WELCOME TO ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF PHNOM PENH
General Information about RUPP
The Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) is Cambodia’s oldest and largest university. It hosts more than 8000 scholarship and full-fee paying students, across a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs. It is unique in Cambodia for offering specialist degrees in fields including the sciences, humanities and social sciences, as well as vocational courses in fields including information technology, psychology and tourism. RUPP also provides Cambodia’s foremost degree-level language programs through the Institute of Foreign Languages. Due to its many achievements, RUPP is the only university in Cambodia with full membership of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) .
RUPP has over 420 full-time staff. All of its 294 academic staff hold tertiary qualifications, including 15 PhDs and 132 Masters degrees. They are supported by 140 administrative and maintenance staff. In addition, the university maintains vast linkage networks with Cambodian and international NGOs and universities. As a result, various international and non-government organizations regularly contribute adjunct faculty members to help expand RUPP’s capacity.
RUPP is located on three spacious campuses. The main campus lies roughly five kilometers from the Phnom Penh. Adjoining the main campus is the Institute of Foreign Languages, which boasts beautiful campus, featuring peaceful landscaping features alongside its modern architecture. Roughly one kilometer further from town lies RUPP Campus II, in which the departments of History, Sociology and Philosophy reside.
Vision
· To develop courses that give graduates the appropriate knowledge and skills to meet the needs of private, government and non-government sectors within Cambodia.
· To develop the skills and abilities of university staff by encouraging research capabilities, teaching competence and confidence through further training.
· To develop more NGO, government and industry partnerships to provide graduates with employment opportunities and university staff with the opportunity to conduct further valuable research.
· To achieve greater self-sufficiency and sustainability by independently managing the university’s budget.
The Royal University of Phnom Penh strives to preserve and promote Khmer culture and identity and support the development of Cambodia through education, research and community service.
The dissemination of knowledge, critical thinking, cultural and environmental awareness, and the teaching of ethical and peaceful values to students and staff enriches the quality of life of the
Cambodian people and enables them to respond efficiently to the demands and needs of a changing society.
In particular, RUPP prepares students to become effective members of Cambodian society, with the professional capability to apply, develop and enrich the sciences, technology and the arts.
The Royal University of Phnom Penh first opened its doors as the Royal Khmer University on January 13, 1960, with a National Institute of Judicial and Economic Studies, a Royal School of Medicine, a National School of Commerce, a National Pedagogical Institute, a Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, and a Faculty of Science and Technology. The language of instruction during this period was French.
With the establishment of the Khmer Republic, the Royal Khmer University became the Phnom Penh University. Between 1965 and 1975 the university consisted of the Ecole Normale Supérieure, the Faculties of Letters and Humanities, Science, Pharmacy, Law and Economics, Medicine and Dentistry, Commerce, Pedagogy and the Language Institute.
Between 1975 and 1979, the Khmer Rouge regime forced the cessation of formal education. Schools and universities were closed and destroyed, and teaching services decimated. Along with all other educational institutions in Cambodia, Phnom Penh University ceased to function during this time. The Khmer Rouge targeted the educated, and many of the University’s staff were killed. Of the educated people who survived the regime, few chose to remain in Cambodia once its borders reopened. Deserted for almost five years, the campus became another victim of the grim civil war which followed the immediate toppling of the Pol Pot regime.
In 1980, the Ecole Normale Supérieure reopened, again teaching predominantly in French. The following year saw the opening of the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL), initially training students to become Vietnamese and Russian language teachers. The purpose of both colleges was to train students to become teachers, thus rebuilding the education system within Cambodia.
In 1988, the Ecole Normale Supérieure merged with the IFL to create Phnom Penh University. In 1996, the university underwent its final change of name, becoming the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
During the past decade, the University has continued to grow and now includes the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the Institute of Foreign Languages. New departments and degree programs are developed regularly, to keep up with the changing needs of Cambodian society. In keeping with its commitment to higher education, RUPP has begun to develop postgraduate degrees at a Masters level since 2001.
Welcome to the Royal University of Phnom Penh – the oldest and largest University in Cambodia--whose history dates back to 1960. Since then, the University has borne the burden of all the country’s historical transitions, in particular the losses associated with the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975-1979 when the University was closed and most Universityfaculty members were killed.
The University was brought back to life by a small group of dedicated people in the early 1980s after the downfall of the Khmer Rouge regime. Despite a serious lack of human resources, library and infrastructure, the University slowly has worked its way back to its former status through the support of the Royal Government and many international partners to become the first locally and regionally recognized University; it is the only University in Cambodia to be awarded membership in the ASEAN University Network (AUN).
