George Mason University - College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS)

At the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at George Mason University, we empower students to become leaders and change-makers in their fields. Our innovative graduate programs blend rigorous academics with hands-on research experiences under world-class faculty.

Whether you seek a career-boosting certificate, a master's degree to deepen your expertise, or cutting-edge doctoral studies, CHSS offers a path tailored to your goals. Our interdisciplinary programs equip you with critical thinking skills to tackle complex issues.

But classroom learning is just the start, here you will engage in impactful research projects addressing real-world challenges. Our prime location in the DC metro area provides access to invaluable resources and connections for national and global impact.

At CHSS, we cultivate a community committed to diversity and social progress. Here, you'll gain the insights to drive meaningful change in your profession and society. Invest in your future at a college that invests in your growth as a skilled professional and impactful leader. Explore how a CHSS degree or certificate can elevate your career today.

CHSS offers a wide variety of cost and time-efficient graduate certificates, master's degrees, and more than a dozen doctoral degrees, several of which are nationally ranked. We offer graduate programs online and in person, for both full and part-time students.

Degrees and Programs

Anthropology

• MA

Art History

• MA

Communication

• PhD, MA
• Graduate Certificate in Science Communication

Criminology, Law and Society

• PhD, MA
• MS Concentration

1. Criminal Justice

Cultural Studies

• PhD

Economics

• PhD, MA Campus and Online Program 

English

• PhD Concentrations: 

1. Linguistics 
2. Writing and Rhetoric 

• MA Concentrations: 

1. Cultural Studies 
2. Folklore Studies
3. Linguistics 
4. Literature 
5. Professional and Technical Writing 
6. Teaching of Writing and Literature 

• MFA in Creative Writing: 

1. Fiction 
2. Nonfiction 
3. Poetry 

• Graduate Certificates: 

1. College Teaching (English Department) 
2. Folklore Studies 
3. Literature and Composition 
4. Professional and Technical Writing
5. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Campus and Online Program 
6. Publishing Practice

Global Affairs

• MA

Higher Education

• PhD in Education, Specialization in Higher Education (jointly offered with the College of Education and Human Development) 
• MA in Higher Education and Student Development Campus and Online Program 
• Graduate Certificates: 

1. College Teaching (Higher Education Program) Campus and Online Program 
2. Higher Education Administration Campus and Online Program 

History

• PhD and MA
• Graduate Certificate: 

1. Digital Public Humanities Online Program 

Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS)

• MA Concentrations

1. Computational Social Science
2. Energy and Sustainability
3. Individualized Studies
4. Religious Studies
5. Social Entrepreneurship
6. Social Justice and Human Rights
7. War and the Military in Society
8. Women and Gender Studies

Middle East and Islamic Studies

• MA
• Graduate Certificate

Modern and Classical Languages 

• MA Foreign Languages Concentrations:

1. Chinese 
2. French 
3. Spanish Campus and Online Program
4. Spanish/Bilingual-Multicultural Education 
5. Spanish and French 

• Graduate Certificate: 

1. Spanish Heritage Language Education Campus and Online Program

Philosophy

• MA Concentration (concentration optional)

1. Ethics and Public Affairs

Psychology

• PhD concentrations: 

1. Applied Developmental Psychology 
2. Clinical Psychology 
3. Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience 
4. Human Factors/Applied Cognition 
5. Industrial/ Organizational Psychology 

• MA Concentrations: 

1. Applied Developmental Psychology 
2. Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience 
3. Human Factors/Applied Cognition 
4. Industrial/Organizational Psychology 

• MPS Concentration: 

1. Applied Industrial/Organizational Psychology Online Program

• Graduate Certificates: 

1. Cognitive Neuroscience 
2. Applied Psychology with a Concentration in: 
3. Usability 
4. Transportation Human Factors 

Sociology

• PhD, MA