American Univesity of Beirut

​​​​For incoming students starting Fall 2019-20, please visit the below link for more information about general university academic information

https://aub.edu.lb/Registrar/Documents/academic-info-newstudents2019.pdf

Academic Advisors

Each student has an academic advisor who mentors the student in course selection. The dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences appoints freshman advisors. The advisor continues advising the student until s/he has been accepted into a major. Students who do not join a major in three terms are re-assigned a majorless advisor. Names of advisees and their respective advisors are available through the Student Information System (SIS).

Categories of Students

Full-Time Students

To be considered full-time, a student must carry a minimum load of 12 credits per term. For the required number of credits for full-time summer, refer to the summer session section for each faculty.

Non-Degree Students

The category of non-degree students is restricted to those students who are not working for a degree.

Part-Time Students

The category of part-time students is restricted to the following students:

• AUB staff members who are working toward a degree
• Those who need fewer than 12 credits to complete work for an undergraduate degree
• Those who are granted permission by the appropriate faculty committee for one of the following reasons which include: health-related issues or
• family problems that may influence the academic performance of the student.

Auditors

Those who wish to attend individual classes without receiving credit may apply as auditors. Applications to audit courses are available at the Office of the Registrar.

The applicant should do the following:

An applicant should secure eligibility from the Office of Admissions. An applicant is eligible to audit a course if are met the following requirements,

• Bacc II or equivalent.
• A bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent, from a recognized academic institution to audit a graduate course.
• Applicant should secure approval from the instructor of the course.
• Applicant should receive approval from the dean of the faculty/school offering the course.
• Applicant should pay the tuition charge at the Comptroller’s Office (student accounts section).
• Applicant should register as an auditor at the Office of the Registrar.

Majorless Status (Faculty of Arts and Sciences)

A student in good academic standing who has not yet chosen a major or is in the process of selecting a new major is given the status of majorless. A student who is asked or opts to change her/his status to majorless must communicate this decision to the department chair. The chair will forward the decision to the student services officer in the Office of the Dean for approval by the appropriate faculty committee. Students should be admitted to majors a term before graduation.

English Proficiency

AUB students must demonstrate English language proficiency in order to graduate. Grades on papers (term papers, essays or examinations) or a final course grade may be lowered for the quality of writing alone.

The Intensive English Course (IEC), ENGL 100, is intended for students who have been admitted but have not met the Readiness for University Studies in English (RUSE). The minimum score for admission to IEC is 375 on the AUB EEE or 490 on the paper-based TOEFL (equivalent to 163 on the computer-based TOEFL [CBT] or 57 on the Internetbased TOEFL [IBT] or 350 on the Writing section of SAT I).

Students are placed in either ENGL 100A (15 hours) or ENGL 100B (10 hours) based on their EEE and TOEFL and SAT I Writing scores. Students with scores of 375–449 on the EEE or 490–500 on the TOEFL (163–173 on the CBT or 57–61 on the IBT) or 350 on SAT I writing go into 100A. Those with scores of 450–499 on the EEE or 503–567 on the TOEFL (177–227 on the CBT or 62–87 on the IBT or 360–370 on the SAT I writing) go into 100B.

Students enrolled in the IEC may register for one or two regular university courses (up to a maximum of 6 credits) depending on whether they are placed in ENGL 100A or ENGL 100B, respectively, thus earning credits toward a degree while working toward achieving the level of English needed to carry a full load of courses in the regular program. Such courses are restricted to Arabic and mathematics/statistics/computer literacy courses (maximum 6 credits) in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and equivalent courses in mathematics and statistics in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, the School of Business, and the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Students usually complete the IEC in one or two terms. A student who fails to pass the IEC by the end of the second term loses her/his admission to the university. A student in the IEC program is subject to the same attendance requirements as all other AUB students.

ENGL100A Intensive English Course/ENGL 100B Intensive English Course: These 0-credit courses are offered each term. The courses are designed to help students develop linguistic and communication skills with special emphasis on strengthening areas of particular weakness identified by diagnostic tests. The four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) are integrated. Students are exposed to a wide variety of assignments to assist them in developing critical thinking skills. Laboratory sessions reinforce grammar, reading speed, vocabulary building and study skills

General Education Requirements

AUB is committed to offering its students a broad undergraduate liberal arts education that enables them to acquire the analytical skills and habits of lifelong learning that they will need to successfully compete in the twenty-first century. The General Education distribution requirements are intended to expose students to a range of intellectual experiences during their time at AUB. We want to give our students the opportunity to make choices and question and test what they believe are their career goals and intellectual interests.

