Faculty of Agriculture
FOA 1.00 Basic Regulations
FOA 1.01 Duration of Undergraduate, and Postgraduate Programmes.
1. Undergraduate Sub-degree Programmes
A three-year Diploma Programme in specialized areas in Agriculture e.g. Food Security, Animal Husbandry and Health, Sustainable Agriculture and Range Management.
2. Undergraduate Degree Programmes.
The Faculty currently offers a B.Sc. general agriculture degree programme with duration of three years after completion of the First year (Agric) of the NUL or its recognized equivalent or recognized Diploma qualification in Agriculture or recognized equivalents. The Faculty also offers a four year B.Sc. Agriculture programme with options in Animals Sciences, Crop Science, Soil Science and Resource Conservation, Agricultural Economics and Extension. The Faculty is in the process of introducing a four year B.Sc. programme in Home Economics.
3. Postgraduate Degree Programmes
The Faculty offers postgraduate level training leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees with or without course work options. The duration of a M.Sc. degree is normally two years after award of a relevant B.Sc. Degree from NUL or any recognized Institution while the Ph.D. degree normally takes three years after the award of the M.Sc. degree.
FOA 1.02 Minimum Admission Requirements
Undergraduate Sub-Degree Specialized Diploma Programmes
In order to be considered for the Diploma in Range Management, Animal Husbandry and Health, Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture, prospective candidates must normally possess at least one of the following categories of qualification.
i). COSC with Credit in Mathematics and pass in English Language, and at least one Science subject (Biology, Physics, Combined Science, Chemistry, Agricultural Science and Additional Combined Science).
ii) Certificate in Agriculture or Agriculture related certificate programmes with a minimum of credit from an institution recognized by NUL.
iii) Second Division of Secondary Teachers Certificate with Agriculture as a major subject.
Undergraduate Degree Programmes
B.Sc. (Agric.) Degree Programmes (General and with Options) and B.Sc. (Home Economics)
i) In order to qualify for admission into the first year programme in Agriculture and Home economics, Applicants must have obtained a Pass with Credit in mathematics in the COSC examination or its recognized equivalent as well as a pass with Credit in an approved Science subject (approved Science subjects include physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physical science and the combination of combined Science and additional combined Science).
ii) Students with a COSC grade of D or 7 or equivalent in English Language will be considered for admission.
iii) When ranking applicants for admissibility into the Faculty of Agriculture, the Admissions Committee shall consider only the grades in Mathematics, an approved science subject and the better of
a) Agricultural Science
b) Home Economics
c) Geography
d) English Language
e) Any additional approved Science subject.
iv) In order to be considered for admission/promotion into second year of the B.Sc. (Agric. general and degree programme with options) and B.Sc. (Home Economics) programme, prospective candidates must normally possess at least one of the following categories of qualifications:
a) Pass (50%) in Biology or Chemistry and at least 40% in the remaining Science courses, plus an overall weighted average of at least 50% (D) in this examination. Students are also required to have passed (50%) in Agriculture core courses offered in that year.
b) Pass (50%) in Biology or Chemistry and at least 40% in the remaining Science courses, plus an overall weighted average of at least 50% (D) in the Common 1st year B.Sc. Science programme.
c) Credit Pass in Diploma in General Agriculture, Agricultural Education, Home Economics and other agriculture related diplomas obtained from an institution recognized by NUL.
d) Any other qualification that may be approved by the Senate of the National University of Lesotho from time to time.
e) At the discretion of the Faculty of Agriculture, all students joining the B.Sc. programmes in the 2nd year shall be exempted from taking AGR111-3 (Introduction to Agriculture) but must take and pass AGR122-3 (Microbiology, Pathology and Parasitology) or AEC111-3 (Introduction to Rural Sociology), before they proceed to the final year of study.
v) Irrespective of the category of qualification possessed, all candidates must meet the English Language Requirement of the National University of Lesotho.
Postgraduate Degree Programmes
In order to be considered for admission into the M.Sc. degree programmes, candidates must have achieved a minimum of a pass in the Second Class Second Division at the B.Sc. (Agriculture) Degree Examinations of NUL or in possession of an equivalent qualification recognized by NUL. Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must have a minimum of M.Sc. Degree from NUL or any recognized institution. These minimum levels are in addition to any requirements specified by respective programmes in their handbooks for postgraduate studies.
