| George Mason University > University Catalog > College of Arts and Sciences | |
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EnglishWeb: gmu.edu/departments/English
FacultyProfessors: Bausch, Baxter, L. Brown, Brunette, Cheuse, D'Andrea (Robinson Professor), Forche, Foster, Hodges, Irvine, Jann, Kelley, Klappert, Lathbury, Melosh, Nadeau, Pankey, Shreve, Thaiss Associate professors: Albanese, Burr, Clark, Foreman, Fuchs, Gallehr, Goodwin, Henry, Holisky, Irving, Jones, Kaplan, Kaufmann, Keaney, Kuebrich, Lowry, McKenzie, Matz, Owens, Radner, Rutledge, Sypher, Tichy, Weinberger, Yocom Assistant professors: Amireh, Hawk, Roan, Shutika, Trafton, Yadav Visiting assistant professors: Atkinson, Berg, DeNys, Fischer, King, Koch, Meeks, Melito, Michals, Miller, Nichols, Saunders, Scott, Taciuch, Thompson, Vogt, Williams, Young, Zawacki Visiting instructors: Beach, George, Grogan-Barone, Raffel, Secrest Adjuncts: Abu Radwan, Behmand, Carey, Carter, Casal, Craver, Cooper, Crouch, DeFazio, Evans, Fogle, Fowler, Glen, Guss, Gustafson, Huntley, Humbertson, Ink, Jabs, Jacobs, Johnston, Kohn, Korvessis, Kuhta, Martineau, McKinney, McCarthy, Miller, Moody, Nanian, Patton, Patterson, Pfordreshen, Porter, Reid, Redondo, Rubin, Salmon, Samuelian, Shepherd, Smaltz, Steiner, Surette, Tracy, Zeff Course WorkThe English Department offers all course work designated ENGL and LING in the Course Descriptions chapter of this catalog. Related CoursesCourses offered by other departments are occasionally cross-listed with English and given the ENGL course designator; such courses may be counted toward the English major. Undergraduate ProgramsEnglish, B.A.In addition to the university-wide general education requirements and the college-level requirements for the B.A. degree in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), English majors must complete 30 credits (nine courses) in English beyond ENGL 302. Students must achieve a GPA of 2.000 in the courses counting toward the English major. The 30 credits are distributed as follows:
Comparative Literature Emphasis
Students should consult with their advisors to design a program of study that best suits their particular set of interests and goals. For more information, contact the departments of English and Modern and Classical Languages. Writing-Intensive RequirementThe university requires all students to complete at least one course designated as writing intensive in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in English fulfill this requirement by successfully completing ENGL 325. English in a Double MajorStudents interested in designing a double major are encouraged to discuss their plans with their English advisors and the director of undergraduate programs in English. Honors Program in EnglishTo qualify for graduation with honors, students must complete the honors course sequence, receive a 3.500 GPA in all courses counted toward the major (including their honors courses), and have the written work judged of distinguished quality by a faculty committee. Honors courses may simultaneously satisfy concentration and distribution requirements in the major. Students may satisfy the honors course sequence in several different ways:
See the English Department for application procedures and other information. Minor in EnglishA minor in English provides students with a sound introduction to the field of literary studies and also allows them to select a set of courses that accords with their individual interests. Prerequisites for the minor in English are the 6 credit university-wide general education requirement in literature and 18 credits above ENGL 302. Students must take ENGL 325 (6 credits), either three courses in a concentration listed under the English major or three courses that satisfy the core requirements for the major (9 credits), and an elective (3 credits). The minor must be approved by the English Department undergraduate advisor before graduation. Students must achieve a GPA of 2.000 in courses counting toward the English minor. Interdisciplinary MinorsThe department coordinates or co-coordinates the interdisciplinary minors in film and media studies, folklore and mythology, and linguistics. See the Interdisciplinary Minors section of this chapter for more information. Certificate in the Teaching of English as a Second Language (TESL)The TESL certificate prepares undergraduate students to teach non-native speakers of English in the United States or abroad. It is an 18-credit program that combines linguistic theory, second-language acquisition theory, and ESL teaching methods. Admission RequirementsUndergraduates interested in the TESL certificate must complete three credit hours of LING course work in the English Department and apply before they have completed six credits of LING course work. Students must apply to the English Department by filling out a Change/Declaration of Academic Program form. This request must be approved by one of the linguistics faculty members. Applicants must also submit a 1,000-word writing sample, a one-page goals statement, and a recent George Mason transcript. The TESL certificate may be pursued concurrently with any undergraduate major, and, with the approval of an advisor in the major, some courses taken as part of the TESL certificate may apply toward the undergraduate major. (Students should consult with an advisor.) Courses taken as part of the TESL certificate and also used to complete the requirements for an undergraduate degree cannot be applied at a later time toward any graduate certificate or degree. Certificate RequirementsCertificate candidates must complete the following LING courses:
