Architecture

Preamble

The Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) document for the Architecture discipline provides a description and the general characteristics of the first degree programmes in the Architecture discipline. It articulates the core areas of knowledge, understanding and skills expected of graduates from Architecture programmes in Nigerian Universities. It provides for the minimum requirements for admission into and graduation out of the faculty of architecture.

The Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards statement takes into consideration, current development in the Architecture disciplines in general. New concerns about the changing environment as well as the need for life-long skills and ‘employable’ graduates have suggested the introduction of new courses in the undergraduate programme. The Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards statements are intended to provide a broad framework within which educators can develop appropriate and challenging programmes that respond to the needs of the student, changing nature of the environment, as well as new developments in the society and technology. They seek to articulate the primary qualities expected of Bachelor’s degree graduates and to maintain the standards of education in the architecture subject areas.

The purpose of the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) Statement is to:

1. assist the Nigerian University System in the designing, approval and accreditation of programmes of study;
2. assist professional bodies in their accreditation and review of programmes relating to professional competence;
3. assist students, employers and internal organisations seeking information about education in the architecture discipline; and
4. provide a basis for setting up internal quality assurance mechanisms by universities.

The Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards statement is made up of four major component parts as follows:

1. The objectives and purpose of the bachelor degree in different programmes.
2. The competencies, abilities and skills expected of a graduate of the different programmes.
3. Assessment procedures and criteria for evaluating the body of knowledge covered and different levels of abilities and skills attained.
4. The essential courses expected to be covered in the programme leading to the award of undergraduate and professional postgraduate degrees.

Programmes and Degrees

Table 1.1 below includes a list of programmes and the degrees in view covered in the current CCMAS document for Architecture disciplines.

Table 1.1       Lists of Programme(s) and Degree(s) in View

Philosophy

The Philosophy of the faculty is to provide professionally, diversified as well as specialised training in architecture and related disciplines towards a technologically, and culturally responsive as well as sustainable built environment. Architecture discipline is set out to produce graduates that understand the physical sciences, such as the nature of materials,

structure and environmental control, including the energies in terms of manifestation of heat, light and sound, humanities, sociology, behavioural sciences and technology and the necessary skills to produce environmentally efficient and culturally sensitive design.

Objectives

Programmes in the Architecture discipline aim to:

1. create a deeper awareness of the nature of materials, structure, environment and space and to create a balance through design;
2. create an understanding of the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary nature of environmental issues;
3. provide an exposition of temporal and spatial scales of environmental challenges and the various approaches and options for remediation, adaptation and mitigation through design and construction;
4. harness common tools and methodologies relevant in the teaching of creative disciplines;
5. encourage inter disciplinary studies and career building;
6. produce graduates that are competent in skills as well as knowledge and are internationally competitive;
7. utilize contemporary teaching methods and technology in dispensing knowledge;
8. infuse in the training of the Architect, critical thinking as well as entrepreneurship disposition;
9. contextualise the teaching of architecture and related disciplines towards a culturally, responsive as well as sustainable built environment;
10. afford students the opportunity to develop a range of subject specific and transferable skills to support their studies and prepare them for employment; and
11. enable students develop skills of reflection, critical analysis, communication and the capacity for independent as well as team work.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the programme, Students should possess:

1. proficiency in written and oral communication skills;
2. problem-solving skills, relating to both qualitative and quantitative information, especially where information is limited;
3. computational and numerical skills;
4. information-retrieval skills, in relation to primary and secondary information sources, including information retrieval through on-line computer searches;
5. information technology skills such as word processing and spreadsheet use, data-logging and storage and internet communication;
6. interpersonal skills relating to working in multi-disciplinary teams;
7. time-management and organizational skills; and
8. skills needed for continuing professional development and research.

General Admission Requirements

Candidates may be admitted into the degree programmes through any of the following entry modes:

1. Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) admission
2. Direct Entry admission

UTME

Candidates who have successfully completed the Senior Secondary School or its equivalent and obtained five credits (in not more than two attempts) in English Language, Mathematics, and any other three relevant subjects to the programme of choice will be eligible for admission currently through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME)

Direct Entry

Candidates who fulfil the requirements for UTME admission and who have obtained General Certificate of Education (GCE), Advanced Level; Higher School Certificate (HSC)/Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB), National Diploma (ND), Higher National Diploma (HND), Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) or other approved equivalent qualifications by Federal Ministry of Education in two relevant subjects to a particular programme, at a sitting, may be admitted into the 200 level or 300 level if upper credit is obtained.

Duration of the Programmes

Degree programmes in Architecture discipline shall normally be for a minimum of eight (8) or ten (10) academic semesters for UTME entry mode students and six (6) or eight (8) academic semesters for Direct Entry admission candidates. Further details of Duration of Programme are available in the statements for the different programmes in the current CCMAS.

