The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, nonsectarian, independent university founded in 1991 in Yerevan, Armenia. Its creation inspired in the aftermath of the 1988 Leninakan Earthquake, the university is the first Armenian institution modeled on Western-style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service. The university currently offers instruction leading to a master's degree in the following eight fields of study: business administration, industrial engineering and systems management, computer and information science, political science, public health, law, comparative legal studies, and teaching English as a foreign language. By offering these programs in English, AUA strives to become accessible to qualified individuals from other countries in the region. Qualified students may complete an interdisciplinary Certificate in Environmental Conservation and Research. In preparation for the academic program, AUA offers its students instruction in the English language and in computer applications.