Orientation

Directions and Maps

Please see our website at www.american.edu/tesol/directions.htm for additional maps and directions.

To plan your route from any location to another try the website http://maps.yahoo.com/.

American University is located at Ward Circle, the intersection of Massachusetts and Nebraska Avenues, in the upper northwest section of Washington, DC. The main entrance is one block north of Ward Circle on Massachusetts Ave. If you are driving to AU from outside the city, follow the directions given here.

Arriving by Car
From northeast of Washington (New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore), follow Interstate 95 south to Interstate 495, the Capital Beltway. Follow Interstate 495 west toward Silver Spring. See "From Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)," below.

From south or west of Washington (Norfolk, Richmond, Charlottesville), follow Interstate 95 or Interstate 66 east to Interstate 495, the Capital Beltway. Follow Interstate 495 north. See "From Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)," below.

From northwest of Washington, (western Pennsylvania, western Maryland), follow Interstate 270 south. Where Interstate 270 divides, follow the right-hand branch toward northern Virginia (not toward Washington). Merge with Interstate 495, the Capital Beltway. See "From Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)," below.

From Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway), take exit 39 and carefully follow the signs for River Road (Maryland route 190) south toward Washington. Continue south on River Road to the fifth traffic light. Turn right onto Goldsboro Road (Maryland route 614). At the first traffic light, turn left onto Massachusetts Avenue (Maryland route 396). Continue on Massachusetts Avenue for about two miles, past the first traffic circle (Westmoreland Circle). Continue on about one mile, past the American University Law School on your left. At the fourth light (at the top of the hill), you will turn right into the Glover Gate Entrance of American University.

Once on Campus: If you enter by Glover Gate, the main entrance off Massachusetts Avenue, drive straight ahead about 100 yards and you'll pass through a tunnel under the Sports Center/Bender Arena complex. The campus shops are located in this tunnel. The McKinley building, where the Department of Language and Foreign Studies is located, is up the hill to your left as you leave the tunnel (it's a tall white building).

Arriving by Bus or Metro
Washington's Metro subway trains run Monday through Friday, 5:30 am to midnight, Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 am to 2:00 am. The closest Metro stop to AU is Tenleytown/AU on the red line. Get off the Red line at the Tenleytown Station. There is only one way to leave the station from the platform and this direction requires going up a very high escalator. At the top of the escalator, turn left, and go up a shorter escalator to the street. As you get off the escalator, keep walking straight ahead towards the street corner. This is the stop for the free shuttle bus to AU.

More on the Metro - Fees and How to Pay

The metro will cost you between $1.35 and $3.90 each way, depending on the time of day (more during rush hours). To pay, after you enter the
station, but before you enter the ticket gates, you'll see a row of machines for buying tickets. Put in money, and if you need change just push buttons on the machine to reduce the amount of the ticket, and then push the "issue ticket" button to receive a paper ticket with a magnetic strip. You might want to buy a ticket for $10 or $20 dollars right away so you don't have to stop and buy one every time you ride the Metro. You can also buy a $6 all day pass. Make sure you go to the machine that says Passes/Farecards and push the pass prompt. $6 will let you have unlimited rides for one day, from 9:30 am to close on weekdays and all day weekends.

If you are leaving the train, put your ticket in, and the machine tells you that you don't have enough money on your ticket, don't worry. Look back toward the platform and you'll see a machine in the center of room entitled “Exit Fare”. Insert your ticket there, put in more money and the machine will add that amount to your ticket so you can exit the station.

Transportation to and from Airports
There are three airports in the Washington area:
Washington Dulles International Airport, near Reston, Virginia, which handles both international and domestic flights
Reagan National Airport, near Arlington, Virginia, which only handles domestic flights
Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) located between Baltimore and Washington DC handles international and domestic flights.

Reagan National Airport is accessible by the Blue or Yellow Metro lines.
Dulles is accessible by shuttle or taxi (from metro) only.
BWI is accessible by shuttle, bus, or the MARC train.

**For help planning your trip on the Metro, whether it be to the airport or anywhere else, use the Ride Guide which plans the trip for you and gives you the exact times and train/bus numbers to take.

One shuttle service is Super Shuttle (202.296.6662). As of August 2003 its prices (one-way) from AU were $14 for National, $21 for Dulles, and $31 for BWI. Also check www.supershuttle.com.

For all kinds of airport information (arrival and departure information, schedules and up-to-date information on ground transportation), check out www.metwashairports.com.

Important Buildings on Campus for TESOL Students

To see information about and pictures of all the following buildings, click here

McKinley Building: The TESOL Program’s office is located in McKinley 156, which is to the left from the main lobby, first door on the right. McKinley is also the home of the School of Education, for our MAT:ESOL students.

Asbury Hall: The Department of Language and Foreign Studies is located on the 3rd floor of the North Wing. The Language Resource Center (LRC) is in the basement, the Registrar's Office is located on the 2nd floor of the South Wing, and Student Accounts is located on the 3rd floor of the South Wing.

The Bender Library: Bender Library is the main library on campus, and is located at the southest end of the main Quad.

Mary Graydon Center: AU’s version of a student union, the Mary Graydon Center contains many dining options, lounges, student organizations, and computer services, among other things.

Butler Pavilion: Butler Pavilion contains the AU Bookstore, the Career Center, and conference and board rooms.

Bender Arena: This is AU’s sports complex, including a pool, full-size gymnasium, and a student fitness center.