Academic Integrity

• Academic Honesty

  POLICY NAME: ACADEMIC HONESTY
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  At AUD, students are expected to demonstrate academic integrity by completing their own work, assignments and assessments. Effective planning and progress must be accomplished for students to be successful in their degree program of study. Submission of work from another person, whether it is from printed sources or someone other than the student; previously graded papers; papers submitted without proper source citation; or submitting the same paper to multiple courses without the approval of all instructors involved can result in a failing grade or be reported to the Dean, Associate Dean or Chair for appropriate sanction or disciplinary actions. All students are expected to maintain the standards as set forth in the Code of Student Conduct and Statement on Academic Honesty.

• AUD Honor Code Pledge

  POLICY NAME: AUD HONOR CODE PLEDGE
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  The administration and faculty of AUD believe strongly in the Academic Policies and Procedures concept of an honor system. This belief is based on the knowledge that in competitive professional environments, greater emphasis is placed on originality and integrity of ideas and work. All members of the AUD academic community, including faculty, students, and administration, are expected to assist in maintaining the integrity of the university, which includes reporting incidents that violate the Statement on Academic Honesty.
  
  To this end, all students are asked to adhere to the honor pledge that reads as follows:
  
  “As a student of The American University in Dubai, I pledge that all tests taken by me and that all work submitted by me will be original and solely the results of my own efforts. Furthermore, as a student and member of the academic community of The American University in Dubai, I am bound to uphold standards of personal integrity and honesty and to accept my personal, academic and professional responsibilities in the community.
  
  Specifically, I pledge:
  
  

  • to adhere to the university’s policy on cheating and plagiarism*;
  • not to lie or steal in my university undertakings;
  • not to evade the truth or deceive; and,
  • to inform the appropriate faculty member and Dean, Associate Dean or Chair of my School or Department of any and all cases of academic dishonesty and violations of the Honor Code.”

  Violations of the Honor Code are handled as set forth in the Student Handbook and on the AUD website.
  All members of the AUD academic community, including faculty, students and administration, are expected to assist in maintaining the integrity of the university, which includes reporting incidents that violate the Statement on Academic Honesty.
  
  *Plagiarism: is the use of someone else’s ideas, words, projects, artwork, phrasing, sentence structure or other work without properly acknowledging the ownership (source) of the property (item). Plagiarism is dishonest because it misrepresents the work of someone else as one’s own.
  
  Cheating: is using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
  
  Detailed information with examples can be found in the AUD Student Handbook.

• Penalties for Academic Integrity Violation

  POLICY NAME: PENALTIES FOR ACADEMIC INTEGRITY VIOLATION
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  A. Following careful consideration at the school Dean level or deliberation at the University Honor Council (UHC) level, a penalty commensurate with the seriousness of the offense and the degree of student culpability will be determined from the menu below:
  
  

  1. Zero on the graded work involved in the offense (normally applied to offenses reviewed at the school Dean level, although more severe penalties may not be ruled out)
  2. A grade of F in the course
  3. A grade of F in the course plus suspension in the academic term following the term in which the offense was committed
  4. A grade of F in the course in which the offense was committed, immediate withdrawal from all courses in which the student is enrolled, and immediate dismissal from the university (dismissal is subject to ratification by the Provost and Chief Academic Officer before going into effect)

  
  B. The penalty for second-time offenses can never be less than A.3 above.
  
  C. Students who aid in someone else’s cheating or plagiarism are equally at fault and will be sanctioned accordingly.
  
  Students in need of clarification of the university’s Academic Integrity Policy may consult the Dean or Associate Dean of their School or their Department Chair.

• Statement on Academic Freedom

  POLICY NAME: STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  Academic freedom is the freedom for faculty to discuss all relevant matters in the classroom, to pursue other professional academic activities related to student learning and research, and to explore all avenues of inquiry, learning and instruction in an institution of higher learning. This freedom also extends to students as they engage in learning activities and inquiry related to those activities. However, academic freedom is accompanied by academic responsibility, which, for faculty, implies faithful performance of assigned academic duties and obligations including a presentation of course content that meets the requirements and learning objectives of each course. For both faculty and students, responsible exercise of academic freedom involves adherence to the highest standards of academic integrity in all teaching, learning and research-related activities. Academic responsibility also requires that faculty members make clear that they are not speaking for the institution, unless expressly authorized to do so by AUD, particularly in areas of politics, topics related to religious beliefs, and commercial endorsements. Faculty members and students should at all times act with integrity, express themselves within the confines of law and competent authority, show respect for the rights of others to hold differing opinions, be accurate, exercise appropriate restraint, be culturally sensitive, and make every effort to indicate that statements they make express their own views and not those of AUD.
  
