2009-2010 University Catalog 
  
2009-2010 University Catalog

College of Humanities and Social Sciences


Phone: 703-993-8720
Web: chss.gmu.edu
College Code: LA

Departments and Colleges

Interdisciplinary Programs

Administration

Jack R. Censer, Dean
Dee Ann Holisky, Senior Associate Dean
Jamie Cooper, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs
T. Mills Kelly, Associate Dean for Enrollment Development
Nance Lucas, Associate Dean for New Century College
Matthew Zingraff, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs
Evan Baum, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs
Katie Clare, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs
Daniel Collier, Director of Information Technology
Leslie Dyre, Director of Finance and Human Resources
Amy Lambrecht, Director of Development
Glenda Morgan, Director of Technology and Learning Initiatives

About the College

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) is composed of 11 departments in the humanities and social sciences and 11 major interdisciplinary programs. The college is also home to New Century College, which offers an innovative interdisciplinary major as well as a first-year experience program for students in all majors, and Technology Across the Curriculum, which promotes the use of technology to enhance learning in all courses and disciplines. The college houses the university-wide Honors Program in General Education for students from all majors. Highly qualified undergraduates can take advantage of honors programs in their majors and accelerated master’s degree programs, which enable them to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree in five years. The college has a distinguished faculty of more than 400, including a Nobel laureate, a MacArthur fellow, and recipients of the Pulitzer Prize and Guggenheim Fellowship.

Programs of study at the undergraduate level emphasize global awareness, research experiences, and opportunities such as internships that prepare students for the workforce. Programs of study at the graduate level provide opportunities for career development and advancement, professional education, participation in research, and personal fulfillment. All programs encourage directly or indirectly the exploration of contemporary issues through a dynamic curriculum that fosters an informed understanding of real world problems. The college provides students with an education that enables them to think critically, adapt to the changing conditions of society, and provide informed leadership to future generations.

Policies for All Students

The requirements for each academic program offered by the college are described in the sections below. All students are subject to the policies stated in the first chapters of this catalog. Additional policies and procedures for students in the college are presented in this chapter.

George Mason uses only Mason e-mail accounts to communicate with enrolled students. Students should activate their Mason e-mail account, use it to communicate with their department and other administrative units, and check it regularly for important information.

Registration and Degree Audit

Students are responsible for correctly registering for courses and paying all tuition and fees by the official university registration and payment deadlines. Instructors do not have the authority to add students to courses, and students may not sit in on classes for which they are not registered. All students should verify the accuracy of their enrollment before the end of the add period and should check PatriotWeb to verify that they are registered for the classes that they think they are.

All students are responsible for reviewing their own transcripts and degree audits regularly to ensure that they are correct and that they are on track to meet all their requirements.

Withdrawal

Students are responsible for all courses in which they remain officially enrolled once the drop period has ended. Instructors do not have the authority to withdraw students from classes. Withdrawals require the approval of the relevant dean (undergraduate academic affairs or graduate academic affairs) and are typically allowed only for full semesters at a time (a withdrawal from all enrolled courses). Withdrawals are only permitted for non-academic reasons; no withdrawals can be approved for academic reasons. When submitting a withdrawal request, students must provide verifiable, third-party documentation for the reason for the withdrawal. Requests for withdrawals should be submitted as early in the semester as possible and never after the last day of classes.

Grade Appeals

Grade appeals should be made to the department or program following the process specified in the Academic Policies  chapter of this catalog. If they are resolved within the department or program, that unit is the final level of appeal. The departmental decision may be appealed to the dean only on the basis of procedural irregularity. Undergraduate students should address such appeals through the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and graduate students through the office of Graduate Academic Affairs. If the grade appeal is not resolved within the department or program, the chair makes a recommendation to the dean, who makes the final determination. The decision of the dean is not subject to review or further appeal.

Grievances

Grievances should be directed in writing to the senior associate dean.

Accommodations for Disabled Students

Students with documented disabilities should contact the Office of Disability Services (Student Union I, Room 222; 703-993-2474) to open a file and learn more about accommodations that may be available to them.

Policies for Undergraduate Students

The college offers 16 bachelor of arts (BA) degrees, 7 bachelor of science (BS) degrees, and a bachelor of individualized study (BIS) degree. The undergraduate degree consists of course work in four areas: university-wide general education, college level requirements, a major area of study, and electives. All students must complete 120 credits, of which at least 45 must be in upper-level courses (numbered 300 and above). At least one course at the 300 or 400 level must be designated “writing intensive.”

Students should consult the University General Education  chapter for information concerning university-wide general education requirements for undergraduate degrees. Transfer students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor prior to registering for classes to review their transcripts and course equivalencies. In some cases, students may need to earn more than 120 credits to complete all of their requirements.

The college cooperates with the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) to provide courses from various disciplines in the college toward a BA, BS, and minor in conflict analysis and resolution (CAR). More information about CAR undergraduate degree programs can be found in the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution  chapter.

Questions about Academic Policies

Students with questions regarding exceptions to academic policies and college-level requirements should contact the CHSS Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office (Enterprise Hall, Suite 316; 703-993-8725; chssdean@gmu.edu).

Additional policy information and forms are available online at http://www.gmu.edu/student/academicaffairs/.

Excluded Courses and Credits

Physical Education (PHED) and Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies (PRLS) activity courses cannot be counted toward credits required for a degree in the College and Humanities and Social Sciences. Students may use nonactivity PHED and PRLS courses for elective credit for college degrees. For a current list of PHED and PRLS courses that may be used for credit in the college, see the CHSS Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office Web site at at http://www.gmu.edu/student/academicaffairs/. Military Science (MLSC) courses cannot be counted toward credits required for a degree in the college.

Once admitted to Mason, students may not take CLEP exams and apply credits from those exams to degrees in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students may apply credits from CLEP exams to degrees in the college if those credits were awarded at the time of admission.

Academic Load

The university limits undergraduate students with a cumulative GPA below 2.00 to 13 credit hours per semester. All undergraduate students returning from suspension are also limited to a maximum of 13 credit hours. Exceptions to this rule are very rare and only occur in exceptional cases.

Undergraduate students in good standing may enroll in up to 18 credit hours each semester. In exceptional circumstances, students may request an overload of the maximum credit hours. Freshmen and transfer students in their first semesters are not given permission for overloads as they have yet to establish an academic record at George Mason.

In order to be considered for an overload, students must fulfill all of the following criteria:

  • Be in good academic standing
  • Have completed the prior semester with a GPA of 2.33 or higher
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 2.33 or higher
  • Have demonstrated in prior semesters at Mason the ability to handle an increased and demanding courseload while maintaining high performance
  • Have no remaining incompletes (INs) from a previous semester

If approved for an overload, the student is responsible for adding the additional class(es) and paying for the related tuition by the official university deadlines.

Withdrawals

Courses for which a withdrawal is approved receive a grade of “W”.

Credits graded “W” do not affect a student’s GPA, but do count as attempted hours. The total attempted hours and cumulative GPA determine a student’s academic standing. If the cumulative GPA is below 2.00, withdrawals may affect whether a student will be on warning, probation, suspension, or dismissal. Students should be familiar with the Student Retention Categories in the Academic Policies section of the catalog.

Consortium of Universities Registration

Participation in consortium registration is available to degree-seeking juniors and seniors in good standing currently enrolled at mason.  Participation is limited to courses that are approved by the student’s department chair and academic dean, apply to the student’s program of study, are not offered during that semester at Mason, and have space available at the consortium institution.  Students should consult with the Consortium Coordinator in the Registrar’s Office, as additional restrictions may apply.  Students may take just one course per semester, with a career maximum of two courses.  Students may take just one course per semester, with a career maximum of two courses.  Students who have failed a course at Mason are not permitted to take the equivalent course through the consortium under any circumstances.  All consortium registration requests must be submitted to the dean’s office at least 3 weeks prior to the first day of classes for the relevant semester at Mason

Credit to Be Earned at Other Institutions

Students enrolled at George Mason University are expected to complete their coursework in residence. Exceptions to this policy are rare and are considered only under extraordinary circumstances and on a case-by-case basis. Students must obtain advance, written approval from their department/program and dean’s office before enrolling in classes elsewhere.

To be considered for an exception to this policy, students must have completed the immediately preceding semester with a GPA of 2.00 or higher and not be in danger of academic probation, suspension or dismissal. Freshmen and new transfer students are not allowed to take courses elsewhere as they have yet to establish an academic record at George Mason. Since transfer students have already transferred a number of hours, they are expected to plan all remaining courses in residence. Local community colleges are not part of the University Consortium, and requests to take community college courses can seldom be approved. Courses offered at Consortium Universities must be reviewed by the Consortium Coordinator in advance and will not be considered for general study elsewhere review.

Courses elsewhere that have been pre-approved by the dean’s office must be taken for a grade and be passed with a GPA of 2.00 or higher in order to be transferred to George Mason. Although credit for the course can be transferred, the grade for the course cannot.

Students must make arrangements with the visited institution to have an official transcript mailed directly to the George Mason University Registrar’s Office immediately after the course work is completed. Credit cannot be transferred until an official transcript is received.

Additional information about study elsewhere can be found at http://www.gmu.edu/student/academicaffairs/.

Study Abroad

In order to be considered for study through the Center for Global Education, students must plan well in advance and receive prior, written permission from the academic dean. Students must also meet all of the following criteria:

  • Have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher at Mason
  • Have completed the immediately preceding semester at Mason with a 2.00 or higher
  • Have completed the necessary forms and have obtained all required signatures and course equivalencies

The Center for Global Education may have higher academic standards and students must meet all eligibility requirements.

Students in danger of probation, suspension, or dismissal should plan very carefully before requesting to study abroad. Students who are not in good academic standing will not be permitted to study abroad.

Academic Clemency

In extraordinary cases, students who (a) have been absent from George Mason for a minimum of three consecutive calendar years and (b) are currently in their first semester back at the university may request that their academic dean consider allowing clemency from up to 16 hours of coursework from previous semesters. To be considered for this exception, students must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be absent from George Mason for a minimum of three consecutive calendar years
  • Provide a detailed explanation for why they were unsuccessful in those courses and how they have made changes to ensure their academic progress upon their return
  • Submit their request in writing by the last day of classes for their first semester back at George Mason
  • In order to make this request, students should (a) enroll in at least 6 hours during their first semester back at George Mason and (b) earn at least a 2.50 semester GPA with no grade below “C.” If these minimum academic requirements are not met during the first semester of return, then clemency will not be allowed under any circumstances.

Additional information about clemency can be found at http://www.gmu.edu/student/academicaffairs/.

Appeals Process

Students may appeal departmental decisions concerning academic actions to the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. They may appeal decisions of the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs to the Dean’s Council, a committee composed of college deans and faculty members. Students may appeal decisions of the Dean’s Council to the Student Policies and Appeals Committee, a standing committee elected by the college faculty. These levels of appeal are subject to the limits below concerning the final level of appeal for each type of academic action. Students who feel that the college appeal process was conducted unfairly may appeal to the Provost’s Office as specified in the Academic Policies  chapter of this catalog.

The grade appeal process is discussed above.

Departments set the requirements for the majors and minors that they administer. Substitutions and waivers of requirements require the approval of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. When a department denies a substitution or waivers of a requirement, this decision may be appealed to the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs on the basis of procedural irregularity only, and it is the final level of approval.

The Dean’s Council is the final level of appeal for course overloads, consortium registration, study elsewhere, and withdrawals after the drop deadline within the semester. Appeals of these decisions may be made to the Student Policies and Appeals Committee on the basis of procedural irregularity only, and it is the final level of approval.

Student Policies and Appeals Committee is the final level of appeal for college level requirements for CHSS; retroactive adds, withdrawals, and graduation; and return from suspension and dismissal. This committee is the final level of approval.

