HELP 2011-2012 University Catalog ■ Public and International Affairs Print-Friendly Page

Phone: 703-993-1400
Web: pia.gmu.edu

Faculty

Robinson Professors: Heclo, Paden, Perlstein

Emeritus faculty: Brown, Clark, Early, Gortner, Hart-Nibbrig, Knight, White

Professors: Abramson, Conant, Conlan, Druckman, Dudley, Katz, Mahler, Posner, Regan (chair), Sockett, Wan, Wilsford

Associate professors: Balint, Benjamin, Burt, Dueck, Hackler, Harbour, Lukacs, Mandaville, McDonald, McFerson, Miller, Nguyen, Sacco, Snyder-Hall, Thrall, Toepler, Travis

Assistant professors: Bowie, Haddad, Koblentz, Lopez-Santana, McGlinchey, Ouagrham-Gormley, Robbins

Term faculty: Burroughs, Edner, Ericson, Palubinskas, Walker

Adjuncts: Becelia, Butler, Combs, Day, Dinella, Elving, Fant, Frederickson, Froehlich, Ghosh, Hall, Long, Maslyn, Raffety, Shafroth, Shiraev, Stabile, Stahl, Swanson, Tadie, Taylor, Thiel, Tibbets, Vance, Wermuth, White

Affiliate faculty: Annpurna, Bernardi, Bushee, Casamayou, Connolly, Farnsworth, Gandhi, Goerl, Healy, Hoagland, Loonsk, Marshall, Mendis, O’Neil, Peake, Shogan, Teachenko

Course Work

The Public and International Affairs Department offers all course work designated BIOD, GOVT, and PUAD in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers two degrees for students interested in political science, government, and international relations: a BA in government and international politics and a BS in public administration. Majors in government and international politics take core courses in American political institutions, the political systems of other countries, and international relations.  Students can focus their electives to earn a concentration in American politics, international politics, political theory and law, or public policy. Majors in public administration take courses in government and nonprofit management, computer applications, and business administration.

Students have an opportunity to do internships as part of their degree programs, gaining valuable work experience while earning college credit.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students majoring in government and international politics and public administration may pursue advanced work leading to graduation with honors in the major. Those students selected for participation in this program take a two-course sequence GOVT 491 and 496. To graduate with honors in the major, students must complete these courses with a minimum GPA of 3.50.

Minors

The department offers minors in American government, international/comparative studies, legal studies, and public policy and management. In addition, faculty from the department coordinate or participate in the Asia-Pacific Studies Minor , Global Systems Minor , Middle East Studies Minor , Islamic Studies Minor , and Urban and Suburban Studies Minor . It participates with the Philosophy Department in the Political Philosophy Minor . See the Minors and Interdisciplinary Minors  section of this chapter.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Programs

The department offers highly qualified undergraduates the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in political science or public administration. If accepted, students will be able to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree after satisfactory completion of 150 credits, sometimes within five years.

Graduate Programs

The department offers masters and doctoral programs in biodefense and political science. The department also offers a master of public administration (MPA), in which students can focus their electives to earn a concentration in administration of justice, emergency management and homeland security, environmental science and public policy, human resources management, international management, nonprofit management, policy studies, public management, public and nonprofit finance, state and local government, or third-party governance.

Funding

The department offers teaching and research assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Certificate Programs

The department offers six graduate certificates. Students may pursue a certificate as a stand alone program or as part of another graduate degree. They must apply for admission to the certificate program and meet the admission standards set for degree-seeking graduate students in the department.

Master’s International (MI)

Graduate students can take advantage of Master’s International (MI), a joint program between Mason and the Peace Corps, which enables participants to combine Peace Corps volunteer service with the master’s degrees in political science or public administration. See the degree programs below for more details.

Programs

• Government and International Politics, BA
• Public Administration, BS

• Global Systems Minor
• Middle East Studies Minor
• Urban and Suburban Studies Minor

• American Government Minor
• International/Comparative Studies Minor
• Legal Studies Minor
• Public Policy and Management Minor

• Government and International Politics, BA/Political Science, Accelerated MA
• Government and International Politics, BA/Public Administration, Accelerated MPA
• Public Administration, BS/Political Science, Accelerated MA
• Public Administration, BS/Public Administration, Accelerated MPA

• Biodefense, MS
• Political Science, MA
• Public Administration, MPA

• Administration of Justice Graduate Certificate
• Association Management Graduate Certificate
• Critical Analysis and Strategic Responses to Terrorism Graduate Certificate
• Emergency Management and Homeland Security Graduate Certificate
• Nonprofit Management Graduate Certificate
• Public Management Graduate Certificate

• Biodefense, PhD
• Political Science, PhD

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