This communication serves to provide updates on undergraduate academic regulations in advance of the publication of the 2026-2027 American University Catalog. As communicated in a memo earlier this year, AU regularly engages in updates in accordance with continuous improvement and follows our processes accordingly. This memo covers items that were approved by Faculty Senate at meetings held in April and May 2026. The following updates will be going into effect for the fall 2026 term.

I.) Habits of Mind completion based on transfer and exam credit

Effective with Fall 2026 catalog for new students (first-year and transfer).

Changes to the academic regulations below will enable us to consider the combination of University-approved exam credit with transfer credits in satisfaction of University requirements in AU Core's Habits of Mind area. Prior to the fall 2026 catalog, students could not use exam credit to satisfy university-wide requirements, and the Habits of Mind waivers were for transfer courses only. For new students in fall 2026 and after, the total number of credits from transfer and exams is allowed. For students bringing:

• 18 credit hours or less – complete 5 Habits of Mind
• 19-33 credit hours – complete 4 Habits of Mind
• 34-45 credit hours – complete 3 Habits of Mind
• 46-59 credit hours – complete 2 Habits of Mind
• 60 credit hours – complete 1 Habit of Mind

Updated regulations pertaining to this issue will read:

8.1.3. Students may use Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), CLEP subject examinations, and other American University-approved exam credits to satisfy university-wide requirements according to academic regulation 8.7.2. Exam credit may be used to determine which Written Communication and Information Literacy I and Quantitative Literacy I course(s) the student must complete.

8.7.2. Students may satisfy the Habits of Mind requirement through one of the following:

8.7.2.a. Completing an appropriately designated, in-residence course from each of the five Habits of Mind areas with grades of "C" or better

8.7.2.b. Transferring 19-33 credit hours from a combination of Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), CLEP subject examinations, other American University approved exam credits, and other institutionally accredited two or four year institutions and completing one course each from four of the Habits of Mind areas with grades of "C" or better.

8.7.2.c. Transferring 34-45 credit hours from a combination of Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), CLEP subject examinations, other American University approved exam credits, and other institutionally accredited two or four year institutions and completing one course each from three of the Habits of Mind areas with grades of "C" or better.

8.7.2.e. Transferring 60 credit hours from a combination of Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), CLEP subject examinations, other American University-approved exam credits, and other institutionally accredited two or four year institutions and completing a single course from one Habit of Mind with a grade of "C" or better.

8.7.3. Students with transfer and/or exam credit may select, in consultation with an academic advisor, which Habits of Mind to complete within the parameters specified by regulation 8.7.2.

Transfer credit applied toward certificates

Effective with Fall 2026 catalog.

We updated academic regulation 10.3.3 to be more inclusive of transfer credit that students may bring to AU and apply toward certificates. The previous regulation was based on 3 credit hour courses, and we have seen an increase in students with 4 credit hour courses due to more STEM and pre-health certificates. The regulation change eliminates the need for additional petitions and degree audit overrides.

The updated regulation pertaining to this issue will read:

10.3.3. Equivalent transfer credit may be applied toward a certificate at the following rate: 1 course or up to 4 credit hours for certificates from 12 to 18 credit hours in length, and 2 courses or up to 8 credit hours for certificates over 18 credit hours in length.

AU Core Course taken at AU Centers Abroad

Effective with Fall 2026 catalog.

We currently have restrictions on the number of study abroad courses that students can apply toward degree requirements. In order to support the study abroad pledge from the "Meet Our Moment" strategic plan and benefit enrollment at AU Centers Abroad, we created a new regulation that removes limits on the number of AU Core courses taken by students at the AU Centers Abroad. Course equivalencies for AU Core study abroad have been and remain applicable via faculty review, but this regulation update removes the additional limitation on students for the AU Centers Abroad (currently Nairobi, Madrid, and Brussels).

A new regulation 8.1.5.b has been created, but 8.1.5 and 8.1.5.a are included below for clarity and completeness. The updated regulations pertaining to this issue will read.

8.1.5. Students may apply up to two courses from a single approved AU Abroad program toward Habits of Mind, Quantitative Reasoning II, Written Communication and Information Literacy II, Diversity and Equity, and Capstone requirements, and may apply up to three Core courses in total if they participate in a second approved AU Abroad program.

8.1.5.a. A first-year student participating in the Cornerstone Abroad program may apply approved courses taken abroad toward their Foundations requirements. This is in addition to the allowances outlined in 8.1.5.

8.1.5.b There is no restriction on the number of AU Core courses taken by students at the AU Centers Abroad.