In addition to courses in their academic majors and possible minor concentrations in specific fields, all AUB students must satisfy the General Education requirements by taking a minimum of 33-36 credits distributed as follows:

• 3 credits in Arabic Communication Skills (unless the student is formally exempted)
• 3 to 6 credits in English Communication Skills through ENGL 204 (ENGL 206 in MSFEA)
• 6 credits in Natural Science
• 12 credits in Humanities
• 6 credits in Social Sciences
• 3 credits in Quantitative Thought

All new undergraduate students at AUB are required to take English Communication Skills Courses. New undergraduate students are placed in one of the English Communication Skills Courses on the basis of their scores on the TOEFL, the AUB-EN, the SAT Writing or any equivalent standardized test. The Department of English offers a sequence of two core courses, ENGL 203 and ENGL 204, to all AUB undergraduates, and two specialized courses, ENGL 206 to MSFEA students and ENGL 208 to OSB students. A new undergraduate student is placed in one of the core courses in the sequence upon matriculation and has to complete the sequence in successive terms. MSFEA students take ENGL 206 instead of ENGL 204.

In addition, all undergraduate students are required to take a 3-credit Writing in the Discipline course, which is normally offered in the major.

Depending on their faculty/school, students who are exempted from Arabic are required to take either a 200-level free elective, a Humanities course, a Social Sciences course, or any language course including Arabic as a foreign language. The Arabic Placement Test (APT) is optional. Students who opt not to sit for the APT will have to register in any approved General Education Arabic Communication skills course. The option of taking the APT will be open to students who think they may be too weak to follow coursework higher than the basic language course (ARAB 201A). Such students may sit for the APT to ascertain if their level of proficiency in Arabic is not appropriate for a higher course.

This will be confirmed during the course itself. This will be confirmed during the course itself.

We believe that a student who has chosen to follow a course of study at AUB leading to a degree in a professional field such as engineering should be exposed to the humanities and social sciences. By the same token, a student who plans to major in history should have the opportunity to take science courses.

While being exposed to various fields of knowledge, we also want our students to have the opportunity to experience different modes of learning (lectures, seminars, labs and independent research projects). Different modes of analysis are designed to enhance students’ verbal and interactive skills (seminars), writing and analytic skills (research projects), and hands-on experimental skills (laboratories).

These distribution requirements may be met by either required or elective courses.

Humanities and Social Sciences courses are divided into two lists which are List I and List II within each domain. Students are required to select their courses as follows

• Two Humanities courses from Humanities List I (FAS students are required to select CVSP courses.)
• Two Humanities courses from either of the Humanities lists (I or II)
• One Social Sciences course from Social Sciences List I
• One Social Sciences course from either of the Social Sciences lists (I or II)

In addition, no more than two courses from the student’s major may fulfill the Humanities requirement, no more than one course from the student’s major may fulfill the Social Sciences requirement, and no more than one course from the student’s major may fulfill the Natural Science requirement.

FAS requires that a minimum of 6 credits in Humanities be taken from CVSP courses 201208. FAS students must complete one course from each of the two CVSP sequences, that is, one course from Sequence I followed by one course from Sequence II (see Civilization Studies Program in this catalogue).

A comprehensive list of approved General Education courses can be found on the General Education Program website, https://www.aub.edu.lb/generaleducation/Pages/default.aspx.​ Active General Education courses in any term may be searched by subject through the AUBSIS homepage (Search for General Education Courses). Students are expected to refer to their major degree requirements available in this catalogue before registering their GE courses.

Students who transfer from other universities or take study-abroad courses should submit the Course Equivalence petition to their faculties for courses that could count towards fulfilling their GE requirements.

Premedical Requirements

Students seeking eligibility for admission to the Faculty of Medicine must complete the premedical requirements detailed in the 2022-23 Graduate Catalogue.

Double Major/Concentration

Within the same faculty and degree structure

Students may, upon approval of the relevant faculty/school, earn one degree with a double major within the same faculty so long as both majors share the same degree structure (e.g., both lead to BA, BS or BE degrees). In such cases, one diploma will be issued with both majors indicated. The student must complete the requirements for both majors before the degree can be awarded. To be eligible to apply for a double major, the applicant must:

• have completed at least 24 sophomore credits
• and be on good academic standing (not be on probation).

Students enrolled in double majors must satisfy requirements of both majors and must complete at least 15 credit hours over and above the requirements of the first major.

Students should satisfy the General Education requirements of one major.

Students interested in earning double majors must complete an application form available at the Registrar’s Office’s website within the announced deadlines for change of major and transfer applications for the fall or spring term. The application must be approved by the receiving department and the Admissions Committee of the faculty/ school.

