Chemistry Program Tracks

The KAUST Chemistry (Chem) program was established in 2010 to provide a modern, research-oriented education in chemistry. It is one of the top internationally ranked programs at KAUST. Leveraging the outstanding facilities at KAUST, the program distinguishes itself by a clear focus and strong emphasis on current research challenges related to polymers, catalysis, and nanotechnology. You can find below the list of research topics, faculty members, and core/elective courses regarding each track.

Terminology

M.Sc. students - students entering the M.Sc. degree program with a Bachelor degree

M.Sc./Ph.D. students - students entering the Ph.D. degree program with only a Bachelor degree

Ph.D. students - students entering the Ph.D. degree program with a relevant Master degree

Admission date is considered as an arrival date (entry date) to KAUST

Summary of M.Sc. and Ph.D. requirements:

Program_requirements

View Online Program Guide

Course List & Syllabi

Courses:

Chem_tracks_2

Chemistry Core Courses

These Chemistry Core Courses are designed to provide students with the background needed to establish a solid foundation in the program area.

Code	Title	Credits	Fall 2022	Spring 2023
Chem 320	Advanced Organic Chemistry I	3	+
Chem 330	Advanced Inorganic Chemistry I	3	+
Chem 340	Advanced Organic Chemistry II	3		+
Chem 350	Advanced Inorganic Chemistry II	3		+
Chem 360	Advanced Physical Chemistry I	3	+
Chem 370	Advanced Physical Chemistry II	3		+

Lab Rotation

All incoming M.Sc. and M.Sc./Ph.D. students are required to enroll into a rotation course (Chem 296) during their first semester in the Program. The goal of this course is to introduce students to various Chem research groups to aid them in the selection of an Academic Advisor. Rotation assignments will be made by the mutual approval of designated faculty and students. Students are expected to complete three (3) rotations during first semester.

The nature of the rotation may vary from one lab to another. Thus, some rotations can be research focused and others can involve more literature and background work.

Students with a pre-identified Academic Advisor may spend their entire rotation period (3 rotations) in a given lab with the approval of this Academic Advisor and the Program Chair.

Elective Courses

Elective Courses are all courses beyond the list of Chemistry Core Courses. Elective Courses are not limited to the Chemistry Program and can be selected from any program with the permission of the Academic Advisor. The purpose of the Elective Courses (which exclude research, internship credits, and IED courses) is to allow students to tailor their educational experience to meet individual research and educational objectives. You can find below the list of recommended Elective Courses related to chemistry within and outside the Chemistry Program. This list is merely a recommendation and students are free to choose other courses according to their needs.

Code	Title	Credits	Fall 2022	Spring 2023	Summer 2023
Chem 210	Material Chemistry I	3	+
Chem 212	Spectroscopy Analysis	3
Chem 214	Nano-Catalysis	3
Chem 215	Polymers and Polymerization Processes	3	+
Chem 218	Photo and Electro Catalysis	3
Chem 220	Organometallic Chemistry	3
Chem 240	Supramolecular Chemistry	3
Chem 250	Material Chemistry II	3
Chem 301	Crystallography and Diffraction	3
Chem 319	Bioinorganic Chemistry	3
Chem 326	Biocatalysis	3
Chem 394	Contemporary Topics	3
BioE 319	Biomaterials and Biomedical Devices	3
CE 210	Materials Chemistry I	3
CE 225	Materials Chemistry II	3
CE 230	Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules	3
CE 330	Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules	3
CE 335	Heterogeneous Catalysis	3	+
CE 336	Membrane Science and Membrane Separation Processes	3
EnSE 310	Colloids, Interfaces, and Surfaces	3	+
MSE 201	Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering	3
MSE 228	Materials Characterization	3
MSE 229	Polymeric Materials	3
MSE 310	Energy Storage Materials and Devices	3
MSE 314	Ab-Initio Computational Methods	3
MSE 318	Nanomaterials	3
MSE 320	Materials and Devices for Energy Conversion	3
MSE 322	Semiconductor Materials	3

Assessment Test

Students are admitted to KAUST from a wide variety of programs and backgrounds. In order to facilitate the design of an appropriate study plan for each individual student, all M.Sc. and M.Sc./Ph.D. incoming students will be required to take a written assessment during orientation week. There is no grade for the assessment. The purpose of the assessment is to determine whether students have mastered the prerequisites for undertaking graduate level courses taught in the program. The Academic Advisor uses the results of the assessments to design, if necessary, a remedial study plan with a list of courses aimed at addressing content areas that may impede a student from successful completion of the degree requirements.

