Continuing Education at the
American University of Athens

American University of Athens

School of Graduate Studies

A Message From the President

I take great pride in presenting the graduate programs of The American University of Athens. The role today of an American university in Southeastern Europe, at the crossroads of the European Union, the Middle and Near East and Eastern Europe, has become increasingly important. Based on the success of the first American MBA’s in Europe of the early fifties and worldwide acknowledgement of American know-how in postgraduate studies, we offer an exciting, quality American program in Athens, the ancient capital of Europe. Our program is headed by a team of business leaders, who represent our Advisory Board. This is the European component of our postgraduate program founded and governed by large companies and chambers of commerce to ensure that the curricula reflect real-life situations.

The strength of our programs lies in the fact that they are based on American traditional education. Case studies, qualified faculty and innovation technologies are among our valuable tools. The “Etats Schengen” age of the European Union, one of the two leading forces of Western civilization on “Planet Earth”, is an open democratic and cultural environment for all mankind. People relocate, corporations expand globally, knowledge and information technologies travel around the world effectively based upon the human infrastructure of qualified specialists. From China to India, from Egypt to Ghana, from the countries of Southeastern Europe to the Americas, quality postgraduate education plays a very important role. Breathing the same air as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle three thousand years ago, has inspired us to serve the global educational community by offering a world class quality program for university graduates from all over the world. As a university educator and researcher for more than four decades and a true global citizen, I invite you to join us in the outstanding efforts of the AUA School of Graduate Studies.

-Professor Achilles Constantine Kanellopoulos President

Doctoral Program

The American University of Athens provides its students through online and/or open learning programs with opportunities to develop the intellectual, social and personal skills necessary to exercise influence and achieve success and personal fulfilment in an increasingly interdependent world; a world where the ability to understand other cultures and communicate effectively across national and cultural boundaries is as vital as traditional academic achievement

GENERAL INFORMATION

The School of Graduate Studies, Department of Doctorate Programs at The American University of Athens, AUA, seeks to admit highly motivated, creative, intelligent, cooperative and career-focused leaders. Admission to study towards a doctoral degree requires an appropriate Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from a recognized institution and evidence of capacity for productive work in the field selected, such as may be indicated by undergraduate grades. Graduate programs at AUA are supervised by the Chairman of the School of Graduate Studies, assisted by the Steering Committee consisting of coordinators of the different program areas. The Graduate Program Committee has the entire responsibility of developing, modifying and maintaining the graduate program with the approval of the Senate. This committee consists of the Chairman of the School of Graduate Studies, members of the Steering Committee, faculty teaching at AUA, librarian, provost, career officer, and one student representative of each program. Faculty members participating in graduate programs are listed at the back of this catalog in accordance to academic rank, year of appointment at AUA, degrees and dates received, and the institutions granting the degrees.

HISTORY
AUA was originally founded in 1982 as Southeastern College in affiliation with the Boston University College of Engineering by dedicated American and Greek educators and professionals.
The mission of Southeastern College as stated by the Boston University College of Engineering was as follows:
1. To make available the latest developments in Engineering and Science to area students from Greece, the Middle East and Africa.
2. To help students attain genuine fluency in English so as to achieve the effective communication skills required for successful international competition.
3. To encourage cultural interaction on the part of students who will become leaders in their own countries in confronting the contemporary technical and social problems of the Eastern Mediterranean and Africa.
4. To assist Greek industry in its technological modernization and economic development.
5. To foster interaction between leading research scientists, engineers and educators.
Initially, AUA under the name of Southeastern College was intended to be a three-year undergraduate institution, with students transferring to the U.S.A. for the last segment of their undergraduate studies. AUA offered instruction in engineering, natural sciences and liberal arts elective courses. In 1988, it entered into a 3:2 Dual-Degree Program with George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The first Bachelor’s degrees were issued to 12 students in 1989. AUA is licensed in the United States of America to grant undergraduate and graduate degrees and is incorporated in the State of Delaware (1991). The name was changed to The American University of Athens in April 2003.

