Academic Policies

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The academic calendar may be accessed at registrar.gmu.edu/.  Mason runs on a semester schedule, including an active summer term.

Human Subjects Research

All research activities involving human subjects or data regarding human subjects that are directed by faculty, staff, or students or that involve faculty, staff, or students as participants must be submitted to the Office of Research Subject Protections for review and approval. The form for submission can be found at www.gmu.edu/research/ORSP/HumanSubjects.html. All research activities will be reviewed by the Human Subjects Review Board prior to implementation of the activity. Separate approval by the vice provost for academic affairs is required if contact information for Mason students is needed to conduct the research. All student research must be supervised by a faculty member. The faculty member will serve as the principal investigator for the research and will assume responsibility for the legal and ethical conduct of the work.

Animal Use in Research

All work with live animals, whether for research, teaching, or testing, must be approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) prior to initiation of the work. All care and use of animals at Mason must be carried out under the supervision of a faculty member who is qualified and experienced in the work being conducted and assumes responsibility for legal and ethical conduct. Further information and submission forms can be found at the Office of Research Subject Protections web site at www.gmu.edu/research/ORSP/AnimalCareAndUse.html.

Registration for the next semester or summer term begins after mid-semester of fall or spring semesters, and is opened to various groups according to priority (graduate students, seniors, juniors, and so on). The Registrar’s Office assigns each student a time ticket, which is a specific date and time after which a student may register. The time ticket is based on the number of credits earned. Thus, the time ticket will not be the same for all students within a particular priority group. Students should consult the Schedule of Classes and Patriot Web for information about their registration date and time.

Financial Good Standing; No Holds on Record

Financial good standing and a university record clear of holds are required for students to receive academic services. Services, including, but not limited to, transcript issuance, diploma release, and class registration (add, drop, withdrawal, and such) will not be provided to students with a financial balance due or a hold of any kind on their record. Holds are based on outstanding obligations and may be financial. Examples include fines owed for traffic or parking violations, incomplete immunization records, fines owed to the Mason or consortium libraries, and other administrative holds.

Registration Procedure

The Schedule of Classes, made available by the Registrar’s Office before priority registration each semester, contains written instructions for registration. Courses listed in the Schedule of Classes may be canceled for insufficient enrollment. Mason reserves the right to change the class schedule and adjust the individual section enrollment as necessary.

Registration is usually accomplished using Patriot Web; however, if a section is closed or registration into a selected section is controlled, permission to enroll must be obtained from the academic program offering the course. Various schools and departments have their own processes for granting this permission. For some courses, the student must submit a completed and signed course permit form in person to the Registrar’s Office.

Students must be present at the first meeting of every laboratory course (lecture and laboratory) to validate their registration. If students cannot attend the first meeting, they must notify the instructor beforehand if they intend to continue in that section. Otherwise, their name may be removed from the class roll in both lecture and lab.

Students are responsible for registering properly and paying by the deadline. Students should confirm the correctness of their enrollments (including drop and add) via Patriot Web. Incorrect enrollments may result in academic and financial penalties.

Students are responsible for tuition payments and grades received for all courses in which they are registered unless registration is canceled administratively because of suspension, dismissal, or termination; the section is canceled; or the course is dropped before the tuition liability begins. See the Schedule of Classes for deadlines.

Changing Registration

Registration changes must be completed within the schedule adjustment period defined below and indicated in the Schedule of Classes. Changes to registration are usually made via Patriot Web.

The last day for adding a 14-week course is two calendar weeks after and including the first day of classes. The last day for dropping a 14-week course is five calendar weeks after the first day of classes (including the first day). Courses meeting for fewer than 14 weeks have add, drop, and tuition-liability dates proportional to their length. These dates are published on the registrar’s web site each semester. Students who drop all courses during the drop period will have no entry on their transcript for that semester and will not be considered an enrolled student for that semester. If it is the student’s first semester, the student will not have a Mason transcript and must contact Admissions regarding enrollment in a future semester.