Students are encouraged to prepare for the assessment by refreshing the general knowledge gained from their undergraduate education before arriving at KAUST.

Chemistry students will be tested on the following subjects:

Basic Principles of General Chemistry
Basic Principals of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry
Engineering Mathematics and Basic Calculus

1. Basic Principles of General Chemistry

Topics included in the General Chemistry assessment test:

Physical and chemical properties of matter
Principles of atomic structure
Periodic variation in physical and chemical properties of the elements
Chemical bonding: formal charge and Lewis structure, polarity, molecular geometry and hybridization of atomic orbitals
Intermolecular forces
Chemical kinetics and equilibrium
Acids and bases
Electrochemistry
Stoichiometry

Recommended References:

Chang, R., & Goldsby, K. A. Chemistry. 11th Ed. McGraw-Hill, 2016. ISBN-13: 978-0078021510 (or any other edition).
Silberberg, Martin S., Principles of General Chemistry. McGraw-Hill, 2013.
Online reference: Averill, Bruce, and Patricia Eldredge, General Chemistry: Principles, Patterns, and Applications, FlatWorld Knowledge, Inc., 2013.

Sample questions from previous tests.

2. Basic Principals of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

Topics included in the Inorganic and Organic Chemistry assessment test:

Lewis and resonance structures
Electronegativity
Functional groups reactivity and transformation
Hybridization and molecular shapes
Molecular structure and bonding
Molecular symmetry

Recommended References:

Atkins, P. W. Shriver and Atkins, Inorganic Chemistry, Oxford University, 2010.
Housecroft, Catherine E., and A. G. Sharpe, Inorganic Chemistry, Pearson, 2012.
Online reference: “Organic Chemistry” Chemistry LibreTexts, Libretexts, 10 Sept. 2017.
Online reference: “Inorganic Chemistry” Chemistry LibreTexts, Libretexts, 21 July 2016.

Sample questions from previous tests.

3. Engineering Mathematics and Basic Calculus

Topics included in the Engineering Mathematics assessment test:

Functions and Models (including graphical representation of functions)
Limits
Derivatives (including graphical and physical interpretation of derivatives)
Anti-derivatives and definite integrals.
The classes of functions used to develop these concepts are: polynomial, rational, trigonometric exponential and logarithmic.
Integration (by parts, substitutions, partial fractions, approximation of integrals and improper integrals)
Infinite sequences and series
Convergence tests
Power series
Taylor polynomials and series
Taylor's Remainder Theorem

Recommended References:

Banner, Adrian. The Calculus Lifesaver: All the Tools You Need to Excel at Calculus. Princeton, NJ, USA: Princeton University Press, 2009, ISBN-13: 978-0691130880
Strang, Gilbert. Calculus. Wellesley, MA: Wellesley-Cambridge Press, 2010, ISBN 978-09802327-4-5
Zill, Dennis G., and Warren S. Wright. Advanced Engineering Mathematics. Burlington, Ma: Jones and Bartlett Learning, 2018, ISBN-13: 978-1284105902
Stewart, James. Essential Calculus: Early Transcendentals. Australia: Brooks/Cole, 2013, ISBN-13: 978-1133112280
Calculus: Early Transcendentals by James Stewart

Sample questions from previous tests.

M.Sc. Degree Requirements:

It is the responsibility of students to plan their graduate program in consultation with their Academic Advisor. Students are required to meet all deadlines. Students should be aware that most core courses are offered only once per year.

The Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree is awarded upon successful completion of a minimum of 36 credit hours. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 must be achieved to graduate. Individual courses require a minimum of a B- for course credit. Students are expected to complete the M.Sc. degree in three (3) semesters. Satisfactory participation in every KAUST summer session is mandatory.

The M.Sc. Requirements:

Three Chemistry Core Courses (9 credits)
Lab Rotation (3 credits)
Three Elective Courses (9 credits) - Elective Courses are not limited to the Chemistry Program and can be selected from any program with approval of your Academic Advisor
Research/Capstone Experience (15 credits)
Graduate Seminars (Chem 398, non-credit) – all M.Sc. students are required to register and receive a satisfactory grade for three (3) semesters during their graduate program
Completion of one Winter Enrichment Program (WEP)

M.Sc. Thesis Defense Committee

The Thesis Defense Committee, which must be approved by the Dean, must consist of at least three members and typically includes no more than four members. At least two of the required members must be KAUST Faculty. The Chair plus one additional Faculty Member must be affiliated with the Chemistry Program.

