Accelerate Mason - DRAFT

Accelerate Mason is a pre-master’s degree collaboration between the University of Mary Washington and George Mason University. 

The collaboration offers UMW students a streamlined pathway with guaranteed admission to aligned George Mason master’s degree programs, allowing them to benefit from the strengths of both schools.

Accelerate Mason empowers students to...

Save time and money | Develop advanced skills | Get a head start in a competitive job market

How the Program Works

 

  • UMW students co-enroll in up to 9 graduate credits at George Mason while completing their bachelor’s degree at UMW. These graduate credits fulfill both UMW and George Mason degree requirements.
  • Instead of 6 years for a traditional bachelor's and master’s trajectory, many of these accelerated programs allow completion in as few as 5 years.
  • This efficiency leads to fewer semesters of tuition for similar programs, quicker entry into the workforce with advanced qualifications, and lower overall educational costs.

Steps for Applying

1. 

Meet the Admission Requirements

Interested UMW students must be approved for participation by UMW and meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Completed 75 credits in an aligned UMW bachelor’s degree 
  • Completed the UMW equivalent of any pre-requisite courses for the master’s degree program
  • Have a cumulative 3.00 GPA on all undergraduate course work

2. 

Select Your Pathway

Learn more about the master's programs available at George Mason through this partnership:

College of Engineering and Computing

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

College of Science

3.

Reach out to your pathway's UMW and George Mason contacts to start your application

Program coordinators will provide:

  • Admission application timeline and fee waiver instructions
  • Academic advising, including pre-requisite fulfillment, course selection, and registration information
  • Tuition discount information for qualifying programs

Accelerate Mason Pathways 

Points of Contact

UMW
George Mason
Christopher Garcia
Professor of Quantitative Methods and Associate Dean
540-654-1456
cgarcia@umw.edu
Suddaf Ismail
Director of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment
703-993-9115
sismail@gmu.edu

Points of Contact

UMW
George Mason
Communication

Dr. Zach Whalen
Professor and Chair
zwhalen@umw.edu
540-654-1032
 
 
English

Dr. Jonathan Levin
Professor and Chair
jlevin@umw.edu
540-654-1035
Stephanie Hinnenkamp 
Associate Director of Graduate Enrollment
shinnenk@gmu.edu
703-993-2409 
History

Dr. Claudine Ferrell
Professor and Chair
cferrell@umw.edu
540-654-1066
Stephanie Hinnenkamp 
Associate Director of Graduate Enrollment
shinnenk@gmu.edu
703-993-2409 

 

Points of Contact

UMW
George Mason
Geography

Dr. Melina Patterson
Associate Professor and Chair
jbazaz@gmu.edu
540-654-1037


Jennifer Bazaz Gettys 
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Strategic Enrollment
shinnenk@gmu.edu
703-993-5302
 

Additional Resources

Application deadlines: 

  • June 1 for fall admission
  • November 1 for spring admission

Accelerate Mason students receiving federal financial aid at the University of Mary Washington may include the cost of George Mason enrollment in the UMW financial aid package.