Students of the Olayan School of Business are allowed to graduate with a maximum of two concentrations by completing 15 credits in the first concentration and 12 credits in the second concentration; however, the free business elective course can be counted towards the second concentration provided that the free business elective course is listed in the second concentration courses.

Dual Degree

From two different faculties/schools or two different degree structures in the same faculty

Students may, upon approval of the relevant faculty/school, complete the requirements for another simultaneous degree while registered in another faculty/school at AUB. Within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, a dual degree is allowed for distinct degree structures (e.g. BS in Mathematics and BA in Economics, or BS in Biology and BA in Political Studies or History). In such cases, the student will be granted two degrees at the same time at graduation, in other words, a separate diploma for each degree program they complete. If tuition differs, students pay the higher of the tuitions. To be eligible to apply for a dual degree, the applicant must:

• have completed at least 24 sophomore credits,
• be on good academic standing (not be on probation),
• and have achieved a minimum overall cumulative average as required by the faculty/ school concerned.

All final admissions decisions depend on the overall quality of the eligible applicant pool and the number of available places in the faculty concerned for the term in question. The applications are treated in terms of grade requirements similar to transfer applications across faculties/schools.

The student interested in a dual degree must submit a dual degree application to the faculty/school offering the dual degree program within the announced deadlines for transfer applications for the fall or spring term. There is no application fee for the dual degree, but the student must complete the application form. Students should refer to the university calendar for further information on deadlines. Information about deadlines and applications are available through the following link: www.aub.edu.lb/ REGISTRAR/Pages/forms.aspx.

Faculties/Schools that grant dual degrees are FAFS, FAS, MSFEA, FHS, HSON and OSB. Once a student is accepted for a second simultaneous degree, the Registrar informs the current and second degree faculty/department by giving a copy to the current degree advisor.

Students enrolled for a dual degree must satisfy the full requirements of both degrees and complete at least 30 credit hours over and above the requirements of the greater credit hours required for either degree. Students should satisfy the General Education requirements of one major. Students may withdraw from either degree before graduation

Second Degree

From same or different faculties/schools

Students working towards completion of their undergraduate major degree who wish to obtain a second degree in the same or another faculty after completion of their first degree can apply for a second degree as follows:

Students who apply for a second degree during the last year of study of the first degree or within two years of completion of the first degree can do so by completing an internal application form posted on the Registrar website at www.aub.edu.lb/registrar. The second degree application can be in the same faculty as the first degree or in another faculty. The second degree applications will be considered by the faculty/school concerned following the same internal procedure for change of major (same faculty) or transfer (another faculty) applicants, and the concerned faculties/schools will send their decisions to the Registrar and Admissions.

Students already holding an AUB bachelor’s degree for more than two years and wishing to obtain a second bachelor’s degree in the same faculty or in another faculty must apply through the Office of Admissions for advanced standing at the concerned faculty and will be exempted from SAT I and Readiness for University Studies in English. Advanced standing transfer applications are available at the Office of Admissions website.

Students holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education recognized by AUB can apply for a second degree (not in the same major of the first degree). Advanced standing transfer applications are available at the Office of Admissions website.

The faculty/school Admissions Committee evaluates all applications for a second degree and makes recommendations to the dean of the concerned faculty/school. All final admission decisions depend on the overall quality of the eligible applicant pool and the number of available places for the term in question.

Students enrolled in a second degree must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours and meet all faculty and departmental requirements for the degree. Students should satisfy the General Education requirements of one major.

Note that all faculties admit students for a second degree. Specific faculty requirements for a second degree can be found in the faculty-specific section of the catalogue.

Minor

Within or from different faculties

Various departments in faculties/schools offer a number of minor fields of study. University minimum requirements for a minor are as follows:

• A minimum of 15 credit hours earned on the basis of regular graded courses (not tutorial or special project type courses) is required for a minor (refer to the requirements of various faculties/schools).
• At least 9 credit hours of coursework must be completed at AUB.
• No more than 9 credit hours taken in the major field of study may be used to satisfy a requirement for another minor.

Minor courses may not be taken on a pass/fail basis at AUB.

Students should refer to the catalogue of the concerned faculties/schools for further information on the requirements of each minor. To graduate with a minor, a student must attain an average of 70 (GPA: 2.2) or more in courses taken to satisfy the requirements of that minor. Faculties/Schools may enforce stricter requirements for minor grade average. The minor will appear in the student’s transcript but will not be stated on the degree.

Faculties, departments and programs can have additional requirements for minors over and above the university requirements stated in the policy.

