Process

Process

UNIV Courses and Programs has been in existence since 1995.  It began with a freshman transition course and has grown over the years to now include almost 40 distinctly different courses, offering a total of 120 sections for the upcoming fall 2020 semester.  This program currently offers the opportunity for approximately 3,000 undergraduates each academic year to experience various transition, academic success, career readiness, leadership, and scholarly pursuit endeavors.

The program collaborates with student services units campus-wide, and has particularly increased partnerships with the academic colleges.  CHSS, COS, SOB, VSE, CHHS, CVPA, S-CAR, SCHAR, Interdisciplinary P&C, OSCAR, and the Honors College all have seminars in UNIV Courses and Programs that are geared towards the transition and developmental needs of their students.  We continue to seek collaborative and student-centered opportunities with our valued partners throughout the Mason community who are interested in the transition success of our students.

Course Offerings and Structure

Our course structure is theme-based with a range of course numbers assigned to each theme throughout four undergraduate levels.

UNIV Courses and Programs Structure


List of Courses by Theme


Getting Started

Contact Jackie Nash, Associate Director for UNIV Courses and Programs at jhilldru@gmu.edu or (703) 993-3223 at any point in your brainstorming or design phases, and as early as possible to ensure timely approval and inclusion in the next academic year’s university catalog.


Fill out the Course Request Form with the information you currently have.  All options will be discussed in the first meeting, and this will be used to create the course through the Registrar’s scheduling office.

A meeting will be arranged when you have a syllabus first draft (can be a very rough draft) to discuss implementation.

General Guidelines

Design & Approval

  1. A course with a new course number must be approved by the university’s Cross-College Curriculum Committee with a lead time of 8-12 months.
  2. A new section of an existing course number can be implemented in a more timely fashion, typically the next semester.
  3. There are a variety of ways in which a course can be designed, which will be discussed at the initial planning meeting.  Considerations include: proper workload for credits offered, delivery mode and time, progression of courses, and more.

Adjunct Faculty Hiring & Pay

  1. A master’s degree is required to teach a UNIV course.
  2. Hiring process depends on the primary position classification. This will be discussed when meeting.
  3. Teaching the course must fall within the adjunct faculty teaching load guidelines provided by the Provost’s Office.
  4. Pay considerations include: whether the assignment is part of the employee’s job description or unit’s mission, number of times teaching a UNIV course, the primary position classification, and more.
  5. Faculty being listed as the Instructor of Record (providing access to PatriotWeb class list and Blackboard account) are contingent upon completion of hiring paperwork (including transcript and CV/resume teaching credentials).

Please feel free to contact Jackie Nash at any time to aid in your decision-making about proposing a UNIV new or additional course.

Email: jhilldru@gmu.edu

Phone:  703-993-3223