  The American University in Dubai recognizes and will uphold for all its faculty, full-time and adjunct, and for its students, the freedom to pursue knowledge wherever it may lead, the freedom to test received wisdom, and the freedom to research, review and put forward new, controversial, or unpopular ideas or opinions within the standards of academic integrity, scholarly inquiry and professional ethics, without interference and without placing themselves in jeopardy – of losing their jobs or any of their rights or privileges as AUD faculty, or of academic detriment or penalty as students.
  
  A faculty member or student who believes his or her academic freedom has not been protected due to violation of this Statement may seek redress by filing a grievance with the Grievance Officer. The grievance process described on General Policies will apply to the processing of grievances related to academic freedom.

Definitions

• Academic Credit Hour Determination

  POLICY NAME: ACADEMIC CREDIT HOUR DETERMINATION
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  AUD follows commonly accepted American best practice for determining course credit hours.
  
  The number and mode of delivery of weekly contact hours determine the credit hours assigned to a course.
  
  For every three hours of lecture delivered weekly throughout a semester or summer session, amounting to approximately 45 contact hours of instruction, three hours of credit are assigned.
  
  Learning experiences such as studios and laboratories, which serve the primary purpose of reinforcing the learning and understanding of previously presented material and/or putting theory and principles into practice, ordinarily receive one-half the credit value of a lecture; that is, for every two hours weekly spent in a laboratory or studio during a semester or summer session, one hour of credit is assigned. Accordingly, a semester course consisting of three weekly hours of lecture and two weekly hours of studio or laboratory would be assigned four credit hours.
  
  In calculating credit hours, AUD’s courses must follow the above principle and apply the ratio between the value of an hour of lecture and an hour of another form of delivery (e.g,1:0.5) in determining the credit hours assigned to a course. However, there may be a reason to propose a deviation. Proposals to deviate from this ratio of contact hours to credit will only be considered for the non-lecture-based component comprising a given course. The amount of contact time required to constitute a credit hour may be adjusted, depending on judgment concerning the instructional intensity or other factors of this component of the course.    
  
  Subject to ratification by the Academic Council, it is the purview of the University Curriculum Committee (UCC) to evaluate the credit hours assigned by the schools to those courses proposed for inclusion in the university’s curriculum.
  
  Internships and field experiences provide students an opportunity to earn credit by working in a professional capacity in a position related to their degree discipline. Unless otherwise specified in a program, and by consensus across the university’s schools, all students must work a minimum of 225 hours (i.e., 15 weekly hours) in a professional setting to be awarded three credit hours. The amount of credit generated by such workplace activity in any given term is usually capped at three.
  
  In cases where various instructional experiences are blended (e.g., lecture and internship), the ratios cited in this policy are used to determine credit hours. Study tours ordinarily require some lecture, visits to discipline-relevant sites, report writing and other assignments. The contribution of each experience to credit hour calculation is determined with a view to the hours dedicated to each component and the judged intensity of instruction.
  
  In awarding transfer credit (see pp. 19, 77-78 of the 2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog), all courses are evaluated for their equivalency to AUD courses in terms of content and contact hours. For those systems not based on semester credit hours, conversions are made to the semester credit hour system using the above criteria.

• Academic Year

  POLICY NAME: ACADEMIC YEAR
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  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 this Catalog.

• Audits

  POLICY NAME: AUDITS
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  A student may audit a course at his or her discretion and with the approval of the Dean, Associate 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.

• Course Load

  POLICY NAME: COURSE LOAD
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  Undergraduate Students
  The normal academic load at the university is 15 credit hours per semester and two courses for either Summer session. Students wishing to carry additional hours may do so with the approval of their advisor. Overloads not exceeding one course may be permitted in Fall and Spring for students in good academic standing (i.e., carrying a minimum 2.5 CGPA). For Summer sessions, overloads not exceeding one course may be permitted for students carrying a minimum 3.0 CGPA. Different schools may have higher CGPA and additional requirements.
  