Registration

Requirements

Before proceeding to register, new students must ensure that all requirements for registration have been met, particularly conditions detailed in the admission letter from the director of admissions. These conditions include meeting the Readiness for University Studies in English and providing evidence that the student received the diploma, certificate, degree or level of university education on the basis of which s/he applied for and received admission to AUB.

The registration guide is posted on the web and is included in the admissions package sent to students. Subsequent to confirmation that all conditions have been met, students should follow the steps in this guide.

Students can introduce final adjustments to their schedules during the add/drop period. The add/drop period normally extends for one week starting the second day of classes.

Students who lack freshman courses must register for these courses during the sophomore year.
Students who have failed a required course are obliged to repeat the course during the following term or at the first opportunity.

No student is allowed to register for a course unless its prerequisite/s have been met.

Cross-Registration Students Enrolled at AUB Taking Courses at Other Universities

A student studying at the American University of Beirut may be allowed to cross-register for a course at other recognized academic institutions if all of the following conditions are met:

• the course is required by AUB
• the course is not offered at AUB during the term at the end of which the student expects to graduate
• the course in which the student intends to cross-register is equivalent to a course that AUB offers (the number and title of each of the two equivalent courses should be clearly indicated)
• the chairperson of the department in which the student is majoring sends the Registrar a written statement confirming that all the conditions listed above have been met
• the Registrar authorizes the student to cross-register; the student submits authorization to the concerned institution

Students Enrolled at Other Universities Taking Courses at AUB

For purposes of cross-registration, students studying at recognized academic institutions who wish to take courses at AUB must do the following:

• secure permission from their institutions to take specified courses at AUB
• secure permission from the dean of the faculty concerned at AUB
• present the above permissions to the AUB Office of the Registrar
• register in accordance with the instructions specified in the registration guide, copies of which are sent to the institutions

Tutorials and Directed Study

Students can register for a single tutorial of up to 3 credits during their final year at AUB.

Study Abroad for Undergraduate Students

AUB undergraduate students may choose to study abroad in their junior year (or equivalent class in professional schools) in an approved program of study, without losing their status at AUB. They may apply for an established program at a university that has an exchange agreement with AUB, or they may initiate their own proposal for study abroad at a university of their choice that is recognized by AUB.

In both cases, an application and approval of the faculty are required. More information regarding study abroad options and procedures is available from the Office of International Programs and at the following link: www.aub.edu.lb/oip.

Courses

Course Loads

To be considered a full-time student, s/he must carry a minimum load of 12 credits per term (see the required number of credits for summer full-time status under summer term for each faculty). If a full-time student wishes or is forced to reduce her/his load to fewer than 12 credits, the issue must first be referred to the appropriate faculty committee.

Students can normally register for up to 17 credits per term and 9 credits during the summer term. Students in the following categories must petition the appropriate faculty committee but are normally granted permission to register for more than 17 credits:

• Freshman students intending to go into medicine or engineering, and who have an average of at least 80 (GPA: 3.2) in the first term, may take an additional course in the second term.
  
• Junior and senior (third and fourth year in the professional schools) students who have completed their English communication skills requirements at the level required by their major departments may register for a maximum of 18 credits per term (a maximum of 19 credits per regular term in MSFEA).

In all other cases, students who wish to register for more than 17 credits must petition the appropriate faculty committee for permission to do so. Their requests are handled on a case-by-case basis.

The credit load in a regular term of a student who continues to be on probation beyond one term or is placed on three non-consecutive probations shall neither be fewer than 12 nor more than 13 credit hours.

Repeating Courses

A student who fails a required course must repeat the course at the earliest opportunity. No course may be taken more than three times including withdrawals from the course. When a course is repeated, the highest grade is considered in the calculation of the cumulative average. All course grades remain in a student’s permanent record.

Withdrawal from Courses

Students can withdraw from only one required course per term. Students who wish to withdraw from more than one required course in any given term must petition the appropriate faculty committee for permission.

Students can withdraw from elective courses, down to a minimum of 12 credits, no later than 12 weeks (six weeks in the summer term) from the start of the term. Students receive a grade of ‘W’ for the course.

At least 40% of the overall course assessment is expected to be issued by the instructor before the last day of withdrawal.

Attendance

Classes and Laboratories

• Students are expected to attend all classes, laboratories or required fieldwork. All missed laboratory or fieldwork must be made up. A student is responsible for the work that is done and for any announcements made during student absence.
• Students who, during a term, miss more than one-fifth of the sessions of any course in the first twelve weeks of the term (six weeks in the case of the summer term) can be dropped from the course. A faculty member who drops a student from the course for this reason must have stated in the syllabus that attendance will be taken.
• Students who withdraw or are dropped for excessive absence from a course receive a grade of “W”.
• Students who do not withdraw or cannot be dropped for excessive absence from a course will receive a grade of 40 (F).
• Students can withdraw from registered courses, no later than 12 weeks (six weeks in the summer term) from the start of the term, provided that their credit load during the term does not drop below 12 credits.
• Unless approved by the appropriate faculty committee, a student cannot withdraw or be withdrawn from a course after the announced deadline or if the withdrawal results in the student being registered for less than 12 credits.

