New Programs: Bachelors in Data Analytics; Masters in Artificial Intelligence; Masters in Public Relations & Corporate Communications

Friday, May 29, 2020
New Programs:  Bachelors in Data Analytics; Masters in Artificial Intelligence; Masters in Public Relations & Corporate Communications

Bachelor of Science in Data Analytics

Ajman University (AU), to meet the needs of the job market, now offers a Bachelor of Science in Data Analytics program.

The four-year program has received accreditation from the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the UAE Ministry of Education.

Ajman University Chancellor Dr. Karim Seghir, Ph.D., said the nascent program reflects AU’s passion to prepare students for the rapidly evolving landscape of Information Technology.

“The program, to kick off in the academic year 2020-2021, will be an added value to the growing list of bachelor degrees being offered by the AU College of Engineering and Information Technology.”

The College’s degrees span the fields of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Information Systems and Information Technology.

“The Bachelor of Science in Data Analytics program is intended to provide aspirant students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for pursuing successful professional career.”

Prof. Fahar Hayati, Dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology, said successful candidates need to obtain a UAE Secondary School Certificate, Advanced Stream, or equivalent with minimum percentage of 70%.

“There is an urgent need to launch such a program to supplement the local and regional job market, which is in high demand for graduates who are familiar with the principles and basics of data analytics.”

Ajman University is the first university in UAE to launch this program at the bachelor level, he underlined.

“Graduates of Data Analytics will be ready to join many career opportunities in all industries that produce any kind of data, including Big Data Architect, Data Engineer, Data Visualization Developer, Business Intelligent Developer, Data Analyst/ Data Scientists, Financial Analyst, Healthcare Analyst, Computer Programmer, and System Analyst, etc.”

Data Analytics graduates can also work in consultation and managerial positions in both the private and public sectors, he elaborated. “They are also in demand in areas of research and development as well as in higher education.”

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Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence

Ajman University (AU), after a rigorous evaluation from the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the UAE Ministry of Education, is proud to offer a Master of Science program in Artificial Intelligence.

Ajman University Chancellor Dr. Karim Seghir, Ph.D., said the nascent program reflects the AU’s passion to prepare students for the rapidly evolving landscape of Artificial Intelligence.

“The program, to kick off in the academic year 2020-2021, will be an added value to the growing list of bachelor degrees being offered by the AU College of Engineering and Information Technology.”

He added that the program is in line with the directives of UAE prudent leadership to incorporate AI in the strategic plans of all entities.

“It’s not going to be long before AI takes over many aspects of life, including business (products and services), education, defence, entertainment, medicine, law, government, and even politics and social life.”

Dr. Raed Abu Zitar, a Professor at the College of Engineering and Information Technology, AU, said the 1.5 to 4-year program is to secure at least two scholarships for outstanding students with a CGPA of not less than (3.5).

The much-anticipated program is to be completely in English language, he disclosed. “To earn a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, students need to complete 30 credit hours.”

The MSAI program consists of four core courses or 12 credit hours, three elective courses or nine credit hours, along with nine credit hours for the thesis or dissertation, Dr. Abu Zitar explained.

“However, the students to go for the non-thesis option need to complete four core courses or 12 credit hours, five elective courses or 15 credit hours, along with three credit hours for the graduation project.”

Aspirant learners need to have a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science or equivalent discipline, spanning electrical engineering or information technology, he pointed out.

“A CGPA of not less than 3.0, along with a score of 550 in TOEFL paper-based test or 215 in TOEFL computer-based test, or a score of 6.5 in IELTS are mandatory.”

Dr. Abu Zitar said successful graduates will have a chance to pursue their PhD degree in AI related areas, and have lucrative job opportunities in various areas and field with local, regional and international firms.

“Holders of MSAI degrees can work as data scientists, social media analysts, robotics engineers, decision support systems designers, smart games developers, security analysts, smart government and e-commerce specialists, smart tutoring applications builders, experts in medical imaging classification applications, as well as speech and face recognition systems developers.”

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Master of Public Relations and Corporate Communication

Ajman University (AU), all set to meet the needs of local, regional and global labor markets, has added a Master of Public Relations and Corporate Communication.. The program, designed by the College of Mass Communication, has received accreditation from the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Education of the United Arab Emirates.

Dr. Karim Seghir, Ajman University Chancellor, said the program is in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al-Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman and Chairman of AU Board of Trustees, to cope with the needs of the local, regional and global labor market in media, public relations and corporate communication.

“The program, designed to improve the employability of AU graduates and enrich the labour market with competent specialists in public relations and corporate communication, is to start in the first semester of the academic year 2020-2021.”

He added that the all new program provides the society and institutions with specialized professional consultants. “also copes with the rapid transformations, and boosts partnership with institutions and universities locally and abroad.”

Dr. Hossam Salama, Dean, College of Mass Communication, said the 33-credit hour program, is to help merge organizational goals with social responsibility programs in the UAE & GCC.

“Demonstrating and understanding the concepts, theories, and procedures for best practices in Public Relation & Corporate Communication in local and international contexts is one of the key learning outcomes of the program.”

The program, teaching strategic solutions to public relations issues and communication problems, develops a better strategic communication planning to achieve organizational goals, he added.

“Graduates will be able to communicate, interact, cooperate effectively and efficiently in written, oral, visual and combined formats, and apply new technologies in the field.”

The program helps produce effective, accessible, and timely print, digital and multimedia communications, independently and collaboratively, to manage specific stakeholder relations and/or issues and achieve set objectives, he elaborated. “It also develops personal and professional skills through self-learning, for effective and creative decision-making.”

Indicating, Dr Salama said the program is to be tentatively opened for admission on April 14, 2020, as per the academic calendar. “However, the opening date is yet to be confirmed as per the latest updates.”

Applicants need to have a bachelor degree with a directly related discipline with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on a 4.00-point scale, from a university accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education, Dr Salama stated.

“Applicants also need to clear any of the recognized English proficiency tests, including EmSAT, with min score of (1400 – 1525), IELTS (6) or TOEFL (213 - Computer-Based Test), (79 - Internet-Based Test), or (550 - Paper-Based Test).”

For students to successfully pass the program, they need to complete the study of 33 credit hours, including 5 core courses, 4 elective courses, along with the final thesis, Dr Salama said. “Students can complete their degree in 4 semesters as a minimum and 8 semesters, including the foundation courses.”  

Students have also to complete the core and elective courses with a minimum AGPA of 3.0, and pass the thesis examination with a minimum of 80 percent (B grade) to be eligible for graduation, he underlined.

“Successful graduates will have a wide range of career opportunities, including executive directors, directors, consultants in PR, protocols and hospitality, academic researchers, consultants in event organization, and advertising planners.”