All students who joined LAU or changed their major in AY 2022-2023 and beyond should follow curriculum Z. This new curriculum caters for the multidisciplinary education of generation Z. The courses offered are linked to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and capture the spirit of the major problems that our world is facing.

Undergraduate students who joined LAU prior to AY 2022-2023 follow curriculum A, except students enrolled in the B.S. in Pharmacy prior to AY 2022-2023 follow curriculum B. 

Curriculum Z

Mission

The mission of the Liberal Arts and Science Curriculum is to foster the education of the cultured and civically engaged person, and the formation of students as future leaders in an increasingly complex world.

Curriculum A

Curriculum A offers students a selection of courses in a variety of subjects that aim to complement their major of study and to broaden their intellectual exposure. It is divided into a core of required courses, and a wide selection of electives in the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences.

Program Requirements:

A.    Required Core Courses (6 credits)
B.    Elective Courses (remainder credits according to program- see specific program requirements below)

Specific Program Requirements:

• For a B.A. degree, a total of 60 post-Freshman credits of LAS is required, including the 6 core credits. The 54 remaining credits are to be taken from the list of courses in section B, according to the specific program guidelines.
• For a B.S. in Nursing, a total of 36 post-Freshman credits of LAS is required, including the 6 core credits. The remaining 30 credits are to be taken from the list of courses in section B, according to the specific program guidelines.
• For a 3-year B.S. degree, a total of 30 post-Freshman credits of LAS is required, including the 6 core credits. The remaining 24 credits are to be taken from the list of courses in section B, according to the specific program guidelines.
• For a 4-year B.S. degree, the total number of required post-Freshman credits of LAS is 45, including the 6 core credits. The remaining 39 credits are to be taken from the list of courses in section B, according to the specific program guidelines.
• For a BFA/ B.E./ B. Arch. degree, a total of 18 post-Freshman credits of LAS is required, including the 6 core course credits. The remaining 12 credits can be taken from the list of courses in section B, according to the specific program guidelines.

A.  Required Courses (6 credits)

• ENG202 Advanced Academic English (3 cr.)
• COM203 Art of Public Communication (3 cr.)

B.  Elective Courses

The Liberal Arts Electives are organized under 3 general categories. Selection of electives from these categories is subject to the criteria specific to each program.

1.     Arts & Humanities:

Arabic Literature

• ARA323     Abbasid Poetry  (Also ARA323H)  (3 cr.)
• ARA325     Classical Prose  (Also ARA325H)  (3 cr.)
• ARA341     Modern Arabic Novel and Short Story  (3 cr.)
• ARA342     Arabic Drama  (3 cr.)
• ARA343     Modern Arabic Poetry  (3 cr.)
• ARA313     Creative Writing  (3 cr.)
• ARA328     Arabic Folk Literature  (3 cr.)
• ARA344     Trends in Modern Literature   (Also ARA344H)  (3 cr.)

Communication and Journalism

• JSC480      Global Media Literacy  (This course is part of the exchange program with Salzburg University)  (3 cr.)
• JSC481      Global Change, Cooperation & News  (3 cr.)

Cultural Studies

• CST203      Cultural Studies III  (3 cr.)   (Also CST203H) 

English Literature

• ENG211      Literature I  (3 cr.)
• ENG212      Literature II  (3 cr.)  (Also ENG212H)
• ENG216      Introduction to Literature  (3 cr.)  (Also ENG216H) 
• ENG282      Language and the Media  (3 cr.)
• ENG283      Language and Gender  (3 cr.)
• ENG301      Food and Travel Writing  (3 cr.)    
• ENG342      Modernism and Beyond  (3 cr.)   (Also ENG342H) 
• ENG346      Contemporary Culture  (3 cr.)  (Also ENG346H)  
• ENG366      Creative Writing  (3 cr.)
• ENG376      Gender in Literature  (3 cr.)
• ENG372      Comparative and World Literature  (3 cr.)   (Also ENG372H)  

History

• HST231      History of Lebanon, from the Imarah to the 1975-1990 War  (3 cr.)  (also HST231H)
• HST240      History of the Arab Peoples    (Also HST240H)  (3 cr.)
• HST241      History of Islam in the Middle East  (3 cr.)
• HST242      Europe and the Middle East (1798-1956)  (3 cr.)  (Also HST242H) 
• HST305      Contemporary Europe 1945-1989  (3 cr.)

