Academic Programs

Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning

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The Advanced Studies in Teaching and Learning (ASTL) program is for teachers and other educators with one or more years of teaching or education-related experience who want to continue to grow professionally. The program offers advanced study in Virginia's Standards of Learning (SOL) content areas, cohort classes, an innovative schedule, and the use of technology. The courses, aligned with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), www.nbpts.org, help teachers think and practice like board-certified teachers. The program develops teacher-leaders who practice reflection through action research, problem-based learning, and self-inquiry as well as developing teacher expertise in an area of choice that will identify the teacher as a potential leader in that area.

Career Switcher Program - Secondary Education

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The Graduate School of Education (GSE) at George Mason University recognizes the critical shortage of teachers, the existence of a pool of experienced career changers, and the need to prepare them for classrooms as quickly as possible while maintaining a high quality curriculum and closely mentored teaching experiences. GSE is a certified provider of the Virginia Career Switcher Program. The Career Switcher Program at Mason prepares experienced individuals for licensure as secondary school teachers with endorsements in biology, chemistry, earth science, English, history/social science, mathematics, or physics. Also see Secondary Education program.

Counseling and Development

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Counseling and Development offers a doctoral program, master's degree programs in community agency counseling and school counseling, and post-master's licensure programs for aspiring licensed professional counselors and school counselors. The Counseling and Development Program is housed within the Graduate School of Education and has six core faculty, as well as several outstanding adjunct faculty from leadership positions in communities and schools.

Early Childhood Education

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The Early Childhood Education program leads to a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction degree and triple teacher licensure. It prepares professionals to work with culturally, linguistically and ability-diverse young children and their families in schools and diverse community settings. Participation in the program requires a full-time, primarily daytime commitment for one summer and two academic years of integrated study and on-going practice in four different internships. The program is designed to provide professionals with the specialized knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to meet the developmental and educational needs of young children. The Early Childhood Education program is also known as UTEEM - Unified Transformative Early Education Model.

Education Leadership

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The Education Leadership program is designed to prepare candidates for leadership and management positions in a variety of educational settings. The program emphasizes an understanding of the complexities of change in schools, communities, and organizations. Participants are expected to develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to create and maintain learning environments that value diversity, continual knowledge acquisition, instructional leadership, innovative and ethical decision-making, reflective practice, and successful achievement of all school-aged youth.

Learning opportunities are presented in large and small group discussions, on-the-job training, case studies, lectures, scenarios, simulations, problem-based activities, internship experiences which are integrated into the course work, and an annual leadership conference.

Education Policy

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The Education Policy Program is affiliated with the Education Policy Center located in George Mason University's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). The Education Policy program offers a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Education Policy. The mission of the program is to enrich the education policy knowledge base and promote the discussion of national, regional, and state policy alternatives. A three-course sequence of doctoral-level courses in education policy form the nucleus of a policy concentration for students enrolled in the Ph.D. in Education Program.

Educational Psychology

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The Educational Psychology program offers a Master of Science degree in Educational Psychology. The program is designed to offer professionals and students the opportunity to: (a) apply principles of learning, cognition and motivation to vital problems in the area of education; (b) develop a solid understanding of research, assessment, and evaluation methodologies; and (c) develop an analytical and scholarly approach to critically assessing theoretical perspectives, research, and practice within and across content domains. By creating a supportive and collegial environment with faculty from numerous educational disciplines and expertise, prospective students are expected to develop skills to meet the needs of diverse populations and design and implement effective educational programs appropriate for a broad range of cultural contexts.

Elementary Education PK-6

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The Elementary Education PK-6 initial licensure program with an optional master's degree component is designed to provide professionals with the specialized knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to meet the educational needs of students attending today's elementary schools.

English as a Second Language PK-12

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The English as a Second Language PK-12 program offers master's degree and graduate certificate options. Students may earn an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in English as a Second Language (PK-12). Program options also include a Graduate Certificate in English as a Second Language with Special Education.

