📍 Beirut, Lebanon · Est. 1866
American University of Beirut (AUB) is a private, secular university located in Beirut, Lebanon. Established in 1866 as the Syrian Protestant College, it adopted its current name in 1920. The university's campus spans 73 acres overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. AUB operates under a charter from the State of New York and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Specific programs and departments also hold specialized accreditations from relevant bodies. For example, the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB) is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA) holds accreditations from ABET for its engineering programs. The Faculty of Health Sciences is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The Rafic Hariri School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The university is structured into several faculties and schools, offering a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs. These include the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FAFS), Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA), Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), Faculty of Medicine (FM), Rafic Hariri School of Nursing (RHSON), and Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB). The Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences offers programs such as Agricultural Sciences, Nutrition and Dietetics, Food Science and Management, Landscape Architecture, and Agribusiness. Courses within these programs cover topics like sustainable agriculture, food safety, public health nutrition, landscape design, and agricultural economics. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences is the largest faculty, encompassing a wide array of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Departments include Arabic and Near Eastern Languages, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, English, Fine Arts and Art History, History and Archaeology, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, Political Studies and Public Administration, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology and Media Studies, and Statistics. Courses range from classical Arabic literature and Middle Eastern history to quantum mechanics, artificial intelligence, macroeconomic theory, and contemporary art practices. Specific programs include Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in various fields. The Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture provides programs in American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)-accredited Civil Engineering, Computer and Communications Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. It also offers Architecture and Graphic Design programs. Courses cover structural analysis, digital signal processing, robotics, thermodynamics, urban planning, and visual communication design. Graduate programs include Master of Engineering (ME) and Master of Science (MS) in various engineering disciplines, as well as a Master of Urban Planning and Policy. The Faculty of Health Sciences focuses on public health, environmental health, epidemiology, and health promotion. Programs include Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health, Master of Public Health (MPH) with concentrations in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Environmental Health, Health Promotion and Community Health, and Health Management and Policy. Additionally, a Master of Science in Epidemiology is offered. Courses address topics such as infectious disease control, health policy analysis, occupational health and safety, and public health nutrition. The Faculty of Medicine is a medical school offering a Doctor of Medicine (MD) program, as well as graduate programs in basic medical sciences and clinical research. It operates a university hospital, the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), which serves as a teaching and research facility. The medical curriculum covers anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, clinical rotations in various specialties, and medical ethics. Graduate programs include Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in fields like Biochemistry, Human Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, and Pharmacology and Toxicology. The Rafic Hariri School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with various concentrations, such as adult health nursing, community health nursing, and nursing administration. Courses cover fundamental nursing skills, patient care, public health nursing, pharmacology for nurses, and nursing leadership. The Suliman S. Olayan School of Business provides undergraduate and graduate business education. Programs include a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with concentrations in Accounting, Finance, Management, and Marketing. Graduate programs include a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Executive MBA (EMBA), and Master of Science in Finance (MSF). Courses cover financial accounting, corporate finance, organizational behavior, marketing strategy, supply chain management, and business analytics. AUB is noted for its contributions to research in various fields, particularly in areas relevant to the Middle East. Its academic strengths include medicine, public health, engineering, and the humanities, with a focus on regional contexts and challenges. The university maintains research centers and institutes dedicated to specific areas, such as the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, the Nature Conservation Center, and the AUB Archaeological Museum. The university also emphasizes interdisciplinary research and collaboration across its faculties. The university library system, the Nami Jafet Memorial Library, provides extensive resources for students and faculty, including access to academic journals, databases, and a large collection of books. AUB also hosts various student organizations, athletic programs, and cultural events, contributing to campus life. The university's academic calendar typically follows a semester system, with fall and spring semesters, and an optional summer session. Instruction is primarily in English.
