University Studies

Transition To Mason – Courses For New Students

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The Right Start!

Our first year transition courses connect new Mason students to faculty/staff, to one another and to campus resources for a successful transition to Mason. We offer transition courses for both freshmen and transfer students. Make the most of your Mason experience!

Transition to Mason

Our transition courses prepare students to: 

  • Access Mason resources related to their personal growth, academic development and career planning, and utilize these resources effectively 
  • Reflect on their experiences as they relate to their self-discovery and goals 
  • Connect with peers and the larger Mason community through meaningful interactions  
A UNIV Peer Advisor helps a student wearing a Mason sweatshirt with a worksheet in a UNIV 100 class.

First-Year Transition Courses

University 100 – Introduction to Mason (1 Credit)

UNIV 100 is Mason’s flagship transition course for first year students. It connects new Mason students to faculty/staff, to one another and to campus resources for a successful transition to Mason. It helps students develop essential skills for academic success, personal development, well-being, and career exploration. UNIV 100 aims to lay the foundation for an engaged community of Mason learners.

I absolutely adored this course. Every class, I would come in excited to do a new activity or discussion. I also feel as if the class helped me connect to my hall-mates and the community at GMU as a whole.

UNIV 100 Student

University 108 – Mason Transitions (1 or 0 Credit)

UNIV 108 is very similar to UNIV 100 except that it is open to specific student populations such as those in specific colleges or those that associate with certain identity-based groups on campus. Topics covered will be adopted to the needs and interests of the student cohort in the course.

Section subjects include:

  • Program Specific
    • Early Identification Program (EIP)
    • Student Transition Empowerment Program (STEP)
  • Student interest-based sections (topic can vary year to year)

*1 Credit: Counts as an elective, shows in GPA, costs 1 credit hour tuition. Non-Credit (Free): Same coursework, grade appears on transcript, but doesn’t count toward graduation credits or GPA.*

University 150 – Learning Communities (1 or 0 Credit)

UNIV 150 is very similar to UNIV 100 and 108 except that it is open to residential students in a specific Learning Community. Topics covered will be adopted to the needs and interests of the specific learning community. To learn more about learning communities, please click here.

*1 Credit: Counts as an elective, shows in GPA, costs 1 credit hour tuition. Non-Credit (Free): Same coursework, grade appears on transcript, but doesn’t count toward graduation credits or GPA.*

University 300 – Transfer Transition (1 or 0 Credit)

UNIV 300 is an Introduction to Mason course that is only offered for transfer students. Coursework is designed to help new transfer students get connected to Mason campus life, prepare for academic success as upperclassmen, and learn how to best leverage campus resources. It is offered as a half semester course. To accommodate the busy schedule of transfer students this course is offered online only.

*1 Credit: Counts as an elective, shows in GPA, costs 1 credit hour tuition. Non-Credit (Free): Same coursework, grade appears on transcript, but doesn’t count toward graduation credits or GPA.*

For more information about this course please feel free to email Caroline Simpson at [email protected] or at [email protected].

For more information about our courses, see the University Catalog.