Dear student,

LGU is pleased to welcome you as one of its community members. In deciding to pursue your undergraduate education at our university, you have chosen a distinctive institution that is committed to academic excellence. LGU will shape and refine your vision of who you want to become and lead you through your path to achieve success.

Perfectly attuned to its mission and values, LGU is known for its student- centered approach while providing quality education services.

We encourage you to read this handbook as it will assist you in your education process. Here you can find the main rules that you should be aware of, and get acquainted with some important terms and procedures. If you need any help in understanding any item you come across, do not hesitate to call on your assigned advisor or Chairperson. Academic staff is always available to coach you throughout your path, and the SAO is in charge of your administrative and financial inquiries.

This handbook is available in hard copy and online, uploaded on the student portal to facilitate reading when needed. That way, it can also accompany you on your mobile.

 

#DEFINITIONS

New students: students who are registering for the first time at LGU

Current students: students who were registered at LGU for at least one semester

Advisor: faculty member who is in charge of your academic path

Chairperson: the Head of the Department in which you are enrolled. He/she can be your advisor too.

GPA: your computed average. Term GPA (average of a specific semester) and cumulative GPA (average to date).

Registrar: the person responsible for students’ records, academic rules and regulations, assigning classes, scheduling exams, and  completing   the degree requirements and graduation clearance.

Business Officer: the person responsible of students’ financial matters

Students Affairs Officer (SAO): the    person responsible of the students’ administrative inquiries, financial aid, petitions and activities.

Academic calendar: a calendar listing all deadlines and important dates that occur during a certain academic year.

#REGISTRATION

All students, except new students, should abide by the online registration date announced by the Registrar and posted on LGU website (www.lgu.edu.lb) under Academic Calendar.

New students should follow the below steps:

REGISTRATION OF NEW STUDENTS

DEADLINE STEPS
On  application  day
  • Fill in an Application Form at the Admissions Office
  • Pay application and Entrance Exam fees at the Business Office and check Entrance Exam* date
On Entrance Exam* day
  • Do the Entrance Exam
  • Receive Letter of Admission (including ID# and meeting date with Advisor)
  • Receive Letter from Vice President (including payment procedure and deadlines)
On advising day (meeting with Advisor)
  • Meet the advisor and register the courses
  • Have the registration form signed by the Dean then the Registrar
  • Confirm the payment plan with the Business Office
One   week   before start   of   semester
  • Settle the down payment at the Business Office
Second week of semester
  • Sign the statement of fees at the Business Office (failure to do so will result in courses being dropped automatically)

*The Entrance Exam decides whether students need remedial courses in languages or math. Such courses are not computed in their GPA.

Current students should follow the below steps:

REGISTRATION OF CURRENT STUDENTS

DEADLINE STEPS
Online registration week
  • Register online during the specified online registration week mentioned in the Academic Calendar
  • Check date and time of meeting with advisor on student’s portal and print out pay slip that shows when first payment is due
  • Make sure to settle registration fees before meeting the advisor

 

DEADLINE STEPS
On advising day
  • Meet with your advisor
  • Confirm registration and sign registration form at the advisor’s office
  • Have the registration form signed by the Dean and then the Registrar
Before the start of the semester
  • Settle your first payment at any branch of Crédit Libanais
Second  week  of the  semester
  • Sign the statement of fees at the Business Office (failure to do so will result in courses being dropped automatically)

When students are registering courses, they are encouraged to follow their advisor’s opinion depending on their academic history (GPA, pre- requisites, graduation term, etc.)

Late registration, i.e. registration happening after the deadline (during the first week of the semester), is subject to a late registration fee. No student is allowed to register after the Late Registration Period. Students should start by registering Remedial courses (if applicable) before registering regular courses.

Students should complete all prerequisites for the course they want to register. Therefore, they cannot register in a course that has a pre- requisite that remains to be done, or for which they have received a grade “F” or “W” or “AW” or “I”.

#STUDENT COURSE LOAD

Students are advised to register at least 15 credits per semester, excluding Remedial courses. To be considered full timers, students have to register a minimum of 25 credits per semester. Therefore, students registered in less than 25 credits are considered part timers.

Students with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher are allowed to carry up to 30 credits per semester.

