Program in Strategic Communication 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, strategic and political communication, film and media arts, and international media. 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 Offers Washington D.C.'s Only Accredited Graduate Public Communication Program

The Strategic Communication program at American University teaches professional skills through coursework that emphasis strategies on how to target an audience, create a compelling message, write persuasively, and advocate ideas. Students go on to a wide range of professions after completing the program, including careers in public relations firms, as speechwriters and in non-profit organizations. SOC's graduate strategic communication program is the only ACEJMC accredited program in the District of Columbia.

Washington, D.C., Is One of the World's Media Capitals, an Advantage for SOC Students

One of the notable distinctions of AU School of Communication is its Washington, D.C., location. The school prides itself on being located in one of the media capitals of the world. Each of SOC's programs of study is designed to take full advantage of the city, and accordingly focus on public affairs and public service. SOC takes advantage of urban Washington, D.C. while being located in a residential area of the city. The beautifully landscaped campus has been declared an arboretum.

Cultural Institutions and International Media Organizations Surround the SOC Campus

In addition to being a center of media and government, 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 NBC, CBS, 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 Graduate Programs and a Doctoral Degree in Communication

AU School of Communication offers a wide variety of full-time master's degree programs. 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, film history, theory, and criticism.

The Master of Fine Arts (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.

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.

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

For students who are interested in obtaining their M.A. in Public Communication degree on a more flexible schedule, the school offers the option to complete the program on a part-time basis. The cohort based, twenty-month, weekend program format is designed for working professionals with three or more years of full-time work experience post bachelors. A background in communication is not necessary.

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 61
• 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
• Applied153
• Accepted104
• Acceptance Rate67%
• Enrolled43
• 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 April 1st Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline Not Reported Not Reported 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, 600 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 Students63
• Female Percentage89%
• Male Percentage11%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students63
• Part-time Percentage27%
• Full-time Percentage73%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino0%
• Black / African American0%
• White / Caucasian0%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian0%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown100%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty17
• Full-time Percentage65%
• Part-time Percentage35%
• Female Percentage47%
• Male Percentage53%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchLitigation and public relations, cross-cultural and intercultural communication, statistical public relations, African-Americans and women in public communication, international public relations
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last yearNot Reported