GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICY

(GRADUATE)

UNIVERSITY OF LIBERAL ARTS BANGLADESH

effective Summer 2013
A. GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICY (GRADUATE)

The following are the General Academic Policies for the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).
Any of the rules, conditions and requirements mentioned below are subject to change at the discretion of
the authorities.

A.1 Admission Requirements:

To apply for admission in the MBA and MSS in MSJ programs, students must fulfill the criteria outlined
below:

1. A Bachelor degree or its equivalent from a reputed university with a minimum GPA of 2.00 or third
class/division.
2. Minimum GPA of 2.5 (or second division) in SSC and HSC examinations (or their equivalent),
OR At least one GPA 2.00 but aggregate GPA of 6.00 in SSC and HSC
OR GCE “O” Level in 5 subjects and “A” Level in 2 subjects with at least 4 B Grade or GPA 4.00
and 3 C Grade or GPA 3.50 (using scale of A=5, B=4, C=3.5, D=2, E=1)
Sons/daughters of freedom fighters will be eligible for admission if they have an aggregate GPA
of 5.0 in SSC and HSC.

Basis for Admission

Acceptable admission test results or a minimum score of 500 in GMAT

Admission Form

Admission Forms are available at the ULAB admission office and can be obtained at a price determined
by the ULAB authority. Completed form should be submitted to the Admissions office, along with required
documents.

Any problem or confusion relating to the degree or diploma obtained from an institution in home or abroad
by any applicant for admission in the graduate program will be referred to and resolved by the Degree
Equivalence Committee of ULAB and the decision of the committee shall be binding upon for admission
and other purposes at ULAB.

A.2 Duration of Program

Graduate programs have duration ranging from 1 (one) to 2 (two) years. Students admitted at ULAB must
complete graduation within 5 (five) years from the date of first enrollment. All programs at the ULAB will
follow a three terms per year (or trimester) system, which are:

1st Term (Spring) - between January and May,

2nd Term (Summer) - between May and September

3rd Term ( Fall) - between September and January

The particular dates of the terms may vary from year to year due to the changes in calendar or special
circumstances, but the minimum duration of each term will always be maintained. Each term will usually
have duration of three and a half months or 15 weeks and each course in the term shall typically consist

GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICY (GRADUATE) | University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh 1

of at least three hours of classroom instruction and often an hour or two of laboratory or tutorial work per
week.

A.3 Medium of Instruction and Examinations

English shall be the medium of instruction and examinations in the ULAB.

A.4 Pre-registration

There are fixed dates of registration for each term. However, pre-registration for the forthcoming term
takes place at the tenth week of the ongoing term. You are advised to check the Academic Calendar or
Registrar’s Office for dates. Documents relating to pre-registration must be collected from respective
program/ register office within the stipulated time. Otherwise, penalty will be imposed. All fees are to be
paid as per the schedule of payment, and are non-refundable, except for courses dropped/withdrawn by
the time stipulated in the academic calendar.

Note: Students registering for courses for the forthcoming term for the first time will be given priority
over other students registering for a course for a second or further time.

Graduate program Head/Advisors, coordinator will advise students of the respective graduate programs
for registration of courses in each term. Students in the MBA graduate program shall have to register for a
minimum 9 (nine) and maximum 15 (fifteen) credits and a minimum 6 (six) and maximum 12 (twelve)
credits for executive programs in a single term. For the MSS in MSJ program, students shall have to
register for a minimum of 9 (nine) and a maximum of twelve (12) credits per semester.

Guidelines for Registration:

Prerequisite course(s) must be completed before registering for any particular higher level
course(s);

Students having an ‘F’ (fail) grade in a particular course must retake that course at the first
instance;

Students in probation may be allowed to register for retake courses [course in which they have
earned B- (minus) or less].

A.5 Credit Transfer

A student may apply for a transfer of maximum 19 (nineteen) credits for E/MBA and 18 (eighteen) credits
for MSS in MSJ earned at previously attended universities toward ULAB degrees. For the purposes of
transferring credits, Director/ Head/Advisor, Coordinator of the respective school/department will
determine equivalence of courses and may also refer cases to the Equivalence Committee, if needed.
Transferred credits and grades are not included in calculating the CGPA at ULAB.

Credit transfer decisions are made after admission of the student on a case-by-case basis where the
quality and standard of the institution and/or academic program will be taken into account. In addition,
respective Program Heads/Advisors, Coordinator may ask the students applying credit transfer to appear
a test. However, the decision of the ULAB authorities on credit transfer application would be final and
binding upon to all for relevant purpose at ULAB

GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICY (GRADUATE) | University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh 2

Documentations Needed for Credit Transfer:

Submission of an application in a prescribed form available at the respective program office

A complete official Transcript from the university/institution record to date

Complete syllabus of the subjects that are applied for transfer

Any other paper/document necessary by the ULAB authorities at any point in time.

Credit transfer fee: Fees will be charged for the purpose.

Waiver Policy

The ULAB Graduate Schools have designed prerequisite courses and a course curriculum that ensure
each student learns the basic concepts and skills necessary to successfully complete the studies in the
respective Graduate program. However, waivers from studying some of these courses may be granted
based on coursework taken at the undergraduate level. Course waiver / credit transfer applications for the
required number of courses must be submitted before course registration in the first term. Waiver is
allowed only on foundation courses and/ or on workshops. Students applying for waiver shall have to pay
fees as determined by ULAB authorities.

The maximum attainable waiver for E/MBA program is 19 (nineteen) credits in 7 (seven) courses.
The Waiver Policy does not apply to the MSS in MSJ program.

Application submission procedures: Application forms for the purpose are available at the respective
program office. Students are advised to consult with the respective program head/advisor, coordinator
with previous academic results, transcripts, etc. prior to submitting the application. On completion of the
necessary advising for waiver, students will submit their applications at their respective program office.

However, the decision of the ULAB authorities on waiver applications would be final and binding upon to
all for relevant purposes at ULAB

A.6 Retake Policy

Student wishing to retake a course, must pay full tuition fee for any such course. A student will only be
allowed to retake a course if s/he receives a ‘B-’ (minus) grade or lower in that course.

Students who retake a course for whatever reason will be excluded from the award of Sumna Cum
Laude, but may be eligible for the award of Magna Cum Laude. This also applies to courses transferred
from other universities.

A.7 Change of Degree Program

If a student does not wish to continue with the degree program in which s/he took admission, s/he can
apply for transfer to another program subject to fulfillment of the admission requirements. The application
will be on plain paper addressed to the head of department of the intended program, explaining why s/he
wishes to get the transfer. The letter will need a "No Objection" certification from the existing department
before submitting it to the intended department head. Approval is entirely at the discretion of the intended
department head, and also subject to availability of a place in the intended program. In addition, the

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student applying for the change may be asked to sir for a test by the program head of the intended
department.

A.8 Student's Batch Identification

ULAB’s academic year begins in Spring (between late January and May) and ends in Fall (between
September and January) in the following year. Tracing a particular student’s batch is done on the basis of
the academic year in which s/he got admitted to ULAB. For example, a student who took admission in
Spring 2013 will be identified with batch 131 and Fall 2013 will have a batch identification of 133.

A.9 Concentration

At the graduate programs are required to choose an area of study concentration. Students may do double
concentration. This will require additional one or two terms, and the relevant additional course fees.

A.10 Internship/Project or Thesis

Internship/Project or Thesis work is an invaluable part of ULAB's academic program that will give you an
opportunity to put your academic knowledge into practice. Almost all the graduate departments/ programs
have an optional 3 credit equivalent internship or project work in their syllabus. Internship is usually done
in last term with a duration varying between 8 to 12 weeks. It is the responsibility of the student to find an
internship place with a suitable organization. However, ULAB will assist in this task, but cannot guarantee
you an internship place.

In some programs, students will be required to work on an approved project in an organization and
prepare a report at the end of the tenure. The report will be presented before a panel of ULAB examiners
and will be graded. If you cannot find an internship place, department/program will assign you a
supervised project work. Students will have to abide by the rules and regulations of the organization
during the period of attachment and will have to obtain an evaluation report on from the organization.
Students may also complete internship /project work in rural set-up and will be allowed to do so on
availability of the facility.

The Thesis project in the MSS in MSJ program carries nine credits and is done in the final semester. To
be eligible to proceed with a thesis project, the student must have an approved thesis proposal. For
details about the thesis project, kindly refer to the MSS in MSJ Thesis Manual.

A.11 Graduation Requirements

To graduate from ULAB, students shall have to fulfill the following requirements:

a. For E/MBA Program:

Students must complete the following course distribution with a CGPA of 2.5 or higher.

Type of Courses No. of Courses Credits

MBA EMBA MBA EMBA
Foundation 10 7 27 18
Core 5 5 15 15
Concentration 4 3 12 9

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 Capstone 1 1 3 3
Total (Minimum) 20 16 57 45

b. For MSS in MSJ Program:

Students must complete the following course distribution with a CGPA of 2.5 or higher.

Type of Courses No. of Courses Credits

Knowledge Courses 8 24
Communication Management Courses 8 24
Elective Courses 2 6
a. MSS Elective Courses and /or
b. MBA Functional Core Courses for Elective
Total (Minimum) 18 54

NOTES

1. Completion of all foundation, core concentration and capstone courses. However depending on
earlier academic attainments, a student may be allowed to transfer credits or get waiver from
attending certain courses at ULAB. Such courses would be credited but will not be considered for
calculation of CGPA.
2. Qualifying in the remedial courses, if any.
3. Completion of Graduation within 5 (five) years from the date of first enrollment at ULAB.

A.12 Academic Rules

Add/Drop Courses You may add/drop one or more courses on recommendation of program
head/adviser, coordinator by week 2 of any given term.
You may be allowed to drop course(s) up to final exam week in any given
term, provided all fees including outstanding dues are fully paid. In exceptional
cases (e.g. serious illness of students, death of parents/spouse/child) you may
be allowed to drop a course during the final exam week on the
recommendation of your department head/advisor.

Leave of Absence If you apply for a leave of absence, you should mention a definite term for re-
and Re-Registration registration and must register immediate after the leave period. An application
for a leave of absence needs to be submitted through department
head/program advisor/coordinator concerned. A leave of absence may be
granted for one to maximum three terms, provided the student is on good
academic standing (i.e. not on academic probation or subject to dismissal) and
the fees are fully paid. Students who will complete registration immediate after
the approved leave of absence period will be exempted from paying any
additional fees.

Re-Admission If you have not registered for three or more consecutive terms and do not have
an approved leave of absence, you will be treated as an irregular student. You
must pay a re-admission fee for continuation of studies.

Late Registration Students who do not register on time must pay a late registration fee

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 Probation and a. You must maintain ‘good standing’ meaning CGPA 2.50 as the minimum for
Dismissal continuing with the studies as well as completion of your studies at ULAB.
b. You will be placed on probation if CGPA falls below 2.50. You must return to
‘good standing’ by raising CGPA to 2.5 or above in the immediate next
term, failing to do so shall dismiss you from the program.
c. A student dismissed for not having ‘good standing’ due to consecutive
probations, may apply for admission in the graduate program as a fresh
applicant. Any such student admitted will be given new ID number.
Note: Dismissed students taking fresh admission shall not be eligible for any
credit transfer and/or course waiver for the credit completed at ULAB.
However, they may apply for credit transfer with reference to the academic
achievements in other institution and/or course waiver on courses completed
at earlier institute/level. In either situation, the student must take necessary
advice from the respective department head/advisor or coordinator.

Concentration E/MBA students are required to choose an area of concentration. Students

Major may do dual concentration. This will require additional one or two semesters,
and relevant additional courses fees and other charges, as applicable.

Minor If you choose to pursue a Minor under the E/MBA, you must complete
minimum four appropriate courses in a given field (other than in your
Concentration area). Minor ULAB Courses that are offered at this time are
Sustainable Development and Communication.
For the MSS in MSJ program, students are required to do two minor courses
or electives. They may take these courses from MBA Functional Core Course
and/or MSS Elective Courses.

Remedial Courses Based on the admission test results, you may be required to take non credit
Remedial course(s) in your first term and to be completed within first two
terms. Core courses will not be offered unless remedial courses are
completed. You will have to pay fees for the remedial course(s). Grades
earned in the remedial course(s) shall not be considered for calculation of
CGPA, but would be mentioned in the grade report.

Unexcused Consecutive three absences from classes in any course may result in a failing
Absences grade. However, course teacher or department head/advisor may make other
recommendations.

