College Code: E1
The College of Education and Human Development is a vibrant and inclusive scholarly community promoting learning and development across the life span.
Our four departments offer a diverse range of academic programs and transdisciplinary opportunities that integrate theory with practical experience, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and preparation needed to address the challenges of today's dynamic workforce. Our Department of Teaching and Learning offers innovative, transformative, research-based teacher preparation and educator professional learning pathways. Our Department of Kinesiology, Sport, and Hospitality Management is positioned at the intersection of human performance and organizational excellence by bringing together five dynamic, industry-driven disciplines under one unified academic home: kinesiology, athletic training, sport management, recreation management, and hospitality management. The Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Educational Sciences prepares research informed and socially conscious professionals dedicated to improving the lives of individuals, schools, organizations, and communities with programming in counseling, educational leadership, educational policy, research methods, educational psychology, school psychology, and learning design and technology. The Department of Special Education and Disability Research offers nationally recognized programs that blend research, innovation, and real-world experience to equip current and aspiring professionals to make a transformative, lasting impact across diverse educational and community settings. The college's PhD in Education program spans specializations and concentrations across all four departments and engages students in rigorous research-informed inquiry, developing the expertise, analytical skills, and scholarly habits of mind needed to lead and advance their fields.
At the heart of the college is a distinguished faculty that includes many nationally and internationally prominent scholars, endowed professorships in special education and science education, and professors who have received the highest honors from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
The college’s innovative research and pace of performance have resulted in a research portfolio that has grown dramatically in a very short time. Commitment to research-informed practice, combined with our collaborative community and our passion for social justice, truly makes us all together different and positions our graduates to become agents of positive change locally, nationally, and globally.
Policies
In addition to the policies stated in Academic Policies, the following policies and procedures apply to all students in the college.
Communication Policy
All correspondence from the program, school, college, and university administration is sent to the student's official Mason e-mail account. Students must use their Mason e-mail account to communicate with their programs and other administrative units.
CEHD Academic Policies
Students are ultimately responsible for their academic progress towards their degrees and/or certificates. They are strongly advised to consult Academic Policies for information concerning university-wide requirements for degree and non-degree students in addition to those for this college. Students with questions regarding academic policies and college-level requirements should contact the CEHD Student and Academic Affairs Office (Thompson Hall, Suite 2200; 703-993-2080; cehdsaa@gmu.edu). Additional policy information and forms are available online.
CEHD Grading Policy
All CEHD undergraduate and graduate students are held to the university grading policies as described in AP.3 Grading. Those students enrolled in a CEHD licensure program have higher minimum grade requirements which are detailed in each specific program's page.
Grade Appeals
For courses taken within the College of Education and Human Development, students may appeal grades that they believe were assigned unjustly or were based on unclear criteria in accordance with Academic Policies. Students who would like to contest a course grade should first contact their instructor for clarification. If a mutually satisfactory resolution is not reached, the student may submit a formal grade appeal to the CEHD Office of Student and Academic Affairs (SAA) for program-level and/or college review. For more information regarding the grade appeal process, please refer to the SAA website.
Study Elsewhere
Once enrolled in degree status at Mason, undergraduate students with fewer than 60 hours of transfer coursework (not including registration through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area or coursework completed through the Global Education Office) may take up to twelve credits of coursework in CEHD disciplines at another institution. Students with 60 or more hours of transfer coursework are not permitted to take additional coursework in CEHD disciplines at another institution. A student may seek permission for additional hours beyond these limits for summer registration if his/her permanent residence is more than fifty miles from the Fairfax campus. Students who enroll elsewhere without advance written permission will not receive transfer credit for the coursework taken at another institution unless they re-apply for admission to Mason as transfer applicants and meet all priority deadlines. Re-admission is not guaranteed and transfer credit is awarded based upon course equivalencies in effect at the time of re-admission. Courses previously attempted at Mason (including withdrawals) cannot be taken elsewhere.
Professional Teacher Licensure
CEHD is responsible for professional courses, special standards, and licensure recommendations for students completing state-approved (Virginia) licensure programs that prepare teachers, administrators, counselors, and related-instructional personnel.
Initial teacher licensure is available at the undergraduate level in elementary education, early childhood education for diverse learners, special education, and secondary education: biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, English, health and physical education, mathematics, music, and physics. Initial teacher licensure is available at the graduate level in art, early childhood, elementary, English as a second language, foreign language, secondary, and theater arts. The Special Education Program offers initial teacher licensure through graduate certificates that include Adapted Curriculum, General Curriculum, and Visual Impairments.
For more information please contact the CEHD Office of Admissions (Thompson Hall, Suite 1700; 703-993-2892; cehdgrad@gmu.edu). Additional information is available online.
Notes on Background Checks and Licensure
The majority of Mason CEHD programs require multiple field experiences. Our school and agency partners require Mason students to be fingerprinted and pass a criminal background check prior to field experience work. Students must assume the risk that classes may be deferred and their program delayed due to the individual severity of notations on such a check and review by individual agencies.
George Mason University will verify completion of the requirements of a Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) state-approved preparation program at the graduate or undergraduate level. Such verification does not guarantee the issuance of Virginia Collegiate Professional, Postgraduate Professional, or Pupil Personnel license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is solely the student's responsibility to comply with all requirements for licensure by the Commonwealth. Under Virginia law, a social security number is required for licensure.