Examinations and Quizzes

Students who miss an announced examination or quiz must present an excuse considered valid by the instructor of the course. Unless stated otherwise in the course syllabus, the course instructor should then require the student to take a make-up examination. Make-up quizzes, midterms and class assignments must be completed before the final grade of the course is issued at the end of the term.

Only medical reports and/or qualified professional opinions issued by an AUB employee, an AUB Medical Center (AUBMC) doctor, or by the University Health Services will be accepted. Should there be a question about the validity of any excuse presented by the student, the matter should be referred to the appropriate faculty committee. Instructors should make sure there is no time conflict between an exam and a regularly scheduled course.

Residence Requirements

Students transferring to AUB must earn the last 45 credits while in residence at AUB. An AUB student in good academic standing who did not transfer to AUB from another university and who wishes to study abroad may spend up to one year and earn up to 30 credits at another university. An AUB student must spend her/his final term at AUB. See, as well, Study Abroad/Student Exchange in the Office of Student Affairs section of this catalogue.

Grades

Grading System

For new students registered at the University starting fall term 2019-20, AUB uses a 4.3 letter grade system according to the following table:

The GPA is capped at 4.0

For students registered at the University prior to fall semester 2019–20, AUB uses a numeric system with an Equivalent Grade Point Average according to the following table in the faculties of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Architecture, Health Sciences, the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business and the Rafic Hariri School of Nursing.

All final grades are expressed in multiples of one.

Change of Grade Policy

After grades are posted on the AUB Student Information System (AUBSIS), a change of grade is not allowed unless a demonstrable mistake was made in the correction of the final examination or in the calculation of the grade. In such a case, the instructor must complete a Change of Grade form and submit it to the chairperson of the department in which the course is offered with supporting evidence for the mistake warranting the change of grade. If the chairperson of the department approves the change of grade, s/ he will sign the form and transmit it for final approval to the dean (all faculties except FAS) or to the FAS Student Academic Affairs Committee (if the course is offered in FAS).

Students have the right to access their corrected exams, including final exams, and to request review of their exams in case mistakes have been made in calculating grades or in corrections. The student’s request to review the course grade should be made to the course instructor within one week of the posting of course grades. In case the review by the instructor results in a change of course grade, the instructor shall complete the Change of Grade form in accordance with the procedure outlined by the faculty in which the course is offered.

If a dispute regarding the change of a grade continues, the student should discuss the issue with the chair of the department. If the student is still not satisfied, s/he may submit a petition to the faculty Academic and Curriculum Committee requesting further consideration.

Incompletes

A student who receives an incomplete grade for a course must petition or submit a valid reason for missing the work to the appropriate faculty committee within two weeks of the date of the scheduled final exam in order to obtain permission to complete the course. Coursework must be completed within one month of the start of the next regular term. In exceptional circumstances, the appropriate faculty committee may decide to give the student additional time to complete a course. In the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, a student who has received incomplete grades will not be permitted to register for more than 16 credits.

Incomplete coursework is reported as “I”. Normally, “I” is followed by a numerical grade or a letter grade reflecting the evaluation of the student available at the end of the term. This evaluation is based on a grade of zero on all missed work and is reported in units of five. If the work is not completed within the period specified, the “I” is dropped and the grade becomes the final grade.

Credit Transfer

For students returning from study abroad

Students who go abroad for study are required to get pre-approval for the courses they plan to register at the host institution. Refer to the policy and guidelines posted on the Office of the Registrar home page:

www.aub.edu.lb/registrar/Documents/studyabroad-undergraduate-policies- procedures.pdf.

Upon completion of the Study Abroad Program, students should make sure that the earned credits are transferred toward their degree requirements as follows:

• Students should submit the syllabi (including course learning outcomes if available) of all pre-approved courses that they completed abroad, along with the ‘Study Abroad’ transcript from the host university, to the relevant faculty Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for final approval of credits earned.
• Approval of credit transfer is contingent upon achieving a minimum passing grade at the study abroad university.
• The Office of the Registrar can act directly if a similar course equivalence has already been approved by a Curriculum Committee. As each course is approved for equivalence, the Office of the Registrar dates the decision and ensures that all courses are re-evaluated after five years. Re-evaluation to determine whether a transfer course continues to meet AUB requirements in terms of content and credit hours includes assessment of course learning outcomes.

