The B.A. in Language and Area Studies is designed for students with a strong interest in a region of the world and in a language of that region. This innovative program achieves a balance between humanities and social sciences courses, combined with an advanced level of foreign language study. The program, jointly designed and administered by the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the School of International Service (SIS), builds on the strengths of the CAS Department of Language and Foreign Studies (LFS) and the SIS field of Comparative and Regional Studies. 

Admission to the Program

To be considered for freshman admission, an applicant should have earned at least a 3.00 average in secondary school. Students from other regionally accredited collegiate institutions, and students in other programs at American University who have completed the freshman year, should maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) to be considered for transfer to the program. 

Majors

French/Europe, German/Europe, Russian/Area Studies, or Spanish/Latin America 

University Requirements

• A total of 120 credit hours 
• 6 credit hours of college writing 
• 3 credit hours of college mathematics or the equivalent by examination 

General Education Requirements

• A total of ten courses, consisting of one foundation course and one second-level course from an approved sequence from each of the five curricular areas 
• No more than 6 credit hours may be taken in the same discipline 

Major Requirements

• 51 credit hours with grades of C or better 
• Proficiency in the appropriate foreign language demonstrated by achieving a B (3.00) average or better for all course work in the foreign language taken in the Department of Language and Foreign Studies. 

Students may, where appropriate, and with Faculty Advisory Committee approval, select special topics courses to fulfill requirements. Student may also apply up to 3 credit hours toward the major from an approved internship or cooperative education field experience. Study abroad course credits may be used toward the major with the approval of the Faculty Advisory Committee. 

Course Requirements

Foundation Courses (9 credit hours)

• SIS-105 World Politics 3:1 (3) 
• One intercultural communication course from the following: 

SIS-140 Cross Cultural Communication 3:1 (3) 

SIS-340 Foundations of International Communication (3) 

SIS-341 Intercultural Communication (3) 

• One comparative politics course from the following: 

GOVT-130 Comparative Politics 3:1 (3) 

GOVT-231 Third World Politics (3) 

GOVT-232 Politics of Industrial Societies (3) 

Foreign Language Courses (18 credit hours)

• 18 credit hours of course work in a single foreign language at the 300 level or above. 

Area Studies (21 credit hours)

• 15 credit hours, with 12 credit hours at the 300 level or above, in humanities courses, including 3 credit hours from the Department of History (HIST-xxx) and an additional 3 credit hours of course work with a strong historical component, from the following. Other appropriate area studies courses may be substituted with the approval of the major advisor. 

French/Europe 

FREN-431 Civilisation Française I (3) 

FREN-432 Civilisation Française II (3) 

FREN-433 French Topics (3) 

FREN-434 French Translation: Concepts and Practice (3) 

FREN-436 Le Français Commercial (3) 

FREN-437 Les Registres du Français (3) 

PHIL-311 Modern European Movements (3) 

German/Europe 

GERM-336 German Topics (3) 

GERM-338 Introduction to German Translation (3) 

GERM-432 Studies in German Film (3) 

GERM-433 German Lyric Poetry (3) 

GERM-438 German Civilization I (3) 

GERM-439 German Civilization II (3) 

HIST-239 Modern Germany since 1848 (3) 

HIST-318 Nazi Germany (3) 

LFS-230 The Modernist Explosion: Culture and Ideology in Europe (3) 

PHIL-311 Modern European Movements (3) 

Russian/Area Studies 

HIST-225 Russia and the Origins of Contemporary Eurasia 3:2 (3) 

HIST-230 Early Russian History, 988–1700 (3) 

HIST-231 Imperial Russia, 1700–1917 (3) 

HIST-232 Twentieth Century Russia (3) 

HIST-345 Russian Studies (3) (topics) 

RUSS-441 Russian Media and Political Translation (3) 

RUSS-543 Russian Classics (3) 

RUSS-548 Russian Topics (3) 

Spanish/Latin America  

HIST-241 Colonial Latin America (3) 

HIST-242 Latin America since Independence (3) 

HIST-340 Latin American Studies (3) (topics) 

LFS-210 Latin America: History, Art, Literature 3:2 (3) 

SPAN-356 Spanish Topics (3) 

SPAN-357 Introduction to Latin American Literature (3) 

SPAN-358 Introduction to Spanish Translation (3) 

SPAN-359 Advanced Spanish Translation (3) 

SPAN-450 Spanish Civilization I: Spain (3) 

SPAN-491 Spanish Internship: Proyecto Amistad (2–6) 

SPAN-554 Classics of Latin American Literature (3) 

SPAN-559 Colloquium on Latin America (3) 

• 6 credit hours of course work in social science courses, selected from the following. Other appropriate area studies courses may be substituted with the approval of the major advisor. 

