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Return to: INTO Mason
Phone: 703-993-4501
Fax: 703-993-4502
Email: INTO@gmu.edu
Website: www.intohigher.com/mason
The Graduate Pathways program is a pre-master’s program that provides international students a direct path to various graduate degrees at the university. The program gives students the academic foundation, essential language skills, and GMAT/GRE test preparation to successfully move on to the master’s degree. For most students, entering the Pathway will add up to one additional semester to their degree program.
Two levels of Graduate Pathways are available:
- Standard Pathway (2 terms): This program leads students through their first year. Upon completion of all progression requirements, students will move on to their degree-seeking program.
- Accelerated Pathway (1 term): This program is composed of one term of Pathway programming, some of which counts toward the student’s master’s degree as determined by the graduate program.
The Graduate Pathways Program is designed for international students who:
- Need further English language development. Students who require a moderate amount of English language support can enter all available pathways to strengthen their language proficiency and ensure their long-term academic success
- Require a fourth year of undergraduate study. Students who hold three-year baccalaureate degrees that are not formally evaluated as equivalent to a four-year US bachelor’s degree may enter select pathways. For these students, the Graduate Pathways Program acts as a “bridge” enhancing their international educational background with academic coursework to meet the eligibility for admission
- Fall short of meeting the minimum GPA or test score requirements
- Need to improve study skills for success in their chosen field of study
- Any or all of the above
Administered through the Mason Global Center, the courses in the Graduate Pathways program are taught by highly qualified Mason instructional faculty members and supported by Pathway advisors.
Students enrolled in the Graduate Pathways program should review the program’s student guidebook for specific details related to program requirements and expectations.
Admission
Admission to the Graduate Pathways Program is offered to international and multilingual students by two methods:
- Students may apply directly through the INTO Mason admissions process OR
- By referral from the appropriate graduate admissions office due to not having met the grade point average, language proficiency, or other requirements for direct admission.
The minimum documentation required for admission include: application, mark sheets/transcripts (in English and the original language), degree certificates (in English and the original language) and other required items as stated in the program catalog supplement.
The Graduate Pathway entry requirements are as follows:
- An undergraduate degree equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree in a relevant field as specified by the Pathway;
- 2.75 minimum high school GPA equivalent based on the applicant’s country/institutional scale; and
- Documentation demonstrating the minimum English proficiency levels as specified by the pathway. The general minimum scores are:
- Standard Pathway:
- TOEFL iBT 70 - 75 (13 - 17 minimum subscores in reading and listening)
- IELTS 6.0 - 6.5 (5.5 - 6.0 minimum subscores in reading and listening)
- PTE Academic 47 - 52
- Successful completion of or waiver from Academic English Level 5
- Accelerated Pathway:
- TOEFL iBT 80 – 85 (17 minimum subscores in reading and writing)
- IELTS 6.5 (6.0 – 6.5 minimum subscores in reading and writing)
- PTE Academic 53 – 58
- Successful completion of or waiver from Academic English Level 6
Students should review the specific requirements by pathway at www.intohigher.com/mason for details.
Available Pathways & Majors
There are over 45 Pathways available to graduate students, and some Pathways offer concentrations. Each Pathway allows students to progress to preapproved graduate degree programs. A full listing of specific academic programs associated with specific Pathways, visit: www.intohigher.com/mason.
- College of Education and Human Development (5 degree options)
- College of Health and Human Services (5 degree options)
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences (3 degree options)
- College of Science (9 degree options)
- College of Visual and Performing Arts (3 degree options)
- School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (1 degree option)
- School of Management (4 degree options)
- School of Public Policy (2 degree options)
- Volgenau School of Engineering (16 degree options)
Curriculum
Prescribed courses for Graduate Pathways Program includes approximately 21 - 24 credits, most of which are English for Academic Purposes courses. The intent of these courses is to prepare students for the demands of the Mason graduate curriculum. Further, the prescribed courses may include up to 10 credits of coursework toward the student’s graduate degree during the pathway year.
All pathways include the following core course(s):
- Introduction to Graduate Study (3 - 4 credits)
- Interpersonal Communication for International Students: Practicum and Theory OR Special Topics in Advanced English for Academic Purposes (2 credits)
- Graduate Communication in the Disciplines I (4 – 8 credits)
- Linguistics Capstone (standard only) (0 credits)
In addition to the core coursework, students will also take:
- Appropriate coursework toward graduate program of study (6 - 10 credits)
Students whose degree program requires the GRE prior to completing the program will also be required to take:
- Preparation for the Graduate Record Examination (specified by pathway) (0 credits)
Progression into Degree Status
Each Pathway has specific progression requirements for completion. Students should refer to www.intohigher.com/mason for specific Pathway program requirements.
Dismissal/Termination Appeals Process for INTO Mason students only
Students who do not meet all requirements for progression to their desired degree program at the end of the second term will be reviewed for termination from the Pathway program. Terminated students may initiate one of the following an academic action requests in writing: (1) request an exception to the program policy, (2) request to change to an alternate Pathway, and/or (3) request an extension to continue studying as a Graduate Pathways Extender student for one additional term. All terminated student academic action requests must be submitted in writing to the academic advising staff located in the Mason Global Center within 14 days of notification. Requests should provide an explanation and supplementary support documentation. Students who earn two unsatisfactory grades of C or lower will be ineligible to continue as an Extender. Students who fail to meet the program requirements after an extension will be reviewed for dismissal from the university.
Decisions on these requests are reviewed and approved at the discretion of the Academic Programs Director. In some cases, additional reviews by the Associate Provost for Graduate Education or from a College Dean may also be required.
Reenrollment and Readmission
Due to the nature of the Pathway program as both English language development and academic coursework, Pathway students are subject to a limited reenrollment policy. Students who do not enroll after the first term or withdraw for reasons other than poor academic performance may request to reenroll in the Pathway program the following term (e.g., spring) to continue making progress toward meeting program requirements with advance permission from the Academic Programs Director. Students who do not enroll for two consecutive terms (e.g., spring and fall) must apply for readmission to the program and be reassessed for language proficiency. Summer terms are counted for students whose initial pathway enrollment begins in Spring semester. |
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