The Faculty of Law and Political Science emerged from the Faculty of Humanities around the core degree program of International Affairs and Diplomacy.
Academic Departments and Degree Programs
The Faculty of Law and Political Science consists of two Departments:
- Department of Law;
- Department of Government and International Relations.
The Faculty of Law and Political Science offers programs leading to the degrees of:
- Bachelor of Law;
- Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Diplomacy;
- Master of Arts in International Affairs and Diplomacy;
- Master of Arts in International Affairs and Diplomacy - International Law Emphasis;
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science;
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science – American Studies;
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science – Euro-Mediterranean Studies;
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science – NGOs Emphasis;
- Master of Arts in Political Science;
- Master of Arts in Political Science – Human Rights Emphasis;
- Master of Arts in Political Science – NGOs Emphasis;
- Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration;
- Master of Arts in Public Administration.
Admission Requirements
Compliance with the general rules and regulations applied by NDU in the general Catalogue.
Graduation Requirements
Students seeking the degree of Bachelor of Law must complete a total of 140 credits, with an overall average of at least 2.0/4.0, and a minimum average of 2.0/4.0 in the major requirements. Students seeking the degree of all other Bachelor of Arts must complete a total of 105 credits with an overall average of at least 2.0/4.0 and a minimum average of 2.3/4.0 in the major requirements.
Residency Requirements
- 1.Residency Requirements for Bachelor of Law:
- A minimum of 8 semesters (4 years) beginning with the Baccalaureate II or it's equivalence and a maximum of 16 semesters (8 years).
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- 2.Residency Requirements for all other Bachelor of Arts:
- A minimum of six semesters (3 years) and a maximum of twelve semesters (6 years).
Law Program Orientation
In 2013, the Department of Law was established at Notre Dame University- Louaize (NDU), Zouk Mosbeh after being officially licensed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education as per the Decree no./9555/ dated 18/12/2012. The Faculty is now called “The Faculty of Law and Political Science”.
In this Faculty, the Lebanese Law, with all its ramifications and details, is taught according to the official curriculum specified by the laws, decrees and decisions that are valid and issued by the Lebanese Authority. Furthermore, it is important to note that the Faculty provides courses in the Anglo-Saxon Law (The Common Law), opening for the students wider horizons in the practical life. The courses are taught in both Arabic and English.
The educational system is the American system of credits adopted in the most important universities around the world. A resolution was issued by the General Directorate in the Lebanese Ministry of Education and of Higher Education, determining that, according to the American system of credits, the duration of studying shall not be less than four years, the number of credits shall not fall behind one hundred thirty- eight. Studying in our faculty takes minimum four years, the number of credits being one hundred forty.
The students entitled to be admitted to the Faculty in order to study Law are as follows:
- 1.The Lebanese students, holders of a Lebanese baccalaureate degree or its equivalence officially, such as the French baccalaureate or the ones who received a secondary school degree in a foreign country after spending there one academic year to obtain the secondary school degree.
At least, four academic years later, those students receive, when graduated, the Lebanese Law License issued by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. They are entitled to practice, in Lebanon, the profession of lawyer, judge, legal consultant, public notary. They can also work in the public sector. Outside Lebanon, they can exercise legal consultancy.
Students can pursue Masters and Doctorate, Juris Doctor, and Ph.D. studies to be able to teach in universities.
- 2.The foreign students, holders of a Lebanese baccalaureate degree or its equivalence officially. At least, four academic years later, those pupils receive a degree issued by the Institution of Higher Education, that is officially acknowledged and equivalent to the University Law License, Bachelor of Law. They can exercise in and outside Lebanon the legal consultancy. As well, they can pursue Masters and Doctorate, Juris Doctor, and Ph.D. studies to be able to teach in universities. These students cannot be judge or occupy a position in the public sector for not having the Lebanese nationality.
The Faculty provides the Law students with free workshops of one hundred sixty-five hours.
The Faculty offers to the students free training sessions.
The Faculty is preparing to establish several programs of Higher Studies (Magister- LLM) in Law.
The Faculty holds permanently Lebanese and International Legal Conferences, in which the students participate efficiently.
The Faculty takes part, through its students, in International Legal Competitions. Our students participated in the Price Moot Court international competition held by Oxford University and won in the Middle East round.
The Faculty aims to establish Legal Clinics to further benefit the civil society.