International Year One in Science (2-Semester Pathway) Leading to Bachelor of Arts in Geology

at INTO Group - George Mason University USA

Cyber Security Engineering is concerned with the development of cyber-resilient systems which include the protection of physical as well as computer and network systems. It requires a proactive approach in engineering design of physical systems with cyber security incorporated from the beginning of system development. Cyber security engineering is an important quantitative methodology to be used in all industries including transportation, energy, healthcare, infrastructure, finance, government (federal, state, and local), and defense. The program is focused on the cyber security engineering of integrated cyber-physical systems. This degree provides a foundation in cyber security engineering and is most appropriate for students with a strong mathematics and science background.

The Master of Science in Operations Research prepares students for research and professional practice associated with the formulation, analysis, and computer implementation of mathematical models for decision making. Major components include optimization, stochastic modeling, computer simulation, predictive data analytics, and application of these components to realistic and relevant operational analysis problems. Students focus their studies in a concentration area such as data analytics, decision analysis, financial engineering, military operations research, optimization, or stochastic modeling; students can also choose a self-defined concentration with approval of a faculty advisor.

The degree, an interdisciplinary program offered by the Volgenau School of Engineering, the School of Business, and the Schar School of Policy and Government, prepares professionals for the challenges of modern computerized information systems that have become increasingly complex and vulnerable to cyber-attacks, resulting in a significant number of government regulations. Consequently, those responsible for the safe, secure, and efficient operation of such systems need to grasp their technical aspects and be familiar with both the principles of management and the public policy impact of regulatory and organizational decisions.

The MA in psychology is distinguished by its emphasis on basic research and the application of research to solve practical problems in families, industry, government, and health care settings. Because of the program’s proximity to Washington D.C., students have access to many employment and continuing education opportunities in research, academia, and consulting within government, public, and private settings.

The psychology MA offers the following concentrations:

• Applied developmental psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Cognitive and behavioral neuroscience
• Human factors/applied cognition
• Industrial/organizational psychology

The School of Business is ranked in the top 10 percent of the nation’s undergraduate business schools and offers a Bachelor of Science in Business with innovative concentrations. The School of Business also offers several options for a minor for business and non-business majors, as well as an undergraduate certificate program in accounting. The School of Business programs are designed to prepare graduates for work in a rapidly changing and competitive marketplace with local, regional, and global companies. With Mason’s location in Northern Virginia and proximity to Washington, D.C., combined with the assistance of the School of Business’s own Career Services staff and Student Success and Academic Services staff, students are also afforded exceptional opportunities to gain practical experience and global engagement opportunities to complement their academic coursework. Students admitted spring 2020 and later will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business degree.

Consumers increasingly seek professional advice on managing their finances from professionals with wide-ranging knowledge from taxes and estate planning to insurance and retirement planning to portfolio management. In a recent article title, Forbes described Financial Planning as “One of the Fastest Growing Careers” and noted that the field “is in Desperate Need of Young Talent.” The article went on to explain that the field is expected to grow at a 32% rate over the next decade according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics while the average growth rate for all occupations is 14%.” (Touryalai, 2012). The field of financial planning includes several certifications including the Certified Financial Planner certification (CFP) through the CFP Board and Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) certification through the AICPA. The national CFP Board and regional FPA leadership have reached out to Mason to work with us to develop a CFP-registered program in Financial Planning due to the significant need in our region for graduates with this specialization.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater

The master of health administration (MHA), health systems management program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). The United States Department of Education and Council on Higher Education Accreditation have granted formal recognition to CAHME as the only organization to accredit master's level health care management programs in the United States and Canada. This master's program prepares future executives to assume leadership positions in health care organizations. We prepare health care professionals with strategic, business, analytic, and decision-making skills needed to successfully navigate the evolving health care industry.

This program prepares students to work as leaders and executive-level managers in evolving health systems, or as consultants and managers of health-related organizations. The curriculum was developed in response to the demand for advanced health management preparation for a variety of health care and allied health professionals to be employed in both the public and private sectors of health care.

Students who successfully complete an INTO Mason Graduate Pathway program in Systems Engineering are assured progression to a Mason graduate degree program upon submission of additional required application materials.

Upon successful completion of an INTO Mason Pathway program and meeting university requirements for graduate admission, you may enter your second semester of graduate study at George Mason University. This transition from an INTO Mason Pathway program to a university degree program is called 'progression'.

Systems Engineering-M.S.
Systems engineers are the visionaries who take a global perspective of the system.  Whereas discipline-specific engineers deal with system components, the systems engineer is concerned with the integration of these components and the overall success of the system throughout its life cycle. Systems engineers focus on needs and requirements, design, production, deployment, operation, maintenance, refinement, and retirement of systems, considering multiple objectives and constraints from different stakeholder groups. Systems engineering comprises product, process, and resource management and focuses on architecture, human factors, decision support, performance and evaluation, and management. Our educational and research program reflects the systems engineer's unique perspective on the system life cycle.

The aim of this degree is to provide students with technical skills and knowledge for rigorously investigating physical and social phenomena. The BS is a transformative approach that integrates science at George Mason University based on the combination of real-world computer science skills, data acquisition and analysis, scientific modeling, applied mathematics, and simulation. As an interdisciplinary STEM-designated program, this degree addresses the current central role of computation in the areas of "big data," modeling, and simulation. Graduates of the program will possess the computational, scientific, and mathematical skills necessary for participating effectively as members of the scientific simulation and data analysis groups that are of increasing importance in the federal and public sectors, and in high technology firms. Additionally, graduates of the program will be well prepared to pursue graduate studies.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is designed for people who hold or aspire to hold leadership positions in organizations that participate in the development and implementation of public policy. The mission of the MPA program is to give graduate students the opportunity to build their knowledge of politics, public policy and management and to enhance their analytic, problem solving, and communication skills.

MPA students at Mason have the research and cultural resources of the Washington, D.C. area at their disposal. Government agencies representing all levels in the U.S. federal system are located close to the campus, as are the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution. Another benefit is the wide range of internship opportunities available in governmental and nonprofit organizations. The MPA Program regularly has internship invitations from national, state, and local government organizations, as well as from nonprofit organizations whose principal work is at the local, state, national, or international levels. Many of these internships are paid positions.