Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Admissions & Regulations

“Le système de formation nord-américain adopté par l’IIHEM se distingue des autres écoles et offre aux étudiants une grande flexibilité.” Amina & Radia Saadaoui, IIHEM Laureates - 2010

Frequently Asked Questions

Why a north American system of education?

There are several reasons behind adopting an north American system of education. These reasons can be classified as follows:

  • Performance and openness: in adopting the same programs and textbooks used in the best American universities, we offer the best and most modern educational experience that keeps our institution abreast of technological changes and the evolution of knowledge.
  • Flexibility: due to the modular structure that characterizes the organization of the programs in this system, the student is free to choose his/her study program according to the progress of his/ her studies, and following his/her potential and capacities. This freedom of choice offers the student the opportunity to realize his/her personal objectives and to manage his/ her study program with flexibility.
  • Autonomy: this system of education is characterized by an active educational environment strongly involving the student and setting him/ her at the center of the learning process. Within this system, the student is required to get the textbooks needed for different courses in order to prepare his/her courses and to actively take course activities (class presentations, discussions, individual exercises, controlled or practice tasks in the class or in the laboratory,...). Outside class, the student benefits from academic advising and supervison. The student is thus guided in making the most of the resources available to develop his capacities and consolidate his knowledge.
  • Personalized supervision: IIHEM provides academic advising to help the student in the choice of his/her courses and the adaptation of his/her study program to his/ her specific career objectives. Tutoring is also provided to help the students in difficulty confront and overcome these difficulties.
  • Continuous and modular evaluation: the evaluation system is based on numerous modes and criteria: in- class individual participation, homeworks, written tests, exposs and project presentation, mid-term exams and final exams. In cases of unsatisfactory results in one or more courses, the student may follow the courses of the ensuing semester, pending his/her improvement of the marks that are deemed weak.

Is it possible to enroll at IIHEM with a low level of proficiency in English?

To be admitted to the five-year program at IIHEM, the candidate must take a test to determine his level of English.

  • If the candidate has a good level in English he can be admitted directly to the English track.
  • If the candidate has an intermediate level in English he must take a semester of intensive English courses in the 350 hour Intensive English Program offered by the Institute.
  • If the candidate is judged to have a low level in English he must follow a one or two semester remedial English program after which he will follow the Intensive English Program. During the remedial English period, the student will be allowed to take academic courses in French.

Is one semester enough to reach a good level in English?

The answer is yes. The reasons are the following:

  • The students admitted in the intensive semester, should have the prerequisites allowing them to acquire the required level in a specific period of time.
  • The semester is intensive by nature and includes, in addition to 350 hours of classes, complementary extra-curricular activities. The courses cover reading, writing, grammar, oral communication skills and preparation for TOEFL. Extra-curricular activities include controlled tasks such as discussion of films and documentaries, participation in educational games, attending lectures and conferences offered in English at the Institute, etc.
  • The intensive English Program is followed by advanced courses in English taken at the rate of one course per semester throughout the period of study at IIHEM. These are meant to satisfy the academic needs of the student.

The experience of IIHEM in this respect has proven the soundness of this approach. Although the overwhelming majority of the students come to IIHEM from Moroccan and French educational systems, they all manage to follow all their studies in English and finish their degrees with a good mastery of the language.

What is the evaluation system at IIHEM?

Teacher's evaluation of the student's performance in different courses takes into account various elements among which are:

  • in-class participation
  • homework assignments
  • in-class tests and quizzes
  • in-class presentations projects
  • mid-term exams
  • final exams

On the basis of this evaluation, the student receives a grade for each course in which he is registered, a grade that reflects the overall assessment of his performance. The Institute uses a letter grade system A, B, C, D and F, which corresponds to marks ranging from 0 to 4.3.

In the course of his studies, the student has to keep a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. He is also required to retake the courses in which he received an F. To improve his GPA, the student may retake once the courses in which he obtained a grade below B-.

This flexibility in the system of evaluation is made possible by the modular structure that characterizes the educational system at IIHEM. This structure allows the student to plan his studies and choose his courses in conformity with his degree program, the progress he makes in his/studies, and according to his individual capacities. This freedom of choice gives the student the opportunity to achieve his/her personal objectives and to manage his study program with great flexibility.

Are there tests/exams required for admission to IIHEM?

Applications for admission are examined by the admission committee.

The decision of admission is normally based on the examination of the application file and a consideration of the Institute's intake capacity.

The applicant is normally required to take a written test in English and Mathematics. Depending on cases, the applicant may be required to take a test in other subjects. On the basis of these tests the applicant may be admitted to either:

  • the five-year program,
  • the Intensive English Program,
  • or a remedial program in English and Mathematics.

Is it possible to transfer to IIHEM courses taken in other institutions?

Applicants who have studied at other institutions of higher education can transfer to IIHEM provided they satisfy the Institute's general conditions of admission.

They can transfer credits for courses already taken at other institutions of higher education and which are considered equivalent to those offered at the Institute. Credit transfer applies only to courses in which a satisfactory grade is earned.

The decision on credit transfer for courses taken at other institutions of higher education is given following consideration of the credit transfer request submitted by the student concerned. This decision is made by an academic committee presided over by a person in charge in the Academic Department in the Institute and including among its members at least two professors at the Institute in charge of teaching the courses in question.

The committee's decision is based on an examination of the administrative and academic documents submitted by the candidate -viz. student certificate, academic records, recommendations, catalogs, and syllabi- in addition to the results of the interview and/ or the tests taken by the candidate.

Is it possible to transfer to other institutions courses taken at IIHEM?

Please visit the "International Exchange Programs" section.

When is it possible for a student to transfert credits earned at IIHEM to a foreign university?

At the end of each semester, the student can, if he/she so wishes, transfer to the university to which he/she has been admitted.