FOA 2.00 EXAMINATION REGULATIONS
FOA 2.01 General Examination Regulation.
i) Students in the various programmes of the Faculty of Agriculture shall take courses in progressive tiers from the first to the terminal year as the case may be. However, students may have the option of adding a limited number of deferred courses to courses in the next higher tier, but only, and in conformity with Faculty regulations in this regard. This regulation does not apply to 100-level courses, which merely represent entry requirements into the 2nd year of the B.Sc. Agric. and Home Economics programmes.
ii) Students shall normally be required to take a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 24 credit hours per semester, provided that no student shall normally be permitted to carry a total load of more than 48 credit hours in any given academic year.
iii) All Agriculture and Home Economics courses for the undergraduate degree and sub-degree programmes (as opposed to service courses) are normally Core Courses, and must be taken and passed by all students except when they are indicated as elective courses. Elective courses are guided by the Faculty Regulations.
iv) All students are required to attend all prescribed laboratory practical, field practical, seminars, excursion, and attachment programmes and are strongly advised to attend all lectures.
v) All courses offered during any given semester should be examined at the end of the semester. Continuous Assessment (which may take the form of mid-semester tests, laboratory reports, term papers etc.) shall account for 40% of the final grade in each course examined, while the main examination shall account for 60%.
vi) All student projects (AGR 444, CPS 444, ANS 444, SSR 444, AEC 444, AEX 444 and BHE 444) should be submitted by the last day of lecture of the academic year. Students who do not meet this deadline may submit the work as supplementary exams.
FOA 2.02 Assessment of Students
1. Award of Grades
Semester examination grades shall be calculated as OVER ALLWEIGHTED MEAN (OWM) on the basis of letter grades: A (80% and above); B+ (75-79%); B (70%-74%); C+(65%-69%); C (60%-64%); D+ (55%-59%); D (50%-54%); E (40%-49%); F(Below 40%). The letter Grades E and F mean Fail. However, the grade E may be supplementable.
2. Failure in a Course
A student shall be deemed to have failed a course if he/she has obtained a FAIL grade by scoring less than 50% in an examination in that course. A FAIL grade (E=40-49%) can only be redeemed either by taking and passing a supplementary examination in the failed course, or where feasible, by RE-TAKING the course and thereafter re-taking and passing the examination in that course. However, an F grade (below 40%) in a core course is not supplementable and re-take is mandatory.
FOA 2.03 Supplementary Examinations
i) Supplementary examinations for course failed during any semester shall normally be given four to six weeks before the beginning of the next academic year.
ii) No students shall be allowed to take supplementary examinations if the total number of courses failed exceeds 16 credit hours.
iii) If he/she has failed in one or more courses, provided that the total number of credit hours carried by the failed course/courses during any given year, does not exceed 16 credit hours.
iv) Fails in one or more RE-TAKE courses, provided that the total number of course failed during the academic year when the examination was re-taken does not carry more than 16 credit hours.
v) Irrespective of the score obtained at a supplementary examination, the candidate shall be awarded a maximum of 59% (D+) in each course passed at this examination.
vi) No students shall normally be permitted to take a supplementary examination in the same course more than once in a year. A student re-taking a course may be permitted to take a supplementary examination (once) in the re-taken course.
FOA 2.04 Supplementation ‘under’ SIT condition:
A student, who, for a reason that is acceptable to Senate, absents him/herself from an examination, shall be permitted to ‘sit’ for the missed course/courses during the supplementary re-sit examinations. Such a student shall be regarded, as having taken a supplementation under a ‘SIT’ condition and the posted grade shall be the actual obtained at this examination. If the student fails any course or courses at this ‘SIT’ examination he/she shall be permitted to repeat the failed course or courses the following year subject to University/Faculty regulation.
FOA 2.05 Re-take of Courses
i) The following categories of students shall be permitted or required to re-take courses/examination, provided that the total number of credit hours to be carried by the student during any academic year shall not exceed 48 credit hours.
a) A student who scores an F grade (below 40%) in one or more courses.
b) A student who fails in one or more courses examined during any semester and who qualifies for, but opts not to take supplementary examination. Such a student shall be required to re-take the course/courses and be examined in them during the very next semester when the course/courses will be offered.
c) A student who fails a supplementary or ‘sit’ examination in one or more courses.
ii) Where a student re-takes a course, the posted grade shall be that scored at the re-take examination.
iii) No student shall be permitted to re-take a course more than seven times.
FOA 2.06 Fail and repeat of year of study
i) A student shall normally be required to repeat a year of study if: the overall weighted year mean is between (45%-49%) in a year.
FOA 2.07 No Proceed-Must take courses or Repeat the year
i) Must take courses If he/she fails one or more courses at a supplementary examination without the possibility of re-taking the failed course or courses and overall weighted year mean is at least 50%.
ii) Must repeat the year if the number of courses failed during any given academic year, carries more than 16 credit hours (Cannot proceed-must repeat the year).
FOA 2.08 Discontinue/Withdrawal from the Faculty of Agriculture Undergraduate degree/sub-degree Programmes.
In any year of study a student who does not fulfil all the requirements to pass a programme shall be considered to have failed that programme.
a) He/she fails to complete the B.Sc. (Agric. General) or the B.Sc. (Agric. with Options) or Home Economics Programmes in 14 semesters, and 12 semesters in the case of Diploma student after his/her first registration for that programme in the Faculty.
b) He/she is compelled by other circumstances to withdraw or be withdrawn from the Faculty or from the University.
c) Official and Unofficial withdrawals will be governed by the University General Regulation.
d) Fail and discontinue from the Faculty if Overall Weighted Mean is between 30% and 44%.