All students are expected to complete their initial enrollment before the first day of classes for the semester. Any additions to that enrollment must be processed by the end of the add period through official registration procedures. Students will not receive credit for courses unless their names are on the official class rosters and final grade sheets. Retroactive credits will not be awarded to students who report that they attended classes but were not on the official rosters. After the date listed in the Schedule of Classes for adding courses, students will not be added to courses except in unusual circumstances beyond the student’s control; such actions require approval by the chair of the academic department offering the course.

All students are expected to drop (by the end of the drop period) those courses they do not intend to continue. Registration is not canceled for failure to drop courses properly. Furthermore, registration is not canceled for failure to attend classes unless stated otherwise in the Schedule of Classes. All classes in which a student is enrolled past the drop deadline will remain part of the official academic record. For more information, see the Additional Grade Notations—Administrative Failure section of this chapter. After the date listed in the Schedule of Classes for dropping courses, withdrawal approval is granted only for nonacademic reasons by the student’s academic dean. This approval is typically given for all courses at once, constituting withdrawal from a semester. For more information, see the Withdrawal from a Semester section of this chapter.

No change of registration transaction is complete until it is processed by the Office of Student Accounts and the Office of the Registrar.

Students will not receive written confirmation of schedule changes and are responsible for checking their schedules via Patriot Web before the end of the add or drop period to verify that their schedules are correct and they are properly enrolled. Students will not be allowed to remain in classes unless they are properly enrolled. Students are responsible, both financially and academically, for all courses in which they remain officially enrolled.

Canceling Registration

Students who cannot attend classes during the semester for which they have registered should cancel registration using Patriot Web prior to the first day of classes for the semester.

Refunds of tuition on and after the first day of classes are made according to the tuition-liability dates published in this catalog and the Schedule of Classes.

Selective Withdrawal for Undergraduates

Undergraduates enrolled in degree programs are eligible to withdraw from a limited number of classes without the dean’s approval and at the student’s own discretion. Students may process a maximum of three such selective withdrawals during their entire undergraduate career at Mason. The three classes may have any number of credits. The academic calendar for each semester will include an open withdrawal period beginning the day following the last day to drop the class and extending through the ninth week. For classes shorter than a semester (14 weeks), the period will be set in proportion to the length of the class. Procedures are published in the Schedule of Classes.

Course Withdrawal with Dean Approval

For graduate and nondegree students, withdrawal after the last day for dropping a course requires approval by the student’s academic dean, and is permitted only for nonacademic reasons that prevent course completion. For undergraduate students, withdrawal after the open withdrawal period, for cause within the period, or after a student has used all three selective withdrawals, requires approval by the student’s academic dean and is typically permitted only for nonacademic reasons that prevent course completion.

Semester Withdrawal with Dean Approval

Undergraduates taking three or fewer classes may use the selective withdrawal for all courses for a semester; see the Selective Withdrawal for Undergraduates section of this chapter. Otherwise, students may withdraw from a semester after the end of the drop period without academic penalty only for nonacademic reasons with the approval of the academic dean. Withdrawal forms are available at the appropriate academic dean’s office. Students who stop attending all classes without the dean’s approval and without processing selective withdrawals, if eligible, will receive a grade of F in all courses.

Effects of Course or Semester Withdrawal

Approved or selective withdrawal results in a grade of W on the student’s transcript for the withdrawn course(s). While a grade of W does not affect the GPA, undergraduate students should note that withdrawn courses are part of “attempted credit hours,” which serve as the basis for the student’s credit level. In the university’s undergraduate retention system, GPA standards increase according to credit level. See the section on Requirements for Retention.

Academic Load

The minimum full-time load for undergraduate students is 12 credits per semester. For graduate full-time load, see the Graduate Policies section below. For planning purposes, applicants for admission are asked to indicate their preference for full- or part-time status, and day or evening classes; however, they may freely choose between evening and day sections of courses and may change their full- or part-time status.

