Dr. Shayna Maskell, Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program and Concentrations in Individualized Studies and Social Justice and Human Rights

Dr. Shayna Maskell is Interdisciplinary Studies director and the concentration head for "Social Justice and Human Rights" and for "Individualized Studies." She has her PhD in American Studies from the University of Maryland. Her areas of research include popular and youth culture, music, social movements, and subcultures. Shayna has taught for over a decade at such institutions as the University of Southern California, California Institute of the Arts, University of Maryland, and Corcoran College of Art and Design, before coming to George Mason.

Dr. Maskell shares her thoughts below on the two interdisciplinary paths :

Social Justice and Human Rights (SJHR)

Reproductive justice. Labor rights. Climate change. Disability rights. Colonialism. Immigration. Our country, and the world, continues to grapple with the crucial questions of how we define justice, and how we work to achieve such an ideal. The MAIS degree in Social Justice and Human Rights offers you a way to wrestle with the theoretical paradigms that undergird this fight for human rights and social justice and the practical application of that knowledge to make a difference in this world. Whether you are a recent graduate or a mid-career professional, MAIS SJHR has the flexibility to make the curriculum your own while preparing you to take on the challenges – social, cultural, political, and economic – that continue to grow and evolve. 

Individualized Studies (INDV)

Interdisciplinarity demands the interweaving of areas typically kept separate: education and human rights, psychology and music, theater and advocacy. The MAIS INDV program welcomes these seeming contradictions and invites you to Choose Your Own Adventure in this graduate program. From naming your degree, to choosing every class from any department, to customizing your graduate thesis or project, the Individualized Studies program is perfect for the student who does not quite fit in a traditional department. Free yourself from required classes and conventional curriculum and make this graduate degree work for you – your academic and your professional goals.