George Mason University

George Mason University is a public research university in Fairfax, Virginia, with additional campuses in Arlington and Prince William County. It opened in 1957 as a University of Virginia branch college and became independent in 1972, taking the name of founding father George Mason. Growth from a regional college into Virginia's largest public university by enrollment is the central institutional fact, along with a strong presence in metropolitan Washington, D.C.

The university comprises colleges of humanities and social sciences, science, engineering and computing, education, public health, visual and performing arts, and business, plus the Schar School of Policy and Government, the Antonin Scalia Law School and the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Graduate students also use the Mercatus Center and other policy research units. Distinctive fields include economics, public policy, information technology, law and conflict analysis.

Enrollment is about 39,000 students, with more than 10,000 at graduate and professional level. The student body is among the more diverse in Virginia, and international students are a visible share of graduate enrollment, drawn from many countries. Economists James Buchanan and Vernon Smith received Nobel Prizes in Economic Sciences while on the faculty. Alumni work in federal agencies, defense contracting, technology firms and Virginia state government.

Graduate study includes research master's and PhDs, professional master's in policy, IT and business, the JD and doctoral professional degrees. Many programs combine seminars with applied projects suited to students who also work in Washington. The calendar is semester-based, with substantial evening and Arlington-campus teaching. Assistantships and fellowships support many doctoral students. Fairfax and Arlington put graduate students on the Metro and highway network of the capital region.

In the Grad School Navigator directory, George Mason University lists 11 graduate programs across 11 subjects: 6 master's programs and 5 doctoral programs, with the widest choice in area studies, art and communication, media & journalism.