The following words and phrases - wherever they appear in this Regulation - shall have the meanings specified next to each, unless the context requires otherwise:

• Postgraduate Studies: A level of study higher than the bachelor's degree, such as a higher diploma, master's degree, or doctorate.

• Classification: The unified Saudi classification of educational levels and specializations issued by the Council of Ministers Decision No. (75) dated 27/1/1442 AH, and any amendments or updates thereto.

• Framework: The national qualifications framework in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, issued by the Board of Directors of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission in its first meeting of the second term held on 6/6/1441 AH, and any amendments or updates thereto.

• Deputy or Relevant Agent: The Vice President of the University, or the University Agent responsible for postgraduate studies at the university, according to the approved organizational structure of the university.

• Executive Administration: The deanship, administration, or unit responsible at the university for implementing academic procedures related to postgraduate studies, in accordance with the approved organizational structure of the university.

• Program: A set of courses, thesis, graduation research, comprehensive examination, or some of them, that the student studies over a specified period of time; to obtain a degree or higher certificate in the field of specialization.

• Joint Program: A scientific program involving more than one department or college within the university, or from outside it from educational institutions, or research institutions within or outside the Kingdom, with specific learning outcomes.

• Study Unit: The weekly theoretical lecture, or weekly scientific seminar, or clinical lesson, or exercise lesson that lasts no less than fifty minutes, or the scientific lesson that lasts no less than one hundred minutes, or the field lesson specified in the study plan.

• Course: The subject in the plan of each program, which includes a number, code, and description of the content, and is subject to monitoring, evaluation, and development in each department, and may be taught independently, or have a prerequisite or concurrent requirement, and an exemption from the prerequisite or concurrent requirement may be granted based on a test for specific learning outcomes.

• Admission Deferral: Postponing the start date of the student's studies after the issuance of their university number, and before registering for any course, and this can occur only once, and cannot happen after the start of studies.

• Study Deferral: Stopping the student from the duration specified - according to this Regulation - to obtain the academic degree after the start of their studies.

• Withdrawal: The student terminating their relationship with the university they are enrolled in permanently, before completing their study program.

• Cancellation of Enrollment: The university terminating its relationship with the student, before completing their study program for specific reasons stated in this Regulation.

• Re-enrollment: The university restoring its relationship with the student whose enrollment was canceled.

• Comprehensive Examination: An examination of the knowledge and skills required to obtain degrees in postgraduate programs (higher diploma/master's/doctorate), and the comprehensive examination may be the final qualification for some of these degrees except for the doctorate degree.

• Graduation Research: Research that may take one or two semesters, is topic-specific, qualifies for the academic degree, and is included in the program's courses.

• Thesis: The scientific thesis, which represents the research and its results, prepared by the student and submitted for the purpose of obtaining the academic degree.

In accordance with the provisions of the Regulation of Study and Examinations for the undergraduate level in universities, this Regulation aims to organize postgraduate studies in universities, in a manner that enhances the efficiency and quality of the educational process, and the academic procedures for the stages of postgraduate studies in the university.

The provisions of this Regulation apply to the universities that implement the Higher Education Council and Universities System issued by Royal Decree No. (M/8) dated 4/6/1414 AH, and the universities that implement the Universities System issued by Royal Decree No. (M/27) dated 2/3/1441 AH.

The objectives of graduate studies are as follows:

• A. To focus on advanced studies and research that serve national goals, expand them, and work on disseminating them.

• B. To contribute to enriching human knowledge in all its branches through specialized studies and scientific research; to achieve innovative scientific and practical contributions, and to uncover new facts.

• C. To provide educational opportunities for students to continue their graduate studies locally.

• D. To offer qualifying materials and programs for students; to enhance their qualifications and competencies; to provide studies and research that serve the nation and contribute to enriching their specializations.

• E. To attract a select group of distinguished students from around the world in the most important research fields; to elevate the outcomes of scientific research and enrich the cultural diversity required in graduate programs.

• F. To prepare and qualify specialized scientific and professional competencies needed by society.

• G. To encourage creativity and innovation; to keep pace with the requirements of knowledge and technological development, to elevate the level of scientific research, and to direct it towards addressing the issues and challenges of sustainable development in Saudi, regional, and global contexts.

• H. To enhance opportunities for various collaborations and partnerships locally, regionally, and globally.

• I. To develop the outputs of the knowledge economy; to contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals for Saudi society.

The University Council sets the detailed criteria for the approval of graduate programs, adhering to the following:

• A. The university must have obtained institutional appropriation from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission.

• B. The bachelor's program - in the same specialization - must have obtained program appropriation from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, or from one of the international bodies recognized by the Commission; for the approval of the higher diploma or master's program, and the master's program - in the same specialization - must have obtained program appropriation from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, or from one of the international bodies recognized by the Commission; for the approval of the doctoral program.

• C. The department must have a sufficient number of faculty members, including professors and associate professors, specialized in the field of the master's or doctoral program, in addition to having research capabilities, including laboratories, computer facilities, and others; to ensure the success of the program in terms of teaching, supervision, and research.

• D. The expected number of students to be admitted to the program must be appropriate to ensure its continuity, and the number of students in each section should not exceed (25) students.

• E. The university must adhere to the following when approving its programs, in order:

  • 1. The unified Saudi classification for educational levels and specializations.

  • 2. The national qualifications framework in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

• F. Admission to master's and doctoral programs that do not obtain program appropriation from the Education and Training Evaluation Commission or from one of the international bodies recognized by the Commission will be suspended within two years of the graduation of the first batch of the programs.