Semester System In Higher Education Institutions of Pakistan

HEC Draft Policy Guidelines

(May 2008)

Background

• Deliberated on two systems (Annual and Semester)

• Different forms of semester (Bisemester, Trisemester, and term system) in HEI

• National Committee on Examination System (NCES) formed by HEC

• NECS Recommended some improvements

StructureBachelors Masters

Total Credits 124-136 30 (24+6)

Semester Duration

16-18 Weeks 16-18 Weeks

Course Duration

8 Semesters (3.5 – 4 Years)

1.5 – 2 Years

Summer session

1-2 per Academic year

1-2 per Academic year

Course Load per Semester

15-18 Credit Hrs

9-12 Credit Hrs

Course Layout for Undergraduate Students

• Between 124-136 Credit hours are required for UG Degree

• 51-63 Credit hours should be taken in courses prescribed as major

• 34 Credit hours must be earned taking courses outside the major but within the same school as major

• 30 Credit hours must be earned taking multi-disciplinary courses outside the school of major.

Credit Hours

• One credit hour for theory= 50 minutes per week

• One credit hour for lab/project work = Two hours per week

• 3(3-0) means three contact hours• 4(3-1) means six contact hours

Degree Program for UG Students

• Students who have done 2 years in Annual System (BA, BSc etc) and want to go for Bachelor Honors…..

• 2 years in Annual system= 60 Credit hours• 64-76 Credit hours should be completed for Bachelor

Honors Program• Student with 2 years bachelor degree in arts many not

be eligible for Bachelor Honors in Sciences, But a 2 years bachelor degree in Science may be eligible for BBA

• Institute must develop their own criteria for this

Degree Program for Graduate Students

• Students who have done 2 years in Annual System (BA, BSc etc) and want to go for Masters program

• 2 years in Annual system= 60 Credit hours• May be enrolled into Masters directly by offering 94-

106 Credit hours. Subject to the following• Complete 64-76 as UG• Complete another 30 for Masters.

• Institute is obliged to issue a Bachelor Honors degree after completing the UG requirement and then Masters

Semesters

• Fall and Spring semesters every year (16-18 weeks)

• May offer one or two summer session of 8 weeks with double contact hours

Course Load for Fall/Spring

• Regular UG student required to take 12 Credit hours, but can take maximum 18 Credit hours if C.GPA > 3.5

• Regular Graduate student is required to take 9 Credit hours but can take maximum 12 if he meets the above condition

• HoD may allow a student in last semester to take maximum Credit hours

Course Load for Summer

• Regular UG student can take 6 Credit hours

• Regular Graduate student can take 6 Credit hours

Academic Calendar

• Semester starting date• Holiday during semester• Semester termination date• Final Exam week• Grade notification date

Withdrawal / Change Of Course

• A student with the consent of Dean • Allowed to change a course with 7 days of

commencement of semester• Allowed to drop a course within 2 week

from commencement of semester

• Withdrawal is allowed latest by 15th week, under approval from HoD and Dean. Grade for it will be W instead of F

Repeating Courses

• Students failing with F have to repeat the course when offered

• UG students may repeat a course with Grade D

• Institution may define a limit to repeat the courses (<=6)

• For the same course old grade will be substituted with new grade

Repeating Courses

• Graduate students may repeat a course with Grade C

• Institution may define a limit to repeat the courses (<=3)

Attendance

• Attendance is mandatory in semester system

• Institutes may develop a policy for attendance to obtain a grade (70 %)

Examination

Nature of Exam Course with Lab Course without Lab

Quizzes 5-10 % 5-15 %

Mid Semester 20-30 % 30-40%

Assignments 5-10 % 5-10 %

Practical

Project

10-20 % -

Final 40-50 % 40-50 %

Examination Policy

• For missed quizzes marks are zero while for other missed components make-up tests, assignments, projects can be arranged

• No Supplementary/Special exam for students who fail the course, they are required to repeat it

Grading Policy

• Relative grading is recommended• Screening students according to their

performance relative to their peers

C.GPA For Degree Completion

• Minimum C.GPA of 2.0 for Undergraduate degree

• Minimum C.GPA of 2.5 for Graduate degree• During the semester If C.GPA falls below 2.0

or 2.5• Issue first probation• If no improvement issue Last probation• Still no improvement drop from the institute

Transfer of Credits

• Every university will develop its own criteria

• No credit hours will be transferred if grade is less than C for UG and B for graduate students

Award of Degree

• 124-130 Credit hours of UG degree, or minimum 60 credit hours in case of transfer of credits from other university

• 30 (24+6) Credit hours for graduate degree, 6 Credit hours of research is mandatory for Masters/Mphil levels

• Exemption from research can only be allowed for Master/Mphil with the permission for HoD

Student Grievances Against Instructor

• All HEI should have 3 member committee headed by senior faculty

• Student must approach the head of the institute with 5 days of receiving the grade

• Committee shall hear both sides (student + instructor) and decide in 5 days

• Departmental faculty headed by senior faculty shall check few papers randomly for uniformity

Courses on Pass/Fail Basis

• Courses on Pass/Fail basis can only be taken in Electives

• Grade shall not be counted towards GPA/C.GPA

• Maximum 9 Credit hours can be taken on this basis

• Failures have to repeat the same course• NO course can be taken on this basis in

Masters/Mphil

Cancellation Of Admission

• If a student fails to attend classes during first four weeks of semester, his/her admission shall stand cancelled automatically without notification

Course File

• To maintain a course file is compulsory for Instructors• Course contents• Course coding• Weekly teaching schedule• Dates of Midterm exam• Grading policy for quizzes, assignments etc• Copy of each assignment• Copy of each Quiz• Copy of Midterm Exam• Grading sheets of the course• Difficulties/Problems during course delivery

Freezing Of Semester

• Student can freeze a semester and retake admission in the same semester

• No freezing during the semester• Maximum duration of program remains

same• HEI may develop criteria for freezing a

semester

Teacher Evaluation

• Evaluation by students preferably done on-line

• Must be in the last week of the semester

• Shall be shared with the instructor• Evaluations must be completely

anonymous

More Recommendations

• To evolve an effective, reliable, valid, secure and transparent examination system, pertinent training for Controller of Exams to junior clerks in Exam Department should be arranged

• Course objectives in terms of learning outcomes should be available to all concerned person including students

More Recommendations

• Choice of questions, 5 out of 8 should be abolished

• Grace marks to pass the candidate should not be allowed after 2007

• Paper setting for final exam should be preferable done by a panel of 2 or more examiners

More Recommendations

• Questions should assess higher level of cognition

• Key should be prepared for the question paper. Solution along with weightage and breakdown

• MCQ and SEQ should be encouraged• Project should be conducted by panel of

examiners including external and internal

More Recommendations

• Complete Transparency should be adopted where students can discuss the marks awarded to them with the Instructor

• In case student fails, he should at least wait for six months before appearing for second chance

• All exams after 2007 will follow the policy of giving no choice at UG level