American University in Bulgaria

The University

The American University in Bulgaria (AUBG) provides first-rate American education in Europe—offering the best of both worlds. A globally recognized diploma, instruction in English, international faculty, students from more than 35 countries, and academic excellence are AUBG’s top strengths.

Mission

AUBG’s mission is to educate students of outstanding potential in a community of academic excellence, diversity, and respect and to prepare them for democratic and ethical leadership in serving the needs of the region and the world.

• Arts, Languages, and Literature

  The Department of Arts, Languages, and Literature encourages students to expand their horizons and experience the world’s greatest cultural and artistic works while pursuing a university degree. From Louis Armstrong to Michelangelo to Shakespeare, you will be exposed to the finest achievements of humanity’s creative geniuses. 

  ALL faculty will help you master marketable skills in writing, languages, performance, and innovation while exposing you to the very best of humanity’s artistic achievements.  Develop necessary skills in writing, critical thinking, and argumentation while studying a dizzying array of literary and cinematic works. Tap into your artistic side with applied fine arts courses in music, art, and theatre and creative writing courses in poetry and fiction. Achieve language proficiency and develop cross-cultural understanding through courses in German, French, Spanish and Bulgarian language and culture.

  There are over 60 courses to choose from, but the ALL department offers more than just coursework!

• Business

  Imagine pitching your business ideas to industry experts in front of a large crowd. How about launching an online platform to support e-commerce startups. Networking with renowned business leaders and policy makers at hosted Business Clubs. Starting a real company with financial backing. In AUBG’s Business Department, all of these are a reality. Our students learn from successful entrepreneurs, take part in live debate, and solve real-world problems.

  Business is a powerful tool for creating change. If you choose to pursue a major in Business Administration, you will be following in the footsteps of such creative spirits as Warren Buffett, Richard Branson, Andrew Carnegie, Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, J.P. Morgan, and John D. Rockefeller. People who changed the world for the better.

  Business Administration is the most popular undergraduate major, with some 40% of AUBG students majoring in this subject. Students often combine business with double majors in Economics, Political Science and International Relations, Computer Science, and Information Systems.

• Computer Science

  There is hardly a sphere of human activity that doesn’t depend on technology to make it run efficiently. Ambitious undergraduates increasingly opt for computer science because of its potential for making an impact and changing lives.

  Computer science is a fast-growing field offering a wide array of career options to students, from scientific inquiry and technical excellence to entrepreneurial and business ventures (and AUBG Computer Science graduates have themselves founded successful technology enterprises both in Bulgaria and abroad.) 

  The AUBG Computer Science program is focused on helping students gain the necessary skills to be productive leaders in the computing and related industries. As such, our graduates are expected to be highly competent, well-qualified computer professionals, having a broad training in software development, as well as being well prepared for graduate study.

  Our program works in close cooperation with the computing industry, as well as with other universities and alumni, to provide a modern and challenging curriculum. Students have many interest clubs, hosting workshops, competitions and industry events. The BA in Computer Science and Information Systems is offered together with the Business Department, while the Master of Science in Software Engineering and an Honors track in Computer Science & Information Systems is another route. Students majoring in other departments can choose minors from over 30 courses within the Computer Science department.

• Economics

  AUBG’s economics program has been repeatedly ranked as the best economics program in Bulgaria. It is likely the best in southeastern Europe. It’s been recognized by the Ministry of Education not only for its academic caliber, but also its ability to develop its graduates into outstanding professionals who then take leading positions in government, business, the NGO sector and academia.

  More than half the Economics Department’s graduates go on to pursue advanced degrees at world-renowned universities such as Yale, Cornell, London School of Economics; our other graduates embark on exciting careers across all continents.

  On one level the program sharpens quantitative skills for policy issues but it also fosters open-mindedness, creative and logical thinking, with flexible vision while retaining empathy with others. Our students take an active role in research and also deal with real-life examples. They also venture further afield on field trips to research centers and leading companies in the region. A student run club, Freakonomics, aims to bring distinguished experts to campus who shed new light on pressing economic concerns.

  The major in Economics trains students not only for advanced education in graduate and professional schools, but also prepares students for immediate entry into business and government careers where economic insight and analytical ability are valued. While there are no formal sub-fields in this major, students can study three broad topics: macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics (empirical (data) analysis).

  The minor in Economics provides students from other majors the analytical tools and background necessary to bring economic reasoning to bear upon social or business problems examined within those other majors.

• History and Civilizations

  Where better to gain unique insight into how the world evolved, by studying alongside fellow students from over 40 countries. Disciplines like history, philosophy and anthropology are crucial in organizing and assessing evidence, interpreting complex events and issues and evaluating and solving problems. Students in this department learn to process information and express their ideas with elegance and rigor. This is a critical skill in all fields of decision-making and research such as academia, government, law, journalism and even marketing.

  By understanding the past, embracing cultural differences and delving into sources of conflict, in other words, by studying “the other”, you will not only experience the diversity of the world, but also learn to relativize and reconsider your own identity. Thus, you will develop a better understanding of who and what you actually are.

