Overview

The Honors Program at LAU invites exceptionally motivated and academically talented students from various disciplines to enhance their educational experience by honing their analytical and expressive powers, deepening their understanding of complex issues and questions, and broadening their perspectives. The program frames opportunities that are intellectually rigorous and inspired by foundational and advanced work in interdisciplinary thematic areas.

The program is aligned with the highest academic aspirations of LAU’s schools and departments, empowering students through resources within the program as well as the larger LAU, and connecting them to an active community of thinkers committed to making a difference.

Mission

The Honors Program is committed to providing Honors students with enhanced opportunities that will empower them academically, professionally and personally in meeting today’s challenges.

Admission

Students at LAU are eligible for admission to the Honors Program after completing at least 24 graded credits at LAU, in their major, with a minimum CGPA of 3.5. The program selects students based on both their academic achievement and their academic approach, accepting students who take an active approach to learning, take ownership of personal education, and make the most of their experience at LAU.

In addition to student transcripts, the selection process includes an interview.

Graduation Requirements and Regulations

The Honors Program is an established program with regulations and graduation requirements:

• Honors courses may not be audited or taken for a P/NP grade.
• There are a limited number of Honors sections, with no more than 25 students per class section.
• Students must complete six Honors courses (18 credits).
• Students must complete 3 or 4 Honors courses from the Liberal Arts and Sciences, and 2 or 3 major-specific Honors courses.
• Honors courses, identified by the letter “H” next to their number, are offered each semester exclusively for Honors Program students.
• Honors courses are not extra courses; they count toward the Liberal Arts and Sciences requirements and the major. Even if a student doesn’t complete all the requirements of the Honors Program, all credits earned in Honors courses will count toward graduation.
• Upon graduation, the distinction of “University Honors” will appear on the student’s transcript and permanent records.
• To continue in the Honors Program, students are expected to maintain a clean record (no violations of academic integrity) and a 3.5 CGPA (for students majoring in Bioinformatics, Biology, Business, Computer Science, Economics, Political Sciences, English and Psychology), or 3.2 CGPA (for students majoring in Engineering and Architecture) and have completed more than 90 credits in their major excluding freshman credits. If the CGPA falls below this requirement, but is at least 3.0, the student will be placed on Honors probation for one semester, excluding the summer term. If the required CGPA is not attained by the end of the probationary semester, the student is dismissed from the Honors Program.
• In order to graduate from the Honors Program, you are expected to obtain a minimum CGPA and a major honor courses GPA of 3.5 for all majors in the program except Engineering and Architecture. However, for Engineering and Architecture, a minimum CGPA and major honor courses GPA of 3.2 apply.
• Students must complete 3 workshops, which are zero-credit courses restricted for Honors students. These workshops develop the soft skills that are nowadays an essential requirement for success in the students’ academic life and career. They can choose from various topics that are offered every semester such as Emotional Intelligence, Life Balance, Goal Setting, Steer your Career, Leadership and Change, and Skills of Debate, among other topics.

Honors Courses

Honors courses emphasize enriched rather than accelerated learning for a greater intellectual and emotional investment. All Honors students participate in Honors courses, which are separate from regular courses and feature an interdisciplinary approach to a variety of topics taught by faculty across schools.

Honors courses enhance the undergraduate learning experience through smaller class sizes (an average of 20 students per class), increased student-faculty interaction, more individual attention, discussion-oriented sessions of contemporary issues, team-based projects specially designed to challenge talented students, and instruction by LAU’s accomplished Honors faculty.

Currently, students majoring in business, economics, architecture, political science, computer science, engineering, bioinformatics, biology, English and psychology can join the Honors Program. Please find below the course offering. These offerings are however, continuously updated, so students are urged to check with the Honors Program office or the program director for the latest additions.

LAS Honors Courses

Arabic

• ARA323H Abbasid Poetry
• ARA325H Classical Prose
• ARA344HTrends in Modern Literature

Arts

• IAA375H Introduction to Islamic Art
• ART431H Modern Art

History

• HST231H From Imarah to 1975-1990 War
• HST240H History of the Arab People
• HST241H History of Islam in the Middle East
• HST242H Europe and the Middle East

LAS

• LAS201H  Water Security
• LAS202H  Sustainable Food Systems
• LAS204H  Technology, Ethics & the Global Society
• LAS205H  Digital Cultures
• LAS209H  Doing Gender: Contextual Approaches
• LAS301H  Debating Sustainability

Literature

• ENG342H Modernism and Beyond
• ENG372H Comparative World Literature
• ENG216H Introduction to Literature
• ENG212H Literature II
• ENG346H Contemporary Culture

Psychology

• PSY303H Introduction to Neuroscience
• PSY335H Organizational Psychology
• PSY499H Senior Study

