College of Humanities and Social Sciences

College Code: LA

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) is composed of 10 departments and 7 major interdisciplinary programs. The college is also home to the School of Integrative Studies, which offers an innovative interdisciplinary major. The college has a distinguished faculty of more than 400, including recipients of the Pulitzer Prize and Guggenheim Fellowship.

Undergraduate Programs

At the undergraduate level, all programs emphasize challenge, opportunity, and success. They challenge students to think critically and creatively and to go beyond what is required by pursuing research experiences, minors, double majors, honors in the major, and accelerated master's degree programs, which enable them to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree, often within five years. They provide many opportunities beyond the classroom including study abroad programs, service learning, internships, and career-enhancing courses and minors, all of which will help prepare them for success beyond college.

Graduate Programs

At the graduate level, programs of study provide opportunities for career development and advancement, professional education, participation in research, and personal fulfillment.

All programs encourage 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.

Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree Options

Many graduate programs 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 138 - 144 credits (number of required credits depends on the degree program).

For more information see AP.6.7 Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degrees and the specific degree listing.

The college offers accelerated master's degrees in these disciplines:

• Anthropology
• Art History
• Communication
• Criminal Justice
• Economics
• English with a concentration in folklore studies
• English with a concentration in linguistics
• Foreign Languages with a concentration in Chinese
• Foreign Languages with a concentration in Spanish
• Foreign Languages with a concentration in Spanish/Bilingual-Multicultural Education
• Global Affairs
• History
• Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in computational social science
• Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in energy and sustainability
• Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in religious studies
• Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in social entrepreneurship
• Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in social justice and human rights
• Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in war and the military in society
• Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in women and gender studies
• Middle East and Islamic Studies
• Philosophy
• Psychology with a concentration in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience
• Sociology

Minors and Interdisciplinary Minors

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences has more than 70 minors, some of which are offered jointly with other units in the university. Minors require between 15 and 21 credits, and all but 8 of those credits usually can be used simultaneously to fill other requirements. The college encourages all students to declare a minor, if they can. A minor can complement the major, enhance career preparation, allow students to develop a secondary area of expertise, or give them a chance to explore a passion.

The college offers two types of minors: disciplinary and interdisciplinary. The coursework for disciplinary minors comes mainly from a single discipline. Disciplinary minors are offered by one of the 10 departments in the college.

Interdisciplinary minors require coursework from two or more disciplines and are administered by interdepartmental faculty groups, often including faculty from across the university.

All minors in the college are available to students in any major in the university. For policies governing all minors, see AP.5.3.4 Minors.

Disciplinary Minors

• Arabic 
• Anthropology 
• Art History 
• Brain, Body, and Behavior
• Chinese 
• Clinical Psychology
• Communication 
• Criminology, Law and Society 
• Developmental Psychology 
• Economics 
• English 
• Forensic Psychology 
• French 
• German Studies 
• Health Communication 
• Health Psychology 
• History 
• Industrial/Organizational Psychology 
• Intelligence Studies 
• Italian Studies 
• Journalism 
• Judaic Studies 
• Korean Studies
• Latin 
• Linguistics 
• Philosophy 
• Philosophy and Law 
• Philosophy for Social Change
• Professional and Technical Writing
• Professional Experience in Communication
• Psychology 
• Religious Studies 
• Russian 
• Sociology 
• Spanish 
• Teaching English as a Second Language 

Interdisciplinary Minors

• African and African American Studies 
• Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology 
• Asia-Pacific and Northeast Asian Studies 
• Community and Public Writing
• Conservation Studies (offered jointly with the College of Science)
• Childhood Studies 
• Classical Studies 
• Digital Humanities
• Digital Media and web Design
• Dynamic Publishing (offered jointly with the College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Ethics and AI
• Folklore and Mythology 
• Global Affairs 
• Health, Disease, and Culture
• Human Development and Family Science
• Immigration Studies 
• Islamic Studies 
• Japanese Studies 
• Latin American Studies 
• Leadership 
• LGBTQ Studies
• Medieval Studies
• Middle East Studies 
• Native American and Indigenous Studies 
• Nonprofit Studies 
• Photojournalism (offered jointly with the College of Visual and Performing Arts)
• Political Communication (offered jointly with the Schar School of Policy and Government)
• Political Philosophy
• Screen Cultures
• Social Justice and Human Rights
• Sport and American Culture (offered jointly with the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism)
• Sport Communication (offered jointly with the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism)
• STEM in Society
• Sustainability Studies (offered jointly with the College of Science)
• Well-Being
• Women and Gender Studies 

Policies for All Students

The requirements for each academic program offered by the college are described in the sections for the sponsoring departments and programs. All students are subject to the policies stated in Academic Policies. Additional policies and procedures for students in the college are presented in this section.

