Graduate Academic Programs

 

The American University of Armenia (AUA) is perfectly poised to enable students pursuing a master’s degree to reap the greatest benefits from their studies. Home to an international student population, small classes, and faculty from rich and diverse professional backgrounds, AUA is proud to offer its students a world-class education. AUA faculty hail from all over the globe, having been educated abroad in some of the top universities, with a wide array of research interests. In addition to their academic experience, they have extensive practical experience as well, which allows them to best prepare students for the next step in their academic and professional journeys. AUA students compile, critically synthesize, and analyze relevant information to address complex challenges and, after graduation, apply their leadership skills to perform as effective and ethical team players. In keeping with the spirit of academic growth, AUA alumni frequently go on to pursue post-graduate degrees at some of the top universities in the world, open their own businesses, and contribute to society around them in a multitude of ways.

AUA is pleased to offer eleven graduate programs housed in its four Colleges: Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Economics, Master of Science in Management and Analytics, Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Master of Laws, Master of Public Affairs, Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy, Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice, Master of Public Health, Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management, Master of Science in Computer and Information Science. 

Below you can find brief information about each program. However, we strongly encourage you to visit the website of your preferred field of study and contact the program(s) directly for further information.

Manoogian Simone College of Business and Economics

  • Master of Business Administration (MBA)

MBA involves 24-36 consecutive months of study for working professionals who wish to advance their careers while pursuing an MBA. Classes are scheduled twice a week in the fall and spring semesters and 2-3 times a week in the summer terms, Saturdays included. The MBA program is composed of 52 credit units, with a curriculum designed to prepare graduates for competitive challenges in the global marketplace, technological and communication paradigm shifts, and the flexibility to adapt to rapid and abrupt changes in the business environment. The program also takes into consideration the unique economic conditions, social mores, and cultural needs of Armenia and the region.

MBA provides rigorous studies in business for those who wish to maximize their personal effectiveness and advance their careers, regardless of their academic and professional backgrounds. Students with educational backgrounds in business management, information technologies, economics, or finance benefit from the program as much as humanities and social science graduates seeking managerial competencies or career change opportunities. Read More.

  • Master of Science in Economics (MSE)

MSE prepares graduates for careers in consulting, policy-making, data analytics, and finance, as well as for further doctoral studies. MSE is an academically rigorous program with vital quantitative and applied research components, targeting students who have professional aspirations in the fields of economics, finance, and data analytics. The program emphasizes extensive training in theoretical and empirical methods and equips students with analytical and critical problem-solving skills transferable across a wide range of industries.

MSE is a boutique, 1-year (summer to summer) program of up to 20 students. We provide free campus lodging and generous scholarships averaging to 90% of tuition. The program also boasts a strategic partnership with the Central Bank of Armenia, sharing research and learning facilities with the Bank. We aim to prepare not only well-grounded specialists, but also well-rounded individuals able to think critically and creatively, learn independently, understand different thought processes, work collaboratively, and communicate effectively with people from diverse cultures and disciplines. Read More.

  • Master of Science in Management and Analytics* (MSMA)

MSMA is typically a summer-fall-spring-summer-fall program designed for applicants who have recently completed their bachelor’s degrees. It is a unique program emphasizing the application of data and analytical tools in managerial decision-making in the main functional areas of business, namely finance, accounting, operations, and marketing. The program goes beyond teaching advanced theories and concepts related to business management by emphasizing the delivery of hard skills through the implementation of real-world projects.

MSMA faculty is a blend of local and international experts with an outstanding record of research and extensive knowledge in the industry. They work diligently to equip students with the resources necessary to pave their path towards a successful future. We utilize the most up-to-date tools for critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and community engagement. Moreover, the Program is working to keep up with development commensurate with the requirements of the market at the national and international level. Read More.

*pending approval by the RA MOESCS.

Zaven and Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering

  • Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Systems Management (MEIESM)

What drives value creation in any industry? How is quality standardized and assured, and logistics built to ensure uninterrupted and optimal production and shipment of goods and services? MEIESM is a 2-year program offering a unique set of skills and knowledge widely used in any industry to introduce data-driven analysis and optimization of operations to increase efficiency of production systems by finding optimal solutions to a wide array of business problems.

MEIESM program is designed for students eager to pursue a career in diverse fields of data analytics. In today’s fast-paced world, many industries are undergoing rapid digital transformation with their processes that contain large sets of data. The MEIESM program equips students with necessary skills and knowledge to manipulate with extensive datasets, optimize business processes, cut costs, and increase profits. Read More.

  • Master of Science in Computer and Information Science (MSCIS)

MSCIS is a 2-year program applied to help students gain the skills required to become productive and innovative leaders in computing and related industries. As such, graduates gain broad training in technical and theoretical areas of the field, as well as in supplemental areas of business, management, and entrepreneurship. This combination creates a strong basis for graduates to become inventive leaders in their chosen profession.

MSCIS offers a set of core courses providing students the intellectual depth and practical skills needed to drive today’s fast-evolving information technologies. Students also choose one of two available concentrations designed to complement the core curriculum. A final capstone challenges students to apply their knowledge to real-life industry problems or engage in an academic research-oriented project. Read More.

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

  • Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (MATEFL)

MATEFL students hailing from diverse professional backgrounds demonstrate a strong commitment to the field of education and TEFL and possess an exceptional capacity to learn and leave a positive impact in the country and region at large. MATEFL graduates pursue rewarding careers and are well-positioned to transform educational systems and practices.