  Graduate Students
  The normal academic load in the graduate programs is 9 credit hours per semester for full-time students, six credit hours per semester for part-time students and three credit hours for the summer term.

• Definition of “Program” and “Major”

  POLICY NAME: DEFINITION OF “PROGRAM” AND “MAJOR”
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  Per AUD nomenclature “major” means a specialization within a program. Hence, Biology, Business Administration, Communication and Information Studies, International Studies, Architecture, Visual Communication and Interior Design are programs. Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications, Finance and Management are examples of majors within the Business Administration program. AUD’s School of Engineering offers four degree programs: Civil, Computer, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering. The number of credit hours required by each program is clearly stated in the appropriate sections of this Catalog. Optional majors (where applicable) are also listed, together with the required credit hours for each.

Degree Completion

• Academic Advising/Registration

  POLICY NAME: ACADEMIC ADVISING/REGISTRATION
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
  Students are advised by their assigned academic advisor housed in the Office of Student Affairs beginning their first term at AUD.
  
  All undergraduate students (up to the completion of 90 credit hours), must receive advising and obtain authorization to register from their Academic Advisor. However, Engineering Students are advised and must obtain prior approval from their Academic Advisor throughout their residency at AUD.
  Moreover, students returning from suspension are to be advised and should receive prior approval from their assigned Academic Advisor throughout their residency at AUD, irrespective of the CGPA attained subsequent to their return from suspension.
  
  With the exception of candidates in Engineering, upon completion of 90 credit hours, students no longer need to obtain an Advisor’s approval in order to register.
  
  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. However, because 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.
  
  GRADUATE STUDENTS
  Graduate students should contact their Program Director for academic advising and approval of courses prior to registration.
  
  Students are encouraged to maintain close contact with their Program Director during their time at AUD. Program Directors provide them with information and perspective related to academic policy and concerns, specific course related problems/issues and other academic matters. However, students are required to become intimately familiar with the various program requirements and necessary requisite coursework and sequencing and are expected to assume responsibility for program planning and course selection. Ultimately the responsibility for fulfilling degree requirements rests squarely with the
  student.

• Course Sequencing

  POLICY NAME: COURSE SEQUENCING
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
  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 Undergraduate Catalog. See regulations regarding the satisfaction of Arts and Sciences requirements.
  
  GRADUATE PROGRAMS
  Students admitted to a graduate program may be required to follow a specific course sequence, which will depend on the student’s program option at admission (i.e., choice of concentration/track if applicable). All course sequences will be based on a set schedule, and will be designed to make it possible – assuming a Fall term start and a course load of two courses per semester – to complete a program in just six consecutive terms (excluding Summer II); i.e., in less than two years. This program completion time would become significantly shorter for students who take a full course load of three or more courses per term.
  
  Students should consult the course sequencing charts in the program-specific sections of the Graduate Catalog.

• Grade Appeal

  POLICY NAME: GRADE APPEAL*
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  Questions and concerns about grades often result from misunderstandings about grading practices and expected standards. Direct communication between instructors and the students usually clear up these misunderstandings. In some cases, however, a grade appeal is warranted.
  
  Students have the right to appeal a grade and request a reconsideration of the assigned grade within one month subsequent to the issuance of the grade; however, they must provide sufficient, tangible evidence to support their request for a re-examination of the assigned grade.
  
  Reasons for reconsideration of a grade appeal may include:
  
  

  • Miscalculation of marks;
  • Misgrading of a paper, project or exam;
  • Application of an evaluation or grading system which was not included in the course syllabus;
  • A departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards;
  • Assignment of a grade on some basis other than the student’s performance in the course;
  • Demonstrable evidence of discrimination or prejudice in the assignment of the grade;
  • Arbitrary assignment of grade (lack of consistent and equitable standards for grading).

  
  Grade Appeals will be dismissed if:
  
  

  • Allegations by the student do not indicate erratic grading;
  • The basis of the disagreement is with the instructor’s particular grading standards; or
  • The appeal is not submitted within the given one month period subsequent to the issuance of the grade.