There is no waiver or appeal of satisfactory performance standards (minimum grades or grade point average, GPA) that have been set by the department or program faculty for the courses in their major or minor.

Students should file all appeals in a timely manner, usually within the semester in which the original decision is rendered, but no later than the final day of classes of the following semester.

Teacher Licensure

Students who plan to seek teacher licensure and become K–12 teachers should consult the College of Education and Human Development  chapter of this catalog and attend an information session early in their undergraduate career. For more information, call 703-993-2892, e-mail gseadmit@gmu.edu, or go to gse.gmu.edu.

Minors

Students may elect to take a minor in addition to their major field of study. For policies governing all minors, see the Academic Policies  chapter of this catalog. Students interested in earning a minor should complete the appropriate section of the Change/Declaration of Academic Program form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar.

College-Level Requirements for Undergraduate Students

Bachelor of Arts

The BA degree provides students with a breadth of knowledge as well as the necessary skills to make in-depth study of a major truly meaningful. In addition to the university-wide general education program, students pursuing a BA degree must complete the course work below. Except where expressly prohibited, a course used to fulfill a college-level requirement may also be used simultaneously to satisfy other requirements (university-wide general education requirements or requirements for the major).

  • Philosophy or religious studies: 3 credits fulfilled by any course in philosophy or religious studies (PHIL, RELI)
  • Social and behavioral science: 3 credits in addition to the university-wide requirement in social and behavioral science for a total of 6 credits. The two courses used to fulfill the combined college and university requirements must be from different disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences.  This requirement may be fulfilled by completing any course in ADJ, ANTH, ECON, GEOG (except GEOG 102 or 309), GOVT, HIST (except 100 or 125),  LING, PSYC, or SOCI.
  • Natural science: 1 credit in addition to the university-wide requirement for a total of 8 credits. This requirement can be fulfilled by completing two of any approved natural science courses that include a laboratory experience. This requirement may not be fulfilled by BIOL 124 or 125.
  • Foreign language: intermediate-level proficiency in one foreign language. This requirement may be fulfilled by completing a course in a foreign language numbered 202, 209, or 210 (or higher level courses taught in the language) or achieving a satisfactory score on an approved proficiency test. International students should consult the CHSS Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office about a possible waiver of this requirement.
  • Non-Western culture: 3 credits of an approved course in the study of a non-Western culture in addition to the course  used to fulfill the university-wide general education requirement in global understanding. A course used to fulfill the university-wide general education global understanding requirement may not be simultaneously used to satisfy this college-level requirement. A course used to fulfill this requirement may be used simultaneously to fulfill any other requirements (university-wide general education requirements, college-level requirements, or requirements for the major). This requirement may be fulfilled by the following courses:
    • ANTH 114, 300, 301, 302, 304, 305, 306, 311, 313, 330, 332, 396
    • ARTH 203, 204, 319, 320, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 482
    • CHIN 318, 320, 325
    • DANC 118
    • ECON 361, 362
    • FREN 451
    • GEOG 101, 316, 325, 330, 399
    • GOVT 328, 332, 333, 340, 341, 345, 432, 433
    • HIST 130, 251, 252, 261, 262, 271, 281, 282, 328, 329, 353, 354, 355, 356, 365, 366, 367, 387, 426, 459, 460, 461, 465, 466
    • MUSI 103
    • RELI 211, 212, 272, 313, 314, 315, 337, 374, 375, 490
    • RUSS 353, 354

Students who can document attendance at a native school in a non-Western country for at least four years may request a waiver from this requirement through the CHSS Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office.

Requirements for each major are listed in the departmental sections that follow.

Bachelor of Science

The BS degree provides students with a more intensive approach to the core technical questions of their majors. This curriculum has a reduced number of courses in humanities and social sciences in comparison with the BA degree to allow students to achieve greater depth in their majors. CHSS students pursuing a BS must complete the university-wide general education program plus 1 additional credit of natural science (for a total of 8 credits), which must be fulfilled by an approved two-semester laboratory science sequence in a single science. This may not be fulfilled by BIOL 124 and 125. Requirements for each major are listed in the departmental sections that follow.

Transfer Students

Admitted and enrolled transfer students who have completed an AA, AS, or AA&S degree from the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) with a curriculum grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 are considered to have met all of George Mason University’s lower level general education requirements. They are still required by the university to complete English 302 and a synthesis course. Transfer students who meet the conditions above and are pursuing a degree in CHSS are considered to have met all college requirements except for proficiency in a foreign language (required of BA students).

Students with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution who are pursuing a degree in CHSS are also considered to have met all college requirements except for proficiency in a foreign language (required of BA students).

Policies for Graduate Students

The college offers 16 master’s degrees, including a master of public administration and a master of fine arts in creative writing, and 11 doctoral degrees.

Graduate Admission

Admissions decisions are made by faculty committee and are not subject to further appeal.

If an applicant is offered graduate admission, the college reserves the right to withdraw that offer of admission if:

  1. During his or her academic studies, the admitted applicant has a significant drop in academic performance or fails to graduate with a degree prior to the first day of classes for the term admitted.
  2. There has been a misrepresentation in the application process.
  3. Prior to the first day of classes for the term admitted, the college learns that the admitted applicant has engaged in behavior that indicates a serious lack of judgment or integrity, irrespective of the outcome of any disciplinary process related to such behavior.

The university further reserves the right to require the applicant to provide additional information (and/or authorization for the release of information) about any such matter.

Provisional Admission

Students provisionally admitted to their graduate degree program are not eligible to enroll in consortium course work or study at another institution until the conditions of the provisional contract have been met. Provisionally admitted students are also not eligible to participate in any study abroad programs until the provisional qualifier has been removed. Transfer of credit requests for course work taken in non-degree status at Mason or from another institution prior to admission will not be considered until the provisional contract has been fulfilled.

Academic Load

Graduate students can enroll in up to 12 credits of course work each semester. Non-degree students can enroll in up to 10 credits of course work each semester.

Non-degree Enrollment

Applicants who have been denied admission to a graduate certificate, master’s or doctoral program are not permitted to take graduate courses in that discipline as a non-degree student.

Graduate non-degree students may enroll in 500-, 600-, and 700-level courses. In exceptional cases graduate non-degree students in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences may request to enroll in an 800-level course if they have an appropriate academic or professional background, and have written permission of the course instructor, director of the graduate program offering the course, and the graduate dean.

Consortium of Universities Registration

Eligible students may enroll in courses at any of the institutions in the Consortium of Universities in the Washington Metropolitan area.  Students are limited to one consortium course per semester, with a career maximum of 6 credits. To register for a consortium course, students must have an overall GPA of at least 3.00 and be in good academic standing. Students with grades of IN on their record or who earned grades of C or F in the most recent semester are not eligible to register for a consortium course. Students who have received a grade less than 3.00 in a consortium course are not permitted to enroll in additional consortium courses. Newly admitted graduate students are not permitted to enroll in consortium courses during their first semester of graduate study. Students who wish to enroll in consortium courses during their second semester of study must wait until the grades for the previous semester have been posted. More information about the Consortium of Universities can be found in the Academic Policies  chapter.

Transfer of Credit

To be eligible for transfer, credits must have been earned at an accredited graduate degree-granting institution (and applicable to a graduate degree at that institution) or at Mason while in non-degree status. Courses accepted for transfer credit must have been completed within six years of the admission term and with a grade of B or better (3.00 or higher). Courses with grades of P or S are not accepted for transfer unless the official transcript indicates that the grade is equivalent to a B (3.00) or better. Some programs have more stringent standards on transfer of credit; students should contact their graduate program for specific information.

Credit from Other Institutions

Students must obtain all approvals, including course equivalencies, prior to enrolling in any course work at another institution. All appropriate paperwork must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the last day to add during the academic term the course meets. Students enrolling in courses at other institutions with different drop/add timetables must still abide by Mason’s drop/add deadlines in terms of acquiring necessary approvals.

Dissertation Committee Criteria

All dissertation committees must consist of at least three members of the graduate faculty, two of whom have a full-time appointment at Mason. At least one member must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and at least one member must be from outside the student’s academic unit. Additional members may be appointed who are not members of the graduate faculty or who are not full-time employees of the university. Individual departments and programs may set additional requirements for committee membership. The graduate program director recommends appointment of the dissertation committee to the dean. Though the dean appoints the committee it is the responsibility of the student to find qualified faculty who are willing and able to supervise the dissertation.

Dissertation (999) Registration

Doctoral students must be advanced to candidacy before they may enroll in 999. Students must register for 999 before the add deadline published each semester in the Schedule of Classes. Once doctoral students begin registering for 999, they must enroll in at least 3 credits of 999 each semester (excluding summers) until they have completed the total number of dissertation credits required on their individual program of study. Once enrolled in 999, all doctoral students must maintain continuous enrollment in 999 until they deposit their approved dissertation in the University Library. If they have completed the number of dissertation credits required on their program of study, they may maintain continuous enrollment by registering for only 1 credit of 999. See detailed information in the Academic Policies  chapter of this catalog.

Graduate Appeals of Dismissal or Termination

All graduate students should be familiar with the university polices on dismissal and termination as stated in the Academic Policies  chapter. Students who meet the criteria for dismissal or termination may submit a written appeal to the Office of Graduate Academic Affairs. Appeals should include all relevant information on the basis for appeal, as well as any appropriate documentation. Appeals of termination and dismissal are reviewed at the beginning of each semester by a faculty committee. The ruling of that committee represents the final decision of the college.

Accelerated Master’s Degree Programs

Many graduate programs in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences offer highly-qualified undergraduates the opportunity to apply to accelerated master’s degree programs. Students accepted into an accelerated master’s degree program obtain both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree after satisfactory completion of 144 - 150 credits (number of required credits depends on the degree programs).

Students admitted to an accelerated master’s degree program may use up to six graduate credits (courses at the 500 or 600 level) in partial fulfillment of requirements for the undergraduate degree. Upon completion and conferral of the undergraduate degree with satisfactory performance in graduate courses (minimum grade of 3.00 in each), students are given advanced standing in their master’s program.

Undergraduates may take a maximum of six additional graduate credits while undergraduates and mark them for reserve graduate credit. These credits are not used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements but can be applied to the master’s degree. See the section on Graduate Course Enrollment by Undergraduates in the Academic Policies  chapter of the catalog. Courses taken for reserve graduate credit must be approved in advance by the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and the appropriate paperwork filed with the Office of the Registrar.

Students must fulfill all other master’s degree requirements. For application information, contact the individual graduate degree program.

The college offers these accelerated master’s degree programs:

Minors

■ African and African American Studies

Phone: 703-993-1201
Web: aaas.gmu.edu/

Faculty

Brigety, Carbonneau, Carton, Cherubin, Clark, Dennis, Fauntroy, Fuchs, Haley, Horton, Johnson, Lepore, Levine, Manuel-Scott (director), Miller, Paden, Richards Jordan, Smith, Stewart,  Travis, Weatherspoon

Course Work

The African and African American Studies Program offers all course work designated AFAM in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The African and African American Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary minor open to students in all majors. 

In the minor students will examine the cultural, historical, economic, and political dimensions and experiences of people of African descent in America, the Caribbean, Africa, and throughout the Diaspora. Students will learn theories and methodologies that are used to examine the complex dynamics of race, class, gender, and  ethnicity in America. Through this program, students are able develop critical and analytical approaches to societal issues because such issues are addressed and delineated through a variety of academic disciplines.

Students are encouraged to do an internship as part of the minor to further enhance their education and provide them with valuable preparation for the workforce.

