Schar School of Policy and Government

Schar School of Policy and Government
Name	Schar School of Policy and Government
Established	1988
Type	Public policy school
Parent	George Mason University
City	Fairfax
State	Virginia
Country	United States
Dean	Unspecified

Schar School of Policy and Government is a public policy and public administration institution located on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University. The school offers graduate and professional programs that connect practitioners from Washington, D.C., Arlington, and broader Virginia networks such as the Pentagon, the World Bank, and the Foreign Service. Its curricula and research engage with institutions including the White House, the United States Congress, the Department of Defense, and international organizations like the United Nations and NATO.

History

The school's origins trace to George Mason University's expansion during the late Cold War era, aligning with policy priorities set during the Reagan administration and post-Cold War transitions involving the Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact, and European Union integration. Early ties included collaborations with think tanks such as the Brookings Institution, the Heritage Foundation, and the American Enterprise Institute, while faculty exchanges involved scholars connected to Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University, and Columbia University. The school's evolution reflected debates from events like the Gulf War, the Maastricht Treaty negotiations, the Oslo Accords, and the Balkan conflicts, and its programs incorporated lessons from the 9/11 attacks, the Afghanistan War, and the Iraq War. Funders and partners have included foundations and agencies such as the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Homeland Security, fostering ties with institutions like the Federal Reserve, the International Monetary Fund, the World Health Organization, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Academic programs

The school offers professional degrees and certificates ranging from Master of Public Policy, Master of Public Administration, Master of International Policy, to PhD tracks with coursework informed by case studies from the Supreme Court, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Cross-listed electives draw on faculty affiliated with the Kennedy School, the Woodrow Wilson School, the London School of Economics, and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, while global study options have partnered with universities such as Sciences Po, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, and Peking University. Students pursue specialized concentrations tied to career pathways at the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, USAID, and UNICEF, and professional development often involves internships with the Department of State, the Department of Justice, NATO, and the European Commission.

Research centers and institutes

The school houses centers that collaborate with external entities like the RAND Corporation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Atlantic Council, and the Council on Foreign Relations. Research themes have addressed cybersecurity issues relevant to the National Security Agency, climate policy linked to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, public health policy with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and urban policy interacting with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Other institutes have engaged on election administration with the Federal Election Commission, criminal justice reform with the American Civil Liberties Union, immigration policy with the Migration Policy Institute, and energy policy in dialogue with the Department of Energy and OPEC studies.

Faculty and leadership

Faculty include scholars and practitioners with prior appointments or fellowships at institutions such as Stanford University, Duke University, the University of Chicago, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of California, Berkeley. Visiting professors and lecturers often come from the Supreme Court bar, the Office of Management and Budget, the Congressional Research Service, the International Criminal Court, and the World Bank. Leadership has involved deans and directors who have served in roles connected to presidents and secretaries across administrations, ambassadors to the United Nations, cabinet officials, and senior executives from corporations such as Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google.

Student life and admissions

Students participate in student government and professional societies that network with alumni at the Aspen Institute, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, the Carter Center, and the Clinton Foundation. Extracurriculars include model simulations drawing on the United Nations General Assembly, Model NATO exercises, moot court competitions associated with the American Bar Association, and policy labs that partner with local governments including Arlington County, Fairfax County, the City of Alexandria, and the District of Columbia. Admissions selectivity mirrors applicants with backgrounds from service in the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, small business founders, nonprofit leaders from Save the Children, Mercy Corps, and Oxfam, and graduates of institutions such as Brown University, Cornell University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Virginia.

Notable alumni and impact

Alumni have taken leadership roles across public, private, and nonprofit sectors including positions in the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, gubernatorial staffs, mayoral offices in New York City and Los Angeles, and executive roles at Chevron, Tesla, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase. Graduates have joined international missions for the United Nations, served as ambassadors to countries in Africa and Asia, led NGOs like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, and contributed to policy debates in outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, and Foreign Affairs. The school's networks extend to professional associations such as the American Political Science Association, the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, and the International Studies Association, amplifying influence on legislation like the Affordable Care Act, trade agreements like NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and major inquiries such as the 9/11 Commission and Congressional oversight hearings.

Category:George Mason University