overview
The leaders of today train the leaders of tomorrow
The American University (AU) is recognised as an outstanding academic institution dedicated to academic excellence, cultural diversity, and global engagement. American University’s unparalleled educational experience prepares students for success in an ever-evolving world.
AU’s pursuit of knowledge transcends traditional boundaries. With a diverse array of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, the university empowers its students to explore their passions and curiosity across various disciplines such as Audio Technology, Arts Management, Computer Science, Creative Writing and Graphic and Visual Communication Design. Each program encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and innovative problem-solving.
Among the outstanding faculty at AU are leaders and authorities in their respective fields. The accomplished scholars mentor students, guiding them on their academic journeys and encouraging them to explore new research areas. A transformative educational experience is guaranteed through their commitment to research, innovation, and community involvement. As part of the university’s commitment to student well-being, the university offers a wide range of student organisations, state-of-the-art facilities, wellness programs, and a vibrant arts scene.
AU prepares students to be lifelong learners, ethical leaders, and catalysts for positive change in an ever-evolving world. Experience a life of excellence at American University, where each moment is an opportunity to shape a brighter future.
**American University, in collaboration with Shorelight Education, provides international students exclusive admissions services, academic and language support, and career growth opportunities.
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Awards, Rankings, & Recognition
We only work with premium colleges
- Ranked #8 by US News & World Report for International Business Undergraduate Program.
- Ranked #1 by Princeton Review for Full-time MBA in HR.
- Ranked #72 Best National University by U.S News & World Report 2022-2023.
courses
Study areas for this college
The MFA in Games and Interactive Media will help you create bridges and make change through the power of active engagement through games. This terminal degree can be completed in three years and will offer you the qualifications to teach at the university level.
With many of the same courses required for the MA in Audio Technology with a concentration in music recording and production, the 15-credit graduate certificate in audio production provides advanced study in critical listening and audio production, recording, mixing, and technology.
The Audio Technology Program focuses on both the art and the science of audio and music technology. With our strong core courses in sound synthesis, audio production, digital audio workstations, electronics, and physics, we are unique in our approach to blending the art and science in audio in the context of an educational program
The American University School of Communication Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Arts provides you with a professional skill set in photography, film, video, and digital media.
The AU School of Communication MFA in Film and Media Arts prepares you to be a compelling visual storyteller. You will learn the skills you need for a career creating meaningful stories that inform and inspire action in film, video, and game design.
The MA in audio technology at American University focuses on both the art and science of music technology to prepare students for a variety of careers in the industry. Students take courses in critical listening, sound synthesis, music production and mixing, digital instrument design, post-production, and film scoring.
The AU School of Communication’s MA in Journalism and Digital Storytelling (formerly Interactive Journalism) has long been a trailblazer in the field of online journalism. Our innovative program offers intensive instruction in multi-platform reporting with a focus on digital storytelling.
The courses in this program are primarily focused on the business side of the film and video industry, including financing, distribution, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship. The curriculum also includes a scriptwriting course.
The AU School of Communication MFA in Film and Media Arts prepares you to be a compelling visual storyteller. You will learn the skills you need for a career creating meaningful stories that inform and inspire action in film, video, and game design.
Our faculty are committed to mentoring you through the many opportunities of the program, the campus, and the city. Take advantage of all the Music Program and the University has to offer: compete for research grants, travel internationally with our ensembles, or intern with partners beyond the classroom like the Washington National Opera.
The Dance Program provides dance opportunities for every American University student. Diverse course offerings allow students to study movement from multiple perspectives: through a wide range of movement forms (Ballet, African, Contemporary, Urban, etc.), creative research, and dance theory.
American University’s Musical Theatre Program will prepare you to succeed in a variety of professions within and beyond the performing arts.
American University’s Theatre Program will prepare you to succeed in a variety of professions within and beyond the performing arts.
Create and code your way into a new career path with a certificate in game design. It’s the perfect opportunity for those who want to use games as a platform for something greater. The game design certificate program combines game design and game development, merging the strengths of the School of Communication and College of Arts and Sciences.
The design program teaches the theory and practice of graphic communications design. Our courses cover publication and editorial design, corporate identity, packaging, illustration, poster design, multimedia, experience and interactive design, etc.