MEMBER	ROLE	PROGRAM STATUS
1	Chair	Chemistry Program
2	Faculty	Chemistry Program
3	Faculty/Research Scientist	Outside the Chemistry Program
4	Faculty	Inside or outside KAUST

Notes:

Members 1-3 are required, Member 4 is optional
Co-Chairs may serve as Members 2, 3, or 4, but may not be a Research Scientist
Members 2 and 3 must use primary affiliation only
Adjunct Professors and Professors Emeriti may retain their roles on the current Committee, but may not serve as Chairs on any new committees
Professors of Practice and Research Professors may serve as Members 2, 3 or 4 depending upon their affiliation with the Chemistry Program, they may also serve as Co-Chairs
Visiting Professor may serve as Member 4

View a list of Faculty members and their affiliations here.

M.Sc. Thesis Defense

An oral defense of the M.Sc. Thesis is required, although it may be waived by the Dean's Office under exceptional circumstances. A requirement of a public presentation and all other details are left to the discretion of the Thesis Defense Committee. While writing the Thesis, students are required to comply with Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines provided by KAUST Library.

A M.Sc. student must submit the request (form_1) to form the M.Sc. Thesis Defense Committee together with the written Thesis to the GPSA at least two (2) weeks prior to the Defense. The GPSA will collect all required signatures.

Under exceptional circumstances where students are not able to complete a thesis after fulfilling all other M.Sc. requirements, a non-thesis (course only) option could be permitted with approval of the Academic Advisor and the Program Chair. The Chemistry Program looks at this option as a last resort only in the occasions of extreme significance that effect students’ ability to complete their thesis.

1. Submitting the Thesis

The division recommends that the student submit the written Thesis to the Committee no later than two (2) weeks prior to the Defense. However, the Committee Chair sets the final requirement for the submission timeline.

2. Thesis Defense Date

The deadline to defend the Thesis is no later than two (2) weeks before the last day of the semester. The student must set the date of the Thesis Defense in line with the Committee Members' schedules. At the time the student submits the Thesis Committee Formation form, the defense has to be scheduled.

3. Booking a Venue of the Thesis Defense

It is the student’s responsibility to book a room and make the necessary IT arrangements for the Thesis Defense. Room booking is done via the student portal under Service Request Management.

4. Thesis Defense Announcement

The student must submit to the GPSA the title and abstract of the Thesis one (1) week before Defense date. The GPSA will announce the Thesis Defense to the Program members. The time and location of the Defense must be included in the email. The student is required to check the Chemistry Program Guide for further instructions related to the Defense format.

An oral Defense is required however the Associate Dean can waive this requirement. The requirement of a public or private Defense is left to the discretion of the Committee. As a general guideline the Defense is expected to be a 45-minute presentation followed by 15 minutes of general Q&A then a closed-door Q&A session with the Committee.

5. Thesis Defense Evaluation

A pass is achieved when the Committee agrees with no more than one dissenting vote otherwise the student fails. There are two possible outcomes of the Thesis Defense:

Pass

The student will be given one (1) week to apply any corrections required by the Committee Members. During the following week, the student is required to upload the final draft of Thesis document to Blackboard for format check and to start the submission process.

Fail

The student must notify the GPSA immediately of the Committee decision.

The M.Sc. Thesis Evaluation form (form_2) must be submitted within 48 hours after the Thesis Defense regardless of the outcome.

6. Final Approval and Thesis Submission

Once the post-Defense corrections are made, the student must follow the KAUST Repository Guide and do the following:

Submit the M.Sc. Thesis/Ph.D. Dissertation Final Approval (form_3)
Create ORCID account, if absent
Submit Thesis and all supplemental files to KAUST Repository
Add some details like names of Committee Members, Abstract, Keywords and so on
Confirm the distribution license

Study at KAUST: Student Online Applications Now Open APPLY

Submit an online query form about studying at KAUST QUESTION

Ph.D. Degree Requirements:

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is designed to prepare students for research careers in academia and industry.

There is a minimum residency requirement at KAUST of three and a half years for students entering with a Bachelor degree and two and a half years for students entering with a Master degree. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 must be achieved to graduate. Individual courses require a minimum of a B- for course credit.

