Admissions Blog

The Organization Development and Knowledge Management (ODKM) program came to my attention by chance. After telling the Vice President of my department that I wanted to study some kind of ‘corporate anthropology,’ he mentioned that his wife did a program at George Mason that sounded like what I wanted. After checking out the website and speaking with Professor Ann Baker, I was sold.

People always ask me, “Oh, so what are you doing a Master’s in? Where are you going to school? Why did you choose the Master’s in Public Policy (MPP)?”
Well, there are several reasons… not just one.

I can recall several meetings with mentors and school advisors during undergrad spent discussing my future career goals and plans. A reoccurring theme was the necessity for further education – mainly, that I would eventually go back to school for an MBA. Given that I was a marketing student and always had a knack for business, it seemed natural for me to pursue such a degree. I thought about all the great CEOs and business professionals that I had studied and ambitiously imagined myself reaching their level in the future with the help of solid work experience, my drive to succeed and an MBA.

I never realized my dream. Instead, I created an even better one.

I come from the Republic of Georgia. Why did I become interested in SPP? Well, I want to learn how to plan, implement and evaluate public policies. What the MPP degree has already given me is a deep sense and understanding of policy development techniques, knowledge about various conditions for success in policy development and a variety of professional skills that I believe will be useful wherever I end up working in the future.

One of the key features of SPP that attracted me was that the programs are tailored toward working adults, such as me. When I was admitted in the Fall of 2006, my career was on a great fast track. I didn't want to give that up to continue my education. I loved my job. Furthermore, my job was IN public policy. What could be a more fantastic opportunity than applying what I learned in the classroom immediately to my everyday life and vice versa?

Applying to graduate school is an important decision. There are many factors that can play into your decision such as curriculum needs, course schedule, location of classes, etc. Along with those decisions, one also needs to consider how strong of an applicant he/she is and this can be both nerve-racking and exciting at the same time.

We've had a very good start to the new academic year, including welcoming a record number of incoming students to our five master's programs. Just before the start of the semester the School hosted an orientation for the entering students, beginning with a welcome breakfast with the Dean and faculty. Students then broke into smaller groups and were guided through various information sessions to equip them for dealing with all the rigors of graduate study. Students enthusiastically embraced this opportunity to launch their graduate careers with confidence and to settle into a new experience.

The School of Public Policy (SPP) offers a variety of Study Abroad opportunities every year. These include trips to Mexico, India, South Africa and Oxford. The program based in South Africa has been particularly successful. Student Jenny Whitmar commented that:

New graduate students have a lot to do in preparation for their first semester. There are forms to complete, meetings to attend, books to buy and much more. To keep track of all these tasks the SPP Student Services Office has created a New Student Webpage. On this page you can find answers to some frequently asked questions, such as where to find your course syllabus, where you can buy your books, how to register or get on a waitlist, etc. If you have any additional questions please remember that you have a valuable resource in your Academic Adviser.

A little over a year ago I decided to study abroad. I hadn't taken the opportunity to do so during my undergraduate years, so I wanted to take advantage of the many study abroad options we have as SPP students here at George Mason. My initial interest was to study in Cuba, though the State Department would not allow GMU SPP to offer the program. Having studied Spanish in college, Mexico seemed like the next logical option if I wanted to brush up on my language skills and visit Latin America.