Undergraduates in Graduate English CoursesThe English Department permits qualified undergraduates to enroll in its graduate courses numbered 500 through 599, either for undergraduate or for reserve graduate credit. See the English department for details on how to enroll. Teacher LicensureStudents who wish to become teachers should consult the Professional Licensure section in the Graduate School of Education chapter and attend an information session during their sophomore year. Information sessions for teacher licensure are offered every month. Call (703) 993-2892/4648, email gseinfo@gmu.edu, or consult the web site at gse.gmu.edu for more information. The Writing CenterThe Writing Center offers one-on-one conferencing during all stages of the writing process. Conferences are available free of charge to all George Mason students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Writing Center tutors, who are graduate teaching assistants in the English Department, have been trained in current methods of composition instruction. They can help clients overcome writing anxiety, develop organizational and revision skills, and learn useful strategies for editing their own work. Appointments should be made by calling (703) 993-1200 or by stopping by the center at Robinson Hall, Room A116, to schedule a session. Northern Virginia Writing ProjectThe Northern Virginia Writing Project (NVWP) is an in-service organization dedicated to improving the writing of Northern Virginia students, kindergarten through university level. Each summer, selected teachers attend an intensive five-week institute where they demonstrate successful teaching techniques, study research on the teaching of writing, and write. After the summer institute, these teachers return to their schools, colleges, and universities to lead workshops and in-service seminars for other teachers. NVWP is an affiliate of the National Writing Project and one of the seven sites of the Virginia Writing Project. Graduate ProgramsThe Department of English offers graduate programs in the study and practice of writing and literature, as well as course work in related fields such as folklore, film, and cultural studies. The M.A. in English (30 credits) provides tracks in the following areas: (1) literature (including an optional concentration in cultural studies), (2) professional writing and editing, (3) the teaching of writing and literature, and (4) linguistics. The department also offers a terminal degree, the M.F.A. in Creative Writing (48 credits), with concentrations in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. In addition, the department offers a certificate in the teaching of English as a second language (TESL, 18 credits) and courses as part of the Ph.D. in Education. English, M.A.Admission RequirementsIn addition to fulfilling admission requirements for graduate study, applicants must submit one copy of a 1,000-word analytical writing sample and two letters of recommendation. For those applying in literature, professional writing and editing, and the teaching of writing and literature, the writing sample should be an interpretive paper on a literary text. In addition to the writing sample, applicants must submit a goals statement (no more than 750 words). Applicants for the track in professional writing and editing must also submit two copies of a 10- to 15-page portfolio of their nonfiction work (a technical or business report, an essay, a term paper, an editing project, or any other material reflecting the student's interests and skills in nonfiction writing). Applicants may submit scores on the GRE when they believe those scores will lead to a clearer presentation of their qualifications. Those with undergraduate majors in disciplines other than English are encouraged to apply but may be required to make up deficiencies before entering the program. Degree RequirementsStudents must successfully complete 30 credits in graduate English courses. With the approval of the department, up to 6 graduate credits in courses in related disciplines may be substituted for 6 credits in English. One of the tracks described below must be completed. General Requirements
Track in Literature
Concentration in Cultural StudiesEnglish students planning to apply to the Ph.D. in Cultural Studies program should pursue the literature track of the M.A. in English and make the following modifications to the above requirements:
Track in Professional Writing and Editing
Track in the Teaching of Writing and Literature
Track in LinguisticsThe linguistics track of the English M.A. combines courses in linguistics with courses in some related area of language study, such as teaching English as a second language, bilingual education, or foreign language teaching. The course of study is designed to prepare students for teaching in one of these fields or for doctoral work. The certificate in teaching English as a second language can be earned concurrently. Students pursuing the linguistics track must successfully complete 30 graduate credits, distributed as follows, and demonstrate foreign language proficiency (see above).
