Individualized Studies Concentration

Design your own master's with a mission

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Individualized Studies is your opportunity to design an interdisciplinary graduate program to develop expertise spanning multiple areas to meet your distinctive  educational and professional goals. By crafting your own degree path you can leverage the courses and faculty strength of the entire university. This program is not for everyone. The curriculum students pursue should reflect a detailed plan of study that makes intellectual sense and that cannot be completed within available degree programs at the university. 

If you would like to consult about the viability of a proposed program, please contact the Individualized Studies concentration head.

Disciplinary Focus and Complementary Disciplines 

To help students develop a plan of study, beginning in Fall 2022, we have curated lists of classes in a variety of disciplines that can be combined to meet the degree requirements. Applicants should simply identify two fields and use the fields’ associated course lists to create an individualized MA degree. Within these fields, the MAIS program can help you find a graduate faculty member to support your degree. Please contact mais@gmu.edu with questions. Fields available include the following:

Who’s in the Program

Successful students in Individualized Studies are those willing to put in the work to meet with professors and craft relationships outside of the established degree pathways.  

Career Paths 

Students have pursued careers as varied as the paths taken to arrive at graduation. For example, students interested in integrating sustainability into their career as a facilities manager might combine courses from the sustainability and hospitality management programs. Educators may be interested in combining courses from the school of psychology and secondary education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing to improve their knowledge of special learning populations and the social issues these students face in today's educational environments. Government employees interested in a career interacting with the media could combine courses in government and rhetorical performance. There are a wide range of concentrations that can be created based on each student's professional career aspirations. 

Why Mason 

Mason offers a multitude of well-respected programs at the master’s level. As a MAIS student you have access to craft your degree from across the university. Mason’s proximity to the Washington, D.C., area means you have access to gaining real world experience, no matter the field you choose to pursue, as well as access to Mason’s large alumni network in the area. Mason's academic programs offer you the chance to fulfill your dreams and take the road less traveled – the path you are choosing!