I would like to
welcome you all to the General Requirements Department at Fatima College of
Health Sciences. In the GRD, we strive to equip students with the necessary
skills in order to develop confident students who are able to become independent
learners and flourish during their time at FCHS. Our courses provide a strong
scientific core while emphasizing Arabic and English communicative
instructional techniques. Courses are delivered using a variety of
technology-based systems.
Our highly qualified
and diverse GRD staff members are dedicated to the students’ success. We are
committed to achieving excellence through student-centered teaching approaches
while providing a supportive and vibrant education medium.
We welcome you to our
department and hope you will enjoy your time studying with us.
Dr. Alexandra Dimitri
Head of Department
General Requirements Department
General Requirements Department, known as GRD, offers
a number of courses required by all academic programs of FCHS. The department
specializes in the following categories: English writing and academic skills,
basic science and technology, humanities, English foundation program, advising
and academic support.
GRD courses
fall under 4 of the 5 categories of the FCHS curriculum: {Refer to FCHS
curriculum structure page}:
1.
General Education Requirements (GER)
2.
College Core Requirements (CCR)
3.
College Elective Requirements (CER) and
4.
Major Core Requirements
(MCR) {2 courses for
Nursing}
A team
of highly qualified
teaching professionals works collaboratively in the holistic development of
students. Student-centered teaching approaches that promote technology usage,
demonstrations, discussions, etc., are always featured in the classroom.
The
department also oversees advising and support for students by offering:
·First Year Seminar (FYS) provides orientation and support for
new students when they first join FCHS. It helps them to make a smooth
transition from high school to FCHS. FYS include pre-major advising sessions,
workshops, and activities that help the student in understanding and adapting
to the college life.
·Academic advising and support by assigning each student joining FCHS to a GRD advisor. The advisor
guides the student in the selection of appropriate courses recommended by the
program’s study plan during registration week. The advisor is a primary contact
point for any academic assistance required by the students, and is also
responsible for facilitating their acclimatization to the college learning
environment. He or she follows up on
students in need of additional academic support and helps them develop
personalized study plans.
·Peer mentorship program that
gives consistently high performing students in their second year and above the
opportunity to provide mentorship and academic assistance to first-year
students. This is under the supervision of a full-time member of staff who
ensures that the mentee is supported by the mentor as well as the faculty
teaching that subject.
·Education Support that delivers one-to-one and small group tutorials and workshops led by a
teaching staff, which help students improve their academic performance and develop
effective communication skills.
The
department also offers an English foundation program:
English Foundation Program
The GRD offers a pre-college, non-credit, English
Foundation program designed to improve students spoken and written
English to the EMSAT level required for admission. This program only accepts
UAE nationals who have graduated from high school.
The mission of the department is to:
·Impart cognitive, affective and
psychomotor skills in science education.
·Prepare students with solid fundamental
knowledge in courses required by healthcare programs.
·Provide advising and academic support
that allows students to reach their maximum performance level at FCHS.
·Equip students with robust academic
skills that enable them to become independent learners.
·Train students to clearly and effectively communicate in English.
GOALS
The goal of the GRD is to
build students' understanding of their relationship to the world and equip
them with tools to be successful at the college within their chosen
program of study.
The department provides academic
support by offering the categories explained below:
General
Education Requirements (GER)
The general education courses contribute
to the students’ development while on the path of becoming a healthcare
professional. The general education courses play an important role in improving
students’ abilities to understand natural science concepts, use their critical
thinking and quantitative skills, IT literacy and English language to
accurately articulate their learning outcomes and mature as young adults.
College Core Requirements (CCR)
GRD
offers mandatory courses that help students strengthen their basic knowledge in
subjects that are required by all healthcare programs at FCHS.
College Elective Requirements (CER)
The
department offers elective courses that have been crafted to supplement, extend
and develop the students’ knowledge and understanding of their major courses. These
electives are designed to broaden students’
perspectives, enhance their learning ability and enrich their interdisciplinary
learning experiences.