MISSION
The American University of Athens provides its students through online and/or open learning programs with opportunities to develop the intellectual, social and personal skills necessary to exercise influence and achieve success and personal fulfilment in an increasingly interdependent world; a world where the ability to understand other cultures and communicate effectively across national and cultural boundaries is as vital as traditional academic achievement. Since its inception, AUA’s mission has been to respond to the evolving needs of society by offering capable and motivated students:
· excellent undergraduate and graduate degree programs
· intellectual growth with scholarly and creative activities
· a research culture and environment; preparation for graduate studies; quality research for graduates
· the link between study and professional achievement
AUA has a responsibility to preserve, foster and transmit the cultural and intellectual heritage of our pluralistic, interdependent and changing world. AUA has a responsibility to foster academic freedom by assuring that its members may express their ideas openly and freely. AUA has a responsibility to provide a setting in which students may acquire and develop skills of intellectual inquire and values of human understanding. AUA has a responsibility to encourage students to realize their greatest potential and make substantial contributions to society as educated persons, skilled professionals and thoughtful citizens. AUA has a responsibility to cultivate in the student an understanding that the university experience is a segment of a lifelong process and learning continuity.

Underlying its academic programs, which are taught to a multicultural student body by a highly qualified and internationally minded faculty, is a commitment to the value of understanding and appreciating human differences and commonalities. AUA is committed to the educational philosophy, standards of the American model of university education and believes deeply in and encourages freedom of expression and seeks to foster tolerance and dialogue. Graduates will be equipped with critical thinking, life-long learning skills, personal responsibility and leadership. To achieve its mission, AUA places students at the center of its efforts, values structure and strongly emphasizes academic excellence through highly qualified faculty and a well- equipped learning environment. The small-sized classes, the usage of the English language in instruction, the meticulous selection of faculty, curricula, and teaching methodologies as well as the admission of foreign students reflect the structure and educational philosophy of an American institution of higher learning, thus making AUA a most competitive institution in Europe, and especially in the area of Southeastern Europe.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of The American University of Athens are to equip students with an excellent education enabling them to compete successfully in the European, and particularly Southeastern European, job markets; to adopt productive roles in society as professionals and intellectuals; and/or to embark on graduate programs of their choice. Through our admissions system, the level of course offerings, the emphasis on General Education course requirements, orientation and academic counselling sessions, AUA projects the image of a leading institution in post-secondary education in Southeastern Europe. Its success in meeting objectives can be measured by the number of graduates who have found employment in their chosen professional fields and by the number admitted to prestigious European and American universities for graduate studies.

The role of American post-secondary education in the world marketplace has changed dramatically in recent years due to rapid advances in communication and information technologies thereby precipitating a truly global business environment. Pronounced political and economic transformations across Eastern Europe and the prospect of the European Union comprising 25 countries with a population of 350 million are creating new opportunities for American companies and new challenges for managers educated according to American post- secondary education standards.
Bold steps are taken at The American University of Athens to prepare managers and specialists for competition in the international marketplace through its high-quality education and the importance placed on personality development.

GOALS

AUA recognizes that the primary goals of the instructional program are to increase the ability of students to learn, to think critically, to express their ideas clearly and cogently, to understand themselves, their culture and their society, both past and present, and to appreciate the multicultural diversity of their world. Students must also demonstrate competency in analytical skills and the methods of intellectual inquire and develop an appreciation of aesthetic values.
· to provide excellent undergraduate and graduate educational programs
· to achieve social, economic and professional opportunities for its students/graduates
· to provide intellectual growth with scholarly and creative activities
· to prepare for graduate studies
· to develop a research culture and environment, for both undergraduates and graduates
· to develop life-long studies (undergraduate and graduate)
· to initiate quality research for graduates
· to increase the number of undergraduate students while maintaining high standards of admission
· to continue to recruit excellent scholars, researchers and professionals as faculty who are fully committed to AUA’s mission
· to acquire the reputation of a premier education and research institute with a long-term future by securing and increasing its financial strength

PHILOSOPHY

The educational philosophy of The American University of Athens is based upon maintaining close ties between faculty and students as a way of ensuring the optimization of the learning process while carefully counselling them in the choice of a study plan which not only complies with University requirements but reflects at the same time their own personal aspirations. Emphasis is placed upon promoting flexibility in the development of new programs consistent with the never-ending evolution of knowledge.

