Foreign Language and Communication Media (BA)

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Administered jointly by the Department of World Languages and Cultures , College of Arts and Sciences and School of Communication .

Admission to the Program

Students are admitted either to the School of Communication or to the Department of World Languages and Cultures in the College of Arts and Sciences . Formal admission to the Foreign Language and Communication Media (FLCM) major requires a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.50. Students who are unable to achieve a 2.50 GPA and declare a major in FLCM are not allowed to take courses in the School of Communication after they have completed 60 credit hours of undergraduate credit.

University Requirements

120 credit hours with minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 2 )
Completion of all requirements for a major (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 9 )

AU Core Requirements

Completion of AU Core foundation requirements (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 8.2-8.6 )
Completion of AU Core Habits of Mind requirements (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 8.7 )
Completion of AU Core integrative course requirements (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 8.8-8.11 )

For additional information, see AU Core Curriculum .

Major Requirements

57 credit hours with grades of C or better
- With approval of the student’s advisor, up to 6 credit hours taken abroad may be applied toward the communication requirements
Program Specializations: French, German, Russian, or Spanish combined with Broadcast Journalism, Film and Media Arts, Print Journalism, or Public Relations & Strategic Communication
Prerequisite competency in the major language at the intermediate level
Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA

Course Requirements

Foundation (6 credit hours)

Foreign Language (18 credit hours)

18 credit hours of courses in the major language (French, German, Russian, or Spanish) at or above 300-level taken in the Department of World Languages and Cultures

Contemporary Culture (6 credit hours)

Complete 6 credit hours from the following, or other contemporary culture coursework as approved by advisor:

Linguistics (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following, or TESL-4XX linguistics coursework as approved by advisor:

Communication Program Specializations (24 credit hours)

Complete one of the following specializations, including 9 credit hours of media studies coursework from the School of Communication (with at least 3 credit hours at or above 300-level), and 15 credit hours in professional coursework: broadcast journalism, film and media arts, print journalism, or public relations & strategic communication.

Broadcast Journalism

Media Studies

Complete 9 credit hours from the following, with at least 3 credit hours at or above 300-level, or other coursework as approved by advisor:

Professional

Film and Media Arts

Media Studies

Required

COMM-105 Visual Literacy FA1 (3)

Electives

Complete 6 credit hours from the following, with at least 3 credit hours at or above 300-level, or other coursework as approved by advisor:

Professional

COMM-250 Digital Imaging (3)
COMM-282 Writing for Visual Media (3)
COMM-330 Principles of Photography (3)
COMM-331 Film and Video Production I (3)
3 credit hours of additional coursework approved by advisor

Print Journalism

Media Studies

Complete 9 credit hours from the following, with at least 3 credit hours at or above 300-level, or other coursework as approved by advisor:

Professional

Required

Electives

Complete 6 credit hours from the following:

Public Relations & Strategic Communication

Media Studies

Required

COMM-209 Communication and Society FA4 (3)

Electives

Complete 6 credit hours from the following, with at least 3 credit hours at or above 300-level, or other coursework as approved by advisor:

Professional

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor’s/master’s programs. See Admission to a Combined Bachelor’s / Master’s Program and Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for more information.