George Mason University

As a Washington, D.C. area professional, interdisciplinary school that melds theory with practice, the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University prepares undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders and managers who solve problems and advance the public good in all sectors and levels of government – in the United States and throughout the world.

Learning from professors with real-world experience, you will gain the applicable skills and the practical knowledge to lead government agencies and nonprofit organizations, develop public policies and programs, create innovative consulting solutions, and provide expert policy analysis.

The Schar School is known worldwide for research that discovers new knowledge and develops practical solutions to challenges in public policy, government, and international affairs. Our faculty consists of scholars and experts who seek to push the frontiers of conventional wisdom, apply rigorous analysis to complex issues, and make a positive contribution to the world. Notable faculty members include:

• Retired General Michael V. Hayden, former director of the CIA and the NSA
• Robert Deitz, former general counsel at the NSA and senior counselor to the director of the CIA
• Gregory Koblentz, a member of the Scientist Working Group on Chemical and Biological Weapons at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation in Washington, D.C.
• Ellen Laipson, former President and CEO of the Stimson Center 
• Ambassador Richard Kauzlarich, who served as U.S. ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1997–1999 and to Azerbaijan in 1994–1997

With campuses in Arlington and Fairfax, Virginia, the Schar School of Policy and Government is located just minutes from Washington, D.C. The Schar School’s prime location in the heart of U.S. policy offers students unparalleled access to one-of-a-kind professional opportunities with top employers. Graduates are doing consequential work in both the public and private sectors, obtaining positions with the U.S. Department of State, USAID, the World Bank, the United Nations, Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, Shanghai Media Group, Cross-Cultural Solutions, Global Health Council, and many others.

In addition to providing internships and career opportunities, the Schar School’s location in the Washington, D.C. area also introduces students to hundreds of prominent events, speeches, panel discussions, and workshops. In the past year, the Schar School welcomed distinguished guests Lech Walesa, former president of Poland and leader of the Solidarity movement; ‘Homeland’ stars Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin speaking on intelligence in pop culture; U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.); Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Greg Miller; former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle; President Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera of Costa Rica, and others. The Schar School also hosted the 2018 Virginia Gubernatorial Debate, with Dean Mark J. Rozell serving on the panel.

Whether you aspire to lead a government or nonprofit organization, develop public policies and programs, create innovative consulting solutions, or provide expert analysis, you will graduate from the Schar School prepared to meet the challenges of a changing world.

Discover the Schar School of Policy and Government – one of the top-ranked policy schools in the United States – and earn a degree that will prepare you for a fulfilling and meaningful career.

To receive information directly from the Admissions Department, click here.