The Ph.D. degree includes the following steps:

Securing an Academic Advisor
Successful completion of the Program coursework
Successful passing the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination (milestone_1)
Successful passing the Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal Defense (milestone_2) to obtain candidacy status
Successful passing the Ph.D. Final Defense (milestone_3)

Ph.D. Course Requirements

M.Sc./Ph.D. students - students entering the Ph.D. degree program with only a Bachelor degree.

Ph.D. students - students entering the Ph.D. degree program with a relevant Master degree.

If not specified, the term “students” is used for both M.Sc./Ph.D. and Ph.D. students.

The required coursework varies for M.Sc./Ph.D. and Ph.D. students. M.Sc./Ph.D. students must complete all the Program core and elective courses outlined in the M.Sc. degree section and are also required to complete the Ph.D. courses below. Ph.D. students must complete the requirements below, though additional courses may be required by the Academic Advisor.

Ph.D. Courses:

At Least Two 300-level Chemistry Courses – 300-level Chemistry Courses can be Core AND/OR Elective Courses: you can select two Core Courses, two Elective Courses, or combination of one Elective and one Core Courses from the Chemistry Program. Please note that only one 300 level contemporary topic class can be counted towards this requirement.
Doctoral Dissertation Research (Chem 397): register until graduation
Graduate Seminars (Chem 398, non-credit) – all M.Sc./Ph.D. students are required to register and receive a satisfactory grade for six (6) semesters during their graduate program; all Ph.D. students are required to register and receive a satisfactory grade for four (4) semesters during their graduate program; fourth year M.Sc./Ph.D. and third year Ph.D. students will be asked to present (~20 min) their research as a necessary preparation for the Dissertation Proposal Defense, no publications are required to be eligible to present
Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) – students who completed WEP while earning the M.Sc. are not required to enroll in a full WEP for a second time during the Ph.D. degree

Ph.D. Candidacy

In addition to the coursework requirements, students must successfully complete the required Ph.D. Candidacy milestones to progress towards Ph.D. Candidate status. These milestones consist of the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam (milestone_1) and the Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal Defense (milestone_2). Once students have advanced to Candidacy, students are designated as Ph.D. or Doctoral Candidates.

Ph.D. Qualifying Exam

The purpose of the Qualifying Exam (QE) is to test the student's creativity, independence, and knowledge of the subject matter within the field of study. All students entering the Ph.D. program with a Bachelor degree must take this examination within two (2) years of their admission. Students admitted to the program with a Master degree must take this exam within one (1) year. Admission date is considered as an arrival date (entry date) to KAUST. Students may take the exam earlier with Academic Advisor approval. Every student needs to fill out the required QE form (form_4, part_1) and submit the QE proposal (written document, see description below) to the GPSA at least two (2) weeks prior to the QE date. The GPSA will get the signature of the Chemistry Program Chair to proceed.

The QE consists of an oral presentation of an original idea, which is related to the area of research, but not the exact work done in the lab (same approach as a grant application). The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session regarding both the presented project and general chemistry knowledge.

1. QE Committee

The QE Committee, which must be approved by the Program Chair, should consist of three members. In addition to the Academic Advisor, two Chemistry Program Faculty members (primary or affiliated) need to serve as Committee Members.

Member	Role	Program Status
1	Academic Advisor	Chemistry Program
2	Faculty	Chemistry Program
3	Faculty	Chemistry Program

The Committee Members are expected to carry forward to serve on the Dissertation Proposal Committee. Once constituted, the composition of the Committee can be changed with the approval of the Academic Advisor and the Program Chair.

View a full list of the Chemistry Program Faculty here.

2. Scheduling the QE

Students must schedule the QE at a time acceptable to the Committee members, who are expected to make every reasonable effort to be available for the QE.

3. QE Written Proposal

Students should prepare a written document that explains their oral presentation. This is a brief document, modeled after a standard funding agency (example: National Science Foundation, NSF) proposal. It should be no more than 15 pages in length including figures and references. This document should be ready to submit to the QE Committee at least two (2) weeks prior to the QE date. It might be organized as suggested below.

*These are the general guidelines. Longer documents can be permissible with the Academic Advisor approval.

A. Summary

A brief overview of the proposed work with emphasis on the intellectual merit and the broader impacts (1 page).

B. Background and Significance

This section should answer the question: Why is the proposed work important?

Briefly sketch the background to the present proposal, critically evaluate existing knowledge, and identify gaps in our present understanding. This section may need to occupy as many as 3-4 pages.

C. Specific Aims

This section is intended to answer, in very specific terms, the question: What do you propose to do?

