Chair’s message
Hello and welcome to our department. Civil Engineering is one of the oldest professions and largest fields of modern engineering that better serves our daily life. The work of a civil engineer includes the design, construction, and management of: buildings, high-rise towers, and skyscrapers; bridges; tunnels; water and wastewater treatment plants; airports and harbors; transportation systems; dams and retaining structures, to name a few.
Recognizing this responsibility, the Civil Engineering program at LAU provides a well-rounded quality and challenging education with a solid theoretical background, training in the latest design methods, and proficiency in technological applications. Our curriculum is distinguished by offering seven soft courses with industry-standard software and five physical laboratory courses to enhance the learning experience and improve the marketability of our graduates. As well, we offer six technical elective courses to allow students choose areas of emphases depending on their own interests and current market needs. Our emphasis is the development of practical competence, critical thinking, passion for self-learning, as well as the capacity for teamwork and leadership. Our program offers liberal arts courses to prepare our students be well-rounded individuals and teach them to practice their profession with proper concern and attention to environmental, social and economic problems. It draws upon the broad resources of the comprehensive university that aspires to be among the top universities in the country and the region, and we are making steady progress toward the realization of this goal. Our department has recently seen significant growth in the number of students, faculty and staff. As well, curricular reviews and initiatives are taking place and our curriculum is undergoing changes to align the program with ABET criteria.
Our department is equipped with excellent teaching facilities, including high quality physical and computer laboratories with state of the art equipment to support the learning process. Our professors are highly qualified experts in their fields and well recognized in the Lebanese market and are also active members of various professional societies and technical committees locally and abroad. They are engaged in exciting engineering research and development projects and they bring this expertise to the classroom. Our faculty members maintain a one-on-one relationship with our students, guide them to develop excellent work habits, and stress on the key factors needed for successful careers.
Our graduates are highly sought after by employers. We prepare them to be technically competent, creative, and ethically responsible engineers who are effective professionals in today’s work environment. This enables them to enrich their lives and make valuable contributions to their communities.
Our department offers opportunities for excelling students to receive merit scholarships dedicated from generous donors. Under partnership agreements, we offer training experience for some students in addition to achievement awards and best FYP awards. As well, students participate in sponsored field trips.
We are proud of our past and excited about the future. This is an exceptionally vibrant time in the history of our department, the School of Engineering and Architecture and LAU at large. We strive to become a premier Civil Engineering program among peer institutions in the region.
On behalf of the faculty, staff and students of the Department of Civil Engineering at LAU, I would like to express my deep appreciation for your interest and thank you for visiting our home page. I hope that you will find this information useful. I would be delighted to hear from you and schedule a tour of our facilities at your convenience. Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.
Respectfully,
Jean Chatila, Ph.D
Associate Professor and Chairperson
Jean Chatila, Ph.D.
Chair, Civil Engineering Department