The University offers varied degree courses to students from across the country ranging from Khmer literature and foreign languages to social sciences and applied sciences. The courses include media management, sociology, psychology, computer science, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics, Khmer literature, English, French, and Japanese, geography, history, linguistics, physics, philosophy, and tourism.
All education at the University is moving towards a multi-disciplinary model. We have introduced this way of learning to the University in order to foster students’ in-depth critical thinking skills and to make them more flexible learners, capable of addressing the many challenges which are inevitable in today’s rapidly changing local, regional and global societies.The University’s vision is to provide very high educational quality as well as good moral values to our students in order to prepare them to participate in the
development of the country. Our immediate priorities for development, however, are to provide scholarships for the post-graduate education of faculty and staff, advanced equipment for our science laboratories, and up-to-date books, research journals, and online access for our libraries. Learning in the 21st century depends on new models of education and integration of information leading to true wisdom—we strive to offer this to our students.
I welcome any Cambodian or international supporters to join us at the Royal University of Phnom Penh as we work together to build a strong higher educational system and human resource base for Cambodia.
Natural beauty, fascinating history, and lively culture makes Phnom Penh one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. These qualities also make it an outstanding place for learning. Founded in 1960 and located five kilometers from downtown Phnom Penh, the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) is the oldest and most well-known institution of higher education in Cambodia. It has over 9200 students, both scholarship and private, across three campuses. RUPP offers a wide range of courses within the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL) and Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC).
Academic Calendar, 2006-2008
Calendar for the Academic Year 2006-2007
Official Public Holidays 2006-2007
18 September 2006
Semester 1 Begins for Years 2, 3, 4
21-23 September 2006
Pchum Ben Festival 16 October 2006
Semester 1 Begins for Year 1 24 September 2006
Consitutional Day 18 Sept 2006 – 27 Jan 2007
Semester 1
9 October 2006
Coronation Day 16 Oct – 17 Feb 2007
Semester 1 for Year 1
31 October 2006
King Norodom Sihanouk’s Birthday 22 Jan – 27 Jan 2007
Examinations for Years 2, 3, 4
4-6 November 2006
Water Festival 29 Jan – 4 Feb 2007
Holiday (for all years) 9 November 2006
Independence Day 12 – 17 Feb 2007
Examinations for Year 1
10 December 2006
Human Rights Day 5 Feb – 23 June 2007
Semester 2
1 January 2007
International New Year 11June – 23 June 2007
Examinations, Year 4
7 January 2007
Liberation Anniversary Day 19 June – 23 June 2007
Examinations,Years 1, 2, 3
2 February 2007
Meak Bochea Day
8 March 2007 International Women’s Day
8-22 April 2007
Khmer New Year Break
1 May 2007
International Labour Day/ Visaka Bochea
5 May 2007
Ploughing Ceremony 13-15 May 2007
King’s Birthday 18 June 2007
Queen’s Birthday
Calendar for the Academic Year 2007-2008
Official Public Holidays 2007-2008
17 September 2007
Semester 1 Begins for Years 2, 3, 4
24 September 2007
Constitution Day
Semester 1 Begins for Year 1
10-12 October 2007 Pchum Ben Festival
17 Sept 2007 – 2 Feb 2008 Semester 1
29 October 2007 Coronation Day
4 Feb – 10 Feb 2008 Semester 1 Examinations
31 October 2007 King Norodom Sihanouk’s Birthday
11 Feb – 21 June 2008 Semester 2
9 November 2007 Independence Day
Semester 2 Examinations for Year 1
23-25 November 2007
Water Festival
16 June – 21 June 2008
Semester 2 Examinations for Years 2, 3
10 December 2007
Human Rights Day
9 June – 14 June 2008
Semester 2 Examinations for Year 4
1 January 2008
International New Year
7 January 2008
Liberation Anniversary Day
8 March 2008
International Women’s Day
6-20 April 2008
Khmer New Year Break
1 May 2008
International Labor Day
13-15 May 2008
King’s Birthday
18 June 2008
Queen’s Birthday
Academic Programs and Staff
i) Undergraduate Degrees
Department Undergraduate Degrees
Faculty of Social Science and Humanities
Geography B.A. (Geography)
History B.A. (History)
Khmer Literature B.A. (Khmer Literature)
Linguistics B.A. (Linguistics)
Media and Communications B.A. (Media Management)
Philosophy B.A. (Philosophy)
Psychology B.A. (Psychology)
Sociology B.A. (Sociology)
Tourism B.A. (Tourism)
Faculty of Science
Biology B. Sc. (General Biology)
B. Sc. (Botany)
B. Sc. (Microbiology)
B. Sc. (Zoology)
Chemistry B. Sc. (Chemistry)
B. Sc. (Biochemistry)
B. Sc. (Food Technology)
Computer Science B. Sc. (Computer Science)
Environmental Science B. Sc. (Environmental Science)
Mathematics B. Sc. (Mathematics)
Physics B. Sc. (Physics)
Institute of Foreign Languages
English B.A. (English for Business)
B. Ed. (TEFL) French
B.A. (French Language)
Japanese B.A. (Japanese for Business)
B. Ed. (Japanese Language)
Korean B.A. (Korean Language)
i) Postgraduate Degrees
Master of Education: M.Ed.
