Academic Catalog 2019–2020

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Admission

Admission to graduate programs at LAU is selectively granted to students who hold bachelor’s degrees from recognized colleges or universities and demonstrate distinct academic ability and motivation. Admission to a program rests on meeting the minimum requirements described below and availability of space.

The information, procedures and criteria for admission found herein are valid for the academic year 2019–2020 as of the date of publication, but remain subject to change.

General Admission Requirements

Applicants to any graduate degree program must submit the following documents to the Admissions Office:

  1. A graduate application form, available at the Admissions Office, which can also be downloaded or completed online.
  2. One recent passport-size photo.
  3. A photocopy of identity card or passport, same as the nationality to be used during registration.
  4. Certified copies of all educational and professional certificates, diplomas and degrees earned.
  5. Official scores of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for M.B.A. applicants if needed.
  6. Official scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for applicants to the School of Engineering who did not receive their undergraduate engineering degrees from LAU.
  7. Official transcript(s) of grades from all colleges or universities attended, sent directly to the Admissions Office. Failure to declare enrollment at other institutions could result in invalidation of admission, and any credits or degrees earned.
  8. One recommendation letter each from two professors who are familiar with the applicant’s academic performance. For work experience, a certificate of employment is required.
  9. The W-9S Form is to be completed and submitted by all U.S. citizens or U.S. Green Card holders (permanent residents). The W-9S form may be downloaded from www.irs.gov .
  10. A non-refundable fee of $85 (L.L. 128,000) for paper applications and $65 (L.L.100,000) for online applications.

All submitted documents become property of LAU and will not be returned.

Some applicants may be interviewed by the Graduate Admissions Council.

English Proficiency

English is the official language of instruction at LAU and applicants may be required to demonstrate their proficiency in the language by taking one of the following tests:

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum required score in the Internet-Based TOEFL (IBT) is 90. Applicants must register for the International TOEFL using LAU’s code, 2595. Institutional TOEFL is not recognized at LAU.
  • English Entrance Exam (EEE) administered by LAU with a minimum score of 550. The EEE May be repeated at one-month interval.
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum grade of 7

Additional Requirements per School or Program

School of Engineering

Applicants must have a Bachelor of Science in engineering or a Bachelor of Engineering from a recognized university, with a minimum general GPA equivalent to 2.75 on a 4-point scale, or 2.75 in the major. If the bachelor’s degree is not in the field to be pursued, and/or if the GPA is less than 2.75, the applicant may be admitted on a probationary basis.

Applicants to the School of Engineering who did not receive their undergraduate engineering degrees from LAU must submit scores for the GRE general exam (quantitative reasoning and analytical writing scores) and must have minimum GRE Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing scores of 75% below or more to be considered. GRE test scores that are more than 5 years old will not be accepted.

The admissions committee considers several factors: academic performance at prior institutions (grades, rankings, and GPAs) and the GRE test score. The rate of graduate assistantship, when requested, is directly related to GPA and GRE scores.

Letters of recommendation are optional. However, three letters are ideal, two of which should be completed by faculty who are familiar with the applicant’s academic performance.

Executive M.B.A.

All applicants should possess:

  • A B.S. degree from a recognized university.
  • A minimum of six years of work experience in a middle management or higher supervisory position.
  • Proficiency in English (for all applicants from universities where English is not the language of instruction).

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. The admissions committee has the final decision.

Applicants who are short of the above requirements might be considered for probationary admission provided they have significant supervisory work experience. Students admitted on probation will earn regular status upon the completion of six E.M.B.A. credits with at least a 3.0 average and no more than one C grade.

Applicants must submit the following in addition to the items listed above under “General Requirements”:

  • A copy of most updated CV.
  • Recommendations from two professionals who are familiar with the applicant’s work performance.
  • A certificate of current and previous employment.
  • Letter of endorsement, if available.

All E.M.B.A. applicants will be interviewed for assessment by the admissions committee.

LL.M. (upcoming)

Applicants from non-English language universities must demonstrate proficiency in English.

All applicants will be interviewed for assessment by the admissions committee. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission to the program, as the admissions committee has the final decision.

M.A. in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies

Applicants seeking admission to the master’s in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies should hold an undergraduate degree of high standing within the field of the humanities, communication, history, anthropology, or social sciences and pass the university’s language proficiency exam. Students with no background in gender studies will be required to take up to three undergraduate courses in this discipline at LAU.

M.A. in International Affairs

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in political science or a related field. Applicants from other majors may be admitted but will need to take remedial courses.

M.B.A.

In addition to satisfactory proof of English language proficiency as per LAU rules and regulations, applicants to the M.B.A. program are expected to meet the following admission requirements:

  • A 2.75 GPA on a scale of 4.0, or its equivalent
  • GMAT or GRE test scores (taken within five years prior to joining the M.B.A.) if the GPA is between 2.75 and 3.19.
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Interview, if required

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Although work experience is not a prerequisite for admission, the Graduate Admissions Committee considers applicants’ professional experience as an asset and welcomes the real-world business experience that such students bring to the classroom. As such, “relevant work experience” is viewed favorably when studying an applicant’s file.

The School Graduate Admission Council (SGAC) calculates a Composite Index (CI) of both the GPA and GMAT. Admission is considered only if the applicant meets a minimum CI requirement. At the discretion of the School Graduate Admission Council, applicants who are short of a 3.0 GPA and/or a GMAT score of 500 might be considered for probationary admission provided they have “significant relevant work experience,” but have met the minimum CI requirement.

Qualified applicants with a B.A./B.S. in areas of study other than business will be required to complete remedial courses as a prerequisite for core courses.

To be considered to the M.B.A. program at LAU, applicants must submit the following in addition to the “general requirements” listed above:

  1. A certificate of current and/or previous employment if it applies.
  2. Official score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) if GPA is between 2.75 and 3.19. To register for the GMAT, please visit the official GMAT website. The code for LAU is 0954.
  3. An interview, if required.

M.D.

Please see M.D. Admission Requirements.

M.S. in Applied and Computational Mathematics

Applicants to the M.S. in Applied & Computational Mathematics should hold a B.S. in mathematics, computer science, physics, engineering, or related fields.

Non-math majors may have to take some undergraduate mathematics remedial courses in order to join the M.S. program. The remedial courses are prescribed on a case-by-case basis. However, a minimal knowledge of real, differential, and functional analysis is expected.

M.S. in Computer Science

In addition to the above-mentioned general admissions requirements, CSC310 Algorithms and Data Structures is a required course for all applicants who have non–computer science undergraduate degrees. It may be taken as a remedial course after admission.

Pharm.D.

Please see Pharm.D. – Admission Requirements.

Probationary Admission

  • Applicants accepted by the Graduate Admissions Council on a probationary basis must complete the first four courses with a minimum grade of B on each course without any repeats and with a minimum GPA of 3.00; otherwise, they will be dismissed.
  • Probationary admission is not applicable to the Gilbert & Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine and to the Pharm.D. program.

Validity of Acceptance for Admission

An offer of admission to an applicant is valid only for one semester. If applicants accepted for a specific semester do not register and wish to defer their admission, they must complete and submit a Reactivation Application available at the Admissions Office.