Graduation Requirements

Depending on the programme within the discipline, the duration of training would vary between four to five years, according to identified focus. Graduates are to prove through design projects and thesis their competency in understanding spatial concepts, social and technological contexts as well as media communication and entrepreneurial knowledge. The minimum number of credits to be earned before graduation would be stipulated in the programme and regulated by the National Universities Commission.

Course Credit System

Academic work in the Architecture discipline is organized in concentrated modules of subject materials referred to as courses. Each course is planned as a complete unit of study with a scheduled amount of instructional/contact hours each semester. Credits are weights attached to a course.  One credit is equivalent to one hour per week per semester of 15 weeks of lectures or three hours of laboratory/studio/workshop work per week per semester of 15 weeks or 32 hours of SIWES per week.

Definition of Course System

This should be understood to mean a quantitative system of organization of the curriculum in which subject areas are broken down into unit courses which are examinable and for which students earn credit(s) if passed.  The courses are arranged in progressive order of complexity or in levels of academic progress, e.g. Level or year I courses are 100, 101, and Level II or year II courses are 200, 202 and many others. The second aspect of the system is that courses are assigned weights allied to Units.

 Units

Consist of specified number of student-teacher contact hours per week per semester. Units are used in two complementary ways: one, as a measure of course weighting, and the other, as an indicator of student workload.

1. As a measure of course weighting for each Unit course (e. g) ARC 105, LAA 203, FUD 404), the credit unit to be earned for satisfactorily completing the course is specified; e.g. a 2-credit unit course may mean two 1-hour lecture per week per semester or one 1-hour lecture plus 3-hour practical per week per semester.
2. As a measure of workload, “one credit unit” means one hour of lecture or one hour of tutorial per week per semester. For other forms of teaching requiring student teacher contact, the following equivalents may apply: two hours of seminar: three hours of laboratory or field work, clinical practice/practicum, studio practice or stadium sporting activity, six  hours of teaching practice; four weeks of industrial attachment where applicable.

The minimum number of credit units for the award of a degree is 120 units for UTME, subject to the usual Department and Faculty requirements. A student shall therefore qualify for the award of a degree when he has met the conditions. The minimum credit load per semester is 15 credit units. For the purpose of calculating a student’s cumulative GPA (CGPA) in order to determine the class of degree to be awarded, grades obtained in ALL the courses whether compulsory or optional and whether passed or failed must be included in the computation. Even when a student repeats the same course once or more before passing it or substitutes another course for a failed optional course, grades scored at each and all attempts shall be included in the computation of the GPA. Pre – requisite courses must be taken and passed before a particular course at a higher level.

Grading of Courses

At the end of each course, a grade comprising a percentage score and a corresponding letter grade is awarded to each student. These grades will include the results of both formative and summative assessments conducted throughout the Duration of Programme. Range of percentage scores, letter grades and numerical grade point equivalents are indicated in Table 1.2.

Table 1.2       Grading System

Grade Point Average (GPA) and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

A system of Grade Point Average (GPA) and Cumulative Grade point Average (CGPA) is currently in use in the Nigerian University system. Grade Point Average and Cumulative Grade Point Average are calculated as numerical representations of a student’s quality of performance. These averages are used to determine if a student qualifies for certain academic actions (e.g., probation, graduation and class of degree). A student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) is the weighted mean value of all grade points earned through examinations and other forms of formal assessment in a particular academic semester/session. While the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is the weighted mean value of all the Grade Point Averages earned since enrolment on the particular programme.

For the purpose of determining a student’s standing at the end of every semester, the Grade Point Average (GPA) system shall be used.  The GPA is computed by dividing the total number of Units x Grade Point (TUGP) by the total number of units (TNU) for all the courses taken in the semester as illustrated in Table 1.3.  The Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) over a period of semesters is calculated in the same manner as the GPA by using the grade points of all the courses taken during the period.

Table 1.3       Calculation of GPA or CGPA

Degree Classifications

Students are ordinarily expected to register for a minimum of 18 units each semester including all compulsory and required courses.  Courses in all the programmes are normally taught for a semester of fifteen (15) weeks duration. In addition to these general provisions, students are expected to satisfy the specific requirements of individual programmes with regards to compulsory and required courses in order to qualify for graduation.

The overall performance of each student shall be based on a 5-point scale Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) system. Degree qualifications are classified as in table 1.4.

