Applied Physics Program

The Applied Physics Program for both M.Sc. and Ph.D. students aims at providing firm knowledge on basic science to comprehend the physics taking place at the nanoscale, and tools to apply this knowledge to nurture technological and scientific breakthroughs in applied physics. The program focuses on device physics, photonics and quantum electronics. Students in this program receive broad training in basic scientific concepts in condensed matter physics, electrodynamics and statistical physics. Students participate in scientific research activities that may include laboratory studies and computational modeling. Ph.D. candidates focus on original research driven to advance the boundaries of knowledge. Employment of Applied Physics graduates ranges from academic research institutions to research and development positions in high-tech industrial or entrepreneurial environments.

Terminology

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

Ph.D. students:

Type I – students entering the M.Sc./Ph.D. program with only a Bachelor degree
Type II – students entering the Ph.D. program with a relevant Master degree

Entry date is considered as an arrival date to KAUST.

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

AP_requirements

Summary of Program Timelines:

AP_timeline

View Online AP Program Guide

University Course List & Syllabi

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 Ph.D. (Type I) 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.

Students will be tested on the following subjects:

1. Engineering Mathematics

2. Physics and Mechanics

3. Chemistry and Thermodynamics

Each examination is 25 minutes long, consists of 12 multiple choice questions, and are taken one after the other in the week before the semester formally starts. All examinations are taken online using your KAUST Blackboard account.

In what follows, an outline of the material covered in each of these examinations is given in the document and below.

Engineering Mathematics

1. Concept of the limit and its properties. The calculation of limits. One- and two-sided limits.
Continuity. The Intermediate Value Theorem.
2. Definition of the derivative. Differentiation from first principles. Derivatives for standard
functions including the exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, and hyperbolic functions.
Product, quotient, and chain rules. Higher-order derivatives. Derivatives of inverse
functions. Implicit and parametric differentiation. The Mean Value Theorem and Rolle’s
theorem. Differentiability.
3. Application of the derivative to finding the gradient of a tangent to a curve. Stationary
points. Maxima and minima problems. The differential and its application to errors. Rates of
change problems.
4. The primitive function and anti-differentiation. The indefinite integral. Techniques of
integration including substitution, parts, partial fractions, trigonometric substitutions, and t-
substitutions.
5. The definite integral and Riemann integration. Application of the integral to area and
volume. The first and second Fundamental Theorems of Calculus. Improper integrals.
6. Sequences and infinite series. The geometric and telescoping series. Alternating series.
Convergence and divergence of an infinite series. Test for convergence including the nth
term test, direct and limit comparison tests, the integral test, ratio and root tests, alternating
series test. Absolute and conditional convergence. The Alternating Series Estimation
Theorem.
7. Power series. Properties of power series. Radius of convergence. Taylor and Maclaurin
series. Application of power series. Taylor polynomials.
8. Complex numbers, Argand diagram, modulus-argument and polar forms, de Moivre’s
theorem, exponential form.
9. Vectors. Vector addition and multiplication by a scalar. Properties of vectors. Unit vectors
and direction angles. The scalar dot and vector cross products and their associated
properties. The scalar triple product. Vector identities. Application of vectors to three-
dimensional analytic geometry. Equations of lines and planes in space.

Recommended Reading Material
1. Calculus, J. Stewart. Eight Edition (2015, Cengage Learning).
2. How to Integrate It: A Practical Guide to Finding Elementary Integrals, S. M. Stewart
(2018, Cambridge University Press).

Physics and Mechanics

Physics component
1. Electric charge. Electric fields. Coulomb's law.
2. Gauss’ law and applications of this law.
3. Electric potential. Capacitance and dielectrics.
4. Current, resistance, and resistivity.
5. Direct current circuits. Voltmeters and ammeters (both ideal and real). RC circuits.
6. Magnetic fields. Gauss’ law for magnetism.
7. Magnetic forces. Sources of the magnetic field. The Biot-Savart law and Ampère’s
law.
8. Electromagnetic induction. Faraday’s law. Lenz’ law.
9. Displacement current. Maxwell’s equations.

Mechanics component
1. Statics of particles. Forces and moments (torques).
2. Equilibrium of rigid bodies. Centres of mass and centroids
3. Moments of inertia.
4. Stress and strain due to axial loading. Torsion
5. Pure bending. Beam analysis
6. Kinematics of particles (using energy and momentum methods). Newton’s second
law.
7. Planar kinematics of rigid bodies.
8. Planar kinetics of rigid bodies (using equations of motion and energy and momentum
methods).

Recommended Reading Material
1. Sears and Zemanskys University Physics: With Modern Physics. Young, H. D., Freedman,
R. A., Ford, A. L., and Sears, F. W. (Addison-Wesley, 2021).
2. Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Statics and Dynamics (Twelfth edition). Ferdinand P. Beer,
E. Russell Johnston, David F. Mazurek, Phillip J. Cornwall, and Brian P. Self (McGraw-Hill,
2019).

