<p>At American U, which majors are the strongest/best?</p>
<p>International Studies, for one</p>
<p>I can't tell you the best (I studied political science and economics and, of course, I think those are the best), but I can tell you the most popular. In descending order of popularity (# of students) here are the top 10:</p>
<ol>
<li>International Studies</li>
<li>Business Administration</li>
<li>Political Science</li>
<li>Journalism</li>
<li>Public Communication</li>
<li>CLEG (Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government)</li>
<li>Psychology</li>
<li>Visual Media</li>
<li>History</li>
<li>Law & Society</li>
</ol>
<p>This info comes from AU's 2006-07 Academic Data Reference Book.</p>
<p>I have personal biases, but I like the Math Department although the stats department is pretty terrible. I also think Kogod classes are pretty good but the career services department is not very good. If you are into international development or social justice then SIS is a very good school, however if you have more of a research slant towards International Relations I would advise you to pick something else. SIS is the most popular major going in but many people switch out after a year or two.</p>
<p>Could you explain more about what you mean about SIS being good for some people but not for others? I'm interested in the more of the cultural and historical aspects of the political part of International Studies, but I'm not sure if that would count as me having more of a "research slant" or not. Thanks.</p>
<p>From what my friend tells me, the history department and even the SIS history related courses at AU are both pretty good. As for the cultural side of International Studies, I don't really think there is a better school. AU's SIS department is practically based around the tenets of cultural sensitivity and preserving culture in international economic development. When I said that AU doesn't really have a research slant, I meant it more as in the undergraduates are not really expected to do any type of outstanding economic or statistical research to supplement their studies. In fact, my roommate says that in his intro to IR research class, the professor allows students to do 2 rewrites a semester because most of the students just take it because "it is a requirement". I know the lack of emphasis on heavy faculty and student research was one of the factors that drove me away from SIS. The school also has a bit of a bureaucracy problem in the guidance office, but I would imagine other colleges have similar problems. </p>
<p>Another thing to consider when looking at a school for International Relations is the kind of language department that each school has. AU places a strong emphasis on study abroad and developing language skills. Depending on what part of the world you potentially want to study/work in is an important decision when picking a program. For example, while AU is particularly strong in African and Latin American Studies, our department in middle eastern studies is definitely not as strong as some of the other better programs. Additionally, while we have a very good Japanese department, the Chinese department is very small and ridden with turnover. These are all intricate details that I believe it is important to check out before deciding where to go, and something I should have looked at more when applying to colleges out of high school.</p>
<p>Ryan: Why do you say the stats department is pretty terrible? Is it because there are no research projects or a lack of courses or poor teachers or what?</p>
<p>PS- D just accepted--what are your impressions of English dept. Any opinion of AU vs GWU for that field. Thanks</p>
<p>I know virtually nothing about the English department (never took a class), except that my best friend from AU was an English major and enjoyed it very much. Also, when I was a student, the head of the honors program was a professor from the English department. Other than that, I have nothing to offer on this.</p>
<p>American is known for international relations. Are the sciences strong? My son may want to major in social sciences, may want natural science.<br>
Thanks,</p>
<p>The social sciences are AU's strength. Natural sciences---not so much. Natural sciences at AU would be more comparable to what you might find at a liberal arts college as opposed to a research university. Its fine for the basics--pre-med requirements and such---but most serious science students will be disappointed. There also aren't a lot of them. Most students major in the social sciences or business.</p>
<p>About SIS...</p>
<p>I will be a senior in SIS this year, and I also have an Econ major. I agree with most of what Ryan said, however I disagree over the lack of research required for undergraduates. This is all dependent on what focus you choose and the classes you take. I write, on average, 5-6 25+ pages a semester for my SIS classes alone. These require extensive statistical and economic analysis. No rewrites. The faculty in SIS is very much involved in research and work outside of their classes, but they do not let this interfere with their job as a professor. </p>
<p>I also take Chinese and will be entering my third year. I had the same professor both semesters my first year, and both semesters this past year. The department is small, yes, but only because so few students make is past their first year. My class this past semester had 12 students. That is 12 students total for second level Chinese.</p>