The American University (AU) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. In 1893, Congress chartered AU at the urging of Methodist bishop John Fletcher Hurst. He wanted to create an institution that promoted public service, internationalism, and pragmatic idealism. The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church founded the university as a national Methodist institution. AU remains affiliated with the United Methodist Church. However, it does not require religious affiliation for admission, employment, or academic programs.
American University offers more than 160 academic programs. These include 71 bachelor’s degrees, 87 master’s degrees, and 10 doctoral degrees, along with JD, LLM, and SJD programs. The university broke ground in 1902. It opened as a graduate education institution in 1914. AU admitted its first undergraduate students in 1925. The QS World University Rankings 2026 placed the university at #587.