Master's Program
Admissions
Admission to the M.S. program requires the satisfactory completion of an undergraduate B.S. degree in a relevant or related area, such as Engineering, Mathematics or the Physical, Chemical and Biological Sciences.
General Degree Requirements
The M.S. degree at KAUST is a 36-credit program that is designed such that most students who enter the program with suitable prior training will finish in three semesters plus the intervening summer. Degree requirements are divided into three sections: (1) Core Curriculum; (2) Elective Curriculum; and (3) Research/Capstone Experience.
- Core Curriculum (9-15 credits): This portion of the degree program is designed to provide a student with the background needed to establish a solid foundation in the discipline over and above undergraduate studies.
- Elective Curriculum (9-15 credits): This portion of the degree program is designed to allow each student to tailor his/her educational experience to meet individual research and educational objectives. Depending upon the program and the objectives, this may be met by added coursework or by additional research experience.
- Research/Capstone Experience (12 credits): The details of this portion of the degree program are also uniquely determined by the student and his/her advisor and will involve a combination of research and other capstone experiences that build on the knowledge gained in coursework.
At least thirty-six (36) degree credits must be completed in graduate-level courses and research projects. These courses should be 200-level or above and must be approved by the program advisor.
Thesis Requirements
Thesis: The M.S. thesis reports on original research conducted under the supervision an affiliated faculty member within the chosen degree program. A list
of affiliated faculty for each degree program can be found at http://www.kaust.edu.sa/academics/faculty-affiliations.html. Thesis format requirements are described in the KAUST Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines.
Committee: Each student must form a thesis committee, which is tasked with reading and evaluating the results of the thesis research. In addition to the faculty member supervising the research, who will be the committee chair, the committee must have at least two additional members. The choice of those members should be made in consultation with the student's supervisor. Committee members need not be from within the student's degree program, but at least two of the three members must be full-time KAUST faculty members. Once a committee has been proposed, the student is required to complete the Thesis Committee Form and submit it to the Program Chair and Dean for approval. At the discretion of the degree program, students may be required to present a public seminar discussing their research as part of the evaluation process. For a list of eligible faculty advisors, see: http://www.kaust.edu.sa/academics/faculty-affiliations.html.
Students may select a KAUST faculty member from another program to act as a research advisor (for either thesis or directed research), but must provide a one- page description of the research and an explanation of how such research would be relevant to the degree program. Upon approval by the program and the Dean, the faculty member would be allowed to act as an affiliated faculty member and advisor for the student.