Decree No. 2870 Reorganizing the Faculty of Science at the Lebanese University (issued in Decree No. 141 dated 12/1/1983)

Article 1

The Faculty of Science at the Lebanese University consists of the following five academic departments:

1.          Department of Pure Mathematics.

2.          Department of Applied Mathematics.

3.          Department of Physical Sciences.

4.          Department of Chemical Sciences.

5.          Department of Natural Sciences.

Article 2

Each of the above-mentioned departments supervises the affairs of teaching the subjects prescribed in its department, and the departments cooperate with each other in teaching the common courses specified in the faculty's educational curricula.

Article 3

The Faculty of Science prepares its students for the following degrees:

1.        Bachelor of Teaching (Four years of university).

2.        Postgraduate Diploma.

3.        PhD.

Article 4

The above-mentioned bachelor's degree is prepared in two semesters, each of which has a statutory duration of two university years.

Article 5

Pass or fail in each of the two years of the first cycle is decided on the basis of the year system.

The second cycle follows the credit system.

Article 6

The Bachelor's degree referred to in Article 3 above is granted in the following majors:

1.     Pure Mathematics.

2.     Applied Mathematics:

·       Statistics

·       Informatics

3.     Physics:

·       General Physics

·       Electronics

4.     Chemistry

·       General Chemistry

·       Life Chemistry

5.     Biology

·       Zoology

·       Botany

·       Earth Science

Article 7

Each major in the bachelor's degree is based on the first episode described in the following detail:

1.       Bachelor Teaching Degree in Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics: Joint first cycle.

2.       Bachelor Teaching Degree in General Physics and Electronics: Joint first cycle.

3.       Bachelor Teaching Degree in General Chemistry and Biochemistry: Joint first cycle.

4.       Bachelor Teaching Degree in Natural Sciences: Joint first cycle with all majors.

Article 8

The curricula of the degrees taught by the Faculty of Science stipulated in Article 3 of this decree shall be determined by a decision of the University Council based on the proposal of the Faculty Council.

Article 9

The postgraduate and doctoral diploma system is governed by the provisions of Decree No. 900 dated 4/8/1983 (the general system of the doctoral degree at the Lebanese University).

Article 10

The equivalence between credits and academic years when a student is promoted or affiliated shall be decided by a decision of the Faculty Council.

Article 11

Decree No. 141 dated 12/1/1983 is repealed, as well as the texts that contradict the provisions of this decree or are incompatible with its content, especially those contained in Decree No. 2883 dated 16/12/1959.

Article 12

This decree shall be published and communicated where needed.

Baabda, 3 May 2000

Bachelor's Degree

Rules of registration

In order for students to be admitted to the first year of the Bachelor of Science degree in the specializations of the Faculty of Science, they are required to possess a high school diploma in the general science or life sciences section or any equivalent certificate.

In the academic registration, the student shall specify the courses in which he/she wishes to enroll, taking into account the rules of precedence.

A student may not enroll in courses with a total of more than 30 credits per semester.

If a student fails some courses or misses them in previous semesters, he/she should register for these courses and complete his/her registration in the rest of the courses according to the sequence in which they are distributed in the semesters.

Evaluation & Examination

Continuous assessment and final written examinations are used in all theoretical courses.

Continuous assessment utilizes various evaluation methods such as partial written exams, reports, and research papers.

The final written exams for each theoretical course are held in two sessions: The first is at the end of the semester and the second is determined by the Faculty Council.

The final written exam for each course includes one exam that does not exceed two hours.

The final grade for each theoretical course consists of a sum consisting of the continuous evaluation grade (30% of the grade) and the final written exam grade (70% of the grade).

Success in the first curricular year (i.e. the first and second semesters) depends on the overall average of all courses. A student is considered to have passed if he/she obtains an average of 50/100 and above without a second course in the first year.

Starting from the third semester (second curricular year), the course is adopted as a learning unit where the passing grade is 50/100 and above out of the total continuous assessment grade. The final written examination grade for the TP laboratory work courses follows a special system based on the weekly follow-up of the laboratory work and a final examination.

A second cycle of final written exams is conducted only for students who fail the courses of the second and third curricular years of the LMD, while retaining the continuous evaluation grade of the second cycle. In this case, the final grade consists of the sum of the continuous evaluation grade and the final written exam grade for the second cycle. If a student fails a course as a result of the second cycle exams, he/she repeats the course without retaining either the continuous evaluation grade or the final written exam grade.

Teaching foreign languages at the bachelor's level (French or English)

Beginning in the second semester, students follow a foreign language track that consists of three levels:

·       Level I (100 hours).

·       Level II (60 hours).

·       Level III (60 hours).

After passing the first year, the student takes a foreign language test that determines which level he or she should enroll in.

For example: A student who is exempted from Level 1 is enrolled in Level 2 starting in the fourth semester.

No exemption from Level 3 and enters the specialized track.

Master’s Degree

Research Master Degree

The function of the Research Master's degree is to prepare students who are oriented towards academic research in the broadest sense, including those who are going to pursue a PhD or those who are going to work in research centers.

Students are required to have a BA degree in their specialty to be admitted to the Research Master program.

Each research master program is established by a decision issued by the University Council, which specifies the following:

The role and tasks of the Faculty of Science in application of Decree 74 issued on February 22, 2007 (the establishment of three doctoral schools at the Lebanese University).

Specialization, curriculum, study system, evaluation system, and student admission system. The same decision also appoints a scientific committee, which is responsible for scientific and administrative supervision in coordination with the deans of the Faculty of Science and the doctoral school, and appoints one of its members as coordinator.

Professional Master Degree

The function of the Professional Master's Degree is to prepare highly qualified professionals at the theoretical and practical levels according to the requirements of the labor market.

In order for students to be admitted to the professional master's degree, they are required to possess a BA degree in the specialization.

Each professional master program is established by a decision issued by the University Council based on the recommendation of the Unit Council, specifying the specialization, curriculum, study and evaluation system, and student admission system. The same decision also appoints a scientific committee that undertakes scientific, administrative and professional supervision in coordination with the dean of the professional master's degree, and appoints one of its members as coordinator.

The creation of this degree is subject to a number of rules that ensure the realization of the objectives for which it was created, in terms of quality and compatibility with the needs of economic, social and educational activity in all its ramifications, on the one hand, and in accordance with the new European system, on the other hand. Consultations are also held with the competent professional bodies in the public and private sectors to develop the relevant professional master's curricula.

The curriculum of each professional master's degree includes an internship period of at least three months in an institution working in the field of the professional master's specialization and concludes with a report prepared by the student on the subject of the internship and is worth thirty credits.

University Diploma

In addition to the bachelor and master degrees, the Faculty of Science has the right to prepare scientific certificates based on special curricula within the specializations taught by the Faculty of Science and in different tracks to meet the needs of the labor market. This certificate is called a university diploma.

The university diploma consists of sixty (60) credits divided into two semesters.

The university diploma is established by a decision of the University Council based on the recommendation of the Faculty Council based on a feasibility study that specifies the following:

a.     Scientific major.

b.     Professional track (educational, professional, vocational, vocational training, specialization ........)

c.      The curriculum, study system, evaluation system, and student admission system.

Assessment and Examination System for the first semester of the Research and Professional Master's Degree and the University Diploma

The evaluation system adopted in the second and third years of the Bachelor's degree applies to the M1 Research and Professional Master's degree and the University Diploma.

Equivalencies and exemptions

Students who have studied at other universities or at one of the other LU faculties can join the faculty at the bachelor's or master's level after submitting a request to be considered by a committee according to a special system for equivalencies and exemptions.