Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Public Relations

Student Support and Academic Advising

The University of Fujairah adopts an academic advising policy to provide all students with the necessary tools and information. This enables them to take responsibility for developing educational and career plans aligned with their goals while meeting institutional and degree requirements.

Advising services are institutionalized and implemented at the University of Fujairah according to its advising policy. An academic advisor is assigned to each student at the beginning of their first semester and throughout their studies. The academic advisor assists students by:

• Ensuring students take courses in the correct sequence according to the guidance plan.
• Introducing students to acceptable alternatives if they encounter registration issues in specific course sections.
• Ensuring that college and university regulations are accessible and fully understood by the student.
• Assisting students in career planning and discussing all information regarding the student's academic progress.
• Announcing the office hours of each faculty member to provide advising to their students and track their academic development.
• Contributing to solving various challenges that the student may face.

Program Admission Criteria

A. Admission Conditions

To be admitted into the program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• The applicant must hold a Bachelor's degree (Licentiate or Bachelor) in Communication, Media, or Public Relations from a university recognized by the Ministry of Higher Education in the United Arab Emirates, or its equivalent, with a minimum grade of "Good" (GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0).
• The College Board will conduct personal interviews for applicants. In special cases, additional documents may be requested, including employer approval if the applicant works in a government organization, or a letter of experience in work related to communication, public relations, or management fields in general (2 years of experience) for applicants from non-communication disciplines.

The following criteria shall be considered to differentiate between qualified applicants, with priority given according to:

1. The student with the highest Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in their Bachelor's degree from communication-related disciplines (Communication, Media, Public Relations).
2. In the event of a tie in the previous criterion, priority is given to the student with the highest grades in core undergraduate courses related to graduate studies, namely: Media Research Methods and Communication Theories.
3. In the event of a tie in the previous criterion, priority is given to the student with the most professional experience in the field of media work.

Language Requirement: Obtaining a score of 450 on the TOEFL, 4.5 on the IELTS, or its equivalent on approved standardized tests. Students who do not meet the language requirement may be granted conditional admission to enroll in the program. This allows them to register for a foundational English language course during their first semester, alongside a maximum of two program courses (up to 6 credit hours). The student will not achieve full admission into the program until they pass the foundational English course with a minimum grade of C+ (or "Good"). If they fail to achieve the required grade, they are granted one additional semester to achieve it, in accordance with university policies and procedures.

Exceptions: As an exception, students from non-communication disciplines (other than Communication, Media, and Public Relations) may be granted conditional admission, provided they have a minimum grade of "Good" (2.5 out of 4.0) in their scientific major. They must also complete a remedial course (Introduction to Public Relations) with a minimum grade of C+.

B. Duration of Study

• The minimum duration to obtain the Master's degree is 4 semesters.

C. Graduation Requirements

• The student is awarded the Master's degree in Strategic Communication and Public Relations upon completing 30 credit hours with a minimum overall grade of B (equivalent to 80%).

D. Study System, Attendance, Absence, and Course Load

• The study system is semester-based, following the approved system at the University of Fujairah. The academic year is divided into two semesters, each lasting fifteen weeks.
• The course load for a regularly admitted student ranges between a minimum of 6 credit hours and a maximum of 12 credit hours.
• If a student's absence reaches 10% of the scheduled instructional hours for any course, the College Dean will issue a first warning. If the absence reaches 20%, the Dean will issue a second warning.
• If the absence reaches 25% of the total scheduled instructional hours for one or more courses, the student will be barred from taking the exam and will be considered to have failed the course, unless the absence is supported by an excuse accepted in accordance with university policies and procedures.