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 Patriot Web 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 after the published deadlines require the approval of the relevant dean (undergraduate academic affairs or graduate academic affairs) and are 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; withdrawal requests submitted after the last day of classes are rarely approved.

Grade Appeals

Grade appeals should be made to the department or program following the process specified in AP.3.9 Grade Appeals. 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.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students with documented disabilities should contact the Office of Disability Services to open a file and learn more about accommodations that may be available to them.

Policies for Undergraduate Students

The college offers 17 Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees, 4 Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (BFA), and a Bachelor of Individualized Study (BIS) degree. 

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 Mason Core and College Requirements for information concerning the ways they can fulfill Mason Core and college 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 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution (Carter School) to provide courses from various disciplines in the college toward a BA, BS, and minor in conflict analysis and resolution. More information about the Carter School undergraduate degree programs can be found in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Questions about Academic Policies for Undergraduates

Students with questions about exceptions to academic policies and about college requirements should contact the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs (703-993-8725; chssdean@gmu.edu).

Additional policy information and forms are available online from the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

Academic Load

Students should review university policies regarding academic load in AP.1.2 Academic Load.

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 no course grades below "C" and with a minimum term GPA of 2.50;
• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher;
• Have demonstrated the ability to handle an increased and demanding courseload while maintaining high performance in a previous semester at Mason; and
• Have no remaining incompletes (INs) from a previous semester.

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 University.

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.

MLSC/RECR Courses and CLEP Credits

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the many excellent courses available at Mason to broaden their educational experience or strengthen their background. MLSC courses at the 400-level can be used for credit toward a degree in the college. This includes up to 6 MLSC transfer credits for prior military service or training. Additionally, up to 3 credits of 100-300 level MLSC or 100-level RECR coursework may be applied toward a CHSS student’s general electives. Credits earned in certain courses may not satisfy any degree requirements. Whenever there is uncertainty, students must consult with an academic advisor in their department.

The Office of Admissions evaluates transfer credit for CLEP exams for new students applying to the University. Qualifying CLEP credits may apply to a degree in the College of Humanities and Social Science (CHSS) if those credits were awarded and reported prior to matriculation at Mason.  

CHSS does not allow CLEP credit for any CHSS courses after matriculation at Mason. 

After matriculation, CHSS students are limited to taking and applying CLEP exam credits for "Information Systems & Computer Applications". A student must submit a study elsewhere request and receive prior approval before taking the "Information Systems & Computer Applications" CLEP exam. The final decision for “Information Systems & Computer Applications” CLEP credit will be made by the College of Engineering and Computing. If the study elsewhere is approved, students with a qualifying score on this exam will be awarded credit for IT 104T. Students whose catalog year requires an IT ethics component must meet that requirement with another approved course. 

University Consortium

Students should review university policies regarding the University Consortium under AP.1.4 Special Registration Procedures in the Academic Policies section. Students who have attempted or 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.

Permission to Study Elsewhere

Once enrolled in degree status at Mason, students with fewer than 45 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 be eligible to take up to 8 hours of CHSS coursework at another institution of higher education accredited by a Mason-recognized U.S. institutional accrediting agency or international equivalent.

• The course requested should be required for timely degree progression. 
• The course requested cannot be offered at Mason either online or in-person for the semester requested. 
• Students with 45 or more hours of transfer coursework are generally not permitted to take additional coursework at another institution.  
• Students requesting permission to study elsewhere must have a previous semester GPA of 2.00 or above. 
• All approvals are contingent on maintaining a semester and cumulative GPA of 2.00 or above.  

See AP.1.4.2 Permission to Study Elsewhere  for additional information. 

