Mason Online

Topic: Health & Human Services

Human Development and Family Science (BA)

Program Description:

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) prepares students to support the health, development, and well‑being of individuals and families across the lifespan by fostering critical thinking, research, communication, and career-ready skills that prepare them to become professionals in service to individuals and families

Offered 100% online through the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at George Mason University, this interdisciplinary undergraduate program emphasizes lifespan human development, family systems, critical thinking, and applied research and communication skills.

Designed for students interested in family‑centered, strengths‑based work, the HDFS degree equips graduates for careers in social services, education, public policy, healthcare, and community‑based organizations, as well as for graduate study in counseling, social work, psychology, and related fields.

Banner code: LA-BA-HDFS

Public Health (MPH)

Program Description

George Mason University’s Master of Public Health program is designed for professionals who are ready to advance in the public health field. Through an experiential curriculum and in-person fieldwork, students gain valuable public health knowledge and expertise that prepares them to create positive change both locally and globally.

The Virginia Department of Health Professions recommends healthcare professionals who work with children to complete continuing education on communicating with those with autism spectrum disorder. Individual licensing boards may include specific continuing education programs. Learn more by visiting the Virginia Law website.

Nationally Recognized, Industry-Connected Learning

The MPH program has recently been recognized in U.S. News & World Report rankings of graduate programs and public health institutions. It also features a partnership with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). This collaboration aims to prepare the next generation of leaders in public health through applied research, workforce training, and executive leadership education.

Earn a CEPH-Accredited Graduate Degree

George Mason’s MPH degree is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit schools and programs of public health. As a CEPH-accredited program, all graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) examination.

Discover Comprehensive, Future-Focused Public Health Education

Through a core of foundational public health coursework in essential topic areas like epidemiology, health program planning, health care systems, and public health management, students are equipped to address the most pressing and emerging health problems. All courses are led by our interdisciplinary faculty of epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and social and behavioral health experts.

Building on the core curriculum, students also complete a 15-credit Public Health Practice concentration. This focused set of courses examines the social and environmental factors that improve population and community health and trains students to apply evidence-based public health concepts to real-world problems.

To align with CEPH accreditation standards, MPH students are required to complete fieldwork for the Applied Practice Experience. Students complete 200 contact hours in public health placements to experience diverse public health workplaces, gain real-world experience, and expand their professional network by working alongside current professionals in the field.

Biology (MS)

Program Description

This online master’s Biology program delivers rigorous, hands‑on training for college graduates and professionals preparing for careers in biomedical research, biotechnology, neuroscience, biodefense, evolutionary biology, animal biology, and biology education.

Students can specialize in high‑demand fields such as Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics, Evolutionary Biology, or Translational and Clinical Research.

For those seeking maximum flexibility, the General Biological Sciences option allows students to design a personalized course of study aligned with specific research interests or career goals. The program culminates in a thesis or project track, preparing graduates for doctoral study, industry roles, government laboratories, or education.

Health Administration (BS)

Program Description

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Health Administration prepares students for entry‑level management and administrative roles across a wide range of healthcare and health services organizations.

Offered 100% online through the College of Public Health at George Mason University, this undergraduate degree develops foundational skills in health systems management, healthcare operations, policy, and leadership.

With concentration options including:

  • Health Systems Management
  • Assisted Living and Senior Housing Administration
  • Health Informatics

The program equips graduates to support effective healthcare delivery in settings such as hospitals, clinics, long‑term care, health IT organizations, and public health agencies and prepares graduates to serve in entry-level management, administrative and support positions in a variety of health-related organizations and settings.

Banner code: PH-BS-HADM

Kinesiology: Tactical Athlete Strength, Conditioning and Injury Prevention (Graduate Certificate)

Program Description

The Kinesiology Graduate Certificate in Tactical Athlete Strength, Conditioning and Injury Prevention prepares professionals to enhance the performance, resilience, and injury prevention of tactical athletes, including emergency responders and public safety personnel.

The Tactical Athlete Strength, Conditioning and Injury Prevention Graduate Certificate features a 6 course, 18 credit, 75% online curriculum. The mission of the certificate program is to provide graduates with foundational knowledge, skills and abilities to become leaders in tactical strength, conditioning and injury prevention. The curriculum covers content focused on improving the health, fitness and resiliency of emergency responders (i.e., Tactical Athletes). Upon graduation students will be prepared for a variety of positions (Strength and Conditioning Coach, Athletic Trainer, Health and Fitness Coordinator) or to pursue a graduate degree.

Banner code: E1-CERG-TSCI

Nursing (MSN-FNP)

Program Description

Provide holistic care to families across the health care continuum in our online Master of Science in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner concentration (MSN–FNP).* The MSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).**

Benefit from a responsive curriculum based on the most up-to-date evidence-based practice. Plus, learn from active practitioners who understand the demand of modern health care and can pass their real-world knowledge on to you.

