INTO Mason

INTO George Mason University and the Mason Global Center

Our Mission

As an integral member of the George Mason University Community, INTO Mason creates vibrant experiences for international students through transformational learning opportunities tailored to meet specific linguistic, academic and cultural needs. 

Overview

Located in the Mason Global Center, INTO Mason supports the outstanding academic programs offered by the university with

• a welcoming, interconnected community of students from across the U.S. and the world;
• strong student support programs; and
• state-of-the-art facilities with technology-assisted learning.

The innovative International Year One, Pathways and Academic English language programs offered at the Center are delivered by highly qualified Mason teaching faculty. INTO Mason also provides a breadth of academic preparation and support services designed specifically to meet the unique needs of its international students.

Academic Programs, Services & Administration

George Mason University offers academic International Year One and Pathways programs at the Fairfax, Arlington, and Songdo campuses as well as English Language programs based in Fairfax. All programs are administered through the Academic Division of INTO Mason, which functions as the academic department for English Language studies and services university-wide—reporting directly to the University Provost through the Academic Innovations and New Ventures unit. 

Academic Programs

There are three standing academic programs administered through the Academic Division of the INTO Mason joint venture:

• Undergraduate International Year One Program
• Graduate International Pathways Program
• Academic English Program

Each program has a specific curriculum and guidelines as indicated in the special sections for each program in the catalog.

Academic Advising and Services

Personalized support tailored to international students' educational, social, and cultural needs prepares them to progress with confidence as degree-seeking students. Programs operating through INTO Mason at the US-based campuses, also provide international students with learning experiences and services that promote academic, professional, and personal success.

Academic Administration

• Nicole J. Harris-Sealey, Ph.D., Academic Director
• Karyn E. Kessler, Ph.D., Associate Director, Curriculum and Instruction
• Bonnie Sylwester, Ph.D., Assistant Director, Academic Initiatives and Assessment
• James Jones, Assistant Director, Advising & Academic Services
• Benjamin Elwood, Program Manager, Academic English
• Christina Brady, Program Manager, Undergraduate International Year One
• Steven Harris-Scott, Ph.D., Program Manager, Graduate International Year One
• Kathy Rossell, Learning Resource Center Coordinator

Faculty

Highly qualified, full-time, George Mason University faculty regularly teach in the International Year One, Pathways and English Language Programs.

English Language Faculty

Term Assistant Professors: Kessler, Karyn; Moore, Patrick and Sanchez, Deborah

Term Instructors: Bobal, Christine; Brady, Christina; Driscoll, David; Dunaway, Sean; Elwood, Benjamin; Espino, Maggie; Harries, Emma; Hoyle, Stephen; Kim, Esther; Kirsch, Jane; Kohn, Ellen; Kozumplik, Thomas; Lilley, Timothy; McCamish, Troy; Miller, Laura; Musfeldt, Scott; Namubiru, Esther; Paez, Bonny; Pugh, John; Richardson, Mary; Rottenberg, Lori; Simmons, Noele; Skipper, Katherine; Smith, Michael and Steadman, Sarah.

Humanities Faculty

Term Assistant Professors: Harris-Scott, Steven; Harris-Sealey, Nicole; Lewis, Amy; Rose, Todd and Weinstein, Aimee.

Term Instructors: Graham, Robert; Jones, James; and McLagan, Kirsten. 

Affiliated Faculty: Coleson, Michael (Mathematics); Doestch-Kidder, Sharon (English); Habib, Anna (English); Mack, M Reese (English); Mills, Mallory; Moteaabed, Shora (Business) and Savage, James (English).

Center Facilities & Administration

Facilities

All Undergraduate International Year One students and many Academic English students may live in the Mason Global Center for their first year. The Mason Global Center opened in August 2014 and is the primary home for INTO George Mason University. This community connects domestic and international students for academic, language, cultural, and social exchange. The building includes residential accommodations for up to 270 international and domestic students; 17 classrooms; 100+ computers; wireless Internet throughout the center; a learning resource center with study materials, books, DVDs, and periodicals; a dining facility; lounge areas for meetings and study groups; and open spaces for socializing.

