The Honors College

The Honors College provides Mason’s most highly-motivated undergraduates an enhanced general education curriculum, additional support, and co-curricular programming. It connects these students with the full spectrum of opportunities available at Mason and in the Greater Washington region.  

Through the Honors College, the university invests in students, supporting academic excellence and the pursuit of life-long goals. Devoted faculty from across Mason teach small inquiry- and challenge- based courses that fulfill general education requirements. 

Admitted Honors College students participate in an enriched academic and social environment that enhances their entire college experience. Innovative programs encourage professional development, student leadership, and active civic engagement. Community programs include special lectures, events, and excursions on and off campus, as well as opportunities to take advantage of internships and cultural programs in the region. Benefits of the Honors College include participation in a diverse learning community, the opportunity to live in the Honors College Residential Learning Community, individualized academic advising, priority registration, and opportunities to interact closely with faculty. 

A select group of entering first-year students is invited to become part of the University Scholars Program, a community of learners and leaders who receive Mason's most competitive merit-based scholarships.  

Honors College students have the opportunity to study with some of Mason's most dedicated faculty and scholars from disciplines across the university.  

Admissions

Admission to the Honors College is based on a holistic review of each student's academic performance as well as any other information included in the general application, such as rigor of coursework, standardized test scores, class rank, essay response, teacher recommendations, outstanding leadership, and commitment to community service. Space is limited in each class, and admissions criteria may vary according to the applicant pool in any given year.

Admission to the Honors College requires an application and is open to both incoming first-year and transfer students.

Policies

Continuation in Honors

A student whose GPA falls below 2.00 (1.80 in the first or second semester) will be placed on academic warning and may be ineligible to continue in the Honors College. Students are required to take and pass with a grade of "C" or higher either HNRS 110 Principles of Research and Inquiry or HNRS 302 Principles of Research and Inquiry for Transfer Students  in their first semester in the Honors College to maintain their Honors College status.

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 College.

Students who leave the Honors College before completion of the curriculum must meet Mason Core requirements and college-level requirements for their particular degree programs. On leaving the college and before registering for Mason Core courses, students should be advised on equivalencies between the honors courses they have completed and Mason Core requirements.

Transfer of Honors Credits

Because of the sequential and integrated nature of the program, honors courses may not correspond exactly to courses used to fulfill Mason Core requirements. A list of equivalencies is available in the Honors College office.

Honors Curriculum

Starting in their first semesters on campus, Honors College students are challenged to identify, articulate, and evaluate multiple perspectives on questions of cultural, scientific, or global significance and to consider evidence that broadens their understanding and challenges their beliefs.

The Honors College inquiry-driven curriculum provides exceptionally motivated students with an alternative to the Mason Core. The Honors College curriculum allows students increased opportunities to pursue minors and other individual interests such as extended research. Students may also take honors sections of selected major courses as well as upper division courses offered by the Honors College. Beyond the Honors College requirements, students must satisfy all requirements of their college and major and Mason undergraduate program requirements for admissions, residency, credit hours, quality, and upper level credits.

Students who complete the Honors College curriculum will receive a designation of Honors College Requirements Completed on their transcripts.

Students must take a minimum of 12 credits of HNRS courses from the Honors College at Mason. Students must also complete the Foundations; Inquiry in the Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences; Civic Engagement; Multi-Disciplinary Challenges requirements. Students must earn a grade of C or higher in the Honors College Foundations and Civic Engagement requirements.

Foundations

Introduction to Inquiry and Research: Honors students are introduced to methods for formulating, articulating, pursuing, and communicating research questions and the subsequent findings. Students must take one of the following during their first semester as an Honors College student:

HNRS 110
HNRS 111
Principles of Research and Inquiry
and Honors College Colloquium
4
or
HNRS 302Principles of Research and Inquiry for Transfer Students 3

Inquiry in the Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences

Students will pursue answers to focused questions in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Specific topics will vary by semester and section.  (12 credits)

Reading the Arts (Topic Varies)
Identity, Community, and Difference (Topics Vary)
Contemporary Social Issues (Topic Varies)
Reading the Past (Topic Varies)

Civic Engagement

Students will explore their roles and responsibilities in society and/or identify and address issues of public or community concern. Specific topics will vary by semester and section (3 credits).