No background or other narrative material belongs in this section; it is not meant to stand alone, nor to provide details about the experimental system, but rather to provide a succinct and specific summary of the planned research. It is probably most helpful to write this section after writing the rest of the proposal. It should occupy no more than one page.

D. Experimental Design and Feasibility

This section should parallel the Specific Aims section and should answer the question: How will you do the proposed work?

Describe each experiment you propose to conduct and how you will analyze the data and interpret the results. Provide appropriate calculations or cite literature data to support the feasibility of the experiments you propose. Supporting evidence that comes from unpublished work must be clearly identified as such and specifically attributed. Discuss potential drawbacks of any proposed experiments that lack clear precedent, and propose alternative approaches to achieve the aims. This section may need to occupy as many as 3-4 pages.

E. References

The list of references must include complete citations, including all authors and the titles of research articles or book chapters.

4. QE Evaluation

Up to 1.5 hours will be allotted for the QE (30 min presentation, 60 min questions). There are four possible outcomes of the QE:

Pass

A pass is achieved when the Committee agrees with no more than one dissenting vote, otherwise the student fails.

Pass with Conditions

In the instance of a Pass with Conditions, the entire Committee must agree on the required conditions and if they cannot, the Associate Dean decides. The deadline to complete the conditions is one (1) month after the QE date, unless the Committee unanimously agrees to change it.

Fail with Retake

In the instance of a Fail with Retake, the decision of the Committee must be unanimous. The deadline to complete the retake is six (6) months after the QE date, unless the Committee unanimously agrees to reduce it.

Fail without Retake

Students who fail the QE, or who Fail without Retake will be dismissed from the University.

After the evaluation and recommendation by the Committee members, the final QE proposal document and QE form (form_4, part_2) must be submitted to the GPSA within 48 hours after the QE, regardless of the exam outcome. The GPSA will collect all required signatures.

Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal Committee

The Dissertation Proposal (DP) Committee, which must be approved by the Program Chair and the Associate Dean, must consist of at least three members and typically includes no more than four members. The Chair, plus one Faculty Member must be primary or affiliated to the Chemistry Program.

Member	Role	Program Status
1	Chair	Chemistry Program
2	Faculty	Chemistry Program
3	Faculty	Outside the Chemistry Program
4	Faculty/Research Scientist	Inside KAUST

Notes:

Members 1-3 are required, Member 4 is optional
Co-Chairs may serve as Member 2 or 3
Adjunct Professors and Professors Emeriti may retain their roles on current Committees, but may not serve as Chairs on any new committees
Professors of Practice and Research Professors may serve as Member 2 or 3 depending upon their affiliation with the Chemistry Program, they may also serve as Co-Chairs

Once constituted, the composition of the DP Committee can only be changed with the approval of the Academic Advisor, the Program Chair, and the Associate Dean.

View a list of Faculty members and their affiliations here.

Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal Defense

The Dissertation Proposal (DP) Defense is the second part of the qualification milestones that must be completed to become a Ph.D. Candidate. The purpose of the DP Defense is to demonstrate that students have the ability and are adequately prepared to undertake Ph.D. level research in the proposed area. This preparation includes necessary knowledge of the chosen subject, a review of the literature and preparatory theory or experiment as applicable (data presentation).

Every Ph.D. student is required to complete the DP within one (1) year after passing the QE. The DP date will be determined by the student, Academic Advisor, and DP Committee. A Ph.D. student must submit the request (form_5) to form the DP Committee together with the oral presentation to the GPSA at least two (2) weeks prior to the DP date. The GPSA will collect all required signatures and share the oral presentation with your DP Committee at least one (1) week prior to the DP defense.

*A student with two or more first-author (or first co-author) publications (status: published) in highly ranked journals, related to the Ph.D. work, can apply to waive the oral DP presentation. For the application, the student is requested to prepare a single page summary to describe the results of all the published work and submit it together with the request (form_6) and copies of the publications to the GPSA at least two (2) weeks prior to the DP date. The application will be further evaluated by the Program Chair in consultation with the DP Committee. The GPSA will collect all required signatures.

1. Scheduling the DP Defense

Students must schedule the DP Defense at a time acceptable to the Committee members, who are expected to make every reasonable effort to be available for the DP Defense.

2. DP Evaluation

There are four possible outcomes from the DP Defense:

Pass

A pass is achieved when the Committee agrees with no more than one dissenting vote, otherwise the student fails.

