Master’s in Biodefense
Master's in Biodefense
Gain the analytical skills and knowledge needed to assess national and international security risks posed by natural and man-made biological threats with the Master's in Biodefense.
Understanding biological threats is more important in today’s world than ever before. The Master's in Biodefense at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government bridges the gap between science and policy, providing you with a foundation in microbiology and biotechnology combined with a broader security and organizational context. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Schar School No. 2 in the U.S. for security studies related programs.
ON-CAMPUS AND ONLINE FORMATS
You can choose to study biodefense at the Schar School on-campus, online, or through a combination of both on-campus and online classes. Online biodefense courses are taught in an asynchronous format. With this format, classes follow an established schedule for assignments and can be accessed at any time from any location.
CURRICULUM AND COURSE SCHEDULE
The Master of Science in Biodefense program requires 12 courses (36 total credits), including 7 core courses and 5 elective courses. On-campus biodefense courses are held in the evenings on Mason’s Arlington, Virginia campus, and students may take the program on a part-time or full-time basis (please note that the online format is only available on a part-time basis). From Emerging Infectious Diseases, Global Health Security, and Disaster Response Operations and Recovery to Biosurveillance, International Security, and Biodefense Strategy, the biodefense program coursework will prepare you for influential roles in public health, policy, and science across the public and private sectors.
For detailed curriculum and course schedule information, click here.
Master’s Class Visits
Wondering what it’s like to take a graduate class at the Schar School? We invite you to sit in on a graduate course taught by our Schar School faculty. Space is limited, so sign up soon!
SIGN UPCareers in Biodefense and Biosecurity
With George Mason University's prime location in the Washington, D.C. area, Schar School students gain access to leading scholars and practitioners who bring real-world experience to the classroom, providing you with the mentorship and skillsets needed to advance in your career.
The Schar School as a whole has 80+ faculty members, as well as hundreds of adjunct faculty, allowing students to gain access to a variety of perspectives and subjects through elective courses. Notable faculty members in the biodefense program include program director Gregory Koblentz, Sonia Ben Ouagrham-Gormley, Trevor Thrall, and Bonnie Stabile.
FACULTY DIRECTORY
In addition to university-wide resources, the Schar School has a dedicated team of student services and career development advisors to assist you in your academic and professional plans. The Master's in Biodefense program prepares students for a range of industries and roles in the public and private sectors. In a recent graduating class career outcomes survey, approximately two-thirds of Biodefense graduates reported working in consulting, and one-third identified as working in the federal government.
Recent alumni of the Biodefense graduate program are working as:
- Analyst, U.S. Department of Defense
- Biologist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Chief, Future Operations, D.C. Department of Health; Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRN) Preparedness Program
- Deputy Division Chief, Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- Intelligence Officer, U.S. Air Force
- Investigator, USIS
- Principal Consultant for Strategic Planning and Analysis, U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration
- Project Analyst, Booz Allen Hamilton
- Strategic Development: CBRN and Defense Services
- Supervisory Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation
- WMD Intelligence Analyst, Sage Management
Biodefense Program News
Just days before President Trump met with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore in early June, a delegation of Schar School biodefense and international security faculty arrived in South Korea for a week of presentations addressing a topic of great concern for the South Koreans: “Issues and Concerns in International Security.”
READ MORE
The Schar School's annual three-day workshop called “Pandemics, Bioterrorism, and Global Health Security: From Anthrax to Zika” addressed all manner of “wicked problems” from food-borne outbreaks to misguided Ebola responses to “cyber-biosecurity.”
READ MORE
Biodefense student Nereyda Sevilla created a computer model for tracking and stopping suspected pandemics transmitted by airplanes.
READ MORE
The Pandora Report is a faculty- and student-run blog that provides commentary and analysis of biodefense news, policy, and research. Read the CBRN Policy Briefs for timely analyses of US CBRN policies, book reviews on biodefense and biosecurity, research notes, and more.
READ MOREApplication Information
Application Information
Ready to apply?
The Master of Science in Biodefense program is offered on-campus, online, and through a combination of both on-campus and online classes. The program accepts students for both the fall and spring semesters. Browse our application guide to earn more about application requirements and deadlines.
HOW TO APPLY