Regulations for Awarding the Master’s Degree at the American University of Madaba
AUM No. (3) of 2020
issued by the Council of Deans , according to Article (3) of the bylaws of Awarding scientific degrees, honorary degrees and certificates at the American University of Madaba
No. (1) of 2018
Article (1): These regulations are named (regulations of awarding a master’s degree at the American university of Madaba number (3) for the year (2020) .They shall go into effect as of the date of their issue.
Article (2): The words and phrases below shall have, wherever they appear in these regulations, their specified meaning unless otherwise indicated in context:
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University |
American University of Madaba. |
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President |
President of the University |
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Council |
Council of Graduate Studies. |
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Deanship |
Deanship of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies |
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Dean |
Dean of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies |
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Faculty |
Any faculty in the University that offers the graduate studies programs. |
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Department |
Any department in the faculty that offers the graduate studies programs. |
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Faculty Committee |
The graduate studies committee in the faculty |
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Department Committee |
The graduate studies committee in the department. |
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Academic Advisor |
The Faculty member who academically advises postgraduate students |
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Supervisor |
The Faculty member who supervises the postgraduate student’s thesis. |
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Program |
Any master’s program in specialization offered by the university |
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Study Plan |
the Study Plan approved by the Council of Deans |
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Academic year |
consists of two compulsory semesters; the period of each semester is sixteen weeks including the exams period, in addition to an optional summer session which is eight weeks. |
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Remedial course |
Any course less than the level of (700) required to provide the basis for compulsory graduate course(s). |
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Student |
The master’s student |
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Semester |
the first/ Fall or the second/Spring semester |
Admission
Article (3): The Board of Trustees determines annually the number of accepted students and admission requirements to the program as to the recommendation of the Council of Deans and the Council in accordance with the general policy for student admission for postgraduate studies issued by the Higher Education Council.
Article (4): The applicant joining the program is required to abide by the following:
a. The applicant should have a bachelor’s degree with a “good” rating (or equivalent) as a minimum from a recognized university, college, or scientific center.
b. A student who has obtained a bachelor’s degree with an acceptable grade or equivalent may apply for enrollment in the master’s program in accordance with the general policy for students ’admission to the graduate studies in force issued by the Ministry of Higher Education.
c. The applicant should prove that his/her study in the bachelor’s program was regular.
d. students who have got a bachelor’s degree by affiliation are allowed to apply for the master’s programs in case they meet the following conditions:
1. Studying a qualifying program whose number of hours is not less than (30) accredited hours from the bachelor’s level in recognized universities only.
2. The accredited courses in the qualifying program shall be related to the student’s specialization, and shall be from the pure specialization courses in the similar bachelor’s program in the recognized university.
3. Passing the qualifying program courses with a Cumulative Grade Average not less than 75% or equivalent.
e. Attaching a certificate which proves that the student has passed the TOEFL or the national English exam (or an equivalent exam), according to the general policy for students ’admission to the graduate studies in force issued by the Ministry of Higher Education.
Article (5): Based on the recommendation of the department and faculty committees, the council may set additional special conditions for joining the program it offers, taking the following into account:
a. These conditions should not contradict with this regulation or with the general policy for students’ admission to the graduate studies issued by the Ministry of Higher Education.
b. These conditions should be explicitly shown in the study plan submitted for accreditation, and are considered part of it.
c. The special conditions might include exams prepared by the departments upon the council’s approval.
Article (6):
a. A specific form of admission applications for master’s programs is sent to the Admission and Registration department within the period specified by the council. All documents required shall be attached to these applications.
b. The Admission and Registration department would sort out and verify these applications, and then prepare a list with the names of students who are suggested to be admitted in the different programs. Afterwards, the list of Principals and Alternates who are suggested to be admitted in the master’s program is sent to the faculty along with these students’ applications, in order to be studied, accredited, and recommended to the council.
c. The council issues lists of students who are accepted in the programs based on the recommendation of the department and the faculty Committees.
d. In case there is an objection made by faculty (based on the call for a recommendation made by the department) regarding the list of students who are suggested to be admitted to the program or the trade-off basics, the objection is sent to the council along with its reasons and justifications.
e. In case the faculty and the council fail to agree on one accredited list, a committee has to be formed by the president in order to study reasons of disagreement between the two parties, and its decisions are deemed final on this regard.