Chemistry and Thermodynamics

Chemistry component
1. Matter and energy. What is chemistry? Atoms, molecules, and ions. Substances, ele-
ments, and mixtures. Changes and properties of matter. Periodic Table, Periodic Law.
Chemistry divisions. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).
2. Scientific method: observation, law, hypothesis, experiment, data, results, and theory.
Accuracy and precision. Significant figures. Scientific notation. Basic experimental
quantities. Unit conversion. Basic statistics for data analysis.
3. Timeline of atomic theories and models. Elementary particles. Quantum numbers for
different orbitals. Electron configuration of atoms. Valence electrons and the octet rule.
4. Atomic/ionic radius. Electron affinity. Electronegativity. Ionization energy.
Polarizability. Isoelectronic configurations.
5. Lewis structures. Covalent, ionic, and metallic bonds.
6. Molecular geometry. The valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory.
7. Intermolecular interactions. Phase changes. Gaseous, liquid, and solid states.

Thermodynamics component
1. Fundamentals of thermodynamics.
2. Work and heat. The zeroth and first laws of thermodynamics.
3. Pure substances.
4. The second law of thermodynamics.
5. An ideal gas.
6. Carnot cycle.
7. Entropy.

Recommended Reading Material
1. Denniston, K. J.; Topping, J. J.; Dorr, D. R. Q.; Caret, R. L., General, Organic, and
Biochemistry, McGraw-Hill, 10th edition, 2020.
2. Smoot, R. C.; Smith, R. G.; Price, J., Chemistry: A Modern Course, Merrill Publishing
Company, 1990.
3. Chang, R.; Overby, J., Chemistry, McGraw-Hill, 13th edition, 2019.
4. Goldberg, D. E., Fundamentals of Chemistry, McGraw-Hill, 5th edition, 2007.
5. Gaffney, J.; Marley, N., General Chemistry for Engineers, Elsevier, 1st edition, 2018.
6. Çengel, Y. A.; Boles, M. A., Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach, McGraw-Hill, 5th
edition, 2006.

Courses

AP Core Courses

The AP core courses are designed to provide students with the background needed to establish a solid foundation in the program area. M.Sc. students are required to complete 12 credits (four courses) to fulfill the core requirements. Students must choose four of the following courses:

AP 220	Statistical Physics	3
AP 225/MSE 225	Electronic Properties of Materials	3
AP 228	Advanced Quantum Mechanics	3
AP 230	Condensed Matter Physics	3
ECE 221	Electromagnetic Theory	3

Elective Courses

The elective courses are designed to allow students to tailor their educational experience to meet individual research and educational objectives with the permission of the academic advisor. Electives can be selected from either AP or any other related program.

The following list of courses contains those courses most appropriate to complete the AP degree, organized by themes. Students may select four courses from any 200 or 300 level courses. Research credits, internship credits, and IED courses will not count toward electives.

Fundamentals in Physics

MSE 226	Thermodynamics of Materials	3
MSE 227	Applied Quantum Mechanics	3

Experimental Techniques and Characterization

AP 210	Spectroscopy of Solids	3
ECE 203	Solid-State Devices Fabrication	3
ME 348	Introduction to Spectroscopy and Laser Diagnostics	3
MSE 228	Materials Characterization	3

Materials

ME 317	Mechanics of Composite Materials and Structures	3
MSE 229	Polymeric Materials	3
MSE 310	Energy Storage Materials and Devices	3
MSE 318	Nanomaterials	3
MSE 320	Energy Conversion Materials and Devices	3
MSE 322	Semiconductor Materials	3
MSE 324	Photophysics of Organic Semiconductors	3

Device Physics

AP 331/MSE 331	Advanced Nanoelectronics	3
ECE 206	Device Physics	3
ECE 306	Electronic and Optical Properties of Semiconductors	3

Optoelectronics and Photonics

ECE 208	Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices	3
ECE 231	Principles of Optics	3
ECE 332	Optical Waves in Crystals	3

Theoretical and Computational Physics

AMCS 201	Applied Mathematics I	3
AMCS 202	Applied Mathematics II	3
AMCS 231	Applied Partial Differential Equations I	3
AMCS 252	Numerical Analysis of Differential Equations	3
AMCS 255	Advanced Computational Physics	3
AMCS 331	Applied Partial Differential Equations II	3
AMCS 353	Advanced Topics in Wave Propagation	3
AP 330	Many-Body Theory in Condensed Matter	3
CS 229	Machine Learning	3
ME 305A	Computational Fluid Dynamics	3
ME 305B	Advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics	3
ME 319	Computational Solid Mechanics	3
MSE 314	Ab-Initio Computational Methods	3

M.Sc. Degree Requirements:

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

It is the sole responsibility of students to plan their graduate program in consultation with their academic advisor. Students should be aware that most core courses are offered only once per year.

