• MKU plans to follow a semester-structured guide from admission to completion
• It will, however, still allow students longer periods, depending on circumstances
Image: HANDOUT
Mount Kenya University has devised a mechanism that is geared to enable postgraduate students to complete their studies on time.
Dr Samuel Karenga, director of Graduate Studies, said it would follow very well a semester-structured guide from admission to completion.
The move will help graduate students save on resources usually spent whenever they take long to complete their studies.
“One of the biggest challenges is that a student comes and joins a two-year programme but ends up taking more time to complete their studies,” Karenga said.
“Unlike undergraduate students who adhere to a lecture timetable, postgraduate students tend to get lost after coursework and few proceed with research, while those who come back take too long to resume.”
The university will, however, allow students longer periods, depending on circumstances.
The Directorate of Graduate Studies has developed a semester-based programme guide to assist students undertake coursework.
They can also start research early enough so they can complete their programmes on time.
With the guide, Karenga said, one is well-informed about which milestones to complete and by when.
“When you know that you are supposed to be here for four semesters, you know what to do every semester and by semester four, you will be able to finish your programme on time,” he said.
“We will now put a lot of weight on the classes you do in the first semester and ensure you are taught the requisite research units.”
The plan is to have fewer units during the second and third semester, so that by the time a student is in their second semester they can start thinking about their research.
By the time they finish the second semester, they are already cleared to go to the field and collect data, Dr Karenga said.
Before sitting the second-semester exam, the institution is making it mandatory to have the necessary research authorisations to embark on data collection.
“That way, we will fast-track progression for our postgraduate students. We do not want people to come here and become career students," he said.
"We need our students to complete their studies on time. This also ensures the student is trained to be good time managers."
Timely completion of programmes is a challenge faced by postgraduate students globally.
Dr Vincent Gaitho, MKU pro chancellor and acting chair of council, said the mechanism to enable students complete their studies on time would, however, not be a compromise on quality.
“We will do everything to make sure you get value for your money. We would also want to release you to go out as soon as possible and become productive in the economy,” he said.
“This does not, however, mean we are rushing people for the sake of graduating them. It is a moment to sacrifice and focus on your studies.”
Dr Gaitho said the university is now heavily focusing on graduate studies, noting that Kenya is in need of specialists across different economic sectors.
“We have identified postgraduate studies and postgraduate students as our next frontier,” he said.
“We are happy with our undergraduate programmes but we are asking ourselves beyond undergraduate, what do we do?”
He said the country, the world and humanity require specialised training.
In undergraduate, MKU introduces students to the broad spectrum, he said.
“Having gotten this broad knowledge in your area, you can then pick a specific area that will make you a specialist in the field.”