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About This Program
The Bachelor of Arts in Government Contracting and Acquisition from American Military University (AMU) provides in-depth study of government contracting within federal agencies and military and civilian defense operations.
Online coursework focuses on the processes and criteria government uses to assess and select proposals for contract following the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS).Â
AMU’s government contracting degree is based on the Contract Management Body of Knowledge, as defined by the National Contract Management Association. Covered topics include:
- Strategic planning
- Program and acquisition management
- Defense budget development
- Joint contingency contracting
This program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
What You Will Do
- Explain the acquisition cycle and process, contract requirements, types of contracts, and contingency contracting authorities and structure
- Understand how to use and apply a contract audit
- Prepare a Defense Contract Audit Agency report to meet a negotiation objective that considers competitive factors
- Understand the elements of cost in overhead, then use simple regression analysis, learning curve analysis, and statistics to calculate a price and cost objective
- Explain the Joint Theater Support Contracting Command
Degree at a Glance
Accredited
ACBSP® is a registered trademark of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
Number of Credits
120
Cost Per Credit
$360 | $250*
$324**
$324**
Courses Start Monthly
Online
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Program Requirements Printable Catalog Version
Must take the following in this Section:
Course ID: 5037
|
Information and Digital Literacy is designed to provide students with sustainable and usable skills essential to success in both academic and professional settings. Students will learn best practices to locate and evaluate sources, and effectively communicate using digital literacy to become proficient 21st century learners.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
| 05/25/26 - 10/30/26 | 11/02/26 - 12/27/26 | Fall 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 06/29/26 - 12/04/26 | 12/07/26 - 01/31/27 | Fall 2026 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4951
|
Martin Luther King, Jr, said, “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to KEEP MOVING.” Making Writing Relevant is a composition course that will definitely keep you moving. It is not merely a required course; it is the type of course you will want to take because it moves you onto the path to success. Over eight-weeks, we will help you learn the most important components of a successful writer-communicator. We will teach you how to research properly, knowing you will need this skill in every course you take here at APUS and also in interactions in your professional and personal life. We will teach you the formatting style you will use in your field. We will provide a supportive community to strengthen and encourage you, and by the end of this nearly-all-you-need-to-know-about-writing course, you will be able to fly.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
| 05/25/26 - 10/30/26 | 11/02/26 - 12/27/26 | Fall 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 06/29/26 - 12/04/26 | 12/07/26 - 01/31/27 | Fall 2026 Session D | 8 Week session |
Must take the following in this Section:
Course ID: 4894
|
This is an introductory statistics course designed to help students achieve a basic understanding of the statistical methods available to analyze and solve the wide variety of problems encountered in the workplace. This course is designed for students who seek an understanding of descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The emphasis of the course will be on the proper use and interpretation of statistical techniques. MATH120 is the recommended mathematics general education course for students who will be required to take additional statistics courses such as MATH302 Statistics as part of their program of study.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
| 05/25/26 - 10/30/26 | 11/02/26 - 12/27/26 | Fall 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 06/29/26 - 12/04/26 | 12/07/26 - 01/31/27 | Fall 2026 Session D | 8 Week session |
Must take all courses for this section.
Course ID: 4372
|
This course is an overview of accounting concepts used by managers in a business environment intended for non-accounting majors with no accounting background. Topics include accounting concepts, users of accounting information, elements and purpose of financial statements, accrual accounting, internal control and basic financial analysis. Students must have access to Microsoft Word® and Microsoft Excel® software.