  
  ONLINE GRADE APPEAL APPLICATION
  The Application
  In an effort to continuously improve communication within the AUD Community, IT Services and the Registrar’s Office have developed an online “Grade Appeal Application” to replace the previous paper based one. The application is accessible through the AUD website under the Registrar’s Webpage. (See link below.)
  
  Grade Appeal Procedure
  
  

  • The student should make an appointment with the appropriate instructor when there is any question about a particular grade or the instructor’s grading policy. Students in the Study Abroad Program (SAP), if they have returned to their home countries, may contact the instructor via telephone or email;
  • Subsequently, if students wish to file for a grade appeal, they log into the Grade Appeal Application available under the Registrar’s Webpage: https://registrar.aud.edu/
  • Once a grade appeal is submitted, the course instructor receives a notification email prompting him or her to log into the application and confirm meeting with the student and entering his or her remarks;
  • The Chair of the department offering the course in which the grade appeal is made will then follow up on the case and enter his or her decision to the system.
  • Students and concerned faculty will receive an update on the status of the appeal via email. If the grade appeal is approved by the Department Chair, the instructor will proceed with the grade change, with an explanation of the reasons and the new grade. In the event that the appeal is not approved by the relevant Chair, students may choose to appeal to the Dean, who will then follow up on the case and enter his or her decision to the system.
  • The student, concerned faculty, and Chair will receive an update on the status of the appeal via email. If the grade appeal is approved, the instructor will proceed with the grade change, with an explanation of the reasons and the new grade. In the event that the appeal is not approved by the relevant Dean, the student may raise the appeal to the Provost and Chief Academic Officer for review.
  • The Provost and Chief Academic Officer will discuss the questions raised with the instructor, give the student a perspective regarding the grade and review the mechanism for appeal.
  • The student, concerned faculty, Chair, and Dean will receive an update on the status of the appeal via email. If the grade appeal is approved, the instructor will proceed with the grade change online.

  * Students must submit their grade appeal within 24 hours from the release of grades to qualify for the School and/or Valedictorian Award. Any grade appeal or change of grade requested beyond the deadline will result in the student no  longer being eligible for the aforementioned awards.

• Student Attendance

  POLICY NAME: STUDENT ATTENDANCE
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
  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. The Provost, the Athletics Director and the Dean of Student Affairs will determine if the tournament deserves official excused absence status (usually accepted tournaments include AUD hosted tournaments, overseas tournaments, and U.A.E. Higher Education Sports Federation Tournaments). Student-athletes are expected to notify their instructors as soon as they are aware they will be missing a class due to a status approved athletic competition (see Student Handbook and the AUD website).
  
  Any student who is experiencing psychological distress and is unable to attend his or 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 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 will authorize any absences, if any, from the course. (The student retains the options of withdrawing or seeking an Incomplete.)
  
  GRADUATE STUDENTS
  At the graduate level, classroom activities and the learning process in general can be greatly enriched through the active participation of students. It is therefore expected that students will contribute continually to the learning outcomes of the program by attending all class sessions and bringing their diverse professional backgrounds to bear on the lectures, discussions, presentations, and other classroom activities.
  
  While attendance will be taken at the start of each class session, it is not attendance per se, but the amount and quality of class participation that may, at the discretion of the instructor, be included in the evaluation plan and final grade determination for the course. The weight assigned to class participation may vary depending on the subject matter and nature of each course, but will not exceed 15% of the final grade. Instructors will state their policy on class participation in their course syllabi, including the weight
  assigned to class participation in the final grade determination.

• Time Limit for Completion of Degree Programs

  POLICY NAME: TIME LIMIT FOR COMPLETION OF DEGREE PROGRAMS
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  Undergraduate Degree Programs
  All course work and other requirements for baccalaureate degrees must be completed no later than ten calendar years from the date of initial admission to the program. Study terms and inactive terms, during which the student was not registered in any courses, will all be counted in determining adherence to this time limit.
  
  Graduate Degree Programs
  All graduate course work and other requirements must be completed no later than five calendar years from the date of initial admission to the graduate program. Study terms, inactive terms during which the student was not registered in any courses, and, if relevant, the three-terms time limit for completion of a thesis (plus the one-term extension, if applicable) will all be counted in determining adherence to this time limit. However, terms during which the student was registered in Foundation (non-600 level) courses will not be counted in this determination.

