Programme Details

To apply for MAHAD, prospective participants need to:

• Be a UAE national
• Have a Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) from an accredited university, with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
• Have a minimum score of 79 on the Internet-based TOEFL (IBT), OR a minimum score of 213 on Computer Based TOEFL (CBT) OR a minimum score of 550 on the Paper Based TOEFL. Alternatively, they must have a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 or minimum EmSAT of 1550 (or will take the exam soon).
• Candidates who have already obtained a Master’s Degree or a PGD Degree from AGDA can also enroll in the MAHAD programme, after completing all degree requirements of the MA in Global Affairs and Diplomatic Leadership or the Post Graduate Diploma in UAE Diplomacy and International Relations.
• Admission opened in April 15, 2024
• Deadline to apply closed on May 15, 2024

Courses in the MAHAD programme are conducted by experts and professionals in the field, and include (but may not be limited to) the following:

• Core Courses – Total: 12 credits

  HAD 933 Principles and Practices of Humanitarian Action & Development (3 CH)

  HAD 932 Managing a Development Project (3 CH)

  HAD 904 International Humanitarian Law (3 CH)

  HAD 931 Economics of International Development (3 CH)

• Elective Courses – 12 credits:

  HAD 934 Women and Development (3 CH)

  HAD 915 The UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development (3 CH)

  HAD 916 Human Rights (3 CH)

  HAD 917 Emergency Response and Crisis Communication (3 CH)

  HAD 919 Leadership and Ethics in Humanitarian Practice (3 CH)

  HAD 921 Stabilisation in Conflict-Affected Countries (3 CH)

  HAD 922 Middle East Refugee Crisis Management (3 CH)

  HAD 928 Special Topics in Development (3 CH)

  HAD 929 Regional Studies in Development (3 CH)

• MA Thesis or Capstone – Total: 6 credits:

  The MA Thesis or Capstone project starts in the Fall semester with a defence date set for September of the following academic year.

Young professionals enrolled in the MA programme in Humanitarian Action and Development will have to achieve 30 credit hours to complete the programme.

Participants will complete:

• 12 credit hours of core course (4 courses)
• 12 credit hours of elective courses (4 courses)
• 6 credit hours of a thesis (which they will start during the academic year and complete by June of the academic year)

The MAHAD study plan is summarized as follows:

The MAHAD programme coordinator is Dr. Muhamad Olimat. 

PLO1: Disciplinary Knowledge in Humanitarian Action and Development – Upon the successful completion of the programme, students will gain relevant and highly specialised knowledge in international development and humanitarian action, including how various paradigms have evolved over time, and the political, economic and legal frameworks that are currently used to understand development and humanitarian action in the region, as well as globally. 

PLO2: Applied Knowledge in Humanitarian Action and Development - Upon the successful completion of the programme, students will possess diverse knowledge of case studies in humanitarian action and development, and be able to assess and apply the practical lessons learned from those case studies. They will have a sound grasp of the roles of different kinds of actors in the development and humanitarian sectors and the tools available to them. They will also have an overview of the policies and programmes of the United Arab Emirates in the field of humanitarian action and development and be able to situate this in a wider diplomatic context. 

PLO3: Research Skills – Upon the successful completion of the programme, students will demonstrate a solid ability to critically evaluate information, develop coherent arguments and ideas and complete high-quality research papers as well as in-depth policy-oriented research projects that are relevant to the field of humanitarian action and development. They will also be able to adapt and use various research methods to develop and complete their projects and apply these to the type of issue that they might expect to encounter in a professional context. 

PLO4: Professional Excellence - Upon the successful completion of the programme, students will be able to take autonomous responsibility for designing and managing programmes or projects in the field of development and humanitarian action. They will also understand the role of communications and leadership in the fields of development and humanitarian action. In addition, students will be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, the findings of their projects and papers to their peers and relevant AGDA stakeholders. 

The list of academic faculty who teach in the MAHAD program can be found here. 

The list of research faculty who teach in the MAHAD program can be found here.