Program Description

Application Requirements

Program-Specific Instructions

Additional Information

What should an applicant include in the goals statement?

The goals statement should address the following:

• Purpose for graduate study and why the applicant has selected Global Affairs (and planned area of specialization) and George Mason University
• The applicant's career goals and plans for the future
• The applicant's preparation for the field of Global Affairs, in relation to academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experience, etc.
• Any other details that are not revealed elsewhere in the application that give the admissions committee an idea of who the applicant is as a person and master's candidate

Note: Applicants are welcome to include an explanation for any problems or inconsistencies in other application materials (low GPA, etc.) in their Goals Statement.

What is the page length for the goals statement?

Goals statement should be two pages in length.

Writing Sample

A writing sample is optional and will be reviewed if included with the application.

The program requires evidence of professional competency in a second language (other than English) that is widely used in contemporary international communication. For additional information about this requirement see the Foreign Language Proficiency section under Prospective Students.

Academically strong Mason undergraduates with a commitment to research or graduate or professional studies can apply for an accelerated Master’s program and earn a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in as little as five years.

Accelerated Master’s Application Requirements

Accelerated Master’s Program-Specific Instructions

Preparing to Apply

Prior to submitting your application, schedule an advising appointment with your undergraduate advisor and the Global Affairs Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s (BAM) Coordinator.

Applicants to the accelerated MA in global affairs must also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 and a minimum of 60 earned credits

Applicants must be enrolled in or have completed a foreign language course 202 or higher with a minimum grade of C- prior to graduation (or other evidence of competency in foreign language)

Applicants must submit:

• Transcript
• Two recommendation letters from individuals familiar with the applicant's qualifications for graduate study
• Resume
• Goals statement- you should explain:
  • interest in the program
  • how the applicant will connect graduate work with career aspirations
• Writing sample- should be a five-seven page paper or excerpt from an upper level course

Be sure to:

• Go over schedule for completion of the undergraduate degree
• Plan appropriate graduate course work
• Be familiar with the policies for accelerated master's programs 

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.