Regulations for Diploma and Certificate Programmes
General School Regulations
The general regulations and statutes of the Makerere University Business School shall govern studies and examinations for the Diploma Programmes.
Admission Requirements for Diploma and Certificate Programmes offered at MUBS
| PROGRAMME OFFERED | CODE | DURATION | MINIMUM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS | |
| 1 | Diploma in Accounting and Finance | DAF | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
2 | Diploma in Local Government Finance Management | DLGFM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
3 | Diploma in Local Government Management | DLGM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
4 | Diploma in Customs, clearing and Forwarding Management | DCCFM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
5 | Diploma in Business Administration | DBA | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
6 | Diploma in Human Resources Management | DHRM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
7 | Diploma in Project Planning and Management | DPPM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
8 | Diploma in Entrepreneurship | DES | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
9 | Diploma in Procurement and Supply Chain Management | DPSM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
10 | Diploma in Computer Science | DCS | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level including a credit in Mathematics or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution |
11 | Diploma in Business Computing | DBC | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
12 | Diploma in Transport and Logistics Management | DTLM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
13 | Diploma in Office Management | DOM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
14 | Diploma in Secretarial Services (In service) ** | DSS (In service) | 1yr | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. A candidate must also pass an Entrance Admission Examination with 50% that is administered to confirm applicant’s proficiency. The applicant must have obtained at least a credit in English language or English Literature at O’Level, Atleast 5 years working experience and must have computer competence. Examination fees of Shs. 50,000 per course examined will be charged per applicant |
15 | Diploma in Recreation and Event Management | DREM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
16 | Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Business Management | DRHM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
17 | Uganda Diploma in Hotel and Institutional Catering | UDHIC | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
18 | Uganda Diploma in Business Studies | UDBS | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
19 | Diploma in Sales and Marketing Management | DSMM | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
20 | Diploma in International Business | DIB | 2yrs | One principal pass and 2 Subsidiary passes at A’ level and 5 credits at O’ level or A Certificate in Business Studies from a recognized institution. |
21 | Certificate in Business Administration | CBA | 1yr | 3 passes at Uganda Certificate of Education |
22 | Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Small Business | CESB | 1yr | 3 passes at Uganda Certificate of Education |
2.1.3 Programme Duration
The Diploma programme shall normally extend over a period of two years and not exceed a maximum of four years.
2.1.4 Number and length of the semester
Each year of studies will have two semesters or seventeen weeks; 15 weeks for teaching and two weeks for examinations and the whole course will be covered in four semesters.
2.1.5 Types of Courses
Courses in the programme shall be classified as follows:-
a) A compulsory core course is one, which must be registered for and passed by a student to obtain a diploma.
b) An elective course is one, which may be taken to make up the minimum requirements of the diploma.
c) An audited course is one, which a student attends but is not examined in.
d) A pre-requisite course is one, which must be taken before a related higher level course and in which a student needs to score at least 40% before moving to the next level. However, the student must re-sit the examination in the said subject and obtain at least 50%.
2.1.6 Course Credits
Instructions shall be by courses, quantified into course credit units.
a) A credit unit is granted for a series of fifteen contact hours or one contact hour per week per semester.
b) A contact hour is calculated as being equivalent to:-
• One Lecture hour/Tutorial hour.
• Two hours of supervised practical work.
• Four hours of field attachment.
c) No course shall carry less than one credit unit nor exceed 5 credit units with a maximum of 2 credit units a year.
2.2.0 PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
2.2.1 Curriculum
Every curriculum for the diploma is subject to approval of the Head of Department, the Dean and where necessary the Academic Board. No candidate is deemed registered without such approval and no change is permitted without it.
2.2.2 Programme Structures
The Programme structures for each Diploma are divided into 2 semesters per year .
2.2.3 The Detailed course outline for all courses can be obtained from the Directorate of vocational and Distance Education
2.3 EXAMINATION REGULATIONS
2.3.1 Board of Examiners
a) There shall be a Board of Examiners which shall be composed of external and internal examiners appointed by Academic Board after recommendation of the Board of the respective Faculties.
b) The Board of Examiners shall receive, consider and recommend to the Academic Board the final examination results of each candidate.
c) Board of Examiners shall be chaired by the Principal and all decisions of the Board of Examiners shall be subject to ratification by the Academic Board or the Principal on its behalf, if authorized by the Academic Board.
d) The Board of Examiners shall recommend to the Academic Board what mark shall finally be awarded to each candidate in each course and final results of the examination.
e) In case of an emergency, the Principal shall act on behalf of the Academic Board or the board of Examiners but must report action taken at the next meeting of these Boards. The Principal should act in consultation with the relevant Deans and Heads of Departments.
