Graduate Master Accelerator Pathway (2-Term) - Master of Arts in Political Science

at Shorelight Group - American University USA

French studies focuses on language and culture, integrating topics from around the francophone world, including history and literature. A language background can be a great advantage in your career, whether you work in business, industry, or government service. AU Abroad programs will help enhance your language skills and immerse you in culture.

If you’re interested in how power works and how societies are governed, DC is the place to be. Our program provides a foundation in American politics, comparative politics, and political theory. AU is one of the nation’s most politically-active campuses. A short Metro ride away are internships with organizations like the Brookings Institution, Human Rights Campaign, and Emily’s List.

Bauhaus. Expressionism. Nietzsche. Wagner. German culture, literature, language, and history are vast and fascinating. Learn the EU’s most spoken language from outstanding faculty. More than 150 AU German majors have earned Fulbright and other grants to study in Germany and Austria. Take advantage of internships and co-op opportunities at prestigious organizations in DC and Germany, and study abroad in Berlin.

Issues of identity, whether avowed or ascribed and socially constructed or naturally derived, fundamentally shape people's lives and society. In particular, race, gender, class, religion, sexual orientation, and nationality are determinate identities for many, though in reality, everyone holds multiple identities at the same time. Although these identities often appear to be static and fixed from the outside, they are dynamic and ever-changing, driven by the broader cultural and social influences in which they arise and exist. Courses in this Thematic Area examine the nature of these identities in a world in transition. Our courses, embodying both theoretical and grounded approaches, explore each of these identities in their own right, as well as in a historical and an intersectional manner that explores the relationship between them.

Public Relations. It's a field built on ideas and images, persuasion and information, strategy and tactics. From studios promoting films to companies burnishing their images to advocates promoting social causes, public relations is at the heart of our economy, society, and politics. No policy or product can succeed without a smart message targeted to the right audience in creative and innovative ways. The ability to communicate strategically is what our Public Relations and Strategic Communication program is all about.

Our goal is to educate you not only in the most recent trends, but in the type of thinking that will set you apart from your peers. Through courses, internships, and hands-on work, we empower you with the strategic tools and insights that rival what professionals learn after years of experience.

Researching or doing a project on a political issue or environmental cause? We'll send you out to speak with key influencers so that you can weave that knowledge into your coursework. You may even have a chance to work with real-life clients. Some of the biggest names in Washington, DC from speechwriters to high-level professionals are guest lecturers in our classes. PR firms, international organizations, health care companies, congressional offices and advocacy groups all welcome our students as interns. You'll build a network of professionals that will enhance your learning and accelerate your career.

How does the brain produce thoughts? What makes a genome able to alter its own architecture? Can we stop world hunger by manipulating the DNA of bacteria, plants, and animals? These fascinating questions are being answered through biochemical research. Our biochemistry program offers three different tracks, a dynamic and impressive faculty, and a proven reputation with DC's major employers. 

The Global Inequality and Development Thematic Area directly addresses issues concerning the theory and practice of achieving equitable and sustainable human development. Courses will encompass a broad examination of issues related to poverty and inequality as they intersect with urban and rural geographies, the built and natural environment, food systems, conflict, education, gender, youth and development, and possibilities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation. This area will include historical analysis of the field of development studies from colonialism through the present with a focus on understanding and analyzing conflicts, shared goals, and normative values embedded in development objectives. Students will become equipped to understand and analyze the multiple causes and consequences of development and inequality, and will become better equipped to understand the mechanisms of governance best able to respond to these challenges.

Combine business and STEM courses to develop an analytical skill set for the modern business world. Learn from top-credentialed faculty interested in your success. Specialize in accounting, analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems and technology, international business, management, or marketing. Gain real-world experience by solving problems for local businesses or interning at DC’s many financial institutions, consulting firms, and policy institutes.

Immerse yourself in the world of performance with the theatre track of our performing arts degree. Develop your intellectual and creative potential through a mix of professional theatre training, performance skills, and classic liberal arts knowledge. Benefit from the seasoned scholars, performers, writers, and directors who make up the faculty, and the diverse performing arts scene of Washington, DC.

Position yourself for public policy success with our MPP degree. Located in DC, the epicenter of public affairs, you’ll receive world-class instruction from top faculty as you train to advance the quality of policy making in a variety of institutional settings. Gain insights from leading policy professionals and deepen your understanding with the many experiential learning opportunities available here.