Performing Arts and TV & Film

• PFA211      Survey of Western Music  (3 cr.)
• PFA212      Survey of Middle Eastern Music  (3 cr.)
• PFA222     Art of Dance  (3 cr.)
• PFA242     Art of Theater  (3 cr.)
• PFA249     Theater in Lebanon and the Arab World  (3 cr.)
• PFA314     World Music History  (3 cr.)
• TVF221     Art of Film  (3 cr.)

Philosophy

• PHL301      Ethics  (3 cr.)
• PHL302      Theory of Knowledge  (3 cr.)
• PHL306      Existentialism  (3 cr.)
• PHL311      Philosophy of Religion  (3 cr.)
• PHL322      Philosophy in Literature and Film (3 cr.)     (Also PHL322H) 
• PHL324      Philosophy of Science  (3 cr.)

Fine Arts

• ART331      History of Art I (3cr.)
• ART332      History of Art II (3cr.)
• ART431      Modern Art (3cr.)   Also (ART431 H)
• PHO231     History and Theory of Photography (3cr.)
• IAA375        Introduction to Islamic Art (650-1650) (3 cr.) (Also IAA375 H)

Interdisciplinary Courses

• LAS204      Technology, Ethics, and the Global Society (3 cr.)/ LAS204M Ethics in Biomedical Research and Practice (3 cr.)
• LAS206      Minds & Machines (3 cr.)
• LAS301      Debating Sustainability (3 cr.)   (Also LAS301H)

2. Natural Sciences and Mathematics:

Natural Sciences

• AST200     Introduction to Astronomy  (3 cr.)
• BIO201      General Biology I  (3 cr.)
• BIO202      General Biology II  (3 cr.)
• CHM201    Chemical Principles  (3 cr.)
• CHM205    Fundamentals of Chemistry (3 cr.)  - As of Spring 2019
• CHM301    Analytical Chemistry  (3 cr.)
• ENV200     Introduction to Environmental Science  (3 cr.)      (Also ENV200H)
• NUT201     Fundamentals of Human Nutrition  (3 cr.)       (Also NUT201H)
• LAS202     Sustainable Food Systems (3 cr.)
• LAS203     Sustainable Energy (3 cr.)

3. Social Sciences

• PJE201        Cross-cultural Communication and Conflict  (3 cr.)     (Also PJE201H)
• POL201        Introduction to Political Science  (3 cr.)
• POL231        Introduction to Human Rights  (3 cr.)        (Also POL231H)
• PSY201        Introduction to Psychology  (3 cr.)
• PSY202        Child Psychology  (3 cr.)
• SOC201       Introduction to Sociology  (3 cr.)
• SOC215       Introduction to Gender Studies  (3 cr.)
• SOC488D    Fundamentals of Gender Discrimination (3 cr.)
• WOS313      Women in the Arab World: Sociological Perspectives  (3 cr.)
• ECO201       Microeconomics  (3 cr.)
• ECO202       Macroeconomics  (3 cr.)
• LAS201        Water Security (3 cr.)
• LAS205        Digital Cultures (3 cr.)
• LAS207        Intro to Migration Studies (3 cr.)
• LAS208        Wellbeing Matters (3 cr.)
• LAS209        Doing Gender: Contextual Approaches (3 cr.)
• LAS302        Inquiry for Innovation (3 cr.)
• LAS601       Writing in the disciplines (3 cr.)

Curriculum B

Curriculum B consists of 13 credits of required courses and 21 credits of elective courses, for a total of 34 credits.

A. Required Core Courses (13 credits)

English (6 cr.)

