Overview

The Adnan Kassar School of Business at the Lebanese American University holds the AACSB accreditation since 2016 and joins the select number of accredited business schools worldwide. In addition, LAU’S AKSOB Hospitality and Tourism Management department earns the prestigious ACPHA accreditation since 2021. The school operates on two campuses located in Beirut and Byblos. LAU admitted the first batch of business students in 1979 in Beirut and later welcomed business students in 1994 in Byblos. Prior to 1980, the business division was hosted under the umbrella of the social sciences department. As of fall 1980, the Business Studies Division started to operate as an independent entity granting BA degrees in different concentration areas in business administration. The Master of Science (M.S.) in Business was launched as a graduate business program in fall 1981. The Business program continued to be offered under the umbrella of the Division of Business Studies until spring 1992, when a full-fledged School of Business was established, with the appointment of two directors, one for each campus, and several chairs to manage the various programs. Academic year 1996-97 witnessed the appointment of two deans, one for each campus. In the same year, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) replaced the existing M.S. degree program. The introduction of two new undergraduate programs leading to Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in Economics, and Hospitality and Tourism Management took place in 2000, followed by the Executive Master’s in Business Administration (EMBA) Program. In 2001, the School of Business started to award a B.S. in Business instead of the B.A. degree. In 2011, the School of Business moved to truly become one university with two campuses with the appointment of one dean for the school.

There is a dedicated building for the Adnan Kassar School of Business in Beirut and a shared building for the school on the Byblos campus. Buildings are equipped with state-of-the-art classrooms (smart classrooms), spacious office facilities, numerous seminar rooms, auditoriums for conferences and presentations, business computer labs at which graduate assistants provide students with technical help, and that are equipped with state-of-the-art desktop computers and high speed laser jet printers, as well as updated business and statistical software, a cooperative learning center (CLC) to support students who are experiencing academic difficulties, hospitality management labs to integrate classroom instruction with extensive hands-on experience in food production and restaurant and hotel services, and lounges to encourage student and faculty-student interaction, among other things.

Mission

The Adnan Kassar School of Business at the Lebanese American University is dedicated to educating students, preparing them for an ever-changing business and economic environment, and contributing knowledge for industry and society.

Vision

The Adnan Kassar School of Business vision is to earn global recognition as a leading school of business in Lebanon and the Middle East and be recognized for excellence in teaching, research and community service.

The faculty, staff, students, and administrators in the School of Business are committed to academic integrity, and ethical and professional conduct.

Values

The core value system of the Adnan Kassar School of Business is based on Ethics, Integrity and Respect for Diversity and Equality.

The school encourages its faculty, staff, students and administrators to follow this value system in all their endeavors.

Adnan Kassar School of Business Facilities

The Adnan Kassar School of Business operates a dedicated building in Beirut and shares a building on the Byblos campus. The buildings are equipped with state-of-the-art smart classrooms, spacious office facilities, numerous seminar rooms, auditoriums for conferences and presentations, business computer labs at which graduate assistants provide students with technical help and that are equipped with state-of-the-art desktop computers and high speed laser jet printers, as well as updated business and statistical software. The school also operates a cooperative learning center (CLC) to support students who are experiencing academic difficulties, hospitality management labs to integrate classroom instruction with extensive hands-on experience in food production and restaurant and hotel services, and lounges to encourage student and faculty-student interaction, among other facilities.

School Administration

The school houses the departments of: 

• Economics
• Finance and Accounting
• Hospitality and Tourism Management
• Marketing
• Information Technology and Operation Management
• Management Studies

Dean

• Wassim Shahin, Ph.D.   Interim

Associate Deans

• Ghassan Dibeh, Ph.D.
• Salpie Djoundourian, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean

• Guy Assaker, Ph.D.

Chairs

• Wissam Abdallah, Ph.D., Finance & Accounting
• Ali Fakih, Ph.D., Economics
• Manal Younis, Ph.D., Information Technology & Operation Management
• Maya Farah, Ph.D., Marketing
• Said Ladki, Ph.D., Hospitality & Tourism Management
• Josiane Sreih, Ph.D., Management Studies

Co-Associate Chair Marketing and Management

• Grace Dagher, Ph.D.

Directors

• Khodr Fakih, Ph.D., Legal Studies
• Silva Karkoulian, Ph.D., Graduate Business Programs
• Abdul-Nasser Kassar, Ph.D., Graduate Business Online Programs

Staff

• Georgina Elias, Principal Executive Assistant
• Lina Abou Chacra, Lead Career & Placement Officer
• Samar Makhoul, Lead Accreditation & Continuous Improvement Coordinator
• Rola Bleik, Academic Assistant

Programs Offered

Undergraduate Majors

• B.S. in Business Studies
  • B.S. in Business Studies with Emphasis in Accounting
  • B.S. in Business Studies with Emphasis in Banking & Finance
  • B.S. in Business Studies with Emphasis in Family Entrepreneurial Business Management
  • B.S. in Business Studies with Emphasis in Information Technology Management
  • B.S. in Business Studies with Emphasis in International Business
  • B.S. in Business Studies with Emphasis in Management
  • B.S. in Business Studies with Emphasis in Marketing
• B.S. in Economics
• B.S. in Business Studies with Emphasis in Hospitality & Tourism Management

Graduate Programs

• LL.M. in Business Law
• Master of Arts in Applied Economics
• Executive Master of Business Administration (E.M.B.A.)
• Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) *
• Master of Science in Human Resources Management (H.R.M.)

Online Graduate Programs

• Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Global Business Administration (online)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Management (online)
• MBA in Business Analytics (online)

Minors

• Minor in Business
• Minor in Data Analytics
• Minor in Economics
• Minor in Hospitality & Tourism Management

* Pending completion of registration formalities with the New York State Education Department.