Administration

• Todd Rose, Ph.D., Executive Director
• Gerard Maguire, Finance Manager
• Julia Pfaff, Operations Manager
• Jessica Biddle, Student Experience Director
• Nana Bonsu, Marketing & Recruitment Manager
• Darshana Rogers, Enrollment Manager
• Nathan Dougan, Senior Systems Integration Manager
• Anne Owl, Human Resource Manager

Student Services & Orientation

Student Services

The INTO Mason Student Services provide a range of co-curricular programs and services promoting social and personal well-being. Upon arrival at Mason, the team helps students settle in to life in Fairfax and provides social opportunities and a variety of resources tailored to the specific needs of international students.

International Student Orientation

Orientation involves a variety of important events that prepare students to be successful at Mason, including information about maintaining visa status, registering for Mason classes, health requirements, and insurance coverage. All students must attend the INTO Mason Student Orientation in order to enroll in classes.

Undergraduate International Year One Program

The Undergraduate International Year One (InYO) Program combines academic coursework, English language support, and academic skills development in a carefully constructed program designed to prepare students for rigorous Mason degree programs. For most students, participation in IYO will not add more time to the completion of their bachelor's degree.

Three types of Undergraduate International Year One programs are available:

• One Term Program (Accelerated): This program is a single term of study. Upon completion of all progression requirements, students will move on to their degree-seeing program as second-semester freshmen (up to 16 credits).
• Two Term Program (Standard): This program is designed to lead students through their first year of study. Upon completion of all progression requirements, students will move on to their degree-seeking program as second-year, freshman (up to 29 credits) or as sophomore students (30 or more credits).
• Three Term Program (Comprehensive): This program is designed especially for International students who want to start earning credits toward their bachelor's degree at a US university while improving their English skills. Upon completion of all progression requirements, students will move on to their degree-seeking program as second-year, freshman (up to 29 credits) or as sophomore students (30 or more credits).

The Undergraduate International Year One Program is designed for students who:

• Desire to study for an undergraduate degree in the U.S.
• Need to improve their English language skills
• May have slightly lower GPAs than required of direct-entry students
• Desire additional academic, language, and cultural support in order to succeed during their first year at a U.S. university
• Any or all of the above

Administered through INTO Mason in partnership with the academic units across the university, the courses in the various Undergraduate International Year One programs are taught by highly qualified Mason instructional faculty members and supported by International Year One academic advisors.

Students enrolled in any Undergraduate International Year One program should review the program's student guidebook for specific details related to program requirements and expectations.

Admission

Admission to the Undergraduate International Year One (IYO) Program is offered to international and multilingual students by two methods:

• Students may apply directly through the INTO Mason admissions process OR
• By referral from the University Admissions Office due to not having met the grade point average, English language proficiency, or other requirements for direct admission.

The Undergraduate International Year One Program entry requirements are as follows:

• High school diploma
• 2.5 minimum high school GPA equivalent based on the applicant's country/institutional scale
• Documentation demonstrating the minimum English language proficiency levels:
  • One Term (Accelerated) International Year One Program:
    • TOEFL iBT 80 (17 minimum subscores in reading and writing)
    • IELTS 6.5 (6.0 minimum subscores in reading and writing)
    • PTE Academic 53
    • Successful completion of or waiver from Academic English Level 5
  • Two Term (Standard) International Year One Program:
    • TOEFL iBT 60 (13 minimum subscores in reading and listening)
    • IELTS 5.5 (5.5 minimum subscores in reading and listening)
    • PTE Academic 45
    • Successful completion of or waiver from Academic English Level 4
  • Three Term (Comprehensive) International Year One Program:
    • TOEFL iBT 50 (10 subscores)
    • IELTS 5.0 (4.5 subscores)
    • PTE Academic 41
    • Successful completion of or waiver from Academic English Level 3

Students should review the specific requirements by International Year One Program online for details.

Progression into Degree Status

Each International Year One (IYO) program has specific progression requirements for completion. These typically include a minimum grade point average and minimum individual course grades (no grades of W, NC, or I are permitted). Students should refer to the website for specific IYO program requirements. Students admitted to the university through an Undergraduate IYO program are required to complete all program requirements in order to maintain continuous enrollment.