African American Studies Research and Resource Center

The goal of the African American Studies Research and Resource Center (Paul Robeson Room) is to facilitate new ways for George Mason University students to learn about the African diaspora. As part of their academic and community involvements, students often need to address issues related to African and African American Studies. The center offers them opportunities for hands-on experience with African and African American life. It has been instrumental in assisting students, faculty, staff, and the community in finding resources to accomplish this goal.

The center sponsors a lecture series and a scholar-in-residence program and offers research and resources support for the Mason community.

Programs

Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor

■ Administration of Justice

Phone: 703-993-8315
Web: adj.gmu.edu

Faculty

Professors: Mastrofski, Taxman, Weisburd, Zingraff

Research professors: Turner, Waddington

Associate professors: Gallagher, Gould, Wilson (chair)

Assistant professors: Johnson, Lawton, Lum, Merola, Portillo, Rudes, Willis

Assistant research professors: Trotman, Andrew

Term instructors: Newmark, Sizemore, Wheeldon

Affiliate faculty: Uchida

Course Work

The Administration of Justice Department offers all course work designated ADJ and JLCP in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The BS in administration of justice provides students with a sound foundation in the liberal arts and a focused study of the justice system as well as the social, human, and moral problems raised in the administration of justice. The course of study prepares students for careers in law enforcement, corrections, the courts, investigations, juvenile justice, private and homeland security, and related social and human services. The program also provides a strong background for law school and graduate study in criminal justice or law and society.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students may pursue advanced work leading to graduation with honors in the major. Students admitted to the honors program in the major take a two-course sequence ADJ 491 and 492. To graduate with honors in ADJ, students must complete these courses with a minimum GPA of 3.50.

Internships

The department supports an active internship program, which places students in justice and police organizations throughout the Washington metropolitan area. Students can gain valuable work place experience while earning credit toward their degree.

Graduate Programs

The department offers master’s and doctoral degrees in justice, law, and crime policy. Both degree programs draw on a strong multidisciplinary faculty, who teach a wide range of courses in their specialties to support the graduate programs. These programs can also take advantage of Mason’s proximity to many justice organizations at the federal, state, and local levels. The curriculum is structured to give students the skills they need to do policy-relevant research as well as to be able to work with local and national justice and security agencies to put those skills to use.

Funding

The department offers teaching and research assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Master's Degree

Doctoral Degree

■ Communication

Phone: 703-993-1090
Web: comm.gmu.edu

Faculty

Professors: Boileau, Botan, Decker, Friedley, Kreps (chair), Lichter, Lont, Maibach, McAuley, Rowan (associate chair)

Emeritus professors: Looney, Manchester, Taylor

Associate professors: Gibson, Muir, Nicotera, Villagran

Assistant professors: Cai, Farnsworth, Hopson, Zhao

Term full professor: Pober

Term associate professor: Finn

Term assistant professors: Bedore, Wright

Term research assistant professor: Roser-Renouf

Term instructors: Anderson, M. Dickerson, Haynes, Klein, R. Smith, Talkington, Tomasovic, Warren

Term research instructor: McCutcheon

Adjuncts: Ahmad, Akyeampong, Atwell, Aw, Barber, Beck, Biedrycki, Chaaban, Chilcote, Clark, Cordero, Dance, Dickerhoof, N. Dickerson, Dillon, Doyle, Effros, Feigenbaum, Fisher, Garifo, Gauthier, Gladis, Greiner, Hadji, Hansche, Harzold, Holsonbake, Kahn, Kehoe, Kohlmann, Kraus, Kubiske, Ledford, Lehman, LeValley, Long, Mangus, Mattox, Moss, Outlaw, Payne, Peck, Plaag, Schmeidler, Simpson, Slagle, Stumpo, Suarez, Trowbridge, Van Zummeren, Walsch, Walter, Wilson, Wolyn, R. Wood

Affiliate: J. R. Censer (professor)

Course Work

The Communication Department offers all course work designated COMM in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers a BA in communication, which prepares students for graduate study or entry-level positions in such fields as interpersonal and organizational communication, journalism, media production and criticism, persuasive and political communication, and public relations.

Students majoring in communication complete a concentration in from one of these areas: interpersonal and organizational communicaton, journalism, media production and criticism, persuasive and political communication, and public relations.

Internships

The department has an active internship program.  Many students include an internship during their senior year as a way of gaining practical experience with national and international businesses, associations, or government agencies.

Student Activities

All students are encouraged to participate in one of the communication activities: Broadside, debate, forensics, GMView, Mason Cable Network, PRSSA, or WGMU.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students may pursue advanced work leading to graduation with honors in the major. Communication majors who have completed 80 credits with an overall minimum GPA of 3.50 and a minimum GPA of 3.50 in communication courses are eligible to apply. They must have satisfactorily completed or be enrolled in COMM 200, 300, 301, 302, 305, and 400. Eligible students are invited to submit a proposal for an honors thesis, and, if the proposal is approved, they are admitted to the program. To receive honors in the major, students must complete specific course work with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and write an acceptible honors thesis. For more information, contact the director of  honors in communication.

Minors

The department offers minors in communication, electronic journalism, and sport communication. The latter is offered jointly by the Department of Communication and the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism in the College of Education and Human Development. The department faculty also participate in these minors: Film and Media Studies Minor , Multimedia Minor , and Women and Gender Studies Minor .

Students majoring in communication may choose to minor in any discipline that offers an undergraduate minor.

Graduate Programs

The department offers a master’s and a doctoral degree in communication with two major areas of emphasis:  strategic communication and health communication. The programs provide students with a strong foundation in communication theory and research while at the same time encouraging students to apply their skills in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

The faculty in strategic communication, drawing on their expertise in public relations theory and research, teach courses on planning, developing, executing, and evaluating public communication campaigns. Faculty in health communication teach courses which explore the relationship between communication practices and the health and well-being of individuals and communities. This ranges from how to improve cooperation and coordination between health care providers and patients to how to develop more effective health promotion campaigns.

Strategic communication and health communication are two of the most rapidly expanding specialties within the broad field of communication. Graduates of these programs find a very welcoming employment market for for their expertise.

Funding

The department offers teaching and research assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Master's Degree

Doctoral Degree

■ Cultural Studies

Phone: 703-993-2851
Web: culturalstudies.gmu.edu

Faculty

Albanese, Amireh, Best, Bickford, Bockman, Burr, Censer, Chang, Copelman, Deshmukh, Foster, Froman, Fuchs, Gibson, Gilbert, Greet, Guagnano, Gusterson, Hanrahan, Hodges, Holt, Jacobs, Jann, Johnsen-Neshati, Kaplan, Kaposy, Karush, Kaufmann, Lancaster (director), Landsberg, Leeman, Lont,  Mandaville, Matz, Miller, O’Connor, O’Malley, Palkovich, Rabin, Ricouart, Rosenblum, Sample, Scarlata, Seligman, Shutika, P. Smith, S. Smith, Sockett, Todd, Travis, Yadav, Yocom, Zagarri

Course Work

The Cultural Studies Program offers all course work designated CULT in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Cultural Studies at Mason

The Cultural Studies Program is distinctive in several respects. While similar programs at other universities are based in a department, the program at Mason has a truely interdisciplinary foundation, drawing on faculty members from 14 different departments across the university. The program thus explicitly links the social sciences and the humanities by combining their methods of  interpretation to explore the production, distribution, and consumption of cultural objects in their social contexts. With particular focus on theory and method in crafting this linkage, the program addresses contemporary issues of nationality, class, race, and gender and opens the scope of scholarly inquiry to all forms of culture, past and present.

Undergraduate Programs

Cultural studies does not have an undergraduate program, but supports the interdisciplinary undergraduate program in global affairs.  CULT 320 - Globalization and Culture is a core requirement for global affairs majors.

Graduate Programs

The doctoral program in cultural studies trains students for scholarship and teaching. The core curriculum includes an introduction to cultural studies and a methods course, as well as courses on political economy, gender and sexuality, critical race studies, science and technology, social institutions, and visual and performance culture.

All students develop field specializations in two areas of cultural studies. The particular strengths of the program are gender, sexuality, and body studies; visual culture and media studies; political economy and globalization; and race, ethnicity, and nation.

Funding

The program offers teaching assistantships and fellowships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Related Master’s Degrees

Applicants to the doctoral degree in cultural studies must already hold a master’s degree. For students interested in cultural studies who do not meet this requirement, the university has established a number of related master’s degrees. Students are encouraged to apply to one of these programs. See Graduate Programs in the English, History and Art History, Modern and Classical Languages, Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Sociology and Anthropology sections of this chapter. These programs cumulate in a capstone seminar, CULT 802.

Students may, if they wish, apply simultaneously to one of these master’s degrees and the doctoral program simultaneously so that faculty may review their academic promise and suitabilty for the program. Students who wish to apply to two degree programs at the same time need to submit two separate applications. Especially strong candidates with bachelor’s degrees may be admitted into the doctoral program on a conditional basis. Admission is contigent on their performance in the master’s degree program, particularly in CULT 802.

Programs

Doctoral Degree

■ Economics

Phone: 703-993-1130
Web: economics.gmu.edu

Faculty

Distinguished professor emeriti: Buchanan, Smith, Tullock

Professors: Bennett, Boettke, Boudreaux, Congleton, Cowen, Crain, Heiner, Houser (chair), Klein, Levy, McCabe, Nye, Richardson, Roberts, Rowley, Stratmann, Wagner, Williams

Associate professors: Caplan, Hanson, Meyer, Ramirez, Reid, Tabarrok, Thorbecke, Wiest

Assistant professors: Al-Ubaydli, Johnson, Jones, Leeson

Instructor: Rustici

Professors emeriti: Chung (emeritus), Phillips (emeritus), Snavely (emeritus), Vaughn (emerita)

Course Work

The Economics Department offers all course work designated ECON in the Courses  chapter of the catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree in economics. The bachelor of science degree program is designed for students who desire a more technical program with a stronger emphasis on economic and quantitative analysis. It is especially appropriate for students who anticipate a career as an economic analyst in government, consulting, trade associations, or other private sector positions that emphasize economic research and analysis. The requirements are also appropriate for students planning postgraduate education in economics or more quantitative business administration programs.

The bachelor of arts degree program is designed primarily for students with a stronger interest in the liberal arts. It is appropriate for those who prefer a less quantitative degree program and may be especially appropriate for students planning to attend law school or graduate programs in business or public administration.

Minors

The department offers a minor in economics and a minor in economic systems design. Both are available to students in any major.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program

The department offers highly qualified undergraduates the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in economics. If accepted, students will be able to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree after satisfactory completion of 144 credits, sometimes within five years.

Graduate Programs

The department offers a master’s and a doctoral degree in economics. The department is noted for its emphasis on comparataive institutional analysis and its focus on the relations among economic, political, and legal institutions. This is reflected in the specializations associated with the department: experimental economics, Austrian economics, public choice, constitutional politicial economy, law and economics, and new institutional economics.

The department offers a graduate certificate in economic systems design, which provides a well defined course of study for students who want to advance or update their knowledge in this fast-moving field.

