If you decide it’s in the student’s best interest to request a substitution or waiver for a Mason Core requirement, a form must be submitted by you, the advisor, via the Degree Audit Exception Workflow. More information is provided below on how to complete a request. Contact Mason Core for guidance on your student’s specific situation or if you are not sure if a substitution or waiver is needed. Please keep in mind that a substitution request does not determine equivalency to a George Mason course. That is handled at the department level.
Course substitution and waiver requests submitted without the materials outlined below will be denied, and an email will be sent with an explanation for denial and/or to request additional clarification and/or supporting documentation.
Mason Core Course Substitution
In general, a substitution request is used for the following reasons:
- A transferred non-Mason course appears to satisfy the learning outcomes for a particular Mason Core category.
- A student is returning to George Mason after an extended absence, when curriculum revisions may have affected course numbering but the requirement was previously met.
- A student no longer wishes to participate in the Honors program.
- A catalog year change results in unmet Mason Core requirements that were previously met.
- For example, a substitution would be submitted for a student who previously met the Western Civilization/World History requirement but now appears to need Global History.
- The same would apply for previously met Global Understanding appearing to now need Global Contexts.
To complete the Exceptions Workflow form:
In the Substitution field
- Enter the institution, semester/term completed, course subject & number, credits, grade as listed on the Mason Degree Audit or PatriotWeb, and the Mason Core requirement to be substituted.
In the Justification field
- Provide a detailed reason for the course substitution.
Include as an attachment
- A copy of the catalog, Degree Works (archived), or Mason Degree Audit showing that the course fulfilled that specific Mason Core requirement during the catalog year completed or during the student’s admit term, if appropriate for the situation.
- A memo explaining any preliminary reviews (i.e., discussed with Mason Core Director, sent to Composition Director for review, etc.) or other unique circumstances or complexities.
- A syllabus of the non-Mason course to determine that the course fulfills Mason Core learning outcomes. A syllabus is not required for catalog year changes.
Mason Core Course Waiver
Waivers are used when there is not a specific course that meets a Mason Core category’s learning outcomes but there is another way the outcomes were met.
In general, a waiver is requested for the following reasons:
- A student participated in an established program (i.e. 1-2-1) and is short credit hours.
- A student transferred from a quarter system institution and has an equivalent George Mason course but is short credit hours.
- A student is in a unique situation that does not fit any of the reasons listed above.
To complete the Exceptions Workflow form:
In the Justification field
- Provide a detailed reason for the waiver. Note if the student participated in an established program (i.e., 1-2-1) or transferred from a quarter system institution, etc.
Include as an attachment
- A memo explaining any complexities, preliminary reviews (i.e., discussed with Mason Core Director, etc.), or other unique circumstances.
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