2016-2017 University Catalog
Individualized Study
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Phone: 703-993-4556
Web: bis.gmu.edu
Administration
Kenneth C. Thompson (Director)
Courses
The program offers all courses designated BIS in the Courses section of this catalog.
Undergraduate Program
The bachelor of individualized study (BIS) provides an alternative to the traditional baccalaureate degree. It offers students a distinctive educational opportunity that allows them to integrate previous experiences into university course work. Recognizing that college-level learning may be acquired through varied professional, military, and personal experience, the Individualized Study Program provides mechanisms for translating experiential learning into academic credit. It accepts transfer credits from traditional institutions of higher education, as well as credits earned through other appropriate means.
In this degree program, most students design their own individualized interdisciplinary program of study. Other students who are interested in early childhood education and who meet specific eligibility requirements can pursue a more prescribed curriculum that leads to a concentration in early childhood education studies.
Eligibility
Adult transfer applicants, age 25 or older by March 1 or October 1 application deadline may be considered for the BIS only with the following minimum criteria: 1) 12 credits of transferable college coursework as determined by the Office of Admissions; and 2) Cumulative collegiate grade point average of 2.00+. Admission is directly to BIS with no change to another major without reapplying. The concentration in early childhood education studies is an exception to the age requirement.
Application and Admission
Students who are interested in the bachelor of individualized study degree must attend an information session. In addition to applying to Mason through the Office of Admissions, they need to apply separately to the BIS Program. The schedule of BIS information sessions and the BIS application are available on the BIS Program website.
Honors in the Major
Highly qualified students may apply to graduate with honors in the major. Students should apply the semester before they intend to enroll in BIS 390 - The Research Process . If accepted, students must complete BIS 391 - The Research Process for Honors in place of BIS 390 , in addition to an individualized section of BIS 490 . To graduate with honors in the major, students must complete these two courses with a minimum GPA of 3.50, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.75, and successfully present their research during the Senior Capstone Project presentations (by earning a grade of 2.0 or better in BIS 491 ).
Credit for Nontraditional Modes of Learning
The BIS program allows students to receive college credit for learning acquired through a variety of nontraditional methods. For details, see the Individualized Study (BIS) section of the catalog below.
Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program
The program offers highly qualified undergraduates the opportunity to apply to accelerated master’s degree programs in telecommunications or in applied information technology. If accepted, students will be able to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree after satisfactory completion of 144 credits.
ProgramsUndergraduate Degree(s)
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