Psychology Department Policies

POL-ACAD-PSY-019: V1.1

Psychology Department

National Excellence

Institute Islamabad

Academic Catalog

Year 2026

Table of Contents

1.

Introduction 4

2.

Governance and Administrative Structure 5

1. Vision & Mission 6
2. Eligibility Criteria and Admission Policy 7

5.

Scholarship Criteria 7

6.

Program Objectives 8

7.

Program Structure 12

1. Degree Award Requirement 18
2. Course Registration Policy 19
3. Repeating Courses/Improvement of CGPA 20

11.

Attendance Policy 20

12.

Grading Policy 21

13.

Transfer of Credit Hours 23

1. References 25

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Psychology Department at the National Excellence Institute (NEI).

Our mission is to prepare ethically grounded, emotionally intelligent, and research-

oriented professionals who can contribute meaningfully to mental well-being and

societal development. We offer a transformative learning experience that combines

academic excellence with practical application, aligned with the HEC Revised

Curriculum 2025 and Undergraduate Policy 2023 (V1.1).

a nurturing environment where students develop critical thinking, scientific insight,

and interpersonal skills essential for success in clinical, academic, and applied

settings. We invite you to join our vibrant academic community and take the next step

toward a purposeful and impactful future in psychology.

GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

Leadership: The department is led by a HOD Ms. Khifza Rehman PHD scholar

National University of Science and Technology and Program Coordinator Mr.

Shehryar Nasir.

Academic Oversight: The department manages curriculum, including BS

Psychology, ensuring compliance with HEC standards.

VISION & MISSION

Vision

To prepare competent, ethical, and research-driven psychology professionals through

innovative education, scientific inquiry, and applied training—empowering them to

promote mental well-being, advance psychological knowledge, and deliver impactful

solutions across diverse settings in an ever-evolving global society.

Mission

To develop future-ready psychology professionals through transformative education,

innovative research, and ethical practice—empowering them to become emotionally

intelligent, socially responsible, and professionally skilled individuals who contribute

meaningfully to mental well-being and community development.

ELIGIBILITY & ADMISSION CRITERIA

Higher Secondary School Certificate (involving 12 years of schooling) or an

IBCC equivalent qualification in any group is the basic eligibility requirement for

admission in the Bachelor of Science in Psychology. The concerned university may

set minimum eligibility scores and may conduct entry / admission test through its own

testing body or an external testing services provider of repute as per the screening,

admission and merit calculation criteria approved by its statutory bodies.

SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA

The Institute has established a comprehensive scholarship policy covering the

following:

1. 10% scholarships/fee waivers for government employees
2. 5% scholarships/fee waivers for disabled students
3. 10% scholarships/fee waivers for meritorious student

Region Based Scholarship

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology program is structured in accordance

with the HEC Undergraduate Education Policy V 1.1 to provide students with a

comprehensive and interdisciplinary understanding of human behavior, mental

processes, and societal dynamics. Over eight semesters, the curriculum is designed to

foster a progressive development of students’ theoretical knowledge, analytical skills,

and practical competencies, delivering a balanced and robust educational journey. The

program emphasizes experiential learning through practical assignments, case studies,

research projects, and interactive discussions on contemporary psychological trends,

enabling students to connect theoretical concepts to real- world applications.

Graduates of the BS Psychology program will be well-prepared for diverse career

opportunities in fields such as counseling, clinical psychology, educational

psychology, human resource management, health psychology, and research. They will

also be equipped to pursue advanced studies in psychology and related

interdisciplinary areas, both nationally and internationally.

STANDARD NOMENCLATURE

The scheme of study prescribed for the four-year undergraduate degree in

Psychology is based on a total of 7 advanced electives. Where these electives are

opted from the general pool, the degree will be awarded as Bachelor of Science in

Psychology in its generic form and without any specialization. Whereas, if all the

electives are opted from within a single specialization domain, the degree will be

offered as Bachelor of Science in Psychology with name of specialization in

parenthesis in accordance with the National Qualifications Framework (2015).

Program Learning Outcomes

• PLO1 Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of fundamental and

advanced concepts in the field of psychology to address contemporary

psychological issues in diverse cultural and societal contexts.

