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 in 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

• 39–42 credit hours with grades of C or better within the School of Communication including core, basic, professional, media studies, internship, independent study and independent reading courses.
• With approval of the student's advisor, up to 6 credit hours taken abroad may be applied toward the communication major requirements.
  
• Related course requirements taken outside the School of Communication with grades of C or better

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.

Related Course Requirement

Students must complete the following with grades of C or better:

• 3 credit hours in American history (HIST-xxx)
• 3 credit hours in economics (ECON-xxx)

or

MKTG-250 Fundamentals of Business and Marketing for Communications (3)

• A minor or second major outside the School of Communication

Course Requirements (39–42 credit hours)

Core Courses (9 credit hours)

• COMM-100 Understanding Media FA4 (3)
• COMM-105 Visual Literacy FA1 (3)
• COMM-200 Writing for Mass Communication (3)

Basic Courses (9–12 credit hours)

• COMM-250 Digital Imaging (3)
• COMM-330 Principles of Photography (3)
• COMM-331 Film and Video Production I (3)

Professional Courses (15–18 credit hours)

Intermediate (9 credit hours)

• COMM-382 Writing for Visual Media (3)
• At least 6 credit hours from the following:

COMM-434 Film and Video Production II (3)

COMM-435 Introduction to Studio Television (3)

COMM-454 Motion Graphics and Effects (3)

COMM-523 Fine Art Photography:

Film & Media Studies

• 6 credit hours in visual media studies from the following:

COMM-503 Broadcast & Multimedia Journalism Management (3)

COMM-511 History of Documentary (3)

COMM-513 Producing Film and Video (3)

COMM-514 Censorship and Media (3)

COMM-515 Children, Youth & Digital Culture (3)

COMM-516 Topics in Film and Media Arts (3)

COMM-517 History of Cross-Cultural Cinema (3)

COMM-520 History of Animation (3)

COMM-552 Social Media Strategies and Tactics (3)

COMM-524 Producing Environmental and Wildlife Films (3)

COMM-527 History of Photography (3)

COMM-528 Community Documentary: Stories of Social Change (3)

COMM-554 Motion Graphics & Effects II (3)

COMM-558 Survey of American Cinema (3)

COMM-564 Documentary Storytelling for Social Change (3)

COMM-585 Directing (3) (Prague)

COMM-586 History of Czech Cinema (3) (Prague)

Advanced

COMM-365 Digital Media & Culture (3)

COMM-438 Production Practicum (1–3)

COMM-456 Dramatic Production (3)

COMM-464 Directing for Camera (3)

COMM-486 Documentary Production (3)

COMM-391 Senior Internship (3)

or

COMM-392 Cooperative Education Field Experience (3)

or

COMM-491 Senior Professional Internship (3)

COM-526 Photojournalism and Social Documentary (3)

COMM-529 Large Format and Commercial Photography (3)

COMM-556 Cross Cultural Film and Video Production (3)

COMM-557 Art of Visual Storytelling: From Concepts to Storyboards (3)

COMM-560 Backpack Documentary (3)

COMM-561 Advanced Writing for Film (3)

COMM-562 Advanced Writing for Television (3)

COMM-565 Advanced Visual Media Portfolio (3)

COMM-566 Practice of Environmentalism: Policy, Science, and Communication

COMM-584 Film Technology and Practice (6) (Prague)

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.