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| Academic Affairs > Office of the Provost |
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Students receive advising and are registered for their first term at AUD by an Admissions Coordinator.
During subsequent terms (up to the completion of 45 credit hours), undergraduate students receive advising and obtain authorization to register from an Academic Advisor housed in the AUD Academic Advising Center (Admin 109).
A student who has earned greater than 45 credit hours is assigned a faculty member who acts as his/her advisor. With the exception of candidates in Engineering and Computer and Information Technology, upon completion of 45 credit hours, students no longer need to obtain an Advisor’s signature in order to register. (Engineering and Computer and Information Technology students must obtain a signature from their AAC Advisor throughout their residency at AUD.)
Beyond 45 credit hours, each student is assigned a faculty member who acts as Academic Advisor. Students are encouraged to maintain close contact with their Advisor during their time at AUD. Advisors provide them with information and perspective related to academic policy and concerns, specific course related problems/issues and other academic professionally related development. Nonetheless, students are expected to assume responsibility for program planning and course selection since ultimately the responsibility for fulfilling degree requirements rests squarely with the student. They are required to become intimately familiar with the various program requirements and necessary requisite coursework and sequencing. |
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AUD defines the academic year as a period of time in which a full-time student is expected to complete two semesters (Fall, Spring) of instructional time. A full-time student is expected to complete a minimum of 24 credits within the academic year. (Students on the university’s visa must register for 15 credits per semester in the Fall and Spring semesters, in order to maintain the required full-time status.)
AUD’s academic calendar operates on the semester system with each semester consisting of 15 weeks of scheduled classes plus a 16th week for study/make-up classes and final examinations. The Summer sessions are optional and fall outside the academic year. A detailed Academic Calendar is included in the AUD Undergraduate Catalog. |
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One unit of academic credit is generally awarded for each scheduled class hour (clock hour) per week, i.e., three hours of academic credit is equal to approximately three hours in the classroom per week. Therefore, for every three hours of academic credit awarded, the student receives approximately 45 hours of instruction. The relationship between hours spent in labs or studios and credit hours varies by discipline/course and is reflected in the Undergraduate Course Descriptions section of the Undergraduate Catalog.
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The normal academic load at the university is 15 credit hours per semester and 9 credit hours for either Summer term. Students wishing to carry additional hours may do so with the permission of their advisor. Overloads are permitted only for students in good academic standing (i.e., carrying a minimum 2.0 CGPA); and occasionally, depending on the courses comprising the student’s proposed schedule, a higher CGPA may be required. |
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Per the nomenclature of the university, with the exception of Engineering, “major” is used synonymously with “program.” “Concentration” means a specialization within a program. Hence, Business Administration, Communication and Information Studies, Computer and Information Technology, Architecture, Visual Communication and Interior Design are majors. Marketing Communications, Finance and Management are examples of concentrations within the Business Administration program. AUD’s School of Engineering offers four degree programs. Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering are four majors. The number of credit hours required by each program is clearly stated in the appropriate sections of the AUD Undergraduate Catalog. Optional concentrations, where applicable, are also listed together with the required credit hours for each. |
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Students may change their program of study at anytime with the approval of the Dean/Program Chair of the new program. It is the prerogative of the new department to set the conditions (if any) for approving these changes. Students are advised to discuss changes with the appropriate Dean/Program Chair as these may cause a delay in graduation. Formal notification of an unapproved change is forwarded to students in writing by the office of the Registrar. All approved changes are reflected in the students’ degree audits in the term following the approval of the changes. |
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A student may choose multiple (i.e., more than one) concentrations within a degree program. Any course listed in the AUD Undergraduate Catalog under more than one concentration may be used to satisfy the requirements of each concentration under which it is listed. This reduces the credit-hour burden for students pursuing double or triple concentrations, while essentially preserving the specialization represented by each concentration. Credit hours are not, however, applied more than once in the calculation of total hours earned. |
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Students may make schedule changes without penalty during each academic term’s Drop/Add period. Only those students with less than 45 credit hours and Engineering and Computer and Information Technology students must obtain their advisor’s signature to drop/add a course. Drop/Add is not allowed outside this period |
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A student may audit a course at his/her discretion and with the permission of the Dean or Chair of the academic unit offering the course. An audited (i.e., not-for-credit) course may not be taken for credit at a later date. The normal fee schedule governs audited courses. |
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While it is difficult to generalize from program to program (and student to student), the university has firm beliefs concerning course sequencing in terms of what makes academic sense and will enable students to complete their degree requirements by the expected date of graduation.