Microsoft Word® Microsoft Excel® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 2887
|
This course is designed to acquaint the student with the terminology, organization, and function of the American business system. The course will give the student a broad background about the contemporary American and global business environments as well as considering different business organizations, management principles and strategies. Topics covered include marketing, finance, personnel, customer relations, production and operations, e-business, world trade ventures, internal information systems and decision-making processes.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 3901
|
This course focuses on project requirements as the basis for managing development life cycles. Students learn to define project cycle time, measure and estimate project efforts, and set priorities.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 3456
|
Deals with common financial issues in acquisition that include cost estimating; earned value analysis; Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE); congressional enactment; and budget preparation and execution. In this course, the student will prepare, justify, and defend budget exhibits and obligation/expenditure plans; formulate impact/reclama statements and reports; and develop and defend business aspects of the acquisition and PPBE cycle.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 3443
|
This course is an introduction to the requirements of successful program management in the DOD. The course will look at the entire systems acquisition cycle from the point of view of government requirements and the efforts of the civilian contractor to bring the system to Full Operational Capacity.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 3448
|
This course of instruction addresses the DOD acquisition process once the government has decided that it must seek the enormous resources of the private industry. The scope of this course specifically addresses the formal process by which the DOD requests (or solicits) industry to respond to their needs and requirements. The course also outlines the evaluation process and evaluation criteria used by the government to evaluate and select the winning proposal. The course will review the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
and the Defense Federal Acquisition Supplements (DFARS). Additionally the course will review the current policy in the DOD to outsource to the private sector (non-DOD sources) the tasks and functions previously performed by in-house government workforce. (Prerequisite: DEFM310)
Course ID: 3450
|
This course is a study of the process by which the acquisition, personnel, and readiness (operations and maintenance) portions of the annual Defense Budget are integrated and executed. Students will learn of the politics behind the issues and will gain an appreciation for the complexity of the process. Following an in-depth review of the political scope of budgeting, the course will shift into a study of how budgeting actually works at each stage of executive and legislative action. From the preparation of the service and agency budgets, through the presentation of the president’s budget, to the actual appropriation and expenditure of funds, the student will apply their knowledge of the politics of the process to appreciate the problems and issues in defense budgeting.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 3444
|
This course is designed to develop the basic skills essential to evaluate public programs. Knowledge of the policy process and of research methods are brought together in the execution of an ethical evaluation of how well the processes, and outcomes of a program meet the needs at which the program is targeted. This course will introduce the basic concepts of planning and carrying out an evaluation, the most commonly used analytical tools, and cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness methods. It will also introduce the basic format of evaluation reports.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 3457
|
Emphasizes the basic test and evaluation (T&E) principles, policies, organizations, processes, and practices used by DOD. Course topics include the role of T&E in systems acquisition, T&E planning, experimental design, measurement of systems effectiveness and suitability, instrumentation, and data collection and management. Also covered are reliability, maintainability, and availability of systems; analysis and evaluation; software; modeling and simulation; and T&E of alternative acquisitions. Problem-solving situations engage students in the use of T&E concepts, principles, and theories.
Course ID: 4638
|
This course introduces methods and techniques necessary to analyze a contractor's cost proposal and to develop a Government negotiation objective. Students will apply the cost analysis techniques to analyze a contractor's proposal and develop a cost objective. The course also introduces negotiation terminology, styles, and techniques.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4639
|
This course develops skills for contracting support provided to Joint Forces across the full spectrum of military and disaster relief operations. Exercises focus on unique aspects of contingency, critical thinking skills, and the execution of appropriate contractual instruments.
Course ID: 4640
|
This course involves a series of case studies where students demonstrate their ability to develop and execute business strategies to meet customer requirements. These cases help develop critical thinking, customer needs analysis, procurement strategy development, and source selection skills necessary for successful contract performance.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4641
|
This course involves a research paper in which professionals apply the knowledge and skills to demonstrate their ability to negotiate fair and reasonable prices and to consider the legal implications for various contract situations. The research paper helps develop critical thinking, cost analysis, negotiation, and contract administration skills necessary for successful contract performance.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 4642
|
This course provides an understanding of industry overhead costs and the costs’ impact on seller pricing/business strategies under various acquisition environments with differing contract types. Attendees will understand the development and application of overhead rates used in contract formation, administration, and closeout. The course-integrating case study provides hands-on application of the overhead-rate process in which attendees determine their own final overhead rates.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 5445
|
Writer Zora Neale Hurston describes research as “formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose." This course will help students hone their research skills, along with all other aspects of academic writing. Students will receive step-by-step guidance through the process while writing about topics they want to explore.
