Academic Level: It indicates the academic stage and the number of required levels for graduation is four or more, according to the approved study plans in each faculty.
Credit Hour: It refers to the weekly theoretical lecture that lasts at least fifty minutes or the practical or field lesson that lasts at least one hundred minutes.
Academic Probation: The student receives academic probation when their cumulative or major GPA falls below the required threshold at the university.
Incomplete Grade: A temporary grade is assigned to a course when the student cannot complete its requirements within the specified time. It is denoted in the academic record as (I) and requires the approval of the faculty council responsible for teaching the course.
Semester GPA: It is the result of dividing the total points earned by the student in all courses studied during that semester by the total credit hours of those courses. The estimates obtained by the students are calculated for each course.
Admission Requirements: The following conditions are required for a new student’s
admission to the university:
1. The university accepts admission applications at the beginning of each semester, and students who join the university must carefully read the instructions attached to the admission application.
2. The university accepts students according to the regulations and instructions issued by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education as follows:
a. The student must have a General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi) or its equivalent, and the General Secondary Education Certificate must qualify the student to join the faculty or department they are applying to.
b. Students from the Scientific Stream are accepted in all faculties. In contrast, students from the Literary Stream are accepted in the following specializations: Faculty of Humanities and Educational Sciences, Faculty of Law, and Faculty of Administrative and Banking Sciences.
c. Students from the Industrial Stream are accepted in the Technology Information specialization.
3. Students who have obtained a 70% or higher in the General Secondary Examination (Commercial Stream) are accepted into the Faculty of Administrative Sciences.
4. Applicants to various faculties holding a Palestinian General Secondary Education Certificate are accepted competitively.
5. Students who hold a non-Palestinian General Secondary Education Certificate are accepted based on the decisions issued by the university council and in accordance with the Palestinian higher education decisions.
6. Admission applications and any other information can be obtained from the Admission and Registration Department at the university.
Registration Procedure: The following procedures are required for a student’s admission and registration at the university:
1. Receiving and filling out the admission application and submitting it to the Admission and Registration Department, accompanied by a certified copy of the General Secondary Education Certificate or its equivalent, along with other required documents.
2. If the student applies for admission before the General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi) results are announced, they can write their seat number in the designated place on the admission application.
3. The Admission and Registration Department receives admission applications and the attached documents during the period announced by the department, and no applications are accepted after the specified deadlines.
4. After the student’s acceptance is announced in local newspapers, the student personally attends the Admission and Registration Department during the announced dates to pay the fees, do the Placement Test in both Arabic and English languages, as well as the Computer Skills Test, and complete the required documents. The student registers in their first semester at the university according to their approved study plan and based on their level in the placement test. The student forfeits their right to admission if they miss the specified acceptance date, withdraw their documents from registration, or if any wrong information is found in the admission application.
Placement Test in Arabic, English, and Computer Skills:
The students are required to do these tests due to the importance of the Arabic language since it is the mother tongue of this nation and it has a strong base for understanding the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Hadith and due to the fact that the English Language is one of the most widely spread global languages, every graduate who seeks to pursue higher education, develop his/her scientific capabilities, and gain exposure to world cultures needs to be proficient in it. Furthermore, in the modern era, computers have become the language of the contemporary world.
Therefore, accepted students must take a level exam in these subjects to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Those identified as weak will be assigned a remedial course to enhance their proficiency. It’s essential to note that the exam results will not be used solely as a basis for admission but to assess the student’s knowledge level.
Duration of Study:
The registered students pursuing a BA. degree are allowed to complete their study within 7 years and not less than 3 years.
Academic System and Load:
The regular student’s course load ranges between 12 to 18 credit hours per regular semester, and the number of credit hours in different academic programs is designed to enable the student to complete the requirements for a BA. degree in eight regular semesters. In case the student cannot achieve that, they may enroll in summer sessions for a maximum of nine credit hours per summer semester, subject to the following conditions:
1.The course load can be increased to 19 credit hours if the student achieves a GPA of 2.00 or higher and with the academic advisor’s approval or up to 21 credit hours if their graduation depends on it.
2.The number of credit hours may be reduced to 9 with the approval of the university president.
3.The maximum credit hours for the summer semester are 9, but it may be increased if the student’s graduation depends on it, which is at most 12 credit hours.
