The bachelor of arts in Integrative Studies brings together research, theory and practice across numerous disciplines. Integrative studies majors select a multidisciplinary concentration or work with student services staff to develop their own concentration, uniquely suited to their academic and career goals. Integrative studies majors explore new topics and experiences while gaining the knowledge and skills needed to enter the workforce. Required coursework is offered in small classes with ample room for discussion, collaborative learning, and experiential learning, including in-community projects, volunteer opportunities, field work, internships and work with faculty on research that directly engages current social and global challenges.
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on program requirements and courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes. Requirements may be different for earlier catalog years. See the University Catalog archives.
Integrative studies students may fulfill lower level Mason Core requirements through approved integrative studies (INTS) coursework. Students pursuing a BA in integrative studies must complete a minimum of 30 credits of (INTS) coursework, with at least 18 credits at the 300 and 400 levels. These 30 INTS credits fulfill the writing intensive and synthesis Mason Core requirements. In addition, students must complete ENGH 302 Advanced Composition (Mason Core).
Total credits: minimum 120
Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.
Integrative studies students complete INTS 391 Understanding Integrative Studies and choose a concentration from the options below. Before registering, students should see an advisor to help plan their degree program to meet Mason requirements. The advisor also can help students choose electives or a minor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 391 | Understanding Integrative Studies | 3 |
A concentration is the equivalent of a major in a traditional degree program. Students choose from an established multidisciplinary concentration below or create with faculty an individualized program of study to fit their interests and needs. Concentration coursework combines integrative studies (INTS) classes with coursework from other Mason units (departments, schools, and colleges). While fulfilling the concentration requirements, students are also responsible for completing a minimum of 30 credits of INTS coursework. Any INTS courses required for the concentration will apply. Students must present a minimum GPA of 2.00 in courses applied to the concentration.
Students complete the following coursework:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 312 | Images and Experiences of Childhood: Social Construct, Literature, and Film | 3-6 |
| INTS 316 | Introduction to Childhood Studies (Mason Core) | 4 |
| INTS 317 | Issues in Family Relationships (Mason Core) | 4 |
| PSYC 100 | Basic Concepts in Psychology (Mason Core) | 3 |
| PSYC 211 | Developmental Psychology (Mason Core) | 3 |
| PSYC 313 | Child Development | 3 |
| STAT 250 | Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core) | 3-4 |
| or SOCI 313 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (Mason Core) | |
| Total Credits | 23-27 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses from the following: | 9-18 | |
| Critical Study of Children's Literature | ||
HEAL 350 |
Interventions for Populations and Communities at Risk | |
| Conflict Resolution and Transformation | ||
| Violence and Gender | ||
| Contemporary Youth Studies (Mason Core) | ||
| Construction of Differences: Race, Class, and Gender (Mason Core) | ||
| Parent-Child Relations (Mason Core) | ||
| The Nonprofit Sector (Mason Core) | ||
NUTR 295 |
Introduction to Nutrition (Mason Core) | |
NUTR 420 |
Strategies for Nutrition Education | |
NUTR 421 |
Community Nutrition | |
NUTR 422 |
Nutrition throughout the Life Cycle | |
NUTR 423 |
Nutrition and Chronic Illnesses | |
NUTR 466 |
Nutrition and Weight Management: Obesity, Anorexia, and Bulimia | |
| Adolescent Development | ||
| Personality Theory | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Gender | ||
SOCW 415 |
Child and Family Welfare | |
| Sociology of Delinquency | ||
| Youth Culture and Society | ||
other relevant courses with approval of advisor |
||
| Total Credits | 9-18 | |
Students complete the following coursework:
All students must demonstrate language proficiency at the intermediate level through coursework (a Mason course numbered 202) or proficiency testing.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 303 | Introduction to International Studies (Mason Core) | 3 |
| INTS 362 | Social Justice and Human Rights (Mason Core) | 3 |
| INTS 435 | Leadership in a Changing Environment | 3-4 |
| or INTS 406 | Global Leadership (Mason Core) | |
| Total Credits | 9-10 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Global Perspectives on Spirituality and Healing (Mason Core) | ||
| Religion and Politics | ||
| Religion, Values, and Globalization | ||
| Women in the World's Religions | ||
| Comparative Study of Religions (Mason Core) | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
GGS 302 |
Global Environmental Hazards | |
GGS 303 |
Geography of Resource Conservation (Mason Core) | |
GGS 304 |
Population Geography (Mason Core) | |
GGS 305 |
Economic Geography | |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Civilizations | ||
| Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Globalization (Mason Core) | ||
| Globalization and Culture | ||
| Introduction to Global Affairs (Mason Core) | ||
| Digital Futures | ||
| Globalization and Society (Mason Core) | ||
| Globalization and Social Change (Mason Core) | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3-6 | |
| Sustainable World (Mason Core) | ||
| Environmental Justice (Mason Core) | ||
| Conservation Biology (Mason Core) | ||
| Plants and People - Sustenance, Ceremony, and Sustainability | ||
| Global Environmental Ethics (Mason Core) | ||
| Total Credits | 3-6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Political Anthropology (Mason Core) | ||
GGS 301 |
Political Geography | |
GOVT 322 |
International Relations Theory | |
| An Experiential Approach to American Foreign Policy | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3-6 | |
| Law and Justice (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Movements and Community Activism (Mason Core) | ||
| Conflict, Trauma and Healing (Mason Core) | ||
| Spirituality and Conflict Transformation (Mason Core) | ||
| Refugee and Internal Displacement (Mason Core) | ||
INTS 417 |
Human Trafficking and the International Community | |
| Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World | ||
| Total Credits | 3-6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
DANC 118 |
World Dance (Mason Core) | |
DANC 318 |
Global Perspectives: World Dance Forms (Mason Core) | |
| Global Voices (Mason Core) | ||
| The Idea of a World Literature (Mason Core) | ||
| World Literatures in English | ||
MUSI 103 |
Musics of the World (Mason Core) | |
| Art as Social Action (Mason Core) | ||
| Art, Beauty, and Culture (Mason Core) (Students take 3 credits.) | ||
THR 359 |
World Stages (Mason Core) | |
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three electives 1 | 9-12 | |
| Total Credits | 9-12 | |
| 1 | Students take three additional courses focused on an international area of their interest with the advice and approval of an adviser. |
Understanding the interdisciplinary nature of leadership and its application to personal, organizational and societal development
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 204 | Leadership Theory and Practice | 4 |
| INTS 435 | Leadership in a Changing Environment | 4 |
| Total Credits | 8 | |
Developing a heighted sense of self, including: inner knowledge, core values, intersecting identities, well-being, and impact on others
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Women and Leadership | ||
| Mindfullness, Meaning Well-Being | ||
| Science of Well Being | ||
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
Understanding ethical approaches to leadership and change, and applying ethics in personal and organizational processes
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Ethics and Leadership | ||
| Business Ethics | ||
| Ethics and Economics | ||
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
Understanding team and organizational learning
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Work Effectiveness Skills | ||
| The Nonprofit Sector (Mason Core) | ||
MBUS 301 |
Managing People and Organizations in a Global Economy | |
| Social Psychology (Mason Core) | ||
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
Demonstrating competence in personal and professional communication
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Public Speaking and Critical Thinking Skills (Mason Core) | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Issues in Intercultural Communication | ||
| Nonverbal Communication | ||
MBUS 302 |
Managing Information in a Global Economy | |
MIS 303 |
Introduction to Business Information Systems (Mason Core) | |
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select four courses from the following: | 12-18 | |
ACCT 203 |
Survey of Accounting | |
ACCT 303 |
Accounting for Decision Making | |
BULE 303 |
Legal Environment of Business | |
BUS 210 |
Business Analytics I | |
BUS 303 |