The non-thesis option is not supported by the AP Program. All M.Sc. students must conduct a capstone experience, including thesis preparation and oral defense.

Ph.D. (Type I) students who don’t complete the M.Sc. thesis requirement will not be eligible to earn the M.Sc. degree.

01. M.Sc. Course Requirements

Core Courses (12 credits)
Elective Courses (12 credits)
M.Sc. Thesis Research or Research/Capstone Experience (12 credits) designed to provide students with the research experience
Graduate Seminar (AP 398, non-credit) – all M.Sc. students, who started Fall 2022 or earlier, are required to register and receive satisfactory (S) grade for three (3) semesters during their graduate program; students admitted in Spring 2023 or later are required to register and receive S grade for every semester until graduation with only one (1) unsatisfactory (U) grade permitted; 12 seminars minimum will be organized by the AP Program; students are required to attend 9 to pass; students must attend 6 of 9 in their resident program; students are optional to take at most 3 seminars in other programs of the PSE division; students can only attend 1 seminar in one week (to avoid extreme scenarios like attending 5 seminars in one week)
Successful completion of one Winter Enrichment Program (WEP)

02. M.Sc. Thesis Defense

Designation of Academic Advisor

The first step for students is to identify an M.Sc. academic (thesis) advisor. Students are required to select a faculty member affiliated with the program to supervise the thesis research. The list of AP-affiliated faculty members is available on the Applied Physics program main page, click here.

Students may choose to conduct thesis research with a non-affiliated faculty member. The potential non-affiliated academic (thesis) advisor must request the program’s approval to become a project-affiliated advisor for the specific thesis project before commencing the research work.

Thesis Credits Registration

Students are required to complete a minimum of 12 credits of thesis research (AP 297). Students are permitted to register for more than 12 credits of M.Sc. thesis research as necessary and with the permission of the academic (thesis) advisor.

M.Sc. Thesis Timeline and Extension

M.Sc. students and their academic advisors need to define the thesis timeline at the time the thesis application is submitted. Students are expected to complete the M.Sc. thesis degree requirements by the end of their second fall semester (third semester).

M.Sc. students may apply to extend into the spring semester (fourth semester) by submitting the request for extension to complete the M.Sc. thesis.

Thesis Defense and Submission

M.Sc. students are expected to form a thesis examination committee, submit a written thesis document, and defend their thesis to complete the thesis research requirements.

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. Public presentation and all other details related to the format of the oral defense are left to the discretion of the thesis committee.

The oral thesis defense must be completed two weeks before the last day of classes of the graduating semester. Students must set the date of the thesis defense with the committee members by the time students submit their thesis committee formation form.

Thesis Document

Students must follow the KAUST Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines available on the KAUST Library website when they write their thesis.

The division urges students to submit the thesis to the examining committee no later than two weeks prior to the defense. However, the committee chair sets the final requirement for the submission timeline.

03. M.Sc. Thesis Defense Committee

Once the thesis is ready to be examined/defended, students have to form the thesis examination committee and set the date for the oral defense.

Students are required to submit the thesis formation committee form at the beginning of the semester in which they intend to defend their thesis.

The thesis defense committee must consist of at least three members and typically includes no more than four members as:

Member	Role	Program Status
1	Committee Chair	Affiliated faculty member
2	KAUST faculty	Affiliated faculty member
3	KAUST faculty	Non-affiliated faculty member
4	Additional faculty or research scientist	Inside or outside KAUST

Notes:

Members 1-3 are required, member 4 is optional
Member 1: committee chair must be an AP faculty member or a KAUST faculty member affiliated with the AP program
Member 2: must be an AP faculty member
Member 3: KAUST faculty member not affiliated with the program
Co-chairs may serve as member 2, 3, or 4, but may not be a research scientist
Adjunct professors and professors emeriti may retain their roles on current committees, but may not serve as chair on any new committees
Professors of practice and research professors may serve as members 2, 3 or 4 depending upon their affiliation with the student’s program, they may also serve as co-chairs
Visiting professors may serve as member 4

04. M.Sc. Thesis Defense Evaluation

Students defending their thesis will receive one of these two outcomes, pass or fail. A pass is achieved when the committee agrees with no more than one dissenting vote, otherwise the outcome is a fail.

In case of a pass, students are required to send a copy of the M.Sc. thesis approval form within two days after the thesis defense to the GPC.

In the case of a fail, the academic (thesis) advisor must inform the GPC immediately to take the necessary action.

05. Submission of M.Sc. Thesis Defense Results

06. Final Approval and Thesis Submission

07. M.Sc. Degree Under M.Sc./Ph.D. Program

Ph.D. (Type I) students can apply to receive M.Sc. degree under M.Sc./Ph.D. program. Before the actual M.Sc. Thesis Defense, all points below need to be fulfilled:

Successful completion of a minimum of 36 credit hours
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 must be achieved to graduate, individual courses require a minimum of a B- for course credit.
12 credits of Master Thesis Research (AP 297), as a part of 36 credits requirement
Four AP Core Courses (total 12 credits) and four Elective Courses (total 12 credits)
Three (3) semesters of Graduate Seminar (AP 398) with satisfactory (S) grade for students, who started Fall 2022 or earlier; students admitted in Spring 2023 or later are required to register and receive S grade for every semester until graduation with only one (1) unsatisfactory (U) grade permitted
Completion of one Winter Enrichment Program (WEP)

Steps to Follow:

Step 1. Apply for Master with Thesis. Fill the form_6. The application deadline for graduating in:

Fall 2022 – August 28
Spring 2023 – January 22
Summer 2023 – May 28

Step 2. Submit Petition for M.Sc. Thesis Defense Examination. The deadline to defend the Thesis is no later than two (2) weeks before the last day of a semester (Fall, Spring, or Summer). Fill the form_1. The petition period for graduating in:

Fall 2022 – from August 28 to September 08
Spring 2023 – from January 22 to February 02
Summer 2023 – from May 28 to June 01

Step 3. Before the Defense, submit your Thesis to the Office of the Registrar for format checking. Also, use Turnitin on the Blackboard to reveal and fix plagiarism, if to be found.

Step 4. Submit Results of M.Sc. Thesis Defense Examination. Fill the form_2.

The student, who fails the Thesis Defense, is allowed to retake it and then graduate with M.Sc. degree. The further pursue of Ph.D. degree won’t be permitted.

Step 5. After the Thesis Defense submit the copyright form to the Office of the Registrar and the GPSA.

Step 6. Submit Final Approval of M.Sc. Thesis Requirements. Fill the form_3.

Step 7. After the successful M.Sc. Thesis Defense, the student is automatically reenrolled, with the approval of Academic Advisor, to pursue Ph.D. degree within M.Sc./Ph.D. program. No additional procedures are required from the student.

Step 8. Student has to start from scratch Ph.D. research, meaning that NONE of the material that was used for M.Sc. Thesis can be used for Ph.D. Dissertation.

Step 9. Student has the right to withdraw from M.Sc./Ph.D. program and finish with the obtained M.Sc. degree. Fill the Withdrawal from KAUST form.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements:

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is designed to prepare students for research careers in academia and industry.
It is offered exclusively as a full-time program.

There is a minimum residency requirement at KAUST of 3.5 years for students entering with a B.S. degree and 2.5 years for students entering with an M.S. degree. A minimum GPA of 3.0 must be achieved on all Doctoral coursework. Individual courses require a minimum of a B- to earn course credit.

Students pursuing Ph.D. degree are required to complete the following degree requirements to earn the degree:

Securing a Dissertation Advisor.
Successful completion of program coursework.
Passing the Qualifying Examination.
Formation of the Dissertation Committee.
Passing the Dissertation Proposal Defense.
Defend and Submit Ph .D. Dissertation

Designation of Dissertation Advisor

The selected Dissertation Advisor must be a full time program-affiliated assistant, associate or full professor at KAUST. To view the list of AP faculty members and faculty members affiliated with AP click here and scroll down the page to faculty members.

The student may also select an advisor from another program at KAUST. This advisor can only become project-affiliated for the specific dissertation project with program level approval. Project affiliation approval must be completed prior to commencing research.

To select a non-affiliated faculty members for a project base affiliation the following documents must be submitted to the program's GPC for the program approval:

Change of Advisor Form
Research proposal submitted by the supervisor providing an over-all research project summary and explaining how the project relates to the student's home program.

This application is subject to approval by the student's home project faculty members. The student and supervisor will be informed of the decision by the GPC.

Ph.D. Course Requirements

The required coursework varies for students entering the Ph.D. degree with a B.S. degree or a relevant M.S. degree. Students holding a B.S. degree must complete all program core/mandatory courses and elective courses outlined in the M.S. degree section and are also required to complete the Ph.D. courses below. Students entering with a B.S. degree may also qualify to earn the M.S. degree by satisfying the M.S. degree requirements; however, it is the student's responsibility to declare their intentions to graduate with an M.S.

Students entering the Ph.D. degree with a relevant M.S. degree must complete the requirements below, though additional courses may be required by the Dissertation Advisor.

Ph.D. Courses

Ph.D. Coursework

Ph.D. students with a relevant M.S. degree must complete minimum of two 300-level courses, including AP 300 - Research Methodology in Applied Physics.
Ph.D. students with a relevant B.S. degree must complete minimum of two 300-level courses, including AP 300 - Research Methodology in Applied Physics, in addition to M.S. degree coursework requirements.

Graduate Seminar
Ph.D. students are required to successfully complete four (4) semesters of the MSE Graduate Seminar. The student can achieve the passing grade by attending at least 80% of the seminar sessions scheduled in a semester.

Winter Enrichment Program
Students are required to satisfactorily complete at least one full Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) as part of the degree requirements. Students who completed WEP requirements while earning the M.S. Degree are not required to enroll in a full WEP for a second time in the Ph.D. Degree.

Students entering the program with an M.S. degree from KAUST may transfer unused coursework toward the Ph.D. program requirements subject to program level approval. Students transferring from another university's Ph.D. program may receive some dissertation research and coursework credits on a case-by-case basis for related work performed at the original institution upon approval by the Dean.

Ph.D. Qualifying Exam

Generally, AP PhD students are required to complete four courses to fulfill the PhD coursework requirement. Two out of the four courses must be 300-level courses.

All students entering the Ph.D. program with a bachelor’s degree must take this examination within two years of their admission. Students admitted to the program with a master’s degree must complete this exam within one year.

To fulfill the AP qualifying exam the student must

Complete two AP core courses (200-level) with B+ or higher final grade.
Complete two 300-level courses with B+ or higher final grade. Any 300-level course offered by KAUST, within AP or outside AP, does count.

PhD students will be required to take additional courses until the above conditions are met.

Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal

The Dissertation Proposal Defense is the second part of the qualification milestones that must be completed to become a Ph.D. Candidate. The purpose of the Dissertation Proposal Defense is to demonstrate that the student has the ability and is 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.

Ph.D. students are required to complete the Dissertation Proposal Defense within one (1) year after passing the qualifying exam. The proposal defense date will be determined by student and his/her advisor.

To complete the Ph.D. proposal milestone, Ph.D. students are required to

Submit a request to Form the Dissertation Committee and present the Ph.D Dissertation Proposal.
Defend Ph.D. Dissertation proposal.

More details in the following sections

Dissertation Committee Formation for Ph.D. Proposal

Ph.D. students must submit the request to form dissertation committee & present Ph.D. proposal two weeks prior to the Ph.D. proposal defense date. Click here to download the form.

The Dissertation Committee for Ph.D. propsal must consist of at least three faculty members, but no more than five members. The criteria for selecting committee members is as follows:

Member	Role	Program Status
1	Chair	Within the Program or Affiliated
2	Faculty	Within the Program
3	Faculty	Outside the Program
4	Additional Faculty or Approved Research Scientist	Inside KAUST
5	Additional Faculty	Inside or Outside KAUST

Members 1-3 are required. Member 4 & 5 are optional.
Co-Chairs may serve as Members 2 or 3.
Professors of Practice and Research Professors may serve as Members 2 or 3 depending upon their affiliation with the student’s program. They may also serve as Co-Chairs.
Adjunct Professors, Professors Emeriti, and Research Scientist may serve as member 4 or 5.

The Dissertation Committee must be approved by the Program Chair and the Dean. Once constituted, the composition of the committee can only be changed with the approval of both the Dissertation Advisor and the Dean.

Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal Defense

The Dissertation Proposal Defense includes two aspects: a written research proposal and an oral research proposal defense.

The written research proposal document should be 3000 words (+/- 10%).
The oral defense should be 1.5 hours long (30 min presentation, 60 min questions)

Ph.D. Proposal Defense Evaluation

There are four possible outcomes from this Dissertation Proposal 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 Dean decides. The deadline to complete the conditions is one month after the defense date, unless the committee unanimously agrees to change it.

Fail with retake: The deadline to complete the retake is six 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 Dissertation Proposal Defense, or who fail the retake, will be dismissed from the University.

The Dissertation Proposal Evaluation form must be submitted within 48 hours after presenting the dissertation proposal.

Upon passing the Proposal Defense, student must submit the change to Ph.D. candidate status form.

Dissertation Defense and Submission

Ph.D. Dissertation Defense

The Dissertation Defense is the final milestone of the degree. This part requires acceptance of the Dissertation and the passing of the final defense. The final defense is a public presentation that consists of an oral defense followed by questions.

To complete this part Ph.D. student is required to complete the following:

Form Ph.D. Dissertation Committee and petition for Ph.D. dissertation Defense examination .
Defend the dissertation and submit the results.
Submit Ph.D. Dissertation and the Final Approval form.

Note:

Students must follow the KAUST Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines available on the library website when they write their dissertation.

