Contact Us

NSLC College Credit Program School of International Service 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8071 United States

Earn College Credit Through American University

American University (AU) is proud to partner with the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) to offer participants the opportunity to earn college credit while exploring their areas of interest in greater depth.

Program Overview

Who Is Eligible?
All NSLC participants are eligible to enroll in the AU course associated with their program, regardless of the location or dates of the NSLC session they attend.
Course Format:
Each course is worth one credit and is delivered in an asynchronous online format, allowing students to complete coursework on their own schedule.
When to Complete Assignments:
Students are not required to complete assignments while participating in their NSLC program. However, all coursework must be completed by the last day of the class.

How It Works

Enrollment: Students can only enroll in the AU course associated with their specific NSLC program.
Course Descriptions: Detailed course descriptions are available here.

Why Earn College Credit?

Build your academic credentials.
Gain exposure to college-level coursework.
Deepen your understanding of topics relevant to your future academic and career goals.

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to enhance your NSLC experience while earning college credit from AU!

Asynchronous Format. The AU credit course is taught online in a self-paced, asynchronous format, allowing flexibility in completing reading and writing assignments on your own schedule. Instructional content may include pre-recorded lectures, podcasts, documentaries, and faculty-led discussion boards.

Summer 2025 Course Dates. The AU online course runs from June 30 to August 8 and is designed to fit around your NSLC on-campus program, no matter when or where it takes place. You are not required to complete coursework during your time on an NSLC campus. However, you are required to communicate with the AU professor to make up any work you missed.

Course Start Date

Course Access via Canvas: Begins on June 16. Students should check their course syllabus for upcoming assignments and schedule their time accordingly to meet any deadlines.
Course Official Start Date: June 30.
- If your NSLC on-campus program is during the week of June 30, you'll begin your online course after you return home.
- If your NSLC program is in July or August, you should begin your course assignments before and after your on-campus program.

The course is designed to allow flexibility for all NSLC campus participants, with ample time to complete assignments by their deadlines. Be sure to review your syllabus and plan ahead!

Course End Date: August 8. All course assignments must be completed by this date.

How to Register. To enroll in the AU credit option, log in to MyNSLC, scroll to the “Options” section, and select “College Credit.” You may also enroll by calling NSLC at (800) 994-NSLC (6752). Students may enroll only in the AU course associated with their NSLC program. NSLC will process your payment and confirm once registration is complete. The last date to enroll is June 25, 2025.

AU Account Set-Up. Following your enrollment, NSLC will send detailed instructions for creating your AU user account. Please allow up to two weeks to receive these instructions. You must create your AU user account promptly to avoid delays in accessing your course.

Access to AU’s Canvas Platform. In mid-June, you will receive an email from NSLC with information on how to access AU’s Canvas platform. Your course will become “live” on June 16; classes begin on June 30.

Academic Expectations. Students will be assigned reading and writing assignments appropriate for a one-credit college-level course. Working at times that suit your schedule, you are expected to complete assignments according to assigned deadlines, with final course completion by August 8.

Although the assignments will vary by instructor and topic, students may be expected to read the equivalent of three book chapters, participate in a discussion board, and submit deliverables, one of which may be a written assignment of up to four to six double-spaced pages. Students are expected to observe assignment deadlines and submit their work via AU’s Canvas platform. For a course outline, please email collegecredit@american.edu.

Instructor Access. Instructors are committed to your success. They will remain accessible throughout the entire course via email and/or office hours conducted via Zoom or Skype. Please contact your instructor for any course-related questions.

Course Materials. All readings and course materials will be available on AU’s Canvas platform. There are no additional fees required.

Questions? Please email collegecredit@american.edu for any questions you may have.

Credits

American University awards credit based on a minimum of 12.5 instructional hours and 25 hours of independent student work per credit. The AU credit option expands on instruction derived from the lectures, simulations, and other experiential learning gained through your NSLC program through a supplemental online course taught by AU faculty.

AU credit is transferable to many accredited colleges and universities; however, AU recommends that students verify transfer credit policies at institutions they wish to attend. Each college or university maintains its own policies regarding what transfer credit it will accept.

Grades

Students will earn a letter grade (A-F) upon completion of the course. Students do have the option of selecting a pass/fail option. To choose the pass/fail option, you must email the AU-NSLC college credit team at collegecredit@american.edu before the "withdrawal" date shown on the syllabus. Please note that a grade of Pass indicates performance of no less than a 2.0 on a conventional grading scale. Note that universities may be less inclined to accept transfer credit without a letter grade.

Please be advised that failure to complete assignments may result in failing the course which will be reflected on your permanent college transcript. If no assignments are completed, the student's incomplete status will default to a failed grade.

Academic Expectations

Students will be assigned reading and writing assignments appropriate for a one-credit college-level course. Working at times that suit your schedule, you are expected to complete assignments according to assigned deadlines, with a final course completion date of August 8, 2025. Although the assignments will vary by instructor and topic, students may be expected to read the equivalent of three book chapters, participate in a discussion board, and submit deliverables, one of which may be a written assignment of up to four to six double-spaced pages. Students are expected to observe assignment deadlines and submit their work via AU’s Canvas platform.

Late Assignments

Sometimes students have trips or obligations that might interfere with a course deadline; in such cases, students may request an extension from their professor. Late assignments will not be accepted unless you receive written permission from your professor. Failure to complete assignments may result in failing the course, which will be reflected on your permanent college transcript.

Transcripts

Upon completing the course, students may obtain an official AU transcript documenting their academic credit. Students should the directions for "New User" through the online ordering system.

Note: This process will involve creating an account and submitting a few pieces of information, such as your birthdate so that your record can be located. If you have questions, please email transcript_services@american.edu.

Please be aware that the Registrar will never send your transcript without your permission.

Helpful Resources

Program Details

You are here: American University School of International Service National Student Leadership Conference College Credit Program Details