Dismissal/Termination Appeals Process for INTO Mason Students

Students who do not meet all requirements for matriculation to their desired degree program at the end of their final term will be reviewed for termination from their Undergraduate International Year One program. Terminated students may initiate one of the following an academic action requests in writing:

1. request an exception to the program policy,
2. request to change to an alternate International Year One program, and/or
3. request an extension to continue studying as an Undergraduate International Year One Extender student for one additional term.

All terminated student academic action requests must be submitted in writing to the academic advising staff located in the Mason Global Center within 14 days of notification. Requests should provide an explanation and supplementary documentation. Students who earn two unsatisfactory grades of C or lower will be ineligible to continue as an Extender. Students who fail to meet the program requirements after an extension will be reviewed for dismissal from the university.

Decisions on these requests are reviewed and approved at the discretion of the Academic Director. In some cases, additional reviews by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education or Academic Initiatives and Services may be required.

Reenrollment and Readmission

Due to the nature of the Undergraduate International Year One Program as both English language development and academic coursework, students are subject to a limited reenrollment policy. Students who do not enroll after the first term or withdraw for reasons other than poor academic performance may request to reenroll in an International Year One program the following term (e.g., spring) to continue making progress toward meeting program requirements, with advance permission from the Academic Director. Students who do not enroll for two consecutive terms (e.g., spring and fall) must apply for readmission to the program and be re-assessed for language proficiency. Summer terms are counted for students whose initial enrollment begins in Spring semester.

Available Year One Programs & Majors

There are five Undergraduate International Year One programs available:

• Business, leading to 5 undergraduate majors in the School of Business
• Engineering, Computing & Statistics, leading to 10 undergraduate majors in the Volgenau School of Engineering
• Humanities and Social Sciences, leading to 21 undergraduate majors in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Visual and Performing Art's School of Music
• Human and Social Development, leading to 7 undergraduate majors in the College Health and Human Services, the College of Education and Human Development's School of Recreation and Tourism, and the School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution
• Science, leading to 13 undergraduate majors in the College of Science

Each program allows students to progress to preapproved undergraduate degree programs. For a full listing of specific academic programs associated with a specific International Year One Program, students should refer to the website for specific requirements.

Business

One Term Program Curriculum (Accelerated): Required Courses

Two Term Program Curriculum (Standard): Required Courses

Three Term Program Curriculum (Comprehensive): Required Courses

Engineering, Computer Science, and Statistics

Two Term Program Curriculum (Standard): Required and Major Courses

Three Term Program Curriculum (Comprehensive): Required and Major Courses

Humanities and Social Sciences

One Term Program Curriculum (Accelerated): Required Courses

Two Term Program Curriculum (Standard): Required Courses

Three Term Program Curriculum (Comprehensive): Required Courses

Human and Social Development

One Term Program Curriculum (Accelerated): Required Courses

Two Term Program Curriculum (Comprehensive): Required Courses

Three Term Program Curriculum (Comprehensive): Required Courses

Science

One Term Program Curriculum (Accelerated): Required Courses

Two Term Program Curriculum (Standard): Required and Major Courses

Three Term Program Curriculum (Comprehensive): Required Courses

Graduate International Pathways Program

The Graduate International Pathways Program is a pre-master's program that provides international students a path to various graduate degrees at George Mason University. The program gives students the academic foundation, essential language skills, and GRE test preparation (if required) to successfully move on to the master's degree. For most students, entering the Graduate International Pathways Program will add one additional semester to their overall master's degree program.

The following are the available Graduate International Pathways at INTO Mason:

• One Term Program (Accelerated): These programs lead students through their first semester. Upon completion of all matriculation requirements, students will move on to their degree-seeking program often with several graduate credits completed as determined by the graduate program.
• Two Term Program (Standard): These programs lead students through their first year. Upon completion of all matriculation requirements, students will move on to their degree-seeking program often with several graduate credits completed as determined by the graduate program.
• Three Term Program (Comprehensive):  This program is currently only available to students majoring in Accounting and is designed to start students a semester earlier than the standard 2-term program. In their first semester, students take Academic English classes along with one Accounting pre-requisite class and a language support class. Their second and third semesters then follow the standard 2-term program.
• Bridge Program: These programs provide foundational coursework designed to substitute for an additional year of undergraduate academic coursework, to render students with three-year baccalaureate degrees eligible to move on to their degree-seeking graduate program. Students will often move on to those degree-seeking programs with several graduate credits completed as determined by the graduate program.

