American University of Beirut

Background

The Scholars in HeAlth Research Program is a joint FM and FHS graduate program that consists of a 12-credit summer diploma, a 12-credit two-semester diploma, as well as a 35-credit master’s degree. The summer diploma, two-semester diploma, and the MS degree are open to graduat​es of health fields. Social scientists and humanities graduates interested in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) can also enroll in the program, provided they fulfill admission and selection criteria and have the necessary background to follow the course curriculum. Credits earned for the SHARP summer diploma and two-semester diploma can be credited towards the Master of Science in Health Research requirements. These credits can also be credited in full or partly towards other post-graduate degrees at FM, FHS, FAFS, or HSON and possibly at other institutions.

SHARP provides graduates with the required foundation to pursue a career in clinical and translational research. Although focused on NCD, a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the region, the garnered skills are applicable to other areas of clinical research. The Program helps create and sustain a cadre of highly trained researchers who conduct patient-oriented and population-oriented studies on NCD. It also equips trainees with management and leadership skills needed to become “change agents” and lead research groups, academic departments or other health care settings. Management and leadership courses are offered in collaboration with faculty at the Olayan School of Business.

Mission

The Mission of the Scholars in HeAlth Research Program (SHARP) at the American University of Beirut (AUB) is “To provide superior didactic education complemented with state-of-the-art interactive and practical training in health research, with a focus on Non-Communicable Diseases research. It is intended for physicians and other health care professionals, to improve and advance the health care agenda for Non-Communicable Diseases in Lebanon and the region.”

SHARP Diploma Curriculum

The SHARP diploma is a 12-credit module that provides the essential foundations in quantitative methods and fundamental skills to conduct research. The core disciplines covered include epidemiology, biostatistics, research ethics and library sciences/informatics. These are complemented with a practical hands-on training course in the analysis and reporting of large health-related datasets in NCD. The SHARP diploma is offered as an intensive summer program and as a two-semester online program.

SHARP Master of Science in Health Research

Admission to the Program

The application deadline for the summer diploma is in March, and the acceptance is in April of each academic year calendar. The application deadline for the two-semester diploma is in March, and the acceptance is in May of each academic year calendar. The application deadline for the MS degree in Health Research is in June, and the deadline for acceptance is in July of each academic year calendar. The SHARP diploma (either summer or two-semester)is a prerequisite for the SHARP MS program, and the performance in the diploma is evaluated to ensure the candidate is suitable for continuing on the MS path. Students should apply to the MS program by early June and are accepted upon successful completion of the diploma program (minimum GPA 3.3). While the 2-year program is approved for all, the 1-year program is approved by the Lebanese Ministry of Education for medical doctors only. For more details, please refer to the Admissions section of the AUB graduate catalogue, page 35.

Criteria for Ad​mission

All applicants to the SHARP summer diploma and two-semester diploma and the Master of Science in Health Research must satisfy the criteria established at AUB for enrollment into a master’s degree program, namely the Readiness for University Studies in English (RUSE) (see page 38​ of this catalogue) and a minimum degree of BS with a minimum GPA of 3.3 or its equivalent.

In addition, applicants should express/demonstrate commitment to a career in NCD research in the statement of purpose submitted along with their application.

Applications for the summer program are reviewed by the SHARP executive committee.

Applications for the MS program are reviewed by the joint FM/FHS Graduate Studies Committee.

The Application​ Process

An applicant is considered for admission to the SHARP summer diploma, two-semester diploma and the MS program if s/he meets the following minimum admission requirements:

• an undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 (or standardized equivalent from other institutions of higher learning) leading to a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from recognized institutions of higher learning
• Have a graduate degree
• Have good quantitative skills as assessed by MCAT, GRE or GMAT with a score of at least 50th percentile (Applicants with MD or master’s degree from AUB are exempted)
• Have good oral and written English skills as assessed by IELTS, TOEFL iBT, or Duolingo (AUB graduates are exempted)
• at least two letters of recommendation
• a statement of purpose (500-word limit) indicating the purpose for applying to the program and specifying the applicant’s research interests and/or practical experience ​
  

Applicants to any graduate program, other than AUB graduates and graduates of recognized colleges or universities in North America, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand must demonstrate proficiency in the English language. See Admissions section in this catalogue, page 29​.

Graduation Require​​ments

See General University Academic Information in this catalogue, page 72.

