School of Communication

Website: http://www.american.edu/soc

The School of Communication (SOC) educates students to master a rapidly changing media and communication environment; one that reflects an increasingly complex global, interactive and diverse society. Through teaching, writing, production, scholarship, and partnerships, SOC and its faculty empower graduates with the knowledge, skills, and insights to become responsible, ethical professionals in all areas of the communication field and to make a difference in the economy, politics, culture, and society. With a strategic blend of professional expertise and intellectual exploration, and a deep connection with the world’s communication center of Washington, D.C., the school creates a community of knowledge, practice, and impact that keeps students, alumni, and faculty at the leading edge of a society increasingly defined by media and communication. The school’s hands on, practical programs tap the experts at work in Washington, D.C., including TV, radio, print, and online journalists; media strategists in the nonprofit, government, and political arenas; and documentary, education, and social advocacy media producers. Internships, work opportunities, and class assignments all contribute to experience-based learning. The school’s state-of-the-art technology supports student research, writing, photography, video and film production, digital video editing, motion graphics production, Web authoring, and graphic design. The school’s four divisions - Communication Studies, Film and Media Arts, Journalism, and Public Communication - each offer undergraduate and graduate programs. Journalism and public communication have been accredited since 1976 by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). The film and media arts program is a member of CILECT, the International Association of Film and Television Schools.

The Communication Studies division offers interdisciplinary degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, and are intended for students seeking a broad/based, intellectually challenging course of study that will allow them to expand and deepen their understanding of the political, social, cultural, and historical dimensions of the communications disciplines. The undergraduate program in Communication Studies is a liberal arts-oriented major that draws on the strengths and attributes of the School’s journalism, public communication, and film and media arts curricula. The International Media master’s program is a partnership between the School of Communication and the School of International Service, providing a combination of communication theory, media production skills, and academic research techniques to equip students for professional leadership positions in international and global communication. The PhD program in Communication is an accelerated, interdisciplinary curriculum designed around the intersections of media, technology, and democracy.

Film and Media Arts includes the undergraduate program and graduate film and electronic media programs. Students may concentrate their study of media production in one of three areas: Environmental and Wildlife Filmmaking; Political, Cultural, and Social Impact; Art in Entertainment; or may prefer to select a program of courses from each of these three areas. At the graduate level, students can also focus in Persuasive Gaming. A weekend graduate program offers an MA in Producing for Film and Video. In its commitment to providing the best preparation for students in film and emerging media, the Film and Media Arts Division requires all MA and MFA graduate students to enter the program with one of three Apple MacBook Pro laptops and Final Cut Pro. These systems are recommended for undergraduates as well. For more information visit www.american.edu/soc/resources/fma.

Journalism offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The master’s degree in journalism and public affairs includes specializations in broadcast, international, and investigative journalism. Weekend master’s programs are offered in interactive journalism and media entrepreneurship.

Public Communication has undergraduate and graduate programs that teach communication strategies involved in creating messages, engaging audiences, working with media, and advocating for causes in a changing world of new media and cutting edge technology. The programs focus on strategic communication in politics, entertainment, health, science, business, social advocacy, and international relations. The MA in Political Communication is offered jointly with the School of Public Affairs.

The school also offers an undergraduate interdisciplinary program jointly with the College of Arts and Sciences, the BA in Foreign Language and Communication Media.

An undergraduate minor in communication, designed for users and consumers of mass media rather than practitioners, also is available.

For more information go to: www.american.edu/soc/.

School of Communication

General Information

Programs