What’s New in Mason Core

Updates about Mason Core categories, courses, and other important information will be posted below and shared out in our newsletter. Please reach out to us at masoncor@gmu.edu with questions.


Upcoming Proposal Workshops for Spring 2024

Still thinking about how you want to redesign your Global Understanding course for Global Contexts or wondering about that Just Societies designation?

Successfully (Re-)Designing and Proposing a Mason Core Course

This workshop is a great way to gain insights into the nitty gritty of the new Global Contexts and Just Societies learning outcomes, and how to align your assignments with the Mason Core outcomes as well as structure assignments that are assessable for our future accreditation efforts. In this workshop, you will begin to draft your own course proposal and receive invaluable feedback as you get started.

The final two-hour proposal workshop opportunity for Spring 2024 is provided below. Click on the date below to register:

Mason Core Inclusive Excellence Two-Day Academy
Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | ~9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

In May, the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning in collaboration with The Mason Core will be hosting a special two-day Mason Core Inclusive Excellence Academy designed specifically to support faculty who are revising courses to meet new Mason Core outcomes–with particular focus on supporting faculty who are developing a course for the Just Societies flag.  Helping students in Core courses explore questions of belonging and opportunity, identify structural needs and seek more just outcomes in each field and discipline, and converse with peers about difficult topics all pose challenges in both the design and implementation of a curriculum.  This Academy will also support the Global Contexts Mason Core designation.  

The workshop will have options to participate on-campus (strongly recommended) or live-remote via Zoom; like our Proposal Workshop, each day’s activities will include a blend of information, guided individual work time, and collaboration and feedback from peers. A stipend may be available for faculty (any status) who complete the two-day workshop. Coffee, snacks, and lunch will be provided for all on-campus participants. Seats are limited, so please register early to reserve your space! Register here


Global Contexts Positionality Support

In addition to the above workshops, we’ve added some new supporting resources to our website for faculty developing or redesigning a course for Global Contexts! Visit our Global Contexts page for more information on this new category’s learning outcomes, and explore our positionality resources, which include a video and an infographic that provide more information on how to adapt positionality to your discipline.