About Us
George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government 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.
LEARN MOREUS News & World Report Ranks the Schar School #2
In the 2019 annual rankings by U.S. News & World Report, the Schar School earned the coveted #2 spot for "security studies."
Learn more
As a Washington, D.C. area professional, interdisciplinary school that melds theory with practice, the Schar School has the connections and expertise to help you advance your career. We offer top-ranked undergraduate, master's, and PhD programs in a range of subjects.
Our alumni are thriving in their professions and advancing solutions in a complex and changing world. Today, more than 16,000 alumni represent the Schar School across the country and around the world.
As a student at the Schar School of Policy and Government, you will study with and learn from world-class scholars who are committed to quality teaching.
With our location in the national capital region, we have unprecedented access to renowned speakers and guests. From heads of state and governors to former directors of central intelligence, attorney generals, and political correspondents, our distinguished guests bring a wealth of experience and perspectives to our community.
U.S. News & World Report ranks the Schar School’s graduate programs among the best. The Washingtonian listed the creation of George Mason University as an event that shaped Washington, D.C., saying that Mason has “a record of having broken DC universities’ monopoly on public-policy expertise.”
At the Center of the Policy World
Located where policy happens—just six miles from the U.S. Capitol Building—the Schar School’s campuses are located in Arlington and Fairfax, Virginia. Students are connected to jobs, internships, networking, and experiences that can only be found in the Washington, D.C., area.