As the only program of its kind in the United States, the Master of Arts in Game Design drives students to stretch their capacities as designers, developers, consumers, and game administrators and apply that to their unique field of interest.
The Department of Computer Science at American University balances the practical and theoretical aspects of computer science and provides students with a background for professional employment or further study in the discipline.
Offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Arts and Sciences, the Data Science (BS) prepares students for data analytic positions in academia, government, and industry that require extensive knowledge of statistical and computational tools.
The Graduate Certificate in Data Science will provide you with the core technical proficiencies to visualize and analyze data, building on your current knowledge to help you become a data scientist.
The American University School of Communication MA in Media, Technology & Democracy will give you the tools you need to examine complex social problems, analyze emerging trends in media and technology, and develop and evaluate policy.
We live in an increasingly digital world, and AU’s MS in Computer Science will boot up your career in this dynamic, growing field. Our program emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning to develop the knowledge and skills that will prepare you for a career in government, scientific, and commercial settings.
Launching in Fall 2023, American University’s new online Master of Science in Data Science program is designed for working professionals seeking to build successful careers in data science. Our degree will give you the expertise that employers want right now: a deep understanding of complex data, cutting-edge technical skills, strong communication and teamwork skills, and the ability to create data science-enabled solutions to real-life problems.
As a software developer, you will have the versatility to execute tasks from any stage in a web or application development project. At American University, we transform learners into adaptable and self-reliant software developers who can construct innovative solutions to the problems that affect how we live to create a better, more accessible online environment.
A major in business administration gives you a well-rounded education in some of today’s most in-demand skills: accounting, finance, entrepreneurship, and more. It’s a degree that can help you enter almost every industry and type of organization. With it, you can easily embark on a professional career, set your sights on graduate school, or even start your own business.
There’s no business like show business—emphasis on “business.” The entertainment and media market in the US is worth $717 billion, and it’s only expected to keep growing. Kogod’s business and entertainment major is an innovative program that prepares you for business careers in the entertainment sector through classes taught by industry professionals, hands-on coursework, and exciting internship opportunities.
Are you ready for business without borders? Kogod’s business, language, and culture major equips you with the skills to thrive in today’s globalized world of business. You’ll become proficient in a foreign language, learn how to navigate cultural nuances, and study abroad, all while building the solid foundation in business that can help you succeed anywhere.
Having a fundamental understanding of business not only helps you prepare to run your own company—it also shows employers you have a versatile skillset and are capable of taking on more senior roles. A certificate in business fundamentals provides the foundational business knowledge that can make you a more valuable employee and confident business owner.
Offered by the Kogod School of Business, the Entrepreneurship (Graduate Certificate) is designed for students who seek to start or grow a new business or social venture, expand an existing venture, or take over a family business.
The full-time MBA program is designed to help you develop leadership skills that lead to meaningful, positive change. Gain a broad skill set in management, communications, entrepreneurship, and other highly marketable areas. Expand your network and build your team-working capabilities. Learn to lead within an organization or found your own business.
Administered jointly by the School of International Service and College of Arts and Sciences (Department of Performing Arts), this certificate is a symbol of professional achievement widely recognized by international organizations, non-profit agencies, and corporate and government employers.
Our 34-credit Master of Arts program has been crafted and refined over four decades to provide a solid foundation in arts-management essentials along with flexibility to fit your career goals.
Based in Washington, DC, the epicenter of national political and social movements, the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication at American University teaches the skills you need to advance your career and make a mark as a strategic communicator in a variety of settings, including corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
American University’s (AU) online Master of Arts in Strategic Communication prepares you to pivot your messaging and market strategies amid rapidly changing environments and trends. With foundational knowledge in strategy and the platforms available to today’s media, you’ll optimize messaging for every circumstance.
Elevate your career with American University’s Kogod School of Business online MBA program. Our rigorous curriculum develops essential leadership skills, from decision-making to team management, for emerging professionals. Join our community of driven professionals and take the first step towards a brighter future today.