Study Abroad

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

• Meet all eligibility requirements for their program as specified by Global Education including course prerequisites and minimum GPA;
• Students must meet any GPA requirements specified by the Global Education Office. Global Education will verify that students meet program requirements, however, students with a cumulative Mason GPA below 2.5 at the time a request is received will not qualify for Dean's permission. Two exceptions to this policy are: Freshman participating in the Global Gateway program, or students requesting permission for a program with a lower cumulative GPA requirement (e.g. a summer study abroad program with a 2.25 minimum cumulative GPA requirement);
• Have completed the necessary forms and have obtained all required signatures and course equivalencies.

Students in danger of probation, suspension, or dismissal should plan very carefully before requesting to study abroad. Students with a cumulative GPA below 2.50 (after grades from prior term are posted to transcript) will not be permitted to study abroad.

Leave of Absence

All undergraduate students who are planning an absence from George Mason University must submit a formal request for Leave of Absence to the Office of the University Registrar. See AP.1.8 Undergraduate Leave of Absence for full university policy.

Reserve Graduate Credit

Approval to register for reserve graduate credit (earned credit held in reserve to apply later toward a graduate degree) is given only to Mason seniors within 15 credits of completing undergraduate study who have successfully completed all course prerequisites. In addition, this privilege is normally extended only to seniors who have completed at least 12 credits at the university, have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better, and have a major in the department offering the course. Approval for reserve graduate credit is limited to 6 credits and does not imply approval for admission into a Mason graduate program or that credit earned will be accepted at another graduate school.

Withdrawals

Students should review AP.1.5 Withdrawal for more information. Courses for which a withdrawal is approved receive a grade of "W."

Students should be aware of the potential consequences of withdrawing on their academic standing. Though credits graded "W" do not affect a student's GPA, they do count towards the total attempted hours.

Academic Clemency

Students should review the university policies in AP.5.2.9 Academic Clemency.

To be considered for clemency, 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 within 12 months of the first day of the re-enrollment term;
• Complete at least 6 credits during their first 12 months back at George Mason; and
• Earn a minimum GPA of 2.50 each semester back prior to making the clemency request with no individual grade below 2.00.

If the last three minimum academic requirements are not met, clemency will not be allowed under any circumstances.

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 Undergraduate Academic Appeals Committee, a committee composed of college staff and academic advisors. Students may appeal decisions of the Undergraduate Academic Appeals Committee to the Student Policies and Appeals Committee, a standing committee elected by the college faculty. Students who feel that the college appeal process was conducted unfairly may appeal to the Provost's Office as specified in Appeals of Academic Procedures.

Students may not appeal 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 appeals in a timely manner, usually within 30 days of decision notification. Appeals will not be accepted after the final day of classes of the following semester.

For more detailed information related to the appeals process visit our website at https://academicaffairs.chss.gmu.edu/ugradpolicies or contact the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at 703-993-8725 and via email at chssdean@gmu.edu.

Teacher Licensure

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

Second Bachelor's Degree

Students should review Application for a Second Bachelor's Degree and AP.5.3.3 Second Bachelor's Degrees for more information. Students pursuing a second bachelor's degree concurrently with their first bachelor's degree at Mason must meet all the college-level requirements if they differ from the requirements in the college of their first major.

Students pursuing a second bachelor's degree in the college after already having received one or more bachelor's degrees are considered to have met all of the Mason Core requirements. Students pursuing a bachelor of science degree do not have additional college-level requirements. Students pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in the college must complete these additional college-level requirements: one additional 3-credits course each in philosophy or religious studies, in social and behavioral science, and in non-western culture (for a total of 9 credits). They must also demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language through the intermediate level. For more information about college-level requirements see Mason Core and College Requirements.

Minors

Students may elect to take a minor in addition to their major field of study. For policies governing all minors, AP.5.3.4 Minors. 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 University Registrar. See Why Minor? for more information.

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 Mason Core program, students pursuing a BA degree must complete the coursework below. Except where expressly prohibited, a course used to fulfill a college-level requirement may also be used simultaneously to satisfy other requirements (Mason Core requirements or requirements for the major).

