. Division III in KCE or
1.4. An equivalent qualification recognized by the University Senate
B. DURATION AND PATTERN OF THE COURSE
2. ICSIT-DIT-2
2.1. The Diploma in Information Technology shall be offered in two academic years with four
semesters, including three (3) months of practical industrial attachment.
2.2. The course shall extend over a minimum period of eighteen (18) months and a maximum
period of thirty-six (36) months including three (3) months of practical industrial
attachment.
2.3. The programme will run for four (4) semesters, with each semester running for sixteen
(16) weeks. The period of the project work will be part of the programme duration and
will be considered as having two (2) course units. Each semester shall have six (6) units.
2.4. Courses shall be offered in terms of units. One unit being defined as a series of Forty-five
(45) lecture hours. For this purpose, a one-hour lecture is equivalent to a two-hour tutorial
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Diploma in Information Technology
or a three-hour practical period, or an equivalent amount of other assigned study or
practical experience or any combination of these that may be approved by the School of
Computing and Information Technology
2.5. For full time students, the normal duration of each semester shall extend over a period
running for sixteen (16) weeks, and for part-time students, the duration for each semester
shall not exceed twenty-four (24) weeks.
2.6. Course units in semester I, II and III are all mandatory while units in semester IV shall be
selected from the areas of specialization.
2.7. There shall be an industrial attachment for three (3) months after the completion of Year I
(End of semester III)
2.8. The course shall be done through course work, examinations and project.
2.9. The project shall be equivalent to two course units.
2.10.
The certificate course shall terminate at the end of semester I.
C. REGISTRATION
3. ICSIT-DIT-3
3.1. Each student shall be required to register for the units he/she will take in a particular
semester during the first four weeks of the semester. No registration of students for units
shall be allowed after week four of the semester.
3.2. A student who does not register for a particular unit but who completes the course work
and who sits for the examination in that unit shall be deregistered.
D. EXAMINATIONS
D.1
ORDINARY EXAMINATION
4. ICSIT-DIT-4
4.1. The examinations shall be moderated and approved by the University Senate.
4.2. Examinations shall be conducted at the end of each semester either at the University or at
an approved Centre and in both cases shall be supervised by the University.
4.3. Examinations shall consist of end of semester exams, continuous assessment and practical
work.
4.4. The ordinary university examinations shall consist of written tests covering each unit
completed. The time allowed shall be 1½ hours per unit.
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4.5. The continuous assessment shall contribute 40% of the total marks while the end of
semester exams shall contribute 60% of the total marks.
4.6. The project shall be graded out of a maximum of 100% by continuous assessment and
pass mark shall be 40%.
4.7. Each unit shall be graded out of 100% and the pass mark shall be 40%.
4.8. The marks shall be translated into letter grades as follows:i) 70% and above
A
ii) 60% and below 70%
B
iii) 50% and below 60%
C
iv) 40% and below 50%
D
v) Below 40%
E
4.9. Attachment shall be assessed on PASS or FAIL basis.
D.2
PROGRESSION
5. ICSIT-DIT-5
5.1. Unless exempted, a candidate must pass all the course units offered in the first academic
year in order to register for course units offered in the second academic year.
5.2. A CIT candidate who does not get a credit pass or a distinction after semester I shall not
be allowed to proceed to the next semester.
D.3
SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATION
6. ICSIT-DIT-6
6.1. A candidate who fails a maximum of four units in any academic year shall be allowed to
sit supplementary examinations
6.2. A candidate who fails in the project may be allowed to repeat the project not more than
once and resubmit it within a period not exceeding three months from the date of release
of results. The maximum marks for a resubmitted project will be 40%. A candidate who
fails will be subject to ICS-DIT-8.2. Any candidate who fails to resubmit within this
period will be considered to have deserted the diploma and will be deregistered.
6.3. Supplementary examinations shall be done at the end of each academic year.
6.4. The maximum mark in supplementary examination shall be 40%.
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Diploma in Information Technology
D.4 SPECIAL EXAMINATIONS
7. ICSIT-DIT-7
If through unavoidable circumstances is unable to sit for one or more examination papers; or is
unable to undertake essential parts of the work for continuous assessment he/she may, on the
recommendation of the School of Computing and Information Technology, and with the approval
of the Senate, be permitted to take special examinations, or undertake extra work for continuous
assessment. Special examinations shall normally be scored out of 100% and shall include
continuous assessment.
D.5 REPEAT
8. ICSIT-DIT-8
8.1. A candidate who fails in any supplementary examination shall repeat the failed unit(s)
externally and shall be deemed to have repeated the year.
8.2. A candidate who fails in a resubmitted project shall repeat the project.
8.3. A candidate who fails five (5) course units in an academic year shall repeat the failed
units but shall be deemed to have repeated the year.
8.4. No candidate shall be allowed to repeat a year more than once.
D.6
READMISSION
9. ICSIT-DIT-9
9.1. Subject to the approval of the University Senate a newly admitted student who for some
good cause is unable to register in the first year of study may be allowed to defer his/her
admission for one complete academic year, and to be admitted to the first year at the start
of the following academic year. Such a student shall not be treated as a repeating student.
9.2. Subject to the approval of the University Senate a continuing student who for some good
cause is unable to register in any year may be allowed to stay out of the University for a
period of one complete academic year, and to resume study at the start of the following
year or of the year immediately thereafter. Such a student shall not be treated as a
repeating student for the year in question unless he/she had already been required to
repeat that year.
