Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement
All applicants to the Master of Arts in Global Affairs must present evidence of proficiency in a second language (other than English).
We recognize that each applicant will have different means for providing evidence of this proficiency. Therefore, this requirement of the MA application is handled on a case-by-case basis between applicants and the Global Affairs Program. Applicants are encouraged to contact globalma@gmu.edu for any questions or to discuss their particular language situation.
Mason offers language learning courses in Arabic, French, Chinese, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. Alongside the MA, students can enroll in an additional language course to learn any of these languages. Students can test their proficiency by taking a test, see Mason's Foreign Language Placement.
| In addition to indicating on the online application, applicants must also submit the Global Affairs MA Program Language Proficiency form with the provided evidence to globlama@gmu.edu. |
Evidence of language proficiency may be demonstrated by:
Applicants that completed a 202-level or higher language course at Mason have met the application requirement. The transcript will serve as evidence of proficiency.
Applicants with a conferred bachelor's degree in a foreign language have met the application requirement. The transcript will serve as evidence of proficiency.
Applicants with a conferred minor in a foreign language have met the application requirement. The transcript will serve as evidence of proficiency.
Applicants that do not have a bachelor’s degree or minor in a foreign language, but have completed language coursework at the advanced level from an accredited institution have met the application requirement. The transcript will serve as evidence of proficiency.
Applicants that graduated from an accredited secondary or post-secondary institution where the language of instruction was not English have met the application requirement. The transcript or diploma will serve as evidence of proficiency.
Applicants may pursue an Oral Proficiency Interview through the Language Testing International (LTI). These are proctored exams and the passing result should be submitted to globalma@gmu.edu. For detailed steps, please see here.
Applicants may pursue to complete the foreign language proficiency requirement during their time in the Global Affairs MA Program with approval from the program. For approval, contact globalma@gmu.edu. If approved, the student must submit the evidence of foreign language proficiency at the very latest in their final semester in the MA program, when applying to graduate. For options, please see here.