The School of Business is ranked in the top 10 percent of the nation’s undergraduate business schools and offers a Bachelor of Science in Business with innovative concentrations. The School of Business also offers several options for a minor for business and non-business majors, as well as an undergraduate certificate program in accounting. The School of Business programs are designed to prepare graduates for work in a rapidly changing and competitive marketplace with local, regional, and global companies. With Mason’s location in Northern Virginia and proximity to Washington, D.C., combined with the assistance of the School of Business’s own Career Services staff and Student Success and Academic Services staff, students are also afforded exceptional opportunities to gain practical experience and global engagement opportunities to complement their academic coursework. Students admitted spring 2020 and later will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business degree.

Banner Code: BU-BS-BUS

Degree Requirements

Total credits: 120

School of Business students pursuing a BS degree must complete a minimum of 120 credits, including the Mason Core requirements, business foundations, business core and concentration requirements. In addition, the following requirements must be met:

  • A minimum of 45 credits at the 300- or 400-level.
  • A minimum of 30 credits of School of Business core, capstone, and concentration courses at Mason.
  • At least 9 credits required for the specific concentration and BUS 498 Capstone Course: Advanced Business Models (Mason Core) taken at Mason.
  • A grade of C or higher earned in the business foundations, business core and concentration requirements.

Students should carefully follow prerequisites for School of Business courses. Students will be removed from a course if they enroll without having fulfilled the prerequisites.

Mason Core Requirements

Some Mason Core requirements may already be fulfilled by concentration requirements listed below. Students are strongly encouraged to consult their advisors to ensure they fulfill all remaining Mason Core requirements.

Foundation Requirements
Written Communication6
Oral Communication3
Core Requirements
Arts3
Literature3
Natural Science 17
Global History3
Total Credits25
1

The School of Business natural science requirement must be fulfilled by completing one 4-credit laboratory science and one 3 credit non-lab science.
 

Note: Remaining Mason Core requirements are fulfilled with concentration course work.

Business Foundations

Those who do not successfully complete these courses within three attempts will be terminated from the School of Business and will not be eligible to receive a degree from the School of Business. Students terminated from the School of Business are prohibited from enrolling in any School of Business course.  For more information about this, see AP.5.2.4 Termination from the Major.

ACCT 203Survey of Accounting3
BUS 100Business and Society (Mason Core) 23
BUS 103Develop Professional Skills I: Foundational Elements3
BUS 200Global Environment of Business (Mason Core) 23
BUS 210Business Analytics I (Mason Core)3
BUS 310Business Analytics II3
ECON 103Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core)3
ECON 104Contemporary Macroeconomic Principles (Mason Core)3
Select one course from the following: 13-4
Introductory Calculus with Business Applications (Mason Core)
Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (Mason Core)
Analytic Geometry and Calculus II
Applied Calculus
Total Credits27-28
1

BUS 210 or MATH 108 , MATH 113 satisfies the Mason Core Quantitative Reasoning requirement. To earn a business degree, students must complete MATH 108 and BUS 210.

2

BUS 200 satisfies Mason Core Global Understanding requirement, and BUS 100 satisfies the Mason Core Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement.

Business Core

Those who do not successfully complete these courses within three attempts will be terminated from the School of Business and will not be eligible to receive a degree from the School of Business. Students terminated from the School of Business are prohibited from enrolling in any School of Business course.  For more information about this, see AP.5.2.4 Termination from the Major.

ACCT 303Accounting for Decision Making3
BULE 303Legal Environment of Business3
BUS 303Develop Professional Skills II: Advanced Elements3
FNAN 303Financial Management3
MGMT 303Principles of Management3
MIS 303Introduction to Business Information Systems (Mason Core)3
MKTG 303Principles of Marketing3
OSCM 303Operations Management3
Total Credits24

General Electives

Select 19-20 Credits 119-20
Total Credits19-20
1

General electives may be selected from any University or School of Business course, except courses designated for the Business Minor (MBUS). Credits awarded as Associate Degree Elective Credit (ADEC) as part of a student's transfer evaluation are also excluded from general electives.

Capstone

Students must have 90 graded credits and successfully complete all Business Core courses and BUS 310 Business Analytics II to be eligible to enroll in BUS 498 Capstone Course: Advanced Business Models (Mason Core).