FOA 2.09 Statement of Results
At the end of every academic year, each student shall be issued with a statement of results indicating the letter grade performance in each course examined.
FOA 3.00 Recognitions
i) Faculty of Science/Agriculture Regulations apply.
FOA 4.00 Weightage of Yearly Contribution of Student’s Work Towards The Final Degree/Diploma.
All years of study shall have equal weightage for the purposes of computing the final degree results. However, 100-level courses, which represent entry requirements, and Introductory Agricultural courses for B.Sc. Agric. Options shall not be taken into consideration in this regard.
FOA 5.00 Graduation
FOA 5.01 No candidate shall be awarded an undergraduate degree/sub-degree diploma unless he/she has obtained at least a pass (D) in each and every stipulated core course in their respective programme of study.
FOA 5.02 Practical Training
All candidates irrespective of their programme shall fulfil requirements for Field Practical Training or Agriculture in Practice or attachment.
FOA 6.00 Degree Classification
The B.Sc. (Agric.) Degree awarded in the Faculty shall fall into the following categories based on the final overall weighted mean (OWM) converted into final Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). The degree categories are as follows:
FOA 6.01 Degree Class Weighted Average
First Class 75% and above
Second Class (First Division) 70-74%
Second Class (Second Division) 60-69%
Pass 50-59%
Fail 49% and below
FOA 6.02 Diploma
Diploma Weighted Average
Pass with Distinction 75% and above
Pass with Credit 60-74%
Pass 50-59%
Fail 49% and below
FOA 7.00 The Faculty of Agriculture Regulations are subject to a review from time to time and should be read along with the Faculty and University academic regulations.
FOUR YEARS B.SC. (AGRICULTURE) PROGRAMME WITH OPTIONS
COMMON CURSES
A. 100 LEVEL COURSES
Year Long
B 108-8 Introductory Biology
C 109-8 General Year 1 Chemistry
CSS 101-6 Communication Skills (Science)
(22)
Semester 1
AGR 111-3 Introduction to Agriculture
M 1501-5 Algebra Trigonometry and Analytical Geometry
(8)
Semester 2
M 1502-5 Calculus 1
AGR 122-3 Microbiology, Pathology and Parasitology
AEX 111-3 Introduction to Rural Sociology
CS 1301-2 Computer Awareness
Total: 43 Credit Hours
200-LEVEL COURSES
Semester 1
AEX 211-3 Introduction to Agricultural Extension
AGR 211-3 Introduction to Agricultural Statistics and Computer Applications
AGR 214-3 Introduction to General Genetics and Breeding Methods
AGR 215-3 Agricultural Biology
ANS 212-3 Principles of Animal Nutrition
CPS 212-3 Basic Farm Engineering
SSR 212-4 Physical Geology and Geomorphology or Equivalent course in Geography
Sub-total 22 Credit Hours
200-LEVEL COURSES
Semester 2
AEC 221-3 Principles of General Economics
ANS 221-3 Agricultural Biochemistry
ANS 222-3 Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals
ANS 223-3 Principles of Animal Production
CPS 223-3 Introduction to Farm Power and Machinery
CPS 224-4 Principles and Practices of Plant Production
SSR 223-5 Fundamentals of Soil Science
Sub-total 24 Credit Hours
Total 23+24 = 47 Credit Hours
GENERAL B.Sc. AGRIC. OPTION PROGRAMME
300 LEVEL COURSES
First Semester
AGR 312-3 Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture
ANS 312-4 Principles of Animal Husbandry and Health
ANS 313-3 Introduction to Animal Genetics and Breeding Methods
CPS 315-5 Crop Protection Diseases and
CPS 316-3 Research Methods
SSR 311-3 Introduction to Soil and Water Conservation
Sub-total 21 Credit Hours
Second Semester
ANS 321-3 Principles of Pasture and Fodder Production
ANS 324-3 Range Management I
CPS 328-3 Weed Science
AEC 321-3 Farm Management Applications
AEC 322-3 Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives
SSR 323-4 Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
SSR 326-3 Introduction to Forestry and Agroforestry
Sub-total 22 Credit Hours
Total 21 + 22 = 43 Credit Hours
400 LEVEL COURSES
First Semester
AEC 411-3 Economics of Agricultural Development
AEX 413-3 Comparative Extension System
ANS 412-3 Small Ruminant Production
AGR 400-4AB Agric-in-Practice
AGR 444-4AB Project
CPS 415-3 Vegetable Production
CPS 416-3 Introduction to Plant Physiology
SSR 413-4 Soil Survey and Land Evaluation
Sub-total 23 Credit Hours
Second Semester
CPS 425-3 Integrated
CPS 426-3 Irrigation Agronomy
ANS 423-4 Diary Production System and Technology
ANS 425-4 Apiculture and Aquaculture
AEX 423-3 Agriculture Extension Programs Planning
SSR 423-3 Management of Arid and Semi Arid Lands
Sub-total 20 Credit Hrs
Total 23 + 24 = 47 Credit Hours