4.Prerequisites: A student is not permitted to enroll in a course before completing its prerequisite, and doing a course with its prerequisite concurrently is also only permitted with the approval of the university president.
Registration Procedures: Every student must adhere to the following procedures:
1. Comply with the registration dates announced by the Admissions and Registration Deanship.
2. Visit the Admissions and Registration Deanship or the academic advisor to obtain registration cards.
3. Fill out the registration cards with the required information according to the proposed departmental plan, considering the academic advisor’s advice.
4. The student should fill the cards clearly without deleting or scratching, ensuring that all necessary information is provided.
5. The student should proceed to the Financial Department to pay the applicable fees.
6. The student should submit a sealed copy from the Financial Department for registration.
Add and Drop:
>The student is allowed to add and drop more than one course, up to a maximum of three times during the permitted period and following their study plan, with the approval of their academic advisor.
> The student is permitted to drop from registered courses or add new courses within five days from the beginning of the regular semester and three days from the summer semester and he course will be recorded in their academic record.
> The student is allowed to withdraw from studying a particular course within eight weeks from the start of the regular semester and four weeks from the summer semester. The course will be recorded in the academic record with the notation “withdrawn” and without financial liability.
>If a student does not attend or study a course for which they were registered without officially withdrawing, they will receive an “F” grade for that course.
Withdrawing from All Courses:
>If a student wants to withdraw from all the courses they have registered for in a semester, they must visit the Admissions and Registration Deanship to obtain a specific form and fill it in according to the rules. The form should be submitted to registration before the end of the twelfth week of the regular semester or the fifth week of the summer semester.
Re-do a Course:
• The student must repeat each compulsory course in which they fail. As for elective courses, the student can repeat the course or take a different one. The student also has the right to repeat any course in which they get a grade lower than 1.67.
• If a student fails a course, the grade will be calculated in their semester and cumulative GPA. However, after repeating the course, the second grade will be considered in the overall GPA. The transcript will indicate “Re-taken” next to the repeated course, and the course credits will be counted once in the total credits required for graduation.
• If studying more elective or free courses than required, only the courses where the student achieved the highest grades will be counted.
Deferring: Deferring is when a student interrupts their studies with an acceptable excuse approved by the university president or council for a continuous or separate period not exceeding two years.
• The student should submit a request for deferred enrollment to the university president within two weeks from the start of the academic semester. If the student exceeds this period and is not registered or deferred for the semester, they will be considered absent.
• The deferment period is not included in the maximum allowable time to obtain a bachelor’s degree.
• Deferred enrollment is not permitted in the following cases: the first semester, if the student has an incomplete grade in one or more courses unless resolved, or if the student is on academic probation and at risk of being dismissed due to poor academic performance.
Academic Absence: Academic absence is when a student voluntarily discontinues their study for two consecutive academic semesters without an acceptable excuse. In this case:
• The student’s academic record will be frozen and can only be reactivated by the university council’s decision after paying the necessary fees.
• The period of academic absence is counted towards the maximum allowed time for the student to obtain a bachelor’s degree. If the student exceeds two semesters of academic absence, they will lose their seat at the university.
Examinations:
1. The examination for each course is graded out of 100 points and is then converted according to the faculty’s grading system. For theoretical courses, the weight of periodic tests conducted during the semester is (60) marks and (50) marks for practical courses (referred to as in-class work). For both theoretical and practical courses, (40) marks are allocated for the theoretical part and (20) marks for the practical part.
2. The weight of the Final
Exams for each course is (40) marks for theoretical courses and (50) marks for practical courses. For courses that are both theoretical and practical, (40) marks are allocated.
• The student will pass a course, and the total grades are monitored and calculated by combining in-class work and the grades obtained in the periodic tests and the final exam.
• The student is not allowed to enter the final exam after half an hour from its start, and it is also not allowed to leave the test before half an hour it begins.
• Regular students are prohibited from taking the final exam in any course they have been absent for more than 15% of the total class hours without an official excuse or 25% in case of illness or force majeure.
• Suppose a student cannot attend the final exam in any of the semester’s courses due to compelling reasons. In that case, the university council may accept their excuse and allow them to take an alternative exam during a period not exceeding the end of the third week of the following semester. The grade obtained in the alternative exam will be recorded, and the student must submit an acceptable excuse before the start of the next semester, requesting permission for the alternative exam.