• ENG202 Advanced Academic English (3 cr.)
• COM203 Art of Public Communication (3 cr.)

Arabic Language or Literature (3 cr.)

• ARA303      Arabic Grammar and Syntax (3 cr.)
• ARA310      Classical Arabic Rhetoric and Literary Criticism (3 cr.)
• ARA313      Creative Writing (3 cr.)
• ARA320      Pre-Islamic and Umayyad Poetry (3 cr.)
• ARA323      Abbasid Poetry (3 cr.)
• ARA323H   Abbasid Poetry (3 cr.)
• ARA324     Andalusian Literature (3 cr.)
• ARA325     Classical Prose (3 cr.)
• ARA330     Lebanese Literary Heritage (3 cr.)
• ARA341     Modern Arabic Novel and Short Story (3 cr.)
• ARA342     Arabic Drama (3 cr.)
• ARA343     Modern Arabic Poetry (3 cr.)
• ARA344     Trends in Modern Arabic Literature (3 cr.)
• ARA344H  Trends in Modern Literature (3 cr.)

Computer Applications (1 cr.)

• CSC201    Computer Applications (1 cr.)

Ethics (1 cr.)

• ETH201    Moral Reasoning (1 cr.)

Basic Health (1 cr.)

• HLT201   Basic Health (1 cr.)

Physical Education (1 cr.)

• PED211     Beginning Swimming (1 cr.)
• PED218    Table Tennis (1 cr.)
• PED220    Beginning Tennis (1 cr.)
• PED231    Modern Dance (1 cr.)
• PED232    Folk Dance (1 cr.)
• PED251    BasketBall (1 cr.)
• PED261    VolleyBall (1 cr.)
• PED271    Tae-Kwan-Do (1 cr.)
• PED291    Physical Fitness (1 cr.)

B. Elective Courses (21 credits)

1. Cultural Studies, History, Philosophy, Religion

A minimum of three and a maximum of nine credits of Cultural Studies, History or Philosophy

Cultural Studies

• CST203     Cultural Studies III  (3 cr.)      (Also CST203H)

History

• HST231         History of Lebanon, from the Imarah to the 1975-1990 War  (3 cr.)
• HST240         History of the Arab Peoples  (3 cr.)     (Also HST240H)
• HST241         History of Islam in the Middle East  (3 cr.)
• HST242         Europe and the Middle East (1798-1956)  (3 cr.)    (Also HST242H)
• HST305         Contemporary Europe 1945-1989 (3 cr.)

Philosophy

• PHL301          Ethics  (3 cr.)
• PHL302          Theory of Knowledge  (3 cr.)
• PHL306          Existentialism  (3 cr.)
• PHL311          Philosophy of Religion  (3 cr.)
• PHL322          Philosophy in Literature and Film  (3 cr.)       (Also PHL322H)
• PHL324          Philosophy of Science  (3 cr.)

2. Literature

A minimum of three and a maximum of six credits of Literature, taught in the English language.

English Literature

• ENG211          Literature I  (3 cr.)
• ENG212          Literature II  (3 cr.)      (Also ENG212H)
• ENG216          Introduction to Literature  (3 cr.)      (Also ENG216H)
• ENG282          Language and the Media  (3 cr.)
• ENG283          Language and Gender  (3 cr.)
• ENG301          Food and Travel Writing  (3 cr.)    
• ENG342          Modernism and Beyond  (3 cr.)      (Also ENG342H)
• ENG346          Contemporary Culture  (3 cr.)      (Also ENG346H)
• ENG366          Creative Writing  (3 cr.)
• ENG376          Gender in Literature  (3 cr.)
• ENG372          Comparative and World Literature  (3 cr.)    (Also ENG372H)

3. Sciences

• AST200       Introduction to Astronomy  (3 cr.)
• BIO201       General Biology I  (3 cr.)
• BIO202       General Biology II  (3 cr.)
• CHM201     Chemical Principles  (3 cr.)
• CHM205     Fundamentals of Chemistry (3 cr.)  - As of Spring 2019
• CHM301     Analytical Chemistry  (3 cr.)
• ENV200      Introduction to Environmental Science  (3 cr.)   (Also ENV200H)
• NUT201      Fundamentals of Human Nutrition  (3 cr.)     (Also NUT201H)
• LAS202      Sustainable Food Systems (3 cr.)
• LAS203      Sustainable Energy (3 cr.)