• Transfer Credit/Residency Requirements

  POLICY NAME: TRANSFER CREDIT/RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  Undergraduate Students
  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 of credit.
  
  In order for AUD to accept transfer credit from an institution outside the U.A.E., such institution must be licensed or officially recognized by the Education Department or Ministry of Higher Education 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, accompanied by all required documentation (course syllabi), must be submitted during the student’s first semester of residence. All transfer credit files (including official transcripts) must be completed during that time. In no case will transfer credit be granted following the one year (calendar) anniversary of the beginning of the student’s residence at AUD.
  • 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:
    - Major
    - Core
    - Major and Professional Elective
    - Foundation
    - Arts and Sciences
  • 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. This does not apply to AUD students enrolled in an exchange program unless the course serves as a prerequisite for which AUD requires a grade of B or higher.
  • In order for AUD-equivalent courses to be eligible for transfer credit at the 100/200 level, a grade of C or better is required.
  • A maximum total of two (2) courses may be transferred into the university at any time, and applied toward completion of the Middle Eastern Studies Certificate.
  • 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 major.
  • 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, AIMC 431, VICD 455/456, IDES 331.
  • Following a student’s initial enrollment at AUD, he or she may transfer a maximum of 15 credit semester hours or equivalent, subject to approval by their Dean, Associate Dean or Chair to spend a term (i.e., semester or summer session[s]) abroad, either at a university with which AUD has an exchange agreement or another university chosen by the student (subject to AUD approval).
  • Be in his or her sophomore year or beyond.

  In no case may the total number of transfer credits following admission to AUD exceed 15; and these must fall within the 50% of credits earned in residence required to be granted an AUD degree. See pp. 40-41 of the Undergraduate Catalog for those institutions with which AUD has exchange agreements. After initial enrollment at AUD, students will, subject to prior approval, receive transfer credits only for preapproved courses from the following sources:
  
  

  • AUD-approved exchange programs;
  • AUD-approved study abroad programs;
    or,
  • Other AUD-approved institutions.

  AUD students who wish to earn credit at another university must obtain prior approval for the courses they intend to take. Application for course authorization is available online https://registrar.aud.edu/. Failure to do so prior to the commencement of study may result in AUD’s denial of transfer credit.
  
  Graduate Students
  Requests for the transfer of graduate credits completed at other accredited institutions of higher learning towards completion of a graduate program at AUD will be evaluated by the Admissions Committee on a case-by-case basis. The number of graduate courses transferred or accepted for credit towards a graduate degree at AUD may not exceed two (2) courses or six (6) credit hours. A grade of “B” and above is required.
  
  As a rule, such transfer or acceptance will be highly restricted and may only be granted in cases where there is ample evidence that the graduate coursework in question is at least equal in scope and quality to comparable graduate coursework at AUD. In assessing such evidence, the Admissions Committee will make use of a wide variety of instruments and information sources, such as recognized guides to post-secondary institutions and programs, the other institutions’ catalogs and/or web sites, course syllabi, and letters from instructors at other institutions describing in detail the applicant’s work in these courses. In all cases, students must earn the majority of their final year credits towards the graduate program at
  AUD.

Graduation

• General Education Exit Exam

  POLICY NAME: GENERAL EDUCATION EXIT EXAM
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  The General Education Exit Examination is administered online twice yearly - once in the Fall and Spring semesters. The date for this Examination is announced within the first two weeks of the semester. Students completing degree requirements in the Fall, Spring, or either of the succeeding Summer sessions must sit for the Examination scheduled in the Spring semester.
  
  Fulfillment of a student’s request for a diploma will not be finalized until the student has taken the General Education Exit Examination.

• Graduation and Diploma

  POLICY NAME: GRADUATION/DIPLOMA
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  Undergraduate Students
  A student may not request a diploma any earlier than the student’s last semester at AUD. The request must be completed online at https://registrar.aud.edu/ before  the end of the student’s final semester. Failure to complete the application online by the specified date may delay receiving the diploma.
  
  Diplomas are available for personal pick-up by students at the Office of the Registrar. A student who prefers an alternative for collecting or receiving his or her diploma should specify on the online request, and pay additional fees for courier services. (For purposes of graduation verification, the university can provide a letter [stamped] to the student until their diploma is issued.)
  
