AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
Washington, D.C.
The University
American University (AU) is for academically distinctive and intensely engaged students who want to turn ideas into action and action into service. AU's rigorous curriculum enables students to combine serious theoretical study with meaningful real-world learning experiences.
American's unique core curriculum and Honors Program; its Washington, D.C., location; and its emphasis on the practical application of knowledge prepare students to be major contributors in their fields. Many AU students choose to study more than one field or design their own interdisciplinary major in order to prepare for their professional futures. For example, premed students can major in international studies in order to prepare for a career in international health. The University understands that tomorrow's careers require an understanding of a wide variety of fields, and it encourages students to transcend the traditional boundaries of academic disciplines.
AU's more than 5,000 undergraduates are a microcosm of the world's diversity. From across the United States and more than 140 countries, they share a desire to shape tomorrow's world. AU actively promotes international understanding, and this is reflected in its curriculum offerings, faculty research, and the regular presence of world leaders on campus.
The University's six smoke-free residence halls are modern and offer a choice of single-sex or coed floors and special interest options, such as the Honors Program floor. Sixty-five percent of the students live on campus. Dining options include a main campus dining facility as well as an on-campus Subway, McDonald's, Jamba Juice, Auntie Anne's Pretzels, and Chick-fil-A. Nonresidential fraternities and sororities, more than 140 students-run organizations, NCAA Division I athletics, and intramural and club sports offer students a range of choices.
Location
At the top of Embassy Row in northwest Washington, D.C., American University's traditional campus is an 84-acre home base. Students have easy access to the University shuttle, the subway, city buses, and taxis to all the incomparable resources of the nation's capital. AU is convenient to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore Washington International Airport and to Union Station and interstate highways.
Majors and Degrees
The College of Arts and Sciences awards B.A., B.F.A., and B.S. degrees in the arts, education, humanities, sciences, and social sciences through its twenty academic units. Prelaw and premedical programs are also available.
The School of International Service offers the B.A. in international studies and in language and area studies.
The School of Public Affairs offers the B.A. degree in justice, law and society, and political science. The school also offers CLEG, a unique interdisciplinary program that combines courses in communication, law, economics, and government.
The School of Communication is a professional school that offers training in broadcast journalism, communication studies, foreign language and communication media, print journalism, public communication, and visual media.
The Kogod School of Business offers the the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) with specializations in accounting, economics, enterprise management, finance, human resource management, international business, international finance, international management, international marketing, management of information technology, marketing, and fields related to international service, including communications, development, economic policy, and regional area studies.
Academic Programs
In the General Education Program, AU's core curriculum, students choose ten classes from more than 150 specially designed courses. Two classes must be taken in each of the five following areas: social institutions and behavior, traditions that shape the Western world, global and multicultural perspectives, the creative arts, and the natural sciences. The first class in each area serves as the foundation course and must be followed by a second, more specialized course in an approved sequence.
These innovative courses are a vital part of students' intellectual and professional preparation: they improve writing and critical-thinking skills; offer new and balanced scholarship on ethical principles, gender, race, class, and culture; and incorporate quantitative and computing skills as appropriate for that field. In addition, all students are required to complete two courses in English composition and one in college-level mathematics. Combined bachelor's/master's degree programs are available in most fields.
The educational goals of the College of Arts and Sciences include teaching students to examine Western and non-Western cultures, appreciate scientific inquiry, master written and oral expression, develop the ability to analyze and synthesize information, and build an understanding of the moral and ethical dimensions that underlie decision making. Working with faculty members and professional academic counselors, students select internships and develop courses of study in more than forty majors in the arts, education, humanities, mathematics, performing arts, sciences, and social sciences. The strong liberal arts curriculum of the college is enhanced by the educational, social, cultural, artistic, and scientific resources of Washington, D.C. The individual strengths of each department are heightened by students' ability to cross the lines between disciplinesexpanding their educational horizons while acquiring the skills and knowledge required to be successful in graduate-level study or in their chosen careers.
American's School of International Service is the largest of its kind in the United States and is able to offer serious students a breadth of study in international relations. The international studies program begins with foundation courses and core field courses to provide students with the tools to explore specific areas of study in greater depth. Students select an area of specialization from among Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, or Russia and Central Eurasia and a functional field of concentration in business, comparative and international race relations, international politics, U.S. foreign policy, Islamic studies, global environmental politics, international communication, international development, international economic policy, or peace and conflict resolution. The language and area studies major provides a strong foundation in language and culture courses. Students choose one of four areas: French/West Europe, German/West Europe, Spanish/Latin America, or Russian Area Studies.
