BIS in Individualized Study

The BIS program offers you a distinctive opportunity to complete your degree.

BIS has a flexible curriculum: As a BIS student you create an interdisciplinary concentration to meet your own educational needs.

BIS has mechanisms for translating nontraditional academic experiences into credit: As a BIS student you will be able to integrate your previous experiences into university course work.

Through the BIS degree, you can advance professionally, prepare for graduate or professional school, or position yourself for a career change. The advisers and faculty are committed to helping you build on your life experience to create a satisfying and rewarding degree program.

Major Map

	First Year	Middle Years	Last Year
Academics	Take required courses. Make a connection with a professor. Meet with your academic advisor at least once each semester your first year. Small classroom learning in this major Scholarships	Meet with your advisor to choose courses and stay on track with meeting degree requirements Declare/consider declaring your concentration Consider a double major or a minor Is a Bachelor to Accelerated Master's (BAM) program right for you? Apply as early as 60 credits! Reach out to faculty for research mentorship.	Work closely with your advisor to verify you are meeting your graduation requirements. Apply for graduation Consider taking INTS 490: Internship Consider submitting your research to CHSS Research Symposium
Career and Professional Prep	Visit the Career Services Center to start research on the types of jobs or industries you may find interesting (ex. nonprofit, and more). Build a resume and LinkedIn profile to continue career exploration and develop your professional persona. Activate your Handshake profile to explore and opt-in to industry email lists. Start talking to professionals and faculty members via informational interviews to gain insight on their path through their career.	Enroll in INTS 420: College to Career Skills. Look for internship opportunities using University Career Services and Handshake. Have an internship? Enroll in INTS 490: Internship to receive credit for internship. Discuss with multiple faculty and current professionals in the work force whether graduate school might be the right path for you. Consider graduate or professional schools in the United States or abroad. Prepare standardized admission tests for graduate or professional schools, if necessary. Apply for scholarships and fellowships. Create your own Career Advisory Board (pdf). Join student organizations related to your career field. Talk to your professors about your goals, and ask them about job or internship opportunities. Connect with Mason alumni who share your career interests and have a career conversation (docx) with them. Use job search sites specific to your career field. Attend career fairs and employer events where you can meet multiple representatives. International Students: Be informed of the latest immigration compliance rules and regulations for on-campus and off-campus work authorization. Contact the Office of International Programs and Services (OIPS) for more information.	Specify prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 9 months before graduation. Finalize materials for post-graduation employment (such as your LinkedIn page, a portfolio, etc). For graduate school applications, prepare statement of purpose/goals statement, resume and/or CV, and notify the writers of your letters of recommendation several weeks before application deadlines
Experiences	Attend a meeting of (department-sponsored student club) to meet fellow majors and get involved in LinkedIn and on Mason360. Consider joining at least one Mason student org. Check them all out on Mason 360. Look ahead to planning a student abroad program through the Global Education Office. In the meantime, see what Northern Virginia and Washington DC have to offer!	Meet people and become involved in the life of the college. Explore events and news for your major. Strengthen your leadership competency. Become a CHSS Ambassador. Become a CHSS Undergraduate Learning Assistant.	Attend a regional or national research conference (Search for student discounts or complimentary for conference registration). Join professional associations (student discount membership may be available).

First Year

Middle Years

Last Year

Academics

Take required courses.

Make a connection with a professor.

Meet with your academic advisor at least once each semester your first year.

Small classroom learning in this major

Scholarships

Meet with your advisor to choose courses and stay on track with meeting degree requirements

Declare/consider declaring your concentration

Consider a double major or a minor

Is a Bachelor to Accelerated Master's (BAM) program right for you? Apply as early as 60 credits!

Reach out to faculty for research mentorship.

Work closely with your advisor to verify you are meeting your graduation requirements.

Apply for graduation

Consider taking INTS 490: Internship

Consider submitting your research to CHSS Research Symposium

Career and Professional Prep

Visit the Career Services Center to start research on the types of jobs or industries you may find interesting (ex. nonprofit, and more).

Build a resume and LinkedIn profile to continue career exploration and develop your professional persona.

Activate your Handshake profile to explore and opt-in to industry email lists.

Start talking to professionals and faculty members via informational interviews to gain insight on their path through their career.

Enroll in INTS 420: College to Career Skills.

Look for internship opportunities using University Career Services and Handshake.

Have an internship? Enroll in INTS 490: Internship to receive credit for internship.

Discuss with multiple faculty and current professionals in the work force whether graduate school might be the right path for you.

Consider graduate or professional schools in the United States or abroad.

Prepare standardized admission tests for graduate or professional schools, if necessary.

Apply for scholarships and fellowships.

Create your own Career Advisory Board (pdf).

Join student organizations related to your career field.

Talk to your professors about your goals, and ask them about job or internship opportunities.

Connect with Mason alumni who share your career interests and have a career conversation (docx) with them.

Use job search sites specific to your career field.

Attend career fairs and employer events where you can meet multiple representatives.

International Students: Be informed of the latest immigration compliance rules and regulations for on-campus and off-campus work authorization. Contact the Office of International Programs and Services (OIPS) for more information.

Specify prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 9 months before graduation.

Finalize materials for post-graduation employment (such as your LinkedIn page, a portfolio, etc).

For graduate school applications, prepare statement of purpose/goals statement, resume and/or CV, and notify the writers of your letters of recommendation several weeks before application deadlines

Experiences

Attend a meeting of (department-sponsored student club) to meet fellow majors and get involved in LinkedIn and on Mason360.

Consider joining at least one Mason student org. Check them all out on Mason 360.

Look ahead to planning a student abroad program through the Global Education Office.

In the meantime, see what Northern Virginia and Washington DC have to offer!

Meet people and become involved in the life of the college. Explore events and news for your major.

Strengthen your leadership competency.

Become a CHSS Ambassador.

Become a CHSS Undergraduate Learning Assistant.

Attend a regional or national research conference (Search for student discounts or complimentary for conference registration).

Join professional associations (student discount membership may be available).

Concentrations

Major Map