Master’s FAQ

Books can be purchased at either the Fairfax Campus bookstore located on the main level of the Johnson Center (phone:703-993-2666), or the Arlington Campus bookstore located on the main level of Van Metre Hall (phone: 703-993-8170).

Students wishing to park on campus must register with Parking Services and purchase a parking decal. Please visit the Parking and Transportation website to determine where to purchase a parking decal on either Fairfax or Arlington Campus. Additional information can be found here. Arlington parking decals are valid on the Fairfax campus, but Fairfax decals are not valid for the Arlington campus.

Mason identification cards can be obtained in Van Metre Hall Room 220 on Arlington Campus. On Fairfax Campus, they can be obtained in SUB 1 Room 1203. In order to obtain a Mason ID, a valid picture ID must be presented (driver’s license, military ID, passport, visa), and students must be registered for the current semester. View the website for additional information.

Students are required to activate and regularly access their Mason email. Activation is completed on the Mason Email Systems website. Official information will be communicated to students only through this account and students are responsible for the information communicated to this account. If students wish to place an email forward on their Mason email accounts, instructions for doing so are available on the above link.

International Students (on F-1 and J-1 visas) are required to have health insurance and are automatically enrolled and billed through the university at registration time. International students who currently have a policy that meets certain conditions may be eligible for an exemption. Domestic Students registered for 6 or more credits are eligible but not required to purchase the Mason Student Health Insurance Plan. For more information, please visit the student health services website.

Housing information can be found on the Housing and Residence Life website.

Beginning Spring 2020, Mason's Shuttle Services will provide free transportation between the Fairfax and Arlington campuses for students with a valid Mason ID. Shuttle service will begin on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 with scheduled departure times from Sandy Creek (Fairfax Campus) and Van Metre Hall (Arlington Campus). Passengers must show a Mason ID to use the shuttle. Departure times can be found on the Spring 2020 schedule. For further information and updates, visit the Parking and Transportation website. 

Registration is completed via the Patriot Web system. Step-by-step instructions explaining how to register for classes via Patriot Web can be found on the admitted student webpage. In addition to registering for classes on Patriot Web, students can also make tuition payments, review their academic record, and update contact information. Please note: a $125.00 late registration fee will be charged to the accounts of all students who do not register for at least 1 credit one day prior to the first day of classes. This late fee is not applicable to students who register prior to the start of the semester and make schedule adjustments after the semester starts. Refer to the University Registrar’s Office for specific dates according to each semester.

Changes to registration can be made on Patriot Web in accordance within add/drop deadlines. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the registrar's academic calendar. 

Graduate students are permitted to take up to 6 credits of electives through the consortium program. You should meet with the academic advisor assigned to your program to discuss the process for obtaining approval and registration procedures. Additional consortium information can be found on the consortium web site.

Certain classes in the Schar School have a waitlist option. If you attempt to register for a course that is full, and a waitlist exists for that particular course, Patriot Web will permit you to add your name to the waitlist. The waitlist is an automatic process; each time a student drops the course, the first person on the waitlist receives an override permitting that student to register for the course. The override is in effect for 48 hours. If you fail to register for the course during the 72-hour timeframe, the next student on the list is issued the override. Students who are waitlisted should check Patriot Web on a regular basis to determine if such an override has been issued. For more information, please check out the waitlist guide.

The add and drop periods are published each semester on the academic calendar, and schedule changes can be made using Patriot Web during the schedule adjustment period. Generally, you may add a course up to one calendar week into a 14-week semester and drop a course up to four calendar weeks after the first day of class (for a partial refund). After the drop deadline has passed, students are only permitted to withdraw from classes for extenuating, non-academic circumstances. Please contact your academic advisor for more information.

POGO 580 - Topics: Advanced Skills for Policy Professionals seminars are elective course options worth 1.5 credits and offered in a modified partial-semester session. For example, these courses may meet for half of the semester or in a condensed weekend format. These practical, graduate-level seminars will focus on the development of key skills required for professionals working in the policy arena. Past topics offered: Public Speaking for Executive Leadership, Policy Communication for Executive Leadership, and Presentation/Briefing Skills.

A maximum of two 1.5 credit seminars (3 credits total), can be applied as elective credit toward your degree requirements. Students may choose to take more than two seminars for “extra” credits, beyond what is required for the degree.

Yes, the Schar School plans to offer at least one Advanced Skills seminar each semester, including during the summer.

Yes, students can take Advanced Skills seminars for “extra” credits beyond what is required to earn the degree.

No, you can take the seminars in different semesters.

Each seminar is designed to provide graduate-level instruction on practical skills that are essential in the policy arena. Specific topics will be announced prior to registration each semester, and the same topic may be offered in multiple semesters.

Seminars are graded in the same manner other graduate-level courses are graded.

You will receive instructions for completing the steps to graduation, including the graduation application, via email during the semester in which you intend to graduate. The application cannot be completed prior to that point. Additional details about the graduation application process can be found on the registrar’s webpage.