• PLO2 Apply theoretical frameworks and practical knowledge of psychology

to real-world scenarios, effectively addressing challenges related to mental

health, well-being, human behavior and organizational dynamics across

various professional settings.

• PLO3 Communicate psychological insights and evidence-based solutions with

clarity and ethical considerations, showcasing the ability to contribute to

research, psychological initiatives and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Alignment of Courses with Program Learning Outcomes

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology is structured in accordance with the

provisions of the HEC Undergraduate Education Policy V 1.1. and comprises of

minimum 134 credit hours (including supervised internship and capstone) spread over

8 regular semesters. Universities may offer courses up-to maximum of 144 credit

hours provided that the total number of credit hours are reasonably set to achieve the

Program Learning Objectives (PLOs) without putting undue burden on students.

Summary of the program including the model scheme of study is given below.

Structure - Scheme of Studies

Semester Wise Schemes of Studies

Grand Total Credit Hours: 139

Note: Elective Courses will be opted from the specialization courses

DEGREE AWARD REQUIREMENTS

The following minimum requirements are prescribed for award of Bachelor of

Science in Psychology:

All courses in the General Education category with titles and credit hours as

prescribed in the HEC Undergraduate Education Policy V 1.1. including the course of

“Pakistan Studies” must be completed.

• Minimum of 134 credit hours as prescribed in this document must be

completed.

• Capstone of 3 credit hours must be completed in accordance with HEC

Undergraduate Education Policy V 1.1. This requirement cannot be substituted

with additional coursework or internship. Internship is already included in the

minimum 134 credit hours prescribed for the degree program.

• Internship of 3 credit hours must be completed in accordance with HEC

Undergraduate Education Policy V 1.1. This requirement cannot be substituted

with additional coursework, capstone, research or project work. Capstone is

already included in the minimum 134 credit hours prescribed for the degree

program.

• CGPA must not be below 2.00/4.00 at the time of completion of the degree

program. The university may however set higher standard in this regard.

• The minimum duration to complete the degree program is 8 regular semesters

and the maximum duration is 12 regular semesters. The maximum duration

may further be extended in accordance with HEC semester guidelines.

Summer semester is not considered as a regular semester.

COURSE REGISTRATION POLICY

ENROLLMENT/REGISTRATION IN COURSES

• Department will assign an advisor to each student on admission. The advisor

and the student together will develop a flexible comprehensive plan of study

that will be implemented in each semester. The advising file will be updated

each semester and will include copies of transcripts and GPA earned.

• Students are required to choose the courses they wish to enroll in, prior to the

start of a semester with the advice of an advisor. For this purpose, the

university will publish a schedule for enrollment of students. The students may

make any change (add/drop) in the courses they are taking within second week

of the semester and record the changes in Advisor file and office of the

registrar. No drop and add will be allowed after the third week of the semester.

• A student who wishes to add or drop a course, or change a section of a course

after registration must complete the relevant procedure as prescribed by the

university.

• Students may be allowed to withdraw from a course during 4-6 week of the

semester. In such a case the transcript shall record that the student enrolled in

the course and withdrew. Consequently, grade W will be awarded to the

student which shall have no impact on the calculation of the CGPA of the

student.

• A student withdrawing after the 6th week shall be automatically awarded "F"

grade which shall count in the GPA and stay on the transcript.

REPEATING COURSES / IMPROVEMENT OF CGPA

• If a student gets 'F' grade, s/he will be required to repeat the course or its

recommended alternate, if any. However, “F” grade obtained earlier will also

be recorded on the transcript.

• Students may be allowed to repeat a course in which s/he has obtained grade

below “C”. In such a case both the previous and new grade obtained will be

recorded on the transcript, however, only the better grade shall be used in the

calculation of CGPA. The Institution may define maximum number (<6) of

course that student may be allowed to repeat in eight semester degree

program.

• In case of CGPA improvement, it would be recorded with (Imp) on the

transcript.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

• Attendance in classes is mandatory especially in a semester system.
• Each Institution may develop a policy for minimum attendance (>75 %) in a

course to complete the requirements of a course.

