Virtual Open House MS Applied Information Technology Transcript

George Mason Online Admissions: Oh, I just wanted to introduce you. We have a very special guest here today. Dr. Rita Cova. And she is actually the program director.

George Mason Online Admissions: and she’s also a professor professor in the program and the chair of graduate studies. So we’ll go ahead and turn the presentation over to you, Dr. Vidakova?

George Mason Online Admissions: Tonight’s agenda. Here, we’ll let you go over that, and then tell us a little bit about yourself, and just some of the things that you like about the program.

Ioulia Rytikova: Well, well, first of all, welcome. I as an associate here, and as a professor I do. I have full of responsibilities in our department. I also work not only in our department, but I’m involved in many initiatives.

Ioulia Rytikova: At the school level, at the college level, at the university level because I’ve been a church mason for quite some time. And if anybody asks me when is it in your job? I in general enjoy my job so much, and if you start taking my classes you will see it right away, because I’m so excited about every semester. I’m still excited for all those years that that’d be. Yeah.

Ioulia Rytikova: But one of my favorite things to do is to give such presentations to meet with prospective students.

Ioulia Rytikova: We often do it in person and in general in person, especially for graduate programs, is something that everybody is looking forward to. But since our program. This is an online program. And we get students we can there again, from Niger, we can get students from all over the world. We’re trying to to catch as many students as possible. And

Ioulia Rytikova: and we, we have this presentations online. But I will be more than happy to follow up with you, to meet with you. I’m on campus quite, quite often. If a few words about myself. My name is Dr. Rezikova. I am the associate chair for graduate studies in our department. I’ve been at this department for many years, I and probably that’s a very good sign, because our faculty

Ioulia Rytikova: with us. Oh, thank you. That’s my bio. Yes, in a, I received my Ms Bs and and Phd degrees. It’s all in engineering. And specifically, it’s related to data. It was related to data. Now, that’s why no surprise. Once big data became showed up on on the market, and people started saying, oh, there is a cool thing called big data.

Ioulia Rytikova: Then I I very quite the transitions to all the new series of of it related to data processing big data. Now, it’s AI, it’s machine learning. And this is my research background. But my passion, if anybody asks, is in education, everything I learned all the tools that. And I just today.

Ioulia Rytikova: before this presentation, I attended a Microsoft workshop about masters programs in AI artificial intelligence and lots of other faculty, because

Ioulia Rytikova: across the country they joined, they joined that workshop and we had a lot of interesting discussions. So where everything I do. It’s applied to. That’s why one of the things is educational data, mining or cognitive and learning sciences. I really want to understand how people learn. You know what they do? And I’ve been working it. I’ve done it all.

Ioulia Rytikova: I worked at the with undergraduate students, graduate students, Phd, students. I have a lot of experience developing new programs, masters, program certificates.

Ioulia Rytikova: Major programs. I teach online, I teach in person, and in our department, as I will be talking about this in the in just a few moments. We’re also quite know for parent faculty, who are recognized at the at the university level as outstanding teachers or outstanding educators, outstanding researchers.

Ioulia Rytikova: I’m I was very like it to be one of them. So I believe that’s that’s our department, and that’s what probably all my experience. And I also work with with others, with colleagues outside of the university. And this experience gives me the right, I guess, to say that we do have a great program.

Ioulia Rytikova: Not only because our program was ranked as one of the top programs, especially this online program in cyber security, particularly

Ioulia Rytikova: was ranked as one of the top programs in the in the nation. But in general mics, from from the experience I have, it’s it’s quite easy to see. When you work with collars from other institutions, if they have strong programs, if they if they deliver what’s expected for students, and how they do that. So I can assure you that if you decide to join our department

Ioulia Rytikova: and I will be more than happy to answer any questions, because it’s confusing. There are so many options out there. I will be happy to answer specific questions about that program. But nevertheless, without just trying to say that we do have a great program if you’re interested in developing skills so that will help you either. be. I either get further with your career.

Ioulia Rytikova: Or if you’re interested in just learning more about cutting edge technologies, and applications of those technologies just because you’re interested and you think it might help you in the on the current current job market. Then our program is one of the one of the programs that welcomes

Ioulia Rytikova: every student, every applicant. That’s probably the first thing I’d like to say, say, one of the most common questions that I get. Students say, what if I don’t have a strong background in computer science or or mathematics?