Although many students must work to meet living expenses, employment must not take priority over academic responsibilities. Students employed more than 20 hours a week are strongly urged not to attempt a full-time academic load. Students employed more than 40 hours a week should attempt no more than 6 credits per semester. Students who fail to observe these guidelines may expect no special consideration for academic problems arising from the pressures of employment.

Although 12 credits per semester represent a minimum full-time undergraduate load, students planning to graduate in four years need to carry an average of at least 15 credits per semester. Written approval must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office before students can register for more than the maximum allowable credits. The Overload Permission Chart declares maximum credits and approval authority for all categories of students; it is published in the Schedule of Classes each semester.

Course Prerequisites, Corequisites

Course prerequisites or corequisites state requirements for student entry into courses and reflect necessary preparation for attempting the course. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of these as stated in the catalog and have taken prerequisites recently enough to be of value. The administrator of the academic unit in which the course is taught or the instructor of the course may summarily drop students who have enrolled in a course for which they have not met the prerequisites. Graduate course prerequisites are normally met with a grade of B- or better; undergraduate course prerequisites are normally met with a grade of C or better. Questions should be addressed to the academic department or course instructor.

Repeating a Course

Some courses are annotated in the catalog as “repeatable for credit.” These are courses in which students receive additional credit for more than one taking of the same course, up to a maximum number of credits specified in the catalog. Special topics and independent study courses are examples. For all other courses, the following conditions apply:

• Graduate students who have passed a course with a grade of B- or better are not permitted to repeat the course for credit. Also, they must obtain permission from the offering department to repeat a course in which a grade of C or below has been earned. Each department establishes procedures for granting such permission. Duplicate credit is not earned.  When a course is repeated, all credits attempted are used to determine warning, termination, or dismissal; the transcript shows grades for all courses attempted; and only one grade per course may be presented on the degree application.
• Some courses, such as special topics courses, are repeatable for a limited number of additional credits. As long as students do not exceed the maximum allowable credits for repeatable courses, all takings of the course count for credit and in the student’s GPA. In cases where the student has exceeded allowable credits in a repeatable class, the transcript will exclude the grade and credits of the earliest taking of the class.

• For undergraduate classes not repeatable for credit, undergraduate degree students may repeat courses for which they seek a higher grade. Academic programs may restrict repeats of certain departmental or college courses in the major. Excessive repeats may result in termination from the major by a student’s dean. A grade received in a repeated course will replace a grade in prior takings of the same course in the calculation of the cumulative GPA, even if the more recent grade is lower. Duplicate credit is not given. Repeat rules apply to taking the same course and courses designated in the catalog as equivalent. Repeat rules apply throughout a student’s academic history. All instances of courses and their grades remain part of the student’s transcript. No adjustment to the cumulative GPA will be made when the grade in the repeated course is W. A grade in a Mason course will not be excluded from the cumulative GPA based on a subsequent taking of an equivalent course at a transfer institution. The exclusion of earlier grades of repeated courses will not change the academic standing or dean’s list notations for the earlier semester. Note that individual programs may disallow students from retaking certain high-demand courses simply for the purpose of improving their grade. Programs may also require departmental permission for students to repeat certain department, school, or college courses. 

Advisor’s Permission to Register

All newly admitted students, undeclared undergraduates on academic warning or academic probation, and undergraduates returning from suspension, are required to obtain an advisor’s approval for registration. All students are strongly encouraged to consult with their advisors concerning course registration each semester.

Credit to Be Earned at Other Institutions

Students who apply for admission to Mason usually do not seek simultaneous enrollment at another collegiate institution. In those unique situations when a student does seek concurrent enrollment, the student must obtain advance written approval from the appropriate Mason dean. This process permits a student to enroll elsewhere in a suitable course unavailable at Mason. Catalog numbers and descriptions of courses to be taken elsewhere must be submitted with the request for approval. Students must submit an official transcript for all such course work to the Registrar’s Office. Note that while credit may be approved for transfer and a minimum grade must be achieved, grades themselves do not compute into any Mason GPA. Students who enroll elsewhere without advance written permission while enrolled at Mason may not receive transfer credit for course work taken at other institutions.

