About LAU

Accreditation

Institutional Accreditation

LAU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. NECHE is the regional accrediting association in the United States developing and regularly reviewing standards for educational institutions of all levels. Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, NECHE accredits 241 colleges and universities in the six-state New England region as well as 11 institutions overseas.

Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the Commission should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:

New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
301 Edgewater Place, Suite 210, Wakefield, MA 01880
NECHE direct line: 781-425-7785
E-Mail: info@neche.org

LAU was granted initial accreditation for a five-year period following a site visit in November 2009. In 2014, LAU underwent a comprehensive evaluation and was re-accredited for a ten-year period. The stages LAU has completed since starting the first rigorous process in fall 2005 have demonstrated the university’s commitment to academic quality.

An interim report was submitted in 2019 which was approved by NECHE in 2020. The institution is currently undergoing a comprehensive evaluation for the purpose of re-accreditation for a ten-year period starting 2024.

Self-Study 2024 Timeline

Self-Study 2024 Committees

Program Accreditation

School of Architecture and Design

The Bachelor of Architecture program is accredited as of 2019 by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which accredits architecture programs in the United States. The program is the first in Lebanon and the third outside the United States to receive NAAB accreditation.

In addition, the Bachelor of Architecture Program is officially recognized by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication as equivalent to the Diplôme d’Etat D’Architecte (DEA), thus allowing our graduates to practice in France and the European Union.

The school is also accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) in the United States, covering the following degrees:

School of Arts and Sciences

LAU’s BS in Computer Science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

The BS in Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinated Program (CP) has been granted candidacy for accreditation by the accrediting agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the US. As the first step in a four-year accrediting process, the candidacy by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) grants current and future students the same rights of a fully accredited program. Out of only six international programs with ACEND accreditation, the CP in the Department of Natural Sciences is the only dietetics education program with a concentration in Interprofessional Education (IPE). It is also the only one in Lebanon to have an IPE approach.

Adnan Kassar School of Business

The Adnan Kassar School of Business’ undergraduate and graduate programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The programs are: BS in Business Studies, BS in Economics, BS in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), and MS in Human Resources Management.

In addition, the school’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA).

School of Engineering

The following programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org:

In addition, the aforementioned BE programs are accredited by the Federation of Arab Engineers.

Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine

The MD program has received provisional accreditation from the Turkish Association for Evaluation and Accreditation of Medical Education Programs (TEPDAD), which is the regional representative of the World Federation for Medical Education. The provisional accreditation allows LAU MD students and graduates to apply for an Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification, and is equivalent to a full accreditation in terms of opportunities provided. TEPDAD introduced the provisional status due to COVID-19-related restrictions and the absence of on-site visits required to determine full status.

The Clinical Simulation Center was re-accredited for five years by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) starting January 1, 2023. RCPSC has in place a formal accreditation system for simulation programs that aims to build capacity in simulation-based medical education. This accreditation is a voluntary process that reflects a simulation program’s ability to provide simulation-based educational activities that model the highest administrative, educational, and ethical standards.

Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing

The BS in Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

School of Pharmacy

The School of Pharmacy is a full member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). The Doctor of Pharmacy program at LAU is the only one outside the United States of America that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The initial accreditation review took place in 2002, when full accreditation was granted. Hence, Pharm.D. graduates are eligible for licensure as pharmacists in most U.S. states and provinces.

The Postgraduate Year One Pharmacy (PGY1) Pharmacy Residency conducted by the Lebanese American University (LAU) School of Pharmacy and the Lebanese American University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon, is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).