College of Open and Distance Learning 

The College of Open and Distance Learning (CODL), SMU, was launched on March 2000 as Distance Education Division (DED) focusing on Business and Law fields of studies. A year later in 2001, it widened its training programs and included various fields of studies in Teacher Education. Since then, the College has been making a speedy growth providing diversified training to distance learners who wish to pursue their education in various fields of studies, through its regional offices and coordinating centers, which are located throughout the country. The Coordination Centers and Agent Offices which are responsible for registration of students, distribution of learning materials, organization & coordination of term-based tutorial and examination sessions and collection of registration & tuition fees in their respective regions. The Centers and Agent Offices are also responsible for liaising with government and non-government bodies and the communities in the regions. The Coordination Centers and Agent Offices are directly accountable to their respective Region/Main office in matters of administration and all their work is monitored by the same.

 

The College has three departments established in 2012 namely, Department of Business & Economics, Department of Social Sciences & Humanities, and Department of Agriculture & Development Studies, each offering undergraduate degree in various fields as presented below. 

 

Department of Business & Economics

The Department of Business & Economics, CODL, is currently offering distance undergraduate degree in the fields of Accounting, Management, Marketing Management, Financial Economics, Economics, Banking and Finance, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Public Administration and Development Management.

 

Department of Social Sciences & Humanities

The Department of Social Sciences & Humanities, CODL, offers distance undergraduate degree programs in the fields of Educational Planning & Management, and Sociology.

 

 

 

Department of Agriculture & Development Studies

The Department of Agriculture & Development Studies, CODL, is currently offering distance undergraduate degree in Rural Development, Agricultural Extension, Agri-Business Management, Cooperative (Accounting & Auditing), Cooperative (Business Management), and Agricultural Economics.

 

Department of General Education

The Department of General Education, CODL, was established in 2013 to run general distance education for students from grade 5-10. The duration of courses for grade 5-8 students is 8 terms and 3 terms for grade 9 and 10 students.

Duration of programs 

The duration of the undergraduate degree program is four years or twelve terms and the duration for students who join the department after securing undergraduate degree elsewhere depends on the number of course exemptions they may be entitled to.

Governance 

The highest organ at CODL is the College’s Distance Education Council. CODL is headed by a Vice President who is directly answerable to the President of the University. Under the Vice President are Office of the Academic Dean, Office of the Associate Registrar, Office of Centers Management, Quality Assurance Unit, Material Management & Distribution Unit and Material Production Unit. All of these Offices and Units have their own Departments and Sections under them.

Council of the College of Open and Distance Learning (CODL) 

The Council of the College of Open and Distance Learning is the highest-decision making body of the CODL and has the following duties and responsibilities:

  • Deliberate on the short, medium and long-term plans of the College;
  • Prepare the fields of studies and timetable for the various courses offered in distance education programs of the College; 
  • Determine the procedures for the selection of students who are admitted by CODL in accordance with the general guidelines of MoE, MoSHE, HERQA and St. Mary’s University (SMU);
  • Devise ways for improving the learning and teaching methods used in the College;
  • Laydown the modalities of examinations and approve grades and promotions of students in accordance with the general guidelines issued by MoE, MoSHE, HERQA and St. Mary’s University (SMU);    
  • Undertake studies and suggest recommendations to the Vice President of the College concerning the rate of service fees;
  • Devise ways for strengthening the relations of the College with other relevant institutions; 
  • Deliberate and submit recommendations on other academic affairs relating to the College;
  • Determine its own rules of procedures;
  • Approve CODL’s Academic Calendar;
  • Supervise the implementation of regulations passed by the President of the University and the Vice President of the College;
  • Submit recommendations that can promote the training, research and consultation programs of the College to the Vice President of CODL  and the President of the University for approval; 
  • Undertake other activities assigned by the Vice President of the College or the President of the University (SMU).