Pass with Conditions

In the instance of a Pass with Conditions, the entire Committee must agree on the required conditions and if they cannot, the Associate Dean decides. The deadline to complete the conditions is one (1) month after the Defense date, unless the Committee unanimously agrees to change it.

Fail with Retake

The deadline to complete the retake is six (6) months after the Defense date, unless the Committee unanimously agrees to reduce it.

Fail without Retake

In the instance of a Fail without Retake, the decision of the Committee must be unanimous. Students who fail the DP Defense will be dismissed from the University.

After the evaluation by the Committee Members, submit the DP Evaluation form (form_7) to the GPSA within 48 hours after the DP Defense, regardless of the DP outcome. The GPSA will collect all required signatures.

Ph.D. Final Defense Committee

The FD Committee, which must be approved by the Associate Dean, must consist of at least four members and typically includes no more than six members. At least three of the required members must be KAUST Faculty members and one must be an External Committee Member who is external to KAUST. The Chair, plus one Faculty Member must be primary or affiliated to the Chemistry Program. The External Committee Member is not required to attend the Defense, but must write a report on the dissertation and may attend the FD at the discretion of the Program. The External Committee Member must submit the report to the GPSA two (2) weeks prior to the Defense date.

Member	Role	Program Status
1	Chair	Chemistry Program
2	Faculty	Chemistry Program
3	Faculty	Outside the Chemistry Program
4	External Committee Member	Outside KAUST
5	Research Scientist	Inside KAUST
6	Faculty	Inside or outside KAUST

Notes:

The Chair cannot be the Academic Advisor
Members 1-4 are required, Members 5 and 6 are optional
Co-Chairs may serve as either Member 2, 3 or 6
Adjunct Professors and Professors Emeriti may retain their roles on current Committees, but may not serve as Chairs on any new committees
Professors of Practice and Research Professors may serve as Member 2, 3 or 6 depending upon their affiliation with the Chemistry Program, they may also serve as Co-Chairs
Visiting Professor may serve as Member 6, but not as the External Committee Member

The only requirement with commonality with the DP Committee is the Academic Advisor, although it is expected that other members will carry forward to this Committee.

Co-Advisors can be considered one of the above four members required, provided they come under the categories listed (i.e., meets the requirements of the position).

View a list of Faculty members and their affiliations here.

For more information, please check the Ph.D. Dissertation Procedure.

Ph.D. Final Defense

The Ph.D. Candidate requires the passing of the Final Defense (FD) and acceptance of the dissertation. The FD is a public presentation that consists of an oral defense followed by questions and may last a maximum of three (3) hours.

Students must determine the Defense date with agreement of all the members of the Dissertation Committee, meet deadlines for submitting graduation forms, and inform the Committee of their progress. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the required documents through the online petition form (form_8) at the beginning of the semester they intend to defend. Your petition must be submitted at least two (2) months prior to your planned Defense. If you are planning to graduate in the Fall 2022 semester, please submit petition within the period August 28 - September 8, for the Spring 2023 semester - the petition period is from January 22 to February 2.

The required documents include

list of proposed FD Committee Members, including the External Committee Member (and CV of the External Committee Member)
current CV of the Ph.D. Candidate
current transcript of the Ph.D. Candidate
list of publications of the Ph.D. Candidate
final draft of the Ph.D. Dissertation

Students must submit the written dissertation to the FD Committee one (1) month prior to the Defense date in order to receive feedback.

FD Evaluation

There are four possible outcomes from the FD:

Pass

A pass is achieved when the Committee agrees with no more than one dissenting vote.

Pass with Conditions

In the instance of a Pass with Conditions, the entire Committee must agree on the required conditions and if they cannot, the Associate Dean decides. The deadline to complete the conditions is three (3) months after the Defense date, unless the Committee unanimously agrees to reduce it.

Fail with Retake

If the conditions will take three months or more, or more than one member casts a negative vote, one retake of the Defense is permitted. The deadline to complete the retake is as decided by the FD Committee with a maximum of six (6) months after the Defense date, unless the Committee unanimously agrees to change it.

Fail without Retake

Students who Fail without Retake will be dismissed from the University.

Evaluation of the Ph.D. Final Defense is recorded by Committee Chair submitting the report and signed form “Results of Ph.D. Dissertation Defense” within three (3) days after the oral defense to the Office of the Registrar.

For more information, please check the Ph.D. Dissertation Procedure.

Final Approval and Dissertation Submission

Once the post-Defense corrections are made, the student must follow the KAUST Repository Guide and do the following: