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ABOUT
ACADEMIC INFORMATION
RESEARCH OVERVIEW
STUDENT INTERNSHIPS
KAUST OPENINGS
1. ASK US QUESTIONS
2. APPLY NOW
3. ASSESSMENT TEST

 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Chemical Engineering Program

The Chemical Engineering (CE) Program aims to offer students opportunities to develop real-world solutions to global challenges by performing rigorous coursework studies and cutting-edge research in chemical engineering. These include the development of new materials and processes for gas and liquid separations, for water desalination, catalysis, sustainable energy and nanotechnology as well as the advancement of new ideas in process design and control and reactor design.​

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:

CE_requirements

 

Summary of Program Timelines:

CE_timeline

 

View Online CE 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

CE Core Courses

To complete these twelve credit hours in CE, students should register for four core courses as listed below.

CE 201Chemical Thermodynamics

3

CE 202Advanced Transport Phenomena

3

CE 203Advanced Reaction Engineering

3

CE 336Membrane Science and Membrane Separation Processes

3

These core courses are designed to provide students with the background needed to establish a solid foundation in the program area.

Elective Courses

The elective courses (which exclude research, internship credits, and IED 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.

CE 300Sustainable Process Design

3

CE 394Contemporary Topics in CE

3

 

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 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 to four semesters. Satisfactory participation in every KAUST summer session is mandatory.

The non-thesis option is not supported by the CE 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 (CE 398, non-credit) – all students 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 CE 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
03. 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 student’s program. This membership can be summarized as:

Member Role Program Status
1ChairWithin program
2Faculty Within program
3Faculty Outside program, Inside KAUST
4Additional faculty or research scientistInside or outside KAUST

Notes:

  • Members 1-3 are required, member 4 is optional
  • Co-chairs may serve as member 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 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

View a list of faculty and their affiliations here.

 

04. M.Sc. Thesis Defense Evaluation
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 (CE 297), as a part of 36 credits requirement
  • Four CE Core Courses (total 12 credits) and four Elective Courses (total 12 credits)
  • Students 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
Dissertation Defense & 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.​​

Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal Defense

​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. Ph.D. students must request to present the Dissertation Proposal Defense to the Proposal Dissertation Committee by submitting the Dissertation Committee Formation Form two weeks prior to the Ph.D. proposal defense date. 

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 Committee Formation

​The Dissertation Committee must include the following members:

  • First member: Dissertation Advisor who acts as committee chair
  • Second member: Program or Program-affiliated faculty member
  • Third member: KAUST faculty member from another program

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.

The Dissertation Committee form must be completed and submitted to GPC for approval two weeks prior to the Ph.D. proposal defense

Ph.D. Qualifying Exam

The purpose of the Subject-based Qualifying Exam is to test the student's knowledge of the subject matter within the field of study. All students entering the Ph.D. program with a B.S. degree must take this examination within two years of their admission. Students admitted to the program with an M.S. degree must take this exam within one year. 

The qualifying exam will cover the content of the core courses. 
CBE 201: Chemical Thermodynamics
CBE 202: Advanced Transport Phenomena
CBE 203: Advanced Reaction Engineering
CBE 336: Membrane Science and Membrane Separation Processes​
The examination in all three subjects will be held on the same day. 

Only PhD and MS/PhD students will be allowed to take the qualifying exam.

Registration for the Qualifying Exam: 

The qualifying exam is schduled twice per year, January and June. A call for registration will be sent via email to Ph.D. students eight (8) weeks before the exam date. The email will include the exam date and instructions to register for the exam.

Evaluation of Ph.D. Qualifying Exam:

The exams will be evaluated within the next 72 hours.

CBE faculty members will discuss and approve the results before sending the results to students.

Results will be sent to students via email.

Students who fail the qualifying exam are required to re-take the exam the following time the exam is offered. ​

Students who fail the Subject-based Qualifying Exam with no retake or fail the retake will be dismissed from the university.​​​

Ph.D. Course Requirements

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

  • At least two 300-level courses
  • Graduate Seminar 398 (non-credit): All students are required to register and receive a Satisfactory grade for every semester the program requires they attend.
  • 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 credit on a case-by-case basis for related work performed at the original Institution upon approval by the Dean. However, such students must still satisfy the Qualifying Exam and Dissertation Proposal Defense requirements at KAUST.

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 Chemical and Biological Engineering faculty members and faculty members affiliated with CBE 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. ​​​​

 

Program Related Forms and Other Documents

General Information

Academic Calendar 2022-2023

CE 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:

  1. Audit courses will be reflected on your transcript.
  2. Credits earned will be listed as 0 (zero).
  3. You will receive a Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) grade for audit courses, based on the grading criteria set for individual courses.
  4. Given that audit courses are not credit-bearing, they will not directly count towards your degree requirements, nor impact your Cumulative Grade Point Average.
  5. Course registration rules remain the same for audit courses. Students are responsible for ensuring their registration is accurate for each semester/session of registration.
  6. As with regular courses, class participation will be required as they are with your regular credit-bearing courses.
  7. Similar to regular courses, prerequisites for audit courses will have to be met in advance of registration.
  8. Audit courses may be a prerequisite for a credit-bearing course only if an S (satisfactory grade) is achieved.
  9. Audit courses must be approved by your Academic Advisor before registration.
  10. 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.

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