Last Updated on May 17, 2023
Abu Dhabi School of Management (ADSM) welcomes applications from students from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience. Applicants will need to meet both Academic and English Language requirements for acceptance into postgraduate programs.
Academic Requirements
Applicants for ADSM postgraduate programs must have completed a bachelor degree or equivalent at an accredited institution of higher education and have achieved the minimum grade as outlined below:
| PROGRAM | *BACHELOR | CGPA – Direct Entry | OTHER |
| MBA | Any specialisation | > 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent | three years work experience |
| Master of Science in Quality Business Excellence | Business or
Engineering |
> 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent | Applicants with a degree in an area other than business or engineering and have relevant work experience, or professional qualifications, may be considered for admission, providing that they complete the Bridging Course(s). |
| Master of Science in Leadership and Organizational Development | Business | > 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent | Applicants with a degree in an area other than business and have relevant work experience, or professional qualifications, may be considered for admission, providing that they complete the Bridging Course(s).
|
| Master of Science in Business Analytics |
Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Economics, Business, or a Quantitative Social Science |
> 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent | Applicants with a degree in an area other than that specified and have relevant work experience, or professional qualifications, may be considered for admission, providing that they complete the Bridging Course(s).
|
*Bachelor degrees must be recognized by the UAE Ministry of Education – Higher Education Affairs.
Bridging Courses
Students applying for the MSQBE, MSLOD or MSBA programs, and do not have an undergraduate degree in the required area as stated above, are required to attend Bridging Course(s) prior to enroling in their program of study.
Bridging Course(s) are non-CGPA courses and aim to bridge the gap in students’ knowledge and prepare them for the kind of work required from them as Master’s level students in a graduate business management school.
For the MSQBE and MSLOD programs, the Bridging Program include the following courses:
- Introduction to Business Management (BRD 8013)
- Research and Analytics in Business (BRD 8014)
For the MSBA program, the Bridging Program include the following courses:
- Introduction to Business Management (BRD 8013)
- Introduction to Information Systems (BRD 8015)
Bridging Course(s) will be organized prior to commencing classes and will be published on the Academic Calendar.
Conditional Admission
Conditional Admission is determined based on the CGPA of the applicant’s Bachelor’s degree and/or the submitted English Language proficiency certificate. Thus, the status of a conditionally admitted student, may be either ‘Conditional Academic’ or ‘Conditional ELR’, in both cases students must meet specific conditions during the first term of study to avoid dismissal. The conditions for each status are illustrated below:
| Admission Status | Undergraduate CGPA | English Language Requirement (ELR) | Conditions to be Met During the First Term of Study |
| Conditional Academic | Between 2.5 and 2.999 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent | a minimum score of 1400 on the English language portion of the EmSAT examination, or its equivalent, such as TOEFL scores of 213 CBT, 79 iBT, 550 PBT, or 6.0 IELTS | 1 Take a maximum of nine credit hours of credit-bearing courses
2 Achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, in these courses |
| Between 2.0 and 2.499 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent | 1 Take a maximum of nine graduate-level credit hours as remedial preparation for the Master’s program, not for credit within the Master’s program
2 Achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in these remedial courses in order to progress to the Master’s program |
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| Conditional ELR | ≥ 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent | a minimum score of 1250 on the English language portion of the EmSAT examination, or its equivalent, such as TOEFL scores of 197 CBT, 71 iBT, 530 PBT, or 5.5 IELTS | 1 Achieve an EmSAT score of 1400 or equivalent;
2 Take a maximum of six credit hours of credit-bearing courses 3 Achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, in these courses |
All instruction at ADSM is carried out in English and you will need to demonstrate an adequate level of English language proficiency to enrol. The following are requirements needed for admission:
Remedial Program
Students who submit a recognized undergraduate degree with a CGPA between 2.0 and 2.499 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent, are required to complete the Remedial Program.
The Remedial Program includes a set of remedial courses, whose credit hours are not considered towards the Master’s program, and aim to prepare the students for studying at a Master’s level, these include the following:
- Introduction to Business Management (REM 8011) – 1 Credit
- Innovative Decision Making (REM 8012) – 1 Credits
- Entrepreneurial Excellence (REM 8013) – 1 Credits
- Research and Analytics in Business (REM 8014) – 1 Credit
Students will be required to achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 or equivalent in order to progress to the Master’s program. The Remedial Program will be organized prior to commencing classes and will be published on the Academic Calendar.
English Language Requirements
| TEST | DIRECT | CONDITIONAL |
| EmSAT | 1400-1525 | 1250-1375 |
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.0 | 5.5 |
| TOEFL – International Paper Based or AmidEast ITP | 550 | 530 |
| TOEFL – Computer Based (CBT) | 213 | 197 |
| TOEFL – Internet Based (iBT) | 79 | 71 |
A native speaker of English who has completed their undergraduate education in an English-medium institution may not be required to provide certification of English language proficiency.
Meeting Conditional Requirements
A student must the conditions of their admission, including English language and academic requirements, as outlined above (under Direct Entry requirements), by the end of the first term of study.
Contact the Admissions team: admission@adsm.ac.ae
Credit Transfer
ADSM considers credit transfer requests for credits obtained from UAE Higher Education Institutions recorded in the UAE National Register of Licensed Higher Education Institutions, or other organizations in the UAE approved by CAA, or institutions recognized by UAE’s Ministry of Education located outside the UAE.
Students applying for credit transfer must meet the Direct Entry Admissions’ requirements as illustrated above. A specialized committee will examine each application and make decisions regarding them.
To apply for credit transfer students must submit official transcripts, and ADSM will consider transfer credit requests for graduate level credits of relevant courses that provide equivalent learning outcomes, in which the student earned a minimum grade of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent).
ADSM limits transferred credits for its Master’s programs to a maximum of six credit hours.
Contact the Admissions team: admission@adsm.ac.ae