• Students are allowed to appeal their final exam grade within one week from the date of announcing the results. To do so, they must pay a fee of 10JD for appeal, and a committee will be formed. The appeal is limited to errors in calculations, grading transfers, or ungraded questions. If an error is found in the grade, it will be adjusted, and the updated grade will be sent to the registration department within a week of submitting the request.
• The course instructor is responsible for preparing a descriptive syllabus for the course, including the course objectives, content, schedule and assessment methods, and a list of references.
• The final exam is conducted at the end of the semester and may include written, practical, or oral components or a report.
• The instructor is responsible for printing, supervising, keeping the exam and ensuring complete confidentiality.
• The relevant department does exam proctoring. If it is impossible, the department head should designate proctors from outside the department.
• The course instructor is responsible for recording the grades in the designated forms and submitting the final grades to the department head within three days of the exam. The department head then submits the grades to the dean, who, in turn, forwards them to the Admissions and Registration Deanship, which records the grades within 48 hours of receiving them.
Cheating: If a student is caught cheating in periodic tests, they will receive an “F” for the course. If caught cheating in the final exam, all the semester’s grades will be recorded as “F,” and the case will be reported to the student’s parents, legal guardian, or the responsible authority.
Missing exams:
Periodic Tests: If a student is absent from a daily test without an excuse, they will receive a zero for that test. If the absence is excused, the student must provide proof within three days from the end of the excuse period, and the instructor will conduct a makeup test.
Final Exam: If a student is absent from the final exam without an excuse, they will receive an “F” for that course. If the absence is excused, the student must provide proof of the excuse within two days from the end of the excuse period to their department head, who will contact the Admissions and Registration Deanship. In the student’s grade transcript, an incomplete grade notation will be indicated next to the course the student was absent from with an excuse. The student must complete their grade by taking an alternative exam within a maximum period of the third week from the start of the following semester.
If the student exceeds the deadline for completing the alternative exam, they will receive an “F” for that course. If the student cannot complete the exam due to an excuse, the exam can be postponed for them.
The student who has taken an “Incomplete Exam” has the right to appeal the exam result within one week of its announcement.
or obtained B- grades in all courses.
| Percentage (%) | Evaluation or Grade | Grade Symbol | Evaluation weight of out of 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95 and above | Excellent | A | 4 |
| 90 – 94 | Excellent | A- | 3.5 |
| 86 – 89 | Very good | B+ | 3.33 |
| 85-83 | Very good | B | 3.00 |
| 80 – 82 | Very good | B- | 2.67 |
| 77 -79 | Good | C+ | 2.33 |
| 76-74 | Good | C | 2.00 |
| 70 – 73 | Good | C- | 1.67 |
| 65 – 69 | Pass | D+ | 1.5 |
| 60 – 64 | Pass | D | 1 |
| Below 60 | Fail | F | 0 |
Honor List: The university president issues an honor list each semester, which includes the names of students who obtained high semester averages. The university appropriately tributes those students.
Criteria for Obtaining Honors
Semester Honor List:
1. The university president issues a semester honor list that includes the names of students who have obtained high semester averages. The university appropriately tributes those students.
2. First Honor Degree: Awarded to students who have obtained a GPA of 3.5 or higher in that semester or obtained B+ grades in all courses taken in that semester.
3. Second Honor Degree: Awarded to students who obtained a GPA of 3.00 or higher in that semester or obtained B- grades in all courses.
4. Students who receive the First Honor Degree are eligible for a discount in fees or a financial reward; the value and conditions are determined by the university’s scholarship and the existing assistance system.
5. Students who have obtained Honor Degrees will have their names recorded on the honor lists in their grade transcripts.
6. The Honor Degree will not be awarded to students who are registered for less than 15 credit hours, except for the graduation semester (a minimum of 12 credit hours).
Honor List of Graduating Students:
The university president issues a list of honor at the university graduation ceremony, which includes the names of students who have obtained high semester averages and meet the following conditions:
1. The student must have succeeded in all courses in their faculty and other faculties.
2. The student must have completed the graduation requirements within a maximum duration, the average time between the minimum and maximum period of staying at the faculty.
3. The student must have studied at the college from which they will graduate at least 60% of the graduation requirements.
4. The graduate student is awarded a “First Honor Degree” if they obtained a GPA of 3.5 or higher in that semester or obtained B+ grades in all courses of that semester.
