Public health education and research activities at the American University of Beirut (AUB) go back more than 100 years, when community oriented physicians at the AUB School of Medicine initiated studies of epidemics and community health problems. A public health center was established in 1927, with a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. It served as a community resource conducting field p
rojects in underserved areas. In 1948, the Department of Public Health was established within the School of Medicine. This department offered certificate and non-degree programs in public health and sanitation; the fact which attracted students from the whole region. In 1954, the School of Public Health was founded as the region's first independent public health faculty. A bachelor of science (BS) in environmental health was offered starting in 1961 and the master of public health (MPH) program was initiated in 1971. Non-degree and certificate programs were gradually phased out to be fully discontinued in 1976. The name of the school was changed to that of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) in 1978 to reflect the addition of related health programs.
