Duration and Modes of Study

Students are required to make steady progress towards meeting degree requirements and must successfully pass all program components (taught course and thesis/dissertation) within the normal allowed time to completion. Any Khalifa University scholarship is generally awarded only for the duration of the normal time to completion. Graduate program completion and graduation requirements are governed by KU Academic Policy ACA 3250 Graduate Program Completion Requirements.

Extension of Duration of Study

Students must satisfy degree requirements within the normal time to completion specified in the “Duration of Study” section of this Catalog. In exceptional circumstances, an extension of registration may be granted by the AVP of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the student’s academic department and approval from the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies of the relevant College. The student must submit an Exception to Policy Request and attach a supporting letter from his/her Advisor(s) providing justification for seeking an extension and clearly outlining the student’s plan of work towards graduation. Students sponsored by external entities must also attach written approval from their sponsor.

Students should note that any extension will normally only be granted within the maximum allowable time to completion. The maximum allowable time to completion includes any periods of leave taken by the student and the time taken to write-up the thesis/dissertation. An approved academic extension does not automatically grant or guarantee continuation of any scholarship benefits. Students seeking a scholarship extension must submit a separate appeal to the Graduate Studies Office, which will be reviewed by the appropriate committee.

Modes of Study

Students are admitted to graduate study on a full-time or part-time basis. To be considered full-time, a student must be registered for nine or more credit hours during a regular semester. Due to the intense nature of summer coursework, students may take no more than two courses or six credits in the Summer Term. Summer Term registration is mandatory for full-time students.

Registration above or below the standard credit hour limits requires advance approval from the student’s Advisor, Department Chair (or designee) and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies at the relevant College. Registration below nine credit hours for full-time students requires additional approval from the AVP of Graduate Studies. Externally sponsored students must obtain the written approval of their sponsor before varying the registration credit load.

The status of a student is determined by the number of credits for which he/she is registered at the close of the Add/Drop period published in the Academic Calendar. Full-time students who fail to earn a minimum of nine credit hours in a regular semester are at risk of not completing their degree program in the allotted time and may be issued an academic progress warning if prior permission was not obtained. For potential impacts on scholarships, refer to KU Academic Policy ACA 5160 Graduate Scholarships and Stipends.

Change of Program, Scholarship or Study Mode

A student may request to change his/her degree program or study mode after admission to Khalifa University. Normally, the student must be in good academic standing and submit the Request to Change Graduate Degree Program before completing no more than 12 credit hours of taught courses. All such requests must be approved by the relevant Department Chair(s), Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and the AVP of Graduate Studies. Students must note that a change of program, research project or study mode may delay their graduation, affect their scholarship eligibility and render the student liable for a financial penalty if a scholarship contract is breached. Students are advised to refer to the terms and conditions of their scholarship award before applying to change study mode or program. Students sponsored by organizations external to KU must obtain the approval of their sponsor.