UNIVERSITY OF BALAMAND FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF BALAMAND FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES PUBLIC HEALTH: PUBLIC HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENCES PROGRAM UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK AY 2013/2014 1

DATES TO REMEMBER FOR SPRING 2013-2014 Pre-registration Late Registration Drop and Add Period Financial Aid Application End of Drop Period 20-24 January 26-28 February 26-28 February End of March 9 June *For more information check the Academic Calendar: Go to www. balamand.edu.lb Click on the Academic Calendar link which is found on the home page under the rotating pictures and next to the following links: OWA/Imail/ SIS/Moodle/Directory Click on: Academic Calendar (Student Based), 2013-2014 2

CONTENTS Who we are 4 PDHP Fulltime Faculty and Staff Other Useful FHS Contacts Student Advisors 5 Email Accounts 5 New and Transfer Students Current Students Registration 5 New and Transfer Students Current Students Financial Aid 6 Student Employment 6 PDHP Curricula and Courses 7 Library Course Red Cross/First Aid course Biology Courses English Courses Project Residency Degree Options 8 BS Degree with Premedical courses Dual Degrees Grading System 9 Course Evaluation System 9 Academic Rules and Regulations 9 Language Course Attendance Due Dates Academic Integrity Syllabus Library Facilities Student Responsibility 10 And Don t Forget to Have Some FUN 11 Activities 3

WHO WE ARE The Public Health and Development Sciences Program (PD) introduces you to the joys and challenges of a career in Public Health. We are located on both the Achrafieh campus and the Main campus (Al Kurah). We make sure that each and every one of you gets the personalized attention needed to help make your university stay with us productive and fun. Welcome to our family! This handbook is intended to be a helpful reference as you navigate your first year in the Faculty. Please do pass by and share with us your thoughts, concerns, and stories. In Achrafieh, we are located on the first floor, section 102. Telephone Achrafieh Campus: +961 1 562 108/9 On the Main Campus, we are located on the ground floor, room 016. Telephone Main Campus: +961 6 931 952 ext. 5203 PDHP Fulltime Faculty and Staff Dr. Laurie Abi Habib Achrafieh, Room 102C, ext. 5130 Email: laurie.abihabib@balamand.edu.lb Director PDHP Programs, Assistant Dean Dr. Ghada Farhat Assistant Professor (on leave 2013/14) Achrafieh, Room 102A, ext. 5127 Email: ghada.farhat@balamand.edu.lb Ms. Lina Jaalouk Main Campus, Faculty Health Sciences Building Main Campus, Tel: +961 6 931 952 ext. 5209 Email: lina.jaalouk@balamand.edu.lb Instructor, Assistant to the Program Director Ms. Roubina Karhily Achrafieh, Room 102B, ext. 5129 Email: roubina.karhily@balamand.edu.lb Instructor, Assistant to the Program Director Other Useful FHS Contacts (Achrafieh Campus) Ms. Catherine Constantine Secretary ext. 5101 Ms. Rita Chaddad Secretary ext. 5102 Ms. Micheline Nseir Administration ext. 5118 Ms. Rita Kharrat Librarian ext. 5126 Mr. David Atallah IT Services ext. 5123 Ms. Afdokia El Khoury Office of Student Affairs ext. 5120 4

