Higher education.
Designed around ambition.
THE A.U. is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education institution
focused on flexible online learning, academic development,
professional growth, and lifelong learning.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
ONLINE
FLEXIBLE
SELF-PACED
Education should fit the learner.
Higher education does not have to follow a single traditional
route. THE A.U. is designed around the understanding that
learners have different responsibilities, professional goals,
experiences, schedules, and reasons for pursuing further education.
Our approach gives motivated learners greater flexibility while
keeping academic development at the center of the experience.
Online and self-paced learning can provide a practical pathway
for adults balancing education with work, family, professional
responsibilities, and other commitments.
The goal is more than completing a course or earning a credential.
It is about developing knowledge, strengthening independent
thinking, building confidence, and creating a foundation for
continued personal and professional growth.
Four principles shape the THE A.U. experience.
Flexibility is more than convenience. It is part of creating an
educational pathway that can remain relevant throughout different
stages of a learner’s life.
Online
Access your education through an online learning environment designed to make higher education more accessible beyond the boundaries of a traditional classroom.
Flexible
Build your studies around your professional, personal, and family responsibilities, giving you greater freedom to manage your academic progress alongside everyday commitments.
Self-Paced
Move through your learning with greater control over your time and rhythm. A self-paced approach supports learners who need education to work with their individual circumstances.
Lifelong
Keep learning as your goals evolve. THE A.U. supports a continuing-learning mindset that allows education to remain part of your personal and professional development.
The modern learner needs more than access to education.
The learner needs a pathway that can work with real life,
encourage independent progress, and support meaningful
development over time.
THE A.U. Learning Philosophy
A community of caring, guidance, and opportunity.
To provide a community of caring and guidance for academic,
financial, mental health, and career support while providing
a path that makes quality college education accessible to
adult learners through online, flexible degree and certificate
programs.
Education should create capability, confidence, and purpose.
The academic journey is about more than acquiring information.
It is about developing the ability to think, contribute, adapt,
and continue learning.
Knowledge
Build meaningful knowledge in your chosen field and develop a stronger foundation for continued academic and professional growth.
Critical Thinking
Question, analyze, evaluate, and connect ideas. Develop the ability to approach challenges thoughtfully and make informed decisions.
Contribution
Put knowledge into meaningful action. Strengthen your ability to contribute constructively to your workplace, profession, and the communities around you.
Community
Recognize the wider purpose of education. Learning can strengthen your connection to others and encourage a greater sense of responsibility and participation.
Confidence
Set meaningful academic goals, challenge yourself to keep progressing, and develop the confidence that comes from sustained learning and personal achievement.
Lifelong Learning
See education as an ongoing journey rather than a single destination. Continue developing your knowledge and capabilities as your goals and circumstances evolve.
Making higher education more accessible.
To transform the higher education landscape and make it
accessible for everyone, no matter their background or circumstance.
Empower, support, enrich, and graduate every student.
From intention to achievement.
Every educational journey begins with a goal. THE A.U. is designed
to support learners as they identify a direction, pursue an academic
pathway, develop knowledge, and prepare for what comes next.
Explore
Start by discovering the academic possibilities available to you. Explore areas of study, program levels, and learning pathways to identify the direction that best fits your ambitions.
Choose
Turn interest into a clear academic decision. Select a program that aligns with your goals, experience, and the knowledge you want to develop for the next stage of your journey.
Learn
Engage with your studies through an online and flexible learning model. Develop knowledge, strengthen critical thinking, and apply what you learn to your professional and personal context.
Advance
Use your education as a foundation for what comes next. Continue developing your capabilities, pursue new academic goals, and carry your learning forward throughout your professional and lifelong journey.
A U.S.-based institution in the nation’s capital.
THE A.U. is based in Washington, D.C., providing the institution
with a clear connection to one of the world’s most significant
centers for government, policy, business, education, and
professional activity.
While our learning model is designed for online and flexible
study, our Washington, D.C. identity remains an important part
of who we are.
The American University of Higher Education
1717 K St NW
Washington, DC 20006
United States
+1-202-773-8688
Move your ambition forward.
Explore the academic pathways and programs available through
THE A.U. and discover a flexible approach to higher education
designed around independent learning, professional development,
and continued growth.