Science

• NUT201H Fundamentals of Human Nutrition
• ENV200H Introduction to Environmental Science

Social Sciences

• PJE201H Cross Cultural Communication for Peace
• POL231H Introduction to Human Rights

Major-Specific Honors Courses

Architecture

• ART431H Modern Art
• ARC462H Seminar in Architecture Theory
• ARC580HA Architectural Speculations
• IAA375H Introduction to Islamic Art

Bioinformatics

• BIF498HA Topics in Bioinformatics: Genomics Research Methods
• BIF498HB Topics in Bioinformatics: Adv. in Epigenetics & Therapeutics
• BIF498HC Topics in Bioinformatics: Tum Mrk & Targ.Cancer Therapy
• BIF498HD Topics in Bioinformatics: Medical trends in Immunology
• BIF498HE Topics: Data Visualization
• BIF498HF Topics: Human Genetics
• BIF498HG Topics: Comp. Methods in Biology
• BIF498HH  Special Topics : Network Science                  
• BIF515H Machine Learning
• BIF599H Capstone Project

Biology

• BIO401H Developmental Biology
• BIO488HA Special Topics: Adv. in Epigenetics & Therapeutics
• BIO488HB Special Topics: Tum Mrk & Trg Can Therapy
• BIO488HC Special Topics: Bioinformatics:Tools & Apps
• BIO488HD Special Topics: Genomics Research Methods
• BIO488HE Special Topics: Advanced Human Genetics
• BIO488HF Special Topics: Advanced Molecular Biology
• BIO488HG Special Topics: Medical Trends in Immunology
• BIO488HH Special Topics: 4D Biology
• BIO488HI Tp: Microbial Pathogenesis
• BIO488HJ  Special Topics: Fungal Genetics & Pathogenicity
• BIO488HK Tp: Environmental Health & Toxicology
• BIO488HL Tp: Drug Discovery & Development
• BIO488HM Topics: Health Informatics
• BIO499PH/BIO499RH Senior Study

Business

• FIN301H Managerial Finance
• MGT420H Strategic Planning & Policy Formulation
• OPM301H Operation and Production Management

Computer Science

• CSC498HA Topics in Computer Science: Algorithmic Graph Theory
• CSC498HB Topics in Computer Science: High Perform Comp Arch
• CSC498HC Topics in Computer Science: Pervasive Computing & Wireless Network
• CSC498HD Topics in Computer Science: Meta-Heuristics
• CSC498HE Topics in Computer Science: Cryptography & Data Security
• CSC498HF Topics in Computer Science: Software Quality Assurance and Testing
• CSC498HGTopics: Data Mining
• CSC498HH Topics in Real Time System 
• CSC498HI Topics: Intro to Script Program
• CSC498HJ Special topics: Data Science
• CSC498HK Topics: Network Security
• CSC498HL  Topics: Network Programming
• CSC498HM Topics: Blockchain Systems
• CSC498HN  Sp. Top: Network Science                  
• CSC498HO Sp. Top: Design and Analysis of Algorithms               
• CSC599H Capstone Project

Economics

• ECO402HA Topics in Capitalism from Marx to Piketty
• ECO402HB Topics in Challenges of Economic Development in the Middle East
• ECO402HC Topics in Applied Econometrics
• ECO402HD Topics in Energy Policy
• ECO402HE Applied Econometrics II
• ECO402HF Cent.Bank.Dig.Cur.& Mon.Pol
• ECO402HG Topics in Advanced Macroeconomics
• ECO402HH Topics in Advanced Macroeconomics 
• ECO402HI Topics in  Economic Foundation of Political Institution
• ECO402HJ Topic: Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modeling  
• ECO402HK Sp. Top in Eco Introduction to Time Series Econometrics
• ECO402HL  Tp: Firms, Markets & Economies
• ECO402HM Tp: Urban & Regional Economics
• FIN301H Managerial Finance

Engineering

• COE594H Undergraduate Research Project for Computer Engineering
• COE598H Research Methods
• ELE594H Undergraduate Research Project for Electrical Engineering
• ELE598H Research Methods 
• GNE335H Introduction to Sustainable Engineering
• GNE337H Intro. To Virtual Reality
• GNE340H Engineering Entrepreneurship
• INE320H Engineering Economy
• INE594H Undergraduate Research Project
• MCE594H Undergraduate Research Project for Computer Engineering
• MCE598H Research Methods
• CIE598H Research Methods
• CIE599H Undergraduate Research Project
• MEE594H Undergraduate Research Project
• MEE598H Research Methods
• PTE594H Undergraduate Research Project
• PTE598H Research Methods