Permission to Register as Graduate Student

Registration for courses in a graduate program is permitted only after the student has been notified of admission. Students admitted to degree programs are given preference over nondegree students through the registration process. Dual registration (for example, as a graduate student and nondegree enrollee) is not permitted. The graduate student is responsible for being properly registered and aware of all regulations and procedures required by a program of study. Regulations and degree requirements are not waived nor are exceptions granted because of ignorance of any regulations. Registration in graduate-level courses is restricted to admitted graduate degree students and nondegree graduate students (unless excluded by program). Undergraduate degree students may register for graduate courses only with special approval (see section below). Nondegree undergraduate students may not enroll in courses numbered 500 or above. Courses numbered 800 and above are available only to admitted graduate degree students.

Graduate Course Enrollment by Undergraduates

Courses numbered 700 and above are closed to undergraduates. Undergraduates in degree programs may enroll in graduate-level courses 500 to 699 only with written permission, which must be obtained before registration. Forms are available at the Office of the Registrar. Written permission is waived for undergraduate students admitted to combined bachelor’s and accelerated master’s programs.

To enroll in graduate courses for credit applicable to an undergraduate degree, undergraduates must have completed all course prerequisites, have exhausted all upper-level undergraduate courses relevant to their educational objectives, and be able to demonstrate the level of maturity required for graduate courses.

Approval to register for reserve graduate credit (earned credit held in reserve to apply later toward a graduate degree) is given only to Mason seniors within 15 credits of completing undergraduate study who have successfully completed all course prerequisites. In addition, this privilege is normally extended only to seniors who have completed at least 12 credits at the university, have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better, and have a major in the department offering the course. Approval for reserve graduate credit is limited to 6 credits and does not imply approval for admission into a Mason graduate program or that credit so earned will be accepted at another graduate school.

Undergraduates enrolled in graduate courses are eligible to receive only those letter grades applicable to graduate grading. For more information, see the Grading System section below. Credit for the same course may not be applied to both graduate and undergraduate degrees.

Special Registration for Nonenrolled Students

Degree-seeking students not enrolled in a credit-bearing course but whose academic department certifies that they are pursuing an activity related to their Mason enrolled program can retain active status by registering for Special Registration (ZREG 200) for a $45 fee. Written approval from the student’s advisor and the academic department chair is required. Special registration allows students to retain library and computer privileges, receive a student ID, and buy a parking decal. Students must have active status to apply for or receive a degree, take an exam, or participate in cooperative education.

Enrolling for Credit Without Grade Points

Courses normally graded as satisfactory/no credit (S/NC) are annotated in the catalog, but students may elect to take credit without grade points. Undergraduates may take up to 6 credits to be graded S/NC; this option applies only to electives outside the field of the major, concentration, minor, general education requirement, or certificate program. Graduate students may elect the S/NC grade option only for courses that do not apply to the degree or certificate requirements. S/NC grading will also be used for courses numbered 998 and 999. For more information, see the Additional Grade Notations section below.

Auditing a Course

Auditing a course requires the instructor’s permission. Audit forms are available at the Registrar’s Office. A previously audited course may be taken again for credit in a later term. Students may also audit a course previously taken and passed; however, students may not change from credit to audit status nor from audit to credit status after the end of the drop period, as defined above. The usual tuition and fees apply to audit status.

Academic Common Market

The Academic Common Market (ACM) is a cooperative tuition-reduction program agreement among 16 states, including Virginia, which compose the Southern Regional Education Board. Students who are not legal residents of Virginia but wish to pursue a degree in a selected Mason program that is not available in their home state may be able to participate in the ACM and thereby attend Mason without incurring out-of-state tuition charges. Likewise, legal residents of Virginia may take advantage of programs in other states. More information about this program is available at the Office of the Registrar or at registrar.gmu.edu/students/domicile/nonresidents.html.

University Consortium

Mason is a member of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, which includes American University, Catholic University of America, Corcoran College of Art and Design, Gallaudet University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Marymount University, Southeastern University, