Students’ Interest in Developing Their English Language Can Reduces Their University Academic Years UoB: Those with An IELTS Score Of 5.5 Are Exempted from The Preliminary Program

Sakhir – University of Bahrain (Khadijah Abdusalem)

13 May 2023

The Vice President for Academic Programs and Postgraduate Studies at the University of Bahrain (UoB), Dr. Mohammed Reda Qader, confirmed that students’ interest in developing their abilities in the English language contributes to reducing their university academic years, as most of the study programs in the University’s colleges are offered in English, which is one of the main requirements in the labor market, as a communication language in business and in various fields. To apply to join UoB, five categories of this year’s secondary school graduates can benefit from the exemption from the preliminary program and start the courses of their academic program, which means reducing the duration of their studies at the university for at least one year.

Dr. Qader described those beneficiaries who will be exempted from the preliminary program as follows: University applicants who have an IELTS certificate with a score of at least 5.5 or its equivalent and have a cumulative average of 90% in secondary school, or 90% in the average of English language courses in secondary school. As well as students who graduate from the British system (A-Levels and IB) and students who have an IELTS certificate with a score of 6 will be exempted from the English language course for the first academic year.

Moreover, Dr. Qadir added that the preliminary program – which will be implemented starting from the next academic year (2023-2024) – aims to enhance students’ skills in the English language mainly, and enable them to familiarize themselves with the subjects of the specialization they are enrolled in, as the student must register in two of the four subjects offered in their specialization during the period in which they are in the preliminary program.

In the same context, Dr. Qader said the English Language Center classifies students in the preliminary program into two levels by a system set by the Center, which includes students’ results in the English language from secondary school, or any approved scientific exam such as IELTS, where each of the two levels (first and second) includes five courses per semester according to the level in which the student was accepted, and each semester includes three courses in the English language, and two courses from the main courses of the college requirements, stressing the need for the student to pass all the English language courses, in addition to two academic courses from the four specialized courses offered, to move the from preliminary program to  the academic program.

Referring to the period of the program, Dr. Qadir stated that the maximum period for completing the preliminary program in the case of admission to the first level is three semesters, and two semesters for admission to the second level, noting that the student is not subject to the academic warning system during the preliminary program, and its period shall not be counted with the maximum duration of the academic program.

On academic dismissal, Dr. Qadir said that, according to what is in force, the student shall not be dismissed from the preliminary program except in two cases, namely: if he/she failed twice in any of the courses of the preliminary program, and if he/she exhausted the maximum period allowed to pass the preliminary program, without passing all the required courses successfully.

In the conclusion of his statement, Dr. Qader confirmed that the University provides its students with all means to proceed with their academic studies, and that students enrolling in UoB must learn about the learning resources that help them to continuously improve their academic materials in general, including the English language, which are abundantly available on many educational sites. In addition, their continuous communication with their academic advisors at the University shall correct their paths, find alternatives, and works to overcome any difficulties that may face them during their first study period. As UoB attaches great importance to the issue of academic advising, due to its positive impact on the academic journey of students, to ensure that they quickly and easily graduate from the university and as scheduled.