Table 1.4       Degree Classification

For students enrolled on a four (4) or five (5) year degree programme, a maximum period of ten (10) or twelve (12) semesters respectively is allowed for an honours degree. Any additional period of study beyond this will qualify the candidate for the award of a pass degree. Candidates admitted into any of the programmes through direct entry, will normally be allowed eight or ten semesters for 4- and 5-year programmes respectively to earn an honours degree. A student will normally be allowed to remain on a programme for a period not exceeding 1½ times the stipulated Duration of Programme.

Probation

A student shall be placed on academic probation if at the end of the second semester of an academic year the student earns less than 1.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). During Probation, a student will be expected to register for all failed courses as well as other

compulsory and required courses which the student may have failed to register for in an attempt to improve the CGPA.A student on probation may be allowed to register for courses at the next higher level in addition to his/her probation level courses provided that:

1. the regulation in respect of student work-load is complied with; and
2. pre-requisite courses for the higher-level courses have been passed.

Withdrawal

A student shall be asked to withdraw from a particular programme if they have been on probation for two consecutive semesters or if the student fails to make satisfactory progress (CGPA at least above 1.0). Such a student may however be allowed a change of programme within the same university or alternatively asked to withdraw from the university.

Evaluation

Techniques for Student Evaluation

The primary goal of assessment is to improve the overall quality of learning as well as evaluate the quality of instruction. It is recommended that different types of formative and summative evaluation methods be adopted through the semester for all course offered in the environmental science discipline. The list below though not exhaustive, highlights some of the more common methods of assessment that may be adopted for students’ courses performance evaluation:

1. Problem Solving Exercises
2. Term Papers/Essay Assignments
3. Individual Project Work
4. Oral Presentations
5. Jury Assessment
6. Design studio exercises
7. Surveys and Evaluation reports
8. Laboratory Reports
9. Collaborative Project Work
10. Report on External Placement (SIWES)
11. End of semester examinations
12. External Examination Reports

Assessment of theory subjects

Assessment used for theory subjects should include continuous monitoring of student’s progress by subject lectures through course work evaluation.  Continuous assessment may involve class tests, tutorial assignments, seminar presentations, and reports on fieldwork, class attendance and so on. These should carry between 30% and 60% of the total weighting for any subject. The final end of semester examination will normally account for the balance of 40% to 70% of the overall marks for the subjects.

Assessment of Studio projects

The regular formative review of design studio projects is encouraged as an important part of the learning process. Students are required to present their work to an audience that may comprise fellow students, studio staff or visiting studio critics at least at the end of each project. Feedback and scores may be given in these instances. The summative assessment of the design studio work is usually carried out by well-informed assessors based on predetermined assessment criteria. Scores in these assessments are usually very subjective and rely on the judgements of the expert assessors.

External Examiner System

The involvement of external examiners from other universities is a crucial quality assurance requirement for all courses in Nigerian University System. In this regard, external examiner should go beyond mere moderation of examination questions to examining of examination papers to scope and depth of examination questions vis a vis the curricular expectation.

SIWES Rating and Assessment

Students in the Architecture disciplines shall be exposed to a combination of field and office experience both in the public or private sectors relevant to their various disciplines. This is achieved through the students’ participation in the supervised Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). SIWES shall be undertaken in an approved establishment. A minimum period of 12 weeks for a 4 year programme and 16 weeks for a 5 year programme of SIWES should be undertaken as part of the graduation requirements.

At the end of the SIWES programme, each participating students’ is required to submit a systematic log-book for assessment by the programme in addition to undergoing any other forms of assessment as may be required by individual programmes and institutions.  Individual programmes will be expected to allocate credit unit ratings to the SIWES training programme that count towards the requirements for graduation. Students with unsatisfactory performance in SIWES shall be required to repeat the training programme.

Students’ Evaluation of courses

As an integral part of the course credit system, students will be given the opportunity to evaluate the courses taken in the semester based on the following criteria:

1. Course relevance
2. Adequacy in terms of time and content coverage
3. Students understanding of the courses
4. Adequacy of Teaching, tutorials and practical technology/aids
5. Instructor evaluation

The students’ course evaluation is aimed at improving the efficiency of course delivery by offering timely feedback to the course lecturers/instructors. It is expected that each programme will work out a mechanism to achieve this goal.

Performance Evaluation Criteria

The accreditation of the Architecture discipline degree programme means a system of recognising educational institutions (universities and programmes offered by them) for a level of performance, integrity and quality which entitles them to the confidence of the educational and professional community, the public they serve, and employers of labour.

The objectives of the accreditation exercise are to:

1. ensure that at least the provisions of the minimum academic benchmark statements are attained, maintained and enhanced;
2. assure employers and other members of the community that graduates of these institutions have attained an acceptable level of competence in their areas of specialisation; and
3. certify to the international community that the programmes offered in these universities are of high standards and that their graduates are adequate for employment and for further studies.

CCMAS: Architecture (New)-2023

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