Graduate Student Life

CLS Graduate Student Softball Team
CLS Graduate Student Softball Team

Graduate school is not just about coursework and classes. Much of what you will learn occurs during conversations with faculty outside the classroom or discussions with your peers.  You are strongly encouraged to attend workshops, lectures, symposia, and social events organized by the department, its affiliated centers, and the graduate student organization.

We hope you will become an active member of the Criminology, Law and Society Student Association (CLSSA), which is a vital part of our program. The purpose of CLSSA is to connect graduate students in the CLS program with one another, to share research and professional interests, and to provide an organizing body for professional development opportunities.

CLSSA Graduate Student Guide

The Criminology, Law and Society Student Association is excited to share the Graduate Student Guide as a resource for students by students. This guide shares our advice to assist you in:

  1. Identifying Key Resources for your Graduate Journey
  2. Preparing for Success in Graduate School
  3. Extending Your Learning
  4. Preparing for Orientation
  5. Getting to Know Your CLSSA Officers

This information is not intended to replace any formal guidance issued by George Mason University (Mason), the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), or the Department of Criminology, Law and Society (CLS). Instead, it offers ideas from the student perspective to supplement existing Mason, CHSS, and CLS resources.