STUDENT ADVISORS Each student is assigned an advisor from the Faculty. The advisor has a complete record of the student s courses and academic file. All matters pertaining to academic performance and issues that might affect it (illness, family issues, economic or personal problems.) should be discussed with the advisor. Advisors are assigned at the beginning of every academic year. It is the students responsibility to keep their advisor up-to-date with their concerns, and to consult their advisor especially before registering, before dropping/adding a course, and in case of illness. The advisor should be informed immediately in case of any urgent situation affecting academic performance. In cases where a student is forced to miss an exam, the advisor should be informed BEFORE the exam takes place. MAKE SURE YOU MEET YOUR ADVISOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! EMAIL ACCOUNTS New and transfer students The Balamand email account of each student is available in their acceptance letter. Students receive notifications about courses, Program, Faculty, and University matters through their account. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain their account and to follow up on emails sent to their account. In case of problems with the account, contact Mr. David Attallah in the IT department, FHS Achrafieh, 2 nd floor, office 101 OR Mr. Richard Chiha in the IT office, Main Campus, in the Admissions building, ground floor. Current students Students should ensure that their Balamand e-mail account is functional and maintained throughout the academic year. Students are held accountable for all notifications and letters sent to their email. MAKE SURE YOU MAINTAIN YOUR BALAMAND EMAIL ACCOUNT AND CHECK IT AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK! REGISTRATION New and transfer Students During pre-registration or late registration period, meet with the Program Director or Program Assistant so that they can advise you about courses and help you to register manually. A printed copy of your registered courses is signed by the Program Director. At the FHS Achrafieh Campus, these printed schedules are given to Ms. Micheline Nseir, with a copy to the Program Assistant, Ms. Roubina Karhily. At the FHS Main Campus, these printed schedules are signed by the advisor and a copy is given to the Program Assistant, Ms. Lina Jaalouk. It is the student s responsibility to follow up on this. 5

Current Students Students should discuss their registration ahead of time with their advisor. They can refer to the Program curriculum to see the sequence of courses as offered by semester, and check with the course offerings as published per semester (and sent to all by email). The updated Program curriculum is available online on the Faculty website. Students register online using their Balamand account during the pre-registration or late registration period, according to dates and a schedule set by the University. After they register online, they should print out the schedule of the registered courses and give it to the Program Director to be signed. At FHS Achrafieh, the student then submits the signed form to Ms. Micheline Nseir and gives a copy to the Program Assistant. At FHS Main Campus, kindly refer to Ms. Lina Jaalouk. If you face any problems with registration, kindly refer to your advisor. Students who register during late registration will pay a penalty amount. FINANCIAL AID Fulltime students taking 12 or more credits and in good academic standing are eligible to apply for financial aid. Students should fill out the financial aid application ONCE EVERY YEAR. Students who fail to fill out this application by the deadline will not be able to benefit from financial aid for that year. Filled forms should be given to Ms. Rita or Ms. Catherine at the main front office at FHS Achrafieh, OR to the registrar s office on the Main Campus. Students are advised that if they do not maintain the required academic status, they will lose University scholarship and financial assistance. No assistance is given for courses that are dropped, failed and repeated, and for students registering for less than 12 credits per semester. STUDENT EMPLOYMENT The University supports students by offering student jobs in the Faculty. The amount earned is deducted from tuition fees by the end of the semester. All fulltime students taking 12 credits or more, and in good academic standing, are eligible. FHS students on the Achrafieh campus should submit a hard copy of the application EVERY SEMESTER to Ms. Afdokia El Khoury, at the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), prior to the application deadline. FHS students on the Main Campus should fill and submit the application online EVERY SEMESTER, prior to the application deadline. Students are responsible to fill out their time sheets for the hours they spent on the job every month, get their supervisor s signature, and submit them to Ms. Afdokia El Khoury at the Achrafieh Campus or Ms. Lina Jaalouk on the FHS Main Campus. Failure to do so on time means that the student will not benefit from the amount earned during the specified time period. 6