2.3.2 Admission and withdrawal from course
a) Admission into courses shall close at the end of the third full week of each semester.
b) A student may withdraw from a course without penalty any time up to and including the seventh week of the semester. Thereafter a student will be deemed to have failed.
2.3.3 Assessment of the Courses
a) Except where stated, each course shall be assessed to the basis of 100 total marks with proportions as follows:
| Course work/Continuous assessment | 30% |
| Written Examination | 70% |
These marks will be converted into Grade Points.
b) Coursework shall consist of progressive assessment derived from at least one assignment and or tests and laboratory work.
c) There shall be an examination at the end of each semester.
2.3.4 Grading of Courses
a) That each course shall be graded out of a maximum of one hundred (100) marks and assigned appropriate letter grades and grade points as follows:
| Marks (%) | Letter grade | Grade points |
| 80 - 100 | A | 5.0 |
| 75 - 79.9 | B+ | 4.5 |
| 70 - 74.9 | B | 4.0 |
| 65 - 69.9 | B- | 3.5 |
| 60 - 64.9 | C+ | 3.0 |
| 55 - 59.9 | C | 2.5 |
| 50 - 54.9 | C- | 2.0 |
| 45 - 49.9 | D+ | 1.5 |
| 40 - 44.9 | D | 1.0 |
| 35 - 39.9 | D- | 0.5 |
| Below 35 | E | 0 |
b) These additional letters would be used where appropriate:
W - Withdrawal
I - Incomplete
AUD - Audited courses only.
c) Industrial training courses, if any, shall not be graded but assessed on a pass/fail basis.
d) The course pass grade is 2.0
e) No credit unit shall be awarded for any course in which a student fails.
2.3.5 Progression
Progression of a student shall be classified as Normal, Probational or Discontinuation.
a) Normal Progression
Normal progression occurs when a student passes each course taken with a minimum grade point of 2.0.
b) Probational Progress
This is a warning stage and it occurs when a student:
i) fails a core/compulsory course;
ii) has a GPA or CGPA of less than two (2.0).
iii) The student shall not be allowed to retake more than ½ of the total number of courses for the academic year to the subsequent academic year. A student who fails more than ½ of the total number of courses in a year shall be required to stay in the year of study until the failed courses are cleared subject to fulfilling general regulation statutes.
When the GPA of a student goes up in the following semester, the probation is removed.
c) Discontinuation
That a student is discontinued when she/he has:
i) Received two (2) consecutive probations on the same core/compulsory course;
ii) Received two consecutive probation based on CGPA;
iii) Failed to present him/her for a final examination without giving sufficient reason.
2.3.6 Re-taking a course
a) Students shall retake a course in order to pass it, if they had failed it.
b) There shall be no supplementary examination in any course of the programme. However, a student may retake any course when next examined, but in any case no student will be allowed to retake more than once. The student shall be required to pay fees for retake(s) on a prorata basis.
c) Where a student retakes a course to improve and scores a lower mark than the previous one, the higher mark shall be considered for the student’s final assessment.
d) Final year students with retakes shall retake such courses by the end of the recess semester of that academic year.
e) A student on probation due to failure of final exam shall be required to resit and pass the examination only.
2.3.7 Project work (where relevant)
a) A candidate shall submit a research report in the format prescribed by the Academic Board.
b) A candidate who fails the project shall be given one (2) month to resubmit the project to the full satisfaction of the examiners. More time can be granted at the recommendation of the Supervisor and the Academic Board.
2.4.0 CLASSIFICATION OF THE DIPLOMA
a) The Makerere University Business School Diploma is awarded after taking into account all examination results.
b) Class of the Diploma
The class of the Makerere University Business School Diploma shall be determined as shown out below:
| Class | Final CGPA |
| First Class | 4.40 - 5.00 |
| Second Class- Upper Division | 3.60 - 4.39 |
| Second Class-Lower Division | 2.80 - 3.59 |
| Pass | 2.00 - 2.79 |
2.5 CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE:
The cumulative grade point average at a given time shall be obtained by:
a) Multiplying the grade point obtained in each course by credit units assigned to the course to arrive at the weighted score for the course.
b) Adding together the weighted scores for all courses taken up to that time.
c) Dividing the total weighted score by the total number of credit units taken up to that time.
2.6 ILLINESS DURING THE FINAL YEAR EXAMINATION
Where a candidate has taken at least half of the required papers in the final semester and is prevented by his/her medical condition, as certified by an approved specialist medical practitioner from taking the remainders of the papers, the School Academic Board may at its discretion, and receipt of an application from the candidate, recommend the award of a diploma aegrotat, provided that the candidate's marks in the papers taken and in the progressive assessment are such as to show that he was very likely to pass, had he/she completed the examination.