FAST TRAIN

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FAST TRAIN (The Foreign Affairs Spouses Teacher Training Program) began in the fall of 1990 as a collaboration between the U.S. Department of State's Office of Overseas Schools, the State of Virginia's Department of Education and George Mason University. The collaboration stemmed from an interest in training foreign affairs spouses to become qualified candidates for teaching positions in international schools. Hence, the FAST TRAIN Program was created. Since 1990, over 400 participants have completed the FAST TRAIN Program and are now teaching worldwide. While FAST TRAIN still maintains a formal relationship with the U.S. Department of State's Office of Overseas Schools, the program has now expanded and is open to all applicants who would like to teach abroad.
FAST TRAIN is one of the academic programs associated with the Center for International Education at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Foreign Language and Latin (PK-12)

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The Foreign Language and Latin (PK-12) initial licensure program with an optional master's degree component provides professionals with the specialized knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions needed to meet the educational needs of students attending today's schools. The program prepares prospective educators seeking licensure as teachers of world languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish , or Latin) in schools that serve preschool through grade twelve.

Higher Education

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The Higher Education Program at George Mason University prepares individuals for positions of leadership in teaching, research, and administration at community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities. The interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes ethical leadership, assessment, and practice-based scholarship in teaching and learning. Building upon a core curriculum focusing on practice-based research, the PhD offers proficiency in three core areas related to higher education:

1. Ethical leadership and respect for diversity

2. Program and institution assessment and evaluation

3. Effective application of information technology and organizational learning

In addition, students have the opportunity to develop a secondary concentration to match their particular professional goals.

The PhD with a specialization in Higher Education is administered by the Higher Education Program in collaboration with the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. For more information go to http://highered.gmu.edu.

Initiatives in Educational Transformation

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The IET (Initiatives in Educational Transformation) experience is a master's-level program for classroom teachers that focuses on the essential habits of mind teachers need to respond well to the challenges of modern teaching. Issues such as working with various ethnic and cultural groups, meeting diversity of learning needs, or responding to the demands of parents and communities are often on our list of priorities. IET graduates are prepared to respond to this range of demands, and they do so with informed practices that reflect the complexities of classroom teaching.

Since the early 1990s, more than 900 classroom teachers in Virginia and the District of Columbia have joined cohorts that meet on George Mason's Arlington and Prince William Campuses. Here, they work collaboratively, reflectively, creatively, and passionately to consider their craft and look for insight that leads not only to a degree, but also to an innovative way of thinking about teaching and learning. Whether their teaching licenses are freshly minted or they are seasoned professionals with years of experience, participating teachers conclude this program gives them the inspiration they need to help their students achieve success in learning and living.

Instructional Technology

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The Instructional Technology (IT) program provides professionals with the specialized knowledge and skills needed to apply a wide range of computer and telecommunications technologies in achieving educational goals within school, community and corporate/public settings. The program tracks combine current theoretical foundations of technology development and integration with practical hands-on experiences in using state of practice and state of the art technologies.

The IT program is exploring various and appropriate uses of asynchronous and real-time virtual learning activities to complement face-to-face instruction. The IT program is committed to providing high quality learning experiences using the full range of media for interacting across barriers of distance and time.

International Education

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The PhD specialization in international education focuses on social justice and equity in educational systems throughout the world. It is designed for policymakers and practitioners, and approaches social justice and equity in terms of economic, social and political development, conflict resolution, institutional development, language and culture, and history. Candidates for the specialization represent multiple fields including but not limited to K-12 educators, educational leadership, counseling, development and foreign service officers, tourism interests and other leaders in international education interested in conducing research to enhance the field.

Literacy and Reading

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Welcome to the George Mason University Literacy and Reading program! The Literacy and Reading program offers course work and degrees related to the reading, writing and language development of children, adolescents and adults. Our master's and doctoral programs prepare professions for instructional, leadership, research, and policy roles in school divisions, agencies and universities throughout the United States. All course work is carefully based in both research and practice to provide educators in every setting with a strong foundation for professional decision-making. The master's and graduate certificate program meets the requirements for reading specialist licensure in Virginia and follows the Standards for Literacy Professionals established by the International Reading Association. This program was recently identified by IRA as "Nationally Recognized” after an extensive accreditation and review process.