Incom​​pletes

See General University Academic Information in this catalogue, page 72​.

Pro​bation

See General University Academic Information in this catalogue, page 72​​.

Program O​​utline

The 35-credit master’s degree requirements can be completed over one full-time year (available to Doctor of Medicine graduates only) or two part-time years. The total number of allowed credits per term is 16 unless otherwise approved by the joint FM/FHS Graduate Studies Committee. The degree consists of the 12-credit diploma in addition to 15 credits in required courses, 2 credits of electives and 6 credits for the thesis. The thesis is a mentored research project culminating in the completion of a project revolving around Non-Communicable Diseases. In compliance with AUB requirements, scholars must also sit for a 0-credit comprehensive exam (Pass/Fail) during their last term.

Progra​​m Delivery

The 35-credit program is divided as indicated below:

• ​Summer diploma and two-semester diploma: The 12-credit diploma, taken as either an intensive diploma in the summer, or an online two-semester diploma, consists of five courses: Biostatistics (4 cr.), Principles of Epidemiology (4 cr.), Introduction to Research Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research (1.5 cr.), Analysis and Reporting of Large Clinical Datasets (2 cr.) and Library Science/Informatics (0.5 cr.). These courses consist of didactic lectures, faculty-facilitated discussion groups, laboratory sessions and group projects. The courses in epidemiology and biostatistics are held in conjunction with the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), while the Introduction to Research Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research is held in conjunction with the Salim El-Hoss Bioethics and Professionalism Program (SHBPP).
• Courses: Students are required to take a total of 15 credits in required courses, 2 credits of elective courses.
• Thesis: Each student is required to select a clinical research project and identify advisor(s) from among the Faculty of Medicine (FM) and FHS faculty engaged in clinical research. Mentors and projects are approved by the joint FM/FHS Graduate Studies Committee (GSC). For those pursuing the 2-year track, the research project typically begins in the Spring term of the student’s first year and culminates in a thesis document and oral thesis defense delivered before the end of the second academic year. For those choosing the 1-year track, the process begins early in the Fall term and ends in the Spring term of the same academic year. All projects are supervised by a thesis committee.

Comprehensive Examinatio​​n

Each student is expected to pass a 0-credit comprehensive examination course after completion of all required courses. If a student does not pass the comprehensive exam, s/he is allowed to take it a second time in the following term as per AUB regulations. The Comprehensive Examination has a Pass (P) or Fail (F) format, and timing of the examination is set by the program.

Tra​​cks

Course Descriptions

Required ​​Courses

• Scholars in HeAlth Research Pro​gram (SHARP) Courses
  

Elect​​​​ives

SHARP MS students are allowed a total of 2 credits of electives that can be taken either as established offered courses at any of the following faculties: FM, FHS, OSB, FAFS and HSON (including those listed below), or as tutorials (credits) and seminars (1 credit), provided they are post-graduate courses and are approved by the SHARP Director.

• Scholars in HeAlth Research Pro​gram (SHARP) Elective Courses​

MS in Public Health Nutrition

The Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition is a graduate program offered jointly by the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FAFS) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at AUB. Students may pursue the Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition in either a thesis or a non-thesis track. The successful completion of the degree requires 40 credit hours for both tracks. Credits must be earned within the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and the Faculty of Health Sciences.

For the non-thesis track, 38 credits out of the required 40 credits should be earned as core program courses, including a culminating experience and a practicum. Two credits must be acquired as one or two elective courses either earned within or at both faculties.  

For the thesis track, students must complete a total of 34 credits as core courses and must work on a 6-credit thesis under the supervision of a thesis advisor and thesis committee, and defend their thesis as per AUB graduate program policies.

The credit requirements for both the thesis and non-thesis track options are tabulated below.

Students who do not have a Public Health background are required to take PBHL 312 (2 cr.) as a pre-requisite. Students who do not have a Nutrition background are required to take NFSC 221 (3 cr.) as a pre-requisite.

Credit requirements for the Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition​

​Core Courses​

Diplomas

Diplom​a in Humanitarian Engineering and Public Health Innovations

The Diploma in Humanitarian Engineering and Public Health Innovations is a joint FHS/ MSFEA interdisciplinary diploma.

