Lebanese American University Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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.