English

• ENG212H Literature II
• ENG216H Introduction to Literature
• ENG342H Modernism and Beyond
• ENG346H Contemporary Culture
• ENG372H Comparative Literature
• ENG381H Corpus Linguistics
• ENG479HA Topics in Literature & Culture: Extinction and Survival: Paradigms from the Middle East
• ENG479HB Topics in Literature & Culture: Issues and Problems in US Writing and Culture 

Political Science

• POL231H Introduction to Human Rights
• POL321H American Government and Politics
• POL334H Negotiation and Bargaining
• POL422H The M.E. in World Affairs
• POL499H Senior Study
• POL437HA Topics in POL/IA: Politics of Extremism
• POL437HB Topics in POL/IA: The Arab Spring and its Spillover Effects: Backlash and Opportunities
• POL437HC Topics in POL/IA: Theories in International Affairs
• POL437HD Topics in POL/IA: Political Theory
• POL437HE Topics in POL/IA: Refugee Politics and International Perspective on Refugee Governance
• POL437HF Topics in POL/IA: Theories of Wars and Conflicts
• POL437HG Topics in POL/IA: Comparative Politics of the Middle East
• POL437HH Topics in POL/IA: Women, Peace, and Security
• POL437HI Topics in POL/IA: Turkey and the Middle East Today
• POL437HJ Topics in POL/IA: Migration and Cultural Practices
• POL437HK Topics in POL/IA: Gender and Public Policies in IGS
• POL437HL Topics in POL/IA: Migration and Development
• POL437HM  Topics in Soc Mov. Theo & Com Case Std.
• POL437HN Topics in POL/IA: Politics and Migration
• POL437HO Topics in Gender and Public Policy
• POL437HP  Topics: Peacemaking, Keeping & Bldg
• POL437HQ  Topics: Int. Migration & Refugee Law
• POL437HR  Topics Pol. Int.: Upri.& Pl. Chan. in ME
• POL437HS  Topics: The Inter. Pol. of Migration
• POL437HT  Topics: ME Pluralism & inclu states
• POL437HU  Topics: Inter. Acct. Mech.& Tran. Just.
• POL437HV  Topics: Gender & the Media
• POL437HW Topics: Gender & Polit. Psychology
• POL437HX  Topics:Dispute Settle. in Int. Law

Psychology

• PSY303H Introduction to Neuroscience
• PSY335H Organizational Psychology
• PSY499H Senior Study

Workshops Offered

Soft skills accompany the hard skills, that is why it is important for students to focus as much on soft skill training and development as they do on traditional hard skills. Soft skills are increasingly becoming the hard skills of today’s workforce. Teamwork, leadership, and communication are underpinned by soft skill development. Since each is an essential element for organizational and personal success, developing these skills through specialized workshops is crucial for career success.

The workshops offered so far:

• WRK200H Emotional Intelligence I
• WRK201H Emotional Intelligence II
• WRK202H Life Balance
• WRK203H Skills of Debate
• WRK204H Goal Setting and Vision Boarding
• WRK205H Steer Your Career
• WRK206H Steer Your Career
• WRK207H Leadership and Change
• WRK208H Comm-U-nicate
• WRK209H Ace your Interview
• WRK210H Own the Stage: How to Deliver more Impactful Presentations
• WRK211H Performance Elevated
• WRK212H Stress and Time Management for Effective Decision Making
• WRK213H Best Tools to Optimize your Digital Marketing Presence
• WRK214H Creating Self-Awareness through Emotional Intelligence
• WRK215H Identifying “Character Strengths” to Create Self-Awareness
• WRK216H Developing Stronger Relationships through Emotional Intelligence
• WRK217H Using Emotional Intelligence for Managing Decisions and Procrastination
• WRK218H Identifying the stressors and learning approaches for stress management
• WRK219H Pitching in Public
• WRK220H Building Resilience
• WRK221H Rewiring your Brain by shifting from Negative Thinking to a more Positive Outlook
• WRK222H Learning Agility
• WRK223H Understanding and Accepting Emotions in Challenging Times
• WRK224H Assessing and Regulating Emotions in Challenging Times
• WRK225H Meaning and Purpose Discovery
• WRK226H Meaning, Purpose and Well Being
• WRK227H Finding Optimism In Challenging Times
• WRK228H Guideposts To Choice And Conscious Decision Making
• WRK229H How To Undergo A Meaningful Fulfilled Life
• WRK230H The Values Workshop
• WRK231H Building Life Resilience Through Meaning

Contact Information

Director
Ms. Ghada El-Zakhem Naous

Senior Academic Assistant
Ms. Rima Mirdas Kurdi

Location and Contact Information

The office of the Honors Program is located in:

• Beirut: Nicol Hall, Room 310
• Byblos: Block A, Room 701

For more information, visit Honors Program. Or contact us at honorsprogram@lau.edu.lb.