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Graduate Admissions College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)

American University's College of Arts and Sciences offers more than 50 graduate degrees and certificates in the humanities, arts, sciences, and social sciences. Each program reflects our philosophy that a combination of academic training and real-world professional experience is the best preparation for success as a leader in your field.

  • Diverse on-campus activities and resources, including conferences and symposia with panels of experts, lectures by visiting luminaries, and state-of-the-art research laboratories
  • Faculty composed of nationally and internationally known artists, researchers, and scientists
  • Valuable connections with influential people and institutions in the Washington region, across the United States, and around the world
  • Numerous degree programs that are STEM-designated: MS in Biology, MS in Biotechnology, PhD in Behavioral Cognition and Neuroscience, MS in Chemistry, MS in Computer Science, MS in Data Science, MA and PhD in Economics, MS in Environmental Science, MA in International Economics, and MS Statistics

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Email casgrad@american.edu

Telephone  202-885-3620

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Meet Our Changemakers

Meet more current students.

Shiloah Symone Coley with her art.

 

Shiloah Symone ColeyMFA, Studio Art

Both inside and outside the art studio, Studio Art MFA Candidate Shiloah Symone Coley interrogates the existing stories we come to believe as truths about ourselves, others, and the world around us.

Shiloah believes community-engaged work is crucial in unpacking the different perspectives that contribute to the narratives of our society. By seeking to center the voices of her collaborators, her process explores what it means to have agency in telling your own story, and she has facilitated youth-led art projects in New York City, Madison, WI, and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Shiloah is currently a Sherman Fairchild Foundation Fellow at the Phillips Collection, working with its Community Engagement and Marketing-Communications departments to develop meaningful storytelling and programming with the DC community.

After graduation she wants to continue collaborating with the communities around her, while also maintaining a dedicated studio practice through a residency or fellowship alongside an educational institution or nonprofit. She says that being at AU has given her an opportunity to rigorously research and advance her practice.

When I arrived at American University, I was primarily a painter. Now I work in a much more anti-disciplinary collage fashion that's driven by the themes and motifs I'm engaging with conceptually. And at the Phillips, I've had the opportunity to see the inner workings of how an art institution operates. It's been an incredibly educational experience.

Sarah Salkowski

 

Sarah SalkowskiMA in Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights

Sarah Salkowski envisions a world where all people going through the pregnancy and birthing process are empowered to make informed decisions and successfully navigate the healthcare system. While earning her MA at American University in Ethics, Peace, and Human Rights, she has found the perfect place to work towards achieving these goals.  

Sarah works for the German nonprofit, Empowered Birth Movement (EBM), which confronts maternal health inequities by advancing the availability, affordability, and accessibility of multilingual health information and community-based support throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. At EBM, she began by reading and writing briefs on existing research in the field. She’s moved on to assist all of EBM’s programs, including outreach, university partnerships, the community peer-support course, fact sheets, and research.

Sarah says AU has prepared her for her dream career in the nonprofit sector, impacting people's lives and empowering future generations. “The lessons I have learned during my degree have allowed me to develop as a human, a student, and as a professional in the nonprofit world. AU has given me the confidence I need to bring forth the kind of change I want to see,” she says. 

Sarah especially appreciates her AU peers.

They've challenged me in so many ways and pushed me to do my absolute best. You could not ask for a better group of people to grow with, especially through the challenging times we've had in this pandemic.”

Averaging 14

students per graduate class

Over 50

degrees and certificates in the arts, sciences, and humanities