Lebanese American University
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Lebanese American University
Motto To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield
E stablished 1924
Type Private
E [1] ndowment $216.4 million
President Joseph G. Jabbra
Provost Abdallah Sfeir
Admin. staff 242 full-time instructional faculty
Students 7,800+
Location Beirut and Byblos, Lebanon
Website www.lau.edu.lb
Contents y 1 History y 2 Campuses y 3 Accreditation y 4 Schools and Degrees Offered y 5 Student Life y 6 Libraries y 7 Alumni
Lebanese American University, (LAU), (Arabic: Δ ϛή ϣ Δ ϧΎϠϟ ΔόϣΎΠϟ ) is one of the leading American universities in the Middle East. It is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. LAU has two campuses, in Beirut and Byblos. LAU offers programs leading to Associate's,Bachelor's, and Master's degrees in engineering, arts, and sciences in addition to Doctorates in Pharmacy and in Medicine.
History
The Lebanese American University¶s early days in 1835 find a reminder in an en-graved stone in Beirut¶s city center: ³Site of the first edifice built as a school for girls in the Turkish Empire.´ The engraving refers to the American School for Girls, established in Beirut by American Presbyterian Missionaries. In 1924, the high school added a two-year junior college program. Three years later, the College was separated as the American Junior College for Women, and moved from downtown to Ras Beirut. In 1933, it relocated once again to its present location in Koreitem, West Beirut.[2] The founding institution was a force for the education of women in Lebanon and the Middle East long before most of the world recognized the need and moral obligation to educate women in a collegiate setting.
In 1948-1949, the College expanded into a four-year, university-level institution, and changed its name to the Beirut College for Women. In 1955, the College was chartered by the Board of Regents of the State of New York and in 1970 the Bachelor¶s degree was recognized by the Lebanese government as equivalent to the License. In 1974, fifty years after its founding, the College became co-educational and was renamed Beirut University College.
Adding to the college¶s constantly evolving programs, in 1985, the Board of Regents amended the charter to include two branches. In 1987, based on the amended charter, BUC opened its northern branch on the outskirts of the historical port of Byblos in rented buildings in Amsheet. In October 1991 classes started in the newly built campus at Blat overlooking Byblos. It was officially inaugu-rated on July 16, 1992 On January 24, 1987, In 1991, BUC established a satellite campus in Byblos, 42 kilometres (26 mi) north of Beirut.
In 1994, the college changed its name to Lebanese American University. As of 2007, over 6,400 students were enrolled in the five schools of the University: the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Engineering and Architecture, the School of Medicine, and the School of Pharmacy.
In 2009, businessman, philanthropist and LAU board member Gilbert R. Chagoury and his wife, Rose-Marie, provided a donation of $10 million to fund the medical school and $3.5 million for the construction of the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing.
Campuses
The Lebanese American University has two campuses within Lebanon, one in Beirut and another in Byblos.
The Beirut campus remains the largest University campus. It has been expanded over the past five years, with a new Business School and the new Riyad Nassar Library. The campus has maintained its ancient and historic look, but has been fully equipped to meet the requirements and needs of the students. It hosts the new School of Business, the School of Arts and Sciences, and many academic programs.
Byblos Campus 2004
The Byblos campus is home of the five professional schools at LAU: the School of Engineering, the School of Architecture and Design, the School of Pharmacy, the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, and the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing. The Byblos campus also has houses to the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Business. It is currently being expanded with a he Frem Civic Center, and plans for a new library.
Accreditation
Since 1949, LAU and its predecessors have operated under a charter from the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. (USNY is a purely administrative body which among other functions accredits colleges and universities in the state.)
On September 21, 2007, the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) granted candidacy status to the Lebanese American University. According to President Joseph G. Jabbra, he said he felt "very strongly" that LAU would receive full accreditation in 2009.
In 2010 the Lebanese American University received full NEASC accreditation as per a letter sent to President Jabbra.