  Students take part in regular debates, exhibitions and projects and set off to explore museums, archaeological sites and places of historical interest in Bulgaria and the region. Many students contribute to the undergraduate academic journal Thoth as well as presenting their projects at the annual AUBG Student-Faculty Research Conference.

  The department offers majors in History & Civilizations and American Studies. Minors include History, Anthropology, Philosophy & Religion, American Studies and Southeast European Studies. Most of AUBG’s graduates with a History & Civilizations Major enrolled in highly prestigious graduate programs.

• Journalism and Mass Communication

  Agile. Fluid. Always-on. Cross-platform. Transmedia. Mulitmedia. Social Media. There has been a revolution in journalism and communication over the past decade, and the only certainty in this fast-paced world is that things will continue to change. That’s why our primary focus is to challenge our students to think on their feet. To hone their craft. To practice, write and rewrite, design and deliver messages that speak to their intended audiences and reach them via the most suitable platform.

  JMC students learn how to relate to other people, how to ask questions and tell stories. They also learn how to understand and apply ethical principles in design, photography, videography and digital editing. Expect to contribute to democracy via the art of persuasion and representation, and to practice your skills in real-life settings. At AUBG we have a wide variety of student media, including the De Facto newspaper, AUBG DAILY online news publication and several student magazines.  We also have a student-run radio station, and opportunities to create TV programs as well as direct, produce, shoot and edit documentaries. 

  Our documentary club hosts weekly film screenings and talks by film professionals, and students take trips to film festivals, competitions and workshops. Placement in media organizations is a crucial part of the JMC major, and we help students find the ideal internship whether in Bulgaria or abroad. Being connected to journalists around the world is possible through our AUBG Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) club, the first student-run SPJ chapter in Eastern Europe. 

  A major track in Journalism & Mass Communication is available, as well as a minor in the department.

• Mathematics and Science

  If you have an inquisitive mind and like to find out how things work or to solve puzzles, then you may have “the right stuff” to become a mathematician. The study of mathematics will make you a smarter, more logical person, it will add unexpected beauty and the joy of discovery to your life, and it will open the door to further study of advanced subjects.

  Mathematics is the language used to describe the very fabric of life, the laws of Nature, and is a powerful tool to help you understand economics, probability, statistics and business. It helps you make better decisions too and understand risk.

  AUBG Mathematics graduates have gone on to pursue advanced research, to win prizes and to further their studies at prestigious institutes. Our faculty members are diverse and fascinated by the natural world and its laws. They challenge and inspire you to discover both the fundamental branches of modern and classical theory, and their application in advanced topics.

  The Department of Mathematics and Science offers a major and minor in Mathematics, as well as courses in Math and Science supporting the general education requirements at the University.

  The Mathematics minor provides students with an essential background in some important branches of classical mathematics, statistics, and their applications.

• Politics and European Studies

  We live in a globalizing, digitalizing, integrating, disintegrating, trade liberalizing, resource-depleting, climate changing, migrating, warring, peace-making world.

  It can be difficult to make sense of it. All the same, you have this nagging feeling that it somehow affects you.

  That’s because it does. And it will continue to do so. Our European Politics and Political Science & International Relations programs will help you make better sense of the world. With a stronger understanding of political forces, you’ll be able to approach problems from fresh viewpoints, see through mental walls and develop solutions that others may miss.

  So whether you end up working in a multinational corporation, running your own business, serving your government in a ministry, building Europe in Brussels, tackling global issues in an international organization or leading social change in an NGO, you’ll need a developed framework to better understand the world and practical skills to help you travel upon your life path. To build these, our students learn and engage both in and out of the classroom. They also participate in exchange programs at European and American universities, intern in government and NGOs, take the floor at AUBG’s annual Model United Nations simulation and discuss current events in the Political Science Club.

AUBG is a unique institution accredited both in the United States and in Bulgaria by the NEASC and NEAA. AUBG also issues the European Diploma Supplement which confers automatic recognition of the AUBG degree throughout Europe.

AUBG offers the best modern facilities in the region: high-tech classrooms, state-of-the-art computer labs, comfortable dormitories, the largest English-language library in Southeastern Europe, and unique Student Center. The 10,000 square meter America for Bulgaria Student Center offers the full array of student services found at top U.S. institutions, such as a career center, an advising and counseling center, and medical services. The Center also features a performing arts center, a professional gymnasium and fitness center, and dining facilities and cafes.

AUBG alumni are widely recognized for making a difference in the region and the world. The majority of our graduates start their career almost immediately after graduation in a variety of economic, social, and political spheres, and the NGO sector. Each year approximately 35% of our graduates continue their stud-ies in master’s and doctoral programs at top universities all over the world. Results from Bulgaria’s official university ranking system, published in March 2012, reveal that AUBG alumni find jobs more easily and have higher incomes than peers who graduated from other universities within Bulgaria.