Punctuality ULAB takes punctual attendance of classes and any other mandatory
functions with utmost seriousness. If you are regularly late to attend the class,
may have grades reduced at course teacher’s discretion.

Code of Conduct You must be in full compliance with the University's Code of Conduct,
including timely payment of all fees, during the entire period of your studies at
ULAB.

Subscription You are not allowed to collect money or subscriptions from ULAB students,
Collection faculty and staff for any purposes inside and outside the campus, without the
written approval of the Vice Chancellor or a person authorized by him.

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A.13 Grading Scale

Letter Grade Grade Point Assessment

A+ 4.0 Outstanding
A 4.0 Superlative
A- 3.8 Excellent
B+ 3.3 Very Good
B 3.0 Good
B- 2.8 Average
C+ 2.5 Below Average
C 2.2 Passing
D 1.50 Probationary
F 0.0 Fail
I 0.0 Incomplete
W 0.0 Withdrawn
AW 0.0 Administrative Withdrawal

Grading in any course will be based primarily on your academic performance as reflected in class tests,
assignments, mid-term and final exams or papers (most courses will use all these methods of testing).
Whenever appropriate, students may also be graded on tutorials, lab work, research or other special
projects. The weight assigned to each form of testing may vary from department to department, and
indeed from course to course. Attendance and participation in the class may also constitute a component
of the grading. However, passing all required courses with good standing is mandatory to obtain a degree
from ULAB.
Explanation of 'I', 'W' and 'AW' grades

I You will receive an ‘I’ (Incomplete) grade only if; (a) you have a chance to get a regular grade
(A to D) by submitting incomplete tasks, assignments, or project works assigned by the
course teacher, or (b) have failed to appear one or more examinations (due to illness or other
valid reasons) and the course teacher agreed to such reasons and consented. Normally,
student will have to complete two-third of the course work to request for an ‘I’ grade. If the
grade ‘I’ is not replaced with a regular grade within 2 (two) weeks on commencement of the
following term, it will be automatically converted into ‘F’ grade.

W You will receive a "W" (Withdrawn) grade if you have withdrawn from a course within the time
stipulated in the Academic Calendar.

AW You will receive an "AW" (Administrative Withdrawal) grade when you have been withdrawn
from the course by ULAB authorities for breach of conduct.

A.14 Grievance Procedure

Grading is done in an objective and impartial manner. If a student has reason to believe that s/he is being
discriminated against, s/he will be able to address the issue through a suitable grievance procedure. In
such case, you must notify the Department Head/Advisor in writing, who will evaluate the matter in a
committee comprising of the Vice Chancellor; Director, Academic Affairs; Head/Advisor of the relevant
Department and Head/Advisor of any other Department(s). At least three members will be needed to
form the quorum, and finalize a decision for the academic purposes of ULAB.

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A.15 Academic Advising

Academic Advising is an integral part of ULAB's academic policy for your overall development. At the
beginning of their academic life at ULAB, students will be assigned to a Faculty Adviser who will be the
main contact for academic or other issues arising during their time at ULAB.

Students should meet faculty advisers to discuss progress at ULAB. Advisors will help identify
educational needs, course planning, and career options and also help to resolve problems that might
affect academic performance.

A.16 Student Honors List

Summa Cum At the time of convocation, the University may award a Summa Cum Laude (highest
Laude merit) to only one student of absolutely exceptional merit out of the entire graduating
class. Each department will nominate one student with perfect or highest GPA. From
this list of finalists, in addition to their GPA and any extra academic achievements,
an essay and/or interview may be used to choose the number one student for this
rarest of honors.
Magna Cum A number of other students, usually students with high GPA may be awarded Magna
Laude Cum Laude (special merit). Only a student's academic record will be taken into
consideration in giving these academic awards. However, students will have to be in
full compliance with all other University requirements including the Code of Conduct.
Term Honors There will also be an Honors List declared at the end of each term for students
List achieving the requisite GPA or percentile ranking within their departments or the
University.

Note on Retakes: Students who retake a course for whatever reason will be excluded from the award of
Sumna Cum Laude, but may be eligible for the award of Magna Cum Laude. This also applies to courses
transferred from other universities.

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