In this course, students will learn how to compose thoughtful research questions, gather and evaluate supporting facts, and create an organized outline for a research paper. Students will also learn how to properly cite sources, avoid plagiarism, flesh out a research paper’s paragraphs with substantive details, and turn in a polished final paper. Students will work within a supportive university community and will receive plentiful, constructive feedback.
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
| 05/25/26 - 10/30/26 | 11/02/26 - 12/27/26 | Fall 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 06/29/26 - 12/04/26 | 12/07/26 - 01/31/27 | Fall 2026 Session D | 8 Week session |
Course ID: 3291
|
This is an interactive course designed to help students achieve a greater understanding of the statistical methods and models available to analyze and solve the wide variety of problems encountered in business, science, medicine, education, the social sciences, and other disciplines. Successful completion of this course will provide students with a working knowledge of the principles of both descriptive and inferential statistics, probability, averages and variations, normal probability distributions, sampling distributions, confidence intervals, statistical hypothesis tests, and correlation and regression analyses. The emphasis of the course will be on the proper use of statistical techniques and their application in real life -- not on mathematical proofs. This course will use Microsoft Excel for some of the work. Students should have a basic familiarity with Excel and have access to this software application. MATH120 is the recommended mathematics general education course for students who will be required to take additional statistics courses such as MATH302 Statistics as part of their program of study. (Prerequisites: MATH110, MATH111, MATH120, or MATH225)
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
| 05/25/26 - 10/30/26 | 11/02/26 - 12/27/26 | Fall 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 06/29/26 - 12/04/26 | 12/07/26 - 01/31/27 | Fall 2026 Session D | 8 Week session |
Select any courses that have not been used to fulfill major requirements. Credits applied toward a minor or certificate in an unrelated field may be used to fulfill elective credit for the major.
Must take all courses for this section.
Course ID: 3359
|
This end-of-program course is designed to allow students to create a final project or paper by integrating the knowledge obtained throughout their program of study. (Prerequisite: Completion of a minimum of 105 hours towards the program).
| Registration Dates | Course Dates | Session | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/23/26 - 07/31/26 | 08/03/26 - 09/27/26 | Summer 2026 Session I | 8 Week session |
| 04/27/26 - 10/02/26 | 10/05/26 - 11/28/26 | Fall 2026 Session B | 8 Week session |
Admission Requirements
- All AMU undergraduate programs require a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent (i.e., GED). Please read all undergraduate admission requirements before applying to this program and be prepared to submit the required documentation.
- There is no fee to complete the AMU admission application for this program. View steps to apply.
Need Help?
Selecting the right program to meet your educational goals is a key step in ensuring a successful outcome. If you are unsure of which program to choose, or need more information, please contact an AMU admissions representative at 877-755-2787 or [email protected].
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Maryland Residents learn more about costs, completion rates, median debt, and more.
2Alumni Graduated with No APUS-incurred Student Loan Debt As of December 31, 2021
Includes alumni who graduated with an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree from APUS. Student loan debt is defined as student loans and private education loans used for tuition, fees, living expenses, and book costs associated with courses taken at APUS. Many APUS students receive military tuition assistance and veterans education benefits, which are not student loan debt.
1The University reserves the right to accept or deny credits according to policies outlined on our University website. Please see the University's transfer credit policy webpage for complete information.
*Cost Per Credit Hour
The Preferred Military Rate is $250 per credit hour for undergraduate and master's-level courses. This rate is available to all U.S. active-duty servicemembers, National Guard members, Reservists, and military families, including parents, spouses, legal partners, siblings, and dependents.
See all military student benefits.
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Learn more about AMU’s cost components and full cost of attendance.
