BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION

FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Regulations for the Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Natural Resources Management
(B. Sc. NRM, 4 years full-time)

1. Preamble
These regulations shall be read in conjunction with the General Regulations for undergraduate
degrees of Bindura University of Science Education that have precedence over these
Regulations.

2. Aim
The general aim of the programme is to produce graduates who are conversant with natural
resources management issues at national, regional and global levels.

3. Learning Outcomes
On completion of the degree programme, the graduate will have acquired knowledge on current
natural resources management. The skills that shall be acquired include:
• initiating natural resources utilization and management enterprises;
• carrying out environmental advocacy for environmental protection;
• applying principles and practices for forest and wildlife management;
• conducting research in various natural resources aspects;
• demonstrate managerial skills in sustainable management of land, forest, wildlife and
water resources;
• planning management for natural resources management;
• monitoring natural resources projects;
• conducting rural livelihoods assessment;
• conducting environmental and social impacts assessment and
• environmental education and extension.
•
4. Career Opportunities
The graduate can be employed in several natural resources management sectors nationally and
internationally such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), World Heritage Centre, Global Environment Facility,
African Wildlife Foundation, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate, Government
parastatals such as the Environmental Management Agency, Parks and Wildlife, various Non-
Governmental Organisations, Environmental Consultancies, Nature based Tourism,
Transboundary natural Resources and other related organisations. Upon completion of the
programme, graduates should be able to carry out planning, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of natural resources projects at international, national and local levels. Career
opportunities include:

• natural resource entrepreneurs;

• environmental advocates;
• forest and wildlife officers;
 • researchers;
• natural resource planning officers;
• conservationists;
• rural livelihood officers;
• environmental consultants and
• project monitors and evaluators.

5. Entry Requirements
For admission one should have the following qualifications:

5.1 At least 5 ‘O’ level passes, including English language, a Science subject and
Mathematics with grade C or better.

5.2 Passes at Advanced Level in at least two subjects as follows:

Category 1: Any two of the following: Mathematics, Biology, Agricultural Subject,

Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science.

Category 2: Geography or Environmental Science or Environmental Management and

any other ‘A’ level subject.

5.3 Candidates without ‘A’ levels, but are holders of relevant National Diplomas from
recognised Institutions shall be considered.

6. Structure of Programme
6.1 The Programme shall extend over a period of four years of full time study, each
year comprising two semesters.

6.2 Normally the degree programme shall be arranged as follows;

6.2.1 Part I Semester I Semester II
6.2.2 Part II Semester I Semester II
6.2.3 Part III Semester I Semester II
6.2.4 Part IV Semester I Semester II

6.3 Students are expected to take a minimum of ten courses in each part,
excluding Part III.

7. Registration
7.1 No candidate may register for a Course unless he/she has passed all the
prerequisites for that Course before the beginning of the Semester in which the
Course is being offered.

7.2 A student is only allowed to register a given Course combinations as long as

they are feasible in terms of the provisions of the timetable.

7.3 The Departmental Board shall sanction the combination of Courses that a
student may choose to do.

8. Industrial Attachment (NR 300) Course

8.1 Students shall be attached at relevant organizations for at least eight (8) months.
 8.2 The student shall produce a report following the format set by the Department
towards the end of their attachment.

8.3 Lecturers shall normally assess students twice during the period of
attachment

8.4 There shall be line supervisors at places of attachment who shall assess
each student’s progress.

8.5 Final mark for Industrial Attachment. The weighting of the assessment shall
be as follows:

8.5.1 Student Report: 50%

8.5.2 University Supervisor(s)/Lecturers: 20%
8.5.3 Line Supervisor(s): 30%

9. Scheme of Examination
9.1 There shall be a set of formal examinations at the end of each semester.

9.2 Assessments shall be based on Course Work and Formal Examinations. Course
Work shall account for 30% and the Formal Examination shall account for 70%
of the overall mark.

9.3 The assessment of a Research Project shall be based on a dissertation submitted at

a date determined by the Departmental Board. Students may be required to
present a seminar or attend an oral examination based on the project.

10.0 Determination of Results

10.1 For each Course and student the Departmental Board Examiners shall determine
final mark.

10.2 The Departmental Board of Examiners shall submit, for each Course under its
control and each student, enrolled in that Course, the final mark to the Faculty
Board
of Examiners.

11.0. Awarding and Classification of Degree.

11.1 To be eligible for the award of a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Natural
Resources Management, a candidate must have:

11.1.1 passed all core courses in the programme.

11.1.2 accumulated a minimum of 516 credits.

