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Undergraduate Catalogue

Section VIII

 GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

1. LANGUAGE TRACKS

From June 2006, new students can follow one of three different tracks.

                       1.      The E-track is a continuation of the present programmes, where courses are conducted in English:

2.      A K-track will be introduced, where our existing graduate programmes will instead be conducted in Khmei:

3.      A 'mixed' (M-) track will be also introduced for graduates:

Graduate students transfering to the M-track will have the proportions of credits earned on the E-track indicated in their degree transcripts.

2. DEGREE PROGRAMS

The University of Cambodia offers the following graduate degree programs:

 i. College of Arts and Humanities

·       Asian Studies (MA/PhD)

·       Communications (MA)

·       English (MA)

 ii. College of Education

·       Educational Administration (MEd/PhD)

·       Teaching English as a Foreign Language (MEd)

iii. College of Law

·      International Law (LLM)

·      International Organizations (LLM)

·      Private International Law and International Business Law (LLM)

iv. College of Management

·      Business Administration (MBA)

·      Public Administration (MPA)

v. College of Public Health

·      Public Health (MPH)

·      Social Work (MSW)

vi. College of Science and Technology

·      Biology (MS/PhD)

·      Information Technology (MS)

vii. College of Social Sciences

·      Anthropology (MA/PhD)

·      Development Studies (MA)

·      History (MA/PhD)

·      International Relations (MA/PhD)

·     Peace Studies (MA)

·      Political Science (MA/PhD)

·      Psychology (MA/PhD)

·      Public Policy (MPP)

3. MASTER’S DEGREES

The rules and requirements listed below are those of the University of Cambodia and must be observed by all students pursuing a Master’s degree. They presume that the applicant has a good Bachelor's degree. Note that some fields of study may have additional special requirements.

i. Residence Requirement

The minimum residence requirement is four terms of full-time work or the equivalent of 36 credit hours (excluding foreign language courses) applicable to the student’s degree program. 

ii. Time Limitation

Candidates for the Master’s degree will be expected to complete all requirements within four years after admission into the Master’s program. Candidates who fail to complete all requirements within the specified time are dropped from the program. Reinstatement for a limited period of time is possible only upon submission of a petition to the Coordinator providing a specific degree plan and new limited timeframe to completion of all degree requirements.

iii. Language Requirements

The intended candidate for a Master’s degree may be required to demonstrate comprehension of one or more foreign languages. For specific language requirements in a particular field of study, consult the respective College. In this regard, English is considered a foreign language for Cambodian students, but not for international students. These language requirements must be fulfilled before students can advance to candidacy.

iv. Student Progress Reports

The University of Cambodia utilizes Student Progress Reports to record each student’s progress toward the degree.

v. Course and Credit Requirements

Students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 54 credit hours, excluding foreign language courses. All students must do the following:

·       Foundation courses (9 credits)

·       Core and elective courses (33 credits)

Note that the relative numbers of core and elective courses varies with the College and major.

Thereafter, there are two ways to fulfill the required 54 credit hours of course work. Students may choose between:

a.     doing additional courses and a final Comprehensive Examination; or

b.     preparing a research proposal, doing the proposed research and writing a thesis.

vi. Comprehensive Exam Option

Students who do this option must register for extra courses in order to meet the credit requirements; and they must inform the Office of Student Academic Affairs in the term prior to that when they plan to take the exam. If they have already completed all required courses, then they must register for an independent study module in the term when they plan to take the exam; the exam itself is given at the end of the term.

In order to be allowed to take the final Comprehensive Exam, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0; if this and other requirements (see section VI) are not met, the student must complete additional courses to bring the GPA up to the minimum acceptable level, together with achieving at least the minimum acceptable grade profile.

The Comprehensive Exam is a written exam, being two 3-hour sessions – morning and afternoon – on a single day. It comprises four compulsory questions in the candidate's chosen field or discipline, which are designed to test the student's integrative and analytical skills. These questions are selected, on the morning of the exam, by the President from a list of possible questions given, together with a list of relevant reading material, to the students beforehand. The Office of Administration will inform all Master's students of the date, time, and venue for the Comprehensive Exam. Further information can be obtained from the student's College Coordinator or the Director of the Office of Student Academic Affairs.

The results of the Comprehensive Exam will be announced two weeks after the test is taken. Students who are deemed to have passed the exam, and thus fulfilled all degree requirements, will then be granted their Master’s degrees.

A student who fails the Comprehensive Exam may repeat it once at the discretion of the Coordinator of their College (or other nominee of the President). A student who fails the exam a second time is dropped from the program and loses his/her registered graduate student status.

