Graduate Fair

College of Humanities and Social Sciences graduate programs encourage the exploration of contemporary issues through a dynamic curriculum that fosters an understanding of real world problems.

Cultural Studies is the study of cultural processes under the conditions imposed by the global capitalist system, and the program at George Mason University leads the way in the field by providing a cohesive yet expansive curriculum for that project. We take a definitive view of what constitutes a properly Cultural Studies approach as we study, for example, the dialectical relationships among media and new media, social institutions such as gender and race, and the class character of capitalist society. In addition to studying cultural processes, objects and events, we aim to critique and transform them and our environment; our publications, our coursework and our students’ dissertations thus engage with the key social and political issues of our time.

The Accelerated Master of Arts in Foreign Languages with concentrations in Chinese, French, Korean, and Spanish provides students with the opportunity to deepen their cultural and linguistic expertise as well as save time and money. Advanced GMU undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in education, government, non-governmental organizations, international relations, translation, business, and others are encouraged to apply.

Whether you are helping an organization roll out a new product, lobbying policy makers, tailoring messages to promote health, finding ways to best communicate scientific concepts to a general audience, or building stronger relationships with stakeholders, Mason’s Communication Graduate programs reflect broad and evolving needs in communication.

The MFA program balances creative and career development that prepares graduates for success as published writers, publishing professionals, and expert teachers. Students concentrate on fiction, poetry, or nonfiction genres taught by highly acclaimed and widely published faculty. About 95% of students are fully funded as either Graduate Teaching Assistants in the English Department or Graduate Professional Assistants with Watershed Lit.

The Masters in English at Mason offers several tracks that represent the breadth of contemporary English studies. You can work in and across concentrations in literature, professional and technical writing, rhetoric, cultural studies, film, folklore, linguistics, and the teaching of writing and literature. In each concentration, you will enhance your skills in reading, writing, and research. Students use the degree for professional enhancement, or as an entry into teaching, professional writing, or doctoral study.

Students in the MA program in philosophy at Mason benefit from a department with a wide range of expertise. The program seeks to ensure students will receive a solid foundation in areas of both historical and contemporary significance. Course offerings provide grounding in the history of philosophy, ethics, policy, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of sex and gender, contemporary continental philosophy, contemporary analytic philosophy, and philosophy of science.

Mason’s Folklore Program offers the only masters-level degree in folklore in the mid-Atlantic region, with a robust slate of course offerings and strong ties to local institutions such as the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, the National Park Service, Virginia Folklife Program and other heritage entities in the region.

The PhD and MA Programs in Public and Applied Sociology emphasize investigating and communicating sociologys perspective to the broader public on topics such as individual well-being, community empowerment, creative social agency, transnational collaboration, and sustainable, democratic innovation. We offer rigorous education in research design, data analysis, substantive areas, and the analytical and professional skills necessary for academic and non-academic positions.

George Mason’s nationally-ranked graduate economics programs are recognized for their multidisciplinary scholarship, integrating economic theory with other fields of study such as politics, sociology, history, philosophy, law, and monetary theory. Pursue our STEM-designated PhD or MA degrees full-time or part-time and tailor courses to meet your interests across ten fields.

The Women and Gender Studies (WGST) graduate programs unite research, teaching, and activism through a multidisciplinary approach. Students explore courses across the university while completing core studies in feminist and queer theory, critical race theory, and global feminisms. Electives include topics such as African American women’s history, disability studies, gender and health, human rights, immigration, sexuality, black psychology, and ecofeminism. More than academics, WGST fosters a supportive community where students, faculty, and staff thrive inside and outside the classroom.

The SIS Graduate Programs include both the Higher Education Program and Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies.

The Master of Arts in Foreign Languages with concentrations in Chinese, French, Korean, and Spanish and online graduate certificate in Spanish Heritage Language Education offer interdisciplinary, flexible programs of study that deepen students’ cultural and linguistic expertise. Our students, ranging from recent college graduates to mid-career professionals, pursue careers in education, government, non-governmental organizations, international relations, translation, business, and others.

The Global Affairs graduate program and the Middle East and Islamic Studies graduate program both offer a rigorous curriculum of 30 multidisciplinary credits that provides graduate students with a global perspective and prepares them to enter today’s fast-paced, interconnected world.