HNRS 260Society and Community Engagement Topics (Topics Vary)3
or HNRS 261 Community Connection Practicum (Topics Vary)

Multi-Disciplinary Challenges

Students will address complex challenges through scholarly research (HNRS 360) or experiential learning (HNRS 361). Specific topics will vary by semester and section. (3 credits)

HNRS 360Multi-Disciplinary Topics (Topic Varies)3
or HNRS 361 Multi-Disciplinary Practicum (Topic Varies)

Honors College Electives

Students are encouraged to explore fields in more depth through approved departmental honors courses.

Independent Senior Research in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Cell Structure and Function (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
Biostatistics for Biology Majors (Honors section only)
Foundations of Ecology and Evolution (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
General Genetics (Honors section only)
Introduction to Research Design and Analysis
Honors Research in Biology
Business and Society (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
Global Environment of Business (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
General Chemistry I (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
General Chemistry II (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
General Chemistry Laboratory I (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
General Chemistry Laboratory II (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
Undergraduate Research
Object-Oriented Programming (Honors section only)
Research and Project Design Principles in Computing
Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
Introduction to Engineering (Honors section only)
HHS 492
Analytic Geometry and Calculus II (Honors)
Analytic Geometry and Calculus III (Honors)
Theory of Differential Equations
University Physics I (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
University Physics II (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core) (Honors section only)
Introductory Statistics II (Honors section only)
RS: Undergraduate Research Scholars Program Seminar

Additional Requirements

  • Quantitative Reasoning:  The Honors College quantitative reasoning requirement mirrors the quantitative reasoning requirement of a student's college and major.
  • Science: The Honors College science requirement mirrors the science requirement of a student's college and major.

  • Foreign Language: Students pursuing BA degrees may have a foreign language requirement.

  • Beyond the Honors College requirements, students must satisfy all requirements of their college and major and Mason undergraduate program requirements for admissions, residency, credit hours, quality, and upper-level credits.

Honors College (HNRS)

100 Level Courses

HNRS 110: Principles of Research and Inquiry. 3 credits.
Introduces students to a wide range of disciplinary research practices. Students learn how to pose and pursue a focused research question, identify and evaluate the multiple perspectives and approaches involved, analyze pertinent evidence, and write and speak clearly by participating in scholarly conversation.Offered by Honors College. Limited to three attempts.
Specialized Designation: Mason Impact.
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisite: (HNRS 111*C).
* May be taken concurrently.
C Requires minimum grade of C.

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
HNRS 111: Honors College Colloquium. 1 credit.
Honors College Colloquium provides students a set of experiences that introduce them to the community and academic culture at George Mason University. Colloquium events are mini-lectures, discussions, workshops, and/or community building style events. These sessions offer students opportunities to connect with faculty, advisors, leaders of student organizations, peer mentors, Honors College Alumni, and more.Offered by Honors College. Limited to three attempts.
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisite: (HNRS 110*C).
* May be taken concurrently.
C Requires minimum grade of C.

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Satisfactory/No Credit scale.
HNRS 122: Reading the Arts (Topic Varies). 3 credits.
Course topic varies by semester and section. Students will pursue focused questions or investigate specific topics in the arts by considering selected works of art and/or literature in historical, social, and formal contexts. Inquiry may be complemented by attendance and/or participation in creative activities.Offered by Honors College. Limited to three attempts.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
HNRS 130: Identity, Community, and Difference (Topics Vary). 3 credits.
Pursues focused questions about how different conceptions of identity, community and difference are articulated and practiced in specific social and historical contexts. Students will explore how questions about individuality and subjectivity are asked in the humanities, arts, and/or social sciences.Offered by Honors College. Limited to three attempts.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
HNRS 131: Contemporary Social Issues (Topic Varies). 3 credits.
Course topic varies by semester and section. Students will pursue a focused question about contemporary social issues. Students consider and apply theories, methods and evidence from the social sciences and humanities. Topics range in focus from global to local issues involving how power and inequality shape social and institutional structures.Offered by Honors College. Limited to three attempts.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisites: HNRS 110C, 110XS, 302C, 302XS, 108C or 108XS.
C Requires minimum grade of C.
XS Requires minimum grade of XS.

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

200 Level Courses

HNRS 240: Reading the Past (Topic Varies). 3 credits.
Course topic varies by semester and section. Students will pursue focused questions about a historical problem or situate a contemporary social issue in historical context. Students assess what is at stake in specific historiographic debates, consider how historical narratives are constructed and contested, and/or apply historical perspectives to analyze pressing social issues.Offered by Honors College. Limited to three attempts.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisites: HNRS 110C, 110XS, 302C, 302XS, 109C or 109XS.
C Requires minimum grade of C.
XS Requires minimum grade of XS.

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
HNRS 260: Society and Community Engagement Topics (Topics Vary). 3 credits.
Course topic varies by semester and section. Students pursue focused questions about a problem facing a community, society, or government. Students assess what is at stake in specific debates, consider how narratives are constructed and contested and/or apply multiple perspectives to analyze pressing social issues.Offered by Honors College. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits. Equivalent to HNRS 230.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of 30 credits
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisites: HNRS 109C, 109XS, 110C, 110XS, 302C or 302XS.
C Requires minimum grade of C.
XS Requires minimum grade of XS.

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
HNRS 261: Community Connection Practicum (Topics Vary). 3 credits.
Course topic varies by semester. Students will identify and address a challenge or question in response to the needs of the community. All students will contribute to and benefit from rigorous discussion among of a cohort of students representing multiple disciplines. Where relevant, the conversation also includes stakeholders from the community. Students learn to account for their own and for other points of view, and to adapt communication practices to reach those who do not share their backgrounds or expectations. As a result, they integrate new directions & approaches as well as alternate, divergent or contradictory perspectives or ideas.Offered by Honors College. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits. Equivalent to HNRS 230.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: Completion of 30 credits
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisites: HNRS 109C, 109XS, 110C, 110XS, 302C or 302XS.
C Requires minimum grade of C.
XS Requires minimum grade of XS.

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

300 Level Courses

HNRS 302: Principles of Research and Inquiry for Transfer Students. 3 credits.
Introduces students to a wide range of disciplinary research practices. Students learn how to pose and pursue a focused research question, identify and evaluate the multiple perspectives and approaches involved, analyze pertinent evidence, and write and speak clearly by participating in scholarly conversation.Offered by Honors College. Limited to three attempts.
Specialized Designation: Mason Impact.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
HNRS 360: Multi-Disciplinary Topics (Topic Varies). 3 credits.
Course topic varies by semester and section. Students will ask and refine manageable research questions focused on a topical theme selected by the instructor. Students will evaluate, analyze, and synthesize new or existing evidence and explicitly identify and explain the implications of connections between their findings and existing scholarship. The results of projects developed in this research seminar will be communicated in the form of papers, public or digital communications, visual representations, public presentations, performances, and/or other significant deliverables.Offered by Honors College. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits. Equivalent to HNRS 353.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisites: HNRS 260C, 260XS, 261C or 261XS.
C Requires minimum grade of C.
XS Requires minimum grade of XS.

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.
HNRS 361: Multi-Disciplinary Practicum (Topic Varies). 3 credits.
Course topic varies by semester. Students in HNRS 361 identify and address a challenge or question that emerges from their individual goals & interests or in response to the needs of the community. All students in HNRS 361, whether pursuing individual or community challenges, contribute to and benefit from rigorous discussion among of a cohort of students representing multiple disciplines. Where relevant, the conversation also includes stakeholders from the community. Students learn to account for their own and for other points of view, and to adapt communication practices to reach those who do not share their backgrounds or expectations. As a result, they integrate new directions & approaches as well as alternate, divergent or contradictory perspectives or ideas. Course deliverables include strengthened and transformed proposals, reports, and/or prototypes.Offered by Honors College. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 6 credits. Equivalent to HNRS 353.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisites: HNRS 260C, 260XS, 261C or 261XS.
C Requires minimum grade of C.
XS Requires minimum grade of XS.

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

400 Level Courses

HNRS 499: Special Topics. 0-3 credits.
Selected topics reflecting interest in specialized areas. Notes: Topic announced in advance.Offered by Honors College. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 8 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisites: (HNRS 110C or 302C).
C Requires minimum grade of C.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Satisfactory/No Credit scale.

Honors College (Science/Math) (HNRT) 

100 Level Courses

HNRT 125: Applied Quantitative Reasoning. 3 credits.
The course will emphasize statistical reasoning and develop statistical thinking using real-life examples. The following topics will be covered: descriptive statistics, probability, probability distributions, estimation, and single sample hypothesis testing.Offered by Honors College. Limited to three attempts.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

200 Level Courses

HNRT 225: Applied Calculus. 3 credits.
Theory and applications of calculus for nonSTEM students. Assumes a previous introductory course in calculus. Topics include exponential models in the life sciences and business, theory of integration and may include improper integrals, infinite series, differential equations, or probability.Offered by Honors College. Limited to three attempts.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with the Honors College (Business)., Honors College (STEM). or Honors College. attributes.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.