This program is designed for students who seek training in computer simulation and related computational methods for analyzing social systems and processes. The program is open to all students with graduate standing at George Mason University and all students who hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university.
This program provides advanced training for college graduates or professionals seeking careers in biomedical research, biotechnology, neuroscience or biodefense, as well as evolutionary and animal biology, animal biology and biology teaching. Master’s level concentrations are available in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics, Evolutionary Biology, and Translational and Clinical Research. Alternatively, students may choose the program in general biological sciences, which allows flexibility to build a study program tailored to a specific research or career interest. Students do either
Thesis or Project.
The program addresses the emerging demand for scientists trained in the collection, organization, analysis, and dissemination of information about physical features, man-made structures, moving objects, people, and events that are geo-referenced or geo-located. This program focuses primarily on the computational approaches that support the synthesis and analysis of diverse types of data in order to identify and monitor complex events and phenomena that manifest over space and time.
The Geography BA and BS programs at Mason offer students the opportunity to study the integrated social and environmental processes that continuously shape and reshape the world we live in. Both degrees provide broad training across the core subdisciplines of geography—human, physical, and GIScience—preparing students to address complex local, regional, and global challenges. The BS program emphasizes application and technique-driven coursework, along with a strong foundation in science and mathematics, while the BA offers greater flexibility for students seeking a multidisciplinary educational experience. Graduates of either program will find a range of opportunities in the public and private sectors, as well as in academia, where geographers’ interdisciplinary approach and spatial perspective are in high demand.
The Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science fosters a supportive, active learning environment in which students are encouraged to work closely with both faculty and peers. The curriculum in this major provides students with the synthesis skills and broad base of knowledge that prepares them to be successful in an ever-evolving job market.
The Actuarial Sciences Graduate Certificate is designed to serve students and professionals who are interested in pursuing careers as actuaries. The course content provides students with specific training related to the following exams administered by the Society of Actuaries (SOA):
The certificate in College Teaching is designed for graduate students who are planning a career in undergraduate education. The program offers courses that enhance pedagogical skills and explore pedagogical assessment or scholarship with the use of technology in instruction.
Upon completion of the program, students will:
The certificate in higher education administration is designed for individuals who are planning or enhancing a career in a broad range of administrative positions in higher education institutions. The certificate will provide core knowledge for administrative processes in the context of higher education institutions.
The graduate certificate in higher education administration may be pursued on a part-time or full-time basis.
Upon completion of the program, students will:
The Higher Education Program at George Mason University prepares individuals for positions of leadership in teaching, research, and administration at community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities around the globe. The interdisciplinary, graduate-level curriculum focuses on leadership, the scholarship of teaching and learning, administration, and assessment. This 36 credit hour master’s degree prepares students for positions in academic and student affairs as well as in associations, government agencies, and industries whose activities relate to or impact higher education. Students in the Higher Education Program come from varied professional backgrounds in college teaching, university administration, business, the performing arts, and government, and bring a vast spectrum of experience to their studies.
The degree’s core coursework provides essential knowledge about the higher education enterprise. This includes the evolving nature of higher education and its foundational characteristics, students and their development, the management and administration of programs and services, and data driven practices; all in the context of the digital age. The current digital age provides extensive opportunities to communicate, teach, and learn through digital sources. Core courses provide a foundation in social sciences, quantitative reasoning, history, and digital media (e.g., pre and post refereed web writing, wikis, social media, open source learning, data visualization, digital textbooks, Google resources) with an emphasis on graduates’ capacity to apply course content and build skills to enhance educational opportunities in a budgetary constrained environment.
This program is available 100% online but also includes hybrid and on campus course offerings. This 15-credit graduate certificate in women and gender studies enables students interested in an academic career to enrich their research and analytical skills. Students interested in a professional career are prepared to address gender-related challenges in both domestic and global settings. The certificate adds an area of specialization to any graduate degree, giving students a competitive edge in the professional world. The core courses provide students a groundwork in transnational feminisms, feminist theory, critical race theory, and queer theory. Electives allow students to select from a range of interdisciplinary classes across the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
The MA in Foreign Languages with a concentration in Spanish offers students an opportunity to study a wide variety of topics from multiple disciplinary perspectives. Coursework includes the academic study of the language, literature, and the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world (including the US) as well as applied linguistics, cultural studies, critical pedagogy, film studies, and Latinx studies. Students can choose to simultaneously earn the graduate certificate in Spanish Heritage Language Education, which provides expertise on the linguistic, sociolinguistic, and cultural characteristics of Spanish-speakers in the US; heritage language educational policy; and social justice-oriented, antiracist approaches to teaching Spanish. Coursework can count for BOTH the MA and the certificate.