Graduate International Pathways are designed for international students who:

• Need further English language development. Students who require a moderate amount of English language support can enter all available International Pathways to strengthen their language proficiency and ensure their long-term academic success
• Require a fourth year of undergraduate study. Students who hold three-year baccalaureate degrees that are not formally evaluated as equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree may enter select International Pathways programs. For these students, their Graduate International Pathway program acts as a "bridge" enhancing their international educational background with academic coursework to meet the eligibility for admission
• Fall short of meeting the minimum GPA or admission test score requirements
• Need to improve study skills for success in their chosen field of study
• Any or all of the above

Administered through INTO Mason in partnership with the academic units across the university, the courses in the various Graduate International Pathways are taught by highly qualified Mason instructional faculty members and supported by International Pathways academic advisors.

Students enrolled in any Graduate International Pathways program should review the program's student guidebook for specific details related to program requirements and expectations.

Admission

Admission to Graduate International Pathways programs are offered to international and multilingual students by two methods:

• Students may apply directly through the INTO Mason admissions process OR
• By referral from graduate admissions due to not having met the grade point average, English language proficiency, or other requirements for direct admission (cascade).

The minimum documentation required for admission include: application, mark sheets/transcripts (in English and the original language), degree certificates (in English and the original language) and other required items as stated in the program catalog supplement.

The typical Graduate International Pathways program entry requirements are as follows:

• An undergraduate degree equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree in a relevant field as specified by the particular International Pathways program;
• 2.75 minimum high school GPA equivalent based on the applicant's country/institutional scale; and
• Documentation demonstrating the minimum English proficiency levels as specified by the particular International Pathways program. The general minimum scores are as follows:
  • One Term (Accelerated) and Bridge International Pathways programs:
    • TOEFL iBT 75 – 85 (variable minimum subscores required for all but Engineering pathways)
    • IELTS 6.0 – 6.5 (variable minimum subscores required for all but Engineering pathways)
    • PTE Academic 52 – 58
    • Successful completion of or waiver from Academic English Level 6
  • Two Term (Standard) International Pathways programs:
    • TOEFL iBT 65 - 75 (variable minimum subscores required for all but Engineering pathways)
    • IELTS 5.5 - 6.5 (variable minimum subscores required for all but Engineering pathways)
    • PTE Academic 44 - 52
    • Successful completion of or waiver from Academic English Level 5
  • Three Term (Comprehensive) International Pathways program:
    • TOEFL iBT 60 (13 minimum subscores)
    • IELTS 5.5 (5.5 minimum subscores)
    • PTE Academic 45
    • Successful completion of or waiver from Academic English Level 4

Students who hold three year baccalaureate degrees may be eligible for select Graduate International Pathways Bridge programs. Students should review the specific requirements by pathway at the INTO Study website.

Graduate International Pathways & Associated Majors

There are currently 47 International Pathways available to graduate students, and some offer concentrations. Each allows students to progress to pre-approved graduate degree programs. For a full listing of specific academic programs associated with specific International Pathways, visit the INTO Study website.

• College of Education and Human Development (5 degree options)
• College of Health and Human Services (5 degree options)
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences (3 degree options)
• College of Science (9 degree options)
• College of Visual and Performing Arts (3 degree options)
• School of Business (4 degree options)
• School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (1 degree option)
• School of Policy, Government and International Affairs (2 degree options)
• Volgenau School of Engineering (15 degree options)

Curriculum

Prescribed courses for the Graduate International Pathways programs include approximately 10 - 13 credits for One-Term programs and 20 - 24 credits for Two-Term programs. The intent of these courses is to prepare students for the demands of the Mason graduate curriculum. Further, the prescribed courses may include up to 12 credits of coursework toward the student's graduate degree during their International Pathways term(s) of enrollment.