LAU's five-year Bachelor in Architecture program is accredited by the French government, which allows the graduates to practice in France and the European Union.
The School of Pharmacy is a full member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP).
Currently, the Doctor of Pharmacy program at LAU is the only one outside the United States of America that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The initial accreditation review took place in 2002, when full accreditation was granted. Hence, Pharm.D. graduates are eligible for licensure as pharmacists in most US states and provinces.
The School of Engineering and Architecture plans to submit its engineering programs for future professional accreditation by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology in the U.S. in January 2010 once LAU attains full NEASC accreditation. In the academic year 2006- 2007, the school started laying out the groundwork for a self-study required by ABET. In addition, the school plans to seek European accreditation for its engineering programs to expand the recognition of our degrees to a global level.
LAU and Harvard Medical International (HMI), the medical-consulting arm of Harvard Medical School (HMS), have signed an innovative 10-year collaboration agreement that will significantly reinforce LAUMS' standing. LAU will also partner with Clemenceau Medical Center (CMS), an affiliate of Johns Hopkins International, and Rafik Hariri University Hospital in addition to Rizk Hospital which was renamed to LAU Medical Center - Rizk Hospital after being bought by the university for the clinical element of the program.
Schools and Degrees Offered School of Architecture and Design
The school was inaugurated in Fall 2009 bringing together under its name the 5 disciplines of design offered at LAU. It is expected to broaden to include Fashion Design and Photography majors in the future.[3]
Degrees offered include:
B.A. in Fine Arts B.A. in Graphic Design[4] A.A.S. in Interior Design B.A. in Interior Design B.A. in Interior Architecture Bachelor of Architecture School of Arts and Sciences
The mission of the School of Arts and Sciences is stated as follows:
In keeping with the mission of the University, the School of Arts and Sciences strives to promote excellence in teaching and learning, encourage research and other creative endeavors and foster tolerance for diverse viewpoints and honesty in academic, professional and personal affairs of both, faculty and students.
The School of Arts and Sciences is the heart of the Lebanese American University and its oldest school. The School is the home of the liberal arts core, which is at the heart of the mission of the University, and is the major provider of service courses to all Schools at LAU. Indisputably, LAU¶s pioneering and reputable programs in computer science, molecular biology, and international affairs in addition to its history in arts and communication, makes it the leader in the field; a fact that has always been echoed by the University¶s graduates and their employers. Furthermore, despite its currency in research, teaching remains at the core of the mission of the School. The School houses the Computer Science and Mathematics Department, the Natural Sciences Department, the Social Science Department, the Education Department, and the Humanities Department. The school administers the Software Institute, the Peace and Justice Institute, the Institute for Migration Studies, and the Institute for Diplomacy and Conflict Transformation.
The school offers five graduate degrees, and 17 undergraduate degrees follows:
Bachelor of Arts: Communication Arts, Education, English Literature, History, Philosophy, Math Education, Political Science, Political Science/ International Affairs, Psychology, Social Work, TAFL, and TEFL.
Bachelor of Science: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics Education, and Nutrition.[5] Master of Science: Molecular Biology, Computer Science
Master of Arts: International Affairs, Comparative Literature, and Education School of Business
The school of business offers a professional education to students by seeking to develop communication and problem-solving skills within a business framework, prepare men and women for responsible management and leadership roles in the community, provide human resources to aid the economy's future commercial, charitable and governmental sectors, instill leadership, creativity and integrity necessary to facilitate disciplined economic growth, introduce contemporary issues in multi-national management and information management to assist in the successful integration of the local business community into a global setting, and, further the development of English-language business education in the Middle East.
Degrees offered include: A.A.S. in Business Management B.S. in Business, Economics, and Hospitality and Tourism Management Master of Business Administration (MBA) Executive MBA Endorsed Internal Auditing Program (EIAP)
School of Engineering
The School of Engineering at LAU strives to educate talented engineers who are equipped for success in their professional and civic lives. The school seeks to educate students, to provide them with abilities for success in their lives as engineers and as responsible citizens, and to graduate them with distinctive skills that are sought after in the professional world and by graduate schools. It strives to advance a distinctive and innovative environment for engineering education.