Credits received through Study Abroad Programs will show as pass only on the AUB transcript.

For students admitted as transfer students from other institutions

Upon completion of registration for their first term at AUB, students should make sure credits earned at other institutions that count toward program requirements at AUB are transferred as follows:

• Students should submit the following to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee of the relevant faculty for final approval of credits earned: They should submit the syllabi (including course learning outcomes if available) of all courses completed at the other institution, the official transcript of the courses issued by the institution, and a course equivalence form signed by the chair of the department offering the equivalent course. Students are encouraged to seek approval of credit transfer within one month of the start of their first term or as soon as possible thereafter.
• Approval of credit transfer is contingent upon achieving a minimum passing grade equivalent to AUB’s grade of 70 (GPA: 2.2.) in each course as determined by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee of the relevant faculty.
• The Office of the Registrar can receive direct requests from students and can act directly if similar course equivalence has already been approved by a Curriculum Committee. As each course is approved for equivalence, the Office of the Registrar dates the decision and ensures that all courses are re-evaluated after five years. Re-evaluation to determine whether a transfer course continues to meet AUB requirements in terms of content and credit hours includes assessment of course learning outcomes.
• Credits transferred from other institutions will show as ‘Pass’ only on the AUB transcript.
• The database listing courses that have been accepted by the University is available online at the Office of the Registrar’s website: https://www.aub.edu.lb/registrar/Documents/aubcourse-equivalence-otheruniversities.pdf​ 
  
• The database shows equivalence in content, and not grade, and the list is updated periodically. Grade equivalencies for US and European universities are also posted on the website: https://www.aub.edu.lb/Registrar/Pages/academic-information.aspx 
  
• The Office of the Registrar keeps a log of accepted grade equivalencies for courses offered by local, regional and international universities to ensure consistent implementation across all majors of the grade equivalence policy for credit transfer.

Transfer within the University

Transfer of major within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Students who wish to transfer from one major to another in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences may do so only after completion of at least two full terms of work in their current major. Transfer forms are available on the FAS web page. The transfer form must be submitted to the chairperson of the prospective department at least three weeks before the end of a term. If approved, the transfer becomes effective at the beginning of the following term. Students must adhere to the following transfer procedures:

• complete the transfer form
• attach grades to the transfer form
• submit the form to the chairperson of the current department (who will make her/his recommendation to the chairperson of the prospective department

The chairperson of the prospective department presents the form to the FAS Admissions Committee. The decision of the committee is communicated to the student by the Registrar.

Transfer from one faculty to another within the university

Students who wish to transfer from one faculty to another must complete the application for transfer form available on AUBSIS. Students must apply within deadlines specified in the university calendar.

Dean’s Honor List

To be placed on the dean’s honor list at the end of the term, a student must

• be carrying at least 12 credits,
• not be on probation,
• have passed all courses and attained an overall average of 85 (GPA: 3.7) or be ranked in the top 10 percent of the class and have an overall average of 80 (GPA: 3.2),
• not have been subjected to any disciplinary action within the university during the term,
• and be deemed worthy by the dean to be on the honor list.

Probation

Placement on Academic Probation

A student is placed on academic probation if the student’s overall average is less than 68 (GPA: 2.0) at the end of the second regular term, if the term average is less than 69 (GPA: 2.1) at the end of the third or fourth regular term, or if the term average is less than 70 (GPA: 2.2) in any subsequent term, excluding the summer term.

It is to be understood that the term in which the student is considered to be ‘on probation’ is the term that immediately follows the term in which the student has earned the grades leading to that placement.

For evaluation purposes, the minimum number of credits at the end of the second regular term at the university should be 24, including all repeated courses, and 12 in each subsequent fall or spring term, including all repeated courses.

Courses/credits taken during a summer term are counted towards the term average of the next regular term. If the number of credits taken in any one regular term is less than 12 (for approved reasons), courses/credits taken during that term are counted toward the term average of the next regular term.

Credit for incomplete courses will be included in the term in which the incomplete courses were taken. The evaluation for that term will be carried out as soon as the grades for the incomplete courses have been finalized.

For implementation purposes, the academic standing of a student is represented by two attributes (a, b).

• The first attribute (a) represents the student’s current academic status as follows: 0: clear status 1: student is currently on probation but was not on probation in the immediately preceding regular term 2: student is currently on probation and was on probation in the immediately preceding regular term.
• The second attribute (b) represents the probation history of a student, i.e., the number of times the student has been placed on probation.

