Associate Director, University Studies, Transition Programs

George Mason University; Fairfax (VA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

George Mason University is seeking an Associate Director, University Studies, Transition Programs in Fairfax, VA. The role oversees the Transition to Mason courses, manages curriculum development, staff training, and campus partnerships to boost student success and enrollment.

Responsibilities include curriculum content creation, learning outcomes design, and compliance with accreditation standards, while leading marketing efforts for course registration and ensuring program effectiveness

Qualifications

• Advanced degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with programmatic assessment and curriculum design.
• Experience leading professional staff and student employees.
• Knowledge of assessment practices and university transition programs.
• Ability to analyze data and guide program decisions.
• Experience using learning management systems.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with the University Studies Leadership Team to assess and improve operations.
• Oversees design, implementation, and improvement of Transition to Mason courses (UNIV 100/108/150/300).
• Manages course operations, faculty and peer advisor training, and campus partnerships.
• Leads marketing to boost course registration and ensures accreditation compliance.
• supervises staff including Graduate Professional Assistants and Training staff.
• Develops and maintains partnerships across the university for first‑year and transfer students.

Skills

Advanced degree

Program management

Curriculum development

Assessment practices

Team leadership

Data analysis

LMS proficiency

Education

Advanced degree in a related field

Job description

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 university’s 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, and 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), and 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, and assessing curriculum effectiveness and enrollment trends. The role also includes supervising staff and 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 and 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: Serve as 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: Conduct 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: Collaborate 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 Mason’s 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 program.
• 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.