Students in the School of Public Affairs are engaged in learning about local, national, and international politics; public institutions; public policy; crime; justice; and law. These areas frame a comprehensive program that incorporates classroom learning, individualized research projects, relevant field studies, and professional training. Washington's facilities for scholarly research in public affairs and resources for work opportunities and personal enrichment are limitless. Students may participate in the school's leadership program, summer programs, and the Women and Politics, Public Affairs and Advocacy, or Campaign Management Institutes.
The goal of the School of Communication is to develop professionally trained communicators who are equipped intellectually and ethically to convey the issues of contemporary society. The curriculum benefits from the environment of Washington, D.C., one of the major communications centers of the world. The school emphasizes involving students with Washington's communicators and communication facilities. A strong liberal arts curriculum is required to ensure students' abilities to interpret the world around them.
The Kogod School of Business provides students with a solid foundation in business and preparation to be responsible citizens and assume leadership roles in a global business economy. Kogod is entrepreneurial, relevant to today's markets, and flexible in its strategies. The school offers a business curriculum derived from a multifunctional view of business that emphasizes critical skills and topics such as communication, e-commerce, teamwork, technology, ethics, and global business. Nearly every major U.S. corporation and many multinational firms have a presence in the Washington, D.C., area, providing Kogod students with limitless opportunities to enhance classroom learning through internship experiences.
Off-Campus Programs
The University's Career Center provides more than 500 students each year with internship experience in jobs related to their educational and career goals. Such professional training may be with arts organizations, museums, private business, industry, community and social service organizations, or local, state, or federal governments. Full-time faculty members from nearly all University departments serve as program coordinators.
American University administers its own exciting study-abroad program, called the AU Abroad Program. Students can study at more than fifty sites, including Andes to the Rainforests, Australia/New Zealand, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Italy (art), Madrid, Madrid and the Mediterranean, Montreal, Moscow, Oxford, Paris, Prague, Rome, Santiago, Southern Africa, and United Arab Emirates. Built into most of these study programs are opportunities for language immersion and to tour the country, meet and talk with national leaders and academicians, and participate in internships and homestays.
Academic Facilities
The University's facilities include a state-of-the-art language resource center, multimedia design and development labs, and science laboratories; well-equipped buildings for art, chemistry, and performing arts; and a sports center with indoor and outdoor tracks, soccer and intramural fields, an Olympic-size pool, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. There are fourteen classroom buildings, a 50,000-watt broadcast center, and an interdenominational religious center. The library is a member of the OCLC network, which gives students online access to 2,000 other member libraries. Computing resources are delivered by a fiber-optic network with connections throughout campus, including all residence hall rooms, as well as through wireless access for laptops, PDAs, and phone/PDA hybrids.
Costs
Undergraduate tuition and fees for the 200405 academic year were $25,920. Room and board costs averaged $10,170 for the year. AU anticipates a 5 percent increase in tuition and fees for 200506. There are several installment payment plans.
Financial Aid
AU recognizes academic achievement and potential and offers merit scholarships to approximately 25 percent of each freshman class. These scholarships are not based upon financial need, and no separate application forms are required. The scholarships include awards of up to full tuition. Scholarships are also available for transfer students. The University also supports a multimillion-dollar financial assistance program. Families must apply by February15 for priority consideration.
Faculty
The faculty represents a rich mix of academic and professional training. Its 490 full-time members are nationally and internationally recognized in their fields, and 93.5 percent have the highest degree in their field. An important part of American's academic program is the integration of practicing professionals into the faculty. The talent pool available in Washington, D.C., is enormous. Students have the opportunity to learn from professionals from such organizations as the World Bank, Discovery Communications, Associated Press, the National Endowment for the Arts, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, America Online, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other private industries. These faculty members bring a real-world perspective to the classroom experience. The student-faculty ratio is 15:1. The average undergraduate class size is 23.
Student Government
The Student Confederation is the representative student government for all full-time undergraduates. There are also school and college councils.
Admission Requirements
Admission to AU is selective and competitive. Each freshman applicant is reviewed individually, with careful consideration given to the high school record, SAT or ACT scores (with writing), the essay, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. Special emphasis is given to leadership qualities, creative endeavors, volunteerism, and entrepreneurship. The middle 50 percent of admitted students have grade point averages between 3.2 and 3.8 (on a 4.0 scale) and combined SAT I scores between 1190 and 1340 or ACT scores between 25 and 29. Approximately 20 National Merit Finalists and Semifinalists enroll each year. Transfer applicants are welcome. A minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) on all university-level work completed is necessary to be considered competitive for admission. Transfer students should visit the University's Web site (http://aufax.american.edu/ST/registrar/articulations/) for more information.
Application and Information
The deadline for early decision freshmen is November15, and notification is made by December31. The regular decision deadline is January15. While most freshmen are admitted for the fall semester, students may also apply for summer or spring semester entry. Transfer applicants apply for all three terms. Students should call or visit the University's Web site for application dates and requirements.
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