Faculty of Community Service and Continuing Education

Foundation:

In a way of carrying out its mission and achieving its objectives of making strong relations with the community, the first session of the University Higher Council held in 19/4/1407 AH approved on the establishment of a center for social service within Umm Al-Qura University.

In order to cope with the expansion required in the fields of social service and the scientific and training developments, especially in the field of continuing education, the Higher Education Council issued a decree in 1417 AH endorsed by the Custodian of the Two Sacred Mosques (may Allah protect him) to turn the center into a deanship of Social Service and Continuing Education.

In 1421, the Custodian of the Two Sacred Mosques agreed to change the name "deanship" to the "Faculty of Social Service and Continuing Education".

The Faculty's objectives:

• 1. Strengthening the relationship between the university and the sectors and public and private institutions of the society and providing a suitable environment to carry out a positive role by utilizing the technical and scientific capabilities of the university
• 2. Helping Saudi citizens to improve their capabilities by providing them with educational and training programs, which require no restrictions that might obstruct the general benefit obtained
• 3. Realizing the increasing needs of the society and working on satisfying them
• 4. Participating with the concerned faculties, institutions, and centers of the university in spreading religious, cultural, social and educational awareness by offering programs shared with different governmental sectors
• 5. Working on supporting the call to Allah and spreading Islamic awareness

Programs offered by the University:

Preparatory Year Evening Program for High School Graduates:

In response to the objectives of the faculty in providing social service and fulfilling the essential needs of the society, the Faculty of Social Service and Continuing Education adopted an unprecedented program throughout the universities of the Kingdom under the name of Preparatory Year Evening Program. This program is offered for high school graduates who were unable to meet some of the conditions required for being admitted into the university in return for reduced fees that just cover the basic expenses of the program. The university council endorsed this program and the Faculty started to carry it out at the beginning of 1423/1424. The program received approbation on the part of all students and their families.

The Program's Objectives:

• Participating in finding practical solutions for the great increase in the numbers of high school graduates for whom there is not enough room in the universities
• Offering an opportunity to join the university for male and female students who are not able to meet all the admission conditions, either because of their low scores in high school certificate or because of not passing the admission exam
• Allowing the students joining the Preparatory Year Evening Program to cope with the system of study in the university and helping them to be prepared for the academic environment
• Giving the opportunity to male and female students who have scored (2.25 out of 4) after passing all curricula (22 hours) to continue their university study by joining one of its faculties along with taking into consideration all the requirements of the university and faculty where they are registered in the preparatory year
• Enabling the students who could not achieve the required score (2.25 out of 4) to join one of the diplomas offered by the Faculty of Social Service and Continuing Education, with the possibility of making an equivalent for a number of curricula which were studied during the preparatory year after paying the due fees
• Enabling the students to acquire computer basic skills, such as data entry, text processing, using basic programs in addition to knowing the necessary applications

Evening Postgraduate Program:

The Council of Umm Al-Qura University approved to the Evening Postgraduate Program offered by the Faculty of Social Work and Continuing Education in cooperation with the postgraduate deanship of the concerned faculties.

Period of study depends on the plan devised by the concerned faculty.

Students can join the systematic year of the program in the Faculty of Applied Sciences for fees of 22,000 riyals and 18,000 riyals in theoretical faculties - as stipulated by the university. As for the year of research preparation, its fees are 15,000 riyals. It is worth mentioning that the Supervision Committee has the right to change the fees demanded from the students of scientific faculties according to the nature of the program.

Objectives of the Program:

The program aims at instilling the concept of joining higher education into the citizens' minds, lessening the burdens of female students from outside Makkah, and widening the admission base to admit the largest number of female students who would be highly qualified in different fields of knowledge. The program also gives the opportunity to the seekers of postgraduate studies, whether Saudis or not, to continue their postgraduate education and scientific research and utilize their capabilities in a certain field of specialization. The student would be given a university ID and number that enable her to have access to the library and other facilities, such as health services and student activities, in addition to the service of providing tickets with reduced prices to those who do not work in Saudi Airlines.

Another characteristic of the program is that it does not require full-time study to attain the doctoral degree although this is a prerequisite in some other academic fields. It also does not require full-time study for complementary curricula and those studying these curricula have the same rights as their peers who are joining the program.