Governance and Administration

Office of the Provost

Academic Affairs

Academic Programs

The Lebanese American University offers more than 60 degree programs, several minors and certificate programs, and a wide range of courses which, together, contribute to the intellectual vigor of the campus. As the curriculum is constantly revised and adapted to reflect advances in knowledge and emerging student needs, the provost’s office is responsible for managing this process closely with the seven schools, academic departments and programs, and the Faculty Senate (which provides advice on curricular matters under the system of shared governance). Academic program development consists of two main components: the creation and revision of courses and programs, as well as ongoing quality control and assessment to ensure that the offerings meet the high standards of the university and the accrediting agencies. 

New Programs

New programs and courses are approved through processes established by the university’s Board of Trustees (BOT) and documented in the Faculty Bylaws. 

All changes or additions to the number of schools are approved by the BOT upon the recommendation of the president, while changes and additions to the number of departments or divisions are authorized by the president, upon the recommendation of the Council of Deans (CD). All changes in the curricula initiated by schools must be accepted by the University Curriculum Council (UCC) and the CD, and the addition of new programs within the schools by the UCC, the CD and the president. Generally speaking, new courses, minors, and certificates are endorsed on campus through UCC and the CD.

Following the internal acceptance process, and before they are offered, all new programs have to secure the proper registration from the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), and the New York State Education Department (NYSED). One year after their launch, all new programs will also have to proceed with the MEHE registration process for “Recognition.”

The procedures for having new programs approved and registered with MEHE and NYSED can be found at these links: MEHE program registration and NYSED program registration (requires login).

MEHE Registration

All new degree programs must be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) in Lebanon for assessment and registration. Programs are only registered and conferment of degrees authorized subject to an evaluation process by the ministry.

The registration process with MEHE can be found here.

The list of required documents and forms can be requested from the Director of Academic Compliance.

New York Registration

The Lebanese American University (LAU) is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. The University of the State of New York is the sole entity authorized by the State of New York to incorporate higher education institutions and to authorize them to confer degrees. Therefore all new programs have to secure proper registration in the New York State Education Department (NYSED). For more information about this process, visit this page.

Internal Process

All new academic programs must be approved through an internal process. They are required to set out their role and mission, the need for the specialty, potential demand, and required resources. On the academic side, all programs must also submit a detailed proposal of the curriculum, program objectives and learning outcomes. A proposal template for a new academic program, providing structure and information prompts, can be accessed here (requires login).

Program Review

Many of the university’s academic undergraduate and graduate programs receive accreditation from disciplinary or professional organizations that set standards for educational programs in the field. Regardless of disciplinary accreditation, all degree-granting programs are reviewed on a cyclical basis to ensure the academic quality of LAU’s offerings.

Academic Units

The provost oversees several academic units — including the seven schools and the four libraries (Riyad Nassar Library (RNL), Joseph G. Jabbra Library (JGJL), Health Sciences Library (HSL), and New York Academic Center Library (NYAC)).

Academic Support Units

Center for Innovative Learning

The Center for Innovative Learning serves as a strategic partner of the schools’ faculty with the purpose of increasing their efficiency.

Institutional Research and Assessment

The Department of Institutional Research and Assessment at the Lebanese American University collects, analyzes, warehouses, and disseminates data about the continuum of functions of the institution - educational, administrative and support.