Develop Professional Skills II: Advanced Elements | |
BUS 310 |
Business Analytics II | |
FNAN 303 |
Financial Management | |
| Social Movements and Community Activism (Mason Core) | ||
| Conflict Resolution and Transformation | ||
| The Nonprofit Sector (Mason Core) | ||
| Foundations of Resilience and Well-Being | ||
INTS 451 |
Leadership and Organizational Problem-Solving | |
INTS 406 |
Global Leadership (Mason Core) | |
| Work Effectiveness Skills | ||
| Principles of Fund Raising | ||
MIS 303 |
Introduction to Business Information Systems (Mason Core) | |
MKTG 303 |
Principles of Marketing | |
OM 303 |
Operations Management | |
| Social Psychology (Mason Core) | ||
| The Future of Work | ||
Other relevant courses with approval of advisor |
||
| Total Credits | 12-18 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 202 | Public Speaking and Critical Thinking Skills (Mason Core) | 4 |
| GOVT 103 | Introduction to American Government (Mason Core) | 3 |
| PHIL 173 | Logic and Critical Thinking | 3 |
| INTS 300 | Law and Justice (Mason Core) | 3 |
| GOVT 301 | Public Law and the Judicial Process | 3 |
| PHIL 311 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| BULE 303 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| Total Credits | 22 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
GOVT 407 |
Law and Society | |
GOVT 422 |
Constitutional Interpretation | |
GOVT 423 |
Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties | |
GOVT 443 |
Law and Ethics of War | |
GOVT 446 |
International Law and Organization | |
GOVT 452 |
Administrative Law and Procedures | |
| Constitutional Law: Criminal Process and Rights | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses from the following: | 9-16 | |
| Public Speaking (Mason Core) | ||
| Case Studies in Persuasion | ||
| Persuasion | ||
| Journalism Law | ||
| Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core) | ||
| Contemporary Macroeconomic Principles (Mason Core) | ||
| Money and Banking | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| International Economics (Mason Core) | ||
| Law and Economics | ||
GOVT 307 |
Legislative Behavior | |
GOVT 420 |
American Political Thought | |
| Leadership Theory and Practice | ||
| Social Movements and Community Activism (Mason Core) | ||
| Conflict Resolution and Transformation | ||
| Social Justice and Human Rights (Mason Core) | ||
| Poverty, Wealth and Inequality in the US (Mason Core) | ||
| Refugee and Internal Displacement (Mason Core) | ||
| Work Effectiveness Skills | ||
| Bioethics (Mason Core) | ||
| Criminology | ||
| Sociology of Delinquency | ||
Other relevant courses with approval of advisor |
||
| Total Credits | 9-16 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 9 credits of ENGH, including ENGH 101 or ENGH 302 and one literature course | 9 | |
| 3 credits of oral communication | 3 | |
| 12 credits of natural science (must include a lab science and coursework from at least two scientific disciplines) | 12 | |
| 12 credits of mathematics or statistics (only 3 credits of statistics or probability can be accepted) | 12 | |
| 3 credits of ECON coursework | 3 | |
| 3 credits of U.S. history | 3 | |
| 3 credits of GGS 103 Human Geography | 3 | |
| 3 credits of American government (GOVT 103 or 304) | 3 | |
| 3 credits of HIST 100 or HIST 125 | 3 | |
| 3 credits of ARTH, AVT, MUSI, or THR coursework | 3 | |
| 3 credits of PHIL, RELI, or FRLN coursework | 3 | |
| Minimum of 9 credits of EDCI, ECED, EDUC, EDLE, EDSE, or EDRD coursework | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 66 | |
Students complete a minimum of 33 credits of coursework.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 203 | Inquiry for Action: Facilitating Change (Mason Core) | 4-6 |
| or INTS 450 | Social Innovation in Action | |
| INTS 435 | Leadership in a Changing Environment | 4 |
| Total Credits | 8-10 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two social impact courses from the following: | 6-8 | |
| Social Movements and Community Activism (Mason Core) | ||
| Environmental Justice (Mason Core) | ||
| Art as Social Action (Mason Core) | ||
| Community Engagement for Social Change (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Problems and Solutions (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Inequality (Mason Core) | ||
| Total Credits | 6-8 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two enterprise courses from the following: | 7-8 | |
AMGT 410 |
Arts Advocacy and Community | |
GOVT 353 |
Social Entrepreneurship | |
MBUS 304 |
Entrepreneurship: Starting and Managing a New Enterprise | |
| Total Credits | 7-8 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one policy course from the following: | 3-6 | |
GOVT 351 |
Administration in the Political System | |
GOVT 364 |
Public Policy Making | |
| Digital Futures | ||
| Food Systems and Policy (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Justice Education (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Movements and Political Protest | ||
| Power, Politics, and Society | ||
| Total Credits | 3-6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one nonprofit course from the following: | 4 | |
GOVT 358 |
Nonprofit Financial Planning | |
| The Nonprofit Sector (Mason Core) | ||
| Principles of Fund Raising | ||
| Total Credits | 4 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one ethics course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Free Speech and Ethics (Mason Core) | ||
| Ethics and Leadership | ||
| Global Environmental Ethics (Mason Core) | ||
| Business Ethics | ||
| Theories of Ethics | ||
| Ethics and Economics | ||
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
Students complete the following coursework:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 337 | Social Justice Consciousness and Personal Transformation | 3 |
| INTS 362 | Social Justice and Human Rights (Mason Core) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select a minimum of 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Poverty, Wealth and Inequality in the US (Mason Core) | ||
| Gender Representation in Popular Culture (Mason Core) | ||
INTS 438 |
Representations of Race (Mason Core) | |
| Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World | ||
WMST 208 |
Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies | |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Refugee and Internal Displacement (Mason Core) | ||
INTS 417 |
Human Trafficking and the International Community | |
| Refugees (Mason Core) | ||
CONF 394 |
Human Rights and Inequality | |
| Human Rights and Justice | ||
| Stories of Gender, Race, and Social Action | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| INTS 334 | Environmental Justice (Mason Core) | 3-4 |
| or INTS 338 | Animal Rights and Humane Education | |
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 7-8 credits from the following: | 7-8 | |
| Social Movements and Community Activism (Mason Core) | ||
| Art as Social Action (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Justice Education (Mason Core) | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Social Movements and Political Protest | ||
| Total Credits | 7-8 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 9 credits from the following: | 9 | |
Any course chosen from the above categories not already taken to meet a concentration requirement |
||
| Special Topics in African and African American Studies (when topic is relevant with prior written approval of advisor) | ||
| Scientific Racism and Human Variation | ||
| Environment and Culture | ||
| Gender, Sexuality, and Culture | ||
| Gender, Race, and Class in the Media | ||
| Globalization and Culture | ||
EDUC 203 |
Disability in American Culture (Mason Core) | |
EVPP 436 |
The Human Dimensions of Global Climate Change | |
| Multilingualism, Identity, and Power (Mason Core) | ||
GOVT 445 |
Human Rights | |
HIST 337 |
Race and Gender in American Sports | |
| Basketball and the American Experience | ||
| Women in Islamic Society (Mason Core) | ||
| Sustainable World (Mason Core) | ||
| Law and Justice (Mason Core) | ||
| Conflict Resolution and Transformation | ||
| Violence and Gender | ||
| Spirituality and Conflict Transformation (Mason Core) | ||
| Introduction to Childhood Studies (Mason Core) | ||
| Construction of Differences: Race, Class, and Gender (Mason Core) | ||
| Neighborhood, Community, and Identity (Mason Core) | ||
| Leadership in a Changing Environment | ||
INTS 437 |
Critical Race Studies (Mason Core) | |
| Global Environmental Ethics (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Movements and Political Protest | ||
| Contemporary Gender Relations | ||
| Globalization and Social Change (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Inequality (Mason Core) | ||
| Education in Contemporary Society | ||
| Introduction to Women and Gender Studies (Mason Core) | ||
| Women and Work | ||
| Queer Theory | ||
other relevant course with prior written approval of advisor |
||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 103 | Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core) | 3 |
| ECON 104 | Contemporary Macroeconomic Principles (Mason Core) | 3 |
| GGS 103 | Human Geography (Mason Core) | 3 |
| GOVT 103 | Introduction to American Government (Mason Core) | 3 |
| HIST 121 | Formation of the American Republic (Mason Core) | 3 |
| HIST 125 | Introduction to World History (Mason Core) | 3 |
| Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| History of Virginia to 1800 | ||
| History of Virginia Since 1800 | ||
| Development of Modern America (Mason Core) | ||
| Select 9 credits of upper-division HIST coursework | 9 | |
| Select 6 credits of GGS coursework | 6 | |
| Select 15 credits from the following: | 15 | |
| An Experiential Approach to American Foreign Policy | ||
| Total Credits | 51 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| WMST 200 | Introduction to Women and Gender Studies (Mason Core) | 3 |
| WMST 330 | Theoretical Perspectives in Women and Gender Studies | 3 |
| WMST 410 | Feminist Approaches to Social Research | 3 |
| Queer and Sexuality Studies | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
WMST 208 |
Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies | |
| Current Issues in Women and Gender Studies 1 | ||
| Queer Theory | ||
WMST 407 |
Transnational Sexualities | |
WMST 408 |
Gender, Sexuality, and Human Rights | |
WMST 409 |
Gender, Sexuality, and International Migration | |
WMST 412 |
Challenging Pride: Bias Within the LGBTQ Community | |
| Current Topics in Women and Gender Studies 1 | ||
| Race and Intersectionality | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Environmental Justice (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Justice and Human Rights (Mason Core) | ||
| Refugee and Internal Displacement (Mason Core) | ||
INTS 437 |
Critical Race Studies (Mason Core) | |
INTS 438 |
Representations of Race (Mason Core) | |
| Social Inequality (Mason Core) | ||
| Black Social Movements: Gendering of Violence and Activism | ||
| Women During the Enslavement Era | ||
WMST 316 |
Gendered Pan-Africanism | |
| Social Dynamics of Family Violence | ||
| Gender and Violence in Social Institutions | ||
Other WMST special topics courses with advisor approval |
||
| Activism and Advocacy | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Social Movements and Community Activism (Mason Core) | ||
| Violence and Gender | ||
| Social Justice Consciousness and Personal Transformation | ||
| Art as Social Action (Mason Core) | ||
INTS 417 |
Human Trafficking and the International Community | |
| Social Justice Education (Mason Core) | ||
| Community Engagement for Social Change (Mason Core) | ||
| Social Movements and Political Protest | ||
| Black Social Movements: Gendering of Violence and Activism | ||
INTS special topics courses with advisor approval |
||
| History and Culture | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-6 | |
| Gender, Sexuality, and Culture | ||
| Gender, Race, and Class in the Media | ||
HIST 337 |
Race and Gender in American Sports | |
| U.S. Women's History | ||
| Women in Islamic Society (Mason Core) | ||
| Temptress: Constructs of Sex and Power | ||
| Philosophy, Race, and Gender | ||
| Women in the World's Religions | ||
| Women and Work | ||
| Black Social Movements: Gendering of Violence and Activism | ||
| Women During the Enslavement Era | ||
WMST 316 |
Gendered Pan-Africanism | |
Other WMST special topics courses with advisor approval |
||
| Electives | ||
| Select four courses from the following: | 12-14 | |
| Asian American Women Writers (Mason Core) | ||
| Topics in Communication and Gender | ||
| Topics: Women and Literature | ||
| Cultural Constructions of Sexualities | ||
HEAL 327 |
Women's Health | |
| Images and Experiences of Childhood: Social Construct, Literature, and Film | ||
| Issues in Family Relationships (Mason Core) | ||
| Contemporary Youth Studies (Mason Core) | ||
| Parent-Child Relations (Mason Core) | ||
| Women and Leadership | ||
| Topics in Environmental Philosophy (Mason Core) | ||
| Psychology of Gender | ||
| Contemporary Gender Relations | ||
THR 424 |
Contemporary Women Playwrights | |
Courses in above areas not already taken |
||
| Special Topics 2 | ||
| Feminist Approaches to Social Research 2 | ||
| Feminist Theories across the Disciplines 2 | ||
| Transnational and Global Feminisms 2 | ||
| Total Credits | 33-41 | |
| 1 | Various special topics courses with the approval of the undergraduate advisor. |
| 2 | Six credits of WMST 600 Special Topics, WMST 610 Feminist Approaches to Social Research, WMST 630 Feminist Theories across the Disciplines, or WMST 640 Transnational and Global Feminisms may apply to elective requirement for students accepted into the accelerated master's degree in interdisciplinary studies (MAIS) with a concentration in women and gender studes. |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| With approval of the executive director, students may construct an individualized concentration. | 30 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Any remaining credits may be completed with electives to bring the degree total to 120.