The program provides new opportunities for professionals with a background in information and communication science. It exposes our graduates to various techniques and algorithms in communication, microelectronic integration in hardware and software solutions with wide range applications in communication science.

AUN’s Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) will serve as the technical support platform for the program. Canvas has been the LMS of choice at AUN for well over 8 years and is implemented on-site within the AUN data centre rather than as a Cloud Service. AUN faculty are not only well experienced in the use of the Canvas LMS but have received extensive professional training on course design that emphasizes a problem centred pedagogy which is most suitable for online delivery. AUN also has 24/7 stable internet access both on campus and at faculty residence. Given the technology platform and our pool of trained faculty, students can be assured of the best possible online learning experience. Online classes will be a mix of synchronous and asynchronous activities.

For the MICS program, there are a total of 12 courses: 10 required or mandatory courses + 2 electives that will constitute a capstone experience which will be an alternative to the thesis option. Students will be encouraged to register for and complete an industry certification track as part of their capstone experience. View Program Prospectus

The program is split across four semesters. Each semester contains a time box of 6-weeks, each week representing a separate set of learning activities and interactions as shown below. 

• Examinations will be conducted for each course at the liaison centres in major cities in Nigeria. These examinations will be proctored by qualified instructors and will be camera-recorded. Strict identification checks will be carried out to ensure that there is no fraudulent activity in the exams.
• To check the quality of the assignments and to ensure that students have completed the online coursework themselves, viva-voce sessions may also be conducted at the exam centers.
• Statistics on the use of online platform may be obtained by number of visits by students, number of hours spent on the platform, areas on platform accessed by the student etc.
• Online presentation of course work could be included to ensure that students synchronously submit and present their asynchronously completed coursework.

The Graduate Support Office at the School of Graduate Studies will provide additional support to students. The Graduate Support Coordinator and Hybrid Teaching Assistants will engage students to ensure a smooth online experience.

Courses will be scheduled per 6-week time box followed by one week for an in-person exam and a week’s break before the next time box commences.  Each semester, therefore, comprises a total of 12 weeks entire. Each week or learning unit per course will have the following components:

1. Individual Learning Activity (Asynchronous Activity)
2. Shared Group Learning Activity (Asynchronous Activity)
3. Online Office Hours and Unit Revisions – Once a Week – Synchronous (via Google Meet or Zoom meetings)
4. Continuous assessment & feedback on weekly activities (individual or group) – Final Exams will be done in person in Yola, Kano/Kaduna, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja (all depending on the locations of enrolled students). 

Individual Learning Activities (ILAs)

Individual assignments require students to produce a product or complete a task, drawing from theory and real-world problems or case studies and own work practices and experiences. It requires the application/analysis/synthesis of key unit concepts and skills. It forms an element of the Final Project or Exam, or contributes to the Final Project or Exam.

Submission of Individual Activities at the end of each Unit is strongly encouraged. Instructors will provide prompt, constructive and personalized feedback on submitted activities to advance learning. Individual and group activities form the Continuous Assessment grade but their essence is to advance student learning. Students can submit Individual Assignments for instructor feedback early; however, they should consider the value of participating in the Unit’s Shared Activities prior to submitting for instructor feedback. 

Shared Group Learning Activities (SGLAs)

The Program provides opportunities for students to collaborate and share an understanding of key concepts and issues related to Unit content. It is designed to help students gain the knowledge and skills they need to complete Individual Assignments and/or the Final Project. It can involve discussions, case studies, collaborative work (e.g. in a wiki), and shared reflection on experiences. SGLAs can require students to share drafts of Individual Assignments for peer feedback. Typically conducted using the Discussion Forum, but can also use wiki tools, blogs or other technology.

Note that 5% - 10% of the student’s final grade is determined by their contribution to Shared Activities. Students should participate in SGLAs (e.g. post to the Discussion threads) in a Unit only during the timeframe of that Unit. Students may decide not to participate in the Shared Activities, but they should be aware that this can cost them 5%-10% of the final grade. At the end of the module, students will be assessed on the quality of their contributions and collaboration over the course of the module. 

Final Project

• A final unit project together with individual and group activities account for up to 50% of the overall module grade
• This can be a paper, a project, a project plan, or other comprehensive work
• Can be composed of several elements:
  • Compilation/synthesis of Unit Individual Assignments revised based on instructor feedback
  • Additional product/task completed separately from Individual Assignments (e.g. literature critique)
  • Individual reflection on learning gained from the module 

Final Exam

The final exams for each course pair in a time-box are conducted towards the end of the week following that time-box. These exams will be conducted at a AUN site in Yola, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos or Kano/Kaduna and constitute the remaining 30-40%.

Synchronous Sessions

Each course will contain the following synchronous (or live) sessions:

Welcome sessions – Once a week

• Two one-hour sessions, on two different days of the week, at different times of the day (to accommodate large numbers, schedules, and different time zones)
• Recordings of both sessions will be available to students

Nature

• An add-on which would not interfere with student performance

Why does it?

• To create a sense of community
• To provide information about the module

• 4-hours of open sessions and at least 4 hours total by appointment per week
  • Either instructor to the student (1-1) or instructor to a group of students (1-many)
  • Final Project specific
• Nature
  • An add-on which would have an effect on student performance
• Why do it?
  • To explore possibilities to enhance student learning