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  <abbreviated-program-level>UG</abbreviated-program-level>
  <abstract>&lt;p&gt;The bachelor of individualized study (BIS) degree provides an alternative to the traditional baccalaureate degree. It offers students a distinctive educational opportunity that allows them to integrate previous experiences into university course work.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are two pathways for obtaining the BIS. Students can pursue a BIS standardized concentration or design their own individualized interdisciplinary program of study. These alternatives require different course work, prerequisites, and eligibility requirements.&lt;/p&gt;</abstract>
  <additional-fall-deadline type="date">1903-12-30</additional-fall-deadline>
  <additional-fall-deadline-note></additional-fall-deadline-note>
  <admission-standards></admission-standards>
  <application-requirements></application-requirements>
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  <careers>&lt;p&gt;Our graduates have gone on to become&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;teachers&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;human resources managers&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;translators and business writers&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;procurement specialists&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;CEOs and CIOs in business enterprises&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;founders of their own ventures&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;and many others&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</careers>
  <catalog-year type="integer">2009</catalog-year>
  <concentration-requirements-conclusion></concentration-requirements-conclusion>
  <concentration-requirements-intro-text>&lt;p&gt;In addition to satisying the &lt;a href="../requirements/LA-BIS-INDV"&gt;general education requirements for BIS students&lt;/a&gt;, students pursuing this concentration must complete the following:&lt;/p&gt;</concentration-requirements-intro-text>
  <contact-information>&lt;p&gt;Bachelor of Individualized Study&lt;br /&gt;Enterprise Hall, Room 352&lt;br /&gt; 703.993.4556 &lt;br /&gt; &lt;a id="mailto:jkingj@gmu.edu|" href="mailto:bis@gmu.edu"&gt;bis@gmu.edu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</contact-information>
  <created-at type="datetime">2008-01-21T08:15:18Z</created-at>
  <currently-admitting-students type="boolean">true</currently-admitting-students>
  <degree>BIS</degree>
  <degree-order-number type="integer">140</degree-order-number>
  <department>Individualized Study</department>
  <department-abbreviation>BIS</department-abbreviation>
  <department-web-site>http://bis.gmu.edu/</department-web-site>
  <description>Individualized Study</description>
  <director>&lt;p&gt;Jeannie Brown Leonard&lt;/p&gt;</director>
  <division>LA</division>
  <effective-date type="date">1903-12-30</effective-date>
  <enhance-your-major nil="true"></enhance-your-major>
  <fall-deadline type="date">1903-12-30</fall-deadline>
  <full-degree>Bachelor</full-degree>
  <id type="integer">57</id>
  <opportunities></opportunities>
  <other-information></other-information>
  <program-code>LA-BIS-INDV</program-code>
  <program-level>Undergraduate</program-level>
  <program-profile>&lt;p&gt;Do you have life
experiences or professional expertise that lead you to seek an alternative to a
traditional bachelor&amp;rsquo;s degree?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Did you graduate from high
school over seven years ago?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Have
you completed college credits at other institutions?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The
bachelor of individualized study (BIS) may be for you.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The BIS program offers you a distinctive opportunity to complete your degree.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;BIS has a
flexible curriculum: As a BIS student you create an interdisciplinary
concentration to meet your own educational needs.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;</program-profile>
  <relevant-tests></relevant-tests>
  <requirements>&lt;p&gt;BIS students must complete the following general education requirements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;6 credits in English composition (ENG 101 and ENG 302) &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;3 credits in synthesis (BIS 490) &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;9 credits in humanities &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;9 credits in social sciences &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;3 credits in IT-designated course work &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;3 credits in quantitative reasoning (MATH 106 or STAT 250) &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;3 credits in a non laboratory science&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;To complete the BIS degree, students pursue a standardized concentration (chosen from the list to the right) or design their own individualized interdisciplinary program of study. These alternatives require different course work, prerequisites, and eligibility.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h5&gt;Requirements for an Individualized Program of Study&lt;/h5&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;10 credits of BIS course work: BIS 300, 390, 490, and 491 &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;24 to 36 credits drawing from a minimum of two disciplines&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</requirements>
  <updated-at type="datetime">2009-09-29T23:50:50Z</updated-at>
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  <why-mason>&lt;p&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt; 0
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&lt;![endif]--&gt; Located minutes from
Washington, D.C., we offer you more affordable access to learning and career
opportunities than any other university in the region. Named a national
university to watch by &lt;em&gt;U.S. News &amp;amp; World Report&lt;/em&gt;, George Mason
University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global
distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in the heart of Northern
Virginia's technology corridor near Washington, D.C. Mason prepares its
students to succeed in the work force and meet the needs of the region and the
world.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;BIS students do internships at the full range of regional and federal government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and businesses in the metropolitan region. These experiences often lead to a first job or career advancement.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;!--EndFragment--&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</why-mason>
  <why-mason-abstract>Located minutes from Washington, D.C., we offer you more affordable access to learning</why-mason-abstract>
</program>
