Advisors are pivotal to the academic success of our students, working with them throughout their academic journey at George Mason University. Your support helps students stay on track, complete their degrees in a timely manner, and take courses that add value to their lives. Specifically, working with students to complete their Mason Core requirements presents a unique opportunity to support George Mason’s goal of producing graduates that are well-rounded, life-long learners. Whether you’re helping a transfer student understand their Mason Core requirements, supporting a student interested in study abroad credit, or simply providing recommendations for what Exploration courses supplement their long-term goals, your work is invaluable to getting students to their graduation day.
In addition to the resources provided on George Mason’s advising website, we’ve compiled helpful information here to support you in communicating the value of Mason Core to students and in understanding more clearly the requirements, expectations, and opportunities available for students as they complete their Mason Core journey. Be sure to check out the Mason Core resources provided for students, too.
Mason Core Requirements and Policies
Mason Core is George Mason University’s comprehensive general education program, structured to help undergraduate students build vital academic skills and intellectual breadth while advancing toward their chosen majors. It comprises three levels, Foundation, Exploration, and Integration, which are covered in depth on our Mason Core requirements page.
Through this well sequenced progression—foundation to exploration to integration—you’re able to guide students in making intentional course selections that fulfill Mason Core requirements, support academic discovery, and prepare them for meaningful professional and civic roles upon graduation.
Refer to the most recently published catalog for a more detailed overview of the program and specific courses that fulfill each category. Additionally, it’s important for advisors to stay up-to-date on undergraduate policies. Please keep in mind the following:
- Integration-level requirements must be met by courses at George Mason and cannot be transferred in.
- Students with waivers, such as a second bachelor’s degree or the Honors program, must still take the required Intergration-level courses for their major.
- For courses that have been approved or had their designation removed during the academic year after catalog publication, please see our Newly Approved Courses and Removed Courses pages.
Communicating the Value of Mason Core
One of the most common questions students ask is, “Why do I have to take these courses?” In short, Mason Core courses help students build skills and knowledge that support their success in their major, their future career, and their lives beyond college. These courses strengthen important abilities like critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and working with people from different backgrounds. Mason Core also gives students the opportunity to explore a variety of subjects—including science, history, literature, the arts, and social sciences—which can help them discover new interests, connect ideas across disciplines, and gain a broader perspective on the world. The program offers flexibility, allowing students to choose courses that complement their major or explore a passion.
Through Mason Core, students have the opportunity to
- Build real-world skills that are valuable to employers from all industries.
- Discover what they love, whether it helps them find their major or uncover an unexpected interest.
- Develop well-rounded thinking to make better decisions as a more informed citizen.
- Connect the dots and use systems thinking when problem solving complex issues.
- Become a more engaging, interesting person ready to take on new challenges and connect with others.
Working with Transfer Students
Not all transfer situations are the same, and knowing the different impacts of transfer credits is crucial for supporting incoming George Mason students. If you’re working with a new transfer student who expects a Mason Core waiver, please note that it will populate automatically as long as it’s a transferable associates degree from the VCCS/RBC system. Non-VCCS associates degrees are evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine their applicability to Mason Core requirements. There are two options for Mason Core waivers through the VCCS/RBC system:
Virginia Community College System Associates Degrees
Students who complete a VCCS associates degree will receive a waiver of the Foundation and Exploration (lower division) Mason Core general education categories. To be eligible for the waiver, the students must provide the George Mason Office of Admissions with a final, official transcript reflecting the degree’s conferral date. Students must have earned a “C” or better in the transferable English composition course, which is typically ENG 112. If they have not, they will still be awarded the waiver, but they will be required to successfully complete ENGH 101 at Mason.
Passport
The Passport is a 16-credit hour two-year college program in which all courses are transferable and satisfy a lower-division general education requirement at George Mason. Mason Core and the Transfer Admissions team work closely to ensure that all students coming in through the Passport program receive appropriate Mason Core credit.
Transfer Student Credit Reevaluation Appeal
Transfer students can request a course reevaluation if they are not awarded credit upon admission. If they would like to request a course be reevaluated to count as a Mason Core course, please have students complete the transfer reevaluation form and send it directly to the department, not to Mason Core. Requests should be focused on a specific course, not a Mason Core category. If the course is determined to be equivalent to a Mason course that is already approved for Mason Core, the credit for that category will automatically be applied. Alternatively, if the course is not determined equivalent to a current Mason Core course, the course can be reviewed through the Mason Core Exception Workflow process.
| The programs and services offered by George Mason University are open to all who seek them. George Mason does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic national origin (including shared ancestry and/or ethnic characteristics), sex, disability, military status (including veteran status), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. After an initial review of its policies and practices, the university affirms its commitment to meet all federal mandates as articulated in federal law, as well as recent executive orders and federal agency directives. |