This interdisciplinary minor equips students from any major with practical skills for shaping decisions in complex organizational and public environments. The program examines how advocacy and lobbying operate in practice, with attention to policy development, ethics, and communication across public and private organizations.
Coursework draws from multiple disciplines to help students understand institutional decision-making and apply advocacy strategies to contemporary challenges. This approach emphasizes transferable skills—such as stakeholder engagement and strategic analysis—that support careers in external relations, public-facing leadership, and organizational strategy across fields including law, business, healthcare, science policy, cybersecurity and data policy, and international NGOs.
The minor also provides a foundation for graduate study in public policy and administration, law, international affairs, business, public health, and communication. Experiential learning opportunities, including Mason Lobbies and internships, connect academic study with real-world application.
Contact the minor advisor through Patriot Connect.
Policies
Eight credits of coursework must be unique to the minor, and students must earn a minimum grade of 2.00 (grade of C or better) in all courses applied to the minor. For policies governing all minors, see AP.5.3.4 Minors.
Minor Requirements
Total Credits: 18
Core Courses
Three core courses are required, one from each category. To fulfill the Key Principles core course requirement, students in Schar School majors must choose either INTS 202 Public Speaking and Critical Thinking Skills (Mason Core) or COMM 101 Fundamentals of Communication (Mason Core). Students in all other majors must choose GOVT 103 Introduction to American Government (Mason Core).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| One Foundation Course | 3 | |
| Interest Groups, Lobbying, and the Political Process | ||
| One Political Process Course | 3 | |
| Public Law and the Judicial Process | ||
or GOVT 307 | Legislative Behavior | |
| One Key Principles Course | 3 | |
Required for students whose primary major is outside the Schar School: | ||
| Public Speaking and Critical Thinking Skills (Mason Core) | ||
or COMM 101 | Fundamentals of Communication (Mason Core) | |
Required for non-Schar School students: | ||
| Introduction to American Government (Mason Core) (required for non-Schar School majors) | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Electives and Experiential Learning
Select three courses from two or more of the categories below for at least nine (9) credits total. A maximum of six credits can be selected from any one category, except for the Internship/Experiential Learning category, where the maximum is three credits.
Public Policy and Institutions (maximum 6 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Problems and Public Policies | ||
| Public Choice | ||
| American State and Local Government | ||
| Issues in Government and Politics (when relevant, with approval of minor advisor) | ||
| Nonprofit Sector in Society | ||
| Public Budgeting and Finance | ||
| Public Policy Making | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| Virginia Government and Politics | ||
| International Law and Organization | ||
| Administrative Law and Procedures | ||
| How Washington Really Works |
Policy Areas and Fields (maximum 6 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Global Environment of Business (Mason Core) | ||
| Race and American Politics | ||
| The Climate Emergency | ||
| Immigration Politics (Mason Core) | ||
| Media and Political Controversy | ||
| Politics of Race and Gender | ||
| Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties | ||
| Human Rights | ||
| Family Law and Public Policy | ||
| Black Social Movements | ||
| Social Justice and Human Rights (Mason Core) | ||
| Food Systems and Policy | ||
| The George Mason Debates in Current Affairs (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Movements and Political Protest | ||
| Power, Politics, and Society | ||
| Social Problems and Solutions (Mason Core) |
Advocacy and Lobbying Skills (maximum 6 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting | ||
| Introduction to the Government Contracting Industry | ||
| Creating Value for Business Stakeholders | ||
| Introduction to Political Communication | ||
| Case Studies in Persuasion | ||
| Persuasion | ||
| Special Topics in Advocacy (when relevant, with approval of minor advisor) | ||
| Communicating Dissent: Revolutions and Social Movements (Mason Core) | ||
| Argument and Public Policy | ||
| Dialogue and Difference | ||
| Negotiation | ||
| Community Engagement and Collaborative Problem Solving | ||
| Health Ethics, Leadership, and Advocacy | ||
| Administration in the Political System | ||
| Nonprofit Financial Planning | ||
| Public Policy Analysis | ||
| Issues in Public Policy and Administration | ||
| Social Movements and Community Activism (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Justice Consciousness and Action | ||
| Art as Social Action (Mason Core) | ||
| Youth Resistance and Advocacy | ||
| Research for Social Change (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Justice Education (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Innovation in Action | ||
| Community Engagement for Social Change (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Surveys and Attitude and Opinion Measurements (Mason Core) |
Internship/Experiential Learning (maximum 3 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Internship in Business (restricted to Costello students who meet the prerequisites) | ||
| Internship in Communication | ||
| Internship | ||
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Internship | ||
| Internship | ||
| Internship in Sociology I (Mason Core) |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Total Elective & Experiential Learning Credits | 9 | |