Students should consult the course sequencing charts in the program-specific sections of the AUD Undergraduate Catalog. See page 86-88 of the AUD Undergraduate Catalog for regulations regarding the satisfaction of Arts and Sciences requirements. |
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Students educated in a language other than English or who have earned two years of high school credit or its equivalent in that language (regardless of the grade received) are not eligible to register for courses at the 101 level. Students desiring to study at a more advanced level (i.e., 102 and above) should consult the Arts and Sciences Chair to obtain authorization to register. |
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Students are expected to be in class for all scheduled class periods (including make-up classes). All matters related to student absences (making up work missed, tests missed, etc.) are specified in the course syllabus. Because the university believes that attendance in classes is an indispensable part of the learning experience, the following rules regulate attendance and grading:
- There is no difference between excused and unexcused absences. An absence is an absence.
- Excessive absence, defined by the equivalent of two weeks (semester)or one week (summer session), may lower the student’s class participation grade. The degree to which the class participation grade is lowered is at the discretion of the instructor, as clearly defined in the course syllabus.
- Absences are counted from the first day of the term.
- Students are expected to be in class on time.
The instructor will be responsible for denoting the attendance policy (including tardiness) and including guidelines for assessing class participation on the class syllabus. The policy for handing in assignments late is determined by the instructor and is stated on the class syllabus.
At the discretion of the Office of Academic Affairs, absences incurred due to participation in AUD-sponsored activities or sports tournaments may not figure in the calculation of a student’s total absences. Students must complete an Absence Notification Form at least two weeks prior to the actual absence. This Form is available from the Student Activities Coordinator. Prior authorization by the Office of Academic Affairs is required.
Any student who is experiencing psychological distress and is unable to attend his/her scheduled classes must first see the AUD Counselor. The Counselor will carefully assess the student’s psychological state. Should the Counselor determine the student is unable to attend classes, the Counselor will immediately contact the Provost and Chief Academic Officer and inform him of the student’s condition. Respecting the confidentiality policy of counseling services, the Counselor will only disclose the minimal information needed to explain the situation. The Provost and Chief Academic Officer will authorize any absences, if any, from the course. (The student retains the options of withdrawing or seeking an Incomplete.)
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One of the exciting opportunities for students at AUD is the opportunity to earn academic credit toward their degree while traveling on university-sponsored study tours. In the past, study tours have included New York, Paris, Milan and Florence. A student may only receive credit (three hours) towards graduation for one study tour. In order to register for a second study tour, a student must obtain the written approval of the Study Tour Advisor. Academic credit will be granted and a grade assigned for the second tour, but not in fulfillment of degree requirements.
Withdrawals from study tours are not permitted. Study tours are used by students to fulfill General Elective requirements and carry the following course codes: NYST 275 (New York) and ITST 275 (International). Should students majoring in a given discipline wish to take a study tour specific to that discipline; the Office of Academic Affairs will consider authorizing such a Tour to fulfill Professional Elective requirements. In such cases, the course discipline-specific code will be used (e.g., BUSI, VICD, and IDES).
Study Tours are graded on a Pass (P or P+)/Fail (F) basis. |
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The opportunity to participate in university approved internships is an option available to students in all Majors, and students are encouraged to take advantage of this program. Students participating in internships will complement the traditional classroom experience and earn credit toward their degree in an approved off-campus program that provides practical learning and application in a real-life corporate or professional setting.
Undergraduates are eligible for internships after completing course work as specified by the School/Department. Additional School/Department requirements (including minimum CGPA) may apply. Host companies for internships must be located in the UAE. The Career Services Division ensures that an adequate number of quality internship opportunities are available for selection by students. To this end, the Career Services Division, in consultation with the appropriate School Dean or Department Chair, will contact companies and organizations that can potentially provide quality internships. Arrangements with host companies must include a detailed program for each internship opportunity, showing what activities the student intern will be engaged in during the full term of the internship as well as the name(s) of the host company staff member(s) who will be supervising the student during that period.
Before a student can start the internship, the School Dean or Chair of the Department offering the student’s degree program must approve the host company and the internship program. The total amount of internship credit must not exceed three credit hours towards completion of the student’s degree program. An exception to this limit, granted by the Dean/Chair, may be granted in the case of students with double concentrations.
During the internship, the student is expected to be punctual, polite, conscientious, friendly, a team player, and to maintain a professional appearance. Students should be aware that they are representing AUD, and professionalism in their approach to internship will reflect on AUD and its students and alumni, potentially leading to an enhanced relationship with the employer and greater employment opportunities.
Each internship must be completed in accordance with an approved plan for the internship program experience.
Upon completion of the internship program, the student must submit a word processed internship report to the faculty internship advisor. The report format and content must be of professional quality and must include the daily log, a description of learning activities undertaken, and a summary of the student’s key findings and recommendations based on the internship experience. Additionally, the host company supervisor must send the Career Services Division a written evaluation of the student’s internship work. The Career Services Division will forward the host company supervisor’s evaluation to the student’s Dean or Department Chair. The Dean or Chair will, in turn, ask a faculty member to read the internship report and the host company supervisor’s evaluation, and assign a grade for the internship.
Internships are graded on a Pass (P or P+)/Fail (F) basis. |
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