• Philosophy or religious studies: 3 credits fulfilled by any course in philosophy or religious studies (PHIL, RELI) except for the following:
  PHIL 323 Classical Western Political Theory
  PHIL 324 Modern Western Political Theory
  PHIL 327 Contemporary Western Political Theory
  PHIL 393 Humanities College to Career
  PHIL 460 Senior Seminar in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
  The following courses cannot be used to fulfill both the              philosophy/religious studies requirement and the Mason Core literature requirement: 
• PHIL 253 Philosophy and Literature (Mason Core)
  RELI 235 Religion and Literature (Mason Core)
  RELI 333 Spiritual Autobiography (Mason Core)
  RELI 334 American Scriptures (Mason Core)/HIST 334 American Scriptures (Mason Core)
  RELI 339 The Bible as Literature (Mason Core)
• 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 ANTH, CRIM, ECON, GLOA, GOVT, HIST (except HIST 100 History of Western Civilization (Mason Core),  HIST 125 Introduction to Global History (Mason Core), or HIST 394 Globalization and History (Mason Core)), INTS, LING, PSYC, SOCI, or WMST and select courses below in GGS (COS). The CHSS College Curriculum Committee reserves the right to exclude courses from any of the approved prefixes which do not meet the basic parameters of the social and behavioral sciences. These include but are not limited to inclusion of the following learning outcomes: 1) Explain how individuals, groups or institutions are influenced by contextual factors; 2) Demonstrate awareness of changes in social and cultural constructs; 3) Use appropriate methods and resources to apply social and behavioral science concepts, terminology, principles and theories in the analysis of significant human issues, past or present.

  Course List

  Code	Title	Credits
  GGS 101	Major World Regions (Mason Core)	3
  GGS 103	Human Geography (Mason Core)	3
  GGS 110	Introduction to Geoinformation Technologies	3
  GGS 301	Political Geography (Mason Core)	3
  GGS 303	Geography of Resource Conservation (Mason Core)	3
  GGS 304	Population Geography (Mason Core)	3
  GGS 305	Economic Geography	3
  GGS 306	Urban Geography	3
  GGS 315	Geography of the United States	3
  GGS 316	Geography of Latin America	3
  GGS 320	Geography of Europe	3
  GGS 325	Geography of North Africa and the Middle East	3
  GGS 326	Geography of Eastern Europe and Russia	3
  GGS 357	Urban Planning	3
  GGS 380	Geography of Virginia	3

