Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi offers over 97 undergraduate programmes across six colleges for the 2025/2026 academic year, using a grading model that differs from most other public universities in the country.
Established in 1951 and granted full university status in 1961, KNUST is the second-oldest public university in Ghana and sits on a campus covering approximately 2,512 acres in the Ashanti Region. It remains the country’s foremost institution for science and technology education.
Six Colleges, Dozens of Programmes
The university’s six colleges are Agriculture and Natural Resources, Art and Built Environment, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science. Popular programmes span Architecture, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Medicine and Surgery, Law, Nursing, Biomedical Engineering, Economics and Agricultural Biotechnology, among many others.
How the CWA Works
Unlike the Grade Point Average (GPA) system used elsewhere, KNUST assesses students through the Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA), which factors in credit hours alongside marks earned in each course.
Final semester examinations account for 70 percent of a student’s total mark. Continuous assessment covering mid-semester exams, assignments, practicals, quizzes and group work contributes the remaining 30 percent.
To calculate the CWA, each course’s credit hours are multiplied by the mark obtained, the products are summed, and the total is divided by the overall credit hours. A student with weighted marks totalling 1,292 across 20 credit hours would carry a CWA of 64.60, placing them in the Second Class Upper bracket.
Degree Classifications
First Class: CWA of 70.00 and above Second Class Upper: CWA of 60.00 to 69.99 Second Class Lower: CWA of 50.00 to 59.99 Pass: CWA of 40.00 to 49.99 Fail: Below 40.00
Any student finishing below 40.00 cannot graduate. Students may register between 3 and 13 courses per semester, with total credit hours required to fall between 16 and 21 regardless of the number of courses.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must hold credit passes in English Language, Mathematics and Integrated Science under the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) or the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE), alongside three relevant elective subjects. A total aggregate score of 24 or better is required. Grades D7, E8 and F9 are not accepted.
Advice for Students
KNUST recommends maintaining consistency across all semesters since the CWA accumulates over time. High-credit courses carry more weight in the final calculation and deserve extra focus. Regular attendance at lectures, practicals and tutorials directly affects the 30 percent continuous assessment component. Students experiencing difficulty are advised to seek help early rather than risk trailing or failing modules.
