American University of Beirut

The Scholars in Health Research Program (SHARP) is a joint FM and FHS graduate program that consists of a 12-credit summer diploma, a 12-credit two-term diploma, as well as a 35-credit master’s degree. Each option includes a mix of didactic training based on select core courses with implementation of a hands-on research practicum, training or thesis project. The program provides graduates with the required foundation to pursue a career in clinical and translational research.

SHARP’s curriculum is modeled on similar programs in top-tier academic institutions in the US. It is the first of its kind in the region and has been polished by expert faculty over a decade since program launch. Synchronous and asynchronous sessions, VOPs, tutorials, hands-on applications and lab sessions provide an unprecedented enriching experience.

For more information, refer to Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center (FM) section in this catalogue.

The MS in public health nutrition is the first graduate-level program of its kind in Lebanon and the MENA region. It is offered jointly by the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and the Faculty of Health Sciences and builds on the strong expertise of each of these schools in the fields of nutrition science and public health, respectively. 

The MS in public health nutrition program adopts a multi-disciplinary approach as it aspires to train and equip highly qualified individuals to respond to national and regional needs in the field of public health nutrition by providing them with strong skills in nutrition, policy and program planning, health promotion, monitoring, evaluation, and research. 

For more information, refer to the Division of University Interdisciplinary Programs section in this catalogue.

The diploma in humanitarian engineering and public health innovations is a joint FHS/ MSFEA interdisciplinary diploma.

The diploma is open to professionals as well as AUB students currently enrolled in graduate programs from all majors wishing to gain academic knowledge and skills in the field of humanitarian engineering and health innovations. The program is a multidisciplinary offering that provides graduate students and professionals with the skills required to find innovative design solutions for challenges faced in humanitarian settings by taking into consideration two complementary perspectives, public health perspective and engineering perspective.

Students who complete the diploma will be able to:

It is composed of 15 credits of course work that include:

This is a multidisciplinary course that covers the fundamentals of designing solutions for health challenges faced by disadvantaged populations. It introduces tools for identifying humanitarian and/or development needs and designing practical, scalable, and sustainable solutions and interventions. The course is offered to students from all majors. Students will be exposed to health and health system challenges in addition to design fundamentals including participatory needs assessment, formal multidisciplinary design processes, and relevant technologies and tools with real world applications and case studies.

The capstone project course is an interdisciplinary service-learning design course focused on development and humanitarian engineering solutions for health challenges. In the capstone, students apply all tools learned in HEHI 301. Students work in multidisciplinary teams with disadvantaged communities, under joint supervision of at least two mentors from MSFEA, FHS, and other faculties. The capstone is divided into two sub-courses, HEHI 302A (1cr.) and HEHI 302B (2cr.), and must be registered in 2 consecutive terms. HEHI 302A has as a prerequisite: HEHI 301. HEHI 302B has as a prerequisite HEHI 302A.

If the student has achieved one or more of the core competencies in ethics or entrepreneurship through previously passed undergraduate or graduate courses, only one elective course can be waived. The student will have to register for at least one course from the approved list of design courses, and another course from either the list of ethics courses or the list of entrepreneurship courses.

If the student has achieved two or all of the core competencies through undergraduate courses, only one course can be waived, and the student will have to register for at least one course from the approved list of design courses, and another course from either the list of ethics courses or the list of entrepreneurship courses.

Thesis/capstones of graduate students can be counted towards the fulfillment of the diploma. Students interested to enroll in the diploma are encouraged to inform the coordinators of the program at [email protected] to benefit from adequate advising on study plans and ensure completion of all requirements.

The diploma is planned to include arrangements to encourage on-going graduate students to enroll with no or limited additional credit burdens. It is composed of 15 credits of graduate course work.

To be eligible for admission to the diploma program, applicants must hold an undergraduate university degree recognized by AUB with a GPA of at least 3.0 or demonstrate “reasonable potential for academic success.”

To be eligible for admission to the diploma program, applicants must be in good academic standing. Applications are reviewed by the Steering Committee of the Humanitarian Engineering Initiative, and admissions recommendations are voted on by both MSFEA and FHS Graduate Studies Committee.

Professionals who want to pursue the diploma should submit an application to the Office of Admissions. Current AUB graduate students need to fill out a petition form for completion of diploma.​​