5. The graduate student is awarded a “Second Honor Degree” if they obtained a GPA of 3.33 or higher in that semester or obtained B grades in all courses.
6. The graduate student is awarded “Very Good” if they obtained a GPA of 3.00 or higher in that semester
Study Instructions for the Diploma Degree
Definitions in the Study System for Diploma Programs
Item (1): These instructions are referred to as the study instructions for diploma programs at Palestine Ahliya University.
The following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to them below.
| The Ministry of Education and Scientific Research. | Ministry |
| The Minister of Education and Scientific Research. |
Minister
|
| Faculty of Professions and Applied Sciences / Palestine Ahliya University. | Faculty |
| Dean of the Faculty of Professions and Applied Sciences. | Dean |
| A set of educational courses in one field of a program, successful completion of which leads to obtaining a certified certificate from the faculty, provided that the specialization must be accredited by the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority. | Major |
| Each student who completes the registration procedures and attends regular classes in the specified academic semester. | Faculty Student |
| Teaching material (with or without a practical part) offered during one semester and allocated a specific number of credit hours. | Teaching Material (Course) |
| A theoretical study hour (50 minutes) weekly for a duration of 16 weeks, or a practical session weekly lasting 2-3 hours (in the lab or practicum ) for a duration of 16 weeks. | Credit Hour |
| Sixteen actual study weeks, including exams period. | Academic Semester |
| Eight actual study weeks, including exams period. | Summer Semester |
| The academic year consists of two semesters – (Academic year). | Academic Year |
| These are specific courses that all faculty students must study and succeed in, regardless of their majors. | Faculty Requirements |
| These are specific courses that all students in the major must study and succeed in. | Major Requirements |
| Dropping a specific course during the add/drop period (according to the calendar). | Drop |
| Adding a specific course during the add/drop period (according to the calendar). | Add |
| Withdrawing a course or courses after the designated withdrawal period for the semester (according to the calendar). | Withdrawal |
| Non-registration for a specific semester with official approval. | Deferment of Academic Semester |
| Non-registration for the academic semester or absence without official approval allowing it. | Deferral |
| These are prescribed courses the student is required to study and succeed in before the registration of a specific course , according to the academic plan. | Prerequisites |
| The student obtaining a grade (average) of (50%) or above in the course. | Passing Grade |
| It is the minimum passing grade, 0 (35%). | Academic Zero |
Enrollment and Admission
- The successful student, who has obtained an average of 50% or above in the General Secondary School Certificate (Tawjihi) or its equivalent, has the right to apply for admission to one of the diploma specializations offered by the faculty.
- The enrollment and admission process opens for students at the beginning of the first semester of the academic year, and enrollment and admission for the second semester may be opened if resources and vacant seats are available.
- Students are accepted into the colleges according to the following criteria:
- The student’s branch of the General Secondary School Certificate.
- The student’s preference.
- The Faculty’s capacity.
- The sequence of the General Secondary School Certificate grades for the applying students.
- The instructions and regulations of the ministry that determines in this regard.
- To be physically fit for the accepted specialization.
- Student admission is canceled in the following cases:
- If the student does not complete the registration procedures within the specified period.
- If the student does not enroll in the program within the specified period for admission.
- If the documents submitted by the student are proven to be invalid.
- If the admission is in violation of the issued instructions in this regard.
Academic Load and Duration of Study
Item (3): The duration of study in each major is a minimum of four academic semesters and a maximum of seven semesters, excluding summer semesters.
Item (4):
- The maximum credit hours for a student in a semester are 18.
- It is allowed for the maximum credit hours for a student in a semester to be 21 in any of the following cases:
- If it is the semester of graduation.
- If the student’s cumulative GPA is 80% or above.
- The maximum credit hours for the summer semester are 10, and it is allowed for the maximum credit hours for the summer semester to be 11 only if the summer semester is the graduation semester for the student.
- The minimum credit hours for a student in a regular semester are 12, and in exceptional cases (where no other courses are available for registration), the Dean may, at his discretion, set the minimum to 9 credit hours.
Item (5):
- The student is informed of his total grades during the semester (Course Work) in all courses before the start of the final exams period, and he/ she has the right to review the course instructor for any grade.
- The final exam schedule is announced two weeks before its due date by the Dean of Admissions and Registration on the student’s academic portal.