Students who have two or more ‘Incomplete’ grades from a previous semester are not allowed to carry more than 20 credits.

The maximum course load for the summer semester is 15 credits

#DROP & ADD

Students may add or drop a course during the Drop/Add period as scheduled in the Academic Calendar. Their payments vary according to how many courses they drop or add. If a student chooses to drop a course after the assigned Drop/Add deadline, the course is considered a ‘Withdraw’ course. In this case, the student will have to pay the fees allocated for that course and will be assigned a ‘Withdraw’ grade (W). Remedial courses for which students get a ‘P’ or ‘NP’ grade are not subject to any Drop/Add rule.

There is no Drop/Add period for summer semesters.

#WITHDRAWAL

Students may officially withdraw from a course if they feel they cannot continue taking it or if they receive relatively low grades on Tests and Midterm.  The «W» grade does not affect the GPA.

Nevertheless, the ‘Withdrawal’ should be finalized within the deadline of the Withdrawal period as set on the Academic Calendar. It is the responsibility of the student to fill in a Withdrawal Form with the Advisor within the deadline.

Students who do not officially withdraw from a course and fail to do the course exams will get an ‘F’ grade on that course. Remedial courses for which students get a ‘P’ or ‘NP’ grade are not subject to any Withdrawal rule.

#SYLLABUS

The syllabus is a contract between the instructor and the students. Its content is discussed on the first session of the semester (objective and outcome of the course, course outline, class rules, grading distribution…). It is the students’ duty to print out the syllabus from their portal and bring it along with them on the first session of the course.

#REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

Students are not allowed to enter the classroom without the relevant book(s) and handouts. Students may also be assigned references in LGU’s library, which they can consult. Some handouts can be found on the portal and printed out. The rest can be found in the bookshop or LGU’s library.

#CLASS RULES

Students should be aware of the following class rules:

  • They should come to class on time with their books and needed  handouts;
  • They cannot leave class before the session is over;
  • Cell phones should be turned off and put away during class sessions. Therefore, students are not allowed to place or receive calls or even send text messages during class sessions;
  • Eating, drinking, chewing, or smoking is not allowed inside the classrooms or along hallways;
  • Scribbling on classroom desks, walls, and doors is strictly forbidden, and will be subject to disciplinary measures;
  • Students should handle University equipments (computers; projectors; CD players…) with care. They are accountable for any misuse of such equipments.

#ATTENDANCE & ABSENTEEISM

Attendance at LGU is mandatory.

Students should be aware that absences to a class cannot exceed the allowed absenteeism rate; otherwise, they will be assigned an Academic Withdrawal (AW), which will force them to abandon the course.

In order to check their attendance status, students should refer to their advisor. Students will be notified by e-mail when they reach a critical absenteeism rate.

Students should be aware that each absence affects the grade attributed to Attendance / Participation.

In the event of absence for a Midterm or Final exam, students should fill in a petition form at the SAO within 48 hours of the absence.

The petition is taken into consideration only if it corresponds to one of the following situations:

  • death of a direct family member, supported by documents
  • emergency hospitalization of the student himself/herself, supported by documents
  • major car accident occurring at the time of the exam, provided it is certified by an expert

In the event of absence for a test or quiz, students are allowed to repeat it if the reason of his/her absence is deamed valid by the chairperson. If not, the student shall be given a zero on that test/quiz.

STUDENT’S CODE OF CONDUCT

All students are bound to display good conduct in line with LGU Student’s Code of Conduct (full code can be consulted at the SAO). Consequently, students are accountable for any violation of this Code in the following cases:

  • Strikes/Riots
  • Distribution of Unauthorized Published Material
  • Theft
  • Destruction of Property/Endangering Public Safety
  • Causing Mental or Physical Harm
  • Possession of Dangerous Weapons or illegal Materials
  • Discrimination and Harassment
  • Smoking and Alcohol
  • Misuse of equipment
  • Inappropriate Conduct in LGU Library, Classes, and Internship Venues

Any violation of any kind will be subject to disciplinary action by the Campus Affairs Council that may also refer the case to the Lebanese law enforcement bodies if needed as detailed in the code of conduct.