The Diploma is open to professionals as well as AUB students currently enrolled in graduate programs from all majors wishing to gain academic knowledge and skills in the field of Humanitarian Engineering and Health Innovations. The program is a multidisciplinary offering that provides graduate students and professionals with the skills required to find innovative design solutions for challenges faced in humanitarian settings by taking into consideration two complementary perspectives, public health perspective and engineering perspective.

Learning Outcomes of the Diploma

Students who complete the diploma will be able to:

1. Apply participatory needs assessment tools and analyze the different dimensions of a public health problem
2. Apply formal design methods to develop practical, feasible, scalable, and sustainable humanitarian engineering and public health innovations and interventions
3. Apply skills required to manage complex projects while working in multidisciplinary teams
4. Demonstrate entrepreneurial skills to take a solution/intervention from prototype to product
5. Articulate and adhere to ethical standards in the process followed and, in the intervention, designed
6. Present and document a problem and its solution to a diverse target audience

Requirements for the Diploma

It is composed of 15 credits of course work, that include:

• HEHI 301, “Foundations of Humanitarian Engineering and Public Health Innovations”
• HEHI 302, “Capstone: Humanitarian Engineering and Public Health Innovations”
• One design course from the following list: AGSC 330, ARCH 344, CHEN 619, CHEN 798A , CIVE 552, CIVE 601, CIVE 628, CIVE 686, EECE 675, ENMG 663, ENMG 698E, ENSC 633, ENST 300, FSEC 310, FSEC 315, LDEM 633, NFSC 306, PBHL 303, URDS 664, URPL 641
• One ethics course from the following list: MHRM 304 , PSYC 305
• One social entrepreneurship course from the following list: ENMG 654, ENTM 320, MFIN 359

HEHI 301 - “Foundations of Humanitarian Engineering and Public Health Innovations”; 3 cr.
This is a multidisciplinary course that covers the fundamentals of designing solutions for health challenges faced by disadvantaged populations. It introduces tools for identifying humanitarian and/or development needs and designing practical, scalable and sustainable solutions and interventions. The course is offered to students from all majors. Students will be exposed to health and health system challenges in addition to design fundamentals including participatory needs assessment, formal multidisciplinary design processes, and relevant technologies and tools with real world applications and case studies.

HEHI 302 - “Capstone: Humanitarian Engineering and Public Health Innovations Capstone”; 3 cr.
The capstone project course is an interdisciplinary service-learning design course focused on development and humanitarian engineering solutions for health challenges. In the capstone, students apply all tools learned in HEHI 301. Students work in multidisciplinary teams with disadvantaged communities, under joint supervision of at least two mentors from MSFEA, FHS, and other faculties.

The capstone is divided into two sub-courses, HEHI 302A (1cr.) and HEHI 302B (2cr.), and must be registered in 2 consecutive semesters. HEHI 302A has as a prerequisite: HEHI 301. HEHI 302B has as a prerequisite HEHI 302A.

If the student has achieved one or more of the core competencies in Ethics or Entrepreneurship through previously passed undergraduate or graduate courses, only one elective course can be waived. The student will have to register at least one course from the approved list of Design courses, and another course from either the list of Ethics courses or the list of Entrepreneurship courses.

If the student has achieved two or all of the core competencies through undergraduate courses, only one course can be waived, and the student will have to register at least one course from the approved list of Design courses, and another course from either the list of Ethics courses or the list of Entrepreneurship courses.

Thesis/capstones of graduate students can be counted towards the fulfillment of the diploma. Students interested to enroll in the diploma are encouraged to inform the coordinators of the program at healthengineering@aub.edu.lb to benefit from adequate advising on study plans and ensure completion of all requirements.

The diploma is planned to include arrangements to encourage on-going graduate students to enroll with no or limited additional credit burdens. It is composed of 15 credits of graduate course work.

Eligibility criteria

For professionals:

To be eligible for admission to the diploma program, an applicant must hold an undergraduate university degree recognized by AUB with an average of at least 75 or demonstrate “reasonable potential for academic success”.

For AUB students:

To be eligible for admission to the diploma program, an applicant must be in good academic standing. Applications are reviewed by the Steering Committee of the Humanitarian Engineering Initiative, and admissions recommendations are voted on by both MSFEA and FHS Graduate Studies Committee.

Registration process

Professionals who want to pursue the diploma should submit an application to the Office of Admissions. Current AUB graduate students need to fill out a petition form for completion of diploma.​​