French/Europe 

ANTH-339 Culture Area Analysis (3) (topics) 

ECON-318 Economic History (3) 

ECON-351 Comparative Economic Systems (3) 

ECON-361 Economic Development (3) 

GOVT-232 Politics of Postindustrial Societies (3) 

GOVT-432 Political Institutions and Processes in Selected Countries (3) (topics) 

GOVT-532 Political Institutions and Processes in Selected Regions (3) (topics) 

SIS-331 Overview of the European Union (3) 

SIS-355 European Foreign and Security Policy (3) 

SIS-530 Colloquium on the Common Market (3) 

SIS-557 Foreign Policy Formulation in West European States (3) 

German/Europe  

ANTH-339 Culture Area Analysis (3) (topics) 

ECON-318 Economic History (3) 

ECON-351 Comparative Economic Systems (3) 

ECON-361 Economic Development (3) 

GOVT-232 Politics of Postindustrial Societies (3) 

GOVT-432 Political Institutions and Processes in Selected Countries (3) (topics) 

GOVT-532 Political Institutions and Processes in Selected Regions (3) (topics) 

HIST-239 Modern Germany since 1848 (3) 

HIST-318 Nazi Germany (3) 

SIS-331 Overview of the European Union (3) 

SIS-355 European Foreign and Security Policy (3) 

SIS-530 Colloquium on the Common Market (3) 

SIS-551 Economy, Politics and Society in Europe (3) 

SIS-557 Foreign Policy Formulation in West European States (3) 

Russian/Area Studies 

ANTH-339 Culture Area Analysis (3) (topics) 

ECON-318 Economic History (3) 

ECON-351 Comparative Economic Systems (3) 

ECON-361 Economic Development (3) 

ECON-552 Economics of Transition (3) 

GOVT-432 Political Institutions and Processes in Selected Countries: Former USSR (3) 

GOVT-532 Political Institutions and Processes in Selected Regions: Eastern Europe (3) 

HIST-225 Russia and the Origins of Contemporary Eurasia 3:2 (3) 

HIST-230 Early Russian History, 988–1700 (3) 

HIST-231 Imperial Russia, 1700–1917 (3) 

HIST-232 Twentieth Century Russia (3) 

HIST-345 Russian Studies (3) (topics) 

LFS-200/LFS-200G Russia and the United States 3:2 (3) 

SIS-258 Contemporary Russia (3) 

SIS-381 Foreign Policies of the Great Powers (3) 

SIS-558 Authoritarianism and Democracy in Russia (3) 

Spanish/Latin America  

ANTH-339 Culture Area Analysis (3) (topics) 

ECON-351 Comparative Economic Systems (3) 

ECON-361 Economic Development (3) 

ECON-318 Economic History (3) 

GOVT-432 Political Institutions and Processes in Selected Countries (3) (topics) 

GOVT-532 Political Institutions and Processes in Selected Regions (3) (topics) 

HIST-241 Colonial Latin America (3) 

HIST-242 Latin America since Independence (3) 

HIST-340 Latin American Studies (3) (topics) 

SIS-276 Contemporary Latin America (3) 

SIS-337 International Development (3) 

SIS-577 International Relations of the Americas (3) 

SOCY-531 Regional Studies in Social Change: Latin America (3) 

Senior Capstone (3 credit hours)

• Students enroll either in an SIS comparative seminar or in an approved topics or seminar course in Language and Foreign Studies 

University Honors Program

All University Honors students must complete at least 12 credit hours of advanced-level (300-level and above) Honors courses including a 3 to 6 credit hour Honors Senior Capstone Project. Students may graduate with University Honors in the major if they complete at least 12 advanced-level Honors courses including the Senior Capstone Project in the department. Each department has three levels of University Honors requirements: Level I Options (100-200-level Honors classes); Level II Options (300-level and above Honors classes); and Level III Options (Honors Senior Capstone). The department Honors coordinator advises students in the University Honors Program regarding departmental options. 

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its accelerated bachelor’s/master’s programs. Undergraduate students may complete up to 3 credits for every 9 credits required for the graduate degree that may be applied to the requirements for both degree programs. The department that oversees the graduate program the student enters will determine if the courses the undergraduate student completes will satisfy master’s degree requirements. 

Bachelor’s/master’s students must complete at least 18 in-residence credit hours at the graduate level after the bachelor’s degree is earned and maintain continuous, sequential enrollment in the two programs. Students must finish the master’s degree requirements within three years from the date of first enrollment in the master’s program.