George Mason University

Location and Contact Information

The campus is in a large suburb.

Overview

George Mason University is a co-educational, public university located in Fairfax County, Virginia. The university was founded as a branch of the University of Virginia in 1957, and was named after George Mason, an American revolutionary, patriot and founding father. It became an independent university in 1972. The university covers a total suburban land area of 806 acres across all of its campuses. The university is well-recognized for its courses in law, nursing, economics and public policy programs.

George Mason University features a highly diversified student population, and is one of the most diverse universities in the United States.

Highlights (vs. Other Schools)

• Many students concentrating in computer science and engineering, liberal arts, and art studies.
• Large number of students.
• Large number of programs of study offered.
• High faculty salary.
• Many mature (40+ year old) students.
• Good faculty-to-student ratio.

School characteristics:

• The school is public.
• Academic calender: Semester.
• Carnegie classification: Doctoral/Research Universities, Intensive.

Features of note:

• The school offers a faculty tenure system.
• There are one or more libraries on-campus.
• Campus housing is available.
• Students may study abroad.
• Distance learning is available.
• Part-time classes are available.
• ROTC.
• Athlete financial aid is awarded.

Similar Schools

Based on proprietary BrainTrack computer comparisons against all other US colleges, these schools appear to be most similar to George Mason:

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Degrees Awarded (in 2009-2010)

Faculty

Tenure (2009-2010):

Students

Student enrollment was 30,613 in 2009-2010 (22,738 full-time equivalent).

About 48% of the freshmen class in 2009-2010 was male and women were 52% of the class.

Undergrads are 59% of enrolled students, graduate students are 39%, and those seeking first-professional graduate degrees represent 2%.

Students under 25 years old represent 54% of the student body. About 11% of the school is at least 40 years of age.

Among freshmen students, 99% are full-time and 1% are part-time.

Admissions Summary (2009-2010)

SAT Test Scores:

Room and Board

George Mason provides on-campus housing for 5,057 of its 22,738 (full-time) students (as of 2009-2010).

Athletics

The school is in the Colonial Athletic Association for major sports.

The school offers financial aid for athletes. Of students receiving athletic financial aid, 77 male students received the aid (men were 45% of those receiving aid) and 94 women were awarded financial aid based on athletics (representing 55% of students receiving such aid) .

Graduate School Focus

George Mason offers graduate (post-Bachelor) studies. The highest degree offered is the Doctorate (Research/Scholarship & Professional Practice).

Graduate offerings include continuing professional education.The school's Graduate School Carnegie Classification is Comprehensive Doctoral (No Medical/Veterinary).

Programs of Study

(Number of degrees in 2009-2010 in parentheses)

ART STUDIES (177 awarded)

• Art/Art Studies
• Arts Management
• Visual and Performing Arts

BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (1,047 awarded)

• Accounting
• Business Administration and Management
• Business Administration, Management and Operations
• Business, Management, Marketing & Related Support Services
• Finance
• Management Information Systems
• Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
• Marketing/Marketing Management

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (253 awarded)

• Computer Engineering
• Computer Software Engineering
• Computer and Information Sciences
• Computer and Information Systems Security
• Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration
• Information Science/Studies

DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS (40 awarded)

• Dance
• Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts

EDUCATION AND TEACHING (1,080 awarded)

• Administration of Special Education
• Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Education
• Education/Teaching of Individuals with Autism
• Educational Leadership and Administration
• Health Teacher Education
• Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
• Special Education and Teaching
• Teacher Education/Profess Development, Levels & Methods
• Teaching English as Second/Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor

ENGINEERING (500 awarded)

• Civil Engineering
• Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
• Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Systems Engineering

FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK (347 awarded)

• Human Nutrition
• Public Administration
• Public Administration and Social Service Professions
• Public Policy Analysis
• Social Work

FINE ARTS (2 awarded)

• Art History, Criticism and Conservation

HOSPITALITY (11 awarded)

• Tourism and Travel Services Management

LAW (234 awarded)

• Law (LLB, JD)
• Legal Professions and Studies
• Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies

LIBERAL ARTS (1,952 awarded)

• Anthropology
• Area Studies
• Creative Writing
• Economics
• English Language and Literature
• English Literature (British and Commonwealth)
• Foreign Languages and Literatures
• Geography
• History
• Humanities/Humanistic Studies
• International Relations and Affairs
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
• Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
• Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
• Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
• Political Science and Government
• Sociology
• Speech and Rhetorical Studies
• Technical and Business Writing
• Women's Studies

MATHEMATICS (67 awarded)

• Applied Mathematics
• Mathematics and Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Statistics

MEDIA (138 awarded)

• Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
• Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION (29 awarded)

• Community Health and Preventive Medicine
• Health/Health Care Administration/Management
• Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration/Management
• International Public Health/International Health

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY (13 awarded)

• Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist

MEDICINE (96 awarded)

• Gerontology
• Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences
• Neuroscience

MUSIC (63 awarded)

• Music Performance
• Music

NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE (321 awarded)

• Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)

NUTRITION AND EXERCISE THERAPY (11 awarded)

• Athletic Training/Trainer

PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART (14 awarded)

• Cinematography and Film/Video Production

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY (25 awarded)

• Philosophy
• Religion/Religious Studies

SCIENCE (356 awarded)

• Astronomy
• Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
• Biological and Biomedical Sciences
• Biological and Physical Sciences
• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Biostatistics
• Chemistry
• Epidemiology
• Geology/Earth Science
• Physical Sciences
• Physics

SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (143 awarded)

• Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
• Criminal Justice/Police Science

THERAPY AND COUNSELING (385 awarded)

• Cognitive Science
• Educational Psychology
• Psychology