RESEARCH GOALS

AUA’s new research mission is to create and synthesize knowledge and to use it in addressing world issues. To realize its mission, AUA is committed to the following goals:
A: To attract high-quality students
B: To develop a supportive research culture and environment
C: To initiate the quality of research by both faculty and students
D: To enhance AUA’s reputation as a teaching and research-oriented university

APPLICATION

Application to the School of Graduate Studies requires special forms. A complete graduation application includes the following items:

· Application
· University degree – certified copy
· Official translation in English from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Greek students or a similar official translation for other nationals
· Two recommendation forms to be completed by professors and or employers
· Resume or curriculum vitae
· A TOEFL score of 580, or equivalent, if English is your second language
· Personal interview

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCTORATE

The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires the satisfactory completion of 72 semester hours of approved graduate work and coursework (including a dissertation research) for each post bachelor’s mode. An entering student who has a Master’s degree relevant to the proposed doctoral field of study may be awarded up to 24 credits toward a Doctoral degree on the basis of acceptable post bachelor’s graduate level coursework.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE D.B.A.
An entering student who has an M.B.A. degree may require the satisfactory completion of 56 semester hours of approved coursework including a dissertation.

THESIS OR DISSERTATION REQUIREMENTS
Students are required to submit a thesis at the end of their program which counts for 16-24 credit hours. The range in the credit hours allocated to the thesis is designed to accommodate the student’s professional needs since they can select the minimum number of credits if they wish to do less research and writing.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Post bachelor’s students are required to complete a minimum of 64 credits applicable to their degree; 32 credits must be structured courses, 28 credits of which must be at the 5000 level or higher. A minimum of 16 credits of research/dissertation is required.
There are no structured course requirements for postmaster’s Doctorate students, but such students are required to complete 32 credits applicable to their degree, all of which must be at the 5000 level or higher. A minimum of 16 credits of research/dissertation coursework is required.
Coursework used to fulfill the Doctorate degree requirements may not be used to complete the requirements of any other degree program. Doctorate candidates, who have completed all course requirements, or hold appointments as research assistants, are considered full-time students and should be enrolled for a minimum of 2 credits per semester. Full-time status enables students to access libraries, laboratories, instructional staff, and other academic facilities at the University.

PART-TIME STUDY
Occasionally, students are permitted to pursue the postmaster’s Doctorate on a part-time basis. Such students must demonstrate a commitment to the program on an ongoing basis. Part-time students must fulfill the same degree requirements and are subject to the same policies, time frames, and deadlines as full-time students.

QUALIFYING EXAMINATIONS
The student’s area of concentration determines the specific nature and scope of the qualifying examination. Both qualifying examinations are limited to three attempts. Departments may limit attempts to one, if they choose. All Doctorate students must take the applied mathematics examination the first time it is offered after matriculation. All Doctorate students must complete both qualifying examinations by the end of their fifth semester.

DOCTORATE CANDIDACY
A student in the School of Graduate Studies Doctorate program will be accepted to Doctorate candidacy upon successful completion of both qualifying examinations. At that time, the student will receive formal notice of acceptance to Doctorate candidacy. The maximum period allowed between matriculation and acceptance to Doctorate candidacy is usually five semesters, but departments can specify a lesser time frame based on qualifying examination results. Under no circumstances will a student who is not a Doctorate candidate be allowed to defend a completed Doctorate dissertation.

DISSERTATION PROSPECTUS DEFENSE
Within one year of becoming a candidate, the student is expected to present an oral dissertation proposal to the prospective dissertation committee and obtain approval for the written dissertation prospectus. The committee evaluates the potential of the proposed research and the student’s academic preparation to engage in dissertation research. Upon approval by the committee members and the department graduate associate chairman, the student submits the Doctorate Dissertation Prospectus Defense form to the department office.

DISSERTATION
A Doctorate candidate is expected to prepare and carry out an independent and original research project in partial fulfillment of the dissertation requirement. The dissertation committee is made up of The School of Graduate Studies faculty and on occasion scholars from outside the University.

FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION
Students shall present themselves for a final oral examination in which they must defend their dissertation as a worthy contribution to knowledge in their fields and demonstrate mastery of their field of specialization as related to the dissertation. The Examining Committee is composed of at least five members of whom two must be (tenured or tenure-earning) faculty from the student’s academic department. Each department determines the appointment of the chairman.

TIME LIMIT
Both the post bachelor’s and postmaster’s programs must be completed within five years of the individual’s acceptance into Doctorate candidacy as determined by the department and the University Graduate Committee.