AUA’s reputation gives graduates a strong competitive edge in the Armenian job market. We offer the only MATEFL in the country with a curriculum tailored to ESL/EFL teaching professions and benchmarked to top international programs in TESOL. MATEFL is a 1.5 year, typically a Fall-Spring-Summer-Fall program, equipping students with a wide range of expertise in TEFL: classroom and online teaching, curriculum design, assessment, and other areas taught in electives (e.g. ESP, Young Learners, Leadership, Technology). Our MATEFL is rigorous in research and academic skills and prepares graduates for a Ph.D. abroad or research-related positions. Read More

  • Master of Laws (LL.M.)

LL.M. is a 2-year graduate program tailored to the needs of the students and legal profession in Armenia. We aim at preparing high-caliber, English-speaking legal advisers, advocates, and researchers with a high sense of integrity conversant in international best practices in the field of law. Our graduates are committed to serving both public and private sectors with the goal of protecting the rights of Armenia and Armenians domestically and internationally.

LL.M. is proud of the scores of professionals and scholars who have gained novel skills and insights through their study at AUA and apply their knowledge for the betterment of society in both public and private service. Our well-trained graduate attorneys contribute to the legal profession and practice by means of ensuring the efficiency and stability of transactions and the security, and protection of investments. AUA’s LL.M. provides a solid platform to keep the protection and promotion of fundamental rights and freedoms and expedience and fairness in dispute resolution at the core of legal work, regardless of the service sector. Our graduates are also among the best qualified to identify and apply the best practices in law and policy and contribute to the prudent design and improvement of laws, regulations, policies, institutions, and legal frameworks. Read More.

  • Master of Arts in Human Rights and Social Justice (MAHRSJ)

MAHRSJ aims to support emerging leaders and future human rights advocates in becoming confident and competent to act effectively in a local and global context. The program develops knowledge and experience in a field that demands innovative and creative responses to the multitude of complex challenges of the society. The 1.5-year MAHRSJ allows students to develop transferable skills, such as project planning and evaluation, problem-solving and research, fact-finding, professional writing, and oral presentation. In virtue of such insights and skill-sets, students are equipped to pursue successful careers in social services, law (human rights law, international law), advocacy (domestic and international), humanitarian services, human rights and social justice programs, communications, international development, international relations, and more.

MAHRSJ provides students with an advanced conceptual understanding of social justice and proficiency in the perspectives and working methods aimed at promotion and protection of human rights at the international, regional, and national levels. These studies are informed by the latest practices and are further enhanced through guest lectures delivered by esteemed representatives from universities around the world. The program also offers internship opportunities in leading national and international organizations, as well as participation in a Human Rights Clinic – a unique initiative designed to translate their soft skills into practical experience by working on pro-bono cases within the scope of human rights and social justice. Read More.

  • Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy (MAIRD)

MAIRD is a 1.5-year graduate program designed to prepare students with the necessary knowledge and tools required for careers in public service, local and international non-governmental organizations, and global public affairs agencies. Using an interdisciplinary approach to critically assess and examine the changing dimensions of international relations, governance, and diplomacy, the MAIRD curriculum is formulated to prepare a cadre of professionals trained in relevant conceptual frameworks, methodologies, and innovative problem-solving skills to address the most pressing challenges of regional and global politics.

MAIRD at AUA provides students with expertise in understanding and deciphering regional and international intertwined issues. Our instructors are academics and practitioners with considerable breadth of experience who provide the students with guidance to navigate the complexities of regional and global challenges facing countries today. Read More.

  • Master of Public Affairs (MPA)

MPA is a 1.5-year graduate program designed to prepare students with the analytical, policy, administrative, and leadership skills needed to make an impact on Armenian society and beyond. MPA students are taught how to ask and answer political questions, design optimal policy solutions to public problems, and administer those solutions with the skilled leadership and management necessary in public, private, and nonprofit organizations. The program provides a substantive focus on development policy, strategy, and leadership — essential components in the construction of prosperity and stability in Armenia.

MPA is created and designed to find pioneering solutions to public problems as they apply to the construction and maintenance of the administrative state. The construction of a viable public sector is perhaps the most critical issue to the political, economic, and social development of Armenia. Graduates of MPA will not only become effective public affairs professionals, but also upstanding global citizens who are able to discern between genuine public needs and public wants. Read More.

 

Gerald and Patricia Turpanjian College of Health Sciences

  • Master of Public Health (MPH)

The 2-year MPH program engages experienced professionals from health care and other related fields in transformational education and training in population-based approaches to health and health services research, delivery, and evaluation. The overall objective of MPH is to prepare health professionals to draw on the knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines to define and critically assess the health needs of people and translate that knowledge into improved health by designing, implementing, and evaluating programs to meet those needs. MPH graduates are prepared to lead in improving health and health services in Armenia and beyond.

MPH’s 2-year curriculum is organized around a guiding problem solving framework, which first provides students a conceptual overview of the diverse profession of public health and the team-oriented approach to professional practice. Students proceed through the program as part of a defined cohort, fostering group spirit and allowing them to gain experience in multi-disciplinary group problem-solving, project leadership, and management. While the program consists almost entirely of requirements, students can infuse elective content through the multitude of individual and group projects associated with each module and through special studies activities. Students are encouraged to become involved with the Zvart Avedisian Onanian Center for Health Services Research and Development (CHSR) and the Open Center for Transformative Health Solutions, which provide an opportunity for supervised, mentored practical experiences while addressing the health needs of Armenia and beyond. Read More.


FACULTY
AUA faculty brings world-class education, teaching, and professional experience to classrooms and students. They hold advanced degrees from renowned universities including Cambridge, Columbia, Harvard, McGill, MIT, Moscow State, Stanford, Yerevan State, and more. They represent a range of professional experiences, including CEOs of leading local companies, entrepreneurs, technology consultants, IT visionaries, media professionals, published authors, government advisors, partners at major global accounting firms, bankers, and more.