#ACADEMIC CALENDAR AND WEBSITE

Students should abide by the Academic Calendar set by the Administration and posted on LGU’s website (www.lgu.edu.lb) in order to know the exact deadlines for registration, online and late registration, drop/add, and withdrawal periods. They should also consult the Calendar to know about Midterm and Final exam dates. Students should regularly consult the University website, their LGU email and student portal for any other announcement or information related to academic matters or non-academic activities. Ignoring or not knowing the deadlines will not lead to any exception and students will lose their rights to appeal.

#STUDENT’S PORTAL AND E-MAIL

At the start of the semester, LGU students are granted access to their personal portal, listed under ‘Quick Links’, ‘Student Portal’ on the website of the University. Through their portal, they can access information on registered courses, syllabi, statement of fees, contract sheets, course schedule, personal profile, smart advising… They should also check their personal LGU email from their portal to get all the information sent to them by the University.

#EXAMS

TESTS AND QUIZZES

Students are informed of the test/quiz one session ahead, except in the case of drop quizzes. Therefore, students should have no excuse for missing any test or quiz that has been announced by their instructor. Should they miss a test or quiz without presenting a valid reason within 48 hours as mentioned in p.11 of the Attendance and Absenteeism rules, they shall be given a grade Zero on that test or quiz.

MIDTERM AND FINAL

Students should consult their portal to know about the Midterm and Final exam dates and how they are scheduled. Therefore, they should have no excuse for missing any exam that has been announced on the Academic Calendar or Portal. Should they miss a Midterm or Final exam without presenting a valid reason as mentioned in p.11 of the Attendance and Absenteeism rules, they will be given a grade Zero on that exam. Should they present to the SAO a valid reason within 48 hours, they will be entitled to a make-up exam to be scheduled by the Faculty within the week that follows the exam week.

Students who miss the 48 hours deadline are not entitled to a make-up exam.

#EXAM RULES

  • To be entitled to sit for the Midterm or Final exam, students should have an academic and administrative clearance.
  • Exams come in all forms (multiple choice, open questions, or case studies) and will concern any material that instructors have chosen to include and which students have been informed
  • On the day of the exam, students should be present at least 15 minutes before the exam Room distribution will be displayed at the University on the first day of the exams.
  • Students should come to the exam room equipped with the tools they need for those exams (pens, pencils, eraser, correction pens/ tipex, ruler, calculator…). Therefore, it is strictly forbidden for students to ask for or borrow any of these tools during the exam period or use their cell phones as
  • All personal belongings including cell phones should be placed on the front desks reserved for the
  • When the examination starts, students have FIVE minutes to read through their exam papers in case there is an issue that needs to be They are not allowed to ask any question relevant to the material they are being tested on. After the five-minute period, proctors will refrain from answering questions.

Cheating on exams is severely punished. Therefore, if a student is caught conversing with another student, asking for or delivering exam answers, he/she will receive one oral warning. If he/she repeats this attempt, he/she will get a written notification on his/her exam paper signaling a cheating attempt, which will result in grades deduction. Any student caught cheating again in the same exam, after his/her paper has been signed, will instantly be dismissed from the examination room and will be given Zero on that exam. If a student is caught cheating by copying from material he has introduced into the exam room, or if the proctor detects cheating documents or a phone with the student, whether it has been used or not, the student is instantly dismissed from the exam room and a grade Zero is assigned on that particular exam.

  • If students are late for an exam, they can enter the examination room within the first 15 minutes of the start of the exam but only after getting a clearance from the However, they will not be granted any extra time to make up for the time they lost.
  • Students cannot leave the examination room before 30 minutes from the beginning of the
  • If students miss an exam for one of the valid reasons mentioned in p.12 of the Attendance and Absenteeism rules, they will have to present a petition regarding their absence with all the necessary documentation within 48 hours following the exam No excuse other than those mentioned in p.12 will be taken into consideration. Students who are allowed a make-up exam should settle the make-up exam fee at the Business Office before they do the exam.

 

#GRADE DISTRIBUTION

The grades’ distribution mentioned in the syllabus does not change throughout the semester. Students should be aware that there is not necessarily a uniform grade distribution among all courses. In some exceptional cases where the distribution is to be changed, they will be officially informed during class

#GRADES RELEASE

Grades of Midterm and Final exams are usually posted on the students’ portals ten days after the last exam has been held.