Removal of Probation

Probation is removed when the student attains a term average of 69 (GPA: 2.1) or more in the third or fourth regular term or a term average of 70 (GPA: 2.2) or more in any subsequent regular term. The student is off probation during the term following the one in which such grades are earned.

Probation should be removed within two regular terms, excluding summer, after the student is placed on probation or when the student completes her/his graduation requirements (see Graduation Requirements).

Dismissal and Readmission

A student may be dismissed from the faculty for any of the following reasons:

• if the student’s overall average is less than 60 (GPA: 1.0) at the end of the second regular term
• if the student fails to clear academic probation within two regular terms, excluding the summer term, after being put on probation; i.e., the student’s academic status is (2,2) or (2,3), and the student has failed to remove the probation
• if the student is placed on academic probation for a total of four regular terms (a student can be dropped for this reason even if s/he is in the final year at AUB); i.e., the student’s academic status is (0,3) or (1,3), and the student is again placed on probation
• if the student is deemed unworthy by the faculty to continue for professional or ethical reasons

A student is normally considered for readmission only if, after spending a year at another recognized institution of higher education, the student is able to present a satisfactory record and recommendation. Exceptions may be made for students who left the university for personal or health reasons. Transfer credit is considered after departmental evaluation of a student’s coursework.

Plagiarism

Students who fail to properly credit ideas or materials taken from another commit plagiarism. Putting your name on a piece of work—any part of which is not yours— constitutes plagiarism, unless that piece is clearly marked and the work from which you have borrowed it is fully identified. Plagiarism is a violation of the university’s academic regulations and is subject to disciplinary action.

Correct Use of Language

Facility in clear, correct and responsible use of language is a basic requirement for graduation.

Papers (term papers, essays or examinations) that are ill-written, no matter what the course, may receive a lower grade for the quality of writing alone.

The final grade in any course may be lowered for consistently substandard written or oral expression. In extreme cases, a failing grade may be given for this reason alone.

See the section on English Proficiency above.

Disclosure of Student Records

Information about notification of rights under FERPA can be found on the following link:

http://www.aub.edu.lb/Registrar/Documents/ferpa.pdf

Graduation

Requirements

Students are strongly advised to prepare their registration schedules with their advisors to ensure graduation requirements are fulfilled. Failure to do so may mean a student has to spend an additional term or more at AUB to complete graduation requirements.

Graduation with Distinction and High Distinction

To graduate with distinction, a student must:

• have an average of 85 (GPA: 3.7) or higher in all work of her/his final academic terms, including summers: (two summer sessions are equivalent to one term) during which 60 credits or more have been completed at AUB
• and be recommended by her/his department for distinction

To graduate with high distinction, a student must:

• have an average of 90 (GPA: 4.0) or higher in all work of her/his final academic terms, including summers: (two summer sessions are equivalent to one term) during which 60 credits or more have been completed at AUB
• and be recommended by her/his department for high distinction.

For purposes of graduation with distinction or high distinction, when a student repeats a course, all grades enter into the computation of the student’s overall average. For transfer students, if the number of credits completed at AUB is less than 60, then the completed credits are used in the measuring criteria.

Graduation with Distinction and High Distinction for a Dual Degree

For each program in a dual degree, the last 60 credits that apply to separately fulfill the degree requirements are considered for average computation.

To graduate with distinction in either degree, a student must have an average of 85 (GPA:3.7) or higher in the 60 credits or more and be recommended by her/his department for distinction.

To graduate with high distinction in either degree, a student must have an average of 90 (GPA: 4.0) or higher in the 60 credits or more and to be recommended by her/his department for high distinction.

For purposes of graduation with distinction or high distinction, all grades including repeated courses enter into the computation of the student’s overall average.

Names on Diplomas and Degrees

Names on diplomas and degrees are spelled exactly as they appear on passports or identity cards. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Education, names of Lebanese students should include first name, father’s name and family name. Names on AUB diplomas and degrees appear both in Arabic and English. If a name on a passport or identity card does not appear in both languages, then the name that does not appear in one language will be spelled on AUB diplomas and degrees according to the personal preference of the student.

Commencement Exercises

Commencement exercises are held at the end of the academic year. Students who graduate in October or February may participate in the commencement exercises. October or February graduates who wish to participate in the June commencement exercises should notify the Office of the Registrar of their intention by completing Form CE1 and submitting it to the Office of the Registrar.

Students who graduate in May have places reserved for them in the May commencement exercises. June graduates who opt not to participate in the commencement exercises should complete Form CE2 and submit it to the Office of the Registrar. May graduates who do not receive their degrees during the commencement exercises and who have submitted Form CE2 within the above-indicated deadline can receive their diplomas at the Office of the Registrar at a date subsequent to commencement.

