Associate Director, University Studies, Transition Programs

Department: Academic Affairs Classification: Professional Faculty Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty Job Type: Full-Time Work Schedule: Full-time 1.0 FTE 40 hrs/wk Location: Fairfax, VA Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department The Office of the Provost is the primary central administrative unit for the universitys academic programs. Its range of interests include curriculum, instructional personnel, assessment, accreditation, international initiatives, and oversight of the overall academic mission.

Within the Office of the Provost, the Office of Undergraduate Education manages undergraduate academic programs that stretch across all colleges and schools at George Mason University. These include:

• University-level curriculum approval
• General education (Mason Core University Studies) programs
• The Office of Academic Advising
• Mason Impact initiatives that support transformational learning for undergraduate students, including:
• The Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR)
• Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning (CECiL)
• Office of Fellowships

In all of our work, we seek to inspire undergraduate students to become engaged citizens and well-rounded scholars who are prepared to act in a diverse global world by creating and sustaining innovative programs that enhance our students academic experience and contribute to their academic success. We are dedicated to ensuring that students from all backgrounds have equal access to all of our programs.

About the Position The Associate Director, University Studies Transition Programs, oversees the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Transition to Mason courses (e.g., UNIV 100/108/150/300) to enhance student success. This involves:

• Creating and updating curriculum content
• Managing day-to-day course operations
• Administering faculty and peer advisor training programs
• Developing campus partnerships
• Leading marketing efforts to boost course registration
• Assessing curriculum effectiveness and enrollment trends
• Supervising staff
• Ensuring compliance with university accreditation requirements

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the University Studies Leadership Team to assess, strategize, and improve the overall operation of the University Studies program.
• Consults with the leadership team and contributes to program decisions.
• Supports tasks such as interviewing new adjunct faculty, attending functions, scheduling, and reviewing program mission and vision.
• Oversees the course design for Transition to Mason courses (UNIV 100/108/150/300):
• Identify, create, and update curriculum content informed by data, emerging trends, and best practices to enhance student success.
• Designs student learning outcomes at both programmatic and modular levels.
• Develops engaging curricular content and tools that incorporate active learning principles to boost student learning.
• Designs syllabi, how-to guides, and other faculty resources for the successful implementation of the curriculum.
• Manages the day-to-day activities of the Transition to Mason courses and serves as the main point of contact for any student or course-related issues.
• Ensures programmatic compliance with university accreditation requirements.
• Supervises the Graduate Professional Assistants for Faculty and Curriculum and for the Peer Advisor Program.
• Supervises the Training and Recruitment Specialist.
• Leads marketing efforts to boost registration in University Studies classes.
• Oversees the administration of Faculty Training and Recruitment and the Peer Advisor Program:
• Conducts faculty observations according to a predetermined annual schedule.
• Provides instructors feedback and mentorship on classroom management and teaching techniques.
• Provides direction and support regarding the recruitment, selection, and training of the UNIV 100/108/150 faculty.
• Provides direction and support regarding the recruitment, selection, and training of Peer Advisors.
• Develops and maintains campus partnerships:
• Collaborates with stakeholders across the university engaged in programming for first-year and new transfer students.
• Serves on committees to represent University Studies.
• Explores new course offerings in collaboration with campus partners to address student needs.
• Engages in campus opportunities to boost the visibility of University Studies as the main hub for George Masons college transition courses.
• Oversees assessment of curriculum effectiveness and enrollment trends for UNIV courses:
• Design and administer student surveys to assess the effectiveness of the UNIV courses against pre-determined outcomes.
• Designs and administers faculty surveys to assess the effectiveness of the curriculum.
• Makes adjustments based on feedback from both students and faculty.
• Conducts data analysis for annual enrollment and trends over time.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Advanced Degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of related education and experience.
• Some experience with programming in a higher education setting.
• Some experience with programmatic assessment.
• Some experience with the creation of curriculum based on pedagogical principles.
• Some experience in managing a team of professional and student employees.
• Knowledge of assessment practices.
• Knowledge of the essential elements of creating a course curriculum.
• Knowledge of university transition programs.
• Skill with a learning management system.
• Ability to manage a team of faculty and students.
• Ability to analyze data.

Preferred Qualifications

• Considerable experience with university transition programs.
• Considerable experience with creating or implementing university curriculum.
• Some experience in creating and analyzing programmatic assessment.
• Some experience in recruiting and mentoring adjunct faculty and students.
• Some experience in leading an educational program.
• Knowledge of the creation of university-level course curriculum.
• Knowledge of programmatic assessment of an educational program.
• Knowledge of active learning pedagogy.
• Knowledge of the pedagogy of peer leader training.
• Skill in creating reports from assessments and data.
• Skill in managing a program in higher education.

Instructions to Applicants For full consideration, applicants must apply for Associate Director, University Studies Transition Programs at https://jobs.gmu.edu.

Complete and submit the online application to include:

• Three professional references with contact information.
• A Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: March 9, 2026 For Full Consideration Apply by: April 10, 2026 Open Until Filled: Yes