Funding

The department offers teaching and research assistantships and fellowships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Program

Master's Degree

Master's Level Certificate

Doctoral Degree

■ English

Phone: 703-993-1160
Web: english.gmu.edu

Faculty

Professors: Cheuse, D’Andrea (Robinson Professor), Foster, Goodwin, Hodges, Jann, Lathbury, Lowry, Nadeau, Pankey, Tichy

Associate professors: Albanese, Amireh, Anderson, Atkinson, Burr, Clark, Fuchs, Gallehr, Hawk, Holisky, Jones, Kaplan, Kaufmann, Keaney, Kuebrich, Lattanzi Shutika, Matz (chair), Mori, Rutledge, Weinberger, Yadav, Yocom, Zawacki

Assistant professors: Brkic, Chang, Eisner, Eyman, Habila, Harvey, Hoffmann, Keith, Lawrence, Lin, Lockwood, Malouf, Marcantonio, McCarthy, Michals, Reid, Rogers, Sample, Scarlata, Stanica, Widerhold, Wulf

Term associate professors: Koch, Michals, Miller, Samuelian, Scott, Taciuch, Thompson

Term assistant professors: Beach, Berg, Burnham, DeNys, DeFazio, Habib, Jacobs, Johnson, Lister, Matthews, McGeehan, Nanian, Nichols, Rudnicki, Saunders, Taylor, Williams

Term instructors: Hoy, Raffel, Scolaro

Adjunct assistant professors: Broyles, Cabral, Casal, Dreisonstok, Fletcher, Fowler, Humbertson, Johnston, Kuhta, Moody, Pabich, Redondo, Waldron

Adjunct instructors: Baker, Cooper, Dutta, Grogan-Barone, Johnston, Lawrence, McKinney, Morris, Rhein, Surrette

Course Work

The English Department offers all course work designated CL, ENGL, LING, and NAIS in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Related Courses

Courses offered by other departments are occasionally crosslisted with English and given the ENGL course designator; such courses may be counted toward the English major.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers a bachelor’s degree in English, a versatile major with thirteen specialized concentrations that are designed to meet students’ individual interests and career objectives. English majors can also pursue a special option in comparative literature or do an internship in technical writing or linguistics. Students interested in becoming teachers can participate in a program offered in conjunction with the College of Education and Human Development that allows undergraduates to simultaneously complete their BA in English and their licensure requirements to teach English at the secondary school level in Virginia.

English majors learn to read critically and write carefully in classes that are uniquely small for a university the size of Mason. Students develop these abilities not only thorough reading traditional texts but also through the use of technologies such as blogs, wikis, and multimedia production. Because English majors have excellent skills in written and oral communication, research, critical thinking, and focused creativity they are well prepared for any career - teaching, journalism, creative writing, management, law, and more.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students may pursue advanced work leading to graduation with honors in the major. To graduate with honors in the major, students must complete the honors course sequence and receive a 3.50 GPA in all courses counted toward the major and, separately, a minimum 3.50 GPA in their honors courses. Honors courses may simultaneously satisfy concentration and distribution requirements in the major.

Students may satisfy the honors course sequence in several ways:

  • Students may take two sections of ENGL 414 Honors Seminar.
  • Students may take one section of ENGL 414 Honors Seminar and ENGL 415 Honors Thesis Writing Seminar.
  • Students in the creative writing concentration may take one section of ENGL 414 Honors Seminar and write a creative honors thesis in ENGL 416 Honors Independent Study.
  • Students in the nonfiction concentration may take ENGL 416 Honors Independent Study in conjunction with an advanced course in nonfiction writing and complete a nonfiction thesis as part of ENGL 415 Honors Thesis Writing Seminar.

See the English Department for application procedures and other information.

English with a Second Major

Students can combine a major in English with a second major. Students interested in this option are encouraged to discuss their plans with their English advisor and the director of undergraduate programs in English. See the section on Credit for More than One Undergraduate Major in the Academic Policies   chapter of the catalog.

Minors

The department offers a minor in English, available to students in any major. 

Faculty from English coordinate or co-coordinate the Film and Media Studies Minor , the Folklore and Mythology Minor , the Native American and Indigenous Studies Minor , and the Linguistics Minor .  See the Interdisciplinary Minors section of this chapter for more information.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program

The department offers highly qualified undergraduates in any major the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in English with a concentration in linguistics. If accepted, students will be able to earn an undergraduate degree in their chosen major and a graduate degree in English with a concentration in linguistics after satisfactory completion of 144 credits, sometimes within five years.

Undergraduates in Graduate Courses

The English Department permits qualified undergraduates to enroll in its graduate courses numbered 500 through 599. They may apply these credits to their undergraduate degree or mark them for reserve graduate credit. See the department for details on how to register.

Writing Center

The Writing Center offers one-on-one conferencing during all stages of the writing process. Conferences are free to all Mason students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Writing Center tutors, who are graduate teaching assistants in the English Department, have been trained in current methods of composition instruction. They can help clients overcome writing anxiety, develop organizational and revision skills, and learn useful strategies for editing their own work. Appointments should be made by calling 703-993-1200 or stopping by the center in Robinson Hall A, Room 11, to schedule a session.

Northern Virginia Writing Project

The Northern Virginia Writing Project (NVWP) is an inservice organization dedicated to improving the writing of Northern Virginia students, kindergarten through university level. Each summer, selected teachers attend an intensive five-week institute where they demonstrate successful teaching techniques, study research on the teaching of writing, and write. After the summer institute, participants return to their schools, colleges, and universities to lead workshops and in-service seminars for other teachers. NVWP is an affiliate of the National Writing Project and one of the seven sites of the Virginia Writing Project.

Graduate Programs

The department offers graduate programs in the study and practice of literature and writing, as well as course work in related fields such as folklore, film, linguistics, and cultural studies. The master’s degree in English provides concentrations in literature, cultural studies, professional writing and rhetoric, the teaching of writing and literature, and linguistics.

The department also offers a terminal degree, the MFA in creative writing, with concentrations in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.

Faculty from the department coordinate the concentration in Folklore in the master’s degree in individualized studies (MAIS).

Funding

The department offers teaching assistantships and fellowships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Certificates

The department offers graduate certificates in folklore, professional writing and rhetoric, and teaching English as a second language.  Students may take these as stand-alone certificates or pursue them concurrently with a graduate degree program. Part of the course work for the certificates may be able to be applied to a degree. Students must apply and be admitted to a graduate certificate program.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Program

Master's Degree

Master's Level Certificate

Doctoral Degree

■ Global Affairs


Web: globalaffairs.gmu.edu

Course Work

The Global Affairs programs offer all course work designated GLOA in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

Phone: 703-993-9185

Faculty

Bockman, Breglia (assistant director), Copelman, Christensen, Habila, Harbour, Hirsch, Jones, Leeson, Lopez-Santana, Lukacs, Mandaville, Mcdow, McGlinchey, Paczynska, Rader, Roberts, Smith, Wan (director).

Bachelor’s Degree

The bachelor’s degree in global affairs is an interdisciplinary major that introduces students to the global processes affecting all societies. Drawing on the broad international expertise of Mason faculty, this program incorporates courses from across the university. Global affairs majors examine transnational and international processes in a wide range of areas including politics, economics, culture, peace and conflict, and the environment. They also study specific regions and languages and investigate the ways particular parts of the world experience and influence global processes.

Global affairs majors take a common set of core courses and choose a concentration. They can focus on a theme (global economy, international development, the environment, and so on) or a world region (Africa, Asia, Latin America, etc.).

Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Mason’s many study abroad courses and do an internship as part of their degree program.

Global Affairs with a Second Major

Students can complement their major in global affairs with a second major. Students interested in this option are encouraged to discuss their plans with advisors in both majors. See the section on Credit for More than One Undergraduate Major in the Academic Policies chapter of the catalog.

Minors

The undergraduate program in global affiairs offers a minor in global affairs, which is available to students in any major in the university.

Students majoring in global affairs are encouraged to complement their major one of the many minors offered by the college.

Graduate Programs

Phone: 703-993-2152

Faculty

Bakhash, Kelly (director), Lyons, Mandaville, Shaklee, Wilsford

Master’s Degree

The master’s degree in global affairs is an interdisciplinary program that offers students the opportunity to engage in advanced study of a broad range of international global issues.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program

Highly qualified undergraduates in any major are invited to apply to the accelerated master’s degree program in global affairs. If accepted, students will be able to earn an undergraduate degree in their chosen major and a graduate degree in global affairs after satisfactory completion of 144 credits, sometimes within five years.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Program

Master's Degree

■ Higher Education

Phone: 703-993-2310
Web: highered.gmu.edu

Faculty

Cambridge, Czarda, Gentemann, Jenkins, Kelly, Kettlewell, Kidd, Kuhta, Lester, Lucas, Lyne, J. Muir, S. Muir, O’Connor (director), Owen, Reybold, Salmon, Scales, Schwartzstein, Shrum, L. Smith, Snyder-Hall, Webster

Course Work

This program offers all course work designated CTCH in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Graduate Programs

The Higher Education Program prepares students for positions of leadership in teaching, research, and administration at community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities. The interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes ethical leadership, assessment, and practice-based scholarship in teaching and learning. Students in these degrees come from varied professional backgrounds in college teaching, university administration, business, the performing arts, and government. They bring a vast spectrum of experience to their studies and fellow students.

Doctor of Arts in Community College Education

The doctor of arts in community college education prepares students for college teaching. They take course work in higher education pedagogy and in a disciplinary knowledge area. Working with an advisor, students choose appropriate courses from more than 20 participating departments. In addition to developing disciplinary expertise, the courses in higher education offers proficiency in core areas related to undergraduate education: the community college, college teaching, technology in higher education, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

MAIS Concentration in Community College Teaching

The program sponsors the concentration in community college teaching within the master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies (MAIS). This concentration prepares students to teach entry-level courses in these growing fields in community colleges: communication, English, information systems, mathematics, Spanish, and teaching English as a second language.

See the Interdisciplinary Studies, MAIS  section of this chapter.

MAIS Concentration in Higher Education

The program sponsors the concentration in higher education within the master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies (MAIS). This concentration prepares individuals for administrative and leadership positions in two-year colleges or four-year colleges and universities. Students may focus on administration or student services.

See the Interdisciplinary Studies, MAIS  section of this chapter.

Doctor of Philosophy in Education with Specialization in Higher Education

The doctor of philosophy in education with a specialization in higher education is offered jointly by the Higher Education Program and the College of Education and Human Development.  This doctoral program prepares students for positions of leadership in administration and student services through coursework in higher education administration and leadership and through a secondary concentration that can further disciplinary expertise.

See the College of Education and Human Development  chapter of the catalog.

Certificates

The program offers graduate certificates in college teaching and in higher education administration. Students may take these as stand-alone certificates or pursue them concurrently with a graduate degree program. Part of the certificate course work may be able to be applied to the degree. Students must apply and be accepted to a graduate certificate program

Programs

Master's Level Certificate

Doctoral Degree

■ History and Art History

Phone: 703-993-1250
Web: historyarthistory.gmu.edu

Faculty

Mathy Professor: Mattusch (art history)

Robinson Professor: Crew, Bakhash (history)

Professors: J. R. Censer (dean), J. T. Censer, Holt, Kierner, Petrik, Sherwin, Stearns (provost), Stewart, Wade, Zagarri (history)

Associate professors: Bristol, Carton, Chang, Cohen, Copelman, Deshmukh, Hamdani, Karush, Kelly, Landsberg, Lytton, O’Malley, Platt (chair), Scully, Smith (history); Butler, DeCaroli (director), Todd (art history)

Assistant professors: Barnes, Bottoms, Bristol, Collins, Hamner, Lair, McDow, Schrag (history); Greet (art history)

Term faculty: Leon, Manuel-Scott, McCord, Orens, Scheinfeldt, Schrum, Walmsley (history); Gregg, Richardson (art history)

Postdoctoral teaching fellows: Hudgins, Salinas, Scales, Wolf

Course Work

This department offers all course work designated HIST and ARTH in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

History

The department offers a BA in history. History majors study a variety of historical time periods, from Greek and Roman antiquity to the late twentieth-century. They learn to interpret and evaluate the past by analyzing a variety of sources, from historical books and novels to images, films, oral interviews, newspapers, and other texts.