In addition, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports requires Master's students who are not doing the Thesis option must submit a Research Paper. Further information can be obtained from the student's College Coordinator or the Director of the Office of Student Academic Affairs.

vii. Thesis Option

This is the alternative route for obtaining the remaining minimum of 12 credits for graduation (RPT601-604). The student must first nominate a Thesis Committee to provide the oversight and guidance required during the course of this option. The chairperson of the Thesis Committee is selected from the College in which the student is enrolled, and will normally serve as a supervisor during the course of preparing a proposal, doing the research and writing up. The two other members on the committee should include at least one who has background knowledge and experience in the same general field as the proposed research (and who may be called upon to supervise parts of the research). The third committee member may be from the faculty of any department or college at the University of Cambodia. Where appropriate, an external member – from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) or elsewhere – may also be included.

The student must then make an initial proposal about a reasonable topic for research, and get the Committee's approval before proceeding further.

Thereafter, the student should write a detailed proposal (RPT601: 3 credits) identifying the topic for research, why this is academically justifiable, and how the aims will be achieved. The student must submit the final proposal and get approval from the Thesis Committee before going on to begin the proposed research.

Once the proposal has been submitted and approved, the student can proceed to the research and thesis-writing phase (RPT602-4: 9 credits minimum) of this option. All students are required to be conscientious and honest in carrying out what they have proposed to do, if they are to be considered worthy of a degree from the University of Cambodia.

A student must register for at least 3 credits of research and thesis-writing every successive term (with a maximum of 9 credits in one term) until the results of the original research are written up in a form which is acceptable to the Thesis Committee. If the student has to register for a total of more than 9 credits in order to complete an adequate thesis, these extra credits cannot be counted towards the 54-credit minimum needed to meet the University’s graduation requirements.

The text of the thesis should be adequate in length, and the text-figures, tables, etc., relevant and properly presented. Material previously submitted in the proposal can be included in the thesis; plagiarism from other sources will not be tolerated.

Six original, bound copies of the thesis must be submitted to the University of Cambodia. Where applicable, the research must also be translated into the Khmer language, as required by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

In order to qualify for the credits earned, the student must then defend the thesis, as well as related areas within the chosen field of study, in front of the Thesis Committee and a representative from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. The date of the final exam or defense must be announced one month in advance in the University of Cambodia newsletter: the defense may be open to the general public. The student must give a PowerPoint presentation (in English) of the research findings and their interpretation, and be prepared to answer any questions.

The Thesis Committee will then rate the student’s overall performance based on the thesis, the oral presentation, and the candidate’s defense of these. The final results will normally be announced later in the day of presentation of the thesis. However, students may be required to make minor amendments to the content of their thesis, based on matters arising from the question-and-answer session. In this case, they will have to re-submit their thesis to the chairman of the Thesis Committee, itemizing what has been revised, within two weeks after the presentation. The Thesis Committee will then meet and announce their decision within one week.

Students failing the thesis defense may repeat it only once. This may be done by petition to seek the approval of the appropriate College. Students who fail the thesis defense a second time are dropped from the program and lose their status as registered graduate students.

viii. Application for Degree

An application for graduation must be obtained at the Office of Student Academic Affairs and then submitted with a degree fee (US$10) to the Office of Administration. This must be done by the deadlines specified in the University of Cambodia’s Academic Calendar.

4. DOCTORAL DEGREES

The University of Cambodia’s Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded only for the most distinguished scholarly achievement. The quality of a candidate’s work is judged on a variety of factors, culminating in a set of comprehensive and final examinations and a dissertation which brings a significant original contribution to knowledge in the candidate’s chosen field.

Doctoral students are accepted only in fields of study where the faculty, research staff, library, and cooperative relationships with other research institutions or universities make it possible to offer training. Other Doctoral programs will be developed within a reasonable timeframe, as the University of Cambodia grows.

The rules and requirements listed below are those of the University of Cambodia and must be observed by all Doctoral students. They presume that the applicant has a good Master’s degree, except under exceptional circumstances. Note that some fields of study may have additional special requirements.

i. Residence Requirement

The minimum residence requirement for the Doctoral degree is four terms of full-time work or the equivalent in 36 credit hours (excluding foreign language courses) at the University of Cambodia.

ii. Time Limitation

Candidates for Doctoral degrees will be expected to complete all requirements within seven years after admission into the Doctoral program. Candidates who fail to complete all requirements in the specified time are automatically dropped from the program. Reinstatement for a limited period of time is possible only upon submission of a petition to the Doctoral Committee chair, with the support of the Coordinator of the respective field of study, providing a specific degree plan and new limited time line to completion of all degree requirements.

iii. Credit Requirements

Students joining the University of Cambodia  in June 2006 or thereafter will have to do a minimum of 60 credits (excluding foreign language courses).

iv. Course Registration

Registration in courses by Doctoral students is governed by:

(a) the judgment of advisers or faculty in charge of the relevant program of study as to the importance of particular coursework to the training and preparation of the candidate for taking the Comprehensive Exam and the writing of the dissertation;

(b) residence requirements; and/or 

(c) provisions of graduate assistantships, fellowships, or scholarships.

For information regarding required or recommended courses, consult with the Coordinator of the respective graduate program of study.

v. Language Requirements

Doctoral students are required to take a written examination to demonstrate comprehension of one or more foreign languages. To pass the examination they must be able to read research materials in their field of study at a reasonable speed. For Cambodian students, English is considered a foreign language.