#GRADE APPEAL

Students can contest an exam grade by filling in a petition at the Student Affairs Office within 48 hours from the date of posting the grades. If their petition is accepted, their exam paper will be reviewed by the Head of Department in their presence. If needed, changes will be made in collaboration with the instructor.

#GRADING SYSTEM

LETTER GRADING SYSTEM

GRADE RANGE LETTER GRADE QUALITY  POINTS LEGEND
95-100 A+ 4.00 Outstanding
90-94 A 3.80 Excellent
85-89 B+ 3.50 Very Good
80-84 B 3.00 Good
75-79 C+ 2.50 Satisfactory
70-74 C 2.00 Fair
65-69 D+ 1.50 Unsatisfactory
60-64 D 1.00 Poor
<60 F 0 Failure

Grade A indicates work of excellent quality.

Grade B indicates work of good quality.
Grade C indicates work of satisfactory quality.

Grade D indicates the minimum passing grade and unsatisfactory performance.

Grade F indicates very poor performance that adds no credit to the student’s record and considerably lowers his/her GPA.

Other than the grading mentioned in the chart above, students should also be familiar with the following grading:

Grade P indicates an acceptable performance in a remedial course taken on a Pass/Non-Pass basis. Such passing grade is a grade of at least 60/100. The credits for such a course are not computed in the student’s average. Therefore, it is a grade that has no quality points.

Grade NP indicates a failing performance in a Remedial course taken on a Pass/Non-Pass basis. A grade of less than 60/100 on such a course is considered a Non-Pass grade. The credits for such a course are not computed in the average. Therefore, it is a grade that has no quality points.

Grade AU is attributed to a course taken on an auditing basis. It has no quality points and its credits are not computed.

Grade W indicates an official withdrawal from a course granted to the student following a Withdrawal Form submitted by the student to the Advisor within the deadline posted on the Academic Calendar. It has no quality points and does not count in the average

Grade AW indicates an academic withdrawal attributed by the Advisor, after consulting with the Dean, for absenteeism that exceeds the allowed rate of the course or for any other administrative or disciplinary reason.

Grade I indicates incomplete work. It is attributed when a student, for some valid reasons approved by the Administration, has not completed some requirements for a course (such as a final exam or a project), an internship or a Senior Study.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE / GPA

Students should be familiar with the Term GPA and the Cumulative GPA. The term (semester) GPA is restricted to one semester, whereas the cumulative GPA is computed over all semesters that have been achieved by the student. Below is an example of GPA calculation:

COURSE CREDITS LETTER GRADE GPA TOTAL QUALITY POINTS
MGT 201 5 A+ 4.00 20.00
ECO 201 5 C+ 2.50 12.50
ACC 201 5 C 2.00 10.00
ENG 201 5 F 0.00 0.00

Term GPA = Added Total Quality Points per semester/Total number of credits per semester = (20+12.5+10) / 20 = 2.125

#ACADEMIC RECOGNITION

Students are recognized for their outstanding performance reflected in their cumulative GPA after 30 GPA credits. Such recognition will be mentioned on their transcript or on the Dean’s academic recognition list depending on the criteria below:

  • Honor List

Students are placed on the Honor List if their cumulative GPA ranges between 3.10 and 3.39.

  • Distinction List

Students are placed on the Distinction List if their cumulative GPA ranges between 3.40 and 3.69.

  • High Distinction

Students are placed on the High Distinction List if their cumulative GPA ranges between 3.70 and 4.00.

ACADEMIC RECOGNITION LIST

The Academic Recognition list is issued by the Faculty on a yearly basis. Students recognized by the University as Honor, Distinction, or High Distinction students are listed on the recognition board and given an

Honor Certificate only if they meet the following requirements:

  1. Registered on  a  full-time  basis  with  a  minimum  of  20  credits  per semester
  2. Have successfully completed 40 credits in previous years
  3. Have a cumulative GPA of 10 and above
  4. Have no incomplete grades
  5. Have not received any Disciplinary

#ACADEMIC   PROBATION

Students are placed on probation after 25 GPA credits when their cumulative GPA drops below the acceptable level of 2.0, irrespective of their ‘Withdrawal’ grades. They should be aware that accumulating ‘F’ or ‘D’ grades will lower their cumulative GPA and increase the risk of being put on probation. Therefore, they are strongly advised to increase their cumulative GPA by repeating any course they have failed and/or repeat courses in which they have received a ‘D’ grade. When placed on second probation, students are not allowed to carry more than 20 credits in the following semester excluding remedial courses. Summer sessions are not counted in the probation semesters. Students under probation are given a warning.

REMOVAL OF ACADEMIC PROBATION

If, in the following semester, the cumulative GPA remains under 2.0 but the term GPA is 2.0 and above, the probation is suspended, yet not removed. Once the cumulative GPA reaches 2.0 or above, the probation is removed

#ACADEMIC DISMISSAL

Students should be aware that they will be dismissed from University following three probation warnings. Dismissed students will be asked to leave the University for one semester. They will be considered for readmission if they meet the conditions for Readmission.

READMISSION  AFTER  DISMISSAL

If they wish to be readmitted to University, dismissed students must submit a petition to the SAO. Their petition will be studied by the relevant council.

#CLASSIFICATION OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Students are classified into three different categories:

DEGREE STUDENTS

Degree students are students enrolled in a program and working towards a degree.

CLASSIFICATION ECTS COMPLETED
Sophomore (1st year) 0-60
Junior (2nd year) 61-120
Senior (3rd year) 121-180
Master Physical Therapy (4th  year) 181-240

NON-DEGREE STUDENTS

Non-degree  students  are  students  who  apply  to University  without  the  objective  of  obtaining  a degree. Therefore, they do not abide by the same terms and conditions of admission as those applicable to degree students; Yet they have to do all tests and exams relating to the courses they are taking. However, should they later wish to change their status to degree students, they have to fulfill the terms and conditions of admission that apply to degree students.

FREE AUDITOR STUDENTS

Courses at LGU can be attended on audit basis provided permission is granted by the Administration  prior to registration. Anyone attending a course on an audit basis will be

charged full tuition fees and cannot benefit from financial aid. Students will not earn credits for a course attended on audit basis, and the letter grade (AU) will be recorded on their transcript of record. However, should they wish to change their status to degree students, they have to do so within the first FOUR weeks after the start of the semester and fulfill the terms and conditions of admission that apply to degree students.

#GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Degrees are awarded three times a year at the end of the fall semester, the spring semester, and the summer semester, but there is only one graduation ceremony per year. The following criteria are the requirements to be awarded a Bachelor degree:

  • Students must complete 180 credits (240 credits for Physical Therapy) to be entitled for
  • Students transferring from other universities need to take at least 50 percent of their courses as well as 60 percent of their major courses at LGU to be entitled to
  • A cumulative GPA of 20 is required in all major courses taken at LGU.
  • A cumulative GPA of 00 is required for all courses taken at LGU. Transfer students will be given credit for all transferred courses, but only courses taken at LGU will be computed in their GPA.
  • Students expecting to graduate are required to fill in a clearance form with the chairperson two terms prior to the expected graduation semester (excluding summer session) within the deadlines set by the Registrar.

#CHANGE OF MAJOR

If a student wishes to change major, he/she may fill in a change of major form at the Registrar Office for a change of emphasis within the same faculty or for a change of major within the Faculty or between faculties. The Registrar and the Chairperson will look into the case and decide whether to approve or reject the request.

#CROSS REGISTRATION

LGU students may cross-register at another branch of LGU while continuing their studies, particularly when the courses they are cross registering are not offered at the branch they are registered in, in a particular semester. However, they have to secure approval of their relevant department.

#TRAINING AND INTERNSHIP

  • All LGU students have to do one or several training(s) or internship(s) as part of their
  • The selection of the venue for training and internship is the responsibility of the Chairperson in consultation with the Dean of the
  • The choice of the venue must meet the criteria of quality in line with LGU mission and the academic objectives of the field of
  • Attendance and discipline during internship are essential and
  • Dress code and behavior shall reflect professionalism and convey a positive and serious
  • All internship and training courses are
  • A report is submitted at the end of the internship or training and a continuous evaluation of the student’s work is carried out by the person in charge of the Such evaluation is based on on-site performance, case studies, or practical exams.

