Communication: Film and Media Arts (BA)

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Offered by the School of Communication , the Communication: Film and Media Arts (BA) provides students with a professional skill set in photography, film, video, and digital media. Washington, DC offers undergraduates a range of opportunities to intern at national media organizations including USA Today, National Geographic Television, and PBS. Students are positioned on the forefront of social purpose filmmaking at nonprofits, NGOs, and government agencies such as the World Wildlife Fund, Smithsonian Institution, and the National Park Service. Graduates of the program go on to have successful careers in the media industry.

Admission to the Program

Formal admission to the major requires a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (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.

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

39 credit hours with grades of C or better, including at least 24 credit hours at or above 300-level
- Subject to the approval of an advisor, a maximum of 12 credit hours in communication transferred from another university may be substituted for required communication courses
- With approval of the student’s advisor, up to 6 credit hours taken abroad may be applied toward the communication major requirements
Related requirements taken outside the School of Communication with grades of C or better:
Note: These courses are not included in the major GPA.
- 3 credit hours from United States history (HIST ) coursework
- 3 credit hours from ECON coursework or MKTG-250 Fundamentals of Marketing and Business for Communications (3)
- Minor or second major outside the School of Communication

Course Requirements

Required (12 credit hours)

Discipline (24 credit hours)

Producing/Writing/Directing

Complete 6 credit hours from the following:

Production Skills

Complete 6 credit hours from the following:

Film Studies

Complete 6 credit hours from the following:

Film History

Complete 6 credit hours from the following if not taken to fulfill Film Studies:

Capstone (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 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.

United States History

Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Economics or Marketing

Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Outside Minor or Second Major

Minor or second major outside of the School of Communication

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.