Contact Us
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4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 United StatesFor First-Year Students
Can I graduate early?
If you have entered the university with at least 6 credits, you may be able to graduate early with careful planning. Everyone needs 120 credits to graduate. Within those 120 credits, you must also complete all of your major and university degree requirements. If you are bringing in a lot of credit, and you want to graduate early, you may not be able to complete a minor.
Can I double major?
Possibly. Keep in mind that double majoring usually means that each course you take must meet a requirement, eliminating the ability to take elective courses or experiential learning opportunities. If you want more flexibility, a minor may be better.
Can I minor?
Most students can minor easily. If you are trying to graduate early, minors can be more challenging. Some minors require you to take courses in a particular order. Try to start a minor no later than the second semester of sophomore year.
Can I double minor?
Possibly. Keep in mind that double minoring usually means that each course you take must meet a requirement, eliminating the ability to take elective courses or experiential learning opportunities. If you want more flexibility, consider just one minor.
Can I study abroad for a year?
Possibly. If that is your priority, it becomes more difficult to minor or double major. You will work with your FYA and your major advisor to determine the best academic path for you.
What should my minor be?
We recommend that you minor in something if you have a single interest in addition to your major. If you have more than one interest, use the flexibility of your electives to explore multiple fields.
What do my AP/IB or other exam credits do for me?
The most useful credits for SIS students are Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Credit for College Writing is also useful. Other AP exams might give you regional credit in the major. However, most students complete their regional focus by studying abroad. Exam credits cannot apply to Habits of Mind or reduce your Habits of Mind requirements.
What do my concurrent or dual enrollment (college transfer credit from high school) credits do for me?
Students with 15 credits or more from concurrent enrollment will take fewer Habits of Mind classes. Possibly the courses can satisfy major or university requirements. Information on transfer courses can be found on the Transfer Articulation Equivalency Database.
What do I need to do before studying abroad?
Review the Study Abroad section of this page.
What requirements can I take abroad?
You will work with your academic advisor to figure out where the courses you plan to take will fit into your degree requirements. AU Abroad hosts a database of all courses previous students have taken at each institution. While it is not guaranteed that these courses will be offered the semester you are abroad, it can help you to better understand possible options. Many students take their regional courses while abroad, but it is possible to satisfy other major requirements as well, such as upper-level thematic courses.
When can I make a four-year plan?
A general template is available here. First-Year students can meet with SIS Peer Advisors starting in spring of your first year.
Transfer students work with professional advisors after then submit their admissions deposit.
What is the advising structure in SIS?
All students are encouraged to meet with Peer Advisors first. In SIS, advising is done by student last name (except for Global Scholars). Study Abroad advising is done with the advisor who is the liaison for that abroad program, not the student’s assigned academic advisor. For quick questions, all students can see the advisor on duty during express advising hours each day.
When does the office have Express Advising only?
During the first two weeks of classes (add/drop) and during course registration for each term, we hold Express Advising only. This means that you will not be able to schedule an appointment with your advisor, but you are able to come to the office any time we are open and meet with the first available advisor.
When are regular express advising hours?
We have at least one hour of advising M-TH. See the hours and people on duty here. During registration and add/drop, we have hours 10:30-1 and 2-4:30 M-F with multiple advisors on duty at a time.
How many courses can I share between my major(s) and minor(s)?
Each major must have 18 credits that are unique to that major. Each minor must have 12 credits that are unique to that minor.
Can I study two languages?
During the first two years at AU, you will not be able to study two languages. If you are interested in a second language, you may be able to take courses during your junior and/or senior year. Keep in mind that this makes it less possible to do a second major or minor. It is difficult to study two 5 credit languages. If you are interested in learning more than one language there are opportunities within the DC area that will be more accessible to you, such as CLEAR and Global Language Network.
Where is your office located?
Room 103 (first floor) of the SIS building.
How do I ask my advisor to review my intended schedule?
Feel free to come to express advising to discuss this. You can also email your advisor. SIS advisors do not respond to the Request Review option in Eagle Service.
When do I declare my major?
You must know your primary and secondary thematic areas to declare your major. Typically, students figure this out while taking their final (of three) gateway courses. Use this form to declare your thematic areas.
Meeting With An Advisor
What is the best way to contact my advisor?
Email: If you have a questions or concern that you think can be answered via email, please email your advisor at sisadvisors@american.edu. Emails to this address will be filtered to your advisor, so be sure to address the email to the person you wish to receive the email. If you email your advisor at their individual email address, our email response time to you will be delayed.
In Person, Phone, Skype Appointments: You can schedule an appointment with your academic advisor here.
Peer Advisors: If you are hoping to meet with an advisor to create a 4-Year Plan, schedule a meeting with a Peer Advisor here.
I have a form that requires a Dean’s signature, who should I speak with?
If you have a form that requires a dean’s signature, please meet with your academic advisor during EAH or make an appointment. Please do not go directly to the dean as many of these forms can be signed by your academic advisor.
How should I prepare for an advising meeting?
Have any questions prepared ahead of time so that you make sure all your concerns are addressed in your meeting. If you are coming in to discuss next semester’s registration, please plan your intended classes in Student Planning and be ready to discuss each class you want to take. If you have other questions or forms that need to be signed, make sure to bring them with you as well and fill out prior to your appointment if possible.
What is the difference between making an appointment and coming to Express Advising Hours (EAH)?
Express Advising Hours (EAH) are drop-in meetings with the first available advisor on a first-come, first-served basis. This means that you may not meet with your academic advisor during this time. Express Advising focuses on minor issues such as needing a signature on a form, asking basic questions about degree requirements, or if you are having a time-sensitive registration issue. EAH meetings are limited to 15 minutes. If your question requires more time, you will be asked to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor. Regular semester EAH hours are posted here.
During the first two weeks of each semester, we have EAH only. You will be able to schedule an appointment with your advisor immediately following the add/drop period.
Do I need to meet with an advisor before I am cleared to register?
We do not require students to meet with their academic advisor unless you are on academic probation, currently taking a leave of absence, or planning your courses for your final semester. However, we do recommend that you routinely check in with your advisor to verify that you are on track for graduation.
General Questions
When do I register?
Your registration date is based on your completed credits. For general date info please review the Registrar’s webpage.
Your priority date and time to register will show in Eagle Service Student Planning. If there is no date listed, and the “Register Now” button is a vibrant blue, it means your registration time has already begun and you may register now. If you are not able to register, but you believe that you should be able to, please email sisadvisors@american.edu.
How do I know how many completed credits I have?
Your completed credits are listed on your Degree Audit Report (DAR). You can find your DAR in Student Planning under the Progress tab. Your completed credits are shown on the progress bars on the top right of the page.
I'm graduating in May, and I don't know what to take. Help!
You are required to review your requirements with an advisor before you register for your final semester. Watch your email for messages about Senior Checkout.
Is there anything else I should know?
Remember that:
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All courses for your major, University Math, the College Writing sequence, General Education, and AU Core need to be taken for an A-F grade.
· Each course you take can only satisfy one major requirement. You may use one HOM to satisfy a major requirement, pending prior approval.
· Students must complete 18 credits at the 300 level or above in their major.
· Students must take at least one course (3 credits) towards their regional requirement at the 300 level or higher.
Study Abroad
What do I have to do before going abroad?
Please review the Study Abroad section of this page.
How do my study abroad classes fit into my schedule?
You will work with your academic advisor to figure out where the courses you plan to take will fit into your degree requirements. AU Abroad hosts a database of all courses previous students have taken at each institution. While it is not guaranteed that these courses will be offered the semester you are abroad, it can help you to better understand possible options. Many students take their regional courses while abroad, but it is possible to satisfy other major requirements as well.
Summer Classes
When can I register for summer classes at AU?
Everyone can register on the first day of the registration period during the spring semester.
Can I take summer classes somewhere else?
Once you are a matriculating student, Math, College Writing, General Education, and AU Core classes need to be taken at AU. A maximum of ten credits total over your four years at AU may be taken at another school through a Permit to Study. Courses taken at schools that are part of the Consortium of local schools must be registered through AU. Prior approval of the courses taken on a Permit to Study or through the Consortium is required. Please speak with your academic advisor for more information.
Graduate School and the Combined BA/MA
Interested in the program? Read this first.
Do I need a master's degree to get started in my career?
While there are some jobs that will require a Master of Arts degree for entry-level positions, you can begin your professional career before acquiring an MA. Many professionals will choose to return to school after working for a few years—or even several years—to complete a graduate program as a means of advancing along their chosen career paths or acquiring the skills necessary to take their careers in new directions. While the BA/MA program allows you the opportunity to attain the professional credentials that may give you a competitive edge in the job market and provide you with a valuable steppingstone for professional growth, it is not a prerequisite for beginning a career in international affairs.
When considering the BA/MA program it is important for you to understand that acquiring a Masters degree is only one-step in a long path toward your ideal career and an advanced degree is only one qualification that prospective employers consider when evaluating a job candidate. For example, professionals first entering the United Nations or the US Foreign Service are typically in their late 20s or early 30s and have acquired significant professional experience. You should, therefore, consider the Masters degree as part of a career path that will also include the Bachelors degree, internships, developing language proficiencies, first and second jobs, as well as the creation of a professional network.
How is earning a graduate degree different from earning an undergraduate degree?
Graduate school is the beginning of your training as an expert in a specific field. Whether your future career is as an academic or a practitioner, your graduate degree is a targeted professional credential. The MA program at SIS is designed to give you a deep expertise in a narrow area. Therefore, unlike your undergraduate degree program, there are few opportunities to take classes outside of your primary area of interest. As you prepare for graduate study, it is important to think carefully in advance about what you hope to gain from graduate school so that you can be sure to select a graduate program and a plan of study that will help you achieve your academic and professional goals.
What can I expect from graduate courses?
Your undergraduate education at AU has helped prepared you to begin your graduate study. However, graduate coursework is at least as demanding as your most difficult undergraduate work. Graduate students are not only required to complete a greater quantity of work than undergraduates, but are also expected to submit work of a higher quality. Graduate students commonly read hundreds of pages each week and write papers that are at least 20-30 pages in length. At the graduate level, professors do not assign extra credit or make-up work, and extensions on assignments are uncommon. In general, there are only a few graded assignments each semester and it is imperative that you earn good grades on each assignment. Exceptional time management skills, the ability and desire to be a self-directed learner, strong personal motivation, an understanding of your own learning style and the ability to adapt to new challenges are keys to success in a graduate program.
The graduate school classroom climate is also different than the classes with which you may be familiar from your undergraduate experience. Graduate students undertake programs of study at many different times in their personal and professional lives. Some of your classmates may have jobs or families. Other students will have left jobs to return to graduate school and bring extensive career experience into the classroom. As a graduate student, your professors and your classmates will be your colleagues and a part of your career network. While you will certainly make friends in graduate school, social activities are not as much of a focus as they were in college and networking and professional development events will become increasingly important.
Your professors will also expect more from you as a graduate student. They will assume that you have done the reading and are prepared to offer insightful comments that will contribute to the classroom discussion. Additionally, you will be expected to analyze the assigned texts by drawing comparisons, formulating critiques, and developing original arguments in response to the reading. Ultimately, your professors are training you to contribute unique works of scholarship that will advance the debates of your field.
How do I know I am ready for graduate school?
Students who are ready for graduate school have considered their academic and professional goals carefully and are prepared to undertake a focused program of study that will put them on a path to achieving those objectives. You are most likely ready for graduate school if:
- You are excited about the opportunity to do independent research
- You can identify at least one research topic that you would like to pursue
- You have spoken with faculty mentors about their research interests and professional experiences
- You have done research about the career paths that interest you in order to determine whether a graduate degree would help you advance your professional goals
- You understand that having a graduate degree does not necessarily mean you will make more money or have a specific job
- You can write a strong personal statement that concisely explains your academic interests and professional goals, why a particular program is a is a good fit for your goals and interests, and what you will bring to a graduate program
- You have considered what is happening in your personal and professional life and believe a graduate program is compatible with your other obligations
- You have considered how you will finance your graduate program
How do I know which graduate program is right for me?
Applying to a graduate program is different from applying to college and requires that you ask yourself different types of questions. In particular, you want to ensure that you have selected the graduate program that best reflects your academic interests and professional goals. It is difficult and uncommon to transfer between graduate programs and it is important to identify the schools and programs that will be a good fit for you before you apply. In the field of international studies, The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA), of which SIS is a founding member, is a great place to begin researching graduate programs.
When you are considering graduate programs it is important to learn as much as you can about prerequisites, the way in which the program is structured, the courses that are offered in your field of interest, the characteristics that make the program unique and the research interests of the full-time faculty. Since original research is a central feature of most graduate programs, your graduate school experience will be more fulfilling if the focus of the program and the expertise of the faculty closely match your own interests. Some programs may offer internship opportunities, study abroad options and campus jobs, but these features are less common in a graduate school than they are in undergraduate programs.
What are the advantages of the BA/MA program?
The BA/MA program is an opportunity for advanced undergraduate students to begin a Masters degree program before completing the Bachelors degree. Beginning the MA before completing the BA allows students to take courses that can be used to fulfill both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements, saving students both time and money. Courses that are taken to fulfill both graduate and undergraduate degree requirements are called double-counted or shared credits.
As a BA/MA student, will I be eligible to receive a merit award to finance my Master's degree?
SIS merit awards for graduate students are very competitive. Only a small number of incoming graduate students receive merit-based aid from SIS. BA/MA students are considered for merit awards on a funds-available basis after the established awards have been distributed to incoming graduate students.
While most BA/MA students will not receive merit awards, the BA/MA program does entail substantial financial benefits. By double-counting courses and bundling the cost of graduate coursework taken while still a BA student in the undergraduate bulk tuition rate, students can save on the overall cost of their graduate degrees.
How will my financial aid change after I complete my BA and begin full-time graduate study?
There are two important differences between graduate and undergraduate financial aid. First, need-based grants and scholarships are not available to graduate students. Students who received need-based aid or federal grants as an undergraduate will not be able to extend their aid or grants into their graduate programs after they complete their Bachelors degrees. Graduate students are, however, permitted to borrow more funds each semester than undergraduates through federal financial aid to cover the costs of their educations. The second important difference between undergraduate and graduate financial aid is the number of credits for which students are required to be registered in order to maintain federal financial aid eligibility. While undergraduate students must maintain at least 12 credits per semester to retain their financial aid eligibility, graduate students are eligible for financial aid (including new student loans and deferral of prior student loans) as long as they are registered part-time (at AU, at least 5 credits in a fall/spring semester or at least 2 credits in a summer semester).
I'm interested in learning more about the BA/MA program. What should I do?
Make sure you meet the requirements: Students interested in applying for the BA/MA program in SIS must have at least a 3.0 GPA and are strongly encouraged to have a major or minor in SIS. If you do not meet these criteria, you are still welcome to apply to an SIS graduate program, but you will need to go through the standard application process. Students should apply in the semester in which they will earn between 75-90 credit hours.
Plan ahead and ask questions: Review the degree requirements for the MA program(s) in which you are interested by exploring the SIS website or reading the University Catalog. Program worksheets outlining the requirements for each of the MA programs are also available on the SIS Graduate Advising Office website. If you are unsure of which program you would like to pursue, you are welcome to contact the SIS Graduate Admissions Office (SIS 112, x1646, sisgrad@american.edu) to schedule an appointment with an admissions advisor. Before you apply you must fill out the BA/MA Intake Form and then meet with the designated BA/MA Undergraduate Advisor in SIS. In this meeting, the BA/MA UG Advisor will provide guidance based on your remaining undergraduate requirements.
Consider the coursework that you’ve already completed: What upper-level (300-, or 400-level) courses have you already taken or would you like to take? Upper-level undergraduate classes are great opportunities to begin working with faculty who may share your academic and research interests. They are also an excellent source of strong letters of recommendation. (Make sure you consult with the BA/MA UG Advisor before taking higher-level courses.)
When do I apply? How do I apply?
Information on when and how to apply is available here.
I've been admitted to the BA/MA program. What do I do next?
Upon admission to the BA/MA program, you will need to confirm that you accept the offer of admission by contacting the Graduate Admissions Office. You do not need to pay a deposit, but you do need to submit your confirmation of acceptance in writing.
After you have received your letter of admission and confirmed that you accept the offer of admission with the Graduate Admissions Office, you should contact the Undergraduate Advising Office (x1639) to schedule an initial joint-advising appointment with both your undergraduate and graduate advisor. In this meeting, you will have the opportunity to discuss your academic and professional goals with both advisors and begin planning the courses that you will take as you complete your BA and begin your MA.
Which advisor should I see during the first year of the BA/MA program?
Prior to admission to the BA/MA program, you should work exclusively with your assigned undergraduate advisor. Once you have been admitted to the program, you will work with the designated BA/MA Undergraduate Advisor, and you will also begin working with your graduate advisor. During this first year of the BA/MA program, you will work with both of your advisors to select courses that satisfy the requirements of both of your undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Once you have completed your BA, you will work exclusively with your graduate advisor.
Can I defer my MA admission to take a temporary leave during the semester after I graduate with my BA?
BA/MA students must be registered for at least one credit during their first MA-only semesters. BA/MA students are, therefore, not permitted to defer their admission or take a temporary leave during the semester after graduating from the BA. While BA/MA students cannot take a leave during their first MA-only semester, they are permitted to request a leave later in their programs.
If you are admitted to the BA/MA program but decide not to pursue graduate study in the semester following the completion of your BA, you will forfeit the benefits of the BA/MA program. If you decide to pursue graduate work through an SIS Masters degree program at a later date, you will be required to apply as a regular graduate student and you will not be eligible to double-count any credits from your undergraduate studies.
I've been admitted to the BA/MA program, but I've changed my mind about which program I want to pursue. Can I transfer to a different graduate program at SIS?
It is extremely important to make sure that you know which MA program you want to pursue before you submit your application. Once you have been accepted to a MA program, it is possible to transfer programs, but program transfers are neither automatic nor guaranteed. Additionally, credits double-counted or reserved for the program to which you were initially admitted may not apply to your new graduate program.
BA/MA students are only eligible to apply to transfer programs after completing at least 9 credits of graduate-level coursework after being admitted to the BA/MA program. Students interested in applying for a program transfer should consult their graduate academic advisor to review their options and discuss the program transfer application.