“Graduate Studies and Research is a key component that will enhance the prestige and reputation of University of The Bahamas as a world class institution. The Office of Graduate Studies and Research will inculcate a culture of creativity and innovation, leading to the creation and dissemination of new knowledge through transdisciplinary research, consultancy, effective partnerships and hybrid graduate programmes. We will advocate excellence in all areas of scholarship with all stakeholders and make transformative discoveries that will impact the nation and the world”.
Over the past decades, in partnership with accredited universities and colleges, we have facilitated several graduate degree programmes. Since receiving our charter and assuming full university status on 10thNovember 2016, our focus has been on the development of new and innovative graduate programmes through collaborations within and across disciplines. To this end, the following programmes have been developed and are available: MBA Accounting; MBA Entrepreneurship and Innovation; MBA Events Management; MBA Financial Decision Making; MBA Hospitality Management; MBA Leadership; Graduate Certificate in Public Administration; and Graduate Diploma in Public Administration.
Further, the following programmes are in the pipeline and will be available soon: MEd Teacher Leadership – Cognate-Supervision; MSc Reading with Inclusive Education; MEd Speech Language Pathology; Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert); Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip); and LLM in Arbitration Law, Wealth Management Law, Maritime/Transportation Law and Mediation Law.
Our higher-degree by research will include a Master and Doctor (PhD) of Research in the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. Our research-oriented graduate programmes will afford students substantial mastery of the subject matter, theory, literature and methodology of a significant field of study and will include the sequential development of research skills leading to the attainment of independent research capacity. Our graduate students will undertake original research that contributes to new knowledge and, although our master’s programmes may not require that students engage in original research at the same level as our doctoral programmes, our master’s degree students will be required to conduct a culminating research or creative project/work in partial fulfillment of programme requirements. In this way, we will continue to build research capacity and add to the body of knowledge.
Our professional or practice-oriented programmes at the master’s or doctoral levels will prepare students for professional practice involving the development of new applications of knowledge within a field of study. This will be accomplished by affording students a broad conceptual mastery of the field of professional practice through an understanding of its subject matter, literature, theory and relevant research methodology. These programmes will provide the sequential development of professional skills that will result in competent practitioners.
This is an exciting time for University of The Bahamas as we move forward, embracing the vision and promoting the values of ‘learning, leadership and service.’
The Graduate Studies Review Board is responsible for the implementation, oversight and quality assurance of all graduate programmes offered by UB. The Board sanctions and approves the development of graduate programmes and establishes standards for their delivery; sets standards of admission, requirements for degrees and programmes of study; recommends the conferral of graduate degrees; develops and implements quality assurance mechanisms for graduate studies; and recommends all faculty to teach in a graduate programme on a course-by-course and cohort-by cohort basis.
Duties and Responsibilities
The primary duties and responsibilities of the Board are the:
- elaboration, adoption and oversight of academic policies, procedures and standards of graduate studies;
- development, evaluation and review of academic policies;
- oversight of the academic appeals process;
- oversight of issues relating to academic integrity;
- establishment of guidelines for the proposal of new graduate programmes;
- recommendation for the approval of new graduate programme proposals;
- recommendation of approval of faculty to teach in graduate studies; and
- oversight and assessment of quality assurance mechanisms for graduate curricula and programme evaluation.
Membership
The Graduate Studies Review Board comprises:
- the President of the University, who shall serve as Chair of the Board;
- Provost;
- Deans of Academic Units;
- the Registrar;
- Dean of Graduate Studies, who shall serve as Secretary to the Board;
- one faculty member holding a terminal degree in their discipline or a faculty member approved by the Board to teach in a graduate programme elected by each school for a two-year appointment; and
- two graduate student representatives for a one-year appointment.
Committees
- Academic Appeals Committee
- Academic Integrity Committee
- Admissions Committee
- Graduate Curriculum Committee
- Programme Review and Quality Assurance Committee
Procedure
During the academic year, the Graduate Studies Review Board meets once a month for a minimum of 6 times per year.
Dr. Vikneswaran Nair
Dean, Graduate Studies and Research
2ndFloor, East Wing, F.R. Wilson Graduate Centre, Oakes Field Campus
(242) 397-2602
graduate@ub.edu.bs