Navigating the George Mason University Course Catalog: A Guide to Mason Core
George Mason University's course catalog is a vital resource for students, outlining the academic opportunities and requirements for various degree programs. A central component of the undergraduate experience at George Mason is the Mason Core, a general education program designed to cultivate engaged citizens and well-rounded scholars. This article provides a structured overview of the Mason Core, its requirements, and its evolution, drawing directly from the university's official information.
What is Mason Core?
Mason Core is George Mason’s general education program that builds the foundation for the Mason Graduate - an engaged citizen and well-rounded scholar who is prepared to act. Mason Core is a set of required courses that create the foundation of a student’s undergraduate degree. It provides a breadth of liberal education courses, complementing the depth of knowledge and skills students build in their majors and minors. Mason Core prepares students for work in their majors and minors, for their careers, and for life-long learning.
The Mason Core program is structured around three primary categories: Foundation, Exploration, and Integration.
Foundation Courses: Building Essential Skills
Foundation courses strengthen the foundation in key knowledge and skills needed for academic success. Foundation requirements help ensure that students master the tools and techniques necessary to succeed in college and throughout their lives and careers. These courses focus on developing core competencies that are essential for success in higher education and beyond. Key areas covered in Foundation courses include:
- Written Communication: The Mason Core curriculum offers students a unique opportunity to develop writing competencies across their educational experience that prepares them to participate in academic, professional, and civic communities. As the third course in George Mason’s vertical writing curriculum, WI courses build upon the knowledge and skills that students develop in their written communication courses at the Foundation level and at the Integration level. Use informal or formal writing in ways that deepen their awareness of the field of study and its subject matter (Writing to Learn). Compose one or more written genres specific to the field of study in order to communicate key ideas tailored to specific audiences and purposes; genres may be academic, public, or professional (Writing to Communicate).
- Oral Communication: Oral Communication courses provide foundational skills in public speaking and interpersonal communication that are applicable across disciplines and careers. Through this category, students will be able to develop and deliver well-organized presentations that are supported by credible evidence and tailored to specific audiences, purposes, and contexts. Students will learn to communicate clearly and confidently through both verbal and nonverbal strategies and to engage in meaningful dialogue. Use high-quality evidence to effectively support the speaker’s message in oral presentations. Demonstrate effective verbal and nonverbal communication in presentations.
- Quantitative Reasoning: Quantitative Reasoning courses develop critical thinking skills using mathematical and statistical concepts (i.e., formulas, graphs, tables, models, and schematics) to analyze and make sense of data, patterns, and relationships.
- Information Technology and Computing (IT&C): Information technology and computing can significantly augment humans' ability to produce, consume, process, and communicate information. Thus, students need to understand ways to use such technology to enhance their lives, careers, and society, while being mindful of challenges such as security, source reliability, automation, and ethical implications. Note: Due to the specific design of COMM 320 as an IT&C course at George Mason, students who transfer credit for COMM 320 from another university will not receive IT&C credit.
Exploration Courses: Broadening Intellectual Horizons
Exploration courses provide a breadth of learning across the university. Exploration requirements help ensure that students become acquainted with the broad range of intellectual domains that contribute to a liberal education. These courses expose students to diverse fields of study, fostering intellectual curiosity and a well-rounded perspective. Some areas of exploration include:
Read also: George Mason University Baseball
- Arts: George Mason courses in the film making, visual, and performing arts stress generative, inquiry based learning through direct aesthetic and creative experience in the studio environment.
- Global History: By focusing on historical experiences that reflect the diversity of George Mason’s student body, students will be able to see how their families and communities fit within, and contribute to, global history from the pre-modern period to our present day. These courses offer a long-term historical perspective on structural issues challenging our world today, including demographic and environmental changes, national and global inequalities, and the underrepresentation of marginalized groups. Note: Registration limited to students with Junior or Senior standing.
- Literature: Courses in the Literature category must meet a minimum of three learning outcomes.
- Natural Science: Natural Science courses engage students in scientific exploration; foster their curiosity; enhance their enthusiasm for science; and enable them to apply scientific knowledge and reasoning to personal, professional, and public decision-making. Natural Science Lab courses must meet all five learning outcomes. Seven (7) credits in total. Four (4) credits must include laboratory experience, either as an approved combination of lecture and lab or as a 4 credit course with lab. Note: The lecture components of the approved combinations listed below can be taken alone to fulfill 3 credits of the Natural Science requirement, or they can be paired with the lab component to fulfill 4 credits of the Natural Science lab requirement. Note: For additional Natural Science Overview (non-lab) options, please see the list of approved course pairings above.
- Just Societies: Exploration-level courses with a Just Societies flag are available beginning in Fall 2024. In addition to covering content related to the designated category, Exploration-level courses that are marked with an optional Just Societies "flag" are specifically designed to help students learn how to interact effectively with others from all walks of life, including those with backgrounds and beliefs that differ from their own. Students are not required to take courses with a Just Societies flag but may wish to do so to increase their knowledge and skills in this area.
Integration Courses: Connecting Knowledge and Skills
Integration courses include upper-division courses that are designed to integrate knowledge and skills learned from Foundation and Exploration courses into learning in the major. Integration requirements represent the culmination of knowledge and skills learned throughout a student's undergraduate career at George Mason, both through the Foundation and Exploration levels of Mason Core and through the coursework within their majors.
- Writing Intensive (WI): As part of the university's commitment to student writers in all undergraduate programs, at least one upper-division course in each major is designated as fulfilling the Writing Intensive (WI) requirement.
- Mason Apex: Mason Apex courses or in some cases, sequence of courses, will provide George Mason students with a high-impact culminating experience, requiring students to utilize critical thinking skills and preparing them for life-long learning. Students are challenged to draw connections across their George Mason undergraduate academic experience. A minimum of 3 credits at the 400-level. It is suggested that students enroll after completing 85 credits.
Important Considerations
- Double Counting: Courses within Mason Core can count for more than one category, if approved by the Mason Core committee. Students will be allowed to double count two courses (up to six credit hours) to fulfill their Mason Core requirements.
- Catalog Year: Students should always refer to their catalog year and speak with their advisor to ensure they are meeting the correct requirements.
- Evolution of Mason Core: The Mason Core Committee continues to enhance George Mason’s general education program to better prepare students to be scholars and citizens who thrive in a diverse, global world. The targeted goal of these enhancements is to integrate diverse, global perspectives into the George Mason educational experience.
- Retired Categories: The following category was retired for students entering George Mason starting in Fall of 2023: Western Civilization/World History. Additionally, the Global Understanding, Synthesis, and Capstone categories were retired for students entering George Mason in Fall of 2024. Global History was the first course to move into Mason Core, replacing Western Civilization/World History for incoming students in Fall 2023.
Non-Discrimination Policy
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.
Read also: Career Opportunities for George Mason Graduates
Read also: George Soros: His life and work
tags: #george #mason #university #course #catalog