BUS 498Capstone Course: Advanced Business Models (Mason Core)3
Total Credits3

Concentration in Accounting (ACCT)

The concentration in Accounting prepares students for professional careers in the private and public sectors. The Accounting concentration is designed to produce accounting professionals who can both generate and apply financial information to solve business problems. Our students learn principles of business and accounting as well as the specific skills and specialized technical knowledge necessary for success in the dynamic field of accounting. Our program emphasizes ethics, critical thinking, written and verbal communication, and effective use and understanding of technology. Our graduates are employed by the assurance, tax advisory, and consulting groups of the top accounting firms as well as Fortune 100 companies. Our proximity to the nation's capital provides unique opportunities for our graduates to work in government and in the federal practices of public accounting firms. The Accounting concentration program is separately accredited by AACSB International. Students interested in CPA certification can apply to the MSA degree to meet the 150 hour requirement for CPA certification in most states. The MSA allows students to meet the 150 hour requirement for CPA certification in most states in only nine months.

Also available for eligible students, the Accelerated Advanced Accounting Pathway (A++) is a pathway that provides the ability to complete a bachelor and master’s degree in accounting in four years. For more information, please meet with an academic advisor in the School of Business.

Required Courses
ACCT 311Managerial and Cost Accounting 3
ACCT 331Intermediate Accounting I 3
ACCT 332Intermediate Accounting II 3
ACCT 351Taxation and Managerial Decision Making 3
ACCT 361Accounting Analytics 3
ACCT 461Assurance and Audit Services 33
Electives
Select one course from the following: 13
International Accounting
Financial Statement Analysis
Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management
Taxes Insurance and Risk Management
Advanced Managerial Accounting
Advanced Financial Accounting
Estate Planning
Advanced Federal Taxation
Honors Seminar in Accounting
Advanced Accounting Analytics
Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting
Seminar in Accounting
Internship in Accounting
Independent Study
Commercial Law
Advanced Issues in Managerial Accounting 2
GovCon Acquisition Regulations and Reporting 2
Advanced Financial Accounting 2
Advanced Issues in Financial Reporting 2
Fraud Examination 2
Advanced Issues in Taxation 2
Advanced Accounting Analytics 2
International Accounting 2
Managing Data Quality and Integrity 2
Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting 2
Professional Accounting Colloquium 2
Directed Studies in Accounting 2
Special Topics in Accounting 2
Total Credits21
1

Students who anticipate taking the CPA, CMA, CIA or other professional exam should consult the applicable regulations and meet with their advisor. State regulations regarding professional examinations may dictate course selections.

2

Students in the Accelerated Master's program and select high performing undergraduates may take graduate courses for undergraduate credit. Enrollment in a graduate level course is not guaranteed. Please contact an academic advisor for additional information.

3

Satisfies Writing Intensive requirement

Second Concentration in Accounting
Required Courses
ACCT 311Managerial and Cost Accounting 3
ACCT 331Intermediate Accounting I 3
ACCT 332Intermediate Accounting II 3
ACCT 351Taxation and Managerial Decision Making 3
ACCT 361Accounting Analytics 3
ACCT 461Assurance and Audit Services 3
Total Credits18

Concentration in Business Analytics (BUSA)

Business Analytics encompasses a wide array of methodologies and techniques, from collection, organization, reporting and mining of data to extraction of useful and actionable information for the decision makers. As the field matures, more organizations are turning to business analytics as part of their core function to assist decision making and strategy development. Business Analytics is grounded in an understanding of business and uses knowledge and skills related to analytic tools to identify business questions that can be answered by data, identify appropriate data to answer the questions, evaluate the quality of the data, analyze the data, form conclusions, and meaningfully communicate those conclusions to relevant parties. Business analysts will work in practice with data scientists with backgrounds in engineering, math, or computer science whose expertise in data analytics is centered on data architecture or developing data analysis tools.

Required Courses
MIS 310Database Management Systems 3
MIS 430Data Warehousing 3
MIS 431Data Mining for Business Applications 1 3
MIS 433Programming for Analytics 3
Electives
Select three courses from the following:9
Advanced Accounting Analytics
Empirical Methods in Finance
Probability Methods for Finance
Advanced Data Mining
Marketing Research
Marketing Analytics for New Product Development
Management Science
Business Process Analysis and Simulation
Business Forecasting
Introduction to Exploratory Data Analysis
Decision and Risk Analysis
Internship in Management Information Systems
Internship in Operations and Supply Chain Management
Essentials for Business Analytics: From Data Ethics to Data Driven Decision-making 2
Database Management for Business Analytics 2
Programming for Business Analytics 2
Exploratory Data Analysis and Visualization 2
Total Credits21
1

Satisfies Writing Intensive requirement

2

Students in the Accelerated Master's program and select high performing undergraduates may take graduate courses for undergraduate credit. Enrollment in a graduate level course is not guaranteed. Please contact an academic advisor for additional information.