Petition for Ph.D. Dissertation Defense

Petition for Dissertation Defense Examination

Ph.D. student is expected to declare his/her intention to defend the Ph.D. Dissertation by forming the dissertation committee and submitting the Ph.D. Petition for Dissertation Defense Examination form to the GPC. The student must submit the form to the GPC by the end of the second week of the semester the student intends to defend.

It is advisable that the student submits her/his dissertation to committee members six weeks prior the defense date.

Dissertation Committee

The PhD Dissertation Defense committee for the final defense 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 and one must be an examiner who is external to KAUST. The Chair plus one additional faculty member must be affiliated with the student’s program.

The External Examiner must hold a Full or Associate Professor position at a university other than KAUST. The External Examiner will review the dissertation and send a report within three weeks sharing his/her recommendations and questions prior to the final defense. Beyond the External Examiner, up to two additional members can be added. All committee members must attend the final defense, by videoconference if necessary.

Member Role & Program Status:

Member	Role	Program Status
1	Chair	Within Program
2	Faculty	Within Program
3	Faculty	Outside Program
4	External Examiner	Outside KAUST
5	Approved Research Scientist	Inside KAUST
6	Additional Faculty	Inside or outside KAUST

Notes:

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 Professor Emeriti may retain their roles on current committees, but may not serve as chair on any new committees.
Professors of Practice and Research Professors may serve as Members 2, 3 or 6 depending upon their affiliation with the student’s program. They may also serve as co-chairs.
Visiting Professors may serve as Member 6, but not as the external examiner.

Oral Defense and Results Submission

The Dissertation Defense is the final milestone of the degree. This part requires acceptance of the Dissertation and the passing of the final defense. The final defense is a public presentation that consists of an oral defense followed by questions and may last a maximum of three hours.

Evaluation

There are four (4) possible outcomes for Final Defense:

Pass without conditions
Pass with conditions
Fail with retake
Fail without retake

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

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

In the instance of a Fail without Retake permitted, the decision of the committee must be unanimous. Otherwise one retake is permitted. The deadline to complete the retake is four (4) months after the defense date unless the committee unanimously agrees to reduce it. Students who fail the Final Dissertation Defense or who fail the retake will be dismissed from the university.

Ph.D. student is required to submit the Ph.D. Dissertation Defense Examination Result form to the GPC within three days after the defense examination.

Submission of Dissertation and Final Approval Form

Dissertation Document:

Students must follow the KAUST Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines available on KAUST Library website when they write their dissertation. The student will be contacted by Thesis Checker in the Registrar office to make sure the student is following the guidelines.

The Writing Center provide editorial assistance to students writing their thesis. Students can book a time by sending an email to Skills Lab, skillslab@kaust.edu.sa.

Submission of Dissertation:

Once the post-examination corrections to the final dissertation document and the format of the dissertation are completed, the Ph.D. student must submit the final draft of the dissertation document to Turnitin through Blackboard. And, submit the Final Approval and Copyright Availability forms to GPC.

The Student can also use the Turnitin tool in Blackboard to check the dissertation document for plagiarism.

Steps to submit the dissertation and run the plagiarism report:

Log into Blackboard.
Click on the course titled (“Year”_”Semester”_DISS) available on the list of Courses: Quick View.
Click on View/Complete under Originality-Check.
Fill in your information and Upload your Thesis document.
Click on Go to Assignment Inbox.
Click on the similarity percentage next to your Thesis Title.

To run the report at a later time:

Log into Blackboard.
Click on the course titled (“Year”_”Semester”_DISS) available on the list of Courses: Quick View.
Click on Course Tools.
Click on Turnitin Assignments.

Submission to KAUST Library:

The GPC will send the Turnitin Plagiarism report to the supervisor for authentication.
The GPC will archive the final dissertation to the library on behalf of the student once the following documents are submitted:

Final version of the Dissertation
Copyright Availability form
Signed Ph.D. Final Approval form

The GPC will inform the Registrar Office once the submission is confirmed by the Library.

Program Related Forms and Other Documents

General Information

Academic Calendar 2022-2023

AP Program Guide 2022-2023

Graduate Student Handbook 2022-2023

Registration

Credits Add-Drop Form

Transfer Credit

Completing In Absentia

Enrollment

Change of Program - Academic Advisor

Application for Travelling Scholar Status

Withdrawal from KAUST

Graduation

Form_1 Petition for M.Sc. Thesis Examination

Form_2 Results of M.Sc. Thesis Examination

Form_3 M.Sc. Thesis/Ph.D. Dissertation Final Approval

Form_4 Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal

Ph.D. Dissertation Procedure

Form_5 Ph.D. Final Defense Petition Form

Form_6 Application for Master with Thesis

Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines

KAUST Repository Guide

Request for Time Extension to Complete Degree

1. ASK US QUESTIONS

2. APPLY NOW

3. ASSESSMENT TEST

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What should I know about Graduate Seminar (X 398) as a Ph.D. student?

