George Mason University: A Comprehensive Overview of Academic Programs

George Mason University (GMU) provides a wide array of academic programs and services accessible to all individuals seeking them. GMU maintains a non-discriminatory policy, ensuring equal opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic national origin, sex, disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Undergraduate Programs: Shaping Future Leaders

The undergraduate programs at George Mason University are meticulously crafted, emphasizing the cultivation of diverse intellects, experiences, and ideas. This approach prepares students for the ever-evolving landscape of their respective fields.

Costello College of Business: Preparing for the Modern Marketplace

The Costello College of Business at George Mason University directly collaborates with hiring companies to develop its undergraduate academic curriculum. This ensures that graduates possess the knowledge and skills demanded by today's employers. Earning a Bachelor of Science in Business from the Costello College of Business equips students for success in a rapidly changing and competitive marketplace. The program features eight innovative concentrations:

Accounting
Business Analytics
Finance
Financial Planning and Wealth Management
Management Information Systems
Marketing
Operations and Supply Chain Management

These concentrations allow students to tailor their studies to align with their personal and professional aspirations. A business minor can significantly enhance any bachelor’s degree, regardless of the primary field of study.

Interdisciplinary Programs: A Holistic Approach

GMU offers a variety of interdisciplinary programs designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of complex issues.

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African and African American Studies: This program explores the cultural, historical, economic, and political dimensions of people of African descent across the globe.
Communication: Focusing on the creation and dissemination of meaning and information, the Department of Communication offers a transformational academic experience. It provides five concentrations in the undergraduate major, six minors, and certificate, masters, and doctoral level graduate programs.
Criminology, Law and Society: This program provides a strong liberal arts education with a focus on the justice system, preparing students to address problems of crime and justice. The program offers both BA and BS degrees, as well as MA, MS, PhD, and an accelerated MS degree for current Mason students.
Cultural Studies: This interdisciplinary program examines the instability of objects, events, and processes under changing capitalist relations, drawing upon theory and methods from various disciplines.
Global Affairs: This program examines transnational and international processes in a wide range of areas, offering students the opportunity to study specific regions and languages.
History and Art History: Uniquely housed together, this department offers an interdisciplinary approach to studying the past through both historical and artistic lenses.

Choosing a Major: A Personalized Journey

Selecting a major is a crucial step in a student's academic journey. George Mason University provides numerous resources to assist students in making informed decisions. Some students choose a major and later pick out a career from that major; other students may have a career in mind and pick out a major that will help them meet their goals.

Exploratory Academic Advisors: Students with multiple interests or those unsure of their path can meet with exploratory academic advisors to narrow down options and create a decision-making plan.
Career Services: Career Services offers formal career assessments to help students explore their personality, interests, strengths, and skills. You can go over your results with a career advisor and see how they can apply to certain careers and industries. Career Services also offers a course - UNIV220: Decide/Confirm Major - that is open to first-year students and sophomores.
Major Advisors: Students can schedule appointments with major advisors to learn more about specific programs and discuss declaration requirements.

Pre-health (med, dental, PA, OT, etc.) or pre-law students can generally choose any major they want, as graduate programs seek a diverse pool of applicants with varied educational backgrounds. It is recommended to choose a major that excites you, as this will lead to greater involvement, a higher GPA, and stronger relationships with classmates and professors.

Specific Considerations for Aspiring Teachers

For students interested in becoming teachers, the choice of major depends on the subject and level they wish to teach. For example, a major in Elementary Education is recommended for those who want to teach at an elementary public school in Virginia. Different states have different licensure requirements, and certain types of schools may not require licensure.

Graduate Programs: Advanced Studies and Research Opportunities

Mason offers 132 degree programs at the master’s, doctoral, and professional levels, as well as more than 100 graduate-level certificates.

Cutting-Edge Research

As an R-1 university, Mason provides opportunities to conduct research under faculty who are leaders in their fields. Many faculty members, schools, and colleges have partnerships with federal agencies, organizations, and companies in the Washington, D.C., area.

Career Advancement

Mason graduates have access to contacts through their classmates and instructors, as well as connections to a network of 80,000 Mason alumni in the D.C. area, enhancing their potential for advancement. Because Mason is so close to Washington, D.C., there is an abundance of opportunities for internships and career options. Mason offers many graduate certificates in a variety of fields, a number of which have been crafted to meet the needs of federal agencies, companies, and organizations in the Washington, D.C., area.

Diverse Graduate Programs

GMU offers a wide range of graduate programs across various disciplines:

Economics: The Mason style of economics-known as “Masonomics”--fuses scholarship in the fields of Public Choice, Austrian Economics, and Experimental Economics, and has developed an international reputation for its innovative curriculum. The department offers both BA and BS degrees, as well as an MA, PhD, and accelerated master’s program for students in the undergraduate programs.
English: The English department at Mason provides a learning environment that stresses the importance of writing and reading in both creative and scholarly pursuits. The department confers BA, BFA, MA, MFA, and PhD degrees, and graduate certificates.
Higher Education: The Higher Education Program prepares new and mid-level professionals for careers in higher education at community colleges and four-year institutions, as well as in associations, government agencies, and industries whose activities relate to or impact higher education.
Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS): This program offers a home for students with broad academic interests who seek a master's degree that will help them address critical problems facing the world today.
Latin American Studies: This program focuses on the diverse and connected regions, societies, and cultures of Latin America.
Middle East and Islamic Studies: This interdisciplinary program provides students with a firm grounding in the history, politics, and culture of this important region.
Modern and Classical Languages: The department’s integrated, technology-enhanced curriculum fuses students’ acquisition of linguistic proficiency with their development of cultural knowledge, critical thinking, and ethics.
Philosophy: Mason’s philosophy program offers undergraduate and master’s degrees, as well as minors.
Psychology: The Department of Psychology conducts innovative, high-impact research and provides intensive training for undergraduate and graduate students.
Religious Studies: Mason’s Department of Religious Studies offers courses and degree programs that foster an intensive study into a singular religion, comparative study across various religions, and cross-disciplinary study on the engagement between religion with other areas human life.
Russian and Eurasian Studies: The program offers a bachelor’s degree in Russian and Eurasian studies, with concentrations available in Eurasia studies, Russia studies, and Russian language and culture, and a minor in Russian.

Additional Academic Opportunities

George Mason University provides several additional opportunities for students to enhance their academic experience.

Minors, Double Majors, and Dual Degrees

Students can pursue minors to complement their major field of study, or they can opt for double majors or dual degrees to broaden their knowledge and skills.

School of Integrative Studies (SIS)

The School of Integrative Studies (SIS) offers a distinctive experience that addresses contemporary social, global, and environmental challenges. SIS offers a BA and a BS in integrative studies, a BA in environmental and sustainability studies, and eight minors.

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Department of Sociology and Anthropology

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology integrates two disciplines, benefiting from their shared interests while maintaining their distinct identities.

Women and Gender Studies

The Women and Gender Studies program provides a physical and intellectual space for exploring social inequalities grounded in the concepts of gender, sexuality, race, and class across interdisciplinary lines in sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and policy.

Student Success and Satisfaction

The student-faculty ratio at George Mason University is 16:1, and 33% of classes have fewer than 20 students, fostering a personalized learning environment. The average freshman retention rate is 86%, indicating a high level of student satisfaction.

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