Graduate Program
Faculty
Executive Committee
Bergmann (chair), Button, Lont, Vail, Zagarri
Course Work
This program offers courses designated MAIS in the "Course Descriptions" chapter of this catalog.
Graduate Program
Interdisciplinary Studies, M.A.I.S.
The Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies is for students who seek master's degrees that integrate knowledge from several disciplines. With the help of faculty advisors, students design individualized programs of study that include courses from several academic departments. The program is divided into two tracks: individualized studies and liberal studies. For more information, contact the M.A.I.S. office at (703) 993-8762 or mais@gmu.edu.
Track in Liberal Studies
The liberal studies track is administered through the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. Please consult that section of this chapter for further information.
Track in Individualized Studies
The individualized studies track differs from traditional graduate programs in that it emphasizes the integration of knowledge from various disciplines. The program is intended to promote advanced scholarship that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Within the program, several faculty-sponsored concentrations provide structured, yet flexible, options for prospective students. Concentrations are available in gerontology, video-based production, regional economic development and technology, communication, recreation resources management, and peace operations.
In addition to faculty-sponsored concentrations, students may, with the help of their faculty advisors, design individualized programs of study that include courses from several academic departments. Individualized programs must involve a course of study that is not already offered within any of the other graduate programs at George Mason University and should consist of a coherent package of interrelated courses.
A student in this track must complete a project or thesis that represents the culmination of his or her program of study. Work on the project or thesis is done under the direction of a faculty committee headed by a faculty advisor. Project or thesis proposals must be approved by the committee and the M.A.I.S. Executive Committee before students can register for project or thesis credits (MAIS 798, 799). All university policies governing theses, including the requirement for continuous registration, apply also to the project.
Admission Requirements
Students admitted to the M.A.I.S. program must show a capacity for original thought in cross-disciplinary research. Students will only be admitted if the program can assign a faculty advisor appropriate for the intended course of study. In addition to fulfilling admission requirements for graduate study, applicants must submit transcripts from all colleges attended, three letters of reference, and scores from either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Law School Admission Test (LSAT), if taken within the past five years, may be substituted. (These requirements differ somewhat for students in the concentration in regional economic development and technology. See below for details.)
Students admitted provisionally must achieve a 3.250 GPA in the first 12 credits of graduate course work to advance to degree status. If they fail to do so, they will be terminated.
Degree Requirements
Candidates for the degree must successfully complete 36 credits of graduate course work, including the following:
- Twelve to 18 credits in a single discipline
- At least three credits of research methodology (approved by the student's faculty advisor)
- Three or six credits of MAIS 798 (project) or six credits of MAIS 799 (thesis)
At least 18 credits of classroom course work must be completed at George Mason University with a grade point average of 3.000, not including credit awarded for independent study, directed readings, practicum, project, or thesis. With the approval of the faculty advisor and the chair of the Executive Committee, the 36 credits may include up to 6 credits taken through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, and up to 12 transfer credits. These transfer credits may include credits completed through George Mason's Extended Studies program or another Mason graduate degree program, and up to six credits from other accredited institutions.
Concentration in Gerontology
There is a growing need for professionals who plan and provide services to the elderly. For nonprofessionals, there is a need to increase understanding of our own aging and that of our loved ones. The program's gerontology concentration is designed for students interested in doing research on aging, shaping public policy on the aging society, providing services to the elderly, or increasing their own awareness of human development in the later years. The program provides training in the basic physiological and social-scientific theories of aging, the impact of the physical and cultural environment on the aging process, and policy issues and ethical concerns pertaining to old age.
In addition to pursuing the M.A.I.S. degree, students may pursue a certificate in gerontology. For information on the undergraduate or graduate gerontology certificates, contact the College of Nursing and Health Science at (703) 993-1943.
Concentration in Video-Based Production
The concentration in video-based production emphasizes video production that encompasses various components such as teleconferencing, interactive video, and computer-controlled editing. As low-end, high-quality video equipment becomes more affordable, more organizations (profit and nonprofit) invest in "in-house" production studios and staff. Their video needs include traditional videography, teleconferencing, interactive video techniques, computer-controlled video editing, and multimedia, to name a few.
Four units—the Department of Communication, Department of English, the Graduate School of Education, and the Art and Visual Technologies Division—offer relevant courses for the concentration in video-based production. The Communication Department offers courses in the theory and practice of video production. The Graduate School of Education courses in interactive and distance learning provide a background for pedagogy and a wide spectrum of interactive skills. The English Department offers a course in film theory, and the Art and Visual Technologies Division focuses on computer-mediated visual applications, including the study of multimedia tools and design, digital and electronic art, animation, and virtual reality.
Students entering the program must have a basic knowledge of video production. Students with little or no video experience must take COMM 590 Seminar in Video Production within the first nine credits of the program. Students with video experience who wish to waive this requirement must provide a videotape of their past work.
Concentration in Regional Economic Development and Technology
The concentration in regional economic development and technology is designed as a terminal master's degree program for those who intend to become practicing professionals and those who already are employed in this field and wish to enhance their knowledge, skills, and credentials. This program introduces the student to the basic theory and current practice of economic development. Course work is drawn from public policy, economics, public administration, international commerce and policy, management, and sociology.
GRE or GMAT test scores are required for the regional economic development and technology concentration. Neither an MAT nor an LSAT test score is accepted. In addition, two of the three letters of reference must be from academic sources. Applicants with no background in economics or statistical analysis are required to take background work in courses such as INFT 500, DESC 201, or MATH 108 to raise the skill level necessary for completion of the program.
Concentration in Communication
The concentration in communication is designed on the premise that communication is the glue that holds organizations, relationships, and social structures together. Communication is also an appropriate focus for students hoping to reach their potential in the university of the 21st century. The information age has thrust communication technologies to the forefront, and also has made human/technology interactions an important subject for advanced study. Integrating different areas of study under a concentration in communication has significant benefits to students extending their education and to students returning to their studies after years of experience in the workforce. The concentration is structured to provide students with an exposure to theoretical foundations, research methodology, and practical application while allowing students to focus their individual programs on areas such as political communication, intercultural communication, communication and conflict, gender and communication, organizational communication, mass communication, or other areas related to communication.
Three courses in theory and research are required in the student's first 12 credits of the program. One 3-credit practicum and 18 credits in a specialty area as well as a project (MAIS 798, 3 to 6 credits) or thesis (MAIS 799, 6 credits) are required for the degree.
Concentration in Recreation Resources Management
The concentration in recreation resources management is designed for those employed or seeking careers with agencies responsible for managing the nation's lands. One of the principal managerial tasks of these agencies, at federal, state, and local levels, involves accommodating and serving people engaged in outdoor recreation. Preparing personnel to plan, develop, manage, and evaluate programs, policies, and facilities for recreation users is the objective of the core program requirements. Cognates in allied disciplines are designed to complement and enrich career and/or intellectual interests.
The core courses are available in distance learning formats. Access to the Internet is required. Enrollment is continuous. Students have six months to complete each course. Students should consult with their faculty advisors to design a program of study beyond the core requirements. Students are required to present an oral defense of all theses or projects on campus.
Concentration in Peace Operations
The concentration in peace operations has been established to provide practitioners and potential practitioners of various aspects of peace operations a focused degree in all dimensions of a peace operation. Based on the conceptual model of peace building and peace support, the degree is designed to educate practitioners with experience in the field about what practitioners of other professions contribute to a field intervention for peace. The entire program requires 30 credits at the master's level and a 6-credit thesis or project. Requirements for the 30 credits can be found at the website www.gmu.edu/departments/t-po.
George Mason University:2000-2001 University Catalog: Catalog Index: College of Arts and Sciences: Interdisciplinary Studies