- If a student is absent from the final exam without an acceptable excuse, as determined by the Academic Vice President, a zero grade is assigned for that exam. However, if the absence is excused, as determined by the Academic Vice President (provided that the excuse is submitted within three working days from the date of absence), a note of ‘Incomplete’ is recorded for that course, and an exam is scheduled within a maximum period of two weeks from the beginning of the subsequent academic semester.
- The student is allowed to submit a request to the Dean of Admissions and Registration to review his/ her grade in a specific final exam within one week from the date of result announcement, provided that the required fees are paid.
- The assessment of semester and cumulative GPAs, as well as the course grade, is as follows:
Evaluation of Semester and Cumulative Grades
| Assessment | Maximum out of 100% | Minimum out of 100 % |
| Excellent | 100 | 90 |
| Very good | 89.9 | 80 |
| Good | 79.9 | 70 |
| Acceptable | 69.9 | 60 |
| Poor | 55.9 | 55 |
Less than (55) in the cumulative after the first semester ⇒ Academic Probation
Less than (50) in the first semester ⇒ Dismissed
Course Grading System
| Assessment | Maximum out of 100% | Minimum out of 100 % |
| Excellent | 100 | 90 |
| Very good | 89 | 80 |
| Good | 79 | 70 |
| Acceptable | 69 | 60 |
| Poor | 59 | 50 |
| Fail | 49 | 53 |
Retaking a Course
Item (6):
- The student retakes any course he/ she did not pass, and the new grade is calculated, replacing the previous grade regardless of its value. The term “Retaken Course” is assigned to the new grade (RPT).
- A student who is still enrolled in their academic program is allowed to retake any course in which his/ her grade is below (70%) to improve his/ her cumulative GPA. The highest grade achieved in the retaken course is considered, and the designation ‘Retaken Course’ is attached to it (RPT).
- The calculation of the student’s semester and cumulative GPA includes the number of credit hours and grades for the courses he/ she has studied. Each educational subject contributes to the cumulative GPA calculation only once.
Attendance
Item (7): The student’s attendance is calculated starting from the beginning of the academic semester in the faculty. His/ her absence is considered justifiable in the following two cases:
- The student’s illness based on an authenticated medical report submitted within only three working days from the date of his return.
- Extraordinary circumstances approved by the Academic Vice President.
Item (8):
- If a student exceeds the allowed absence in any course without an acceptable excuse, he/ she is prohibited from taking the final exam for that course. Instead, he/ she receives a zero grade (35%) for that course, and he/ she is not allowed to withdraw it.
Deferring Study
Item (9):
- A student is allowed to defer their studies for a period not exceeding a total of four academic semesters.
- Consideration of a deferral is based on an electronic request submitted by the student. The request should outline the justifiable reasons, and it must be submitted during the deferral period.
- The duration of the deferral is not counted as part of the allowable study period at the faculty.
- A new or transferring student is not allowed to defer their studies until one academic semester has passed since their enrollment.
Deferral
Item (10):The student is considered deferred from studies if the academic semester begins, and the student is not registered for that semester or has not deferred it. The student is considered deferred from studies, and their return to studies is only allowed after approval from the Academic Vice President , according to the conditions mentioned below. The semesters in which the student is on leave count towards the maximum study duration.
- Submitting an excuse to be accepted by the Academic Vice President.
- The period of deferral does not exceed two consecutive academic semesters.
- Successfully completed at least (12) credit hours.
- Submitting a re-enrollment request before the end of the first week of the academic semester.
Academic Probation and Dismissal
Item (11):
- The student is academically under probation if he/ she obtains a cumulative GPA of less than 55% in any regular semester after the first academic semester.
- The under probation student is not allowed to register for more than 12 credit hours.
- The student is dismissed from his/ her major in the following cases:
- If the student obtains a GPA of less than 50% in the first semester.
- If the student receives two consecutive academic probations.
- The summer semester is considered an extension of the second semester for warning or dismissal purposes.
- The student is dismissed from the faculty in the following cases:
- If a student discontinues studying for two consecutive academic semesters or more without an excuse approved by the Academic Vice President.
- If the maximum allowed duration for major is exceeded.
- If a violation is committed that warrants dismissal from the faculty according to the regulations approved by the ministry.
Change of Major
Item (12):
- The student is allowed, with the approval of the dean, to change his/her major to another one, according to the admission criteria applicable at the time of changing the major.