Unleash your creativity in a dynamic career that rewards innovation, strategy, and imagination. An MS in marketing can help you forge a new career path or expand your current role. With a solid foundation in branding, consumer behavior, data, and management, you’ll be equipped to bring your most cutting-edge ideas to life.
If you’re seeking a broad, intellectually challenging course of study that will allow you to expand and deepen your understanding of the political, social, cultural, global, and historical dimensions of communication disciplines, the Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies is for you.
Our journalism program helps you hone your skills with courses in various forms of writing, advanced reporting, digital media, journalism ethics, race and community reporting, investigative journalism, podcasting, and communication law.
The AU School of Communication’s Doctor of Philosophy in Communication allows you to research at the intersection of media, technology, and democracy.
For more than 30 years, writers have come to American University to develop their work and exchange ideas in the District’s only creative writing MFA program. Our graduate workshops provide a rigorous yet supportive environment where students explore a range of approaches to the art and craft of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
The DC area is the region with the highest salaries for Curators, Archivists, and Museum Technicians and Conservators, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018).
The MA in Art History provides advanced historical study in European and American art from the early Renaissance through the present, as well as Asian and other non-Western art, to prepare you for a doctoral program, curatorial position, or one of many other museum-related careers.
Asset creation On-campus
Think Tank’s mentorship is designed to help artists that have previous training and/or experience brush up on their skills and produce a viable demo reel. Each student is assigned a personal, state-of-the-art workstation. During your time on campus, you will have access to 4-months of guidance from an industry professional to create and polish your demo reel.
Vancouver, Canada
12 Months
February | June | October
International Students: $50,800 CAD
Canadian Students: $38,400 CAD
asset creation Online
Asset Creation is a term used in the CG industry for the creation of all bits and pieces, both big and small, used in Film and Games. This Asset Creation program is designed to train working artists in the CG Industry for the roles of Props & Environments for Film, Characters & Creatures for Film, Environments for Games as well as Characters & Creatures for Games.
Online
16 Months
February | June | October
$15,840 CAD
If you pay for all 4 terms upfront, you will receive 5% off.
Mentorship
Think Tank’s mentorship is designed to help artists that have previous training and/or experience brush up on their skills and produce a viable demo reel. Each student is assigned a personal, state-of-the-art workstation. During your time on campus, you will have access to 4-months of guidance from an industry professional to create and polish your demo reel.
Vancouver, Canada
4 Months
February | June | October
International Students: $16,500 CAD
Canadian Students: $12,500 CAD
Master of Fine Arts in Games and Interactive Media
Audio Production Graduate Certificate
Bachelor of Arts in Audio Production
Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Arts
Master of Arts Film and Media Production
Master of Arts in Audio Technology
Master of Arts in Journalism and Digital Storytelling
Master of Arts in Producing Film, Television, and Video
Master of Fine Arts in Film & Media Arts
BA in Music
Bachelor of Arts in Dance
Performing Arts: Musical Theatre (BA)
Performing Arts: Theatre (BA)
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Language, and Culture
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism
Doctor of Philosophy in Communication
Master of Arts in Journalism & Public Affairs
Master of Arts in Literature, Culture, and Technology
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Certificate in Game Design
Graphic and Visual Communication Design (BA)
Master of Arts in Game Design
BS in Computer Science
BS in Data Science
Certificate in Data Science
Cybersecurity Professional Program
Graduate Analytics Certificate
Graduate Certificate in Global Information Technology
Master of Arts in Media, Technology, and Democracy
Master of Science in Computer Science
Master of Science in Data Science
MS in Analytics
Online Master of Science in Analytics
Online Master of Science in Marketing Analytics
Software Development Professional Program
SPA Data Analytics and Digital Technology Certificate
BS in Business Administration
BS in Business and Entertainment
BS in Business, Language, & Culture
Business Fundamentals Graduate Certificate
Entrepreneurship (Graduate Certificate)
Full-Time MBA
International Arts Management (Graduate Certificate)
Master of Arts in Arts Management
Master of Arts in Strategic Communication
Master’s Degree in Strategic Communication
MBA Online
MS in Marketing
BA in Art History
BA in Studio Art
Master of Arts in Art History
Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art
Alumni
Graduate success stories

Danielle Gelber
President and Founder at Acoustic Productions; Former Executive Vice President, Wolf Films and NBC Universal; Senior Vice President, Showtime; Senior Vice President, at FOX

Barry Josephson
Film Producer (Enchanted, Ladykillers, Like Mike, and FOX TV’s Bones), Former Music Manager, three-time Oscar Nominee

Nancy Meyers
Film Writer and Director (The Parent Trap, It’s Complicated, Something’s Gotta Give, What Women Want, Saving Private Ryan, and The Intern)

Russell Williams II
Production Sound Mixer; two-time Academy Award Winner (first African American to win two Academy Awards in any category); Professor and Distinguished Artist in Residence, American University

Job Placement
Companies that have hired graduates





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