Course Descriptions

This section lists undergraduate and graduate courses offered by George Mason University and available for credit. Courses are listed in alphabetical order. The subject code for courses and the programs offering the courses are listed below:

Semester Notation

At the end of some course descriptions, a semester notation informs of the semester in which the course is usually taught. Fall (f) means the course is usually only taught in the fall semester; fall, summer (f,sum) means the course is taught fall and summer only. A fall, spring, summer designation (f,s,sum) means the course is usually available every semester. A course offered only in alternate fall or spring semesters would be designated with af or as. A course offered only alternate years would be designated with ay. If the course is offered on an irregular basis at the discretion of the department or school, irregular (ir) follows the description. Although circumstances may cause a unit to deviate occasionally from these notations, students should use this information to plan their programs of study.

Course Numbering

General Information

Course titles are followed by numbers in parentheses (0:0:0), separated by colons. The numbers have the following significance:

• First number: credits for the course
• Second number: hours of lecture or seminar per week for the course
• Third number: hours of laboratory or studio per week for the course

For independent study, readings, topics, or similar courses, individual instructors set hours.

Undergraduate

Courses numbered 499 and below are undergraduate courses. Course numbers in the 100 series are customarily taken by freshmen, the 200 series by sophomores, the 300 series by juniors, and the 400 series by seniors. The number designations of the course descriptions in this chapter have the following significance:

• A single number (HIST 301) indicates the course is complete within a single semester, and that the semester course may be taken separately with credit toward a degree.
• A double number separated by a comma indicates the subject matter or content of the course extends through two semesters, but that either semester may be taken by itself. Unless otherwise specified, the first semester is not prerequisite to the second semester.

Graduate

Graduate courses are divided into the following -categories:

• 500-699 Open only to graduate students admitted to master’s or doctoral programs; other bachelor’s degree holders; and approved, advanced undergraduate students. Advanced undergraduate students who have secured the permission of the department offering the course may select from these courses to accumulate the hours necessary for completion of an undergraduate degree. With the written permission of the dean of their college, they may take these courses for reserve graduate credit.
• 700-799 Open only to students admitted to graduate -degree or certificate programs.
• 800-999 Primarily doctoral courses open only to students admitted to graduate degree programs.

Degree programs may extend permission to enroll bachelor’s degree holders.

Courses with the following numbers are reserved for the uses designated:

• 600-609 Limited applicability, graduate-credit courses, normally intended for in-service professional development and not directly leading to a graduate degree. A limited number of hours from these courses may be applied to a graduate degree.
• 798 Master’s research
• 799 Master’s thesis
• 800 Studies for the doctor of philosophy in education program
• 998 Doctoral dissertation proposal
• 999 Doctoral dissertation research
• 790, 890 Supervised practicum
• 794, 894 Internship
• 796, 896 Directed reading and research courses for master’s and doctoral students