ADVISOR
Candidates for the Doctorate degree are required to have as an advisor a member of the graduate faculty in the department of their major field.

PROGRAM OF STUDY
A program of study must be approved by the student’s advisor and submitted to the appropriate departmental graduate committee for approval. Failure to obtain approval of such a plan of study within this time frame will preclude registration in the next semester.

RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION
Students may register for research with approval of the faculty member concerned. Students may register for dissertation credits only after completing their prospectus, and with their advisor’s approval. A candidate for the Doctorate degree may not register for more than 12 credits of research/dissertation in a single semester.

Tuition and Fees

AUA reserves the right to alter any of these charges without notice.

Full-time Students
Post bachelor’s degree
€ 37,800

D.B.A. degree
€ 29,400

Postmaster’s Doctorate degree
€ 29,400

Part-time Students
Tuition: € 525 per semester credit hour
Application Fee: €100

TUITION DISCOUNT

A 10% discount is offered when the respective semester’s tuition is paid in full. The American University of Athens can also arrange a loan for the student to finance his/her tuition fees.
It is traditional for Greek private schools of all levels to grant discounts to relatives. For members of the immediate family, AUA’s policy is either to grant a 5% discount to each brother and sister or 10% to one.

WITHDRAWALS AND REFUNDS

AUA operates on an academic term basis by which commitments are made to teaching staff and to others whose services are essential to AUA’s operation. The application fee is not refundable under any circumstances. Continuing students, who withdraw from class, or from The American University of Athens, are entitled to refunds of both tuition and fees (according to the stated “Refund Schedule”) which will be computed on the basis of the last day of class attendance. However, for more efficient processing of the refund it is recommended that withdrawing students complete and submit the appropriate forms to the Office of Records and Office of Student Accounts. The amount refunded or credited is computed with reference to the date the student filed a withdrawal form. Tuition and fees will be refunded to students withdrawing during a regular semester as follows:

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Applications for assistantships must be submitted before May 15th each year

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP CENTER

Teaching, research and other graduate assistantships are available in most AUA programs. The total maximum workload for full-time graduate students is 15 hours per week. Graduate assistants must be full-time matriculated students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Policies and Procedures

The following general regulations concern all The AUA School of Graduate Studies students. Each student is responsible for becoming familiar with the general regulations of the more specific requirements stated in the individual section on each department, division, or program, which may go beyond or supplement AUA standards.

Qualifications for Admission

Any well -qualified person with a baccalaureate degree from a recognized college or university or with equivalent international education may apply for admission to The AUA School of Graduate Studies. A student’s undergraduate program should include introductory studies in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and engineering. The student may be required to make up any deficiencies in his or her academic background by completion of specified courses without credit. The American University of Athens does not permit a student to enrol simultaneously in more than one graduate program, unless those programs have been previously approved by the Academic Council of The American University of Athens as a combined degree program.

Application

Applications and instructions for submission of complete credentials may be obtained by contacting the Office of Admissions via e-mail: admissions@aua.edu. Any other questions can be answered via e-mail at info@aua.edu.
A non- refundable application fee of €100 must be submitted with each application. This fee cannot be waived or deferred. Applications will not be considered without the application fee.

All applicants must also submit the following credentials:

1. official transcripts or records of each college or university attended. A college senior should submit an official report of the work completed through the first semester of the senior year as early as possible.

2. letters of recommendation in English from at least two faculty members in the proposed field of graduate study who are familiar with American higher education.

Recommended but not required.
3. official test results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (General Test and Subject Test) and/or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), as required by the department to which the student is applying. Check departmental requirements in this bulletin or the Department/Program Information Sheet portion of the application.

Application Deadlines

For most programs, the deadlines for admission are July 15 for Fall admission and December 15 for Spring admission. Adhering to these deadlines will also ensure that you are considered for all available forms of merit-based financial aid, both University-wide and departmental.
By submitting an application by the deadlines stated, you will be considered for financial assistance as university funds allow. Applications that are complete at the time of the deadlines will be given priority. An application is considered complete when all required credentials, as listed above, have been received by The School of Graduate Studies.

Application Submission

The completed Application for Admission and supporting credentials should be directed to:

Admissions Office

The School of Graduate Studies

SUBMIT APPLICATION ONLINE HERE : CLICK HERE