One Term (Accelerated) programs include the following courses:

In addition to the core coursework listed above, students will also take:

Students whose graduate degree program requires the GRE prior to completing the International Pathways program will also be required to take:

Two Term (Standard) programs include the following courses:

In addition to the coursework listed above, students will also take:

Students whose graduate degree program requires the GRE prior to completing the International Pathways program will also be required to take:

Three Term (Comprehensive) programs include the following courses:

Progression into Degree Status

Each International Pathway program has specific progression requirements for completion. These typically include a minimum grade point average and minimum individual course grades (no grades of NC or I are permitted). Students should refer to the INTO Study website for specific program requirements. Students admitted to the university through a Graduate International Pathways program are required to complete all program requirements in order to maintain continuous enrollment.

Dismissal/Termination Appeals Process for INTO Mason Students

Students who do not meet all requirements for matriculation to their desired degree program at the end of their final term will be reviewed for termination from their Graduate International Pathways program. Terminated students may initiate one of the following an academic action requests in writing:

1. request an exception to the program policy,
2. request to change to an alternate International Pathway program, and/or
3. request an extension to continue studying as a Graduate International Pathways Extender student for one additional term.

All terminated student academic action requests must be submitted in writing to the academic advising staff located in the Mason Global Center within 14 days of notification. Requests should provide an explanation and supplementary documentation. Students who earn two unsatisfactory grades of C or lower will be ineligible to continue as an Extender. Students who fail to meet the program requirements after an extension will be reviewed for dismissal from the university.

Decisions on these requests are reviewed and approved at the discretion of the Academic Director. In some cases, additional reviews by the Associate Provost for Graduate Education or from a College Dean may also be required.

Reenrollment and Readmission

Due to the nature of the Graduate International Pathways programs as both English language development and academic coursework, students are subject to a limited reenrollment policy. Students who do not enroll after the first term or withdraw for reasons other than poor academic performance may request to reenroll in an International Pathway program the following term (e.g., spring) to continue making progress toward meeting program requirements, with advance permission from the Academic Director. Students who do not enroll for two consecutive terms (e.g., spring and fall) must apply for readmission to the program and be re-assessed for language proficiency. Summer terms are counted for students whose initial enrollment begins in Spring semester.

Academic English Program

Administered by INTO George Mason University's English Language Programs, the Academic English (AE) Program, prepares international students for university study in the United States. The AE Program is designed to develop the English skills needed for successful communication, cultural integration, and participation in the academic environment of the university. Because AE is a non-credit program, some policies differ from degree- and non-degree seeking programs.

Admission

Students who apply to the AE Program must submit an application, application fee, and required documents through INTO Mason. In order to qualify for admission to the AE Program, students must demonstrate that they have earned at least a high school diploma.

Students have the option to apply for the AE or an International Year One (IYO) Program. Students who apply to an International Year One Program but do not demonstrate entry language requirements are given an individual pre-arrival study plan that provides an estimate of the number of Academic English terms to complete in order to fulfill International Year One entry requirements (AE + IYO). This pre-arrival study plan is only an estimate; an updated post-arrival study plan with a minimum of one term of AE will be provided to AE + IYO students after taking the INTO Mason Placement Test.

For more information about International Year One admission requirements, see Undergraduate International Year One Program or Graduate International Year One Program.

Program Outcomes

After successfully completing the upper level(s) of the Academic English program, students will be able to do the following:

• Interact comfortably in the U.S. classroom with professors and fellow students
• Understand U.S. values in an academic setting
• Present their spoken and written ideas accurately and effectively in English
• Write research papers with proper use of citations and references
• Use the Internet and Mason library databases to conduct academic research
• Read, understand, and critically evaluate academic texts
• Understand and use vocabulary common to academic disciplines
• Take useful and accurate notes in academic lectures and presentations
• Develop and deliver oral presentations

Program Structure

The Academic English Program is offered three terms per year: Fall (15 weeks of instruction), Spring (15 weeks of instruction), and Summer (10 weeks of instruction). Upon arrival, all Academic English students are given a language proficiency assessment to determine their AE level placement. In order to be eligible for full-time status, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 18 hours of non-credit AE coursework per week. AE courses are offered at eight levels of proficiency regularly throughout the year.

AE faculty are highly qualified with significant teaching experience and master's and doctoral degrees in TESOL or related fields. The program is also supported by academic advisors experienced in working with multilingual speakers of English and the Student Experience staff, who help students utilize university resources and engage in the Mason experience through opportunities to participate in campus and local community groups/programs.

Curriculum

In keeping with the current literature on second language acquisition and pedagogy, the Academic English curriculum is aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference scales (CEFR), American Council on The Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines 2012, and the Pearson Global Scale of English (GSE) Learning Objectives for Academic English. Curricular objectives and learning outcomes for each of the eight AE levels are geared toward an exit goal that is one level higher than the entrance level.

All students, regardless of level, take one Core, one Oral Communication Skills (OCS), and one or two Elective courses for a minimum of 18 classroom hours per week. Core courses focus on reading and writing with additional attention to written grammar and vocabulary. OCS courses focus on listening and speaking with additional attention to pronunciation and oral grammar and vocabulary. Elective courses offer students a variety of content-based and skills-based instruction and can be selected by students enrolled in appropriate co-requisite Core or OCS courses.

Grading System for Academic English

Throughout the semester, students are assessed on how well they have met curricular learning outcomes. Midterm and final grades for all Academic English courses are submitted to the University as letter grades.

Grade point average (GPA) is an important factor in determining program-to-program progression and evaluating academic standing.  

In-Program Level Progression

In Core and OCS courses, students must receive a passing final grade (A+, A, A-, B+, B, or B-) in order to advance to the next level of Core/OCS. If a student has performed exceptionally well in Core/OCS, the instructor may submit an AE Level Skip Form requesting that the student skip a Core/OCS level in the subsequent semester.

Program-to-Program Progression

In order for an AE + Year One student to progress to his/her planned Year One program, the student must earn for the most current AE semester a 2.5 or higher term GPA and a final passing grade (A+, A, A-, B+, B, or B-) of specified levels of Core and OCS. AE only students must meet the same language requirements for progression and submit other documentation as required by the prospective Year One program.

AE students applying for direct admission to George Mason University must earn a final passing grade (A+, A, A-, B+, B, or B-) of specified levels of Core and OCS to meet entry language proficiency requirements.

AE Language Requirements for INTO Mason International Year One programs and Mason Direct Admission

* Information in the chart above only shows program eligibility based on language proficiency requirements met.

Academic English students may not level skip directly into an International Year One (IYO) program or direct admission the following semester. Even if a student is approved to skip into an Academic English level beyond what is required for the desired IYO program or direct admission, the student must complete the subsequent semester in the AE Program first. Students also have the option of submitting official TOEFL/IELTS/PTE Academic scores to George Mason University in lieu of meeting the AE program-to-program progression requirements, but must still maintain good standing in the AE Program.

Attendance and Academic Probation

In order to make progress in developing academic language skills, students are expected to attend classes regularly and remain in good academic standing.

Attendance

Students with excessive absences in a course (more than 15%) will automatically receive an NG as a final course grade:

A final grade of NG in an AE course will result in probation and/or termination from the AE Program and George Mason University:

Academic Progress

Students are expected to make satisfactory progress in developing their language skills and may not attempt the same Core or OCS course more than three times. Academic progress is determined primarily through term GPA. Students whose GPAs fall below 2.5 will be given a warning, placed on probation, and/or terminated from the AE Program and George Mason University:

Termination Appeals Process for INTO Mason Students

All termination appeals must be submitted in writing to the INTO Mason Academic Services office located in the Mason Global Center within 14 days of notification. Requests should provide an explanation and supplementary documentation. Students who fail to meet the program requirements after an additional semester will be reviewed for termination from the university.

Decisions on these requests are reviewed and approved at the discretion of the Academic Director. In some cases, additional reviews by the Associate Provost for Academic Initiatives and Services may also be required.

Reenrollment and Readmission

Academic English students who do not enroll after the first term or withdraw for reasons other than poor academic performance (e.g., spring and fall) must apply for readmission to the program and be reassessed for language proficiency upon return.

Academic English

English for Academic Purposes

International Year One