:: American University in Dubai :: Office of the Provost

Office of the Provost

Graduation Policies

Residency Requirements / Transfer Credits

All students must complete a minimum of 50 percent of their degree program credit requirements in residency at AUD in order to qualify for a degree. The total number of credits in residency required is determined by calculating 50 percent of the total number of credits required for the student's program of study. Furthermore, all students must complete their last two semesters (i.e., obtain a minimum of 30 credit hours) at AUD to be awarded an AUD degree .

Students enrolled at AUD are required to have on file within their first term of residence official transcripts for any institutions of higher learning previously attended. The Admissions Office will ultimately verify/certify the institution's eligibility for transfer credit.

In order for AUD to accept transfer credit from an institution outside the UAE, such institution must be licensed or officially recognized by the Education Department or Ministry of the country where it is in operation.

Several transcript evaluation services are available to students. Services which are either recognized by AACRAO (Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers) or a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc.) are acceptable services. Students are responsible for all applicable fees.

Specific requirements for the evaluation and award of transfer credit at AUD include:

Application for transfer credit must be made in the student's first semester of residence. Records received following the first semester will not be considered for transfer credit.
Students may transfer in a maximum of 50% of the required program credits.
In those cases in which students present courses for transfer constituting greater than 50% of a program's credit hour requirement, courses will be eliminated (to get to 50%) per the following order of priority :
- Concentration
- Core
- Professional Elective
- Foundation
- Liberal Arts
Official college or military transcripts are evaluated on a course-by-course basis.
Only courses at the 100 level or above will be eligible for transfer credit.
In order to be granted transfer credit for 300/400 AUD-equivalent courses, a minimum grade of B or better is required.
In order for other AUD-equivalent courses to be eligible for transfer credit, a grade of C or better is required.
3-semester and 4-quarter credit courses may be considered equivalent to AUD's 3 credit courses. A course-to-course analysis of outcomes may result in credit transfer from accredited institutions of higher learning.
Under no circumstances will the total number of credit hours transferred exceed six (i.e., two courses) of the student's chosen Concentration.
Under no circumstances will the university grant transfer credit for courses designated as capstone, senior project, portfolio, internship or study tour. Examples include: MGMT 499, MCOM 431, EBUS 499, VICD 456, IDES 455, IDES 480, IDES 481.
Transfer credit is never granted for upper division (i.e., 300/400 level) courses in the BIT program.
Following a student's initial enrollment at AUD, he/she may transfer a maximum of 3 courses (i.e., 9 credit hours), subject to approval by their Dean/Program Chair.

AUD students who wish to earn credit at another university (including other campuses of AIU) must obtain prior approval for the courses they intend to take. (Forms for this purpose are available at the Registrar's Office.) Failure to do so prior to the commencement of study may result in AUD's denial of transfer credit. In no case shall the total amount of transfer credit exceed 50% of that required by a student's degree requirements.

Graduation / Diploma

A student may not request a diploma any earlier than the scheduled date of graduation. For purposes of graduation verification, the University will provide a letter (stamped) to the student until their diploma is ready. An Intent to Graduate Form must be completed and turned into the Registrar prior the end of the student's final semester. Failure to complete the Intent to Graduate Form by the specified date may result in either a delay in receiving the diploma or an additional charge.

Graduation Requirements

In order to qualify for graduation, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Minimum CGPA of 2.0.
Clearance by their Dean / Program Chair and Provost and Chief Academic Officer that all program requirements have been met.
Clearance by the Student Financial Affairs Officer for all financial aid requirements and financial obligations (including AED 500 Diploma Processing Fee).
Clearance by the Library for all financial obligations (if applicable).
Completion of an Exit Survey / Interview with the Dean of Student Services (appointment required).
Clearance by Central Services if the student is on a University-sponsored visa.

Separately, only those students who complete the last two semesters at AUD are eligible to be awarded an AUD degree.

AUD will award degrees at the end of the academic semester or summer session. A student may not request a diploma any earlier than the scheduled graduation date. For the purposes of graduation verification, the University will provide a letter (stamped) to the student until his / her diploma has been provided.

Participation in annual Graduation Ceremony (Eligibility)

The American University in Dubai holds its Commencement Exercises once a year following the Spring semester. In order to be eligible to participate, degree candidates:

(1)	must be in good academic standing (cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher) as of the end of the *Spring* semester; and
(2)	must be within three courses* of completing all of their degree requirements by the end of the Spring semester preceding the graduation ceremony.

* Effective Commencement 2009, students will be required to have completed all degree requirements.

Graduation with Honors

Bachelor degree graduates who have maintained a record of outstanding academic achievement will be recognized as follows:

Summa Cum Laude - a student graduating with a cumulative grade point average of 3.90 or above.
Magna Cum Laude - a student graduating with a cumulative grade point average of 3.70 - 3.89.
Cum Laude - a student graduating with a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 - 3.69.