Education Degrees Offered at American University
American University appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Best MATs in Elementary Education Online.
Education majors can choose from a range of degree programs offered by the School of Education (SOE) at American University. Through the university’s dual enrollment options, seniors attending public high schools in Washington DC can work on their teaching degrees before they graduate. They can one course in the fall semester and another in the spring semester: School and Society and Social Justice in Urban Education. Students can use those credits at American University or another college.
Undergrads in the Bachelor of Arts (BA) program can choose a concentration in elementary education or secondary education. Both feature 68 credits of concentration courses and some credits of education classes. Elementary education majors will take Children’s Literature: A Critical Literary Perspective, Teaching Science in the Elementary School, Service Learning in the Classroom and Field Experience: Observation and Analysis. Students can choose a teaching area too such as science or art. Schools and Society, Psychology in Education and Principles of Effective Methods and Instruction are some of the courses in the secondary education major. American University requires that all education majors take six credit hours of teaching method classes and a capstone.
Several graduate programs are available too such as a Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership. This program includes up to five semesters of work and allows students to earn their degrees online or in Washington DC. Students take 18 credits from a policy studies or teacher leadership track. The teacher leadership track includes emphasis areas for those who want to work with those diagnosed with dyslexia and other issues and those who want to teach STEM classes. Classes in the program’s core include Educational Leadership and Organizational Change, Proseminar in Education Policy and Leadership and Education Program and Policy Implementation.
Also available is a Master of Arts (MA) in Special Education. It includes both a full-time track and a part-time track and gives students the option of taking online classes or classes in Washington DC. Graduates can get their teaching licenses in DC, Maryland or Virginia and can use their licenses in 40 other states. Through the Lab School of Washington, majors will do a year-long internship too. The SOE at American University also offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program that features concentrations in elementary education, secondary education or general teaching.
About American University
American University is a private university that was established in 1893 by an Act of Congress. John Fletcher Hurst served as a bishop and helped found the university as a training school for missionaries and others who wanted to serve the Methodist Church. It took more than 30 years before the university would have the funding needed to open in 1914. Also known as AU, the university still has an affiliation with the United Methodist Church. The Princeton Review included AU on lists of the best colleges, best schools in the southeast and the greenest campuses. U.S. News and World Report ranks the Washington DC university as one of the top colleges for veterans, most affordable schools and top colleges in the nation. It also ranks on the USNWR list of the best online graduate programs for education majors.
American University Accreditation Details
AU has regional accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (MSACS). This is one of the organizations that grant regional accreditation in the nation, which is required of students using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The United Methodist Church recognized the university through its University Senate too.
American University Application Requirements
At AU, dual enrollment students need an unweighted grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale to sign up for the education program. These students also need to apply with an essay about why they want to study education, a letter of recommendation from a principal, teacher or guidance counselor and a high school transcript. The application also has a spot where they can submit a letter of permission from a parent or guardian. Traditional high school graduates and those applying to an education program need to submit the same information along with an application. AU requires that they take four courses and maintain a GPA of 2.7 or higher and maintain the same GPA in their other classes. They also need to take the PRAXIS CORE exam and receive a passing score and provide letters of recommendation from faculty members who work for the university.
Education policy and leadership majors can only apply for admission to the fall semester and should apply by the priority deadline of February first. The program requires an application form and fee, two letters of recommendation, college transcripts, a resume and a statement of purpose. AU allows students to apply if they do not have any teaching experience and has different applications for those who want to study online vs. those taking traditional classes. Students applying to the MA program need to submit the same information and documents. The university also requires minimum scores of 150 to 162 on the Math, Reading and Writing sections of the PRAXIS CORE exam. AU has a priority application deadline of March first for the fall semester and different deadlines for students who want to start in the spring or summer.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergrads at AU pay $1,635 per credit hour for part-time enrollment. When they take 12 or more credits, they pay the full-time tuition rate of $24,535 per semester. This rate remains the same unless they take more than 17.5 credit hours. Graduate students pay $1,759 per credit hour and usually take nine or more credits every semester. AU also charges fees based on what level the student is at and how many credits they take.
The SOE at AU offers different types of financial aid for education majors, including fellowships for grad students and scholarships for undergrads. Students must apply for each type of aid that they want and meet all the requirements, which usually include a statement of purpose or an essay as well as a high GPA. Those who submit the FAFSA can get grants, jobs on the AU campus, loans and other types of financial aid too. American University provides financial aid packages based on the estimated need that every student has.