9.3. Subject to the approval of the University Senate a student who has registered and who for
some good cause is unable to complete the course work for any year may be permitted to
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Diploma in Information Technology
register for the same year as a readmitted student at the start of the following year or of
the year immediately thereafter. Such a student shall not be treated as a repeating student
for the year in question unless he/she had already been required to repeat that year.
D.7 DISCONTINUATION
10. ICSIT-DIT-10
10.1.
A candidate who fails supplementary examination in a repeated unit shall be
discontinued.
10.2.
A candidate who fails more than five (5) units in any academic year shall be
discontinued from the programme.
10.3.
A candidate who fails in more than four (4) units after repeating in any
academic year shall be discontinued.
10.4.
A repeating candidate who fails in a resubmitted project shall be discontinued.
10.5.
No candidate shall be allowed to repeat any year more than once.
D.8
DEREGISTRATION
11. ICSIT-DIT-11
11.1.
A student who has registered for a particular semester but has failed to complete
at least two thirds of the course work in any of the units that he/she has
registered shall be assumed to have deserted from the diploma course and shall
be de-registered forthwith.
11.2.
Subject to the provisions of ICS-DIT-7, a student who absents himself/herself
from any/all supplementary examinations he/she was required to sit shall be
assumed to have deserted the diploma course and shall be de-registered forthwith.
11.3.
A candidate who fails to repeat an academic year as expected shall be deregistered.
D.9
EXAMINATION IRREGULARITIES
12. ICSIT-DIT-12
12.1.
A candidate who has been involved in an examination irregularity will have
his/her examination results withheld until a verdict is arrived at by the university
disciplinary committee.
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12.2.
Diploma in Information Technology
A student who is found to be guilty of any irregularities during any continuous
assessment or university examination shall be subject to the appropriate penalties
as detailed in the university document on examination irregularities as per the
University Examination Regulations and shall not proceed until the case is
dispensed.
D.10 APPEAL FOR RE-MARKING
13. ICSIT-DIT-13
13.1.
A candidate who is not satisfied with the grade, which he/she has been awarded
in any unit, may appeal to the Registrar (Academic) for a re-marking of the end of
semester exams paper in that unit on payment of the appropriate fee, which the
University Senate shall determine from time to time.
13.2.
The grade and mark recommended by the examiner(s) after remarking shall be
the final grade and mark awarded to the candidate for the unit.
13.3.
No appeal for re-marking of any unit shall be entertained in cases where the
appeal has been submitted later than one month after the candidate has been
notified of the result.
D.11
SUPERVISION OF PROJECT
14. ICSIT-DIT-14
14.1.
A candidate who fails to submit a research project within the stipulated time
shall be deemed to have failed.
14.2.
A candidate who is allowed to submit the research project after the stipulated
time will submit it within three (3) months as a supplementary examination and it
will be marked out of 100 but the maximum marks shall be 40%.
D.12
MODERATION OF EXAMINATION PAPERS AND THE ROLE
OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EXAMINERS
15. ICSIT-DIT-15
15.1.
The common JKUAT regulations as stipulated in Statute XXI on university
examinations shall apply.
15.2.
There shall be appointed an External examiner who shall moderate the setting
and marking of the exams for the entire course. There also shall be nominated a
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Diploma in Information Technology
team of internal examiners to moderate the exams in line with the JKUAT
regulations on Examinations.
E. AWARD
16. ICSIT-DIT-16
16.1.
The University shall issue a transcript at the end of each academic year.
16.2.
A candidate shall be awarded a Diploma after passing all the required twentyfive (25) units including industrial attachment.
16.3.
A Diploma shall be awarded at the end of Year II
16.4.
A candidate who passes all the required units but does not pass the industrial
attachment shall be required to complete the attachment within a period not
exceeding six months after the release of results by the University Senate.
16.5.
A candidate who does not complete the attachment after the second chance shall
not be awarded a diploma.
16.6.
A candidate shall be awarded a Certificate in Information Technology after
passing all the required seven (7) units in semester I.
F. CLASSIFICATION
17. ICSIT-DIT-17
17.1.
A candidate who qualifies for the award of a Diploma shall be placed in one of
the three classes namely Distinction, Credit and Pass.
17.2.
The final classification shall be based on the minimum number of required
course units taken during the period of study. Additional course units shall not be
considered for classification of the Diploma.
17.3.
17.4.
The classification for the diploma shall be graded as follows:
i) Distinction
70% and above
ii) Credit
60% and below 70%
iii) Pass
40% and below 60%
The classification for the certificate shall be graded as follows:
i) Distinction
70% and above
ii) Credit
60% and below 70%
iii) Pass
40% and below 60%
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G. EVALUATION OF TEACHING
18. ICS-IT-18
18.1.
The common JKUAT regulations shall apply.
18.2.
Student attendance for lectures and practical work shall be recorded at every
contact throughout the semester.
18.3.
The quality Assurance form specifying the teaching outline on a weekly basis
must be filled at every contact throughout the semester.
18.4.
Students will appraise lecturers at the end of every semester using forms prepared
by the Directorate of Academic Quality Assurance (DAQA).
H. RELEASE OF RESULTS
19. ICSIT-DIT-19
Notwithstanding any of the regulations above, registration of a candidate in the School of
Computing and Information Technology and the release of examination results and the
awarding of the diploma shall be subject to the candidate fulfilling all the University
Regulations.
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