4. Arts

Performing Arts and TV & Film

• PFA211        Survey of Western Music  (3 cr.)
• PFA212        Survey of Middle Eastern Music  (3 cr.)
• PFA222       Art of Dance  (3 cr.)
• PFA242       Art of Theater  (3 cr.)
• PFA249       Theater in Lebanon and the Arab World  (3 cr.)
• PFA314       World Music History  (3 cr.)
• TVF221       Art of Film  (3 cr.)

Fine Arts

• ART331     History of Art I (3 cr.)
• ART332     History of Art II (3 cr.)
• ART431     Modern Art (3 cr.)   Also (ART431H)
• PHO231    History and Theory of Photography (3 cr.)
• IAA375       Introduction to Islamic Art (650-1650) (3 cr.)     (Also IAA375H)

5. Social Sciences

• PJE201        Cross-cultural Communication and Conflict  (3 cr.)     (Also PJE201H)
• POL201       Introduction to Political Science  (3 cr.)
• POL231       Introduction to Human Rights  (3 cr.)       (Also POL231H)
• PSY201       Introduction to Psychology  (3 cr.)
• PSY202       Child Psychology  (3 cr.)
• SOC201      Introduction to Sociology  (3 cr.)
• SOC215      Introduction to Gender Studies  (3 cr.)
• SOC488D    Fundamentals of Gender Discrimination (3 cr.)
• WOS313     Women in the Arab World: Sociological Perspectives  (3 cr.)
• ECO201      Microeconomics  (3 cr.)
• ECO202      Macroeconomics  (3 cr.)
• LAS201       Water Security (3 cr.)
• LAS205       Digital Cultures (3 cr.)
• LAS207       Intro to Migration Studies (3 cr.)
• LAS208       Wellbeing Matters (3 cr.)
• LAS209       Doing Gender: Contextual Approaches  (3 cr.)
• LAS302       Inquiry for Innovation (3 cr.)

Notes:
1.
a.       Entering Freshman students with scores between 102 and 122 on the Entrance English Exam (EEE), or its equivalent on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the IELTS, the Duolingo English Test (DET), or the SAT Reading and Writing Section, must take ENG009 Remedial English (valued at three non-credits), ENG101 Academic English I (worth three credits), and ENG102 Academic English II (worth three credits), before taking the Sophomore level English courses.
b.      Entering Freshman students with scores between 123 and 134 on the EEE, or its equivalent on the TOEFL, the IELTS, the Duolingo English Test (DET), or the SAT Reading and Writing Section, must take ENG101 Academic English I (worth three credits), and ENG102 Academic English II (worth three credits), before taking the Sophomore level English courses.
c.       Entering Freshman students with scores between 135 and 147 on the EEE, or its equivalent on the TOEFL, the IELTS, the Duolingo English Test (DET), or the SAT Reading and Writing Section, if enrolled in a BA/BS program, must take ENG102 Academic English II (worth three credits) before taking the Sophomore level English courses. They must also take three elective credits to make up for the missing credits. 

2. Sophomore students who are exempted from Arabic by the Admissions Council, must substitute the Arabic course by one of the following courses:

• SAR221 Developmental Arabic (3 cr.)
• SOC321 Sociology of the Arab World (3 cr.)
• WOS313 Women in the Arab World (3 cr.)
• HST230 History of Lebanon, from Antelias Man to the Ottoman Conquest (3 cr.)
• HST231 History of Lebanon, from the Imarah to the 1975-1990 War (3 cr.)
• HST240 History of the Arab Peoples (3 cr.)