Recognition of AUB Degrees by the Lebanese Ministry of Education

The Lebanese Ministry of Education recognizes all degrees awarded by the American University of Beirut provided students are admitted on the basis of the Lebanese Baccalaureate, or its equivalent, as determined by the Lebanese Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Education also recognizes degrees in medicine, engineering and architecture, and agriculture as equivalent to the corresponding degrees awarded or recognized by the Lebanese University.

It is the responsibility of students to ensure the degrees they receive from AUB are duly evaluated by their respective governments.

Medical Record

An entrance medical record form is sent to all admitted students who have committed to enroll at AUB. It is to be completed by the student’s family physician and mailed as soon as possible, before the period of registration, in the pre-addressed envelope provided by AUB. Alternatively, the completed medical record form can be delivered by hand to the Office of Admissions.

All new students must have a tuberculin test at the time of the preliminary medical check held during registration and must report 48 hours later for a check on the test. Upon clearing the medical test, the student is issued a clearance slip to proceed with registration. Students are not registered unless they obtain this clearance slip. Students who report late for the medical check are charged a late fee.

Medical checks may be completed in advance of registration provided the student reports to the University Health Services on campus, and brings the letter of acceptance and the entrance medical record.

Returning students are not required to complete any medical forms. Important changes in the student’s medical condition and/or updating immunizations should be reported to a university physician by appointment at the Health Services Center early in the first term. Information is kept confidential.

National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Medical Branch

Membership in the NSSF is mandatory by law for all Lebanese students excluding freshman and non-degree students, and students who are older than 30 years. Non- Lebanese students may not join.

To facilitate enrollment in the NSSF Medical Branch, students are urged to bring the following items when registering:

• A social security application form should be filled in correctly and submitted. Copies of this form will be available for distribution at the time of registration to students who have not yet completed it.
• A photocopy of their Lebanese identity card
• Their NSSF number if already registered
• The NSSF number of their parent if insured with the NSSF through father or mother
• Family record, if student is married

Health Insurance Plan (HIP)

The Health Insurance Plan (HIP) provides medical and hospital coverage to the AUB community, namely academic and non-academic staff, retirees, students, and IC staff and their families.

• Health insurance coverage is mandatory for all students, at second-class health care coverage, during their years of study at AUB; therefore, a student, new or continuing, registered for at least 6 credit hours, is automatically enrolled under the Health Insurance Plan (HIP). However, a student may be exempted from enrolling in HIP if s/he presents proof that s/he is covered by another healthcare insurance provider.
• HIP members are required to use exclusively the medical services of the AUB Medical Center (AUBMC). HIP coverage of students is limited to medical care inside Lebanon only.
• ‘Student’ means a person registered for a course of study at the university, whether working or not working for a degree, on a full-time or part-time basis. Auditors are not considered students.
• Graduate students registered for a thesis are eligible to continue HIP coverage for a period of two consecutive years only.
• Students who register at the beginning of the first term are covered by HIP for twelve months, provided they do not graduate or withdraw or are not suspended and/or dropped from the university. HIP fee charges per term are announced each year by the AUB Benefits Coordinator’s office.
• Students who register at the beginning of the second term are covered until September 30 of the same year, provided they do not graduate or withdraw or are not suspended and/or dropped from the university.
• Students who register at the beginning of the summer session are covered until September 30 of the same year. Student coverage during the summer is strictly limited to use of the AUB Medical Center (AUBMC) services.
• In case of emergency during the fall and spring terms only, and if students are not on campus or within the vicinity of the AUB Medical Center, students can report to the nearest medical service provider and get the needed care. Reimbursement of the bill cannot exceed 80 percent of AUBMC rates.
• Eligible married students may enroll their spouse and children who are living with them in Lebanon at the regular second-class rate as long as they remain duly registered at the university and are HIP members.
• Unlike other HIP members, students are not charged co-payment or cost sharing for outpatient services.

These guidelines are meant to be a mere summary of the provisions of the plan and are provided solely as a matter of convenience and in no way define or limit the scope or intent of any provision of the plan.

Passports and Visas

Foreign students joining AUB must have passports valid for a period of no less than 13 months from the date of joining the university. They should also secure an entry visa to Lebanon from the nearest Lebanese embassy or consulate in their country. The Office of Student Affairs, in coordination with the Office of Human Resources, the Office of Admissions and the Office of the Registrar, help provide the necessary certificates for registered foreign students to acquire residence permits from the Lebanese authorities.

Payment of Fees

All students must finalize registration, including payment of tuition and other charges, by the announced deadlines. For full instructions on payment of fees, see the Tuition Fees section.