/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2024-2025/Student-Handbook-2024-25-local.json

/Institutions/University-of-Dubai/json/2024-2025/Student-Handbook-2024-25.json

Student Handbook 2024-25 > Academic Advising

Academic Advising

Policy 

Academic advising is a structured and collaborative process within the university aimed at assisting students in setting and achieving their academic and career goals.

Academic advising ensures that students receive the right guidance to complete their studies in a streamlined manner. 

Academic Advising

To facilitate students’ successful completion of their degree programs, UD has developed an Academic Advising System, which is tailored to accommodate students’ individual goals and needs. The advising objectives are as follows: 

• To achieve better understanding of the academic curricula;

• To increase students’ awareness of their role in developing their academic study plan; 

• To emphasize the importance of Faculty members’ role in the academic advising process; 

• To facilitate academic and educational process to achieve the objectives and their intended learning outcomes; 

• To ensure effective and real-time study plans leading to a timely and efficient graduation. 

1. The Academic/Graduation Plan

An Academic/Graduation plan is developed individually and designed for students based on the respective curriculum structure while taking into account the sequence of courses, and the previously completed course work. The plan briefs students on their courses of study during each subsequent semester. 

2. Assigning AdvisorsAll registered students receive academic advising throughout their study tenure at UD. All students are assigned an advisor in their respected college once they register for their first semester.   The list of students assigned for each advisor is chosen randomly by the College Executive and are assigned according to   their selected discipline. The list of advisees, along with their academic records, can be accessed by faculty members and students through the CAMS system using their login username and password. The academic advising load must not exceed 20 students per academic advisor.

3. Advising Procedures 

1. Currently, UD students are assigned an advisor once they register for their first semester by the respected college executive.  The advisor’s role is to monitor the student’s progress while the system will ensure that the courses are taken in the appropriate sequence and following the appropriate curriculum.  Further, the curricula at the Colleges have been drawn in such a way that prerequisites must be completed by students before moving on to advanced courses. Advisors must ensure a planned systematic progression of students from lower-level courses to intermediate, advanced and then to major courses. This systematic progression in courses helps students in effectively learning and accumulating the knowledge in stages over time. 

2. Advisors must fill out the Student Advising Report (Appendix 1) each semester after they meet with their advisees.  This is done to ensure each student is met with and provided the guidance that they need in order to graduate on time.

4. Awareness Campaign
At the beginning of each semester, the Program Directors prepare a presentation about University’s academic policies and procedures, and expected class behavior. This serves to orient new students and to remind continuing students about the University’s policies. 

5. Mentoring At-Risk Students 

1. Students with a CGPA below 2.0 are considered at-risk.  The assigned advisor shall advise the student to retake courses with low performance (i.e. “F” & “D” grades) in order to improve the academic performance and CGPA. At-risk students are not allowed to register for more than 4 courses during fall/spring semesters.

2. Each Faculty member at the colleges may voluntarily choose to provide mentoring for a group of at-risk students within his/her department. Mentoring includes student assistance, monitoring and progress reporting. At the end of each academic year, faculty members will be recognized for their achievements monitored through the annual Faculty Development Plan. The plan for helping at-risk students (also on probation) includes:

   1. At-Risk Detection: At the beginning of each semester, the Registrar provides a list of at-risk students to the Dean or the College level Program Director. The Dean or the College level Program Director will advise Program Directors to draw corrective actions. 

   2. Remediation Plan: This plan is executed at the departmental level and would include: 

      •  Hold regular individual meetings with at-risk students.
      • Advise at-risk students to repeat courses with grades “D” or less prior to registering in any further courses in order to improve their GPA.
      • Request at-risk students to visit instructors frequently during office hours.
      • Provide at-risk with peer-support and mentoring from Teaching Assistants , if available, periodically.

   3. Progress Report: Deans of Colleges and GUCR Director will request from Program Directors and a feedback report on the performance record of each at-risk student during the semester from course instructor(s). The progress is to be monitored through a special form (Appendix I, II & III). These forms will be used as supporting evidence in the Faculty Development Plan.

6. Career Development 
The ICDC  provides on a regular basis various seminars and workshops on career development. Speakers are invited from the industry as well as from the alumni to discuss current market trends and offer practical advice to students.

7. Evaluation
The effectiveness of the advising system is evaluated on a regular basis by a survey administered by the QAIE Department.