Mason Online Programs

The mission of George Mason University is to make education accessible and affordable for all students, from the traditional 18-year-old freshman to the adult learner trying to complete a degree while working full time.
Technology is enabling universities to re-think the traditional classroom model. More students today rely on online course offerings to advance their studies.
For traditional learners: Online course offerings are rapidly becoming the expectation for each year’s group of rising freshmen. Many may have already taken at least one online class at their high schools or at another institution.
For non-traditional learners: Their busy lives or lack of proximity to a campus may make the traditional pathway to a degree difficult. Online programs meet their needs for flexible learning options without the confines of a traditional classroom schedule.

Online Students Nationwide:

68%
Chose online to balance work & family
80%
Live within 100 miles of their campus
37%
First in family to attend college

Mason is committed to delivering a high-quality and affordable education to all learners, at a time and place that best fits their lives- enabling them to achieve their educational goals without upending their lives.

For Partners and Employers

Supporting a diversified and expert workforce

Mason is leveraging the expertise of partners in educational services, technology, and marketing to help us deliver a Mason experience to students in Virginia and across the country. Through partnerships like ADVANCE and the Online Virginia Network (OVN), Mason is working with other higher education institutions in Virginia to expand access to education to more learners.

Mason Online supports a diverse workforce. Online offerings at Mason enable more non-traditional learners to attain a quality four-year degree that is affordable. As a result, we will graduate a more diverse talent pipeline who can fill skilled jobs in our region.

Flexible learning enables better work outcomes. 60% of online students are employed full-time and 46% say their biggest motivation to enroll was to advance their career. The flexibility of online degrees allows working adults to continue earning a

For Faculty and Staff

Committed to Mason excellence

Expert faculty at Mason work with the Office of Digital Learning to design and teach online courses that reflect our commitment to excellence. The office provides crucial support for Mason faculty in areas such as instructional design, online course development and best practices for quality online teaching.

The Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning-a hub for promoting teaching excellence and innovation.

Housing the Office of Digital Learning and the Center for Teaching and Faculty Excellence, the Center is a one-stop destination for all George Mason faculty and graduate students seeking to explore and test new ideas for teaching methods and techniques including online course delivery and integrated instructional design. As more students choose the flexibility of online learning, the Center enables our faculty and instructors to ensure a more effective and consistent Mason learning experience, whether individuals choose to earn their full degree online or take a combination of online and on-campus classes.

“It’s important to expand online programs because our students are demanding it. We have a diverse group of students with a diverse group of needs.”
Michelle Marks, Vice President, New Ventures, George Mason University

Please contact Digital Learning for information on creating online courses and programs.

For Students and Families

Delivering a transformative Mason experience digitally

At Mason, an online education offers the same transformational experiences and knowledge opportunities offered on-campus. Whether via enhanced collaboration methods which promote idea exchanges or readily available course materials which allow for self-pacing, our online coursework has been designed to engage students in a variety of ways.

Our Office of Digital Learning is devoted to helping students find the courses and programs that meet their educational goals.

Outside of the digital classroom, Mason Online students will benefit from support services essential to their success:

  • Personalized writing tutoring via the Online Writing Lab
  • Access to thousands of e-resources via Mason’s extensive online library catalog
  • Tailored advising
  • Career services support

For special student populations like transfer students, and adult learners, and through partnerships like ADVANCE and the Online Virginia Network (OVN), Mason is launching a selection of fully-online undergraduate programs. In addition, our online strategy includes offering at least 15 online graduate programs in the next three years.

Learn more about the Online Virginia Network (OVN) and ADVANCE.

Mason Online Programs Resources

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