• Foreign language: intermediate-level proficiency in one foreign language. This requirement may be fulfilled by completing a course in a foreign language numbered 202 (or higher level courses taught in the language) or achieving a satisfactory score on an approved proficiency test. A three course sequence (12 credits) in American Sign Language (EDSE 115 American Sign Language (ASL) I, EDSE 116 American Sign Language (ASL) II, and EDSE 219 American Sign Language (ASL) III) will also meet the foreign language requirement.  Students who are already proficient in a second language may be eligible for a waiver of this requirement. Additional information on waivers can be found at the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
• 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 Mason Core requirement in global contexts. A course used to fulfill the Mason Core global contexts 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 (Mason Core requirements, college-level requirements, or requirements for the major). Additional information on waivers can be found at the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
ANTH 114	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Mason Core)	3
ANTH 300	Civilizations	3
ANTH 302	Peoples and Cultures of Latin America (Mason Core)	3
ANTH 307	Ancient Mesoamerica (Mason Core)	3
ANTH 308	Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East (Mason Core)	3
ANTH 309	Peoples and Cultures of India (Mason Core)	3
ANTH 313	Myth, Magic, and Mind (Mason Core)	3
ANTH 314	Zombies	3
ANTH 317	East Asian Cultures	3
ANTH 330	Peoples and Cultures of Selected Regions: Non-Western	3
ANTH 332	Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Globalization (Mason Core)	3
ANTH 381	Medical Anthropology	3
ANTH 396	Issues in Anthropology: Social Sciences (Mason Core)	3
ARAB 360	Topics in Arabic Cultural Production	3
ARAB 365	Black and Minority Cultures in Arabic Literature (Mason Core)	3
ARAB 420	Survey of Arabic Literature	3
ARAB 440	Topics in Arabic Religious Thought and Texts (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 203	Survey of Asian Art (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 204	Survey of Latin American Art (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 206	Survey of African Art (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 317	The Black Pharaohs: Art and Archaeology of Ancient Nubia (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 318	Art and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt	3
ARTH 319	Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Near East (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 320	Art of the Islamic World (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 382	Arts of India (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 383	Arts of Southeast Asia (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 384	Arts of China (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 385	Arts of Japan (Mason Core)	3
ARTH 482	RS: Advanced Studies in Asian Art (Mason Core)	3
CHIN 318	Introduction to Classical Chinese (Mason Core)	3
CHIN 320	Contemporary Chinese Film	3
CHIN 325	Major Chinese Writers (Mason Core)	3
CHIN 470	Special Topics in Chinese Studies	3
DANC 118	Global Dance Perspectives I (Mason Core)	3
ECON 361	Economic Development of Latin America (Mason Core)	3
ECON 362	African Economic Development (Mason Core)	3
FREN 454	Topics in Caribbean Francophone Literature and Culture	3
GGS 101	Major World Regions (Mason Core)	3
GGS 316	Geography of Latin America	3
GGS 317	Geography of China (Mason Core)	3
GGS 325	Geography of North Africa and the Middle East	3
GGS 399	Select Topics in GGS	3
GOVT 332	Politics of the Middle East and North Africa	3
GOVT 333	Politics of East Asia	3
GOVT 338	Politics of Eurasia	3
GOVT 340	Central Asian Politics	3
GOVT 341	Chinese Foreign Policy	3
GOVT 345	Islam and Politics	3
GOVT 433	Political Economy of East Asia	3
HIST 251	Survey of East Asian History (Mason Core)	3
HIST 252	Survey of East Asian History (Mason Core)	3
HIST 261	Survey of African History (Mason Core)	3
HIST 262	Survey of African History (Mason Core)	3
HIST 271	Survey of Latin American History (Mason Core)	3
HIST 272	Survey of Latin American History (Mason Core)	3
HIST 281	Survey of Middle Eastern Civilization (Mason Core)	3
HIST 282	Survey of Middle Eastern Civilization (Mason Core)	3
HIST 326	Stalinism	3
HIST 327	The Soviet Union and Russia Since World War II	3
HIST 328	Rise of Russia (Mason Core)	3
HIST 329	Modern Russia and the Soviet Union (Mason Core)	3
HIST 353	History of Traditional China	3
HIST 354	Modern China (Mason Core)	3
HIST 356	Modern Japan (Mason Core)	3
HIST 357	Postwar Japan (Mason Core)	3
HIST 358	Post-1949 China (Mason Core)	3
HIST 360	History of South Africa (Mason Core)	3
HIST 364	Revolution in Latin America (Mason Core)	3
HIST 365	Conquest and Colonization in Latin America (Mason Core)	3
HIST 366	Comparative Slavery	3
HIST 377	The Vietnam War (Mason Core)	3
HIST 384	Global History of Christianity (Mason Core)	3
HIST 387	Topics in Global History (Mason Core)	3-6
HIST 461	Arab-Israeli Conflict	3
HIST 462	Women in Islamic Society (Mason Core)	3
HIST 465	The Middle East in the 20th Century	3
JAPA 310	Japanese Culture in a Global World (Mason Core)	3
JAPA 340	Topics in Japanese Literature (Mason Core)	3
JAPA 380	Japan in Motion	3
KORE 300	Korean Culture and Society	3
KORE 320	Korean Popular Culture in a Global World	3
KORE 385	Introduction to Korean Linguistics	3
MUSI 103	Musics of the World (Mason Core)	3
RELI 211	Introduction to Religions of the "West" (Mason Core)	3
RELI 212	Introduction to Religions of Asia (Mason Core)	3
RELI 312	Islam (Mason Core)	3
RELI 313	Hinduism (Mason Core)	3
RELI 314	Chinese Philosophies and Religious Traditions	3
RELI 315	Buddhism (Mason Core)	3
RELI 317	Daoism	3
RELI 318	Korean Philosophy and Religions	3
RELI 338	Qur'an and Hadith	3
RELI 342	Comparative Study of Mysticism	3
RELI 344	Muhammad: Life and Legacy	3
RELI 358	Islamic Thought (Mason Core)	3
RELI 367	Islamic Law, Society, and Ethics	3
RELI 368	Islam, Democracy, and Human Rights (Mason Core)	3
RELI 384	Global History of Christianity (Mason Core)	3
RELI 490	Comparative Study of Religions (Mason Core)	3
RUSS 353	Russian Civilization (Mason Core)	3
RUSS 354	Contemporary Post-Soviet Life (Mason Core)	3
WMST 407	Transnational Sexualities	3

Requirements for each major are listed in the departmental sections.