#TRANSFER STUDENTS

Students transferring from other universities may be admitted at LGU after presenting an official application at the Admissions Office along with their official transcript of records, descriptions of courses that have already been taken at other universities, and transfer file. Decision will be made within two weeks on courses to be transferred and their equivalents. Transfer students may still be required to sit for certain tests. The following conditions must be met for courses to be transfered:

  • The grade of the course subject to transfer is at least 10 percent higher than the passing grade at the sending
  • No more than 50 percent of the total courses and 40% of the major courses can be
  • Senior courses are not

Transferred credits will be displayed on the student’s contract sheet upon registration.

Submission of any additional transcripts or attestations after registration at LGU will be discarded and only the original transfer file is applicable.

Failure to submit an original copy of the transcript will result in a cancellation of the transferred courses.

#DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

Any violation of the Student’s Code of Conduct (full code can be found at the SAO) will result in a disciplinary action that may or may not be re- corded on the student’s record.

For violations of academic nature (example: plagiarism, cheating, in- class disruption…), disciplinary action can range from moral suasion to warning or suspension or even expulsion.

For violation of non-academic nature (example: mental harm, strike, theft…), disciplinary action may range from prohibitions and warnings, loss of privileges to having the case referred to the competent authorities.

#READMISSION OF SUSPENDED STUDENTS

Students who are suspended from University as a result of disciplinary action based on a violation of academic or non-academic nature, and wish to re-apply to the University should submit to the Student Affairs Office a petition form which will be studied by the relevant council.

#TRANSCRIPTS & ATTESTATIONS

Students applying for a transcript of records or an attestation should make sure that all the documents requested by the Administration upon registration have been supplied. Students should also secure financial clearance. Request form can be filled in at the Info Desk any day of the week before 4:00 pm. Attestations are issued after FIVE (5) working days and transcripts after TWENTY (20) working days. During periods of registration, graduation, and summer, more time will be needed to process the request.

#PETITIONS AND NON-CONFORMITY FORMS

PETITIONS

Students can fill a petition form at the SAO for the following reasons:

  • Financial issues
  • Personal and academic issues
  • Absences on Midterm and Final examinations

The petition is studied by the relevent committee and the SAO informs the student of the decision.

NON-CONFORMITY FORMS

A Non-Conformity form allows to record a complaint, whether it is of an academic, administrative, technical, financial, security, documentary, or communicative nature, or states a conflict, an injustice, or an objection regarding any service. The non-conformity can be filled in by students, instructors, staff, or visitors.

The Non-Conformity box is located on campus.

This form can be anonymous in case the petitioner does not want to reveal his/her identity.

#CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER

If students change their address, phone or mobile number, or personal email, they should instantly inform the Info Desk of these changes. The student is responsible of any inaccurate information existing in his file.

#PARKING & DORMS

The university provides its students with an access to the parking lot an a dormitory i.e. dorms.

For more information and reservation, students should refer to the SAO.

As places are limited, first-come first-served basis will be applied.

#FINANCIAL AID

To request financial aid, students have to submit a Financial Aid Application at the SAO. Their application will be studied by the Financial Aid Council and decision will be conveyed within one week. Some additional documents may be required and an investigation may take place.

#PAYMENT PLAN & TUITION FEES

Students should know that it’s important to settle the tuition fees, down payments and registration fees within the deadlines.

At the beginning of the academic year, students are asked to consult the Business Office in order to agree on an adequate payment plan.

#EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

LGU students are advised to participate in scientific conferences and entertaining activities. These are an important part of the campus life and are meant to bring them added scientific or general knowledge, raise their awareness of certain issues, develop their sense of social responsibility or just add some fun to their campus life.

Students are also encouraged to participate in LGU sports activities and/or be part of LGU official sports teams. The sports activities include football, futsal, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, chess, shooting and pool. Other outdoor activities include camping, windsurfing, kayaking, paragliding and skiing. Regular outings are organized every season to allow students to meet outside University campus and enjoy nature.