PDHP CURRICULA AND COURSES The curriculum of the PD BS degree (94 credits) is a structured program. Students should obtain the most recent version of the curriculum and become familiar with course sequence and course requirements. In the PD program, it is usually possible for a student to graduate within three years, provided that the student follows the curriculum, takes summer courses, does not have to repeat any courses, and is assessed at the English level of ENGL 203 upon entering the University. Library Course All students must successfully complete a course in information literacy: the Library Use and Research Methods course (LISP200). This is a no-fee obligatory 1 credit course for graduation. The course introduces students to essential skills they will need during their degree and for lifelong learning. As a prerequisite for other courses, it should be completed by the end of the first year, or students risk a delay in their graduation. MAKE SURE TO COMPLETE LISP 200 IN YOUR FIRST YEAR! Red Cross/First Aid Course (FHSC 271) This course is a no-fee obligatory course for graduation. It teaches students how to respond to health emergencies in community settings. All PD students should complete this course no later than their fifth semester. It is advisable to try to complete it by the end of first year. MAKE SURE TO COMPLETE THE RED CROSS COURSE BEFORE THE END OF THE 5 TH SEMESTER! Biology Courses All PD students take biology and a microbiology course as part of the requirements for their degree. Students coming from scientific or math backgrounds (Bacc II or its equivalent) directly register for General Biology I (FHSC200) or BIOL201. Students coming from humanities and social sciences (economics) backgrounds (Bacc II or its equivalent) must take: 1. A bridging course: Freshman Biology 101, or, where this is not offered, FHSC 207 Principles of Human Biology or Biology 205. This course does not count towards the credits of their degree. 2. This is followed by the sophomore course FHSC 200 or BIOL 201, which counts as 3 credits towards their degree. Students may register for their Microbiology course PDHP 200 once they have successfully completed FHSC 207 and FHSC 200 or BIOL 201. 7

English Courses All students need to successfully complete 6 credits of English courses as part of University requirements for all degrees (ENGL 203, and a second approved English course such as ENGL223 or ENGL253). Students who are assessed at an English level below ENGL 203 must first take the required English courses to reach the level of ENGL 203, depending on their SAT and TOEFL scores. These courses do not count towards credit for their degree. They then proceed to take the required 6 degree credits. According to University regulations, English courses must be taken in sequence, until all requirements are finished. Project Residency All PD students undertake an internship in a Public Health related organization as part of their degree requirements. This internship serves to introduce students to real life work experience in Public Health. The internship usually lasts for two months, and is taken during the last summer semester possible before graduation. Students choose their internship site, usually in Lebanon, according to their specific interests. The final choice must be approved by the Program Director. Students may not take any other credits while doing their Project Residency. *For more information, check: www.balamand.edu.lb Academics Faculties Faculty of Health sciences Academics Undergraduate Health Promotion OR Public Health & Development Sciences DEGREE OPTIONS BS Degree with Pre-medical Courses Students who are taking a BS in PD may take at the same time pre-medical courses that are required for application to medical school. This usually means a minimum of 4 years to complete the BS requirements as well as pre-medical courses. Interested students should consult the Program Director before registering for their courses. Dual Degrees Possibilities exist for dual BS degrees between the Programs of Public Health and Development Sciences and Health Promotion, and with Medical Laboratory Sciences. Plans are also underway for dual degrees between PD and Nutritional Sciences, or with Nursing. Dual degrees require at least 36 additional credits to the first degree, and an additional 3 semesters as per government regulations, Program requirements, and according to circumstances. This means a minimum of one additional academic year to complete the second BS degree. Interested students should consult with the Program Director. 8

GRADING SYSTEM Graduation Requirements in Undergraduate Degree Programs: 1. A cumulative average of 70 or above in major courses (all courses with a PDHP code). 2. A passing grade in all other courses (a minimum of 60). 3. A cumulative general average of 70 or above (to be able to graduate and obtain the BS degree). 4. Students already holding a bachelor degree who wish to obtain another bachelor degree must complete all the requirements of the department for that second degree. These are established on a case-by-case basis. COURSE EVALUATION SYSTEM At the end of each semester, students will be asked to evaluate online the courses that they have been taking during the semester. Course evaluations are anonymous and help the University, the Faculty, and the lecturers to identify student perspectives and needs. Your input is highly recommended to improve the quality of the courses provided by the Faculty. ACADEMIC RULES AND REGULATIONS Language The language of instruction is English; exceptions may occur for particular topics and/or guest speakers. Students are expected to communicate in English in class and during project presentations. Course Attendance Classes usually begin exactly on the hour or the half hour. Students are expected to be on time and prepared. Students who are absent more than 1/6 of the course sessions will be automatically dropped from the course. In such cases, a final grade of WF is given (administrative withdrawal which is a 40). This grade is included in calculating the general average of the student. Students who miss a scheduled exam for medical reasons are only eligible to be excused if they present a medical report that has been validated by the Program Director in written correspondence to the Instructor. Otherwise, the student will receive a zero. Absence from a scheduled exam or test, or, any improper, or suspected unethical behavior, or, more than three absences from scheduled class sessions will be reported immediately to the Program Director. Students should inform their advisor immediately in case of an urgent circumstance, and before any academic deadlines or exams. Due Dates Assignments are to be completed by the scheduled time (the beginning of the class period during which the assignment is due). If a student is unable to complete the assignment by the scheduled time, he or she must obtain the approval of the instructor prior to the due date to make alternate arrangements. Failure to notify the instructor and make alternate arrangements may result in a zero score on the assignment. 9

