Academic Catalog

Contents
Catalog Links

Graduate Admissions Policy

Policy 

  1. Admission Standards  

Applicant information used for admission decisions is gathered systematically and used consistently. The admission policies provide all requirements considered in our entry decisions and are accessible and communicated through our website and brochures to all during the application process. Admission policies result in:

  1. Providing clear and specific requirements based on accrediting body’s standards.

  2. Providing established deadlines.

  3. Explaining the process and responsibilities of the admission department.

 

2. Application Document Requirements 

 

2.1The Admission Department accepts applications during the following timeframes:

  • MBA: October, January, March & June

  • LLM: September, January and April

  • Other graduate programs: August and January  

 

 

 

 

2.2  An applicant must provide the following documents for Master’s programs

 

  1. Completed application form.

  2. Copy of valid passport and identity card.

  3. Four recent good-quality passport-size photographs (in color) or in good quality JPEG format file.

  4. Original bachelor’s degree certificate and official transcript from a MOHSER recognized university.

  5. Bachelor’s degree from an English medium academic institution or

  6. Bachelor’s degree from Non - English medium academic institution required to provide an IELTS 6, TOEFL 550 or EPT 56 scores..

  7. Statement of professional plans and career objectives (250 words, applicable to MS programs only).

  8. Employment letter for working students.

  9. Military service letter for male UAE nationals.

  10. Pay admission fee per current fee structure (non-refundable, includes student ID card).

  11. Pay a one-time technology fee per current fee structure. 

 

 2.3 PhD candidates must provide the following documents:

  1. Certified copy of the last two degrees (Bachelor’s and Master’s degree).

  2. Original copy of Master and Bachelor Certificates with the corresponding transcripts which must be attested.

  3. A valid passport copy. 

  4. Four recent passport-size-colored photographs with a white background in JPEG file format. 

  5. Applicants holding a Master’s degree from an English-medium institution are exempt from providing proof of English language proficiency. Those who obtained their Master’s degree from a non-English medium institution are required to submit evidence of proficiency through one of the following: IELTS score of 6.0, TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based), or an EPT score of 56. Two satisfactory reference letters from academicians and/or employers. 

  6. Updated CV. 

  7. Statement of professional plans/career objectives. 

  8. Research proposal.

  9. Interview with the PhD Program Committee. 

  10. Application fees (non-refundable).

 

3. Admission Criteria

3.1 Regular Admission

  1. Completion of a recognized baccalaureate degree in a discipline appropriate for the master’s degree. A Higher Diploma is not equivalent to a baccalaureate degree and does not qualify an applicant for admission to the master’s programs.

  2. A minimum cumulative CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or its established equivalent) in the applicant’s baccalaureate degree program in the related area is required for applicants without professional experience. 

  3. Applicants holding a bachelor’s degree from an English-medium institution are exempt from providing proof of English language proficiency. Those who obtained their bachelor’s degree from a non-English medium institution are required to submit evidence of proficiency through one of the following: IELTS score of 6.0, TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based), or an EPT score of 56.

  4. If the applicant is applying for micro-credentials within the graduate program and the micro-credential is:

    • Offered directly by UD the applicant must meet the admission requirement of the graduate program.

  • From a partnership university or entity, the student must meet the admission requirements of the partnership program and provide written consent to share their data, personal (passport, visa, etc.) and related academic documents (transcripts, grades, certificates etc.) with the external entity  in order to meet any necessary requirements to complete the program.:

 

3.2 Conditional Admission

  1. A student is granted conditional admission if they do not fully meet the regular admission requirements at the time of application. Conditional admission is granted for one academic term only. During this period, the student must sign a declaration confirming their commitment to submit the missing admission requirements. A registration hold will be placed on the student's account, and failure to meet the specified conditions within the term will result in dismissal from the program.

  2. Students may submit the outstanding requirements at any point during the conditional admission period. Once the required documents are received and verified, the registration department will lift the hold, and the student will be reclassified as fully admitted.

  3. A student with a recognized bachelor’s degree from a non-English medium institution and a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent) must satisfy the following conditions during the first term of study to maintain enrollment:

  • Submit proof of English language proficiency by achieving TOEFL (550 PBT, 213 CBT, 79 iBT), IELTS (5.5 Academic), or EPT score of 56

  • Enroll in a maximum of six credit hours in the first semester (excluding intensive English courses);

  • Achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 in the first six credit hours of graduate-level coursework.

Failure to meet any of the above conditions will result in dismissal.

 

D. A student with a recognized bachelor’s degree and a CGPA below 3.0 but higher than 2.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) may enroll in up to nine credit hours during the conditional admission period. The student must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 in these courses to continue in the program. Failure to meet this requirement will result in dismissal.

 

E. A student with a recognized bachelor’s degree and a minimum CGPA of 2.0 (or equivalent) will be required to take three graduate-level remedial courses. These courses are not credit-bearing within the degree program but serve as preparation for graduate study. The student must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 in these remedial courses to progress to the graduate program. Failure to do so will result in dismissal.

 

 

3.3 Admission for Applicants without a related bachelor’s degree

Students who have a bachelor’s degree but do not have a bachelor’s degree from a related or similar program are required to demonstrate the potential for sustainable success in their selected graduate program. In addition to the regular admission process for admission to the Graduate program, candidates must:

  1. Provide two satisfactory reference letters from academicians or employers. 

  2. Attend an interview with the Program Director to evaluate his or her suitability. 

  3. The candidate will be advised on the outcome of his or her application within seven days of the application deadline. 

  4. Once the decision for eligibility has been made, the Program Director transfers the file of the admitted candidate to the UD Admissions Department, to register in the remedial courses.  The candidate must pass all the remedial courses before starting the program. 

Applicants without a related bachelor’s degree will be required to undertake three remedial courses to meet the normal requirement before entry to the program. The remedial courses are completely redesigned so that they would provide non- degree holders with the needed knowledge and background to join the program. The students are required to attend 45 contact hours and pass the courses with no less than 3 out of 4 CGPA.

3.4 Admission for PhD Applicants

To be eligible for admission into the PhD program, the candidate must satisfy the following conditions:

  1. The applicant must hold a Master's degree in a business discipline from a UAE-recognized university. An applicant who pursued their Master's degree in a field other than business administration will be required to take one management and one finance remedial or foundation courses within the current MBA program. There will be no extra cost for these courses. The applicant must have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 in the Master's degree. 

  2. The applicant with a Master's degree from an English medium academic institution is not required to provide an English proficiency certificate.

  3. Master’s degree from Non - English medium academic institution required to provide an IELTS 6, TOEFL 550 or EPT 56 scores. 

  4. It is desirable for the applicant to have at least three years of teaching and/or working experience. 

  5. The program does not offer any conditional admission due to either low CGPA or English scores. 

  6. An applicant enrolled in a doctoral program at other UAE-recognized universities who wishes to transfer to the UD-PhD program should fulfill the above admission requirements. Up to 25% of equivalent credit hours may be transferred into UD’s program. An applicant dismissed from his/her program at the original institution for any reason, will not be accepted into UD. (See UD Policy S 6.3 on Transfer Policy). 

3.5 Admission Guidelines for Visiting Students/Audit Students/Transfer Students 

  1. Visiting Students 

  • Students must have passed all the prerequisites for the required subjects (original transcripts from the university in which the student is currently studying are to be provided). 

  • Students must provide a copy of the passport and four recent photos (JPEG format file).  

  • Students must fully adhere to UD regulations and rules, including attendance. 

  • The cumulative number of credit hours allowed for the registration of visiting students should not exceed 9 credit hours and such students cannot register for more than two consecutive terms. 

  • A visiting student may apply for a regular student status after complying with the admission requirements of the desired program. 

  • A visiting student may register at any time during the registration period. 

3.6. Audit Students 

UD allows individuals interested in a particular course to attend classes as audit students.  The following conditions apply: 

  • The candidate must show some evidence of prerequisite knowledge required for auditing the course (meet the course instructor/Graduate Program Director to clarify this point and state the purpose for auditing the course). 

  • Provide passport copy and four recent photographs (JPEG format file). 

  • Pay the regular course fee as applicable for Visiting/Short course students. 

  • Attendance policy is not mandatory. 

  • Homework assignments/examinations are not mandatory. 


    3.7 Transfer Students

Transfer students must submit original transcripts from the university/college they are transferring from. In addition, transfer students must submit the course syllabus and course description for each course they seek to transfer for credit. Transfer students into a Graduate’s Program must have received at least a “B” or equivalent for any course they wish to transfer. Students will be informed of the course(s) eligible for transfer by the Admissions Department. For more information see S 6.3 Transfer Admission Policy.

 

4. Readmission 

All students who have officially withdrawn from the university or have canceled their registration at UD, but who wish to be readmitted, must submit a formal request to the Registration Department. If the student gets readmitted within the allowed period, the same ID will be used. A graduate student can hold his/her registration for up to one (1) year (refer to policy EP 3.22 Academic Progress Policy).  A dismissed student will be readmitted   as a new student. 

  1. A student who has withdrawn or has canceled his/her registration at UD, may be considered for readmission upon submitting a formal request to the Registration Department.

  2. A student dismissed from UD on academic grounds may be re-admitted into a different program in a field different from the one from which the student is transferring.

  3. A student dismissed from UD on disciplinary grounds will not be re-admitted into the university, even as a new student. 

  4. Applications for graduate readmission may be considered if the period of study interruption does not exceed 3 years (6 regular semesters) from the last registered semester. In such a case, the same ID number will be used.

  5. Applicants for graduate readmission after longer study interruption periods (i.e. >3 years) will need to meet the current program enrollment requirements as well as ensure exams such as the IELTS and tests are still valid. ( IELTS and TOEFL in 2 years) and will be treated as new students (with new ID’s) provided that dismissal from previous study was not based on disciplinary grounds. Courses taken previously are not counted towards graduation and must be retaken.

  6. The deadline to receive applications for re-admission is one month prior to the beginning of the intended semester/term. 



5. Admission Regulation 

The following admission regulations are as follows: 

  1. Admission and acceptance of students to UD is valid for only one semester/term. Students who fail to register will lose their admission status and must resubmit their application as a new applicant. The university will only keep the files in its records for two semesters/terms after their submission. 

  2. Applicants should make sure that all documents required for finalizing their admission are submitted to the Registration Department before registration begins. 

  3. The names of UD students on all university documents are spelled in English exactly as they appear on their passports or identity cards. If a name on a passport or an identity card does not appear in English, it will be spelled according to the applicant’s preference. 

  4. Applicants who were denied admission to UD, may file a petition for admission on a conditional basis. These applicants will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for approval by the respective Dean and UD President.  

  5. Students granted conditional admission will be considered At-Risk and accordingly, will be closely monitored by the Program Director.