- The matter of changing the major is considered based on an electronic request submitted by the student through the academic portal before the start of the academic semester.
- All of the courses that the student has studied and succeeded in, from the requirements of his/ her previous major, are credited to the student who changes his/ her major to another, if they are part of the requirements of his/ her new major.
- If a student graduates in a specific major and wishes to study a new major, the courses in which he/ she has succeeded with a grade of 60% or higher from his/her previous major are credited to him/ her and included in the curriculum of the new major, provided that:
- The number of credited hours should not exceed (50%) of the total hours of the new major.
- The student’s graduation from the previous major has not exceeded more than three years.
Graduation
Item (13):
The student is considered successful in his/ her major (a graduate) if he/ she successfully completes the study of all the required courses for that major and maintains a cumulative GPA of not less than 60%.”
Item (14):
The graduate student has the right to apply for the general examination for faculties (comprehensive practical), according to the current academic plan at that time.
Definitions in the Study System for Bachelor’s Programs
Item (1): These instructions are referred to as the study instructions for bachelor’s programs at Palestine Ahliya University.
Item (2): The following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to them below.
| Faculty | The student’s faculty/ Palestine Ahliya University.” |
| Dean | Dean of the Faculty |
| Major | A set of educational courses in one field of a program, successful completion of which leads to obtaining a certified certificate from the faculty, provided that the specialization must be accredited by the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority. |
| Faculty Student | Each student who completes the registration procedures and attends regular classes in the specified academic semester. |
| Teaching Material (Course) | Teaching material (with or without a practical part) offered during one semester and allocated a specific number of credit hours. |
| Credit Hour | A theoretical study hour (50 minutes) weekly for a duration of 16 weeks, or a practical session weekly lasting 2-3 hours (in the lab or practicum ) for a duration of 16 weeks. |
| Academic Semester | Sixteen actual study weeks, including exams period. |
| Summer Semester | Eight actual study weeks, including exams period. |
| Academic Year | The academic year consists of two semesters – (Academic year). |
| University Requirements | These are requirements that all university students must study and succeed in. |
| Faculty Requirements | These are specific courses that all faculty students must study and succeed in, regardless of their majors. |
| Major Requirements | These are specific courses that all students in the major must study and succeed in. |
| Compulsory Requirements | These are prescribed courses in the course paradigm for a specific major, and students are required to study and succeed in them. |
| Elective Requirements | These are prescribed courses in the course paradigm for a specific major. The student selects a certain number of courses from them according to the major plat. Students are required to study and succeed in them. |
| Drop | Dropping a specific course during the add/drop period (according to the calendar). |
| Add | Adding a specific course during the add/drop period (according to the calendar). |
| Withdrawal | Withdrawing a course or courses after the designated withdrawal period for the semester (according to the calendar). |
| Deferment of Academic Semester | Non-registration for a specific semester with official approval. |
| Deferral | Non-registration for the academic semester or absence without official approval allowing it. |
| Re-enrollment | In the case of a student’s absence from attendance and registration without deferring their studies for one or more semesters, provided that it does not exceed the maximum allowed limit for study deferment at the university. |
| Prerequisites | These are prescribed courses the student is required to study and succeed in before the registration of a specific course , according to the academic plan. |
| Passing Grade | The student obtaining an average of 1 (60%) or above in the course. |
| Academic Zero | It is the minimum passing an average, 0 (40%). |
Enrollment and Admission
The announcement for submitting enrollment applications is made after the release of the General Secondary School Results. New students are accepted and join the university at the beginning of the first semester of each academic year. Additionally, a limited number of students are accepted in the second semester.
- Students are accepted into various majors under the condition that the student holds a general secondary school certificate or its equivalent. Acceptance is based on the competitive GPA within the allocated seats for each major, according to the instructions and regulations set by the Ministry of Higher Education in this regard.
- Students holding a general secondary school certificate from Arab or foreign countries are accepted according to the ministry’s instructions in this regard.
- Palestinian students who hold a Bagrut certificate are accepted, and the GPA is calculated based on the educational courses and the number of units to determine the majors that students can enroll in. The student is required to provide the Admission and Registration Deanship with a translated copy of the Bagrut certificate, certified by the Interior and Exterior ministries and by the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Higher Education
Academic Load and Duration of Study
Academic Load
- The maximum academic load for a regular student in a semester is (18) credit hours, and in the summer semester, the maximum is (10) credit hours.
