Program Description

Application Requirements

Program-Specific Instructions

Applications for this program must be submitted through SOPHAS.

Special Note: Applications are accepted for the fall semester only. The deadline for SOPHAS applications is February 1. All additional documents, including the supplemental application, are due by March 1. Late or incomplete applications are not guaranteed a review.

This is a research-focused degree that prepares graduates to conduct entry-level research or pursue doctoral-level study. In the Statement of Purpose and Objectives, applicants must identify a GCH faculty member with whom they would like to work.

Program Description: The MS in Global Health at George Mason University prepares students to conduct multidisciplinary research on health issues of global importance. Students complete coursework across public health and global health. The required thesis provides students an opportunity to work closely with a faculty member to systematically investigate a problem or issue with global health implications.

Admission Requirements

• A bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution
• Minimum 3.0 GPA is recommended
• Alignment of research interests with a Department of Global and Community Health faculty member

Application Requirements:

• Official U.S./Canadian transcripts from ALL schools attended (if applicable)
• Resume/CV
• Statement of Purpose and Objectives
  • Which 1-2 Global and Community Health faculty members who do research of consequence on global health would you like to work with? What research do they do that interests you, and why? (Faculty accepting MS students.)
  • How will earning an MS in Global Health help you achieve your academic and/or professional goals? 
  • What have you learned from successes and/or challenges in your past educational, professional, and/or personal experiences? Please use specific examples, as applicable. 
• Two letters of recommendation
• Supplemental application
  • As part of the admissions process, George Mason University requires a supplemental application for graduate programs in the Department of Global and Community Health. Applicants will receive a link via email to the supplemental application after their completed SOPHAS application is verified. There is no additional fee.

In addition to the general application, international students must submit:

• World Education Services (WES) Course-by-Course (CxC) Evaluation of academic records from all institutions attended outside of the U.S. and English-speaking Canada.
• English proficiency test scores for applicants who attended post-secondary institutions outside of the U.S. and waiver-eligible countries.
  • TOEFL: send scores to SOPHAS
    • Tests taken before January 21, 2026: minimum score 88 overall with 20 in each subsection
    • Tests taken after January 21, 2026: minimum score 5.0 overall with 4.5 in each subsection
  • IELTS: send scores to SOPHAS
    • minimum score 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each subsection
  • Duolingo: send scores to George Mason University Graduate Admissions
    • minimum score 120 overall
  • Pearson: send scores to George Mason University Graduate Admissions
    • minimum score 67 overall

Goal Statement:

The MS in Global Health is a research-focused degree. Students admitted to this program will write an original thesis with support from a GCH faculty member.

Please clearly and directly address the following: 

• Which 1-2 Global and Community Health faculty members who do research of consequence on global health would you like to work with? What about their research interests you?
• How will earning an MS in Global Health help you achieve your academic and/or professional goals?
• What have you learned from successes and/or challenges in your past educational, professional, and/or personal experiences? Please use specific examples, as applicable.

Statements should be no more than 2 pages. Statements should be original.

English Proficiency Requirements

All Mason students must have a full command of academic English to be successful in their studies. For this reason, Mason requires applicants to demonstrate English proficiency for admission consideration, regardless of citizenship. Click here to view the requirements.

International Transcript Requirements

All transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be translated into English, if applicable, and submitted for evaluation to the Mason Office of Admissions. Mason will provide evaluation service free of charge for all international transcripts, however, some programs may request an outside evaluation be completed. Because of volume, more time may be needed to process applications requiring a Mason evaluation. You should submit your application 6 weeks prior to the deadline if you plan to utilize Mason’s free evaluation service. For expedited service, students may submit their documents to any NACES member organization at their own expense. If you decide to use an external evaluation service or if your program requires an outside evaluation, GPA and Degree equivalences must be included with your course-by-course evaluation. Mason evaluations are used for internal purposes and are not released to applicants. For information on international transcript requirements, go here.