 
Second Concentration in Business Analytics

Students declaring a second concentration in Business Analytics must complete the four required courses and two elective courses for the concentration (listed above). 

Concentration in Finance (FNAN)

The concentration in Finance prepares students for professional careers by providing a solid foundation in the principles necessary to make operating decisions for an organization and in financial market analysis. We educate our finance students to understand, evaluate, and manage risk. In addition, students learn to conduct and effectively present financial analysis and research valuing complex projects, assets, securities, and firms. Students in the finance concentration explore the relationships among investors, firms, financial institutions, markets, and regulators. Students with a concentration in Finance have a unique opportunity to compete globally, as well as regionally, for unique and diverse job opportunities, including government (U.S. Treasury and the Board of Governors), large financial corporations (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac), international organizations (World Bank and IMF), and other careers related to Finance.

Required Courses
Select three courses from the following: 19
Principles of Investment
Financial Institutions
Introduction to Firm Valuation
Advanced Financial Management
Select one of the required Writing Intensive Courses below:3
Student Managed Investment Fund
RS: Contemporary Topics in Finance
Electives
Select three courses from the following:9
Principles of Investment
Financial Institutions
Introduction to Firm Valuation
Principles of Real Estate
Advanced Financial Management
Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
Futures and Options Markets
Money and Capital Markets
Empirical Methods in Finance
Venture Capital and Private Financing of Startups
Fixed-Income Securities
Probability Methods for Finance
International Financial Management
Advanced Topics in Firm Valuation
Sustainable and ESG Investments
Real Estate Finance
Real Estate Development
Honors Seminar in Finance
Fintech and Blockchain in Finance
Student Managed Investment Fund
Ethical and Professional Standards in Finance
Special Topics in Finance
Internship in Finance
RS: Contemporary Topics in Finance
Independent Study
Managerial Economics and Decisions of the Firm 3
Statistical and Quantitative Methods for Finance 3
Financial Economics and Statement Analysis 3
Corporate Finance and Governance 3
Ethical and Professional Standards in Finance 3
Total Credits21
1

Completion of FNAN 303 with a grade of B- or higher is a required prerequisite for FNAN 311, FNAN 321, FNAN 341,FNAN 401 and FNAN 440

2

 With the exception of FNAN 300 and FNAN 303

3

Students in the Accelerated Master's program and select high performing undergraduates may take graduate courses for undergraduate credit. Enrollment in a graduate level course is not guaranteed.

Please contact an academic advisor or the Program Manager for additional information.

Second Concentration in Finance

Students declaring a second concentration in Finance must complete the four required courses and two elective courses for the concentration (listed above).

Concentration in Financial Planning and Wealth Management (FPWM)

Consumers increasingly seek professional advice on managing their finances from professionals with wide-ranging knowledge from taxes and estate planning to insurance and retirement planning to portfolio management. In a recent article title, Forbes described Financial Planning as “One of the Fastest Growing Careers” and noted that the field “is in Desperate Need of Young Talent.” The article went on to explain that the field is expected to grow at a 32% rate over the next decade according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics while the average growth rate for all occupations is 14%.” (Touryalai, 2012). The field of financial planning includes several certifications including the Certified Financial Planner certification (CFP) through the CFP Board and Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) certification through the AICPA. The national CFP Board and regional FPA leadership have reached out to Mason to work with us to develop a CFP-registered program in Financial Planning due to the significant need in our region for graduates with this specialization.