X = {Chem, CE, AP, MSE, ErSE, ERPE, ME}

1. 12 seminars minimum will be organized by the program.

2. Students are required to attend 9 to pass.

3. Students must attend 6 of 9 in their resident program.

4. Students are optional to take at most 3 seminars in other programs of the PSE division.

5. Students can only attend 1 seminar in one week (to avoid extreme scenarios like attending 5 seminars in one week).

6. Fourth year Ph.D. (Type I) and third year Ph.D. (Type II) 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.

For Chem Program:

All Ph.D. (Type I) students, who started Fall 2022 or earlier, are required to register and receive satisfactory (S) grade for six (6) semesters during their graduate program.
All Ph.D. (Type II) students, who started Fall 2022 or earlier, are required to register and receive S grade for four (4) semesters during their graduate program.
Students admitted in Spring 2023 or later are required to register and receive S grade for every semester until graduation with only one (1) unsatisfactory (U) grade permitted

For AP and MSE Programs:

All Ph.D. (Type I) students, who started Fall 2022 or earlier, are required to register and receive satisfactory (S) grade for seven (7) semesters during their graduate program.
All Ph.D. (Type II) students, who started Fall 2022 or earlier, are required to register and receive S grade for four (4) semesters during their graduate program.
Students admitted in Spring 2023 or later are required to register and receive S grade for every semester until graduation with only one (1) unsatisfactory (U) grade permitted

For CE, ErSE, and ME Programs:

Students are required to register and receive S grade for every semester until graduation with only one (1) unsatisfactory (U) grade permitted

For ERPE Program:

All students, who started Fall 2022 or earlier, are required to register and receive a satisfactory (S) grade for every semester of the program they attend, except for the last semester of graduation; the attendance of the Graduate Seminar is optional for the graduation semester
Students admitted in Spring 2023 or later are required to register and receive S grade for every semester until graduation with only one (1) unsatisfactory (U) grade permitted

What should I know about Graduate Seminar (X 398) as a M.Sc. student?

X = {Chem, CE, AP, MSE, ErSE, ERPE, ME}

1. 12 seminars minimum will be organized by the program.

2. Students are required to attend 9 to pass.

3. Students must attend 6 of 9 in their resident program.

4. Students are optional to take at most 3 seminars in other programs of the PSE division.

5. Students can only attend 1 seminar in one week (to avoid extreme scenarios like attending 5 seminars in one week).

For Chem, AP, and MSE Programs:

All M.Sc. students, who started Fall 2022 or earlier, are required to register and receive satisfactory (S) grade for three (3) semesters during their graduate program
Students admitted in Spring 2023 or later are required to register and receive S grade for every semester until graduation with only one (1) unsatisfactory (U) grade permitted

For CE, ErSE, and ME Programs:

Students are required to register and receive S grade for every semester until graduation with only one (1) unsatisfactory (U) grade permitted

For ERPE Program:

All students, who started Fall 2022 or earlier, are required to register and receive a satisfactory (S) grade for every semester of the program they attend, except for the last semester of graduation; the attendance of the Graduate Seminar is optional for the graduation semester
Students admitted in Spring 2023 or later are required to register and receive S grade for every semester until graduation with only one (1) unsatisfactory (U) grade permitted

How can I know the type of program affiliation for a faculty?

Step 1. View a list of Faculty members and their affiliations here.

Step 2. Open the profile of selected Faculty.

Step 3. Check the "Affiliations" section:

On the top you will see primary affiliation, the following affiliations are secondary.

How can I audit a course?

A step-by-step guide is available in this User Guide for Registration.

Please be reminded of the following points about formally auditing courses:

Audit courses will be reflected on your transcript.
Credits earned will be listed as 0 (zero).
You will receive a Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) grade for audit courses, based on the grading criteria set for individual courses.
Given that audit courses are not credit-bearing, they will not directly count towards your degree requirements, nor impact your Cumulative Grade Point Average.
Course registration rules remain the same for audit courses. Students are responsible for ensuring their registration is accurate for each semester/session of registration.
As with regular courses, class participation will be required as they are with your regular credit-bearing courses.
Similar to regular courses, prerequisites for audit courses will have to be met in advance of registration.
Audit courses may be a prerequisite for a credit-bearing course only if an S (satisfactory grade) is achieved.
Audit courses must be approved by your Academic Advisor before registration.
The add/drop deadline remains the same for audit courses, including changing the course's status to or from audit.

If you would like to audit courses unofficially and not have audit courses listed on your transcript, then please email the course instructor directly to obtain his/her approval, copying blackboard@kaust.edu.sa, so you can gain access to course material, once approved. Please do not register to unofficially audit courses via the course registration page. Any registration for audit courses via the registration page will be treated as an official audit.