Article (7):
a. The student may not be admitted in two academic programs simultaneously in any of his/her study stages.
b. If the student is dismissed from the program he/ she got enrolled in, he/she may not be admitted in the same program once again.
i. Study plan
Article (8): The study plan includes at least (33) credit hours and may be increased by (9) upon the approval of the Council of Deans. The study plan courses are distributed according to Thesis track or the comprehensive track as follows:
First: Thesis Track:
a. The student shall pass (24) credit hours according to the study plan as follows:
1. Compulsory courses: (15) credit hours at least from the level 700
2. Elective courses: (9) credit hours at most from the level 700
b. Preparing a thesis, for which (9) hours are allocated, and passing its examination.
Second: Comprehensive Track
a. The student shall pass (33) credit hours according to the study plan as follows:
1. Compulsory courses: (24) credit hours at least from the level 700
2. Elective courses: (9) credit hours at most from the level 700
b. Passing the comprehensive exam.
Article (9): In special cases determined by the department and faculty committees, and upon the call for a recommendation made by the academic advisor and the supervisor, and the decision of the council, the student is allowed to study an elective course from the study plan as a substitute for a compulsory course that is not offered on the condition that:
a. The student has finished preparing his/her thesis and the student still cannot undergo the comprehensive exam because he/she has to take a compulsory course that is not offered.
b. The student is left with only one course from the compulsory courses list that is not offered
c. The remaining compulsory course is not a main practical course.
Studying a course from outside the study plan
Article (10): The student may –upon the call for a recommendation made by the academic advisor, the recommendation of the department committee, and the decision of the faculty committee- study a maximum of (3) credit hours from outside the study plan, from level (700) as a substitute for an elective course that is not offered, on the condition that the course he/she studies pertains to the specialization, so it would be accredited for him/her among the elective courses.
Article (11): When courses such as "Studies" or "Special Topics" or so are offered among courses in the study plan, the course should be credited only once for the student, even if the topics are different.
Remedial Courses
Article (12): The specialization’s department may determine, upon the student’s admission, the remedial courses which the student needs to study in order to prepare the him/her for collegiate study, provided that they do not exceed (9) credit hours. These courses are specified in the admission application.
a. Upon the recommendation of the department, the student may be exempted from studying these remedial courses based on courses and studies completed in the undergraduate stage.
b. No credit is awarded for remedial courses. Remedial courses are displayed on the transcript as pass/fail without marks.
c. The student shall successfully complete the Remedial courses by the end of his/her first academic year since enrollment (as a maximum). In special cases, the student is allowed to exceed this duration upon the decision of the council, based on the recommendation made by the academic advisor, the department and faculty committees.
d. No Remedial courses are required from students whose specialty in the bachelor’s degree is the same as the master’s degree he/she admitted at.
e. One semester is added to the upper limit of the permissible period for obtaining a master’s degree specified in these regulations, if remedial courses are required for student upon admission.
Duration of Study and Academic Studying Load
Article (13): duration of study
a. The upper limit for obtaining the master’s degree is six semesters, which could be extended for two more semesters upon the approval of the dean of the faculty and the recommendation of the department and faculty committees. For this purpose, the summer session is considered an extension for the second semester and does not need to be extended.
b. The purpose of the summer session is to proceed in preparing the thesis. In special cases determined by the department and faculty committees, courses may be offered.
c. The period of postponement and excused withdrawal shall not exceed two semesters. This period is not credited from the maximum duration allowed for obtaining the degree.
Article (14): Academic Studying Load
a. Taking the maximum duration allowed for obtaining a master’s degree into account, the minimum number of credit hours the student is allowed to register in each of the first and second semesters is (6) credit hours, and the maximum is (12) credit hours. Thesis hours are credited from the load hours.
b. The maximum number of hours the student is allowed to register in the summer session is (6) credit hours, which can be increased to (9) credit hours if the academic load contains remedial courses.
c. In special cases recommended by the department and faculty committees, and upon the decision of the dean of the faculty, the student may be allowed to register (3) credit hours in the first or second semester. This can be done only once throughout the student’s study period, except for the graduation semester.
d. Crash Courses: In special cases, with the approval of the dean, based on the recommendation of the faculty dean and the recommendation of the department committee, a specific course may be offered for a period of two weeks or more, provided that the total hours of lectures during the period are equivalent to the total number of lecturing hours if the course is presented in a regular semester, i.e. sixteen weeks
Transfer
Article (15): conditions
a. The student may transfer from one program to another in the university or from other universities under the following conditions:
1. provided that he/she meets the admission conditions in the program he/she wishes to transfer to
2. here is a vacant seat for him/her
3. His/her Cumulative Grade Average is not less than (75%)
b. Procedures
1. Transfer applications are submitted to the Admission and Registration Department on special forms.
2. The Dean approves the student’s transfer based on the recommendation of the department and faculty committees.
Article (16):
a. The student may transfer from the thesis to the comprehensive track upon the decision of the Council, based on the recommendation of the department and faculty committees.
b.
1- It is permissible to transfer the student from the comprehensive track to the thesis track within the one program, under condition:
a. To have completed (15) credit hours of his / her study plan
b. To have a supervisor available for his / her thesis, and the selection of students from among the applicants for transfer shall be competitively based on their Cumulative Grade Average
c. Transfer request is submitted no later than the period of two weeks from the start of the semester
2- Students who wish to transfer from the Comprehensive to the thesis track in the same program are allowed to apply for the concerned department, provided that the names of students who have met the transfer conditions according to the transfer form are sent to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. When transferring from one track to another in the same program, all the courses the student studied from the study plan are credited for him/her, and his/her grades in these courses are counted in his/her Cumulative Grade Average .
Article (17):
a. If a student is admitted in the master’s program and he/she has previously studied “special study” courses at the University, a maximum of (12) credit hours could be credited for him/her under the following conditions:
1. The student’s grade in any of these courses is not less than (70%)
2. These courses are part of the student’s study plan for the major he/she was admitted in.
3. To pay the difference in fees for the major that he/she was admitted in, if any.
4. Not more than five years have passed since the student studied these courses.
b. Having studied courses in another university, the maximum number of hours to be credited for the student transferring to the university is (9) credit hours, provided that:
1. These courses are equivalent, in terms of level and content, to a course or more in the study plan
2. The minimum Cumulative Grade Average allowed for the student in these courses is 70%
3. These courses are equivalent to a course or more in the study plan.
4. Not more than five years have passed since the student studied these courses
c. From the maximum period allowed for obtaining the degree, one semester is deducted for every (9) credit hours that have been credited for the student.
d. Courses from level (700) -or equivalent courses previously studied by the student, and according to which he/she obtained a certificate or another scientific degree, shall not be credited for the student.
e. The Council approves the accreditation of courses based on the recommendation of the department and faculty committees.
Article (18):
a. Taking article (17/C) from these regulations into account, the student admitted in the university’s master’s program is allowed to study a maximum of (6) credit hours in a similar program in another university, or (9) credit hours at a university with an international classification of no more than (500) or has an exchange agreement linked to the university provided that he/she gets an in-advance approval from the Council based on the recommendation of the department and faculty Committees,
b. The student’s grades in these courses are not calculated his/her Cumulative Grade Average.
Courses, Grades and Exams
Article (19):
a. The minimum grade required for passing each of the program courses is (70%). As for remedial courses, the student is required to pass.
b. The minimum course passing grade required is 50% (University zero at the MA level)
c. The grade points in the Cumulative Grade Average are given the following ratings:
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Ratings |
Points |
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Excellent |
90% - 100% |
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Very good |
80% - 89.9% |
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Good |
75%- 79.9% |
Article (20):
a. The minimum Cumulative Grade Average required for passing the program’s courses is 75%
b. If the student’s Cumulative Grade Average is less than (75%), he/she may re-study (6) hours -as a maximum- from the study plan all through his/her master’s study period, provided that his/her grade in these courses is less than (75%).
Article (21):
a. Taking article (9) from these regulations into account, if the student restudies a course in which he/she previously failed, or in order to raise his/her Cumulative Grade Average, the higher grade is credited for him/her in the semester average as well as in his/her Cumulative Grade Average, and the other one is listed on his/her academic record.
b. If the restudied course is an optional one, the student may choose another optional course to study, and the higher grade is credited in the student’s semester average as well as in the Cumulative Grade Average, whereas the other one is listed on his/her academic record.
Article (22):
a. Course grades shall be distributed as follows:
1. Semester work grade (60%), including at least one written exam, for which (20-30%) of the semester work grade is allocated. It also includes other works, for which (30-40%) of the semester work grade is allocated.
2. Final Exam grade, for which (40%) is allocated.
b. The following are exempted from provisions what has been mentioned in article (a): seminars, projects, laboratories, designs, drawings, practical examinations, practical training, and clinical training with accredited hours, for their grades are distributed according to standards determined by department or faculty committee.
The Comprehensive Exam
Article (23): The comprehensive exam has an integral nature which aims at measuring the student’s capability to link between the different main and advanced concepts which he/she acquired from different disciplines as well as his/her ability to make use of these concepts in solving the scientific and applied problems in his/her field of specialization.
Article (24): The department committee handles the following tasks:
a. Organizing for the exam issues and determining the fields it will include, such that it includes the specialization’s fields and that the fields are not less than 3 and not more than 5. The committee also suggests the references and readings needed and announces the fields, references, and readings for students at least one academic semester before the exam date.
b. Recommending to the faculty committee to form the comprehensive exam committee, which consists of 3-5 members including the head of the committee. The committee members are selected from the teaching members specialized in the topic of the exam to write the questions and correct the answers. The decision to form a committee is issued by the council.
c. The results of the comprehensive exam are notified to the faculty committee to be studied and recommended to the council in order to be approved.
Article (25): The comprehensive exam consists of one paper, which lasts for (4) hours, and is held two times a year on specific dates according to the academic calendar. It may be held for a third time during the summer session if the capabilities and arrangements required for that are available in the different departments. The student shall fill out a specific form to undergo this exam.
Article (26):
a. The student applies for the comprehensive exam after he/she succeeds in all the study plan requirements with a 75% Cumulative Grade Average as a minimum.
b. If the student fails the comprehensive exam for the first time, he/she can undergo the exam once again within the maximum period allowed for obtaining the master’s degree.
c. The grade required for passing the comprehensive exam is (75%). If the student fails the exam for the second time, he/she is dismissed from the master’s program.
d. The student’s result is scored in his/her transcript as (pass) or (fail) each time he/she undergoes the exam.
Article (27): The regulations of granting the bachelor’s degree are applied in cases not stipulated in these regulations regarding exams, grades, and averages.
Attendance
Article (28):
a. If the student’s absence (which is unexcused by the faculty dean) exceeds (20%) of the total number of accredited hours for any course, the student is deprived of undergoing the final exam. He/she is given a grade of 50% in that course and shall restudy that course if it is a compulsory one. In all cases, the result of failing is included when calculating the student’s semester average and Cumulative Grade Average, for warning and dismissal reasons.
b. If the student’s absence (which is excused by the faculty dean) exceeds (20%) of the total number of accredited hours for one course or more, the student is considered a withdrawer from the course(s).
c. Absence is recorded from the date of admission for the new students who got admitted after the beginning of teaching.
d. The student is considered registered in the course if the course fees are paid.
Article (29): Any student who does not show up for the final exam with an excuse accepted by the dean of the faculty, is recorded a note stating “incomplete”. The decision of accepting the excuse is reported to the course instructor in order to hold a make-up exam for the student no later than the second week of the following semester in which the student was absent, unless the semester following the one in which the student was absent was officially postponed, or the student dropped it out with an excuse. In this case, the exam shall be held in the semester following the postponed one.
Article (30): Regulations of granting a bachelor’s degree in the university are applied on the procedures of submitting a sick excuse.
Withdrawal
Article (31):
a. 1. The student is allowed to withdraw from one course or more within a maximum period of (14) weeks since the beginning of the semester and (7) weeks since the beginning of the summer session. The note (withdrawer) is recorded on the student’s academic record.
2. Withdrawal in this case is done electronically or through a special form issued by the admission and registration Department which includes the course instructor, the head of the department recommendations and the approval of the dean of the faculty and the head of the admission and registration Department
b. The student whose absence (which is excused by the dean of the faculty) exceeds (20%) of the total number of credit hours for semester courses is considered a withdrawer from that semester. This period is not considered within the upper limit of the duration of obtaining the degree nor from the upper limit of the postponement duration, which is one time only.
c. The dean of the faculty may approve the student’s withdrawal from all the courses registered in the semester, on the condition that the withdrawal application is submitted at least two weeks before the final examinations. The note “withdrawer” is recorded on the student’s record, and his/her study is considered postponed for that semester.
d. 1. The dean may approve the student’s final withdrawal from the program he/she got admitted in on the condition that the final withdrawal application is submitted at least two weeks before the final examinations.
2. The student who has withdrawn from the program is not allowed to be admitted in the same program once again if his/her Cumulative Grade Average at the time of withdrawing is less than (75%).
Postponement
Article (32): The student may submit a request for a postponement for one or two consecutive or separate semesters, at maximum, according to a form prepared for that purpose. Approval is issued by the Dean if the postponement is for one semester and for the council if it is for two consecutive semesters.
Article (33): It is a condition that the student who applies for postponement has at least spent one academic semester in the program he/she got enrolled in. In special cases determined by the council, the student may get an approval to postpone the semester he/she got admitted in within two weeks from the beginning of teaching in that semester. In this case, the student does not have the right to postpone the following semester.
Article (34): If the academic semester ends, and the student has neither registered nor postponed that semester, his/her registration in the university is deemed canceled, unless he/she submits a compulsive excuse accepted by the related party, in accordance with the following:
1. The Council: if the student’s discontinuity from study does not exceed one academic semester, and this discontinuity is deemed a postponement, and is considered within the upper limit allowed for postponement.
2. The Council of Deans : if the student’s discontinuity from study exceeds one academic semester, and this discontinuity is deemed a postponement.
Warning and Dismissal
Article (35): The student gets a warning in the following cases:
a. If his/her Cumulative Grade Average of any semester does not reach the minimum Cumulative Grade Average allowed in the end of that semester.
b. If the faculty council considers –based on the supervisor’s report and the department and faculty committee’s recommendations- that the student has not put the needed effort into the thesis.
Article (36):
a. The student is considered dismissed from the program in the following cases:
1. If his/her Cumulative Grade Average does not reach the minimum Cumulative Grade Average allowed in the end of the two semesters following the semester in which he/she got a warning.
2. If the student fails the thesis examination.
3. If the student does not meet the graduation requirements within the higher limit for the period allowed.
4. If the student fails the comprehensive exam for the second time.
5. If the student commits a violation that necessitates his /her dismissal according to the regulations and instructions in force at the university.
b. The Graduate Studies Council sends an electronic message to the warned or dismissed student and informs him/her of the decision. The announcement of warning decisions, dismissals from the university, and any other academic matters pertaining to students on the bulletin boards of the faculty of the concerned student, or any other method approved by the university is considered a notification in the legal sense.
c. The Director of the Admission and Registration Department issues decisions of warning and dismissal to private study. As for decisions of final dismissal from the university, they are issued by the deans’ council based on the council’s recommendation
Article (37):
Considering article (20/b), a student who has been dismissed due to his/her low Cumulative Grade Average is allowed to study a maximum of (12) credit hours at most in order to raise his/her Cumulative Grade Average to the minimum limit required. If the Cumulative Grade Average is raised to (75%), the student is registered once again in the program he/she is enrolled at provided that:
1. His/her Cumulative Grade Average upon dismissal is not less than (68%).
2. The courses the student studies are included in the study plan accredited.
3. The student finishes studying those courses within the two semesters following the date of his/her dismissal. These two semesters are credited from the maximum period of obtaining the degree.
Theses Supervision
Article (38):
a. At the beginning of each semester, the academic departments in the faculties announce the research topics suggested by the teaching faculty members in the departments so as for the students to be able to benefit from these topics in determining the topics of their theses. However, the student still has the right to come up with a new research topic other than the ones announced.
b. The student may submit the proposal of his/her thesis and register it in his/her second semester in the program since enrollment, on the condition that he/she has finished studying (9) accredited hours at least, and that his/her Cumulative Grade Average is not less than (75%). The student’s thesis registration is not allowed to exceed his/her fourth semester in the program since enrollment.
c. The department committee forms a committee of specialists consisting of at least three teaching faculty members who meet the conditions of supervision and teaching in the program to examine the student’s proposal.
d. Based on the faculty and department committees recommendations, the council issues a decision of assigning a supervisor and ratifying the thesis title and proposal according to a specific form prepared by the Deanship.
e. The period between ratifying the proposal and setting the examination date should be four months at least.
Article (39):
a. Teaching staff members ranking as professors or associate professors undertake the mission of teaching and supervision in the programs, on the condition that in the last five years he/she has any of the following:
1. He/she has published (or got an approval to publish) two researches at least in refereed and accredited scientific journals, provided that one of the two research papers is published or accepted for publication in an internationally recognized journal.
2. Two refereed books in the field of his/her specialization
3. A refereed book in the field of his/her specialization and a research published or accepted for publication in an internationally recognized journal.
b. A teaching staff member ranking as assistant professor may teach and supervise in the programs on the condition that:
1. He/she has published (or got an approval to publish) two researches at least in refereed and accredited scientific journals in the last three years.
2. He/she is a single or a main researcher in one of these two researches at least after obtaining the doctoral degree.
3. His/her research is not derived from his/her thesis or dissertation.
c. The load of supervising theses and dissertations is (6) accredited hours for professors, (3) accredited hours for associate professors, and (3) accredited hours for assistant professors, provided that the number of theses and/or dissertations does not exceed (4) per semester for professors and associate professors. As for assistant professors, the number of theses and/or dissertations should not exceed (2) per semester.
d. Taking paragraph (3) above into account, an internal or external associate supervisor might be assigned, upon the recommendation of the department and faculty committees and the decision of the council, on the condition that he/she is assigned or qualified to be assigned, ranking as an assistant professor at least, and meeting the conditions of supervision.
e. In special cases, a supervisor from outside the department, faculty, or university who meets the conditions of supervision might be assigned upon the recommendation of the department and faculty committees and the decision of the council.
Article (40):
a. The supervisor might be changed due to circumstances determined by the department and faculty committees and approved by the council.
b. The thesis title and/or subject and/or proposal may be modified if the research circumstances demand that. Modification is made in the same way it/they was/were approved.
Article (41):
a. Upon the decision of the council and based on the recommendation of the department and faculty committees a teaching member who is in a vacation is eligible to supervise a student’s thesis, continue supervising or participate in supervising the thesis, provided that he/she spends his/her vacation in Jordan.
b. In special cases determined by the council, and upon the recommendation of the department and faculty committees, a teaching staff member who spends his/her vacation outside Jordan is allowed to continue supervising a student’s thesis.
Article (42):
a. One accredited hour per semester is credited for the supervisor on each thesis he/she has supervised, starting from the beginning of the semester in which he/she was assigned as a supervisor, and for a maximum of three semesters.
b. In cases of joint supervision, the supervision load and prize are equally distributed.
Examination committee
Article (43): The examination committee consists of the following:
a. The supervisor / head.
b. The associate professor (if available).
c. Two internal teaching staff members who meet the supervision conditions.
d. One external member who meets the supervision conditions.
Article (44):
a. The examination committee is assigned, and the examination date is set by the council’s decision, based on the recommendation of the faculty and department committees as follows:
1. The supervisor prepares a report on the scientific and lingual readiness of the thesis and the examination’s commitment to scientific integrity, pursuant to the accredited proposal, through filling out a specific form for this purpose.
2. The supervisor suggests a list with the names of four internal teaching staff members and three external ones, who all meet the conditions of supervising and teaching in the programs, according to the form prepared for this purpose.
b. The student submits copies of the thesis in its final format to the committee members after the council’s decision is issued regarding forming an examination committee at least three weeks before the date of examination. The student attaches a written ratification stipulating his/her commitment to ethical standards and scientific reliability in preparing his/her thesis or any other decisions or forms ratified by the university.
c. If the committee finds scientific theft in the thesis preparation, the thesis is not presented for examination, and rules of article (55) are applied on it.
Thesis Examination
Article (45): The student submits an application for thesis examination after meeting all the conditions, passing all the exams required, and successfully finishing all the study plan requirements with a Cumulative Grade Average not less than (75%)
Article (46):
a. The thesis is examined as follows:
1. The student presents an abstract for his/her thesis in a maximum of (20) minutes. This presentation is followed by the examination.
2. Attendance of the examination is confined to graduate students, teaching faculty members in the department, and people concerned about the topic of the thesis, and in special cases determined by the department committee, the examination may be held in a closed session.
3. The head of the committee is responsible for directing the examination, and when the examination is over, the committee members negotiate and decide on one of the following results:
a. Passed: In this case, the student has to submit his/her thesis within one week from the date of examination.
b. Passed with minor modifications: In this case, the student needs to do the modifications required and submit his/her thesis within four weeks from the date of examination. A report prepared by the supervisor and showing that the student has made the modifications required shall be attached.
c. Passed with major modifications: In this case, the student shall do the modification required to the thesis within a period of two to four months from the date of examination. The student registers (zero) hours in the following semester if the legal period allowed for studying is not over yet. The student is considered passed if the committee approves the thesis. Otherwise, he/she is considered failed.
d. Failed.
b. The duration allocated for submitting the thesis in its final format as stipulated in provision (3) of this article could be extended in compulsive cases approved by the council.
Article (47):
a. The examination committee’s decision is accredited by the council based on the recommendation of the department and faculty committees, pursuant to a specific form that is filled out for this purpose.
b. The title of the thesis is listed on the student’s grades’ list both in Arabic and English
Graduate Studies Council and Committees
Article (48):
a. A council called ‘The Graduate Studies Council’ shall be formed and be chaired by the dean and the membership of:
1. Deputy dean or associate deans
2. Deans of the concerned faculties that offer post-graduate programs or their deputies.
b. Two experts from outside the university to be appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the dean.
Article (49): The Council assumes the following duties and powers:
a. Preparing draft instructions that regulate graduate studies affairs in preparation for their issuance.
b. Coordination of graduate studies study plans between the various university faculties.
c. Recommending to the Deans Council the establishment of new postgraduate programs at the university based on the recommendation of the Faculty Council and a proposal from the Department Council.
d. Recommending to the Council of Deans the number of graduate students to be admitted to each department based on a recommendation of the Faculty Council and a suggestion from the Department Council.
e. Recommending to the Council of Deans granting a master’s degree to students who have completed graduation requirements.
Article (50): The dean assumes the following duties and powers:
a. Managing the Deanship's affairs
b. Organizing graduate studies affairs and coordinating with the deans of other faculties
c. Implementing policies and regulations related to postgraduate studies.
d. Submitting a report to the university presidency at the end of each academic year on graduate studies affairs and their activities at the university.
Article (51):
a. The department committee is formed by the decision of the specialization’s faculty dean, taking the opinion of the Head of the Department into account. The authorities of the department’s council that pertain to graduate studies issues are deputed to the committee, which is formed as follows:
1. The Head of the Department / Head. In case he/she does not meet the conditions of teaching and supervising, another teaching faculty member who meets the conditions is assigned by the Dean of the Faculty to be the Head of the committee.
2. Three to five professors or associate professors. If necessary, the committee may also include assistant professors provided that they meet the conditions of teaching and supervising in the graduate studies programs.
b. The department committee handles supervising graduate studies issues in the department. It also handles assurance of abiding by the graduate studies policies and regulations and the ethics of scientific research. The committee authorities include the following:
1. Assigning an academic advisor in the beginning of the academic year for students of the same program in the department who meet the conditions of teaching and supervising in the programs.
2. Make recommendations related to the following and submit them to the faculty committee:
a. Establishing new programs
b. Following up the study plans of the programs and updating them.
c. The number of students proposed to be admitted annually.
d. Results in course exams
e. Assigning supervisors and associate supervisors.
f. Announcing the research topics suggested in the department.
g. Proposals of theses and dissertations.
h. Forming examination committees.
i. Setting defense dates.
j. Sending lists of students who are nominated for scholarships and following up issues of hiring them.
k. Arranging symposiums for the department students.
l. Informing students about the study plan applied on them.
m. Holding meetings with graduate studies students to discuss their issues.
n. - Forming the comprehensive exams committees.
Article (52):
a. The faculty committee is formed by a decision made by the faculty’s council. The faculty council authorities pertaining to graduate studies are delegated to the committee, which is formed as follows:
1. The Dean of the Faculty/Head (or whoever he/she delegates, provided that the person delegated meets the conditions of supervising and teaching in the graduate studies programs).
2. Two faculty members with the rank of professor or who meet the conditions of supervising and teaching.
3. Tow faculty members with a full professor rank and/or other ranks as permitted
b. The faculty committee supervises graduate studies issues. It also assures abiding by the graduate studies regulations, policies and the ethics of scientific research. The committee’s authorities include the following:
1. Studying the department committees’ suggestions and recommendations and recommending what it deems appropriate for the council.
2. Recommending to the council the establishment of new programs in the faculty or modifying the current programs or the courses they include.
3. Sending a list of the names, addresses and accurate specializations of every program’s external examinees to the Faculty of Graduate Studies based on the calls for recommendations made by the academic departments.
4. Arranging for general periodical meetings with the graduate studies students in the faculty.
5. Preparing an annual report about the programs in the faculty.
6. Accrediting the results of the programs course exams.
7. Any other matters related to postgraduate studies, as authorized by the Council.
c. The faculty committee holds the responsibilities of the department committee in case it is not available.
Article (53):
a. The thesis and dissertations ethics committee” is formed by the decision of the council in the beginning of every academic year as follows:
1. The Dean of the Scientific Research and Graduate Studies/Head.
2. Two teaching faculty members from humanities faculties, ranking as professors or associate professors.
3. Two teaching faculty members from scientific and health faculties, ranking as professors or associate professors.
b. The committee may seek assistance from whom it may find appropriate in special cases it determines.
c. The mission of this committee is to ponder over issues which contradict scientific and ethical sides, upon the recommendation of the department and faculty committees and the council, including how much these issues meet the specifications and conditions of scientific research, in order to protect the study and society members rights in general, taking the laws of intellectual property protection into account.
Article (54):
a. The academic advisor is responsible for the following:
1. Introducing students to the philosophy of graduate studies at the university, its policies, regulations, and instructions.
2. Helping students to adapt and acquire the skills necessary to succeed in postgraduate studies.
3. Following up the academic progress of students according to an advisory plan.
b. The supervisor’s tasks include the following:
1. Supervising the student’s progress in his/her thesis.
2. Directing the student and keeping in touch with him/her regularly.
3. Submitting a report about the student’s progress in his/her thesis to the department committee every semester.
Granting Master’s Degrees
Article (55):
a. Successfully finishing not less than (33) credit hours from the study plan at the University.
b. A Cumulative Grade Average of not less than 75%, either in the thesis track or the comprehensive exam.
c. A master's degree is granted by a decision of the deans' council, based on a recommendation of the council.
d. Certificates and degrees are granted on set dates.
General Rules
Article (56): Specialized investigation committees decide on cases of plagiarism or suspicion of plagiarism.
Article (57): The Council of Deans decides to withdraw the scientific degree if it appears at any time that the degree has illegally been obtained, or that the thesis submitted for obtaining the degree does not meet the scientific integrity standards in its content. Internal and external related parties should be informed about the council’s decision.
Article (58): The student shall authorize the university (in writing) to photocopy all or part of the thesis in different forms, for the purposes of scientific research, electronic publication and exchange with educational and research institutions and universities.
Article (59): Excluded from these regulations are joint master's programs with another university or scientific institute that has special agreements with the university, according to special principles set for each program in light of the signed agreement.
Article (60): The Dean of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty Deans, and the Director of Admissions and Registration are responsible for implementing these regulations.
Article (61): The Council of Deans issues decisions on cases not stipulated in these regulations.