• The instructor may report a student’s absences and the student may be placed

on attendance probation by his/her dean/HOD and it will be notified by the

department. A student may be dropped from the University for violating the

terms of such probation.

GRADING POLICY

Absolute Grading Method (Based on Fixed Scales)

This method has the following attributes:

• Fixed Percent Scale
• Total Point Method.
• Easy to calculate grades.
• Easy for students to understand.
• Consistency gives illusion of fairness.
• Reduces competition between students.
• Tie point systems explicitly with a domain of tasks, behaviors, or knowledge upon

which the assessment will be based.

FRACTIONALIZED GRADING POLICY

Keeping in view the variations related to both academic systems (Semester

and annual system), the following equivalence of GPA/CGPA and percentage is

recommended for adoption:

Fractionalized Grading System

Note: A student getting any CGPA, in absolute or relative grading will be given the

minimum of the corresponding percentage of the column 3. For example, if a student

gets a CGPA of 3.00, the percentage associated will be 71%

COMPUTATION OF SEMESTER GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) AND

CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE (CGPA)

GPA: This is a figure ranging preferably from 0.00 to 4.00 be used to indicate the

performance of a student in the semester concerned. A standard scale of 0.00 to 4.00 is

recommended to all HEIs

GPA=Sum over all courses in a Semester (Course Credit Hours x

Grade Point Earned)/Total Semester Credit Hours

Semester Grade Point Average (GPA) and Cumulative Grade Point Averages (CGPAs)

will be calculated using the following relationships:

CGPA= Sum over all taken courses in all Semesters (Course Credit Hours x Grade

Point Earned) Total Credit Hours taken in all Semester

CGPA REQUIRED FOR THE COMPLETION OF UNDERGRADUATE AND

GRADUATE DEGREE

• For completion of the degree, the minimum qualifying CGPAs for BS and

MS/MPhil Students are 2.00 and 2.50, respectively.

• In case a student secures less than 2.00 CGPA (minimum qualifying CGPA) at

the end of final Semester, s/he may be allowed to get re-admission in one or

more courses, in which his/her Grade is below C, along with the forthcoming

semester, provided that s/he is not debarred under the CGPA Improvement

Regulation and time duration specified for the program. (Higher Education

Commission Pakistan, 2023)

TRANSFER OF CREDIT HOURS

• Credits are transferred on course-to-course basis i.e. a person taking course A

at University X is allowed to transfer his/her credits to University Y provided

that course A is equivalent to course B taught at the Y University.

• No credit hour of a course will be transferred if the grade is less than C for

undergraduate

• HEIs are at liberty to enroll students (if they fulfill their criteria) for any

semester or for any single class and issue the students a transcript for the

courses completed.

REQUIREMENT OF INTERNSHIP

Internship of 3 credit hours is a mandatory degree award requirement for

Bachelor of Science Guiding Principles HEC CURRICULUM BOOKLET -

PSYCHOLOGY 2025 2 in Psychology. Internship of 6 to 8 weeks (preferably

undertaken during semester or summer break) must be graded by a faculty member in

collaboration with the supervisor in the field. This requirement cannot be substituted

with additional course work, capstone or any project work.

REQUIREMENT OF CAPSTONE

It is a mandatory degree award requirement of 3 credit hours for Bachelor of

Science in Psychology. The capstone is a multifaceted body of work that serves as a

culminating academic and intellectual experience for students. It must be supervised

and graded by a faculty member as per the protocols prescribed by the concerned

department. This requirement cannot be substituted with additional course work or

internship.

References

Higher Education Commission. 2025. Curriculum for Psychology. Higher Education

Commission.

Higher Education Commission. 2015.National Qualification Framework of Pakistan.

Higher Education Commission.

Higher Education Commission. 2015. Policy Guidelines for Implementation of

Uniform Semester System in Hei’s of Pakistan. Higher Education Commission.

Drafted By:

______________________________

Shehryar Nasir Program Coordinator

Department of Psychology

Reviewed By:

_______________________________

Ms. Khifza Rehman

Chairperson Department of Psychology

_____________________________

QEC Director Dr Abida Bilal

Approved in

Academic Council