Required Courses
FNAN 390Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management 1 3
or ACCT 390 Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management
FNAN 311Principles of Investment 1 3
ACCT 351Taxation and Managerial Decision Making 3
ACCT 408Taxes Insurance and Risk Management 1 3
ACCT 441Estate Planning 3
ACCT 493Financial Planning and Wealth Management Capstone 2 3
or FNAN 493 Financial Planning and Wealth Management Capstone
Electives
Select one course from the following:3
Introduction to Firm Valuation 1
Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
Sustainable and ESG Investments
Ethical and Professional Standards in Finance
Personal Financial Planning
Financial Statement Analysis
Advanced Federal Taxation
Internship in Finance 1
Internship in Accounting
Total Credits21
1

Completion of FNAN 303 Financial Management with a grade of B- or higher is a required prerequisite for FNAN 311FNAN 341 , FNAN 390 Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management,  and FNAN 492 Internship in Finance or ACCT 492 Internship in Accounting. Completion of  FNAN 303 Financial Management with a grade of B- or higher is a required prerequisite for ACCT 408 Taxes Insurance and Risk Management

2

Satisfies Writing Intensive requirement

Second concentration in Financial Planning and Wealth Management
Required Courses
FNAN 390Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management 3
or ACCT 390 Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management
FNAN 311Principles of Investment 3
ACCT 351Taxation and Managerial Decision Making 3
ACCT 408Taxes Insurance and Risk Management 3
ACCT 441Estate Planning 3
ACCT 493Financial Planning and Wealth Management Capstone 3
or FNAN 493 Financial Planning and Wealth Management Capstone
Total Credits18

Concentration in Management

The concentration in Management prepares students to take leadership, management, and entrepreneurial roles in the public and private sectors. Students learn such skills as strategic thinking, motivating and managing nationally and internationally diverse work forces, building and leading team efforts, negotiating successfully, and instituting planned change in organizations.

Required Courses
MGMT 313Organizational Behavior 2 3
MGMT 321Introduction to Human Resource Management 3
Electives
Select five courses from the following: 15
Commercial Law
Creating Value for Business Stakeholders
Diversity in Organizations
Organizational Development and Management Consulting
Advanced Human Resource Management
The Legal Environment for Employee and Labor Relations
International Strategy
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
Experiential Entrepreneurship
Starting a Business
Social Impact and Entrepreneurship
Cross Cultural and Global Management
Honors Seminar in Management (Topic Varies)
Negotiations in Organizations
Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills
Competitive Strategy
Current Topics in Management
Internship in Management
Independent Study
Total Credits21
1

 With the exception of MGMT 303 and MGMT 313

2

Satisfies Writing Intensive requirement

Students with a concentration in management may focus their careers in several areas. In selecting five elective courses, students may want to consider a likely career path. Recommended courses for three possible careers are provided below.

Human Resources Management
MGMT 421Advanced Human Resource Management3
MGMT 431The Legal Environment for Employee and Labor Relations3
Management Consulting
MGMT 412Diversity in Organizations3
MGMT 463Negotiations in Organizations3
MGMT 464Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills3
Entrepreneurship
MGMT 451Introduction to Entrepreneurship3
MGMT 452Experiential Entrepreneurship3
MGMT 454Social Impact and Entrepreneurship3
BULE 402Commercial Law3
Second concentration in Management (MGMT)

Students declaring a second concentration in Management must complete the two required courses and four elective courses for the concentration (listed above).

Concentration in Management Information Systems (MIS)

The concentration in Management Information Systems encompasses analysis, design, implementation, and management of information systems, to support business processes and decision making in all functional areas of an organization. The curriculum highlights not only the fundamental building blocks of information systems, but also the interaction of technology, people and business processes. MIS students learn about designing, building, maintaining, and securing information systems to meet organizational goals. They also acquire skills to use data and information through business analytics to support better managerial decision making in areas such as marketing, accounting and finance. MIS graduates are capable of translating business needs into technology-based solutions, and new technological advances into business capabilities.  The MIS concentration prepares students for diverse technology based careers including Business Analyst, System Analyst, Security Analyst,  Data Analyst, IT Project Management, IT Quality Management, Cloud Management,  IS Audit and Control, Government Contracting, and Consulting.

Required Courses
MIS 310Database Management Systems 3
MIS 320Networks and Security 3
MIS 330Systems Analysis and Design 1 3
Electives
Select four courses from the following (at least two must be MIS):12
Cloud Computing Essentials
Introduction to Programming for Business Applications 2
Advanced Database Systems
E-Business Systems Development
Information Systems Audit and Control
Information Security and Assurance
Data Warehousing
Data Mining for Business Applications
Advanced Data Mining
Programming for Analytics
Cloud System Management
Honors Seminar in Management Information Systems (Topic Varies)
Seminar in Management Information Systems
Internship in Management Information Systems
Independent Study in Management Information Systems
Essentials for Business Analytics: From Data Ethics to Data Driven Decision-making 3
Database Management for Business Analytics 3
Programming for Business Analytics 3
Exploratory Data Analysis and Visualization 3
Management Science
Business Process Analysis and Simulation
Quality Management
Government Contracting and Procurement
Management of Technology Projects
Total Credits21
1

Satisfies Writing Intensive requirement

2

It is strongly recommended that students planning a concentration in Management Information Systems take MIS 350 as part of their program.

3

Students in the Accelerated Master's program and select high performing undergraduates may take graduate courses for undergraduate credit. Enrollment in a graduate level course is not guaranteed. Please contact an academic advisor for additional information.

Second Concentration in Management Information Systems

Students declaring a second concentration in Management Information Systems must complete the three required courses and three elective courses for the concentration (listed above). At least 2 of the electives must be MIS courses.

Concentration in Marketing (MKTG)

The concentration in Marketing prepares students for a broad range of global and domestic career options in corporations, small businesses, government, and nonprofits. A Marketing concentration provides students with a solid foundation in marketing management for understanding the needs of the customer, the value organizations create for their customers, and opportunities and threats in the global marketplace. Students learn marketing concepts and practices related to consumer behavior, marketing research and analytics, and marketing planning and strategy (product development, pricing, distribution, and advertising and promotions). Our graduates work in such diverse fields as advertising and marketing communications, product and brand management, customer relationship management, new product/service development, new market and business development, sales, retail management, marketing research and analytics, and digital and social media marketing. 

Required Courses
MKTG 312Consumer Behavior3
MKTG 351Marketing Research3
MKTG 471Marketing Management 13
Electives
Select four courses from the following:12
Federal Government Marketing
Consultative Selling
Sales Management
Advertising and Marketing Communications
Digital Marketing
Social Media Marketing Strategy
Retailing and E-Commerce Management
Business to Business Marketing
Strategic Brand Management
Marketing Analytics for New Product Development
New Product Development
Direct Marketing
Global Marketing
Marketing Consulting
Ethnic and Multicultural Marketing
Honors Seminar in Marketing (Topic Varies)
RS: Marketing in the Nonprofit Sector 3
Seminar in Marketing
Internship in Marketing
Independent Study
Any other 300-400 level MKTG courses 2
Total Credits21
1

Satisfies the Writing Intensive requirement

2

 With the exception of MKTG 303

3

Research and scholarship intensive course. 

Second Concentration in Marketing

Students declaring a second concentration in Marketing must complete the three required courses and three elective courses for the concentration (listed above).

Concentration in Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM)

Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) is the business function devoted to the management of resources and processes used by a firm to produce goods or services. Students with an OSCM concentration learn how to perform strategic and tactical planning, enabling them to efficiently and effectively manage the activities involved in transforming organizational resources into customer value. OSCM students acquire modeling, business analytics, and information technology skills for addressing a range of business problems. OSCM knowledge and skills are applicable to every business, spanning services, manufacturing, consulting, public sector (including government contracting), and not- for- ­profit organizations. The OSCM concentration is designed to prepare students for a career in the areas of: Supply Chain Management, Government Contracting (including procurement, logistics, and distribution), Project Management, Quality Management, Socially Responsible Operations, Product and Services Design, Process Analysis and Design, and, Planning and Control of Operations.

Required Courses
OSCM 320Supply Chain Management in a Global Economy 3
OSCM 456Quality Management 1 3
OSCM 493Management of Technology Projects 3
Electives
Select four courses from the following (at least two must be OSCM):12
Service Operations
Management Science
Design Thinking for Innovative Operations
Business Process Analysis and Simulation
Public Sector Operations
Business Forecasting
Management of Product and Process Technologies
Honors Seminar in Operations Management (Topic Varies)
Government Contracting and Procurement
Seminar in Operations Management
Internship in Operations and Supply Chain Management
Independent Study in Operations Management
Database Management Systems
Introduction to Programming for Business Applications
E-Business Systems Development
Data Warehousing
Data Mining for Business Applications
Advanced Data Mining
Programming for Analytics
Essentials for Business Analytics: From Data Ethics to Data Driven Decision-making 2
Database Management for Business Analytics 2
Programming for Business Analytics 2
Exploratory Data Analysis and Visualization 2
Total Credits21
1

Satisfies Writing Intensive requirement

2

Students in the Accelerated Master's program and select high performing undergraduates may take graduate courses for undergraduate credit. Enrollment in a graduate level course is not guaranteed. Please contact an academic advisor for additional information.

Second Concentration in Operations and Supply Chain Management

Students declaring a second concentration in Operations and Supply Chain Management must complete the three required courses and three elective courses for the concentration (listed above). At least 2 of the electives must be OSCM courses.

Honors in the Concentration Overview

The School of Business Honors Program provides highly motivated business students with an enriched academic experience integrating curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular development.  Admission to the Honors Program is by invitation only.

Admission Requirements

  • Minimum 3.0 cumulative Mason GPA

  • A- or higher on first attempt at the core course for the concentrations

    • ACCT: A- or higher in ACCT 303 Accounting for Decision Making

    • BUSA: A- or higher in MIS 303 Introduction to Business Information Systems (Mason Core)

    • FNAN: A- or higher in FNAN 303 Financial Management

    • FPWM: A- or higher in FNAN 303 Financial Management

    • MGMT: A- or higher in MGMT 303 Principles of Management

    • MIS: A- or higher in MIS 303 Introduction to Business Information Systems (Mason Core)

    • MKTG: A- or higher in MKTG 303 Principles of Marketing

    • OSCM: A- or higher in OSCM 303 Operations Management

  • Submission of a personal statement/essay
  • Two recommendations from faculty within the School of Business

Curricular Requirements

  • 3.0 cumulative Mason GPA
  • 3.5 GPA in the concentration or  95th percentile GPA within the concentration
  • B- or higher on first attempt at every concentration course

Co-Curricular Requirements

Students must complete ONE of the following to satisfy the co-curricular requirements for graduating with honors:

  1. Honors section of BUS 498 Capstone Course: Advanced Business Models (Mason Core)
  2. A concentration-specific honors course (See list below)
  3. Completion of an honors project with faculty approval (the honors project as approved should be separate from work in other courses)
BUS 498Capstone Course: Advanced Business Models (Mason Core) (Honors Section)3
Honors Concentration Course
ACCT
ACCT 462Honors Seminar in Accounting3
BUSA
MIS 462Honors Seminar in Management Information Systems (Topic Varies)3
FNAN
FNAN 462Honors Seminar in Finance3
FPWM
FNAN 462Honors Seminar in Finance3
MGMT
MGMT 462Honors Seminar in Management (Topic Varies)3
MIS
MIS 462Honors Seminar in Management Information Systems (Topic Varies)3
MKTG
MKTG 462Honors Seminar in Marketing (Topic Varies)3
OSCM
OSCM 462Honors Seminar in Operations Management (Topic Varies)3

Extra-Curricular Requirements

Attendance at a minimum of two honors events, as determined by the Honors Faculty Coordinator.

Requirements for Students to Obtain the Honors Designation

Honors students must meet all curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular requirements mentioned above at the time of graduation.

Accounting, BS or Business, BS (Concentration in Accounting)/Accounting, Accelerated MS

Overview

The Bachelor's Accelerated Master's "BAM" pathway will provide the opportunity for Mason Accounting major and concentration students to further their education by offering a specialized accelerated program that helps them develop the fundamental business skills and specialized knowledge and acumen acquired by the accounting profession. 

Mason Accounting major and concentration students may be admitted to the bachelor’s/accelerated master's program (BAM) and obtain both Accounting, BS or Business, BS with a Concentration in Accounting and a MS in Accounting degrees in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 138 credits.

See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree for policies related to this program.

Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.

BAM-MS Accounting Pathway Admission Requirements

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies. For information specific to this accelerated master's program, see the School of Business website with other requirements.

Students will be considered for admission into the BAM pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits and additional unit-specific criteria.  

Students who are accepted into the BAM pathway will be allowed to register for graduate-level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and course-specific pre-requisites.

Students already admitted in the BAM pathway will be admitted to the MS in Accounting program, if they have met the unit-specific criteria, found here  and as verified on the Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Transition form.

BAM-MS Accounting Pathway Requirements

To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses must choose from the following:

Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits; grade of B or better required) 3
Advanced Financial Accounting
Advanced Issues in Financial Reporting
Advanced Issues in Taxation
International Accounting
Professional Accounting Colloquium
Reserve Credit courses (up to 6 credits): 3
Advanced Issues in Managerial Accounting 2
GovCon Acquisition Regulations and Reporting 2
Fraud Examination 2
Accounting Analytics 2
Advanced Accounting Analytics 2
Managing Data Quality and Integrity 2
1

Recommended first course

2

Denotes the course applies to the graduate certificate

3

Other courses approved by Senior Director. 

For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.

Bachelor's Degree (any)/Business Analytics, Accelerated MS

Overview

This BAM Pathway will provide the opportunity for Mason undergraduates to further their education by offering a specialized accelerated program that helps them develop the fundamental knowledge (e.g. descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics) to deepen business analytics skills within a specific business domain.

Undergraduates may be admitted to the bachelor's/accelerated master's program (BAM) and obtain both a BA or BS in any degree area and a MS in Business Analytics in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 138 credits. 

See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree for policies related to this program. 

Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master’s degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies

BAM-MS Business Analytics Pathway Admission Requirements

Applicants in all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.  For information specific to this accelerated master's program, see the School of Business website

Students will be considered for admission into the BAM pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits and additional unit-specific criteria. 

Students who are accepted into the BAM pathway will be allowed to register for graduate-level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits, MSBA 601 (0 credit hour primer course), and course specific pre-requisites. 

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

Students already admitted in the BAM pathway will be admitted to the MS in Business Analytics program if they have met the unit-specific criteria, found here and as verified on the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition form. 

BAM MS in Business Analytics Pathway Requirements

Students who are accepted into the MSBA BAM pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and MSBA 601 (0 credit hour primer course).

To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses choose from the following:

Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits; grade of B or better required):
MSBA 610Essentials for Business Analytics: From Data Ethics to Data Driven Decision-making3
MSBA 615Database Management for Business Analytics3
MSBA 618 Programming for Business Analytics3
MSBA 625Exploratory Data Analysis and Visualization3

These advanced standing courses can count as Reserve Credit courses (up to 6 credits) instead.

 For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.

Bachelor's Degree (any)/Finance, Accelerated MS

Overview

This BAM pathway will provide the opportunity for prospective undergraduate students to further their education by offering a specialized accelerated program that helps them develop technical financial skills to fill the projected market demand and have a successful career in a global economy.

Undergraduates may be admitted to the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's program (BAM) and obtain a BS/BA in a chosen major and a MS in Finance in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 141 credits.

See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree for policies related to this program.

Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the Master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.

BAM-MS Finance Pathway Admission Requirements

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.  For information specific to this accelerated master's program, see the School of Business website

Students will be considered for admission into the BAM pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits and additional unit-specific criteria. 

Students who are accepted into the BAM pathway will be allowed to register for graduate-level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and course specific pre-requisites.

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

Students already admitted into the BAM pathway will be admitted to the MS in Finance program, if they have met all the criteria found here and as verified on the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition form. 

BAM MS in Finance Pathway Requirements

To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses choose from the following:

Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits; grade of B or better required):
Managerial Economics and Decisions of the Firm
Statistical and Quantitative Methods for Finance
Financial Economics and Statement Analysis
Corporate Finance and Governance
Ethical and Professional Standards in Finance
Reserve Credit courses (up to 6 credits) taken while an undergraduate and will only count for the graduate degree program:
Managerial Economics and Decisions of the Firm
Statistical and Quantitative Methods for Finance
Financial Economics and Statement Analysis
Corporate Finance and Governance
Ethical and Professional Standards in Finance

For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.

Bachelor's Degree (any)/Management, Accelerated MS

Overview

The BAM pathway will provide the opportunity for prospective undergraduate students to further their education by offering a specialized accelerated program that allows them to pair fundamental business management skills with interdisciplinary coursework tailored to the student’s career interests.

Undergraduates may be admitted to a Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's program (BAM) and obtain a BS/BA in a chosen major and an MS in Management (MSM) in an accelerated time frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 144 credits. 

See AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's degrees for policies related to this program.

Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the Master's degree. For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.

BAM-MS Management Pathway Admission Requirements

Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree Policies. For information specific to this Accelerated Master's program, see the School of Business website.

Students will be considered for admission into the BAM pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits, and additional unit-specific criteria.  Full admission requirements can be viewed at the School of Business website.

Students who are accepted into the BAM pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits and all course-specific pre-requisites.

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

Students in the BAM pathway will be admitted to the MS in Management program if they have met the unit-specific criteria found here and as verified on the Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Transition form. 

BAM-MSM Pathway Courses

To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses choose from the following:

Financial Reporting and Decision Making
Marketing and Firm Performance
Managerial Finance 1
Management of Information Technology

For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.