Creative Writing, M.F.A.The M.F.A. in Creative Writing has three concentrations: poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Students should apply to only one concentration, although a student turned down by one concentration may subsequently apply to another, and a student turned down by one concentration may apply again to that same concentration in a subsequent year. Persons interested in taking individual courses or in applying at a future date to the M.F.A. program are welcome to apply to take classes as Extended Studies students. However, Extended Studies enrollments are allowed only with the permission of the instructor. Regular applicants to the M.F.A. program who are denied admission may not take courses through Extended Studies. Persons interested in taking a course through Extended Studies should submit a brief letter of introduction and a writing sample to the professor at least one week before the start of classes. Admission RequirementsIn addition to fulfilling admission requirements for graduate study, applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, one copy of a 1,000-word analytical writing sample, and a portfolio of original work. The analytical writing sample may be a paper written for an undergraduate class or any other work that gives evidence of advanced writing skills. For those applying to the M.F.A. concentration in fiction, the portfolio should consist of up to 50 pages of fiction (at least two complete short stories are preferred). For those applying to the M.F.A. concentration in poetry, the portfolio should consist of up to 20 pages of poetry. For those applying to the M.F.A. concentration in nonfiction, the portfolio should consist of up to 50 pages of creative nonfiction. Degree RequirementsStudents must successfully complete 48 graduate credits, including the following:
With the approval of the M.F.A. faculty and the program director, the number of credits required for an M.F.A. may be reduced by a maximum of 18 credits on the basis of graduate course work before admission. Students in poetry must pass a written M.F.A. exam based on the authors they have chosen. The authors are selected in collaboration with the writing faculty any time after the completion of 12 credits of course work and before the completion of 32 credits. The exam must be completed at least one semester before the student registers for the final three hours of thesis. Students in fiction and nonfiction must pass an M.F.A. exam or complete an M.F.A. project. Students who elect to take the M.F.A. exam select, after the completion of 18 credits and with the approval of their faculty advisors, a list of authors and an area of emphasis (e.g., the European novel). Students who elect to complete an M.F.A. project (e.g., edit an anthology) must carry out the project under the direction of a faculty member and may register for ENGL 798 to do this requirement. ENGL 798 may not be used to fulfill the literature requirement or as thesis preparation. The exam or project must be completed at least one semester before the student registers for the final three hours of thesis. Students who have not completed the equivalent of George Mason's foreign language 202 or 209 must do so or demonstrate proficiency by passing a translation test administered by the English Department. Certificate in the Teaching of English as a Second Language (TESL)The TESL certificate prepares students to teach non-native speakers of English in the United States or abroad. Certificate courses fulfill, in part, the requirements for an endorsement in English as a second language to the Virginia state teaching credential. (Students who want to earn this endorsement should consult with an advisor.) Admission RequirementsApplicants interested in the TESL certificate must be admitted to graduate study or approved for graduate course enrollment through Extended Studies. Students who initially enroll in the certificate program through Extended Studies must apply for admission to the graduate program no later than the second semester of study. At the time that formal admission to graduate study is sought, applicants must submit one copy of an analytical writing sample of approximately 1,000 words, a goals statement, and two letters of recommendation. The certificate may be pursued concurrently with any of several degree programs offered through the Graduate School of Education, the English Department, and the Modern and Classical Languages Department, and part of the course work toward the certificate may be applied toward degrees in those departments. Students enrolled in another graduate degree program who want to work for the certificate must apply to the English Department for admission into the certificate program. Certificate RequirementsCertificate candidates must complete the following series of graduate English courses, earning a grade of 3.000 or better in each.
Certificate in Professional Writing and EditingThe Certificate in Professional Writing and Editing provides graduate students with course work in nonfiction writing in specific genres, in current writing practices and theories of writing in organizational settings, in research methods in professional writing, and in nonfiction literature. Admission RequirementsApplicants must submit an analytical writing sample of at least 1,000 words, a goals statement, two letters of recommendation, and a portfolio of their writing or editing. Applicants must be currently admitted to a graduate degree program or approved for enrollment through Extended Studies. Because only 6 credits earned as an Extended Studies student may be applied to the certificate, students who initially take courses through Extended Studies should apply for admission before the completion of 6 credits of course work. Completion of course work is not in itself a guarantee of admission to the Certificate Program. The certificate may be pursued concurrently with any of several degree programs in English and elsewhere in the College of Arts and Sciences. Part of the course work toward the certificate may be applied to those degrees. Certificate RequirementsCertificate candidates must complete 18 credits of English graduate courses, earning a grade of B or better in each, distributed as follows:
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