Mathematics Education Leadership

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The Mathematics Education Leadership Program prepares individuals for a variety of leadership positions in mathematics education. There are two concentrations in mathematics education at the Master's Degree level, and a specialization in mathematics education at the Ph.D. level. In the 33-credit Master's Degree, students can select the Math Specialist Leader K-8 concentration or the Mathematics Education Leader concentration. Both concentrations are unique programs for individuals who desire part-time study to become specialists in the teaching and leadership of school mathematics. Students in the Mathematics Education Leadership Master's degree concentrations study teaching, research, curriculum, and mathematics content. They also explore school-based leadership issues in mathematics education.

There is also a specialization in Mathematics Education Leadership in the Ph.D. Program. The Ph.D. specialization in Mathematics Education Leadership focuses on issues in curriculum design and evaluation, the preparation and professional development of mathematics teachers, leadership in mathematics at all levels, and the design and evaluation of mathematics education research. This program prepares individuals for high level leadership positions in mathematics education including: college/university faculty and researchers, school and central office leaders, curriculum and instructional materials developers, state and national agency leaders, and mathematics education consultants.

Multilingual/Multicultural Education

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The Multilingual/Multicultural Education program prepares professionals to work with a diverse population of individuals. It provides master's degree courses for licensed teachers and the required courses for an add-on endorsement in English as a Second Language (ESL) PK-12 (also known as English for Speakers of Other Languages - ESOL). The program is appropriate for individuals who are not licensed and wish to complete a master's degree. The Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction must be completed within 6 years of admission to the program.

Ph.D. in Education Program

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The Ph.D. in Education degree is specifically for professional practitioners in education, including those in public or private schools, community or government agencies, professional associations, and other education-related settings. This degree program includes study and practice of educational and counseling research as well as study and application of theory and practice in the fields of education and counseling. The doctoral program is individualized, interdisciplinary, and experiential. Students, with the guidance of faculty advisers, plan their own programs to meet self-defined goals. To accomplish these goals, students engage in a variety of intensive courses, independent studies, seminars, and internships of a highly practical nature. Success in the program requires a high degree of personal initiative, self-directed learning, and commitment to inquiry as a style of personal and professional growth.

Research Methodology

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Science Education Leadership

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The Science Education Leadership (SEL) program offers Ph.D., M.Ed. and certificate options. SEL students study the changing nature of science, science teaching, assessment, curriculum, technology, safety, and meeting the diverse needs of learners. Skills are developed in data-driven decision making, systematic and continual improvement, and leading dynamic organizations. Students also explore school-based leadership issues in science education. Internship experiences in Science Education Leadership include working with a practicing scientist in a research setting and interacting with school leaders on the state and local level who directly and indirectly impact science education.

Secondary Education 6-12

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The Secondary Education Program in the Graduate School of Education is designed to meet the needs of individuals who wish to be licensed or who need to satisfy the requirements of a provisional license to teach at the secondary level. Specific endorsement areas are: biology, chemistry, earth science, English, history/social science, mathematics, and physics. Add-on endorsements are available in speech communications, English as a second language, and algebra I. Additional information available in the Secondary Handbook

Special Education

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The Special Education graduate programs offer doctoral specializations, master's degrees, and graduate certificates including teacher education and licensure coursework. The programs provide professionals with the specialized knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions needed to meet the educational needs of children with special needs. The licensure curricula are based on the standards of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and meet the requirements of the Virginia Department of Education. Other areas of study include applied behavior analysis and assistive technology. The applied behavior analysis certificate is based on the standard of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.

Teaching and Teacher Education

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The purpose of this specialization is to prepare the next generation of teacher educators for a changing demography. The program has a specific focus that ties the study of teachers, teaching practices, teacher education, education reform, and education policy together into a coherent whole for understanding and generating new knowledge on the educators of educators who will lead the efforts of an equal education for all children. Students who study in this specialization will be prepared to assume leadership, teaching and research roles in: preservice teacher education, in either university or alternate route programs; school district offices of continuing teacher professional development; and school-based teacher education. The program focuses on the research on teaching from a generalist perspective as well as providing opportunities to study teaching in a chosen subject matter area, e.g. English, history, special education, etc. In addition, the program focuses on research, development, and evaluation of teacher education for both preservice teachers and the continuing professional development of practicing teachers.