Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
College of the North Atlantic – Qatar to offer Bachelor’s degrees
An amendment to legislation in Newfoundland and Labrador's legislature paves the way for CNA and CNA-Q to start
granting Bachelor’s degrees.
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Our goal is to begin offering degree courses in the Fall of 2017.
We do not expect to have full details on degree programs and admission requirements until January 2017,
or later.
Q: What will this mean for CNA-Q?
A: This is the beginning of a new chapter for CNA-Q. This legislation provides us the opportunity to meet the
expectations of Qatar's youth and their parents, while still maintaining our focus on applied learning and meeting
the needs of the workforce of Qatar while achieving the goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.
Q: Will degrees be offered in the Fall 2016 semester at CNA-Q?
A: No, there is still a lot of work to do before we can begin offering degrees. Over the next number of months we
will be developing policies and program content that will support this change in programming. There are still many
details to be worked through; including the structure of the degrees to be offered, the application and selection
process, when the first class will be enrolled, and which programs will be included in the first year. We will be
working closely with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar, and CNA in Newfoundland and
Labrador, to meet their requirements so we can move forward on this exciting development. Our goal is to begin in
September 2017.
Q: Will former CNA-Q students be given priority to return to the College and obtain degrees?
A: The first degree offerings at CNA-Q will be focused on providing degree completion options to CNA-Q students
who have two year and three year Diplomas. However, we are still working on the selection process. There are a lot
of variables/ elements to consider: current students, alumni, non-CNA-Q students, nationality, GPA, sponsorship,
etc. All of these variables will be weighed and it is assured that a fair and accessible application and selection process
will be created.
Q: Will all schools at CNA-Q grant degrees?
A: Our intention is that there will be a degree pathway for most of the students enrolled in programs across all four
schools of Business Studies, Engineering Technology, Health Sciences and Information Technology.
However, before we get there, we have many details to work through; including the structure of the degrees to be
offered, when the first class would be enrolled, and which programs would be included in the first year.
Q: Why was change sought to offer degrees?
A: There is a growing trend, and a growing demand, for applied technical colleges such as CNA-Q to be able to move
their students to the next level of credential: Bachelor’s Degrees. We view this as a very positive step and one that
meets the needs of our key stakeholders – students and their sponsors. As we move to offer degrees we will
maintain the key elements of why CNA-Q was established in Qatar – open access, experiential/applied learning, and
graduating students who are highly skilled, technologically competent, and ‘job-ready’ for positions that are needed
in the Qatar economy. The one key change is that we will now be able to offer a higher credential – the Bachelor’s
degree.
Q: Will this mean an increase in tuition fees at CNA-Q?
A: We are still determining the new fee structure, please watch for updates.
Q: How do the Bachelor’s degrees to be offered at CNA-Q differentiate from an Associate degree?
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A Bachelor's Degree is typically four years of study, 120 credits and is recognized globally as the standard
undergraduate degree. Bachelor’s degrees can be strongly theoretical or combine elements of applied
learning. CNA-Q Bachelor’s degrees will graduate students who have the knowledge, skills and attitudes that
are required for the Qatari labor market, by combining an applied approach with academic principles.
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An Associate Degree is generally two years in length, 60 credits, and often requires further education to
reach the same standard of education as is recognized by a Bachelor’s degree.
Q. Will this degree be Accredited and valued the same as other degrees?
A: This will be a College of the North Atlantic credential, earned and awarded at the Qatar campus, and will be
recognized internationally.
Q: What is the degree program structure going to look like?
A: At this time, we anticipate that the degree programs will be the standard length of four years of study for
university degrees. For CNA-Q graduates, this could work in two ways: one additional year of study after completion
of any three-year diploma; or two additional years of study after completion of any two-year diploma. For new
students, it is anticipated that they will first enroll in one of our 30 diploma programs, and then complete one or two
additional years of study of degree-specific courses.
Q: Will College of the North Atlantic – Qatar become a University?
A: The best answer is: we don’t yet know. For now, we are still known as College of the North Atlantic -Qatar. As
we evolve, there may be a time when we will revisit this name and positioning.
The key point is that CNA and CNA-Q will become degree granting institutions. Whether they will become a
University, a University College, a Polytechnic, or some other label of institution is yet to be determined.
Significant steps need to be completed before CNA-Q will be able to begin offering degree programs. These
include:
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CNA, our ‘parent’ College, and its Board will need to determine the framework for degrees to be approved
by its Academic Council. The proper approval process, policies, and procedures will need to be developed
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and thoroughly reviewed to ensure that our new degree offerings, like our current diploma offerings, will be
internationally recognized.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) of Qatar will be consulted to determine the
expectation regarding the structure of degrees as they will need to comply with MOEHE regulations to be
officially recognized in the State of Qatar.
Employer stakeholders will be consulted regarding degree programs that are best aligned to their workforce
needs.
CNA-Q will develop degree programs that meet student and employer needs and comply with the structure
and framework determined by CNA, as well as complying with MOEHE expectations and regulations.
Degrees developed specifically for CNA-Q will then be submitted to CNA Academic Council for approval as
official CNA degrees to be offered in Qatar. We will also ensure the resulting degrees meet the needs and
expectations of the MOEHE.
Once all approvals are final, CNA-Q will ensure that all degree content is developed and proper resources are
in place (faculty, facilities, systems, library resources, etc.) to successfully deliver degree programs.
Once all of these steps have been completed, CNA-Q will be in a position to begin enrolment for the new
degree programs.