Film and Video Program School of Communication American University

Expansions and Renovations Contribute to the Reputation of American University School of Communication

Located in Washington, D.C., American University (AU) School of Communication (SOC) offers degree-granting programs to undergraduate and graduate students in fields related to journalism, public and political communication, film and media arts, and international media as well as a doctoral degree in communication. The digital media skills online graduate certificate is offered as a distance education program.

AU School of Communication serves approximately 900 undergraduate and 300 graduate students and has approximately 50 full-time faculty positions. As communication becomes more prevalent and relevant in twenty-first century society, SOC continues to grow. The school is planning a $20 million renovation project to its main building, and other expansions are taking place across American University. These improvements build on the reputation that SOC enjoys as a top institution for the study of communication-related fields.

SOC's Film Programs Given Top Ranking

The high reputation enjoyed by the AU School of Communication and its Film and Media Arts Division is evidenced by the awards and rankings the school has received. The school's film program was named one of the country's top 12 film programs by "Hollywood Reporter." Additionally, the achievements of SOC alumni speak to the school's quality. Alumni of SOC's MFA an MA programs won the Student Academy Award for thesis projects in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

The school's faculty members are also accomplished practicing professionals who have won Oscars, Emmys, and Lifetime Achievement Awards. SOC is home to the Center for Environmental Filmmaking and the Center for Social Media.

Opportunities Beyond the Classroom Enrich the Educational Experience

In addition to a cutting-edge curriculum, SOC offers students a number of opportunities to take the educational experience further. Students may work in any number of exotic locations from the Galapagos Islands to Alaska through the Classroom in the Wild.

For those with an interest in exploring the Los Angeles market, the Summer in L.A. program provides the perfect occasion to learn from SOC's top alumni talent in the industry. For students interested in studying abroad, SOC offers the chance to study in Prague for a semester through the Film and Television Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU). Students may enroll in either the film or photography track.

Cultural Institutions and International Media Organizations Surround the SOC Campus

In addition to being a center of media and government, and a hub for documentary filmmaking, Washington, D.C., has a rich cultural heritage. It is home to the Smithsonian Institute, the National Gallery of Art, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Library of Congress. Access to these resources and strategic partnerships with leading local media organizations such as Gannett, Inc and the Newseum has helped SOC students supplement their education.

There are many professional and internship opportunities available to SOC students; students have worked at international media organizations, including Discovery Communications, National Geographic, USA Today, and washingtonpost.com, while attending school.

SOC Offers Six Full-Time Master of Arts Programs in Communication and a Doctoral Degree

AU School of Communication offers a wide variety of full-time master's degree programs and an online graduate certificate program.

The Master of Arts in journalism and public affairs is a year-long, intensive, full-time program with tracks in broadcast and print journalism.

SOC also offers an M.A. in public communication, which allows students to concentrate in arts, government, political, and public interest communication, as well as international public communication.

Concentrations in the M.A. in film and video include film and video production, screenwriting, multimedia, and film history, theory, and criticism.

The graduate program in international media is offered in collaboration with the AU's world renowned School of International Service. This program results in an M.A. degree and offers a combination of theory, research, and professional production skills to provide students with a global media advantage.

The M.A. in Political Communication is presented in partnership with the University's School of Public Affairs and prepares students for careers as politicians, policy-makers, political communication strategists, and campaign executives.

SOC offers a doctoral degree in communication, which offers a rigorous and fast-paced course of study designed for scholars who want to apply theory to practice.

An M.F.A. Degree from SOC Can Lead to Collegiate-Level Teaching Positions

In addition to its five Master of Arts programs, AU School of Communication offers a Master of Fine Arts program in film and electronic media. The M.F.A. degree is a terminal degree, and upon completion of this program, SOC graduates are equipped to pursue collegiate-level teaching careers, along with a number of other career options. Alumni of SOC's M.F.A. program won the Student Academy Award for their thesis projects in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Part-Time and Weekend Master's Programs Cater to the Schedules of Working Professionals

The M.A. in film and video and the M.F.A. in film and electronic media may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. For students who are interested in maintaining a full-time career while obtaining a graduate degree, SOC offers the M.A. in producing for film and video. This cohort-based weekend program may be completed in twenty months.

Other weekend programs include the M.A. in interactive journalism and the M.A. in public communication. Applicants to SOC's weekend programs must have at least three years of full-time, post bachelor's work experience at the time of application; a background in communication is not necessary. GRE scores are not required for weekend program applicants.

Online Graduate Certificate Program for Working Professionals

For the digital media skills certificate program, all coursework will be conducted via online distance learning in a 15-credit skills oriented program, which takes one year to complete. The program is cohort style and enrolls for semesters beginning in March and October.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Master of Arts (MA)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 29
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? Yes
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? Not reported

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Required and Alternate accepted
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied64
• Accepted44
• Acceptance Rate68%
• Enrolled16
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $50
• Application Fee - International $50
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline February 1st February 1st Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline November 15th November 15th Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE General Test
• Doctoral's DegreesNot Reported
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required, 660 paper based, TOEFL iBT, IELTS required, IELTS paper based

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$24,264
• Out-of-state tuition *$24,264
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$430.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsFebruary 1
• Types of financial support availableResearch Assitantships, Teaching Assistantships, Tuition Waivers, Career or Field-Related Internships, Federal Work-Study, Institutionally-sponsored Loans, Scholarship and/or loans, Graduate Assistantships

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students52
• Female Percentage50%
• Male Percentage50%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students52
• Part-time Percentage50%
• Full-time Percentage50%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / LatinoNot Reported
• Black / African AmericanNot Reported
• White / CaucasianNot Reported
• American Indian / Alaskan NativeNot Reported
• AsianNot Reported
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific IslanderNot Reported
• Two or more racesNot Reported
• UnknownNot Reported

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty14
• Full-time Percentage100%
• Part-time Percentage0%
• Female Percentage43%
• Male Percentage57%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchDocumentary film and video production, visual literacy, Eastern European cinema, media and public policy, social media
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last yearNot Reported