  Graduate Students
  A student may not request a diploma any earlier than the student’s last semester at AUD. The request must be completed online https://registrar.aud.edu/ before to the end of the student’s final semester. Failure to complete the application online by the specified date may result in a delay receiving the diploma.
  
  Diplomas are available for personal pick-up by students at the Registrar’s Office. A student who prefers an alternative for collecting or receiving his or her diploma should consult the Registrar’s Office. (For purposes of graduation verification, the university can provide a letter [stamped] to the student until their diploma is issued.)

• Graduation Modalities

  POLICY NAME: GRADUATION MODALITIES
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
  In order to qualify for graduation, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:
  
  Academic
  
  

  • Minimum CGPA of 2.0;
  • Clearance by their Dean, Associate Dean or Chair that all program requirements have been met; and,
  • Separately, only those students who complete the last 30 credit hours at AUD are eligible to be awarded an AUD degree.

  Administrative
  
  

  • Student’s with overdue library books or who are delinquent in the payment of fees may not apply for their diploma until the irregularity is remedied.
    
    

  Diploma
  
  

  • Completion of the General Education Exit Examination; and, the Completion Survey (administered online).

  AUD will award degrees at the end of the academic semester or summer session. For the purposes of graduation verification, the university will provide a letter (stamped) to the student until his or her diploma has been provided.
  
  GRADUATE STUDENTS
  In order to qualify for graduation, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:
  
  Academic
  
  

  • Minimum CGPA of 3.0;
  • Clearance by the Program Director that all program requirements have been met.

  Administrative
  
  

  • Students with overdue library books or who are delinquent in the payment of fees may not apply for their diploma until the irregularity is remedied.
    
    

• Graduation Recognitions

  POLICY NAME: GRADUATION RECOGNITIONS
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  Undergraduate Honors
  Bachelor’s 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.
  
  Graduate Program Award
  For each program, the Graduate Program Award is presented during the commencement ceremony to the graduating student with the highest academic standing.

• Participation in Annual Graduation Ceremony (Eligibility)

  POLICY NAME: PARTICIPATION IN ANNUAL GRADUATION CEREMONY (ELIGIBILITY)
  POLICY CATEGORY: GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
  POLICY STATEMENT:
  
  Undergraduate Students
  The American University in Dubai holds its Commencement Exercises once a year following the Spring semester. In order to be eligible to participate, candidates for undergraduate degrees:
  
  

  1. must be in good academic standing (cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher) as of the end of the Spring semester;
  2. must have not more than two courses (6 credits, which may include any internship or courses required for minors) remaining for completion of their degree requirements by the end of the Spring semester preceding the graduation ceremony; and,
  3. must complete the application to participate in the graduation ceremony (available online at graduation.aud.edu).

  
  Students who are approved for participation in the graduation ceremony before completing all degree requirements, as described above, are not eligible for school awards or for recognition of graduation honors (Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Cum Laude) at the graduation ceremony. However, these designations will be reflected on transcripts and diplomas if they are justified by the student’s CGPA upon completion of all degree requirements.
  
  Administration of the above policy is the purview of the Office of the Registrar. Any situation requiring more specific interpretation of the policy will be referred to the Provost and Chief Academic Officer.
  
  Graduate Students
  The American University in Dubai holds its Commencement Exercises once a year following the Spring semester. In order to be eligible to participate, candidates for graduate degrees:
  
  

  1. must be in good academic standing (cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher) as of the end of the Spring semester;
  2. must have not more than one course (3 credits, including Thesis) remaining for completion of their degree requirements by the end of the Spring semester preceding the graduation ceremony; and
  3. must complete the remaining course not later than the Fall semester of the same academic year; OR (in the case of a Thesis) must have an approved Thesis Proposal with a completion timeline and an assigned Thesis Advisor; and,
  4. must complete an Application Form for Participation in the graduation ceremony (available online at graduation.aud.edu)

  
  Students who are approved for participation in the graduation ceremony before completing all degree requirements, as described above, are not eligible for the Graduate Program Award at the graduation ceremony.
  
  Administration of the above policy is the purview of the Registrar’s Office. Any situation requiring more specific interpretation of the policy will be referred to the Provost and Chief Academic Officer.