Academic advising at George Mason University is integral to student success.  An exemplary Mason Graduate is an engaged, reflective citizen and well-rounded scholar who is prepared to act. Mason commits to supporting holistic success across the student experience, connecting students to campus resources, and helping students set and achieve academic, career, and personal goals. 

Academic Advising

Academic Advisors at Mason are assigned to students based on their declared major, and this relationship begins during Orientation.  Students are recommended to meet with their Academic Advisor at least once per semester to discuss questions, concerns, and goals.

Advisors assist students with: 

  • navigating undergraduate education at Mason; 

  • transitioning to college; 

  • setting academic goals and making connections to career goals; 

  • learning about available academic Mason resources; 

  • understanding Mason academic policies and procedures; 

  • accessing and using the degree audit tool; 

  • selecting courses for the student’s class schedule;   

  • checking on progress towards degree completion, and much more.   

Individual departments establish their own advising processes; students are encouraged to check with their departments for the appropriate procedures and to determine how to access academic advising. Students can use the Current Advising Services website to locate their School or College advising website. In addition, the advisor locator is available online to assist students with finding their academic advisor and determining how to schedule a meeting with their advisor. 

Advisors help students plan and make informed decisions about their academic progress in order to meet university, school or college, and program-specific degree requirements. It is the student's responsibility to read this catalog and know and fulfill the requirements of a specific baccalaureate degree. To assist in the advising process, Mason provides a computerized degree evaluation. Students should access their individualized reports through Patriot Web. It remains the student's responsibility to seek official approval for any program change so the computerized degree plan may be kept current and accurate. 

Students changing majors are encouraged to meet with an advisor in the new major. Students considering changing majors can also meet with an Exploratory Academic Advisor to navigate their options. Students may change majors by filing out a Change/Declaration of Academic Program Form available from the Office of the University Registrar. This form must first be signed by an advisor in the School or College offering the major before it is submitted to the Office of the University Registrar. 

Students can explore majors and minors using the "Find Your Program" tool in this Catalog. 

Office of Academic Advising

The Office of Academic Advising is located within Undergraduate Education and provides comprehensive leadership for a consistent and quality undergraduate academic advising experience at George Mason University. The Office of Academic Advising is responsible for advocacy and overall accountability for undergraduate academic advising. This is achieved through collaboration with leadership in academic units across the university and other stakeholders to provide consistent administration of academic advising processes, procedures, and policies. Advising program evaluation and advisor professional development are central to the administrative charge of this office to determine data-informed best practices and advising program improvement. 

The Office of Academic Advising also provides direct advising services for Pre-Health, Exploratory, Non-Degree, and undergraduate students terminated from their major. 

Exploratory, Undeclared and Undergraduate Non-Degree Students

Students who have not declared a major (or who have been terminated from their major) are assigned an Exploratory Academic Advisor within the Office of Academic Advising. Students are encouraged to make appointments with their Exploratory Academic Advisor to discuss general degree requirements, registration, academic goals, major exploration, policies, procedures, getting connected on campus, and other concerns. More information can be found on the Exploratory Academic Advising website.  

Non-degree students taking undergraduate courses at Mason also can access academic advising services within the Office of Academic Advising. More information can be found on the Non-Degree Student Advising website. 

Health Professions Advising

Web: prehealth.gmu.edu

Health Professions Advising assists students of any major in their pursuit of postgraduate work in a medical field (allopathic and osteopathic medicine, dentistry, optometry, physician assistant, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, communication sciences, and veterinary medicine). Health Professions Advising collaborates with university and community partners as well as professional schools to provide programming and resources to support pre-health students. The Health Professions Advising Coordinator advises students on prerequisite courses, experiential learning, and application preparation to support pre-health students' competitiveness in the application process to a professional school. 

Patriot Pre-Law Advising

Web: scharprelaw.gmu.edu 

The Patriot Pre-Law Program prepares students for the law-school application process and for success in law school.

The goals are to: 

  • bring law school admissions deans to campus so they can help students understand what it takes to be accepted
  • help undergraduates select courses that will develop skills to succeed as pre-law students, law-school students, and practicing lawyers  
  • offer programming to prepare students for the Law School Admissions Test, a high-stakes exam that dictates where students can go to law school  
  • provide specialized attention to the law school personal statement, which most law schools use instead of a face-to-face interview.  
  • guide students toward resources that will help them select the best law school for their needs and determine how to fund it.

Interested students are encouraged to visit the pre-law program website or contact Professor Phillip Mink at pmink@gmu.edu. 

Office of Fellowships

Web: fellowships.gmu.edu 

The Office of Fellowships helps highly motivated undergraduates, graduate students and recent alumni of all majors to find, prepare for, and apply for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships. Past winners have been active leaders in their fields and have been involved in research, community service, or creative projects. A team of program officers and graduate students will assist you in identifying and preparing applications for nationally competitive fellowships to support your academic, professional, and public service goals. Throughout the academic year, the office provides information sessions, workshops, individual advising, and other events to connect students to fellowship opportunities.