- It is permissible to exceed the approved credit hours in a regular semester to (21) credit hours with the approval of the Academic Vice President in one of the following two cases:
- the student’s GPA in the previous semester is not less than 2.67, and the cumulative GPA is also not less than 2.67.
- That the student’s graduation is contingent upon allowing him/her to study (21) credit hours in the graduation semester or in the semester preceding the graduation semester.
- The minimum academic load for a regular student in a semester is (12) credit hours, with an exception for a student whose graduation at the end of that semester depends on studying less credit hours.
Duration of Study
- The minimum duration of study to obtain a bachelor’s degree for an engineering student is four years, while for non-engineering faculties, it is three years. An academic year consists of two compulsory regular semesters and one optional summer semester.
- The duration which a student is enrolled in the undergraduate program to obtain a bachelor’s degree must not exceed seven academic years for engineering colleges and six years for non-engineering faculties.
Attendance
- Attendance is obligatory for all Palestine Ahliya University students in all lectures and practical hours, according to the designated hours for each course in the academic plan.
- The student is allowed to be absent in any course for two theoretical lectures or their equivalent per credit hour. If the allowed limit of absences is exceeded, the student is not allowed to take the final exam for that course, and the result is considered a zero.
Add and Drop
- The student is allowed to withdraw from registered courses and register in replacement courses during the add/drop period at the beginning of the semester without forfeiting their right to the paid fees.
- If a student withdraws from a course after the add/drop period, that course will not be included in his/her semester GPA, but it will appear on his/her transcript with a withdrawal mark (W), and they forfeit the fees for that course.
- If the student does not withdraw during the mentioned period in the first and second items of this paragraph, he/she is considered committed to the courses he/she has registered for.
- In case of withdrawal, the student is not allowed to have the registered credit hours fall below the minimum allowed academic load according to the regulations.
Deferring Study and Course Retaking
Deferring study
- The student is allowed to defer his/her studies for a total period not exceeding two academic years, whether consecutively or intermittently.
- The student must submit a request for deferring his/her studies electronically during the deferral period specified in the academic calendar.
- The deferral period is not counted towards the maximum duration for graduation years.
- If a student exceeds the approved deferral period, he/she is considered as having abandoned his/her studies. He/she may submit a new application for admission to the university, and if accepted, he/she will be treated academically like transferred students.
- Deferring the studies of a new or transfer student is not permissible until after completing one academic semester at the university.
Course Retaking
- Students are not allowed to retake any course in which they have obtained 70% or higher.
- If a student retakes a course due to failing it, only the new grade is calculated into their cumulative GPA, but all the courses taken will appear in the student’s transcript.
- In case of a student retaking a course due to failure or to improve his/her cumulative GPA, the credit hours of that course are counted towards the total required for graduation only once.
- If a student retakes a course due to failure or to improve his/her GPA, the second grade is the one considered in the cumulative GPA calculation, and the first grade is replaced, while both grades are still visible on the student’s transcript.
Exams, Grades, and GPA Calculation
Exams:
- Students are allowed to appeal for a review of the final exam grade for a course within a maximum period of three days from the date of the announcement of the final results, upon payment of the specified fees to the financial department.
- A student who missed the final exam will get a zero in that course.
- Students are allowed to take a makeup exam with a valid, acceptable excuse approved by the academic vice president, provided that it does not exceed the first week of the next semester.
GPA Calculation
- Semester GPA
The semester GPA is calculated by dividing the total points obtained from multiplying the course grade by its credit hours for all the courses registered by the student in the semester. This result is then divided by the total number of credit hours for those courses, with the final result rounded to the nearest decimal place.
- Cumulative GPA
The cumulative GPA is calculated by dividing the total points obtained from multiplying the latest grade for each course by its credit hours for all the courses the student has enrolled in. This result is then divided by the total number of credit hours for those courses, with the final result rounded to the nearest decimal place.