No limit is placed on the number of times students may take the examination. However, it must be passed before students can be advanced to candidacy and take the Comprehensive Exam.

vi. Doctoral Committee

The Doctoral Committee may be selected at any time after a student has been admitted as a registered Doctoral student. Based on the recommendation of the Coordinator of the College in the field of study, the University President (or the Vice-President for Academic Affairs) appoints a Doctoral Committee consisting of at least four members of the graduate faculty. The chair and the majority of the Committee should be from from faculty members in the College in which the degree program is offered; there should also be one graduate faculty member from another field of study. This Doctoral Committee prescribes a course of study for the candidate in preparation for the Comprehensive and Final (oral) Exams, described below. It also approves the dissertation research topic and the dissertation itself. 

It is the student’s responsibility to select an original dissertation topic coinciding with the expertise and interest of a graduate faculty member who is willing to work with him/her.

vii. Qualifying Exam

This may be required by some Colleges, to determine whether to encourage students to proceed in a Doctoral program and, if so, to enable advisers to assist students in planning a program that will familiarize them with the requisite knowledge and techniques of their chosen field of study. Fields of study requiring this exam give it early in the intended candidate’s program. The Qualifying Exam may be oral and/or written and is conducted by a committee appointed by the Coordinator of the relevant College.

A student who fails the Qualifying Exam may repeat it once at the discretion of the graduate faculty concerned. However, students failing this exam a second time are dropped from the program and lose their status as registered graduate students.

viii. Comprehensive Exam

The Comprehensive Exam is an important step in the sequence of study toward the Doctoral degree. Its purpose is to ascertain the student’s familiarity with, and understanding of, the chosen field(s) of study.

The exam is given upon the successful completion of course work in the student’s field of study, and after the student has completed the foreign language requirement. The Comprehensive Exam consists of both oral and written exams, and is conducted by the student’s Doctoral Committee.

A student who fails the Comprehensive Exam may repeat it once at the discretion of the graduate faculty concerned. A student who fails the exam a second time is dropped from the program and loses registered graduate student status.

After passing the Comprehensive Exam, a student is eligible, at the discretion of the Coordinator of their College, to receive a University certificate indicating that all requirements of the Doctorate except for the dissertation (all-but-dissertation or ABD) have been completed.

ix. Dissertation

The Doctoral dissertation is a scholarly presentation of an original contribution to knowledge resulting from independent research. Typically, it is based on 1-3 years of research after the period of residency has been completed satisfactorily (so that the candidate is ABD); followed by 1-2 years of writing the dissertation itself.

An essential element of dissertation research is the free and full dissemination of the results and their interpretation, for open discussion and criticism. Moreover, all dissertations must be defended in an oral examination. Therefore, proprietary or classified information is not suitable for a dissertation. Data which cannot be made public at the time of the final defense should not be incorporated into the student’s research.

When the dissertation proposal has been approved by the Doctoral Committee, the candidate may then register for the first dissertation research course during the next registration period.

Thereafter, candidates must register for the appropriate dissertation research course for each term until the thesis is completed. Failure to make satisfactory progress on the dissertation does not entitle a student to a refund of tuition.

Six original, bound copies of the thesis, after approval by the Doctoral Committee, must be submitted to the University of Cambodia at least six weeks prior to the date of the Final Exam. Where applicable, the research must also be translated into the Khmer language, as required by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

All successful Doctoral students are required to publish their dissertation with the University of Cambodia Press.

x. Final Exam/Defense

A Final Exam in defense of the dissertation may also cover related subjects and is required of all candidates for the Doctoral degree. The exam is oral and is conducted in front of the Doctoral Committee and a representative from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. It is never less than one hour in length. Arrangements for the Final Exam must be made at least one month prior to the date of exam, since an announcement must appear in the University of Cambodia Newsletter.

A majority of the members of the Doctoral Committee, including the chair, must approve both the dissertation and the oral defense of the dissertation. A minority dissenting member has the right of appeal to the University President and the Vice-President for a final decision. The chair must ensure that the final version of the dissertation, including revisions and amendments agreed upon, is acceptable to a majority of the Doctoral Committee.

A candidate who fails the Final Exam may be allowed to repeat it upon approval by the Doctoral committee and the University President or Vice-President. A candidate who fails the exam twice is dropped from the program and loses registered graduate student status.

A candidate who passes the exam, and who has met all other requirements, will be awarded the Doctoral degree at the end of the appropriate term.

xi. Application for Degree

An application for graduation must be obtained at the Office of Student Academic Affairs and then submitted with a degree fee (US$10) to the Office of Administration.

 

DISCLAIMER:

THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBODIA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THESE CATALOGS AS IT SEES FIT, SO THAT WE HAVE THE NECESSARY FLEXIBILITY IN AN EVER-EVOLVING WORLD.

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Last modifiedMay 1, 2007 14:44

© University of Cambodia, 2007