DIPLOMA IN CRIMINOLOGY AND SOCIAL ORDER

1. Rationale

In the world today, there is a growing interest particularly among academics, law makers and law enforcers in interrogating criminal behavior and its treatment by the criminal justice system notably the law and order enforcement agencies (both public i.e., the police and private i.e., private security firms), the criminal law fraternity including the judiciary and advocates, the penal institutions, and the general public. The interest comes, partly, due to the realization on how society is fast changing and the emerging of forms of organized crime including drug and human trafficking and a hub for money laundering. Particularly the evidence there is of the society being threatened by violent crimes like terrorism owing to the political and religious volatility in the region, especially as it relates to the Somalia crisis that directly and indirectly engulfs Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, USA and groups of Arab/Muslim fighters.

Apart from the existing of criminal behavior whose levels, now and in the future, demands effective interventions there is also a disquiet among academics, the media, policy makers, politicians and general public on the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. In this regard there are evidence-based scholarly works as well as popular allegations indicating dire challenges in the police, judiciary and penal institutions.

Philosophy

The programme subscribes to the notion that human capital development through training and research is vital to Kenya’s development agenda. This aligns with the philosophy of the University of Nairobi.In addressing these issues, the Department of Sociology in the University of Nairobi has developed a Diploma Course on criminology and social development

Course objectives

1. To equip those in crime related professions with knowledge, social skills and values required in their work.
2. To enable the trainees to probe professionally into the nature of crime, crime situations and effective interventions in the maintenance of law and order.
3. To make learners improve their own integrity in pursuance of their duties to the public.
4. To equip the trainees with positive attitudes to the public.

3.  Course structure, mode of instruction and duration

Each Ordinary Diploma candidate shall be required to successfully take at least eight (8) approved course units as well as a project paper where specified.  Individual departments shall determine how the eight course units shall be apportioned in terms of core, specialization, and elective clusters.

Each department may identify core, theory and/or methods courses which all Ordinary Diploma candidates within the department shall take, provided that these shall not exceed two (2) course units.  Each candidate shall be entitled to take at least one elective course.

The Ordinary Diploma programme shall consist of lectures, lecture-discussions, class presentations, seminars, demonstrations, fieldwork, student-teacher consultations, supervised independent study, coursework, or any combination of these, as well as written final examinations, and shall run for a minimum of two (2) semesters of fifteen weeks each and a maximum of eight (8) semesters.  However, some departments or programmes may, with prior Senate approval, require a minimum of three semesters, with the third semester being devoted to additional taught courses, semester-long laboratory work, field work, field placement, or project paper.

Except where a semester-long project is required, the minimum load in each semester shall be two (2) course units; while the maximum load shall be four (4) course units per semester.  A semester-long project consisting of laboratory/field work or project paper shall be treated as the equivalent of two course units.

Where a semester-long project paper is not required, one (1) course unit out of the minimum of eight (8) required to graduate may be designed to give candidates the opportunity to develop skills in independent research work and project report-writing.

Candidates shall be free to satisfy the requirements for elective courses in any department within the Faculty of Arts or any other Faculty or equivalent, subject to the prior approval of the department(s) and Faculties concerned.

Students shall undergo continuous assessment in each taught course in each semester.  Such assessment shall take the form of written tests, term paper, oral presentations, field assignment, or any combination of these.

4. Examination regulations

Final University of Nairobi examinations shall be given at the end of every semester in each taught course unit; and each final examination shall be in the form of a two-hour written examination paper. Where a semester-long project paper is required, work on the project paper shall be started and completed during the final semester of the ordinary diploma programme.

To be awarded the ordinary diploma, a candidate must pass all specialized, core and elective course units taken, as well as the Project Paper where applicable.

1. All examinations shall be governed by the following rules:

1. The written final examination shall account for seventy percent (70%) of all the marks in each course unit, while continuous assessment tests shall account for thirty percent (30%).  The Project Paper or “Independent Research” paper shall be marked over 100, as there shall be no continuous assessment test associated with them.
2. A candidate who fails in any examination in any unit may sit a supplementary examination when it is scheduled provided that he/she shall pay such fees as may be prescribed by the Faculty and the University.
3. A candidate who fails in any examination in an elective course unit may, at his/her own discretion, after payment of the request fees register in an alternative elective course unit.
4. A student who, for good cause supported with authenticated documentary evidence, fails to sit or complete an end-of-course examination may be allowed to sit a special examination for the paper(s) concerned when the examination is next scheduled, without paying additional fees.
5. Where these regulations are silent on any aspect of University examinations, existing University of Nairobi, Faculty of Arts regulations shall apply.

2. Award of Ordinary Diplomas

Each successful candidate for an Ordinary Diploma shall be awarded a University of Nairobi Ordinary Diploma certificate, which shall specify the candidate’s broad area of study or training.  In addition, each candidate shall receive a University Transcript specifying, inter alia, all the course units taken, their course codes, and the letter grades obtained in each.  The class of the Ordinary Diploma awarded shall be based on the average marks obtained in all course units.

      The Ordinary Diploma shall be graded as follows:-

 

70% and above            =          [Distinction]

50% to 69%                =          [Credit]

40% to 49%                =          [Pass]

Below 40%                 =          E[Fail]

 

 

Schedule of intake

September