The Costello College 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 Costello College 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 Costello College 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 Costello College 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.
Degree Requirements
Total credits: 120
Costello College 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 Costello College 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 Costello College 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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Requirements | ||
| Written Communication | 6 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Core Requirements | ||
| Arts | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Natural Science 1 | 7 | |
| Global History | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 25 | |
- 1
The Costello College 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 Costello College of Business and will not be eligible to receive a degree from the Costello College of Business. Students terminated from the Costello College of Business are prohibited from enrolling in any Costello College of Business course. For more information about this, see AP.5.2.4 Termination from the Major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 203 | Survey of Accounting | 3 |
| BUS 100 | Business and Society (Mason Core) 2 | 3 |
| BUS 103 | Develop Professional Skills I: Foundational Elements | 3 |
| BUS 200 | Global Environment of Business (Mason Core) 2 | 3 |
| BUS 210 | Business Analytics I (Mason Core) | 3 |
| BUS 310 | Business Analytics II | 3 |
| ECON 103 | Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core) | 3 |
| ECON 104 | Contemporary Macroeconomic Principles (Mason Core) | 3 |
| Select one course from the following: 1 | 3-4 | |
| Introductory Calculus with Business Applications (Mason Core) | ||
| Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (Mason Core) | ||
| Analytic Geometry and Calculus II | ||
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Total Credits | 27-28 | |
- 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 Contexts 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 Costello College of Business and will not be eligible to receive a degree from the Costello College of Business. Students terminated from the Costello College of Business are prohibited from enrolling in any Costello College of Business course. For more information about this, see AP.5.2.4 Termination from the Major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 303 | Accounting for Decision Making | 3 |
| BULE 303 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| BUS 303 | Develop Professional Skills II: Advanced Elements | 3 |
| FNAN 303 | Financial Management | 3 |
| MGMT 303 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| MIS 303 | Introduction to Business Information Systems (Mason Core) | 3 |
| MKTG 303 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| OSCM 303 | Operations Management | 3 |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
General Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 19-20 Credits 1 | 19-20 | |
| Total Credits | 19-20 | |
- 1
General electives may be selected from any University or Costello College 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).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BUS 498 | Capstone Course: Advanced Business Models (Mason Core) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
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 Costello College of Business.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ACCT 311 | Managerial and Cost Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 331 | Intermediate Accounting I | 3 |
| ACCT 332 | Intermediate Accounting II | 3 |
| ACCT 351 | Taxation and Managerial Decision Making | 3 |
| ACCT 361 | Accounting Analytics | 3 |
| ACCT 461 | Assurance and Audit Services (Mason Core) 3 | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select one course from the following: 1 | 3 | |
| 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 | ||
| 600 Level Courses for Student's in the Accelerated Master's Program | ||
| 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 II 2 | ||
| International Accounting 2 | ||
| Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting 2 | ||
| Directed Studies in Accounting 2 | ||
| Special Topics in Accounting 2 | ||
| Total Credits | 21 | |
- 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
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ACCT 311 | Managerial and Cost Accounting | 3 |
| ACCT 331 | Intermediate Accounting I | 3 |
| ACCT 332 | Intermediate Accounting II | 3 |
| ACCT 351 | Taxation and Managerial Decision Making | 3 |
| ACCT 361 | Accounting Analytics | 3 |
| ACCT 461 | Assurance and Audit Services (Mason Core) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MIS 310 | Database Management Systems | 3 |
| MIS 430 | Data Warehousing | 3 |
| MIS 431 | Data Mining for Business Applications (Mason Core) 1 | 3 |
| MIS 433 | Programming 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 | ||
| Management Science | ||
| Business Process Analysis and Simulation | ||
| Business Forecasting | ||
| Introduction to Exploratory Data Analysis | ||
| Decision and Risk Analysis | ||
| Internship in Management Information Systems | ||
or OSCM 492 | 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 Credits | 21 | |
- 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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Select three courses from the following: 1 | 9 | |
| 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 (Mason Core) | ||
| RS: Contemporary Topics in Finance (Mason Core) | ||
| 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 and Investment Fund | ||
| Honors Seminar in Finance | ||
| Fintech and Blockchain in Finance | ||
| Student Managed Investment Fund (Mason Core) | ||
| Ethical and Professional Standards in Finance | ||
| Special Topics in Finance | ||
| Internship in Finance | ||
| RS: Contemporary Topics in Finance (Mason Core) | ||
| 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 Credits | 21 | |
- 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
- 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 are increasingly seeking professional advice on managing the financial aspects of their lives. The professionals they consult need wide-ranging knowledge about taxes, estate planning, insurance, retirement planning, and portfolio management. These financial planning professionals are more in demand now than ever before as members of the Baby Boomer and Silent Generations are set to leave over $80 trillion in wealth to their decedents. The BLS estimates that positions in this field will grow by 13% versus the 3% average for all professions. The Financial Planning and Wealth Management Concentration in the Costello College of Business provides you with all the skills necessary to become a successful financial planner. This program has been certified by the CFP Board of Standards, the premier professional organization for financial planners, as meeting all the educational requirements necessary to take the CFP® exam.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| FNAN 390 | Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management 1 | 3 |
| or ACCT 390 | Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management | |
| FNAN 311 | Principles of Investment 1 | 3 |
| ACCT 351 | Taxation and Managerial Decision Making | 3 |
| ACCT 408 | Taxes Insurance and Risk Management 1 | 3 |
| ACCT 441 | Estate Planning | 3 |
| ACCT 493 | Financial Planning and Wealth Management Capstone (Mason Core) 2 | 3 |
| or FNAN 493 | Financial Planning and Wealth Management Capstone (Mason Core) | |
| 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 | ||
| Internship in Finance 1 | ||
or ACCT 492 | Internship in Accounting | |
| Personal Financial Planning | ||
| Financial Statement Analysis | ||
| Advanced Federal Taxation | ||
| 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 Credits | 21 | |
- 1
Completion of FNAN 303 Financial Management with a grade of B- or higher is a required prerequisite for FNAN 311 , FNAN 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
- 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 Financial Planning and Wealth Management
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| FNAN 390 | Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management | 3 |
| or ACCT 390 | Introduction to Financial Planning and Wealth Management | |
| FNAN 311 | Principles of Investment | 3 |
| ACCT 351 | Taxation and Managerial Decision Making | 3 |
| ACCT 408 | Taxes Insurance and Risk Management | 3 |
| ACCT 441 | Estate Planning | 3 |
| ACCT 493 | Financial Planning and Wealth Management Capstone (Mason Core) | 3 |
| or FNAN 493 | Financial Planning and Wealth Management Capstone (Mason Core) | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Concentration in Management (MGMT)
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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MGMT 313 | Organizational Behavior (Mason Core) 2 | 3 |
| MGMT 321 | Introduction 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 | ||
| Organizational Behavior 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 21 | |
- 1
- 2
Satisfies Writing Intensive requirement
- 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.
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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Management | ||
| MGMT 421 | Advanced Human Resource Management | 3 |
| MGMT 431 | The Legal Environment for Employee and Labor Relations | 3 |
| Management Consulting | ||
| MGMT 412 | Diversity in Organizations | 3 |
| MGMT 463 | Negotiations in Organizations | 3 |
| MGMT 464 | Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills | 3 |
| Entrepreneurship | ||
| MGMT 451 | Introduction to Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| MGMT 452 | Experiential Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| MGMT 454 | Social Impact and Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| BULE 402 | Commercial Law | 3 |
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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MIS 310 | Database Management Systems | 3 |
| MIS 320 | Networks and Security | 3 |
| MIS 330 | Systems Analysis and Design (Mason Core) 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 (Mason Core) | ||
| 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 | ||
| Management of Information Technology 3 | ||
| 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 (Mason Core) | ||
| Government Contracting and Procurement | ||
| Management of Technology Projects | ||
| Total Credits | 21 | |
- 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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MKTG 312 | Consumer Behavior | 3 |
| MKTG 351 | Marketing Research | 3 |
| MKTG 471 | Marketing Management (Mason Core) 1 | 3 |
| 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 | ||
| 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 Credits | 21 | |
- 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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| OSCM 320 | Supply Chain Management in a Global Economy | 3 |
| OSCM 456 | Quality Management (Mason Core) 1 | 3 |
| OSCM 493 | Management 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 (Mason Core) | ||
| Advanced Data Mining | ||
| Programming for Analytics | ||
| Operations Management 2 | ||
| 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 Credits | 21 | |
- 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 Costello College 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 Costello College 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:
- Honors section of BUS 498 Capstone Course: Advanced Business Models (Mason Core)
- A concentration-specific honors course (See list below)
- Completion of an honors project with faculty approval (the honors project as approved should be separate from work in other courses)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BUS 498 | Capstone Course: Advanced Business Models (Mason Core) (Honors Section) | 3 |
| Honors Concentration Course | ||
| ACCT | ||
| ACCT 462 | Honors Seminar in Accounting | 3 |
| BUSA | ||
| MIS 462 | Honors Seminar in Management Information Systems (Topic Varies) | 3 |
| FNAN | ||
| FNAN 462 | Honors Seminar in Finance | 3 |
| FPWM | ||
| FNAN 462 | Honors Seminar in Finance | 3 |
| MGMT | ||
| MGMT 462 | Honors Seminar in Management (Topic Varies) | 3 |
| MIS | ||
| MIS 462 | Honors Seminar in Management Information Systems (Topic Varies) | 3 |
| MKTG | ||
| MKTG 462 | Honors Seminar in Marketing (Topic Varies) | 3 |
| OSCM | ||
| OSCM 462 | Honors 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
- Bachelor's Degree (any)/Business Analytics, Accelerated MS
- Bachelor's Degree (any)/Finance, Accelerated MS
- Bachelor's Degree (any)/Management, Accelerated MS
- Bachelor's Degree (any)/Real Estate Development, Accelerated MS
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 Costello College 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:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits; grade of B- or better required) 1 | ||
| Advanced Financial Accounting | ||
| Advanced Issues in Financial Reporting | ||
| Advanced Issues in Taxation | ||
| International Accounting | ||
| Reserve Credit courses (up to 6 credits): 1 | ||
| Advanced Issues in Managerial Accounting 2 | ||
| GovCon Acquisition Regulations and Reporting 2 | ||
| Fraud Examination 2 | ||
| Advanced Accounting Analytics I 2 | ||
| Advanced Accounting Analytics II 2 | ||
| Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting 2 | ||
| Advanced Accounting Information Systems 2 | ||
- 1
Other courses approved by Senior Director.
- 2
Denotes the course applies to the graduate certificate
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 Costello College 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:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits; grade of B- or better required): | ||
| MSBA 610 | Essentials for Business Analytics: From Data Ethics to Data Driven Decision-making | 3 |
| MSBA 615 | Database Management for Business Analytics | 3 |
| MSBA 618 | Programming for Business Analytics | 3 |
| MSBA 625 | Exploratory Data Analysis and Visualization | 3 |
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 Costello College 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:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 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 141 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 Costello College 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 Costello College 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:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits; grade of B- or better required): | ||
| Financial Reporting and Decision Making | ||
| Marketing Management | ||
| Operations Management | ||
| Managerial Finance | ||
| Organizational Behavior | ||
| Management of Information Technology | ||
For more detailed information on coursework and timeline requirements, see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies.
Bachelor's Degree (any)/Real Estate Development, 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 real estate development 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 a MS in Real Estate Development (MRED) 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 Real Estate Development 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 Costello College of Business website.
Undergraduate students will be considered for admission into the MRED BAM pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits, FNAN 351, and meeting all academic requirements which can be found on the Costello College of Business page.
Students who are accepted into the MRED 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 prerequisites.
Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements
Students in the BAM pathway will be admitted to the MS in Real Estate Development 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 Real Estate Development Pathway Courses
Students who are accepted into the MRED BAM pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits.
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:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits; grade of B- or better required): | ||
| REAL 605 | Policy and Planning of the Built Environment | 3 |
| REAL 615 | Brokerage and Market Analysis | 3 |
| REAL 625 | Financial Analysis and Valuation | 3 |
| REAL 635 | The Development Process | 3 |
Reserve Credit:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Reserve Credit courses (up to 6 credits; grade of B- or better is required): | ||
| REAL 605 | Policy and Planning of the Built Environment | 3 |
| REAL 615 | Brokerage and Market Analysis | 3 |
| REAL 625 | Financial Analysis and Valuation | 3 |
| REAL 635 | The Development Process | 3 |