George Mason University Admissions Requirements
Admission to the program is competitive, and meeting the minimum application criteria does not guarantee admission. Selection criteria differ by program and are established by the faculty of that program. Applicants are evaluated on the strength of their academic background, results of standardized exams (if required by the program), work experience, and any additional evidence of potential success in the program. The faculty determines the number of admission offers to extend based on the resources available to the program. Late applications will be considered on a space-available basis.
The general university graduate admission standards include the following:
- An earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or international equivalent. Applicants with a degree from an international institution must submit a transcript evaluation showing that the degree is equivalent to a four-year bachelor’s degree in the United States.
- A 3.00 GPA on a 4.00 scale or better in baccalaureate study. The GPA requirement may be higher for some graduate programs. For applicants with postbaccalaureate credits, a separate GPA is calculated for each institution. The difficulty of the baccalaureate degree and professional work experience may be considered in assessing the application for admission.
Individual Program Admissions Standards
Social Work, MSW
In addition to holding an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, applicants must have a minimum of 30 undergraduate credits in the liberal arts to include at least 3 credits in each of the following: English composition, history or government, social sciences, and statistics.
Social Work, MSW and Conflict Analysis and Resolution, MS Dual Degree
In addition to holding an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, applicants must have a minimum of 30 undergraduate credits in the liberal arts to include at least 3 credits in each of the following: English composition, history or government, social sciences, and statistics.
Title IV-E Child Welfare Stipend Program (CWSP)
Applicants interested in the Title IV-E Child Welfare Stipend Program (CWSP) should not wait until they receive a decision letter from the MSW Program before applying to the CWSP. Applicants interested in the MSW Program and CWSP must apply to both programs separately, however, the application timelines are similar.
Behavioral Health (CAP-BH) Stipend Program
For students not pursuing Advanced Standing status, you must be entering your specialization field placement of the MSW Program to be eligible. Both on-ground and on-line MSW students are eligible to apply. Online MSW students MUST be within commuting distance to the GMU Fairfax campus so that they are able to attend select in-person mandatory trainings. For more information, please see the Behavioral Health (CAP-BH) Stipend Program website.
Advanced Standing applicants interested in the CAP-BH Program should not wait until they receive a decision letter from the MSW Program before applying to the CAP-BH Program. Applicants interested in the MSW Advanced Standing Program and CAP-BH Program are encouraged to apply to both programs separately, adhering to the deadlines for each program.
Advanced standing applicants who are not currently affiliated with George Mason University should use this application link to apply. As part of your application, please email your resume to Dr. Denise Hines, CAP-BH Program Co-Director, at dhines2@gmu.edu.