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Undergraduate Program

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    Courses

    UPEN 001 (English)

    This course is designed for beginning UPP students who have little or no knowledge of English. It provides learners with basic listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, enabling them to understand and take part in English conversations, in addition to reading simple stories and responding to them in writing.

    UPEN 002 (English)

    This course is designed for low-intermediate UPP students who possess limited language skills but can initiate conversations and read and/or write a paragraph or several paragraphs.  Word-building and study skills, in addition to more sophisticated reading and writing skills, are introduced to enable these college-bound students to cope with tasks required of them in the future. There is also emphasis on orientation to the American model of education, and to living in a diverse ethnic and cultural environment.
     
    UPEN 003 (English)

    This course is designed for high intermediate UPP students who can communicate well both in conversation and in writing. It serves as a transition from intensive English courses to regular academic study. Students read various texts, give oral presentations, receive cultural orientation, and practice their academic writing and basic research skills. 
     
    UPHU 001 (Introduction to the Humanities)

    This course  is an interdisciplinary course that examines Wester and Eastern cultural thought in history, literature, and philosophy. It aims at introducing the students to the culture of the Twentieth Century. By the end of the course, students should be able to critically analyze a given reading material and comment on its message in a well-organized paragraph/essay. 
     
    UPMA 001 & 002 (Mathematics)

    This course prepares students for both Freshman Math and the math section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) required of all undergraduate students joining AUB. Emphasis is placed on mathematical terminology, arithmetic skills and concepts, word problems, geometric concepts and reasoning, in addition to standardized test-taking strategies. 
     
    UPSC 001 & 002 (Science)​

    This course is a science literacy cours​e that introduces students to the major concepts in the physical and life sciences and their applications in every day life. It emphasizes in-depth conceptual understanding of science concepts by using a variety of teaching approaches. Additionally, the course introduces students to scientific terminology in English to prepare students to take science courses at the university level.​​
     


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    PLOs

    By the end of the course, students will be able to:

    • Communicate appropriately in a variety of academic and social settings,
    • Discuss various topics of interest,
    • Deliver research-based presentations using relevant technology,
    • Apply writing skills based on a comprehensive view of the writing process,
    • Compose unified and well-developed essays of various rhetorical modes (narration, description, comparison/contrast, cause/effect, opinion, argumentation),
    • Write in clear, correct, Standard English,
    • Use different reading strategies to aid comprehension, 
    • Comprehend various written texts at the literal and higher-order levels,
    • Acquire generic and discipline specific vocabulary, idioms and expressions,
    • Apply listening skills to various types of spoken discourse (e.g. lecture, news broadcast, reports, conversation, etc.),
    • Appreciate cultural differences,
    • Respond to texts from different contexts: history, philosophy, literature, & the arts,
    • Apply the required mathematical knowledge and skills for college study: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, data analysis & probability,
    • Use various computer programs (MS-Office text editing programs: Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Internet search engines in academic projects and presentations,
    • Transfer the analytical skills acquired across subjects,
    • Increase students' scientific literacy by providing them with learning opportunities where they tackle issues from different angles,
    • Engage in interdisciplinary learning that requires a "synthesizing mind" where they purposefully and reflectively integrate and synthesize multiple perspectives from different disciplines (biology, chemistry & physics) in order to solve real-world problems,
    • Raise their standard of English which allows for proper understanding, effective communication and accurate writing of scientific vocabulary used in an English context.


    Admission Requirements

    ​Admission Requirements​

    • ​​Applicants must have at least twelve years of schooling, or the equivalent, before beginning the program.
    • They must submit an application with the Secondary School Record Form (available from the Office of Admissions) with all the supporting material.
    • Completed applications are reviewed and accepted applicants are notified in due course.






    Newsletter

    e-Portfolios

    ​​E-Portfolios

    ​A lot of learning is taking place in the University Preparatory Program through our students' engagement in curricular and extra curricular activities. In order to reflect on their learning and make it visible, the UPP faculty decided to launch the reflective e-portfolio initiative in Fall 2016-17.

    This was a joint effort among all the UPP instructors. Reflective writing is heavily practiced in the writing and critical reading classes. Additionally, students created reflective videos in their listening and speaking classes. In their IT courses, the students learned how to integrate and build their e-portfolios through the use of available tools on Google sites.

    Students worked on their portfolios from the beginning of the semester, reflecting and documenting the learning that goes on in their classroom and beyond. This is because our students are heavily involved in their community and practice a number of high impact activities in addition to their academic studies. All UPP students have to complete 13 hours of volunteering activities and provide reflections and pictures about their experiences. They also organize and participate in enrichment activities, such as educational trips to historical places, art galleries, museums and concerts. UPP also provides a ten hour orientation program to ease the students transition from the preparatory to regular sophomore classes.

    Students were heavily engaged during the semester working on their e-portfolios and were extremely passionate and confident while presenting them in front of their faculty members as their final project presentation.
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    Student Quotes:

    “This e-portfolio contains reflections about my university and my life outside it.
    Here I will be very true; I will be me." (Sally Hamad)

    “This is my e-portfolio.

    It is a simple glance into my past life, a reflection on my present experience and an expectation of my future. Through it, I am going to shed light on the special events in my life and how they influence me." (Hadil Hoballah)

    ​“I have a very positive mindset where I believe that "End is not the end; in fact, E.N.D" is "Effort Never Dies" and if you get "NO" for an answer, remember N.O. is "Next Opportunity". Always be positive." (Karam Sarieddine)​


    Sample Student e-Portfolios:

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