Student Development & Enrollment Management

Historical Background

The university’s early days in 1835 find a reminder in an engraved stone in Beirut's city center: "Site of the first edifice built as a school for girls in the Turkish Empire." The engraving refers to the American School for Girls, established in Beirut by American Presbyterian missionaries.

Then in 1924 a two-year program was added to the high school, providing a junior college curriculum. In 1927 the American Junior College for Women (AJCW) became a separate institution and was transferred to Ras Beirut. Six years later it moved to its present location.

In 1948-49 the AJCW program was expanded into a university-level institution under the name of Beirut College for Women (BCW). During that academic year, it was granted a provisional charter by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and authorized to bestow the Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Applied Sciences (AAS) degrees for a two-year course. In 1955 the Board of Regents granted the College an absolute charter with all its rights and privileges, including the authority to hand out Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), Associate in Arts and Associate in Applied Science degrees. As a recognized university-level liberal arts college, it played a key role in serving the educational, social and economic needs of the Middle East.

In 1970 another milestone was reached when the Lebanese Government officially recognized BCW's BA and BS degrees as equivalent to the national Licence. Having accepted men into some AA programs, the college in 1973 changed its name to Beirut University College (BUC). The following academic year five BA/BS majors were opened to male students, and in October 1975 men were admitted into all programs. In 1978, BUC opened an off-campus program in the north and a year later another one was operational in the south. Adding to the college's constantly evolving programs, in 1985, the Board of Regents amended the charter to include two branches. In 1987, based on the amended charter, BUC opened its northern branch on the outskirts of the historical port of Byblos in rented buildings in Amsheet. In October 1991 classes started in the newly built campus at Blat overlooking Byblos. It was officially inaugurated on July 16, 1992.

According to a Board decision, BUC became a University in October 1992. In 1994, the Board of Regents in New York approved BUC's request to change into the Lebanese American University (LAU), reflecting further growth and the addition of several professional schools. In the Fall 2001 semester, more than 5,000 students were enrolled at LAU at its three campuses.