Establishment
The Mariamite Maronite Order (the Maronite Order of the Holy Virgin Mary) was founded in 1695 and was the first foreign religious mission to the Middle East. The Order dedicated special attention to education, and opened its first school in 1696. The Mariamate Order carried on its educational mission in the years and decades that followed. In 1978, through the efforts of Bishop Beshara al-Ra’i and in cooperation with the Lebanese American University (then Beirut University College), the Louaizeh Center for Higher Education was established with the aim to offer educational services for students wishing to pursue their studies according to the American System.
The Order was granted the right to operate an independent university by Decree no. 4116 promulgated on August 14th 1987. Three faculties were founded: Natural and Applied Sciences, Human Sciences and Business Administration. In 1996 Decree no. 9278 of October 5th 1996 granted the university the right to establish the Faculty of Engineering and introduce the Department of Economic Sciences. Then in 1999, Decree no. 1948 of December 21st gave the university the right to found new faculties: the Faculty of Political Science, Public Administration and Diplomacy, and the Faculty of Architecture, Arts and Design, in addition to the introduction of the telecommunications specialization to the Computer Science Department. The university also began to grant Master’s degrees in Business Administration (MBA and MIB), in addition to Master’s degrees in other specializations.
NDU currently houses the following faculties : Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Political Science, Public Administration and Diplomacy, Faculty of Architecture, Art and Design, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, in addition to the new Faculty of Nursing.
Location and Educational System
NDU’s main premises in Zouk Mosbeh, near the Lady of Louaizeh Monastery, were inaugurated in 1998 after four years of works. The premises house 7,000 students and extend over a one million square meter land, donated by the Order. The premises include students’ dorms, football, basketball and volleyball courts, in addition to two cafeterias, theaters, exhibition halls, laboratories, hotel management workshops, sciences and engineering workshops, a central library and a computer and Internet center. Today, NDU’s old premises house the Continuing Education and the Musicology Departments as well as a number of research centers.
In 1999 the university opened a new branch in the town of Barsa (Koura District), housing all the NDU faculties. The premises extend over 50,000 square meters and contain theaters, courts, laboratories and halls. In 2001 another branch was opened in the building of Mar Abda Monastery in Deir El Qamar (Chouf District). The building, which also gathers all faculties, was renovated and welcomes today around 500 students.
NDU follows the free American Education System, which is based on credits and divides the academic year into three terms; two compulsory terms and one optional. English is the main language used in teaching. Arabic is taught in the different specializations while other languages are taught when needed in relevant specializations.
The number of students in the academic year of 2006-2007 reached around 5,000 compared to 4,584 in 2004-2005 and 3,563 in 2000-2001. The teaching and administrative body is has a staff of 500, which includes 350 professors.
Tuition Fees
Table no.1 shows tuition fees of B.A. degrees and the number of credits required.
|
Tuition fees of B.A. degrees and the number of |
|||||
|
Faculty |
Department |
# |
# |
Cost |
Average |
|
Architecture, Art and Design |
Architecture |
182 |
6 |
375,000 |
68,250,000 |
|
Musicology |
124 |
4 |
320,000 |
39,680,000 |
|
|
Interior |
136 |
5 |
320,000 |
43,520,000 |
|
|
Other |
102 |
4 |
320,000 |
32,640,000 |
|
|
Business Administration and Economics |
Business |
106 |
3 |
320,000 |
33,920,000 |
|
Hotel |
103 |
3 |
320,000 |
32,960,000 |
|
|
Engineering |
All |
150 |
5 |
375,000 |
56,250,000 |
|
Humanities |
All |
From |
3 |
320,000 |
33,280,000 |
|
Natural and Applied Sciences |
All |
From |
3 |
320,000 |
32,640,000 |
|
Political Science, Public Administration and Diplomacy |
All |
105 |
3 |
320,000 |
33,600,000 |
|
Nursing |
- |
111 |
3 |
320,000 |
35,520,000 |
|
Source: |
|||||
Table no.2 shows tuition fees of Master’s degrees and the number of credits required.
|
Tuition fees of Master’s degrees and the number |
||||
|
# |
# |
# |
Cost |
Average |
|
4 |
36 |
2 |
420,000 |
15,120,000 |
|
2 |
39 |
2 |
420,000 |
16,380,000 |
|
6 |
From |
2 |
420,000 |
16,000,000 |
|
6 |
18 |
1 |
420,000 |
7,560,000 |
|
3 |
From |
2 |
420,000 |
13,000,000 |
|
6 |
36 |
2 |
420,000 |
15,120,000 |
|
Source: |
||||
Note: Freshman students should complete 30 credits –average tuition cost LBP9,600,000.
NDU dedicates 16% of its annual budget for financial aid. Applications for financial aid submitted by students are revised by a special committee.
Students can also receive financial aid through the following means:
Employment at the university with a discount raging from 20% to 40% on tuition fees.
Scholarships for honor students.
A maximum of 25% discount for students in need and who have brothers or sisters enrolled at the university.