Master of Arts:
M.A. (Development Studies)
M.A. (Sociology)
M.A. (TESOL)
Master of Science:
M.Sc. (Biodiversity Conservation)
M.Sc. (Chemistry)
M.Sc. (Information Technology)
M.Sc. (Linguistics)
M.Sc. (Mathematics)
M.Sc. (Translation)
iii) Non Degree Courses
English Preparation Courses: Department of English & ELSU.
Korean Language Course: IFL
Thai Language Course: IFL
Khmer for Foreigners: IFL & Department of Khmer Literature
Japanese Language Course: IFL & CJCC
Corporate Management and Entrepreneurship Training Course: CJCC
Media, Communication and Journalism Training: Department of Media and Communications
Computers in Principle and Practice; User Interface and Multimedia Web-based Contents; Web Development I & II; Network/ Internet System Development; Design Patterns: Information Technology Center
iBT TOEFL Preparation; Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages; Presentation Skills; Teaching Professional Development for Teachers of English; Computer Hardware Repair; IT for Specific Purposes: Continuing Education Center
Enrolling for Degree Courses
The Royal University of Phnom Penh accepts two kinds of students for its degree and non-degree programs:
Non fee-paying students (scholarship);
Fee-paying students (private).
Fee-paying students can be admitted to the following courses:
Bachelor of Arts in English (English for Work Skills);
Bachelor of Arts in Geography;
Bachelor of Arts in Khmer Literature;
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy;
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology;
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology;
Bachelor of Science in Biology;
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry;
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science;
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
Bachelor of Science in Physics;
All Masters’ level courses;
All non-degree programs.
All applicants for degree courses, whether non fee-paying or fee-paying, must have a High School Certificate or a Diploma from another institution of higher education. Some departments require further specialized knowledge, such as in English or computer literacy.
Fees for Scholarship Students
All students on non fee-paying scholarships are required to pay a registration fee of 20,000 riel per year, except for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education in English (TEFL), Bachelor of Arts in Media Management and Bachelor of Arts in Japanese, who must pay US$80 per year. The Japanese non-degree public course, also available to scholarship holders, costs US$35 per year.
Fees for Non-Scholarship Students
The University currently offers fee-paying (non-scholarship) placements in the programs outlined in the table below. The University plans to accept non-scholarship students across more disciplines in the future. Please contact the departments for more information.
Fees for Non-Degree Courses
Fees apply for all non-degree courses at the University. Please contact the course administrators for further information.
Undergraduate Department
Degree Offered
Cost for Fee-Paying Student
Department of Biology
Bachelor of Science in General Biology
Bachelor of Science in Botany
Bachelor of Science in Microbiology
Bachelor of Science in Zoology
US$300/year
Department of Chemistry
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry
Bachelor of Science in Food Technology
US$300/year
Department of Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
US$450/year
Department of English, IFL
Bachelor of Arts in English
US$450/year
Department of Environmental Science
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science
Department of French, IFL
Bachelor of Arts in French
Department of Geography & Land Management
Bachelor of Arts in Geography
US$250/year
Department of History
Bachelor of Arts in History
US$250/year
Department of Japanese
Bachelor of Education (Japanese Language)
Bachelor of Arts (Japanese for Business)
Department of Khmer Literature
Bachelor of Arts in Khmer Literature
US$250/year
Department of Mathematics
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
US$250/year
Department of Media and Communications
Bachelor of Arts in Media Management
Department of Philosophy
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
US$250/year
Department of Physics
Bachelor of Arts in Physics
US$250/year
Department of Psychology
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
US$250/year
Department of Sociology
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
US$250/year
Department of Tourism
Bachelor of Arts in Tourism
Postgraduate Degrees
Master of Education
US$340/term
Master of Arts in Development Studies
US$900/year
(Foreigners: $1800)
Department of Biology
Master of Science in Biodiversity Conservation
US$300/semester
Department of Chemistry
Master of Science in Chemistry
US$200/semester
Department of Computer Science
Master of Science in Information Technology
US$800/year
Department of English, IFL
Master of Arts in TESOL
US$490/semester
Department of Linguistics
Master of Arts in Linguistics
Department of Mathematics
Master of Science in Mathematics
Department of Sociology
Master of Arts in Sociology-Anthropology
US$300/semeser
Academic Policies
Introduction
The following rules and regulations, agreed to by the Academic Board, intend to give students equal opportunities to develop their skills and achieve comparable results. This section outlines the University’s policies on academic load, absence and leave, assessment, examinations, thesis, student records, student conduct and graduation.
Academic Load
Students are expected to undertake the full academic load each year in order to be awarded their degree or diploma. All undergraduate degrees at this university are 4 years, or 8 semesters in duration (full-time). Each semester has 15-16 weeks of instruction, depending on examination dates.
Student contact hours are generally around 24 hours per week, although this varies across departments and semesters. The duration of each subject is usually one semester only, except for foreign languages, which are one full year. The Master’s degree in Information Technology can be obtained in 2 years full-time.
Students who fail subjects from the previous academic year in undergraduate degrees normally undertake more than the full academic load, although in some courses they may just retake the subjects they failed.
Attendance
Regular and prompt attendance at lectures and laboratory classes is an essential part of every course, along with satisfactory completion of assignments and examinations.
At the Institute of Foreign Languages, Bachelor of Education in English (TEFL) students must attend at least 80% of classes while Bachelor of Arts in English (English for Work Skills) students must attend 70% of classes to pass.
In all other courses, students must attend at least 66% of the lectures each semester in order to complete the course satisfactorily. If students are absent for 1/3 or more of classes without authorization from the Director of Study Office
(Room #117, Campus I), they will be ineligible to sit for the examination.
Absence and Leave
Students who are unable to attend classes for reasons of illness, accident or pregnancy, must fill out one of the leave forms for approval by the Study Office (Room 117, Campus I) for 1-3 days absence; or the Vice-President, Academic and Finance (Room 116, Campus I) for more than 3 days absence. Failure to do this will mean that leave cannot be granted, the student will be marked absent, and will lose his or her right to attend the course. The two forms are available from both the Study Office and the Institute of Foreign Languages office. They are:
Request for Leave (to be completed before the leave period)
Notification of Absence (to be completed within three days of absence).
In the event that students are unable to fill out a form because of an illness or other problem, they must send a letter to the University. Students should note that records are kept of students’ leave applications, and completion of the form does not mean that leave will automatically be granted.
Time Limits for Completing Courses
Five years is the maximum number of years to complete the Bachelor's degree. If there is a deferral for an approved reason one extra year may be added to complete the degree.
Assessment
Departments assess students by a variety of methods depending on the course. These include:
Essay Writing/Assignments
Oral Presentations
Written Examinations/Short tests
Laboratory Tests/ Field Work Reports
Thesis/Research Papers
Thesis
In their final year, some students write a thesis instead of taking a final examination. At the end of the third year, students submit a proposal for a B.A. thesis paper to the University Academic Board for approval. If this is accepted, they will continue to research in first the semester and write their paper in the second semester of year four. They will then present their paper to a commission where they will be given a final score. The commission is appointed by the Department Heads and the President. Students who do not write a Bachelor’s thesis paper undertake coursework and sit a final examination.
For Science and Social Science and Humanities
In all Science and Social Science and Humanities degrees, students are given a grade out of 10 for each subject. If they receive a grade less than 5.00, the student will fail and will have to repeat the examination either at summer school or the next time it is offered. The grading system is outlined below:
Grade
Explanation
9 – 10 Excellent A
8 - <9 color="#000099">Institute of Foreign Languages
At the Institute of Foreign Languages, English and French major students are given a grade out of 100. If students receive a grade less than 50, they will fail.
Master’s in Information Technology
In the Master’s in Information Technology, the grading system is a four-point scale. Under this system, student’s work is evaluated and given a decimal fraction score ranging from 0.00 to 4.00, with 4.00 being the highest mark. Students must have at least a “C” grade for every course in order to proceed to the next semester. After the third semester, students will be allowed to conduct their research thesis for the Master’s degree if their final cumulative grade point average (GPA) is 2.75 or higher. The University will only provide a Degree to any student whose final cumulative GPA is more than 2.75.This system is translated into a letter grade as described in the following table:
Grade Point
Explanation
4.00 Excellent A
3.50 Very Good B+
3.00 Good B
2.50 Fairly Good C+
2.00 Fair C
1.50 Not Satisfactory D+
1.00 Poor D
0.00 Very Poor F
Credit Points System
Each degree has a minimum number of credit points that students are required to complete before they can obtain their degrees. Each course curriculum has a credit code beside each subject, indicating the study load and number of credits. In the code 3(2-1), for example, ‘3’= the number of credits, ‘2’ = the number of lecture hours, and ‘1’ = the number of tutorial or practical hours. In the future, the system may be applied consistently across other faculties and universities in Cambodia as a management tool for ensuring high standards and facilitating cross-institutional courses.
Examinations
End of Semester Examinations
Students who are in compliance with the University regulations (discipline, attendance rules, return of library books, etc.) are eligible to take the final examinations. Examinations are given at the end of each semester for all courses.
The method and content of the examination is decided upon by the lecturer and announced to the students at least one month before the exam. Students are given a study week before the semester examinations.
Results of the examinations are posted within one month following the examinations.
For year-long courses the average of the examination scores of the two semesters will be calculated as the final score of the course. In cases of dispute the Academic Board may be convoked.
Pass/Fail Policy
Each subject is assessed separately. Students must attend classes regularly and pass all subjects in order to complete their course. Students are notified at the end of each semester as to whether they have satisfied the requirements.
If students fail in one, two, or three subjects in one year, they will have to repeat those subjects but may still proceed to the next year. If they fail in four or more subjects in one year, they will have to repeat the year.
For undergraduate degrees (except IFL), students may sit an examination for the same subject twice in each year. In the final year of study clemency may be granted if the student fails only one subject and if the score is not less than 4.5
Repeat Examinations
Undergraduate Degrees
In undergraduate degrees, if a student fails a subject in either semester, the University allows students to repeat that examination the next time it is offered (at Summer School or the following semester). Students are not required to take the class again, but if it fits into their timetable they may retake the class without paying a fee. Students take the same examination as those in the current instructional semester.
An examination may be taken a maximum of four (4) times. If the student fails the examination of one or more subjects on their fourth time, their placement in the course will be cancelled. Students are able to progress to the next year with a maximum of three (3) failed subjects. If a student fails four (4) or more courses in any academic year the student will be asked to repeat the whole year again and redo the exams of all the courses of the instructional year. Students may only repeat one year in the 4-year program. If the student has 4 or more failures again, they will not be allowed to continue their course.
Postgraduate Degrees
For postgraduate degrees in IT, students may sit an examination for the same subject twice each semester. The Master’s degree in IT is issued for those who have satisfied all aforementioned requirements.
Non-Attendance at Examinations
For approved reasons, students will not fail for being absent from an examination. For non-approved reasons, absence counts as one failure. The student needs to inform the Head of Department in writing of the reason for absence from the examination. Approval of the application is at the discretion of the University management team. The student will be notified of the decision.
Academic transcripts record the final results of all courses. Transcripts are available on request from the Study Office, Room 117, Campus I. Students must fill out a transcript application form, supply proof of identity, and pay a 7000 riel processing fee. They may collect their transcript three days later.
Student Rules and Conduct
Rules of Conduct
Students are expected to abide by the rules set by the University and individual departments:
Show respect for others and the environment.
Preserve the best cultural and moral values.
Show intellectual honesty in course work and examinations.
Refrain from disrupting classes and being a hindrance to the progress of other students.
Refrain from smoking and using mobile phones in classrooms, laboratories, offices and libraries.
Refrain from gambling and carrying weapons on RUPP campuses.
Refrain from stealing University property.
Disciplinary Action
The Academic Board will deal with any student misconduct or any student with prolonged absence from class. The Academic Board consists of representatives from the University management team, heads of departments, heads of offices, and the student body.
Dismissal
Students can be dismissed for failure to meet the minimum academic requirements of their course, failure to meet attendance requirements, or for unacceptable conduct.
Graduation
The University Academic Board prepares the graduation lists at the end of each semester. The University’s graduation ceremonies are held once a year. A 5000r fee is charged from each graduating student for the degree certificate. There is an additional fee for the hire of academic gown for the ceremony.