- Major GPA
The major GPA is calculated by dividing the total points obtained from multiplying the grade for each course by its credit hours for all the courses within the major requirements that the student has registered for. This result is then divided by the total number of credit hours for those courses, with the final result rounded to the nearest decimal place. Grading and GPA Classification:
- Course Grading System
|
Percentage Grade (Grade of 100) |
Assessment | Letter grade | Grade point out of 4 |
| 95 or above | Excellent | A | 4 |
| 90-94 | Excellent | -A | 3.5 |
| 86-89 | Very good | +B | 3.33 |
| 83-85 | Very good | B | 3 |
| 80-82 | Very good | -B | 2.67 |
| 77-79 | Good | +C | 2.33 |
| 74-76 | Good | C | 2 |
| 70-73 | Good | -C | 1.67 |
| 65-69 | Acceptable | +D | 1.5 |
| 60-64 | Acceptable | D | 1 |
| Less than 60 | Fail | F | 0 |
- Grading System Based on Cumulative GPA
Academic Probation and Dismissal
Academic Probation:
The student is issued an academic probation in the following cases:
- If the cumulative GPA falls below 1 in any semester, excluding the first semester.
- If the major GPA falls below 1.5 after completing a minimum of 18 credit hours in major courses.
- The student is not allowed to register for more than 12 credit hours while under academic probation. However, he/ she is allowed to register for 18 credit hours if it is required for graduation in the last semester.
- A student who is under probation is required to rectify all the reasons leading to academic probation mentioned in the two previous items in the semester following the one in which he/ she received the academic probation.
The Academic Dismissal of the Student
The student is academically dismissed from the university in the following cases:
- If he/ she fails to remove the academic warning after three consecutive academic semesters.
- If he/ she exceeds the maximum duration of study stipulated in these regulations.
- If a student is academically dismissed from the university and has successfully completed 80% of the required credit hours in his/ her major, he/ she is allowed to continue his/her studies under the condition of removing the academic probation and graduating within three consecutive academic semesters. However, he/she must not exceed the allowed duration of study while enrolled at the university, or he/she will face permanent dismissal.
The alternative course: It is a course offered to students only once, according to the following conditions:”
If the possibility of a student’s graduation depends on one course, and that course is not offered in the semester the student is graduating, or if the course is offered but conflicts with another compulsory course, the dean of the faculty, after consulting with the department head, may approve the student taking another equivalent course as an alternative one.
Graduation
The student is granted a bachelor’s degree from the university upon fulfilling the following graduation requirements:
- If he/ she successfully completes the study of all required educational courses and obtain an average of not less than 1 in all of them.
- Obtaining a cumulative GPA of not less than 1.
- obtaining a major cumulative GPA of not less than 1.5.
Honor List
The university president issues a semester Honor List, which includes the names of students who have achieved high semester GPAs, and the university honors them in a manner deemed appropriate
Criteria of Obtaining Honor List
Semester Honor List
- The university president issues a semester honor list, which includes the names of students who have achieved high semester GPAs, and the university honors them in a manner deemed appropriate.
- First Honor Degree: Awarded to the student who obtains a GPA of 3.5 or above in that semester or achieves B+ grades in all courses for that semester.
- Second Honor Degree: Awarded to the student who obtains a GPA of 3.00 or above in that semester or achieves B- grades in all courses for that semester.
- A student who obtains the First Honor Degree is eligible for a reduction in fees or a financial reward, the value and conditions of which are determined by the university’s scholarship and aid system in place.
- On the students’ academic transcript, the semesters in which their name appears on the honor lists are recorded.
- The student is not awarded the honor degree if the registered credit hours are less than 15 hours, except for the graduation semester (at least 12 hours).
Honor List of Graduate Students
The university president issues an honor list during the university graduation ceremony, including the names of students who have achieved high cumulative GPAs and fulfilled the following conditions:
- That the student has not failed any course studied in the faculty or in other faculties.
- That the student has completed the graduation requirements within a period not exceeding the average duration between the minimum and maximum staying periods in the faculty.
- That the student has studied in the faculty from which he/ she will graduate no less than (60%) of the graduation requirements.
- An Excellent Honor Degree is awarded along with the First Honor Degree to students who achieve an excellent cumulative GPA, provided they receive an (excellent) grade in all academic terms, including summer sessions.
- An Excellent Degree with Second Honor is awarded to students who achieve an excellent cumulative GPA, provided that the grade in any academic term, including summer sessions, is not less than very good.
- A Very Good Degree with Second Honor is awarded to students who achieve a very good cumulative GPA, provided that the grade in any academic term, including summer sessions, is not less than very good.