The curriculum includes 500+ hours of learning in clinical settings. Equip yourself with the skills to build an evidence-based practice and integrate your learning into your everyday work.

#10 Best Master’s in Nursing Schools by U.S. News & World Report, 2024

Program Outcomes

When you complete our 49-credit MSN-FNP, you will be able to:

  • Effectively communicate and collaborate with patients
  • Perform a focused assessment of a patient across the lifespan
  • Use patient and clinical data to formulate health care diagnoses
  • Provide an evidence-based, patient-centered plan of care appropriate for individual patients
  • Identify and evaluate appropriate therapeutic interventions for the management of individual patients
  • Collaborate across health care disciplines with a foundation of interprofessional experience
  • Address the social determinants of health in the care of patients and populations

This program also prepares you to sit for certifications from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

Community-Focused, Evidence-Based

Population and public health are a core focus of this program. You will learn to work within community settings and gain an understanding of the complex nature of patients’ needs so you can develop an appropriate plan of care using a shared decision-making model.

Plus, as an R1 (Research 1) university, we help you develop an evidence-based practice informed by modern research. Learn to identify credible sources, review the latest journals and reports, and understand current research.

Combined with micro-level clinical skills, you’ll graduate with the comprehensive, responsive knowledge you need to ensure exceptional outcomes for your patients.

Direct Contact With Practicing Faculty

Many of our nurse practitioner faculty are active practitioners who will give you individual attention and support throughout this program. Learn directly from health care providers who have directed clinics, served diverse, low-income populations, and implemented and evaluated models of service for underserved communities and persons with chronic diseases.

Effective Collaboration Across Disciplines

To provide holistic care, modern practitioners need to collaborate with various health care providers, from nutritionists and social workers to psychologists and health informaticists. Mason weaves interprofessional experiences throughout your curriculum, so working across disciplines becomes second nature.

Our MSN curriculum is founded on Interprofessional Educational Collaborative Core Competencies, including putting patients’ needs first, respecting patients’ dignity and privacy, and cooperating with other care providers to create a climate of mutual respect.

Social Work (MSW)

Program Description

  • Develop your passion for helping others
  • Gain the latest understanding of equity and human rights in social work
  • Take advantage of George Mason’s established community connections and explore interactive learning opportunities through our Practicum Education Program
  • Choose between two specializations: 1) Adults & Healthy Aging or 2) Children, Youth, & Families
  • Learn to integrate intersectionality in social work practice with diverse populations
  • Learn online and advance your career at a pace that works for you
  • Prepare to meet the diverse needs of different populations
  • By completing this program, you may be eligible to sit for one of these national licensing exams:* Licensed Social Worker or Licensed Clinical Social Worker
  • Advanced Standing requires that the BSW have been earned in the last five years

Focus on Social Justice and Empowerment

  • Emphasis on empowerment and systems transformation
  • Preparation to meet the needs of underserved populations and advance the ideals of social justice
  • Curriculum is built around a Social Justice Core, delivering interdisciplinary perspectives on topics like human behavior, social policy, research methods, and clinical practice

Learn From Faculty With Real-World Experience

  • Learn from current research findings, develop an evidence-based practice, and establish strong relationships with practicing social workers, some with extensive international experience that will lend a global perspective to your education

MSW Advanced Standing

George Mason University’s Online Master of Social Work is now offering an Advanced Standing program for those qualified with a Bachelor of Social Work from a CSWE-accredited institution. This competitive program gives those who qualify the opportunity to complete their Master of Social Work in less time, in 33 credit hours.

MSW Accelerated Track

George Mason University’s online Master of Social Work program is now offering an accelerated track that allows students to take 9 credits per semester, thereby finishing the degree at a faster rate.

Stipend Program Available

  • Child Welfare Stipend Program (CWSP): Specialized training program aimed to prepare social work students for a career in public child welfare. Each CWSP recipient will receive a $10,000 stipend per academic year, with a work payback requirement. Specific requirements and more information can be found here.

Practicum Education Program

We offer two types of practicum placements:

  • Traditional: Get matched with affiliated agencies.
  • Employment-Based Practicum (EBP): Through your current company

Our Practicum Education Program Office works to support students by placing them in a broad range of interdisciplinary social work settings where they gain hands-on experience. These structured interactive learning experiences prepare students for professional practice in environments that provide a globalized approach to learning.

Students will have opportunities to demonstrate social work competencies in their home communities through local, in-person internships. We work with over 400 practicum agencies in Northern Virginia, the Washington Metropolitan area (DMV), and within the United States (50 states) to ensure our students have access to organizations that span beyond the traditional divisions of social work.

We offer two types of practicum placements:

  • Traditional: The Practicum Education Program Office matches students with affiliated agencies who are a part of a large data base of agencies that have worked with our students. This data base also includes agencies in other states that have worked with George Mason University online students. Practicum hours must mirror the agency’s hours of operations. Programs, Instructors, and Supervision must be available during this time.
  • Employment-Based Practicum (EBP) Requirements
    • A student holds full-time employment with an eligible social service agency with social work-related job responsibilities.
    • A student has worked for the agency for at least six months and/or completed the employment probation period by the start of their practicum.
    • Letters of reference from the Program Director and Supervisor stating the support of the EBP arrangement.***

Health Informatics and Data Analytics (Graduate Certificate)

Program Description

In just 12 months, the online graduate certificate in Health Informatics and Data Analytics prepares clinicians, health care managers, and IT professionals to apply advanced data science methods with a focus on the patient outcomes and quality of care.

As electronic health records, administrative data, consumer generated data and related data repositories experience exponential growth, you’ll be prepared to extract meaning from sensitive data with confidence. Explore artificial intelligence, machine learning, data mining, and other advanced analytic techniques that demonstrate how to handle complex problems found in observational data.

The Virginia Department of Health Professions recommends healthcare professionals who work with children to complete continuing education on communicating with those with autism spectrum disorder. Individual licensing boards may include specific continuing education programs. Learn more by visiting the Virginia Law website.

Psychology (BA/BS)

Program Description

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology prepare students to understand human behavior, cognition, and mental processes through a rigorous and flexible 100% online program. The Department of Psychology offers both a Bachelors of Science (BS) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA), either of which can be completed 100% online.

The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Psychology focuses on math and science within the psychology field. A broad range of courses includes social psychology, abnormal psychology, cognitive psychology and biopsychology, as well as several of the department’s special topics courses such as forensic psychology and romantic relationships.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Psychology focuses on liberal arts and general education courses including a foreign language requirement, within the psychology field. A broad range of courses includes social psychology, abnormal psychology, cognitive psychology and biopsychology, as well as several of the department’s special topics courses such as forensic psychology and romantic relationships.

Banner code: LA-BA-PSYC / LA-BS-PSYC

Health Systems Management (MHA)

Program Description

George Mason University’s online CAHME-accredited Master of Health Administration (MHA) in Health Systems Management is a premier degree program, dedicated to preparing future executives for leadership positions in health care organizations. Students develop contemporary strategic, business, analytic, and decision-making skills needed to successfully navigate the evolving health care industry in the post-pandemic era.

In recognition of its high academic rigor and success in preparing the next generation of health care administration professionals, George Mason’s MHA was awarded the 2025 CAHME/George and Regi Herzlinger Innovation Education Award. This prestigious honor is awarded to one program each year for setting the standard in health administration education.

The Virginia Department of Health Professions recommends healthcare professionals who work with children to complete continuing education on communicating with those with autism spectrum disorder. Individual licensing boards may include specific continuing education programs. Learn more by visiting the Virginia Law website.

Built on the Same High Standards as Our CAHME-Accredited On-Campus Program

Our online MHA program combines the flexibility of online learning with the same rigorous standards of our on-campus degree. Both programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), which is recognized as the accrediting body for master’s level health care management programs by the U.S. Department of Education. In 2025, George Mason’s MHA received the CAHME/George and Regi Herzlinger Innovation Education Award, which honors a program that sets the standard for academic rigor and preparation of the next generation of health care administration professionals.

Our expert faculty delivers a program driven by a set of professional competencies in each of the following domains:

  • Knowledge of the Healthcare Environment
  • Communications and Relationship Management
  • Business Knowledge and Skills (And Critical Thinking)
  • Leadership
  • Professionalism (Ethics)

Most courses are offered in convenient online, asynchronous classes. A field-based capstone practicum is completed in the final semester of study, providing students with experience and the opportunity to demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills acquired from coursework.

Students must choose one concentration from the following:

Healthcare Quality

Addresses the growth of the health care industry to understand and evaluate the quality of care being delivered. Students will develop skills in quality methodologies, techniques, and patient safety law.

Executive Concentration

Prepares students for leadership positions in a wide variety of health care organizations by focusing on mastery of critical thinking needed for creative revenue cycle, business, and system management strategies.

Capstone Practicum

Spend 6 to 8 weeks with a health care organization, engaged in the analysis of a complex problem assigned by the host organization. Demonstrate critical thinking skills to key health care executives while conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to inform an executive decision regarding an important, real-life issue. Performance in this role can provide the student with a launchpad to pursue opportunities for future professional growth and development.