11.2 The following grading shall be adopted for all courses and degree:
Class 1: 75-100%
Class 2.1: 65-74%
Class 2.2: 60-64%
Pass: 50-59%
 Fail: Less than 50%
11.3 Each degree shall be classified using results of Part I, Part II, Part III and Part IV, the
weighting shall be as follows:
Part I 10%
Part II 30%
Part III 20%
Part IV 40%

11.4 In each Part excluding Part III, marks for the ten courses in which the student has
obtained the highest score, including marks for all the Core Courses, will be used to
classify
the student’s degree result.

11.5 Results shall be published in accordance with the provisions of the General Regulations.
COURSES
Part I
Code Narration Core Pre- Credit Notional Contact Assessm Independe
req s Hours Hours ent nt Study
Hours Hours
CS101 Introduction to Y 14 140 65 15 60
Computer
Science
HS102 Health Y 14 140 65 15 60
Education
NR101 Principles & Y 12 120 60 10 50
Processes of
Ecosystems
NR102 Fundamentals Y 12 120 60 10 50
of Water
Resources
Management
NR103 Basic 14 140 65 15 60
Statistics
NR104 Principles of 12 120 60 10 50
Social
Anthropology
NR105 Introductory 12 120 60 10 50
Economics
NR106 Basic Forestry Y 12 120 60 10 50
& Wildlife
Science
NRF101 General Soil Y 12 120 60 10 50
Science
NRF102 Introduction to 12 120 60 10 50
Plant Science
NRM101 Principles of 12 120 60 10 50
Sustainable
Development
NRM 102 Global 12 120 60 10 50
Environmental
Issues
NRM 103 Introduction to Y 12 120 60 10 50
Environmental
Pollution
NRM 104 Introduction to 12 120 60 10 50
Mineral
Resources
PC 103 Communication Y 12 120 60 10 50
Skills
PC 108 Citizenship Y 12 120 60 10 50
Education &
Conflict
Transformation
KEY
Y - Core-course
Pre-req - Pre-requisite course
Part II
Code Narration Core Pre- Credit Notional Contact Assessm Independe
req s Hours Hours ent nt Study
Hours Hours
ES210 Environmental Y 12 120 60 10 50
Management
Systems
ES211 Environmental Y 14 140 65 15 60
Impact
Assessment
ES218 Waste 12 120 60 10 50
Management
ESM202 Occupational 12 120 60 10 50
Health & Safety
NR201 Research Y NR1 14 140 65 15 60
Methods 03
NR203 GIS and Y 14 140 65 15 60
Remote
Sensing
NR204 Apiculture 12 120 60 10 50
NR205 Natural Y 12 120 60 10 50
Resources
Legislation
NR206 Fire Y 12 120 60 10 50
Management
NRF202 Forest Botany 12 120 60 10 50
NRM201 Natural Y 12 120 60 10 50
Resources
Evaluation
NRM203 Mineral 12 120 60 10 50
Resources
Management
NRM204 Environmental 12 120 60 10 50
Education
NRM205 Land Y 12 120 60 10 50
Management &
Conservation
NRW209 Aquaculture 12 120 60 10 50
NRW210 Wildlife 12 120 60 10 50
Resources
Management
KEY
Y - Core-course
Pre-req - Pre-requisite course
Part III
Code Narration Core Pre- Credit Notional Contact Assessm Independe
req s Hours Hours ent nt Study
Hours Hours
NR301 Industrial Y 120 1200
Attachment
KEY
Y - Core-course
Pre-req - Pre-requisite course
Part IV
Code Narration Core Pre- Credit Notional Contact Assessm Independe
req s Hours Hours ent nt Study
Hours Hours
AGE401 Organizational 12 120 60 10 50
Behaviour
ES413 Project Y 12 120 60 10 50
Planning &
Management
ES415 Environmental Y 12 120 60 10 50
Disaster
Management
NR402 Agroforestry 12 120 60 10 50
NR404 Nature-Based Y 12 120 60 10 50
Entrepreneurshi
p
NR405 Natural Y 12 120 60 10 50
Resources &
Climate Change
NR460 Research Y NR2 36 360 18 2 340
Project 01
NRF404 Forest 12 120 60 10 50
Resources
Management
NRM401 Rural 12 120 60 10 50
Development &
Extension
NRM402 Environmental 12 120 60 10 50
Economics
NRM403 Land 12 120 60 10 50
Reclamation &
Re-vegetation
NRM404 Community Y 12 120 60 10 50
Based Natural
Resources
Management
NRM405 Livelihoods and 12 120 60 10 50
Vulnerable
Communities
NRM406 Development 12 120 60 10 50
Planning &
Natural
Resources
Management
NRW402 Ecotourism 12 120 60 10 50
KEY
Y - Core-course
Pre-req - Pre-requisite course