Ioulia Rytikova: Is it still a good idea for me to come to you. Absolutely. That’s that’s one of those major differences between the computer Science Department and us.

Ioulia Rytikova: Even though. and Stephanie. By the way, I know that I get distracted from, and sometimes I don’t follow the the presentation precisely, but if you move forward I will kind of

Ioulia Rytikova: join the the path of your go. So why choose George Mixin in particular our program? That’s what I’m talking about. So please feel free to kind of move forward what I’m trying to again go back to what I hear often from students. They asked about the difference between Cs and our department A, our program ait. My answer is always, I’m not trying to convince students to come to our program.

Ioulia Rytikova: I understand that my job is to bring as many people as possible, but I don’t see it this way. My job, the way I say it is to help students find a good match. That’s what’s important. You don’t want to take the receiving. My, we already have a basic degree. You are not. You don’t need anything just for fun, even though in some cases it might be fun. But but still you want to select the program that fits your needs.

Ioulia Rytikova: that feeds your future career goals that fits even your life. That’s something that will also talk about in just a moment, because our program is extremely flexible. We we will. I will show you how we work with students and how we help students succeed. Nevertheless, whether they have strong background in Cs or not, or if they have a large family, and they don’t have much time, and they work

Ioulia Rytikova: full time. So we are very flexible, and we have students to get through that. But the difference between the computer Science Department and us is that we focus mostly on applications. This in general, it’s not just that they see department in our school. But in general computer science departments, they focus more on the theoretical side of anything that you see on the screen.

Ioulia Rytikova: Those beautiful areas like cyber security data, science machine learning. AI, and all these areas approach. I approach from the fundamental theoretical perspective. If you go to the Cs department in our department will also cover the theory. But our main goal is to help students learn like hands on. We have lots of project based courses.

Ioulia Rytikova: We ask students, we have labs, we have assignments where students have to collaborate. That’s out of which day everybody has to collaborate and and we try to. And and this is the reason why we

Ioulia Rytikova: we welcome every student because we built our program. So that if a student needs extra help or extra preparation. We have some so called prep classes of courses. The students can take to help them succeed in our program. I hear a lot of stories from not only students who just receive their Bsd

Ioulia Rytikova: and they want to continue without even, you know, taking a break, but also student or students or applicants who are at their mid career level. And they would like either to get promoted or just to change entirely their course. And that’s what they say. Well, I received my B as degree a long time ago, and I don’t really remember, should I? What should I do, and it again and again I keep saying that

Ioulia Rytikova: we will support you will help you. We have lot of tools to help students. We are not new. We’re we’ve been around for over wide bit of 25 years or so. So we’re a mature department.

Ioulia Rytikova: We are. Maybe we can move to the next slide. Probably. So so think, oh, here we go. Yes, that’s what I was just going to talk about. We are not. It’s all I always I find it to be kind of to me. It’s kind of funny. When Covid happened. Then everybody converted to online learning, and and that right after Covid people were saying, well, we teach online.

Ioulia Rytikova: And it feels like everyone now can teach online, which is true to some extent. What separates us from everybody from many other institutions is that before Covid, for 10 years

Ioulia Rytikova: we’ve been teaching online, our department has multiple programs we teach in person. We teach, not here, if this program is entirely 100 online. But we also offer program in in person, we have hybrid classes. We have synchronous online classes. We have asynchronous online classes, though here these are asynchronous classes. But we still support students. So that will again

Ioulia Rytikova: talk about this in just a moment, tremendously, so that students don’t feel like they are alone. And they don’t have any connection. We create great environment for students. We connect those students, our students to to the professor, to Gtas. So we we know how to work with that. We know how to help students achieve their goals in each class, and then at the end of their the end of their education here with us.

Ioulia Rytikova: their career goals, because we have a lot of experience. We are experts on that. We and I will just repeat these words, that’s we have a director director for online education for our college Professor Garrison, and he once said, and I have it written down because I always repeat this. He once said that our department not only

Ioulia Rytikova: was the first department that developed the entire program online many, many, many years ago, but more importantly, we developed best practices and procedures that’s now other departments are following. Well, it’s been over 10 years, because again, we’ve been on this market for for very, very long time

Ioulia Rytikova: with our online education. But we are experts. I’m not trying to brag. But that’s the fact which is recognized again mentioning it. And we are doing a great job on teaching online.

Ioulia Rytikova: That’s what this, this beautiful squares that we we have. So media reach a collaborative learning environment world class education within reach and different tracks.

Ioulia Rytikova: That’s exactly what I’m talking about. Our department by nature is very dynamic information sciences and the rich and technology in general changes every you wake up in the morning, get something happened in it. Oh, I need to learn something else.

Ioulia Rytikova: That’s why we develop new courses, new concentrations every semester, not even every year. But I’m proud to say it’s every semester. For instance, last year we developed the machine learning engineering concentration which became very popular right away. I I have to say that. And I’m proud to say that’s the point where I’m bragging. That all concentrations are quite successful

Ioulia Rytikova: as cyber security was always, probably number one on the market. Then we came up with the data 96 concentration. That’s where big data is. And all this again. Fun stuff we’ve got more students there. Last year we opened the machine learning engineering concentration, the first semester we only had like a few students, and then we got 10 times more like exponentially in the next in the following year.

Ioulia Rytikova: So this year, for instance, in our in on ground program, we develop the human centered interaction concentration. So we we come up with new courses and concentrations every year every semester and that makes up it. It.

Ioulia Rytikova: That’s what I again in our field. If you if you don’t, if you don’t update your courses your curriculum on a regular basis. Then you fall behind that. So that’s something that I’m quite proud of. We have very active faculty. And in maybe we can go to the next slide.

Ioulia Rytikova: well, I will talk about this in just a moment. But before I forget about I I really would like to say a few words about the faculty. We have fantastic faculty who teach this course, and again, not to brag. But I have some facts.

Ioulia Rytikova: In our university. It’s difficult to receive outstanding awards. These are given again at the top level. That’s university awards. There are very few. It were literally very few awards. We have, over 2,000 faculty, just full time faculty.

Ioulia Rytikova: And there, we have very few outstanding teaching awards per year there. We will. Even a couple of years ago there was only one online outstanding teaching award which we got. Our department received it so so what I’m trying to say is that several faculty members in our department, not just one or 2, but several received outstanding

Ioulia Rytikova: teaching awards. And that means a lot. I wish I could explain what it is, but it’s difficult to receive those awards. This screening process is is quite, quite tough. The portfolio that that faculty prepare. It’s over 100 pages. So that’s that’s how impressive it is. And you really have to be very innovative. You have to use a new technologist and education

Ioulia Rytikova: have to use news math and news methods. If I will give you an example, for instance, in our classes, we actively engage students. It’s not only discussions we have project based inquiry based we use active learning, even though this program is 100 online. What we everyone in our program. We

Ioulia Rytikova: offer what’s called optional class meetings, because we cannot require students to come to meetings again. It’s a 100 asynchronous.

Ioulia Rytikova: nevertheless. And I teach by the way, classes in this program, too. And nevertheless, we do offer those optional class meetings every week, so that students could come and meet with the Professor or also on a separate day, they meet with the Gc. Or teaching assistant, and that that’s how we help students stay connected. We check on on their progress. We talk to students. We meet with them

Ioulia Rytikova: like what we’re doing right now. So again, going back to our fantastic faculty. We have those outstanding teaching award recipients. We also have several faculty members who received the research research Award outstanding research award also, in the past 2 years 2 faculty in our department, 3 only in the last 2 2 years. So we’re consistently receiving these awards.

Ioulia Rytikova: The reason why I always talk about research, even though it might feel that. Well, I just want to get my degree. And why would I need to even think about research. Well, we don’t have time for this today, but once you get to my classes, I will talk about it that I’m also involved in lots of research about the educational research and the laws of reports and research studies. They show that incorporating

Ioulia Rytikova: research in classes helps students not only to do better in their classes, in graduate or undergraduate programs, but it also prepares them much better for their future jobs.

Ioulia Rytikova: That’s why, every time when we have, when, when when we offer classes and we have our top researchers who teach this classes, they come back. So they bring their research continues research back to their classes. They work with students. We also offer what? I, we I again, it depends on how much you’re interested in. Maybe in the Phd program we’re just in

Ioulia Rytikova: in this area in general. But we do involve students in or in research projects. If anybody is interested in developing some 80 search portfolio, then we also offer that

Ioulia Rytikova: and so forth. So that’s why, again, faculty would teach. These classes are very experienced. They’re recognized experts, and they are great. They’re great experts in their field of study. This is probably one of my favorite slides. I like numbers in general, but when I see numbers for salaries that that that makes me feel even better. As you can see pretty much all the numbers there.

Ioulia Rytikova: Consistent they are. They look impressive, and they get bigger as we speak. Well, I can say, because in our days

Ioulia Rytikova: again, I’ve just attend attended a workshop with Microsoft today, and they showed some numbers. Today I would say that a lot of a lot of there is a lot of conversations in the AI field. But again, don’t be confused about AI. It’s a very big umbrella. And under this umbrella there are multiple areas, multiple fields.

Ioulia Rytikova: For instance, the machine learning engineering concentration is also part of that. So if you go in that direction, you will be on the right track.

Ioulia Rytikova: yeah. And what I recommend students to do if if you’re interested, if you are looking for a job, or at least you’re thinking, oh, maybe at some point I will need to do this. In our days of I feel it’s better not to look for specific titles, but to search for specific skills. That’s how we are expected to develop new programs

Ioulia Rytikova: when we submit a new program to to chef to top to the top organization. So at the at the at the state level. Then we have to provide specific skills. And because there is, there is such a variety in in in titles

Ioulia Rytikova: that for the machine learning engineering title, you can get 10 more that look kind of the same, but they will have different words, maybe AI engineering or AI learning or something else. So you really need to be more open minded and base, you search on skills, not specific titles. And these are just a few examples that we wanted to share with you. If we look at the next slide

Ioulia Rytikova: then this is our program. Just a quick summary in, just so that you know about about about your your expectations. So, or our expectations. We have only 10 courses in this. Well, we have lots of courses, but it’s required to complete 10 courses only. It’s 30 credits the first

Ioulia Rytikova: for our poor courses. We recommend seriously recommend to start with core courses. And after that you select one of the concentrations and you follow through each concentration until we finish that

Ioulia Rytikova: what separates.

Ioulia Rytikova: Now, this program from many other programs. Again, when we developed this program was heavily based on research studies. And we did this, we did this.

Ioulia Rytikova: We not just our department, but we also, we work together with the other instit other units in our institution to make sure that we meet all the quality checks for online programs. And and the what’s what’s important is to say that this program asks students to complete each course within 8 weeks.

Ioulia Rytikova: It’s different from a traditional program when students take multiple courses during 15 weeks. And they kind of take again multiple courses every every week they go to different classes. Here students focus on one course. During 8 weeks they finish that, and then they move on to the next one, and they continue. We offer classes in spring of spring, full and summer.

Ioulia Rytikova: Usually our students take 2 classes per semester, which means that students can complete this degree within 2 years.

Ioulia Rytikova: well, that’s pretty much. Probably it that here, that’s all I wanted to say. I don’t think if there are any specific questions. We can come back to this.

Ioulia Rytikova: and I believe, we have just a few slides left, though. Maybe so here. If we can. If we have time, and if you anybody’s interested, that will be happy to show a specific example so far of courses. But that’s pretty much what you see on this screen, we have lots of videos each course. It has videos developed by the faculty videos, by developed by top experts.

Ioulia Rytikova: We are our University. We have partnership with Linkedin. And that means that we have access to all the resources they provide. So we also incorporate that. You cannot read that. But on the left side we have the 8 modules, one module per week all the assignments. That’s what’s good about this program is that it’s very consistent. So students don’t have to.

Ioulia Rytikova: Don’t have to kind of adjust every time they start a new course, and it looks completely different here. It’s all the same, you open any course, you will see the same colors, the same banner, the same structure of the course. You can find everything in the same place. So students don’t lose time by learning how to get to the assignments they need. And all this stuff. During this semester professors

Ioulia Rytikova: actively my student. My students always say that I send so many emails that sometimes it’s so

Ioulia Rytikova: it’s difficult to keep up with all of them. Which is fine. I I understand we’re all very busy, but we communicate with students, not just every week. With some of us. Every day we meet with students weekly. We also ask teaching assistance to meet meet with students. Weekly. We, we provide assignments, their individual collaborative assignments. We have different types of assignments.

Ioulia Rytikova: Again, what we try to do. It’s not just. Take the exam and then read this book and take the exam. That’s that old style that that you know

Ioulia Rytikova: 100 years ago, people were following. Now we have assignments in addition to obviously exams, but we also have, which is also all offered online. We have. We have discussion boards. We have, quizzes that you can re repeat as many times as you want to, because it’s a learning tool, and you want? You. You see all the answers. And since you really love that

Ioulia Rytikova: you have practice problems where you can discuss with your with other students and come up with solutions collaboratively. But again, everybody will have to submit their own solution. So we have lots of fun stuff in our classes and in general students. Or also, it’s very flexible, because we know that students have might have a different background in my classes. For instance, I say.

Ioulia Rytikova: well, there are 10. I will give an example. 10 pro pro problems for this week, for instance. And then I say, if you have no experience with my field, then you completely I recommend to complete all 10. But if you already know the subject some extent, and you feel that oh, I know this area. That’s the problem in our, not the problem. But it’s kind of problem in our days that students learn which is good

Ioulia Rytikova: good on their own, which is very good, but when they come to our classes it’s very uneven, we and it’s and I always give a survey in the beginning of each semester to understand if I have students who are very new to it a couple of times. I have like experts on on what I do, literally experts. They say I have 20 years of experience in in this field, and it was always fun to work with them because they could

Ioulia Rytikova: it. They could also help with students. And they. It’s interesting to have this mix of students in the class. So but back to the assignments, and we say, but if you’re an expert and you can complete only 50% of this program. So they will still get full grade. So we’re trying to be even more flexible. We allow submissions that are a bit late and and we’re trying to again to support students.

Ioulia Rytikova: Many graduate students in our program. They work they have families, and and especially after Covid which is a different discussion. But the way students and professors approach learning has changed.

Ioulia Rytikova: So that’s something that we, our research team is also working on lots of interesting discussions about that alright and the next slide.

Ioulia Rytikova: Oh, and well, then, that’s probably it. So thank you very much for listening. I really appreciate this. If there are questions I will be because I could not hear. I could not see any questions. But if there are questions I will be more than happy to discuss as much as you want to. Today I have no place to go, so I can stay as long as needed.

George Mason Online Admissions: Well, thank you so much, Dr. Ridicova. Very thorough. It sounds like this, truly is tailored learning, you know, taking into account that the students are working. They have families, and that people are in different places and their education. So it sounds very collaborative. A mix of individual and Co and collaborative work and a lot of interaction with the instructors. So thank you for that. So, as Dr. Ridicova just mentioned.

George Mason Online Admissions: this is interactive. We’re here for you. We would love to hear your questions. I see that one question has already popped into the chat which I’ll read.

George Mason Online Admissions: but for those of you who joined late. I know a few more people trickled in down at the bottom of your screen. You should see the question and answer. Section. Please feel free to type your questions, and we’ll be glad to go over those for you.

George Mason Online Admissions: So we do have a few questions to start, and I do believe you touched upon this a little bit. Is this Master’s degree a good path for the Phd. Program that we offer at Mason.

Ioulia Rytikova: Excellent question. Absolutely. You can start here.

Ioulia Rytikova: even even. Well, now a professor speaks so

Ioulia Rytikova: E even? Well, though what I would recommend to do. Well, I’m a perfectionist, so please listen carefully what I say, and it doesn’t mean that I’m right, because again, I’m I always

Ioulia Rytikova: aim very high. What? I wanna when students come to me and ask about the any Phd program, that’s what I tell them.

Ioulia Rytikova: Think about the area that you’re interested in. That’s just even if you don’t know. But you already have that feeling. Hmm! I’m interested in this, or maybe that, or I I’d like to study this particular field. Once you identify kind of what you’re interested in, you don’t have to be precise. Then start searching for if Mason is your place to come, which I hope you will slide, because

Ioulia Rytikova: this is a great place. Then search through professors portfolios to see if there is a good match.

Ioulia Rytikova: After that I recommend to ask that professors that you selected to meet with them. And again, it doesn’t have to. Doesn’t have to take a lot of time. But Phd. Is really important. It will take at least 5 years of your life.

Ioulia Rytikova: and that’s a lot of work, and it’s something that that that might define your entire life. So I I would not take it lightly, so I would need to be, maybe a few professors to discuss what what they are interested, what what with their research, to see. If there is a good match.

Ioulia Rytikova: it’s very important to find not only your area, but also a professor who you will feel comfortable working with. And I know again it sounds like, Hmm, do I need to run? Yes, is also very important. For 5 years you will be working very closely with someone one, especially if it’s a cartonage research which is not easy, and and it just overall.

Ioulia Rytikova: It requires some effort. And again, people are very busy. So once you see that connection, and once you see that good match, then I would ask there, those, professor, so that one professor which path they will recommend.

Ioulia Rytikova: So so I would go. That’s why I know it’s a long answer. But yes, you can start with our program, and we have students who are going after that to to teach the program. But but if you really want to consider all options.

Ioulia Rytikova: I would start the other way around. I will go the top down approach, and then I will see if this program feeds what you have in mind giving the professor and the field the the area that you are interested in? I hope that I answer this question. And again, any questions. So any follow up questions. Send me an email, because that’s a kind of long conversation.

George Mason Online Admissions: Thank you so much. That was a very thorough response. And just as a reminder, everyone please type those questions. We’re happy to answer them. But we do have another question that popped in here. So one of our students has already been admitted for fall of 2024. So congratulations on that, and they are asking how they can be selected for a Ga. Position because it would really help

George Mason Online Admissions: financially in subsidizing the tuition. Now, I may need some clarification is this, are you referring to? Does this sound like more of a teaching assistant, or

George Mason Online Admissions: Are you familiar with that Dr. Rita Cova.

Ioulia Rytikova: Yes, of course, absolutely.

George Mason Online Admissions: Sure.

Ioulia Rytikova: Great question. I’m so glad you asked. I have some. Very good. Well.

Ioulia Rytikova: I have news. Okay, maybe, and we’ll see some good news. But hmm well, bad news is that we as a department, we do not give those positions like we admit you. And then here we go. Here is a position. Then we will cover all the all the expenses for you.

Ioulia Rytikova: Unfortunately, I wish we could do that, though I have to say that since it was mentioned before, we do support Phd students, new applicants when they come to us that we provide funding so. But that’s different.

Ioulia Rytikova: But what many of our master students do. We are very like it because we have a huge very huge department. We have over 2,000 Bs students.

Ioulia Rytikova: Which means that we have lots of classes at the undergraduate at the graduate program, which means we need a lot of Gta teaching assistance for those classes

Ioulia Rytikova: in general. In our department we are. When we select Gt’s. We usually try to select first. The first preference would be, of course, our own students, which is Ms in ait. And then we consider students from other programs. But our students get get the first speak. I’m not saying it’s easy to get this position because they are

Ioulia Rytikova: what competitive? We have a lot of very good, very strong students, a lot. But but still, if you have a good reason, if you have a very good Gp. Is very important. So Gp. Is your number one

Ioulia Rytikova: skill, I would say so if it’s a good Gtp. If you get some in addition to that, some certificates, for instance, in cyber security particularly, there are some very helpful certificates then you will. You can definitely, you can definitely apply for these positions and be selected. So that’s number one, number 2. What we also sometimes do is we offer gra position

Ioulia Rytikova: these id search assistant position. But I should say not we. But by we here I mean faculty. For instance, I just said a project on a on a grant, and one of the current master students was hired as a jury

Ioulia Rytikova: for this semester. That was also possible. But it depends on again on the faculty

Ioulia Rytikova: and the last one

Ioulia Rytikova: so you need to be in contact with the faculty and the last option which which I I like very much. We are very successful, our department in getting what’s called do scholarships in cyber security. But that’s for cyber security to students. Only. Dod stands for Department of Defense.

Ioulia Rytikova: They have a scholarship program where also very competitive, that’s nationally recognized. And it’s very difficult to get those scholarships. But we, our department, because of our research faculty and cyber security, were outstanding. We have a research center which is because of that we are very successful in

Ioulia Rytikova: in in getting those scholarships every year, some way around the hmm, I would say. December, we send an email to all the students in related in this in the field related to cyber security. So they’re different. A, and then, students send their portfolios to us. We review, and we make recommendations based on those portfolios.

Ioulia Rytikova: And again, that’s jb, is very important. And some competitions are very important and additional anything. In addition, extra curricular activities. They will be very helpful for for your consideration.

George Mason Online Admissions: And so it sounds like for the Dod scholarships. That would be something the students that are in the cyber track would receive emails about, and as far as the graduate research assistant ships, would they contact their academic advisor within the department? Or is there a specific contact that you would recommend.

Ioulia Rytikova: Well, usually we have some announcements. That’s the one of the first things that that happens

Ioulia Rytikova: for Gt positions students can apply. We have a separate website for that. By the we, I mean, the entire university is called handshake but in terms of grace, that’s that’s a bit more challenging. You really need to work closely with the faculty. So you need to contact the faculty you need to kind of again to to students do

Ioulia Rytikova: I often again also have that they contact us, and they say I will be willing to work as a volunteer, and then then we start to working with them. If we feel that students deliver good results, then we can offer them a jury position. But again, that’s something that people who are interested in research would usually

Ioulia Rytikova: probably consider.

George Mason Online Admissions: Okay, wonderful. And do you ever have area employers contact the department looking for students in entry level positions or outside internships? Or would those students go through the career center in handshake.

Ioulia Rytikova: Well, it? Yes, yes, and yes. We have a great Career Center office. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about about them, from from the students we have Job fair. So we do it all in addition to that. As an associate here. I receive once in a while I receive emails. We’re looking for this. So we’re looking for that

Ioulia Rytikova: for that position for someone for a specific position. Could you please share it with other students. I will so often this save emails about again my small scholarships. That’s I wish I could say that is consistent in every year we do this, this and this, but every year we do the Dod scholarship, which is, and it covers everything. So it just literally everything is

Ioulia Rytikova: that’s full right? But there are also some opportunities where industry our industry partners, they contact us. They either are looking for for you employees, or they want to provide some well, relatively small, less. It depends some, some recognition, some scholarships of work. So we do that, too.

George Mason Online Admissions: Okay, thank you. And another question popped up, is there an option of admin? Ga.

Ioulia Rytikova: Yes.

Ioulia Rytikova: Oh, wow! Guys, you are amazing. You are like.

Ioulia Rytikova: you’re, you’re just considering coming to us. Absolutely. Yes.

Ioulia Rytikova: yeah. Because we are a very large department. And I actually, I never thought about this. But yes, in our departments, just on our department, we have 3. It’s called student workers. So that’s what I think it means.

Ioulia Rytikova: So we have student workers who are supporting our department from the administrative perspective, and the students often leave because they either can get the job or they get an internship, or they want to move on or something else. So we’re very lucky. We have wonderful students but now they’re living because of somewhere. So we also yes, there is an opportunity to work

Ioulia Rytikova: in the Admin office for students.

George Mason Online Admissions: And should those students go through handshake for that in the career center.

Ioulia Rytikova: I would say. Handshake. That would be the number one place to go. That’s where usually all the departments they post their announcements and so forth.

George Mason Online Admissions: Okay, and it catchy. We can send you that. I’ll send you that information, the link to the career center because they do some wonderful events. It looks like they even have clearance workshops, job fairs, and and all kinds of different things. So I don’t see any more questions trickling in. But I am going to ask just a couple to give everyone a chance to type any last minute questions that they may have. So one question that I frequently

George Mason Online Admissions: receive from students is if they’re looking to be an AI to work in AI. I know that’s a huge buzz term right now. Would this track? Obviously, you talked about machine learning earlier, or would the computer science be a better degree.

Ioulia Rytikova: Excellent question.

Ioulia Rytikova: well, it’s if I could maybe provide a bit more information, because everybody is now so excited. 10 years ago it was the same excitement about big data, just the the same. I remember so clearly. And people were trying to figure out what to do with that. Now, okay, that’s just big data. Okay, we can do that. Now, it’s AI, which is fantastic.

Ioulia Rytikova: So if we speak about departments, we have this Cs department and Us. IC department. So these are 2 separate departments.

Ioulia Rytikova: What’s confusing for? And I I know, because I hear it. Even people are. Gonna so what’s confusing is what those departments offer, and what’s the difference in our days? Not only Cs and I see, but even other departments just recently. For instance, the electrical engineering departments. They offer the course in AI

Ioulia Rytikova: so and that’s fine, because it’s very specific to to their field of study. What’s different. So everybody might have something related to AI in our days because it’s popular. What’s important is to understand whether you want to be a person who develops new new theories

Ioulia Rytikova: and new tools.

Ioulia Rytikova: new applications.

Ioulia Rytikova: or, if you would like to understand it, the field enough so that you could successfully apply that to solve any complex problem and pretty much any field. So that’s what we do.

Ioulia Rytikova: So the Cs department and these are our 2 departments are probably major feeders for for AI. But Cs approaches that from the theoretical fundamental perspective. So that again, the theory, a lot of math the Lord. So you have to be really a very strong in math.

Ioulia Rytikova: You have to have I again in that workshop which I mentioned earlier today. It was a great workshop and the one of the universes was gardening a Mel.

Ioulia Rytikova: and they say we do. If you don’t have a Cs background, then that’s it. Our AI program is not for you. So I in a nice way. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to, by the way, but in a nice way, but the the. So in the Cs department. Usually it’s assumed that you have a very strong Cs background, a lot of programming, math courses, statistics and so forth.

Ioulia Rytikova: So with the IC department, we are applied, and that’s why we also go over the theory. But our goal is applications. AI has a lot of I’m I’m almost done with my answer. But this is a very large, is a big question to answer. So AI has many different fields and areas in, and people define it differently. One of them is machine learning

Ioulia Rytikova: or machine learning engineering. So the the seas Department also offers something related in

Ioulia Rytikova: to that field. I don’t know exactly where what their programs are. I know in general, but because I know that they certainly have it. But but the the the choice between the 2 is

Ioulia Rytikova: your background. And what what kind of job you want to do in the future? So that would be the difference between our machine learning, for instance, and Cs machine learning.

Ioulia Rytikova: I’m not sure if I if it was a good clarification but I hope that I covered at least a few questions.

George Mason Online Admissions: Yes, yes, and it looks like our questions have come to a halt here. I’ve scanned them all, and we all had some some great questions that you all had for us today. And so, Dr. Vitakova, would you like me to go over the admissions process now, in our upcoming start date.

Ioulia Rytikova: Thank you. Okay.

George Mason Online Admissions: Well, good news for everyone here. We are still accepting applications for the August 20, sixth start date. That is our fall term. And so. Yes, you still have time to apply. Now, what we’re looking for is for students to fill out the application

George Mason Online Admissions: and then upload a copy of your Transcript that has the school name all of the grades and the degree conferral date. I know a lot of people use unofficial transcripts, but just make sure that it has those 3 components, and then we’ll we’ll try to order your official transcripts for you once you’ve done that, and then we need your resume. Of course, a work resume is fine, and we will email you the instructions for the personal statement essay.

George Mason Online Admissions: and then for the recommendations, we do need 2 professional recommendations. So please know family or friends there, you know, we have a form to fill out. So all you need to do is list the People’s email addresses in the application that will trigger our system to send a short questionnaire to your references. And then they can type on it and click submit online. So it’s pretty quick and painless there.

George Mason Online Admissions: Normally, people try to finish up their admissions files within a week or 2. Sometimes it takes a little longer waiting for those recommendations. Usually the decision can be turned around within one to 3 weeks. Sometimes it does take a little longer, depending on the time of year.

George Mason Online Admissions: But that puts you in good shape to apply for the August 20 sixth start date. We would like the files ideally complete

George Mason Online Admissions: by July first, if possible. The official deadline is August first, but we do have a lot of files in the fall, so it’s rolling admissions. The sooner you complete your file, the sooner you’ll have your decision, and that will benefit you. So you can start getting ready for a class, and we will send you out all of these materials. We see the attendees here. So we’ll email that to you. And if you have questions at any point, you are welcome to give us a call.

George Mason Online Admissions: We work with you throughout the application process, and I’ve got all of the information there. You can scan the QR code or call 703-48-5006 or email online, [email protected], and we’ll be happy to help you throughout the admissions process.

George Mason Online Admissions: So I just wanna thank Dr. Ridicova for joining us. You provided a wealth of information. I can see your passion really shine through for the program, and I know the students really enjoy the program. So thank you again for joining us. Do you have anything that you’d like to add.

Ioulia Rytikova: Well, again, I was so happy to be here. Thank you very much for inviting me for me. That’s an incredible opportunity to talk more about our wonderful program. All I can say is that I hope that all students who are here today and those who will watch this presentation. Later they will find the program they they love. They will get admitted, and they will have a beautiful journey of their Ms. Degree. Good luck. Everyone.

George Mason Online Admissions: Yes, and thank you for joining us tonight. Everyone have a great night.

Ioulia Rytikova: Goodbye. Thank you.

George Mason Online Admissions: But bye.