Undergraduate Extended Accelerator Pathway (3-Term) - Bachelor of Arts in African American and African Diaspora Studies

at Shorelight Group - American University USA

The Religious Studies (BA) major at American University prepares students for careers across diverse fields by exploring how religion informs, influences, and directs social action and thought. Because “religion” pervades all aspects of life, our major allows students to focus on specific areas of interest, grounding religion in an historical and pluralistic framework while also bringing the topic into the modern world, recognizing how religion continues to shape politics, international relations, law, education, and economics.

The Religious Studies major is inclusive, investigating religion through diverse methodologies like critical theory, feminism and womanism, psychology, philosophy, and lived religion. Studying religion at American University expands students’ worldview, preparing them to be community leaders and changemakers.

French studies focuses on language and culture, integrating topics from around the francophone world, including history and literature. A language background can be a great advantage in your career, whether you work in business, industry, or government service. AU Abroad programs will help enhance your language skills and immerse you in culture.

Combine business and STEM courses to develop an analytical skill set for the modern business world. Learn from top-credentialed faculty interested in your success. Specialize in accounting, analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems and technology, international business, management, or marketing. Gain real-world experience by solving problems for local businesses or interning at DC’s many financial institutions, consulting firms, and policy institutes.

To study physics is to study the universe and all of its parts. As a fundamental science, a background in physics prepares you for diverse fields like astronomy, medicine, engineering, consulting, science policy, and more. The BS prepares you for graduate school and careers in science and technology. It features three tracks: traditional physics, chemical physics, and computational physics.

The African American and African Diaspora Studies program offers a rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum that provides students with an understanding of the historical and contemporary realities of African-descended peoples in the United States and across the diaspora. Students explore Black social movements and race politics, racial ideologies and critical race theory, and the distinctive artistic, literary, cultural practices of African peoples worldwide.

If you want to combine your studies in journalism, film and media arts, or public relations and strategic communication with a concentration in French, German, Russian, or Spanish, the bachelor of arts in Foreign Language and Communication Media may be just what you're seeking.

This interdisciplinary degree, offered jointly by the School of Communication and the Department of World Languages and Cultures in the College of Arts and Sciences, allows you to learn from world-class faculty members whose cutting-edge research activities and professional engagements play key roles in global policy development. Foreign Language and Communication Media students come from across the country and around the world, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience that further enrich your learning experience.

Philosophy is the passionate study of ideas, concepts, arguments, and ideologies. It is also a practice of critically attending to forms of experience, perspectives, and discourses that shape and express our lives. In this way, pursuing a degree in philosophy offers an opportunity to think differently and to think otherwise. The undergraduate program in philosophy at American University does this by exposing students to a wide variety of philosophical traditions and methods, while helping them to cultivate an attunement to issues of ethics and social justice. As such, our philosophy students grapple with the longstanding mysteries of knowledge and existence in the face of urgent political issues and the state of our world today, while also honing their thinking, writing and communication. Ultimately, the philosophy BA program helps students acquire useful skills for many trades and professions (former students have gone on to careers in academia, business, government, journalism, law, non-profit, public administration, etc.); but above all, it nurtures powers of the mind and heart for future changemakers. 

Explore the richness, impact, and dimensions of Jewish history, culture, and politics (American, Jewish, and Israeli) with our award-winning faculty. Enjoy a wide realm of Jewish cultural activities including lectures, performances, exhibits, and study abroad opportunities. Intern at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, on Capitol Hill, or at one of the many Jewish organizations headquartered in the nation’s capital. 

Spanish is the second-most popular language in the world, and in an increasingly interconnected global society, the study of languages and culture is of vital importance. With a major in Spanish studies, you’ll develop translingual fluency and social awareness through courses on literature, language, and more. AU Abroad programs will help enhance your language skills and immerse you in culture. 

You’ll develop your own artistic direction and self-expression through a liberal arts curriculum that includes hands-on courses in painting, sculpture, video, and digital photography. Here, students exhibit their work in the Katzen Arts Center alongside high-profile artists from around the world.