BRIDGE English Enrichment Track (EET)
The BRIDGE English Enrichment Track is a great opportunity for international students seeking graduate degrees who require a moderate amount of English language support. The program is designed to help ensure success with the use of academic English during and after the BRIDGE year, which includes academic credit-bearing coursework, educational acculturation, and student support services.
BRIDGE admission is full-time “provisional” admission to a specific academic graduate program, and in most cases, the BRIDGE Program takes two consecutive semesters of study to complete. During this time, international students take prescribed coursework to prepare them for the intense level of graduate study offered by Mason’s world-renowned graduate programs. Once the BRIDGE year is successfully completed and the student has reached the predetermined English proficiency goal levels as determined by their academic program, students may move directly into regular graduate study with no further applications.*
*See the BRIDGE Program Completion section under “Program Policies” for details
BRIDGE Qualifications
At this time, BRIDGE admission to Mason is only offered to high-performing applicants who have earned an international degree equivalent to the four-year bachelor’s degree offered in the United States, but who have an English proficiency examination score slightly below the university’s requirement for graduate admission. If you have questions about the equivalency of your degree or the English Proficiency requirements for general admission, please contact the graduate admissions processing center for your program, or visit University Admissions.
In order to be considered for graduate study in any program at Mason, applicants are required to complete a full application with all materials required by the academic program to which they have applied. This includes:
- Online application
- Application fee
- Mark sheets/transcripts
- Degree certificates
- Letters of recommendation
- Resume
- Test scores
- Any other required items
All program requirements can be located on the University Graduate Requirements Matrix.
Applicants are also required to achieve minimum passing scores on all English proficiency examinations as indicated in the chart below:
|
Mason Academic Units |
English Proficiency Exam Overall Score Minimums for BRIDGE-EET Admission |
|||
|
TOEFL iBT Total |
IELTS | Pearson Test of English – Academic | Mason ELI Proficiency Exam (ACCUPLACER ESL + ELI Speaking Test) | |
|
80 |
6.0 |
50 |
B1+ |
|
87 |
6.5 |
58 |
B2 |
NOTE: Individual section minimums also apply and are determined by the academic unit.
In addition, BRIDGE applicants to Mason’s graduate programs can either self-elect to be considered for the BRIDGE program in the online application, or will receive an admissions contract from the admitting academic unit indicating this requirement.
University Catalog
BRIDGE students are subject to all published academic policies as set forth for graduate students in the Mason University catalog.
Admissions Contract
Newly admitted BRIDGE-EET students are notified of the required participation through an admissions contract, which comes with the acceptance letter.
Signing the admissions contract acknowledges the understanding that the student must successfully complete the program before s/he will be allowed to matriculate as a regular-status graduate student. Once a student returns the admissions contract to the appropriate graduate unit and has confirmed his/her enrollment according to instructions provided, the student will be permitted to enroll in classes.
Program Completion Requirements
Successful completion of the BRIDGE-EET requires the student to:
(1) Take all prescribed courses in the program structure section of this guide in full-time status. This program must also be completed within two consecutive semesters with an overall GPA of 3.0 and a grade of B or better in each graduate course.
(2) Take the required academic English proficiency examination at the end of the first semester to assess academic English language progress. This mid-year assessment will determine which courses the student must take during the second semester of study.
(3) Students must meet and achieve the goal score required by their academic program by the end of the BRIDGE-EET program:
English Enhancement Track Academic English Proficiency Goals
| Mason Academic Units | ELI Placement Examination |
|---|---|
|
B2 |
|
B2+ |
After successful completion of the program, participants are reviewed then promoted to regular degree status to complete the remaining required courses in their graduate degree program.
BRIDGE-EET students are provisionally admitted to Mason. Therefore, as indicated by the university catalog, students who do not meet the program requirements will be reviewed by the Center Director for termination; students terminated from BRIDGE may not be eligible for admission to another graduate program at Mason based on their academic credentials. University regulations for appeals and extensions for graduate students apply.
Advising
During the BRIDGE year, EET participants receive higher levels of academic advising, adjustment support, and co-curricular activities. As a result, program participants have two advisors—one with BRIDGE and one with the graduate program in his/her major area to ensure participants get appropriate advising and support.
BRIDGE-EET students are also required to complete a plan of study for the first three semesters at Mason with guidance from the BRIDGE advisor.
Prescribed courses for BRIDGE-EET includes approximately 22-25 credits, most of which are academic English language development courses. The intent of these courses is to prepare students for the demands of the Mason graduate curriculum. Further, the prescribed courses include up to 10 credits of graduate coursework during the BRIDGE year. The BRIDGE advisor will consult with the advisor assigned within the academic program to select these graduate courses and will work with the student to select specific courses which best fit the elective requirements and his/her future career goals.
Typical prescribed BRIDGE courses for the English Enrichment Track
| First Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| One required course toward graduate program |
3
|
| Preparing for Graduate Study I |
2
|
| Graduate Communications in the Disciplines I |
4
|
TOTAL |
9 |
| Second Semester | Credits |
| One or two required courses toward graduate program |
3-6
|
| Preparing for Graduate Study II |
2
|
| Graduate Communications in the Disciplines II | 4 |
| Only As Needed: Advanced Communication Strategies (based on a mid-year English proficiency evaluation) | 2 |
| Only As Needed: Modern English Grammar (based on mid-year English proficiency evaluation) |
2
|
TOTAL |
9-14 |
BRIDGE-EET students are regularly assessed to ensure adequate progress toward academic English language acquisition and take a required academic English proficiency examination at the end of the first and second semesters to assess academic English language progress. The mid-year assessment determines whether the student must take Advanced Communication Strategies during the second semester of study. Students for whom both advanced strategies courses are waived may take a second graduate course during the second semester.
Time to Degree
BRIDGE-EET students are expected to carefully review the full requirements of their graduate program of interest. Beginning in the third semester, students will be expected to complete the remaining required coursework for the graduate degree according to the graduate program’s published guidelines. Most master’s degrees at Mason require between 30 – 39 credits to complete the graduate degree requirements.
Because of the program’s intent and structure, BRIDGE-EET adds approximately one academic year to the timeline of a typical graduate program of study. Therefore, the BRIDGE-EET will add approximately 14-17 credits to the beginning of the graduate program. Therefore, a degree-seeking student required to complete the BRIDGE-EET year can expect to finish the master’s degree requirements in approximately three years.*
*Most master’s degrees at Mason require 30-36 graduate level credits; MBA programs require 42.
Each academic program at Mason has its own tuition rates. Newly admitted BRIDGE students should review the Student Accounts site for the most up-to-date tuition, fees, and rates. Below is a sample tuition and fee structure (using out-of-state non-premium rates) for participation in the BRIDGE-EET program for the 2013-2014 academic year:
| Fall Semester | Cost | Line Total |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition for 9 credits at the Out-of-State Graduate Tuition Rate | $1,142.50/credit |
$10,282.50
|
| International Student Health Insurance | $2,155/year |
$2,155
|
| New Graduate Student Fee | $60 (one-time) |
$60
|
| BRIDGE Program Administration Fee | $2,000 (one-time) |
$2,000
|
| Program Course Fees (applicable for VSE, SCS, SOM, CVPA, and AVT majors) | Varies from$5-55/credit hour |
—
|
Fall Semester Total |
$14,497.50* |
|
| Second Semester | Cost | Line Total |
| Tuition for 14 credits at the Out-of-State Graduate Tuition Rate | $1,142.50/credit |
$15,995
|
| Program Course Fees (applicable for VSE, SCS, SOM, CVPA, and AVT majors) | Varies from$5-55/credit hour |
—
|
Spring Semester Total |
$15.995* |
|
*Program Course Fees are not included in the total
Once the BRIDGE year is completed, students are subject to regular graduate tuition rates and fees as appropriate until the completion of their graduate degree program.
Individuals interested in BRIDGE admission should apply to the academic program of their choice. To be considered for BRIDGE admission, follow the instructions provided to you by the graduate program. Be sure to answer all the required questions on the admissions application, including those regarding “BRIDGE Eligibility” located in the International section of the online application.
In order to be admitted to BRIDGE-EET, you must meet all of the regular admissions requirements for Mason graduate programs. You will be evaluated by the same methods and held to the same standards as all students applying to your graduate program. The only difference is that you meet the minimums for the alternative English proficiency examination scores.
If qualified, you will receive provisional admission to your graduate program for the year you are in BRIDGE. Upon successful completion of BRIDGE, your status will change to regular graduate admission.
The links below provide information to guide you on the graduate admissions process at Mason.