Degrees offered include:
Bachelor of Engineering Master of Engineering The Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine
In September 2009, the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine admitted its first class of students. [4]
The $18 million complex is a technologically advanced, 12,500-square-meter structure, built and designed with significant input from Harvard Medical International (now Partners Harvard Medical International). The affiliation with Harvard Medical International (HMI ) was established in 2007 as part of a 10-year collaborative effort in which representatives are consulted on issues such as curriculum development, faculty standards, and admissions processes. [5]
Faculty members hail from the United States, Canada, the U.K., Lebanon, and other Arab countries, and come from diverse specializations²general surgery, cardiology, neurology, genetics, oncology, radiology, obstetrics, gynecology, dermatology, and gastroenterology. The school has a four-year program (Med I-Med IV) at the end of which a Medical Doctor (M.D.) degree will be granted to successful candidates.
Traditional curricula are lecture-based, discipline-oriented, and impart basic medical sciences (anatomy, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, and genetics) in the first two years, followed by clinical disciplines in the last two years. In this curriculum, basic and clinical sciences are integrated and taught simultaneously from Med I to Med IV, with clinical exposure right from the start, including new learning situations and new assessment methods.
Degree offered:Doctor of Medicine (MD) School of Pharmacy
The School of Pharmacy, located at the Byblos campus, was established in 1993 as an integral part of LAU to meet the demand of a clinical pharmacy practice in Lebanon and the Middle East.
The School offers two professional degree programs: a five-year program leading to a Bachelor of Science Pharmacy (B.S.Pharm.) and a six-year program leading to a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.).
Complete Pharmacy curriculum offered.
The Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing
Established in 2009 with funding provided by philanthropist Gilbert Chagoury, this is LAU¶s first school of nursing and is part of the new medical school on the Byblos campus. It is named the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing, in honor and commemoration of Chagoury¶s mother. [6]
The School of Nursing admitted its first class of students in fall 2010. Students will receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), after a three-year program.
Dr. Nancy Hoffart joined LAU in October 2009, as the Founding Dean and Professor.[7]
The School is committed to helping address the critical shortage of professional nurses in Lebanon and around the world. [8] Students who join the School can take advantage of co- operative education internships.
Departments Computer Science and Mathematics
The mission of the Computer Science and Mathematics at LAU is "to provide students with the ability to integrate the theory and practice of computing in the representation, processing, and use of information while upholding tradition of the liberal arts education." The Department offers Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, and a Master of Science in Computer Science. The Department has recently added a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and a minor in actuarial studies. The Department has initiated the ABET accreditation process in Spring 2008, and has set up a two-year schedule to complete the assessment of all courses in the program and the self-study. The Department plans to apply for ABET accreditation on January 2010.
Humanities and Social Sciences
The Department offers degrees in Graphics Design and Communication. The Department prepares and houses annual student play productions and major play productions, and concerts with local and international musicians.
Natural Sciences
The Department offers degrees in chemistry, biology, and molecular biology. As part of its life sciences emphasis, the Department has established the "Genomics and Proteomics Research Unit".
Department of Architecture and Interior Design
The chairperson of the department is Dr.Maroon El Daccache. He received a research doctorate in architecture from the IUAV in 1992.[6] The Architecture program is accredited by the French government allowing the graduates to practice in the European Union.[7] The interior architecture and interior design programs are the only such programs in an American accredited university in Lebanon.[3]
Christopher Burns and Jean-Marc Abcarius of the German architecture design firm Abcarius+Burns are currently teaching various design courses at the university.[8] Student Life Student Clubs
More than 50 clubs bring students with common talents and interests together. Whether you¶re looking for groups to share your music, dancing, acting, design, athletic, and other skills, or for a medium to spread awareness and community service, you¶ll find ways to get involved.
