About Us
The graduate studies at King Saud University were initiated in the College of Arts, Department of Arabic Language, in the academic year 1393/1394 AH (1973). As the University has always aspired to make available specialized higher education so as to meet the needs of the Kingdom of qualified graduates holding high academic degrees, the University Council approved, in its session held on 20/12/1398 AH, the establishment of the College of Graduate Studies. Afterwards, a royal approval was issued on 6/2/1399 AH to establish the College, whose name was amended to the Deanship of Graduate Studies on 17/6/1418 AH. The Unified Law for Graduate Studies has identified the duties of the Deanship of Graduate Studies in the supervision and follow-up of all matters related to graduate students, starting from admission of students into diverse graduate programs and ending in their completion of the requirements for obtaining the degree; the Deanship accordingly requests the University Council to grant those students master's or doctoral degrees.
The Deanship of Graduate Studies manages more than 100 programs (master, doctorate and fellowship) in all disciplines –humanities, sciences, health. The study plans of these programs vary: some of them are based on courses and a dissertation, while others are based on courses only. The Deanship of Graduate Studies has started over the past two years to offer parallel master programs in various disciplines in the College of Business Administration and the College of Education.
The Deanship of Graduate Studies also administers, through its Council composed of representatives of all colleges in the University, the initiation and development of graduate programs by adopting scientific and accredited mechanisms. Moreover, the Deanship of Graduate Studies is devoted, with the coordination of all colleges and departments, to continuously follow up and review all graduate programs as well as attract distinguished students in order to have these programs progressed and raised to the level of global universities. The Deanship of Graduate Studies, via its integrated administrative units, is also concerned with other graduate students' affairs, such as admission procedures, all study-related matters until culminate in graduation. The Deanship, besides, is keen to offer the appropriate counseling and academic guidance to graduate students in the University. The Deanship, hence, is currently working on the establishment of a council for graduate students through which they can practice various activities and work with the Deanship to make the University a proper environment for graduate studies and academic research. In addition, the Deanship tends to involve other segments of the community to further support its mission through the formation of an advisory board, from outside the university, for graduate studies at the University.
As the Deanship is eager to communicate and cooperate with all local and global universities in every aspect related to graduate studies, the University has embarked on a joint program with the University of Leeds in Britain in the field of curricula and methods of teaching English, in addition to the joint supervision program among some departments of the University and other international universities. In this context, the Deanship has been able to join the Council of the Deanships of Graduate Studies in North America aiming to take advantage of the expertise of international universities to develop and improve the quality of student affairs as well as study programs.