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    Mar 28, 2024  
American University Catalog 2022-2023 
    
American University Catalog 2022-2023 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Photography (BA)


Offered jointly by the Department of Art , College of Arts and Sciences , and the School of Communication , the Photography (BA) attracts students interested in all forms of photography from fine art to photojournalism. The program has a comprehensive curriculum that includes historical, theoretical, and practical approaches to photography. By program completion, students are knowledgeable about the evolution of photography; its adoption by distinct groups of individuals, from fine artists, commercial studios, and the general public; and photography’s changing role in the greater art world. Students relate technical developments in the medium to aesthetic and conceptual developments, citing movements and trends that also coincided with a broader art history. Through a final project and exhibition, students delve into a relevant topic of their choice and analyze it through a specific socio-cultural lens.

Admission to the Program


Students are admitted either to the School of Communication  or to the Department of Art  in the College of Arts and Sciences . Formal admission to the major requires a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale). Students should declare their major by the end of the sophomore year and no earlier than the end of the first year.

Students who are unable to achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 and declare a major in communication are not allowed to take courses in the school after they have completed 60 hours of undergraduate credit.

University Requirements


AU Core Requirements


For additional information, see AU Core Curriculum .

Major Requirements


  • 39 credit hours with grades of C or better, including 24 credit hours at or above 300-level
  • Related course requirements taken outside the School of Communication with grades of C or better:
    Note: These courses are not included in the major GPA.
  • Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA

Course Requirements


Introductory (3 credit hours)


Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

History and Cultural Studies (6 credit hours)


Complete 6 credit hours from the following:

Related Requirements


Complete the following with grades of C or better:

Note: These course are not included in the major GPA.

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.