History majors have the opportunity to study with faculty who are internationally known for their work on the use of techology in the study of history. They can do an internship with one of them in the Center for History and New Media or at places like the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, or one of  many other institutions in the Washington, D.C. area. There are also many opportunities to study abroad while earning credit towards the history major.

Advising

Students majoring or minoring in history are advised by the undergraduate director.. History majors are urged to discuss their program of study periodically with the director.

Honors in the Major

History majors who have completed 75 credits (a minimum of 15 in history, 6 of which must have been taken at Mason) with a 3.50 overall GPA and a 3.50 GPA in history are eligible to apply to graduate with honors in history. Applicants must have completed or be enrolled in HIST 300. The statement of application should include references from two Mason history faculty members. If a major part of the student’s work includes transfer credit, transcripts may be required. Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements are guaranteed acceptance into honors in the major.

To graduate with honors in the major, students must complete HIST 490 and 491, linked individualized courses usually with the same instructor. Students must have completed at least one course in the field (or with the professor) chosen for these honors courses. HIST 490 should be taken before 491, although they may be taken concurrently. Either course may be taken concurrently with HIST 499 Senior Seminar in History. These 6 credits must be passed with a minimum 3.50 GPA, and the overall history GPA presented for graduation must be a minimum of 3.50. These 6 credits may be counted toward the 36-credit major requirement in history, but they do not replace HIST 499.

Minors

The department offers a minor in history available to students in any major.

The department faculty participate in a number of interdisciplinary minors including African and African American Studies Minor , Ancient Mediterranean Art and Archaeology Minor , Asia-Pacific Studies Minor , Islamic Studies Minor , Latin American Studies Minor  and Middle East Studies Minor . Students can earn credits toward these minors by taking selected history and art history courses. For details, see the Interdisciplinary Minors section and the Latin American Studies section of this chapter.

The minor in sport and American culture is offered jointly by the Department of History and Art History and the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism. For details, see the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism section in the College of Education and Human Development chapter of the catalog.

Art History

The department offers a BA in art history. Art history majors investigate works of art to learn how they were made, why they were made, and by and for whom they were made. They develop the skills to interpret a work of art as a record of the culture in which it was made.  Through art history courses, students will learn to ask questions that touch on cultural, technological, and economic concerns. The major has flexible requirements, and students in art history receive individualized attention which helps them tailor their studies to their own individual interests and career goals.

Art history majors have the opportunity to study with faculty whose expertise covers many world regions - the United States, Latin America, Europe, South and Southeast Asia, and China - and all historical periods - from classical antiquity, Byzantine, Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque, to the modern era.

Students are encouraged to do an internship at one of the many arts organizations in the Washington, D.C. region, such as the National Gallery of Art or the Corcoran Gallery. There are also many opportunities to study abroad while earning credit towards the art history major.

Honors in the Major

Majors who have completed 75 credits (a minimum of 15 credits in art history, with 6 credits taken at Mason) with a 3.50 overall GPA and a 3.80 GPA in art history are eligible to apply to graduate with honors in art history. Eligible students should apply to the undergraduate director by November 15 or April 15 with a statement of application including the names of two references from Mason art history faculty members. Transfer students should also submit transcripts. Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements are guaranteed acceptance into honors in the major.

To graduate with honors in the major, students must complete ARTH 492 and 493, linked individualized courses that culminate in a research paper. Students must have completed at least one course in the field (or with the professor) chosen for these honors courses. ARTH 492 should be taken before 493, but they may be taken concurrently. These 6 credits must be passed with a minimum 3.50 GPA, and the overall art history GPA presented for graduation must be a minimum of 3.50. These 6 credits may be counted toward the 33- to 34-credit major requirement in art history, but they do not replace the 6 required credits in ARTH 400, 420, 430, 440, 460, 471, 472, or 482.

Minors

The department offers a minor in art history available to students in any major.

The Art History Program coordinates the Ancient Mediterranean Art and Archaeology Minor . See the Interdisciplinary Minors section of this chapter.

Graduate Programs

History

The department offers a master’s and a doctoral degree in history. In both programs, students select a specialization in American history, European history, or world history. Master’s degree students chose from one of four concentrations: predoctoral history, applied history, enrichment, or teaching. Doctoral students focus their studies in one of four areas: college/university teaching, new media and information technology, public and applied history, or preprofessional development.

Graduate students in history have the opportunity to take courses in new media, studying with faculty who are internationally known for their use of techology in the study of history. Many students work along side the faculty in the Center for History and New Media, a leader in the use of digital media and computer technology to democratize history. The center uses ditigal media and technology to preserve and present history online, transform scholarship across the humanities, and advance historical education and understanding. 

Students can do an internship in applied history at one of the many institutions in the Washington, D.C. area or study abroad while earning credit towards their degrees.

Funding

The department offers teaching and research assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Art History

The department offers a richly interdisciplinary master’s degree in art history. It draws on faculty strengths in traditional research and new media and the vast cultural recources of the Washington, D.C. area. Students learn methods of art historical analysis, a variety of art historical interpretations, and practical applications of the field. The program places a special emphasis on the development of skills in new media, museology, and pre-professional internships - program features that are unique to this region.

The master’s degree in art history is designed to meet the needs of a student population with diverse interests and career goals. Because of the focus on skill building in traditional research as well as new media, graduates of this program have the tools necessary for independent research, professional work, and the dissemination of knowledge in art history.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Master's Degree

Doctoral Degree

■ Honors Program in General Education

Phone: 703-993-1110
Web: honors.gmu.edu

Faculty

Albanese, Alligood (associate director), Bakhash, Bristol, Burr (director), Burt, Butler, Carbonneau, Carton, J. R. Censer, Cherubin, Constantine, Dakake, D’Andrea, DeCaroli, Deshmukh, Diecchio, Fox, Geller, Gifford, Gould, Granfield, Haines, Harbour, Heclo, Hodges, M. Holt, Jacobs, Jann, Johnsen-Neshati, Jones, Karush, Koch, Kulesza, Leeman, Maloney, Mandaville, Mandes, Mattusch, McFerson, Metcalf, L. Miller, Nadeau, Nichols, J. Paden, Palkovich, Ramos-Pellicia, Roan, Roman-Mendoza, Reid, Rutledge, Sachs, Sample, Samuelian, Seligmann, Shutika, V. Smith, C. Snyder-Hall, Stearns, Taciuch, Tangney, Taylor, Todd, Trefil, T. Williams, B. Wilson, Yadav, Zaccaro, Zagarri

Course Work

The program offers all course work designated HNRS in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Honors Program

The Honors Program is the academic program of the Mason’s Honors College (described in the University Academic Programs and Resources  section of this catalog), which provides talented students in all majors with an enriched academic and social environment that enhances their college experience.

The Honors Program offers a unique selection of integrated courses designed for highly motivated students and taught by many of Mason’s most experienced teachers and accomplished scholars. Taken together, these courses satisfy the general education requirements in social sciences and humanities for all colleges and majors in the university. Because most honors classes have fewer than 25 students, honors students have the opportunity to be known and mentored by distinguished faculty during their first years on campus.  The track in science, technology, engineering, economics, and mathematics offers honors sections of first-year courses in these disciplines, as well.

The Honors Program also offers students special access to the technical, intellectual, and artistic resources of the university and the national capital region. It seeks to develop among its students a sense of intellectual community and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Admission

Admission is limited and competitive. Students apply to the Honors Program when applying to Mason by selecting the box that indicates they are interested in the Honors Program and by completing an additional essay question. If the application meets the criteria for admission to the Honors Program, the applicant will receive an invitation to the program shortly after receiving the acceptance letter to the university.

Applicants are evaluated on the strength of their entire academic record, including the rigor of the high school curriculum, GPA, and standardized test scores. Students are allowed to use AP, IB, and dual-enrollment credit taken before admission to Mason to substitute for certain HNRS courses, excluding HNRS 110 and HRNS 353.

Requirements

The core of the honors curriculum is designed to satisfy the university general education requirements through a small number of interdisciplinary courses, allowing students increased opportunities to pursue minors or other individual interests. Students then have a choice of two tracks, determined by their majors and degrees. The STEM track is designed for students pursuing a bachelor of science degree in science, technology, engineering, economics, or mathematics. The Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (LASS) track is for students pursuing a bachelor of arts degree, who have additional college level requirements.

To receive honors in general education on their transcript, students must earn a minimum GPA of 3.00 in HNRS courses and supporting courses required for their approved honors program. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.00 may complete the program but will not receive honors recognition on their transcripts.

Continuation in Honors

Students in the program who are placed on academic warning because their GPA falls below 2.00 (1.80 in the first or second semester) may be ineligible to continue in the program.

Honors students are expected to maintain high standards of academic integrity and personal conduct. Students may be asked to withdraw from the program for a violation of the University Honor Code or any other conduct that reflects adversely on the Honors Program.

Students who leave the program before completion must meet university general education requirements and college-level requirements for their particular degree programs. On leaving the program and before registering for general education courses, students should be advised on equivalencies between the honors courses they have completed and general education requirements.

Transfer of Honors Credits

Within George Mason: Because of the sequential and integrated nature of the program, honors courses may not correspond exactly to other courses used to fulfill general education requirements. A list of equivalencies is available in the Honors Program Office and on the web site.

Outside George Mason: Course work in the Honors Program may meet the general education requirements of other universities. As in all transfer situations, general education requirements of one institution may not precisely match those of another.

■ Individualized Study

Phone: 703-993-4556
Web: bis.gmu.edu

Administration

Jeannie Brown Leonard (Director)

Course Work

The program offers all course work designated BIS in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Program

The bachelor of individualized study (BIS) degree provides an alternative to the traditional baccalaureate, offering students a distinctive educational opportunity that allows them to integrate previous experiences into university course work. Recognizing that college-level learning may be acquired through varied professional, military, and personal experience, the BIS Program provides mechanisms for translating experiential learning into academic credit. It accepts transfer credits from traditional institutions of higher education, as well as credits earned through other appropriate means.

There are two pathways for obtaining this degree. Students can design their own individualized interdisciplinary program of study or pursue a standardized concentration.  These alternatives require different course work, prerequisites, and eligibility.

Eligibility

Applicants for an individualized study degree must have completed high school at least seven years prior to admission to the program and have accumulated at least 30 college-level credits, 15 of which must have been earned through conventional classroom instruction.  The concentration in early childhood education studies is an exception to the seven-year time limit.

Application and Admission

Students interested in the BIS program must attend an information session and apply separately to the BIS Program in addition to applying to Mason through the Office of Admissions. The BIS information session schedule and application form are available on line at www.bis.gmu.edu. Admission is selective and based on a minimum GPA of 2.50 on previous course work.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students may apply to graduate with honors in the major.  Students should apply the semester before they intend to enroll in BIS 390 (The Research Process). Students accepted to the honors in the major must complete a BIS 391 and BIS 490 (an individualized section) with a minimum GPA of 3.5, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher, and successfully present their research during the Senior Capstone Project presentations.

Credit for Nontraditional Modes of Learning

The BIS program allows students to receive college credit for learning acquired through a variety of nontraditional methods indicated below. The maximum allowable credits are indicated for each category.

  1. Nationally recognized exam programs such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) when the particular exam has been approved for Mason credit. For an approved list, go to admissions.gmu.edu/exams/ExamCLEP.asp (45 maximum credits).
  2. Certain university approved industry, government, or military training credits if such credits are indexed and recommended as college-level credit by the American Council on Education (ACE). To be eligible for Mason credit, training and course specifics must exactly match what is in the ACE guide (45 maximum credits) and be approved for Mason credit. The specific credits must also be approved by the program director and the dean. Note: Total combined credit for exams and ACE-approved training cannot exceed 60 credits. For example, if 45 credits are accepted by ACE-approved training, a maximum of 15 credits can be accepted for the exam.
  3. Experiential learning demonstrated by portfolios subject to approval by the program director and the dean (30 maximum credits).
  4. College-level credit earned at institutions accredited by bodies other than recognized regional accrediting organizations subject to approval by the program director and the dean. These credits can only be considered if the institution is listed in Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education published by ACE (30 maximum credits).

Students may not pursue credit for options 1, 2, and 4 once they have matriculated at Mason. They must complete the third option within their first 30 credits after matriculation. Although the types of credit noted above may be applied to a BIS degree, not all university and program requirements can be fulfilled in these ways. These nontraditional credits are not transferable to other degree programs at Mason.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program

The program offers highly qualified undergraduates the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in telecommunications. If accepted, students will be able to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree after satisfactory completion of 144 credits.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Program

■ Interdisciplinary Minors and Certificate (CHSS)

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences offers many minors and one certificate in interdisciplinary areas of study. These minors require course work from two or more disciplines and are administered by interdepartmental faculty groups, often faculty from across the university.

Other interdisciplinary minors are offered by departments and programs in the college. These include:

For policies governing all minors, see the Academic Policies  chapter of the catalog.

Programs

Bachelor's Level Certificate

Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor

■ Interdisciplinary Studies

Phone: 703-993-8762
Web: mais.gmu.edu

Executive Committee

Addleson, Burns, Hodzic, Kidd, Lont, Martin, O’Connor, Rodgers, Salmon, Shutika, Simmons, Snyder-Hall (director), Sorrell, Wood, Vitazkova, Yocom

Course Work

This program offers the courses designated MAIS in the Courses  chapter of this catalog. However, students in the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS) degree take most of their courses in the disciplines that they integrate as part of their degree program.

Graduate Programs

The master’s degree program in interdisciplinary studies (MAIS) is designed for students who seek a degree that integrates knowledge from several disciplines. It addresses a rapidly evolving demand for for specialized and individualized graduate study. Students choose one of eight structured concentrations or devise an individualized program of study when traditional degree programs do not meet their evolving careers or life goals.

The degree requires course work from a home department and selected courses from other disciplines. Student complete their degrees with a project or thesis.

Concentrations

Students pursuing a master’s degree program in interdisciplinary studies can choose a concentration in community college teaching or higher education, both sponsored by the Higher Education Program. They can do a concentration in folklore, sponsored by the faculty in English or one in religion, culture, and values, sponsored by Religious Studies. The video-based production concentration is sponsored by the Communication Department, while the concentration in women and gender studies is sponsored by the Women and Gender Studies Program and that in Zoo and Aquarium Leadership, by New Century College.

For a variety of reasons, traditional graduate programs are not able to meet the specific eduational goals of some students. They can choose the individualized concentration. With the help of a faculty advisor, they design an individualized program of study that includes courses from several academic disciplines.

Programs

Master's Degree

■ Latin American Studies

Phone: 703-993-1010
Web: las.gmu.edu

Faculty

Berroa (Modern and Classical Languages), Bristol (History and Art History), Burt (Public and International Affairs), Greet  (History and Art History), Karush (History and Art History, director), Leeman (Modern and Classical Languages), Lepore (Dance), Meyer (Economics), Rabin (Modern and Classical  Languages), Ramos-Pellicia (Modern and Classical Languages), Seligmann (Sociology and Anthropology), Shutika (English), Vivancos-Pérez (Modern and Classical Languages), Yocom (English)

Course Work

The Latin American Studies Program offers courses designated LAS in the Courses  chapter of this catalog. As an interdisciplinary program, Latin American Studies offers many other courses across a range of departments that do not bear the LAS code. For the major and minor, students should consult with the director to determine whether a particular course may be used to fulfill a Latin American studies requirement or elective.

Undergraduate Programs

The bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies presents students with the opportunity to study one of the world’s most diverse and fascinating regions. Contemporary Latin America is the product of a long and turbulent history of conquest, resistance, and cultural mixing. The result is a rich and unique amalgam of African, indigenous, and European cultures. Understanding these complex societies has never been more crucial than it is today since people of Latin American descent represent more than 13% of the population of the United States. Knowledge of Latin American history, culture, society, and politics is indispensable for anyone who seeks to understand the contemporary United States and its place in the world.

Majors in Latin American studies develop a broad expertise in the region while pursuing an individualized program of study that suits their own particular interests. Student improve their language skills and take courses in many disciplines including anthropology, dance, economics, folkllore, geography, government, history, and literature. The course work cumulates in a seminar where students develop a research project under the mentorship of a faculty expert.

Honors in the Major

Latin American Studies majors who have completed 75 credits (a minimum of 15 in Latin American Studies, 6 of which must have been taken at Mason) with at least a 3.50 overall GPA and at least a 3.50 GPA within the major may apply to pursue advanced work leading to graduation with honors in the major. The application consists of a transcript, a recommendation from one member of the LAS faculty, and a brief description of a proposed research project.

Once accepted into the program, students then complete a two-course sequence – LAS 491 and LAS 492 – which must be taken in successive semesters. In this sequence, students complete an advanced research project under the guidance of an faculty member. To graduate with honors in the major, students must earn at least a 3.5 in these two courses. Students who complete LAS 491 and LAS 492 do take LAS 499, the regular capstone class in the major.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor

■ Modern and Classical Languages

Phone: 703-993-1220
Web: mcl.gmu.edu

Faculty

Professors: Gilbert, Ricouart, Winkler

Associate professors: Berroa, Chamberlain, Christensen (chair), Goldin, Leeman, Levine, Rabin, Roman-Mendoza

Assistant professors: Carreño-Rodríguez, Markx, Olson, Ramos-Pellicia, Sanusi, So, Vivancos-Perez

Term associate professors: Zhang

Term assistant professors: Apitz, Falcon, Fujiwara, Fyfe, Quintana, Ruiz-Ross, Salawdeh , Vasilyeva

Term instructors: Chen, Hilmi, Kirsch, Lamothe, Mircea-Pines, Planas, Sweet

Course Work

This department offers all course work designated ARAB, CHIN, CLAS, FREN, FRLN, GERM, GREE, HEBR, ITAL, JAPA, KORE, LATN, RUSS, and SPAN in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

The following courses are offered in English. Knowledge of a foreign language is not required: ARAB 325; CHIN 310, 311, 320, 325, 328; FREN 325, 329; GERM 301, 325; ITAL 325; JAPA 320; RUSS 325, 326, 327, 353, 354; SPAN 321, 322, 325, 329; and all courses designated CLAS and FRLN.

Courses numbered 325 may be repeated once for credit if the authors studied are different.

General Education Requirements

The department offers courses approved to fulfill university general education requirements: RUSS 354 and SPAN 322 fulfill the general education requirement in global understanding; FRLN 385, RUSS 353, and SPAN 388 fulfill the general education synthesis requirement; a number of courses fulfill the general education requirement in literature; RUSS 354 and SPAN 322, which are approved to fulfill the general education requirement in global understanding. See the University General Education  chapter of the catalog.

College-Level Requirements

Language courses through the intermediate (200) level can be used to fulfill the college-level requirement in foreign languages for the bachelor of arts degree in the College of Humanities and Sciences and the College of Science. FREN 451, RUSS 353, and RUSS 354 fulfill the college-level requirement in non-Western culture.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers a bachelor’s degree in foreign languages with concentrations in French and Spanish.

The concentration in French is designed for students who want to increase their proficiency in French language and culture while learning about the history, politics, and economics of the many French-speaking countries around the world.  Students can take a study abroad course or spend a summer in Paris or Quebec, earning credit towards their degree.  They can participate in the many French-speaking activities sponsored by Mason’s French Club.

The concentration in Spanish enables students to become proficient in speaking, reading, and writing Spanish while learning about Latin American, Latino and Spanish languages practices, literatures, histories, and cultures. Students are encouraged to do an internship or service learning project, where they can draw on their knowledge of Spanish, gain valuable work experience while working for social change in their communities.  Students have many opportunities to study Spanish abroad for as little as a week and as long as a semester and at the same time, earn credit toward their degree.

Both concentrations prepare students for teaching careers at the secondary school level, graduate study in languages, and research and professional work in government and private enterprise.

Foreign Languages with a Second Major

Majors in foreign language are encouraged to complete a second major in another field. Students who want to pursue a second undergraduate major should plan a program of study in consultation with advisors from both degrees and be familiar with the relevant policies on more than one major. See the Academic Policies chapter of the catalog.

Minors

Language majors are encouraged to complete a minor in another field.

The department offers minors in classical studies, Japanese studies, Chinese, French, German, Latin, Russian, and Spanish. They are available to students in any major. Except for classical studies, all the minors have as a prerequisite the completion of an intermediate course in the relevant language.

Graduate Programs

The department offers a distinctive interdisciplinary master’s degree in foreign languages designed to meet the needs and interests of prospective and practicing teachers and other professionals. It also prepares students for doctoral study at other institutions. Within the master’s degree, students choose one of four concentrations: French, Spanish, French and Spanish, and Spanish/bilingual-multicultural education.

Students are encourage to participate in the many study abroad programs offered by Mason. These include short courses during winter and spring breaks as well as semester-long programs in the French and Spanish speaking regions of the world.

Funding

The department has a limited number of teaching assistantships for highly qualified graduate students with excellent language preparation. Students develop valuable language teaching experience by working with faculty experts in language teaching pedagogy.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Master's Degree

■ Philosophy

Phone: 703-993-1290
Web: philosophy.gmu.edu

Faculty

Professors: Bergoffen, Rothbart

Associate professors: Cherubin, De Nys, Eckenwiler, Froman, Holman, Kinnaman (chair), Light, Paden

Term professor:  Boyd

Adjunct professors: D. Gregory, J. Miller, Oberoi, Register, Sigrist, Sojka, Van Camp

Course Work

This department offers all course work designated PHIL in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, which covers the major issues and areas in philosophy. It is intended to serve the needs of students who wish to pursue graduate studies in philosophy or emphasize philosophy while acquiring a broad liberal arts education. Majors in philosophy take courses in a variety of philosophical traditions and study logic, ethics, and social and political philosophy. With the skills of critical thinking, skillful writing, and analytical reasoning that are the hallmark of philosophy majors, students are well-prepared for a wide range of careers including law, government service, or graduate study. 

The philosophy program can complement other interests of students when they complete a second major in another field. Students who plan to pursue more than one undergraduate major should work out a program of study in consultation with advisors from both majors and be familiar with the relevant policies for completing more than one major. See the Academic Policies  chapter of the catalog.

In addition to the general degree in philosophy, students can choose a concentration in philosophy and law. This concentration offers philosophy majors the opportunity to focus their study of philosophy in a way that prepares them for the study of the law.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students may apply to the honors program in the major.  Students can apply in their second semester as a junior, before they have completed 90 credits and should have a minimum GPA in the major of 3.50. Eligible students should submit a transcript, one letter of recommendation from a member of the philosophy faculty, and one writing sample, a paper from one of the student’s courses in philosophy.

To receive honors in the major, students must complete 6 credits of honors course work in either PHIL 422, 425, or 471. To graduate with honors in philosophy, students must complete these courses with a minimum GPA of 3.50.

Minors

The department offers a minor in philosophy and a minor in philosophy and law.  These minors are available to students in any major. The department, in cooperation with the Department of Public and International Affairs, coordinates the interdisciplinary minor in political philosophy. See the Interdisciplinary Minors section of this chapter.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program

The department offers highly qualified undergraduate majors in philosophy the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in philosophy. If accepted, students will be able to earn both the undergraduate and graduate degrees after satisfactory completion of 144 credits, generally within five years.

Graduate Programs

The department offers a master’s degree in traditional and contemporary philosophy with specialized concentrations in philosophy and cultural theory and in professional ethics. The degree is designed for students who want to further their professional goals or foster their intellectual development. It provides a solid preparation for advanced work in philosophy or other fields such as women and gender studies, cultural studies, or law. The degree provides grounding in the history of philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, contemporary continental thought, contemporary analytic philosophy, and philosophy of science.

With its focus on traditional and contemporary philosophy, the master’s degree program provides students with a historical and pluralistic approach to philosophical questions. The concentration in professional ethics gives students the opportunity to explore the ethical and philosophical issues that arise in such professional fields of study and work as business, health care, scientific research, biomedical technology, and public policy. The concentration in phiosophy and cultural theory provides students with a distinctive and important theoretical foundation for doctoral work in cultural studies.

Students are encouraged to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom such as study abroad, professional internships, and research with faculty members.

The department also offers a graduate certificate in professional ethics for those students interested in combining the study of ethics in a variety of career settings. Students may earn the certificate as a stand alone program or pursue it concurrently with a graduate degree program. Part of the coursework for the certificate may be able to be applied also to a degree program. Students must apply and be admitted to the graduate certificate program.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Program

Master's Degree

Master's Level Certificate

■ Psychology

Phone: 703-993-1342
Web: gmu.edu/departments/psychology

Faculty

Professors: Ascoli, Boehm-Davis (chair), Cortina (associate chair for graduate studies), Denham (director, Applied Developmental Program), Klimoski, Maddux, Mandes, Naglieri, Parasuraman (director, Human Factors/Applied Cognition Program), Pasnak, Riskind, Rojahn (director, School Psychology Program, director, Center for Cognitive Development), R. Smith (director, Biopsychology Program), Tangney, Tetrick (director, Industrial/Organizational Program), Winsler, Zaccaro

Research professors: Butler, Olds

Associate professors: Bitler, Blackwell, Buffardi, Flinn, Greenwood, Kello, Kozhevnikov, Peterson, Sanford (associate chair for undergraduate studies), Short (director, Clinical Program)

Research associate professors: Bachus, Warren

Assistant professors: Baldwin, Cattaneo, Dalal, Kashdan, Kaplan, King, McKnight, Mohr, Monk, Perez-Edgar, Rowe, Thompson

Term associate professors: Chrosniak, Wanschura

Research assistant professors: Bassett, Fu, McDonald, Stuewig, Tran

Term assistant professors: Battaglia, Hurley, Meier

Affiliates: Eby, Hunt

Adjuncts: Anderson, Benedi, Curtin, Dechman, Hawley, Hirsch, Levitas, Mayfield, Perez, Pomeroy, Schumann, Shiraev, Stanhope, Steve, Werber

Course Work

The Psychology Department offers all course work designated PSYC in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The  department offers a bachelor of arts degree and a bachelor of science degree in psychology. All psychology majors complete a broad range of courses from social and abnormal psychology to cognitive and biospychology. Students can also choose from special topics courses such as forensic psychology and romantic relationships.

Students in psychology may have the opportunity to do research with a faculty member or do a service learning course, which allows them to put into practice what they’ve learned in the classroom.

Students interested in graduate study should be aware that undergraduate research experience and letters of recommendation are major factors for admission to graduate study. Such students should distribute courses across a number of areas in psychology and work closely with one or more professors on individual projects during their junior and senior years.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students may apply to graduate with honors in the major. To be eligible for admission, psychology majors must have completed at least 50 credits and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 and a minimum GPA of 3.40 in psychology courses.

If accepted, students must take a sequence of three courses (PSYC 490, 491, and 492), which cumulates in the successful completion and presentation of an independent honors thesis. To graduate with honors, students must earn at least 3.50 in the three honors courses and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 and a minimum GPA of 3.40 in psychology courses.

Minor

The department offers a minor in psychology available to students in any major.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program

The department offers highly qualified undergraduate majors the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in psychology with a concentration in biopsychology. If accepted, students will be able to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree in psychology, the master’s with a concentration in biopsychology, after satisfactory completion of 146 credits, sometimes within five years.

Graduate Programs

The graduate programs in psychology are distinguished by an emphasis on basic research and the application of research to solving practical problems in families, schools, industry, government, and health care settings.

The department offers master’s and doctoral degrees with concentrations in applied developmental psychology, biopsychology, human factors/applied cognition, and industrial/organizational psychology. They offer a doctoral degree with a concentration in clinical psychology. Finally, they offer a master’s degree with a concentration in school psychology as well as a certificate of advanced graduate studies in school psychology.

Funding

The department offers teaching and research assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Certificates

The department offers graduate certificates in aviation psychology, usability, and cognitive neuroscience. These have been designed to meet the needs of students who desire to upgrade their skills and earn a certificate as evidence of their skill attainment. Students may take these as stand-alone certificates or pursue them concurrently with a graduate degree program. Part of the certificate course work may be able to be applied to the degree. Students must apply and be accepted to a graduate certificate program.

The certificate programs are open to all students who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and meet the admissions requirements for the master’s degree in psychology with a concentration in human factors and applied cognition.

Nondegree Status

Applicants who have not been admitted to a graduate degree program or a certificate program may apply for nondegree status. Nondegree students must meet the same admission requirements as degree-seeking students. Nondegree status is not intended as a way to qualify for admission as a degree-seeking student.

While it may be possible to transfer the credits earned in nondegree status to a degree program, such transfers are not automatic. They require the approval of the graduate director and the dean. If approved, a maximum of 12 credits earned in nondegree status may be applied to a degree program. Nondegree students who intend to transfer their credits to a degree program should discuss this with the appropriate program director.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Program

Master's Degree

Master's Level Certificate

Doctoral Degree

■ Public and International Affairs

Phone: 703-993-1400
Web: pia.gmu.edu

Faculty

Robinson Professors: Heclo, Paden

Emeritus faculty: Brown, Clark, Early, Gortner, Hart-Nibbrig, Knight, White

Professors: Abramson, Cioffi-Revilla, Conant, Conlan, Druckman, Dudley (chair), Katz, Posner, Regan, Sockett, Wan, Wilsford

Associate professors: Balint, Burt, Dueck, Hackler, Harbour, Lukacs, Mahler, Mandaville, McDonald, McFerson, Miller, Nguyen, Sacco, Snyder-Hall, Toepler, Travis

Assistant professors: Benjamin, Bowie, Brigety, Haddad, Koblentz, Lopez-Santana, Ouagrham-Gormley, Robbins

Term assistant professors: Burroughs, Palubinskas, Walker

Adjuncts: Becelia, Butler, Combs, Day, Dinella, Fant, Froehlich, Ghosh, Hall, Hauss, Heniff, Long, Maslyn, Raffety, Sauer, Shafroth, Shiraev, Stahl, Swanson, Tadie, Taylor, Tibbets, Vance, Wermuth

Affiliate faculty: Bushee, Casamayou, Connolly, Edner, Shogan

Course Work

The Public and International Affairs Department offers all course work designated BIOD, GOVT, and PUAD in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers two degrees for students interested in political science, government, and international relations: a BA in government and international politics and a BS in public administration. Majors in government and international politics take core courses in American political institutions, the political systems of other countries, and international relations.  Students can focus their electives to earn a concentration in American politics, international politics, political theory and law, or public policy. Majors in public administration take courses in government and nonprofit management, computer applications, and business administration.

Students have an opportunity to do internships as part of their degree programs, gaining valuable work experinece while earning college credit.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students majoring in government and international politics and public administration may pursue advanced work leading to graduation with honors in the major. Those students selected for participation in this program take a two-course sequence GOVT 491 and 496. To graduate with honors in the major, students must complete these courses with a GPA of at least 3.00.

Minors

The department offers minors in American government, international/comparative studies, legal studies, and public policy and management. In addition, it coordinates the Asia-Pacific Studies Minor  , Global Systems Minor  , and Urban and Suburban Studies Minor  and participates with the Philosophy Department in the Political Philosophy Minor . See the Interdisciplinary Minors section in this chapter for descriptions of these minors.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Programs

The department offers highly qualified undergraduates the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in political science or public administration. If accepted, students will be able to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree after satisfactory completion of 150 credits, sometimes within five years.

Graduate Programs

The department offers masters and doctoral programs in biodefense and political science. They offer a master’s of public administration (MPA), in which students can focus their electives to earn a concentration in administration of justice, emergency management and homeland security, environmental science and public policy,  human resources management, international management, nonprofit management, policy studies, public management, publica and nonprofit finance, state and local government, or third-party governance.

Funding

The department offers teaching assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Certificate Programs

The department offers six graduate certificates. Students may pursue a certificate as a stand alone program or as part of another graduate degree. They must apply for admission to the certificate program and meet the admission standards set for degree-seeking graduate students in the department.

Master’s International (MI)

Graduate students can take advantage of Master’s International (MI), a joint program between Mason and the Peace Corps, which enables participants to combiine Peace Corps volunteer service with the master’s degrees in political science or public administration. See the degree programs below for more details.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Program

Master's Degree

Master's Level Certificate

Doctoral Degree

■ Religious Studies

Phone: 703-993-1290
Web: religious.gmu.edu

Faculty

Associate professors: Burns, M. Dakake, Farina, Nguyen, Rashkover, Ro (chair), Shiner

Adjuncts: Bond, D. Dakake, Dreyer, Hebbar, Hostetter, Padgett

Course Work

This department offers all course work designated RELI in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The department offers a bachelor’s degree in religious studies for students who are interested in learning more about the world’s religious traditions. Majors explore the many dimensions of religion and study religion’s spiritual, historical, cultural, and social aspects.

Areas of study offered by the department include Asian religious traditions, Near (Middle) East religious traditions (Judaism, Islam, and Christianity), and comparative aspects of religion. Though the required coursework, majors in religious studies develop skills in reading and interpreting sacred texts. They explore the cultural and social dimensions of religion along with a consideration of religious values and ethics, from comparative and cross-cultural perspectives with relation to global issues.

The courses in the undergraduate program are writing intensive. They enable students to study and analyze religious ideas and symbols and give them the skills they need to present well-argued papers.

Minors

Students majoring in religious studies are encouraged to do one of the many minors offered by the college.

The department also offers minors in religious studies and Judaic studies, both of which are available to students in all majors.

Graduate Programs

The department sponsors the concentration in religion, culture, and values in the master’s degree in individualized studies (MAIS). This concentration is designed for students who interested in exploring the world’s major religions at the graduate level. Students study the development and interaction of the global religious traditions that influence human identity, behavior, culture, and values. They investigate the effects that historical crises and the forces of change have on religion, placing contemporary religious pluralism and inter-religious dialog in a global context.

See the Interdisciplinary Studies  (MAIS) section of this chapter for details.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

■ Russian and Eurasian Studies

Phone: 703-993-1233
Web: russianstudies.gmu.edu

Faculty

Barnes (History and Art History), Bockman (Sociology and Anthropology), Boettke (Economics), Christensen (Modern and Classical Languages), Johnsen-Neshati (Theater), Katz (Public and International Affairs), Kelly (History and Art History), Korostelina (Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution), Levine (Modern and Classical Languages, director), McGlinchey (Public and International Affairs), Pacynska (Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution), Vasilyevna-Roberts (Modern and Classical Languages), Wade (History and Art History)

Coursework

As an interdisciplinary program, Russian and Eurasian Studies draws on many courses from across the university. Students should consult with the director to determine whether a particular course may be used to fulfill a requirement or elective in the degree program.

Undergraduate Programs

The bachelor’s degree in Russian and Eurasian studies allows students to choose a concentration in one of three areas:  Russian language and culture, Russia studies, or Eurasia studies.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

■ Sociology and Anthropology

Phone: 703-993-1440
Web: sociology.gmu.edu
         anthropology.gmu.edu

Faculty

Emeritus faculty: Black, Dumont, Golomb (anthropology); Borkman (sociology)

Professors: Gusterson, Lancaster, Seligmann, Williams (anthropology); Dennis, Haines, Kurtz, Rosenblum, Scimecca (sociology)

Associate professors: Bryant, Palkovich, Snead, Trencher (chair) (anthropology); Best, Guagnano, Hanrahan, Jacobs, Rader (sociology)

Assistant professors: Benitez, Bickford, Mantz (anthropology); Bockman, Dale, Davis, Kim, Samara (sociology)

Term associate professor: Masters (sociology)

Term assistant professors and instructors: Arabandi, Zimmerman (sociology)

Affiliate professors: Avruch (anthropology); Bainbridge, Goldstone, Johnson, Levine, Zingraff (sociology)

Adjuncts: Minnich, Nambiar, Pearlman, Sandole-Staroste

Course Work

This department offers all course work designated ANTH, SOAN, and SOCI in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

Anthropology

The department offers a bachelor of arts degree in anthropology. The program draws broadly from the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences, making it a strong undergraduate major that provides a sound interdisciplinary preparation for a variety of careers.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students may apply to graduate with honors in the major. Eligible students must have  completed at least 60 credits, taken ENGL 302 for the social sciences, completed 15 credits of anthropology (including ANTH 114, 120, and 135), and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 and a minimum GPA of 3.75 in anthropology courses.

To graduate with honors in the major students must successfully complete a sequence of special honors sections: ANTH 492 (for those focusing on sociocultural anthropology) or ANTH 420 (for those interested in archaeology or biological anthropology) both plus ANTH 499, where they conduct additional research leading to the completion of an honors thesis. For more information, contact the anthropology undergraduate director.

Sociology

The department offers a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Sociology majors study how social movements emerge from the collective efforts of individuals and the role that social forces play in defining racial identities and gender roles. They take courses in the theories that explain social phenomena and develop strong research skills, learning how to conduct surveys, interviews, systematic observation as well as how to evaluate sources.

With the strong research skills, critical thinking, and effective writing that are the hallmark of sociology graduates, they are prepared for a variety of career paths from teaching, human service, and human resource occupations to work in the criminal justice system, marketing, and social research. The sociology major is also excellent preparation for students considering law school or graduate training in the social and behavioral sciences.

Honors in the Major

Highly qualified students may apply to graduate with honors in the major. Eligible students must have  completed at least 75 credits with a minimum of 15 credits in sociology (6 of which must have been taken at Mason) and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 and a minimum GPA of 3.75 in sociology courses.

To graduate with honors in sociology, students must complete SOCI 480 and 481 with a minimum GPA of 3.50 overall and in sociology courses presented for graduation. The 6 credits of honors courses may count toward the major requirement in sociology. For more information or application procedures, contact the department.

Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program

The department offers highly qualified majors in sociology the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in sociology. If accepted, students will be able to earn both the undergraduate and graduate degrees after satisfactory completion of 144 credits, sometimes within five years.

Minors

The department offers minors in anthropology and sociology available to students in any major.

The department coordinates the Immigration Studies Minor . See the Interdisciplinary Minors section of this chapter for more information.

Graduate Programs

Anthropology

The department offers a master’s degree in anthropology. Students can choose one of three emphases: advanced training in sociocultural anthropology; culture, health and bioethics; or transnational and global issues. They can chose from many courses that are richly interdisciplinary, and cover such diverse topics as nationalism and transnationalism; bioethics; social movements, ethnicity and identity; conflict and violance; migration, displacement, and refugees; regional ethnography; and political economy and globalizsation. Departmental specializations include the following regions: Central and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the United  States. Course work progresses from core courses to more advanced courses and culminates in a thesis.

Sociology

The department offers a master’s and doctoral degree in sociology. Students pursuing a master’s degree in sociology take required courses in theory and methods and a host of electives. Students may choose to focus their electives in one of a number of emphases: sex and gender; crime, delinquency, and corrections; race and ethnicity; cultural studies; or conflict analysis and management.

The doctoral degree in sociology provides rigorous training in public and applied social research, including skills in research design, data analysis, and substantive areas that are pertinent to various sectors in the Washington, D.C., area. Graduates have the theoretical, analytical, and professional skills that prepare them for academic positions in teaching or research. They are also well-qualified for nonacademic positions in the many settings that rely on the expertise of sociologists including human service agencies, marketing research firms, educational systems, nonprofit foundations, and law enforcement agencies.

Funding

The department has a limited number of teaching assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.

Cultural Studies

The master’s degrees in anthropolgy and sociology provide excellent preparation for students  interested in pursuing a doctorate in cultural studies who do not already hold a master’s degree. Within the master’s in sociology, the emphasis in sociology of culture is designed explicitly to prepare students for the doctoral program in cultural studies.

Nondegree Status

Applicants who do not wish to pursue a degree may apply for nondegree status. Nondegree students must meet the same admission requirements as degree-seeking students (minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00, among other criteria). Nondegree students may later apply for admission to a degree program, and up to nine credits earned in nondegree status may transferred to the master’s degrees in anthropology or sociology, subject to the approval of the program director and dean.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Program

Master's Degree

Doctoral Degree

■ Women and Gender Studies

Phone: 703-993-2896
Web: wmst.gmu.edu

Faculty

Amireh, Baker, Beach, Bergoffen, Bernard, Best, Bullard, Burr, Carbonneau, Cattaneo, Censer, Cheldelin, Cherubin, Christensen, Cohen, Constantine, Copelman, Davidson, Davis, Deshmukh, Dunne, Eby, Fischer, Friedley, Fuchs, Fyfe, Gilbert, Gring-Pemble, Hamdani, Hanrahan (director), Harvey, Hodges, Hodzic, Jadallah, Johnsen-Neshati, Jordan, Kaplan, Karametou, King, Kirkland, Kirsch, Koch, Lont, Mann, Masters, Michals, Misencik, Muir, Palkovich, Pascarell, Pawloski, Rabin, Regan, Ricouart, Rosenblum, Samuelian, Sandole-Staroste, Scott, Seligmann, Snyder-Hall, Stearns, Tichy, Todd, Tolchin, Travis, Vivancos Perez, Yocom, Zawacki

Course Work

The Women and Gender Studies Department offers all course work designated WMST in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

About Women and Gender Studies at Mason

By choosing to pursue work in women and gender studies, students at all levels engage in an interdisciplinary exploration of gender roles in social, political, cultural, and economic life; gender roles in history; women and the media; feminist theory; the relationship between sex and gender; the impact of sex, race, class, disability, and sexual orientation on people’s lives; and the ways in which gender stereotypes influence the self in relationship to others. Students in many courses have the opportunity to investigate these issues in a cross-cultural and global perspective.

Undergraduate Programs

The Women and Gender Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary minor open to students from any major.  Students have the opportunity to earn credit towards the minor while doing an internship that helps prepare them for the work place, a service learning course that combines work in a specific course with a service project, or research on gender issues on Mason’s campus. Students pursuing this minor can take advantage of the many activites and resources provided by the Women and Gender Studies Center.

Graduate Programs

The program sponsors the concentration in women and gender studies in the master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies (MAIS). This concentration promotes advanced scholarship that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. Students combine required courswork in women and gender studies with courses in a discipline of interest such as history, literature, sociology, anthropology, health, education, public policy, philosophy, social work, conflict analysis and resolution, environmental science, and the arts. See Interdisciplinary Studies, MAIS  section of this chapter.

The program also offers a graduate certificate in women and gender studies. Students may take this as a stand-alone certificate or pursue it concurrently with any graduate degree program. A portion of the certificate course work may be able to be applied to the degree. Students must apply and be accepted to a graduate certificate program.

Women and Gender Studies Center

The academic program is closely affiliated with the Women and Gender Studies Center. The center orgtanizes a wide variety of lectures, conferences, workshops, and other public events throughout the year. The center hosts a library and functions as a community space for students and faculty. It supports the Gender Justice Research Group, a monthly forum for research on gender and global human rights, as well as the Gender Research Project, a methodology class and project focused on gender issues on the Mason campus.

Programs

Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor

Master's Level Certificate

■ New Century College

Phone: 703-993-1436
Web: ncc.gmu.edu

Faculty

Professor: O’Connor

Associate professors: Gabel, Garner, Gring-Pemble, Lucas (associate dean), Muir, Smith, Wood, Wingfield

Assistant professors: Cambridge, Freeman, Gilmore, Gorski, Owen

Term assistant professors: Fuertes, Scott, Vitazkova

Adjunct faculty: Bernard, Bruno, Grymes, Holder, Johnson, Saddler, Sweetman, Underwood, Uy-Tioco

Administration

Nance Lucas, Associate Dean
Kelly Dunne, Director of Academic Affairs
Karen Misencik, Director of Experiential Learning
Sarah Sweetman, Director of Student Services
Misty Hensley-McGaffey, Student Services Coordinator

Course Work

NCC offers all course work designated NCLC in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

About New Century College

An integral part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, New Century College (NCC) offers students a personalized, interdisciplinary education typical of a small college within the context of a large public university. Drawing on its own faculty, which is enriched regularly with others from across the university, New Century provides a learning environment that integrates interdisciplinary knowledge with workplace and lifelong learning. The programs enhance students’ technology skills, improve their writing, and provide them with challenging opportunities.

New Century College students interact closely with faculty; engage in critical thinking, problem solving, creative activity, and leadership development; and participate in experiential education in the form of internships, field studies, service learning, or study abroad. They learn to develop original ideas, engage in active and reflective learning, master competency areas, and conduct independent inquiry with high ethical standards. Both the structure and curriculum of New Century College respond to the needs of civic and corporate communities and provide instruction for a rapidly changing society.

Undergraduate Programs

New Century College offers a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree in integrative studies. The curriculum is based on intensive, interdisciplinary learning communities, coordinated with traditional academic programs. The result is an integrated program of study that emphasizes collaboration, experiential learning, and self reflection.

Students who enroll in this degree program in their first year at Mason take Mason Cornerstones (see below). All students complete their degree programs with an interdisciplinary concentration. See the programs of study below. Students develop mastery of nine essential competencies (communication, valuing, global understanding, problem solving, group interaction, effective citizenship, aesthetic awareness, critical thinking, and information technology) assessed through freshman and graduation portfolios.

Mason Cornerstones

New Century College offers an interdisciplinary first-year program known as Mason Cornerstones. This is open to students in any major. Cornerstones is a 24-credit program that consists of a sequence of four courses: NCLC 101, 102, 103 and 203.

Students who successfully complete Mason’s Cornerstones will have met the university general education requirements in lower-level written communication, oral communication, information technology, literature, arts, non-laboratory natural science, global understanding, and social and behavioral sciences.

Transfer Students

New Century College welcomes transfer students from other four-year institutions or community colleges, as well as from other academic units within Mason. Academic advisors work with students to best use transfer credits and provide a plan for timely completion of the bachelor’s degree. All transfer students are required to take NCLC 391 within their first two semesters and meet with an academic advisor as soon as possible.

Minors

New Century College offers minors in leadership studies and nonprofit studies. Both are available to students in any major.

The Sustainability Studies Minor  is offered jointly by the Department of Environmental Science and Policy and New Century College. For details, see the Department of Environmental Science and Policy   section of the College of Science chapter of this catalog.

Graduate Programs

The college sponsors the concentration in zoo and aquarium leadership in the master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies (MAIS)  . This concentration is prepares students for advanced careers in modern, professional zoos and acquariums. Admission to the concentration and enrollment in the courses is restricted to members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

See the MAIS section of this chapter for details.

Centers

New Century College houses the Center for Field Studies and the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement. The services of these centers are available to all students and faculty in the university.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor