Using Your Degree

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at George Mason University is the home of the University’s liberal education curriculum. This curriculum focuses on students’ intellectual and personal development, providing them with broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g. science, culture, and society) and subject matter expertise through in-depth study in a specific area of interest.

Employers agree that those who succeed academically within their field, but also possess a broad knowledge base in other areas, are more desirable employees. The education CHSS provides for all students, helps them develop necessary transferable skills such as communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.

A CHSS education is essential for Mason students’ success in a global economy, preparing them to navigate complexity, diversity, and change. Students develop a sense of social responsibility and for informed citizenship.  

Adapted from “What Is a Liberal Education?” Association of American Colleges & Universities. https://www.aacu.org/leap/what-is-a-liberal-education.

Those who major in English excel as communicators. They know how to write effectively and how to make logical inferences about what they read, whether that reading is a play script, a work proposal, or a company email. Students in English also learn how to conduct significant research. They know where to find answers to questions and this skill allows them to be productive, pro-active, and independent thinkers. Those who specialize in English also have a strong, historicized sense of the power of cultural texts (films, novels, tweets, memes, and more). Students who have studied English are creators, innovators, and critical thinkers; they succeed and lead in a range of environments.

• how to think critically and creatively
• how different social and historical contexts shape cultural texts as well as how modes of interpretation have changed over time
• how to conduct and share research
• the range of fields that make up English Studies, both what these fields share and what makes them distinctive

• write effectively in a variety of genres, demonstrating understanding of audience, generic conventions, and the writing process.
• analyze and interpret a range of cultural texts, including but not limited to literature, film, and folklore
• find and evaluate the reliability of sources
• develop, design, and create a range of products, including artistic contributions
• write logically, clearly, concisely, and correctly