Academic Integrity The University of Balamand is committed to a policy of honesty in academic affairs. Cheating, plagiarism, dishonesty, or fabrication in connection with an academic program is an offense for which a student will be expelled, suspended, or disciplined. Students should consult the catalogue to inform themselves about appropriate behavior, and discuss any questions they have with their advisors and instructors. The University of Balamand uses software (Turnitin) to detect plagiarism in written assignments and to improve students writing abilities. This software is available through the UOB library s website. Students should use proper references and footnotes in all their homework, projects, and presentations to prevent plagiarism. The Program recommends this online resource for students concerning plagiarism: "Don't Cheat Yourself". University of Leicester. https://connect.le.ac.uk/p13088722/ Students should access this website to inform themselves about plagiarism. In order to promote responsible academic conduct, it is inappropriate for students to record a lecture or classroom session without asking for and receiving the active permission of the course coordinator/instructor. Each instructor/course coordinator is free to give or withhold consent. Cellulars (mobile telephones) are not permitted in the classroom. Students should request permission from the course coordinator/instructor if they want to use an IPAD to take notes in class. Syllabus It is essential that students read and follow the course syllabi provided by the instructors at the beginning of each semester. The syllabus contains: the course description and the learning objectives of the course; test dates, exam dates, dates for deadlines for projects and homework; and a weekly schedule with topics and assigned readings. The dates for tests and exams WILL NOT be changed once set. Course syllabi for most PDHP courses are usually not printed and are available online on the course website on MOODLE. Library Facilities There are hardcopy and electronic resources that are put on reserve by the instructors at the beginning of each semester for student use. In addition, students are advised to use the library s databases in assignments and projects. Students should obtain a library card to use the Library. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY It is the responsibility of the student to be informed. Students should become familiar with the University website and the Academic catalogue to learn about all regulations related to academic achievement, poor performance and probation status, course withdrawal, and incomplete grades. Students should check their SIS account each semester to make sure that the system shows them as registered for the correct courses and that their names are on the class list for the courses they have registered in. 10

It is the responsibility of the student to follow up on his/her status in the University! YOUR ADVISOR IS READY TO HELP!.AND DON T FORGET TO HAVE SOME FUN University is not only about studying and getting grades. A large portion of learning and development is shaped by extra-curricular activities. The PD Program, and the Faculty and the University, offer a wide and varied selection. Watch the bulletin boards and check your emails for information and announcements of the many activities to choose from - extreme sports, theatre and art, to community development. Check it out, meet new friends, and discover a new you! Research seminars, Faculty and University guest speakers, concerts, debates Students are encouraged to explore the diverse intellectual and enriching cultural activities that are part of campus life. Field Trips Many of the PDHP courses include field visits to institutions and community projects. These visits are usually course specific but can also be open to other students depending on circumstances. Activities organized by the Office of Student Affairs The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) on the Main Campus and at FHS Achrafieh organizes the clubs, sports events, parties, trips, and student volunteer services. All of these present great opportunities to get involved, and develop skills for future job applications. Many PD students are members of the 4D club - Public Health, the Fourth Dimension! BE ACTIVE, BE INVOLVED AND ENJOY!!! 11