If you have questions about auditing courses, please speak with your Academic Advisor and/or GPSA.

Should you face any difficulties registering for formal audit courses, please email registrarhelpdesk@kaust.edu.sa.

What is the deadline to defend my M.Sc. Thesis?

The deadline to defend the Thesis is no later than two (2) weeks before the last day of a semester (Fall, Spring, or Summer).

Is there minimum number of credits I have to receive for Doctoral Dissertation Research (X 397) to complete the Ph.D. degree?

X = {Chem, CE, AP, MSE, ErSE, ERPE, ME}

There is no fixed minimum value of credits for X 397.

How my stipend will change along the pursuing degree?

1. Masters only students will receive stipends as per the offer of admission for the tenure of their program.

2. Students admitted to the M.Sc./Ph.D. program will receive a master’s stipend at the onset of their program. At the recommendation of the program, once students complete 36 credits of the program requirements, they will receive a stipend increase. The second stipend increase will be applied after total 66 credits are completed. The stipend will additionally rise with successful passing Dissertation Proposal.

3. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program will receive stipends as per the offer of admission. Upon completion of 30 credits, students will receive a stipend increase. The stipend will additionally rise with successful passing Dissertation Proposal.

I am enrolled in the M.Sc./Ph.D. program. From which moment I will be officially considered as a Ph.D. student?

You are considered as a Ph.D. student from the very first day of the enrollment. Pursuing Ph.D. degree is the main goal of the M.Sc./Ph.D. program, thus by definition you are Ph.D. student. Yes, you are entering it with only a Bachelor degree, however you are not obliged to obtain M.Sc. degree under this program. The defense of M.Sc. degree is recommended by the University, although it’s your free choice.

Are there online or hybrid classes in the Academic Year 2022-2023?

No.

Can I start courses in the Academic Year 2022-2023 distantly without entering KAUST?

No.

Can I register for courses before arriving to KAUST?

Yes, you can. However, make sure to meet the requirements of course in terms of attendance, homework, etc.

What are the exact values to get Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) grades?

KAUST does not have a mandatory grading rubric. The determination of a Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) grade is at the discretion of the instructor.

Who can be eligible for External Committee Member?

1. Be affiliated with another university/institute than KAUST.

2. If a professor is retired, he/she should have Emeritus title.

3. If a professor moved to other university/institute during the procedure, he/she should have Adjunct title.

4. KAUST visiting professor can't be External Committee Member.

What is the length of my vacation?

Graduate students may take vacation days during each academic year, defined by the published Academic Calendar. Unused vacation days do not carry over to the following year. All M.Sc. with Thesis and Ph.D. students must discuss their vacation plans with their Academic Advisors at least four (4) weeks prior to the proposed vacation.

• M.Sc. Degree, Non-Thesis: M.Sc. graduate students (Non-Thesis) are entitled to an annual vacation that is defined as the official University holidays and intersession days.

• M.Sc. Degree with Thesis: Upon transitioning into the M.Sc. with Thesis program, students are entitled to two weeks’ vacation (inclusive of any Eid holidays) for the duration of the degree program. Students receive Saudi National Day, Founding Day, and any other national holidays in addition.

• Ph.D. Degree: Ph.D. students are entitled to annual vacation, limited to three (3) weeks. In addition, they receive Eid holidays and any other national holidays.

M.Sc. with Thesis and Ph.D. students, with authorization from the student’s Academic Advisor, can work through the Eid periods taking the corresponding number of days at a later/prior time during the same year.

Extra vacation time requires approval by the Division and the Dean of Graduate Affairs.

For the reference, see Graduate Student handbook.

Should I register for Thesis Research (X 297) during my M.Sc./Ph.D. program?

X = {Chem, CE, AP, MSE, ErSE, ERPE, ME}

1. If you are not planning to get M.Sc. degree and want to finish ONLY with Ph.D. degree, then you need to register ONLY for Doctoral Dissertation Research (X 397) until the graduation.

2. If you are planning to obtain M.Sc. degree during the M.Sc./Ph.D. program, then you need to receive 15 credits of Chem 297 (for Chem Program) or 12 credits for all other programs (CE, AP, MSE, ErSE, ERPE, ME), as a part of M.Sc. requirements.

The pursue of M.Sc. degree is optional and not required by the M.Sc./Ph.D. program. However, along the way, you may decide for personal reasons to withdraw from the program. So, the result of your work will be at least earning M.Sc. degree.

Can I register for courses before passing assessment test?

No.

What is maximum length of Ph.D. program?

4-5 years is maximum period to get Ph.D. degree.

What is maximum length of M.Sc./Ph.D. program?

6-7 years is maximum period to get Ph.D. degree.