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. Students in Humanities and Social Sciences pursuing a BS must complete the Mason Core program. Requirements for each major are listed in the departmental sections.

Transfer Students

Students who complete the VCCS Uniform Certificate of General Studies (UCGS) or a VCCS or Richard Bland College transfer associate degree, including all VCCS General Studies, A.S. degrees, will receive a waiver of the Foundation and Exploration (lower division) Mason Core general education categories. College, major, and Integration (upper level) Mason Core requirements are not waived under this policy. This policy applies to all transfer students, including those admitted under the terms of the Guaranteed Admission Agreement. 

VCCS and Richard Bland transfer associate degrees include: the Associate of Science (A.S.), the Associate of Arts (A.A.), the Associate of Arts and Sciences (A.A&S), and the Associate of Fine Arts (A.F.A). More information and requirements related to Mason's Policies for Transfer Students can be found here:
https://catalog.gmu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-policies/#transfertext

Policies for Graduate Students

The college offers 16 master's degrees, plus a master of arts in interdisciplinary studies (MAIS), a master of fine arts in creative writing (MFA), and 9 doctoral degrees.

Graduate Admission

Admission decisions are made by the faculty committee of the respective graduate program. Denial of admission is not subject to appeal. Applicants denied admission to a program are not permitted to enroll in courses in that program.

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

• 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.
• There has been a misrepresentation in the application process.
• 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.
• For students admitted to an accelerated master's program, the student does not maintain satisfactory progress in his or her undergraduate program, does not receive a minimum grade of 3.00 in the graduate classes taken as an undergraduate, or otherwise does not meet the conditions specified on the application and admission letter.

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 coursework 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 conditions of the provisional contract have been met. Transfer of credit requests for coursework 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 coursework each semester. Non-degree students can enroll in up to 10 credits of coursework each semester.

Non-Degree Enrollment

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 the written permission of the course instructor, director of the graduate program offering the course, and the graduate dean.

University Consortium

Students should review university policies regarding the University Consortium AP.1.4 Special Registration Procedures.

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.

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 ten years of the admission term and with a minimum grade of 2.70 (B-). Courses with grades of P or S are not accepted for transfer unless the official transcript indicates that the grade is equivalent to a 2.70 (B-) 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 coursework at another institution. All appropriate paperwork must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar 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

The college follows university policies regarding dissertation committees. See AP.6.10.5 Dissertation Committee.

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 in the Academic Calendar by the Office of the University Registrar. 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. Please see AP.6.10.6 Dissertation Registration (998, 999).

Time Limit for Doctoral Students

Total time to degree will not exceed nine (9) calendar years from the time of first enrollment as a doctoral degree-seeking student in a program of the college. Doctoral students are expected to progress steadily toward their degree and to advance to candidacy within no more than six (6) years.

Students who do not meet published time limits because of compelling circumstances may petition their program and the graduate dean for a single extension of one calendar year at any point during their program. If such an extension is granted, the total time limit for completion of the degree will not exceed ten (10) years. Requests for extension of time limits should explain the extenuating circumstances that prevented timely completion of the degree and a timeline for completing the remaining work within the limits of the extension. The request should include a letter from the student's graduate program director indicating program support for the extension and confirmation that the work can be completed within the limits of the extension.

Please see AP.6.10.1 Time Limit.

Graduate Appeals of Termination

All graduate students should be familiar with the university polices on termination as stated in AP.6.6.2 Academic Termination. Students who meet the criteria for 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 are reviewed at the beginning of each semester by a faculty committee. The ruling of that committee represents the final decision of the college.