Play productions
LAU has three theaters²Gulbenkian and Irwin in Beirut, and Selina Korban in Byblos²that are active year-round. Student productions are required of certain majors, and are presented throughout the academic year. LAU also offers two major productions, in the fall and spring, and an annual international theater festival that attracts groups from other Middle Eastern universities. Participation in play productions is open to students of any major. For more information, contact the Arts and Communications Department (Beirut) or the Humanities Department (Byblos). Exhibitions
Exhibitions are part and parcel of academic life at LAU, as students are encouraged to showcase their work for different courses. Fine arts, design, photography, architecture, engineering, and natural sciences students have opportunities to present their works to internal and external visitors, spread their ideas and network with classmates, faculty, and even potential employers. Varsity Sports
Team spirit, fair competition and sportsmanship run high at LAU¶s men¶s and women¶s varsity squads. The basketball, football, handball, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, swimming, and rugby teams participate in various local, regional and international collegiate tournaments, getting exposed not only to high-level competition but also memorable experiences. LAU has collected numerous trophies and even achieved national visibility through teams such as the Immortals (rugby). Seasoned coaches and Athletics Office staff members are on tap to train and guide student athletes in their quest for high achievement. Student Governance
Participation in the Campus Student Councils and the University Student Council, as well as the Graduate Student Committees on both campuses gives students a voice in the decision-making sphere. Students choose their representatives during elections held in accordance with the respective bylaws. Exposure to Diversity
LAU celebrates diversity. The gender-balanced, multicultural and multi-religious student population creates an interesting social mesh. Faculty members from various backgrounds bring a range of perspectives and teaching methods. International heritage days and cultural club events are major attractions on campus. Through athletics tournaments, conflict-resolution conferences, competitions and festivals, LAU students get the chance to interact with peers from other universities. Global Outreach
Cast your nets wide and embrace a variety of international opportunities. As an LAU student, you can participate in regional and international sports events, Harvard World Model UN conferences, and other events in different countries that expand your personal and professional horizons. Many schools and departments offer exchange programs in cooperation with renowned universities. Also, several academic units and the libraries leverage resources with global partners to offer quality education and library resources from around the globe. Libraries Riyad Nassar Library (Beirut Campus)
The Riyad Nassar Library has over 224,000 information records, 960 current periodical subscriptions and four special collections.[9]
The director of the library, Cendrella Habre, has a masters degree in library and information science from the Pratt Institute.[10]
Some special ³facts and figures´ about the Riyad Nassar Library are:
Construction cost: $8.5 million - Area: 8,000 sq. m. - Capacity: 350,000 books - Available desktops:142 - Open stacks - Special needs area - Electronic Information classroom - Conference rooms (with videoconferencing) - Group study areas - Audiovisual room - Projection room - State-of-the-art information technology - Byblos Campus Library
The Byblos Library has about 113,500 volumes of books and non-book materials and over 700 periodicals ² current and retrospective.[11] Alumni
Nada Bazih, novelist Adnan Tarabishy, founder of Y2ad, a leadind advertising agency May Nasr, singer Ahmad Rabi Issa, country business manager for Nestle Professional Hadia Harb, writer Tony Faddoul and Maroun Kassab, founders of LebRecord.com Elie Khoury and Jad Younan, establishers of Woopra, a website analysis firm. Eva Badr, the wife of diplomat and philosopher Charles Malik Sethrida Geagea, Lebanese politician & the wife of the leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea Hind Hariri, The daughter of the Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri Rima Maktabi, Former reporter for Al Arabiya and current host of CNN's "Inside the Middle East." Octavia Nasr, CNN Journalist Nadine Njeim, Miss Lebanon 2007 Shada Omar, TV Host in the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation Martine Andraos, Miss Lebanon 2009 Fares Abi Nader, co-founder of ReportEdge[12][13] Dima Dabbous-Sensenig[14] Hayat Karanouh[15] Humam Sawaf, Finance Director Africa India and Middle East,Granite Services Int. Inc - GE Energy Affiliate.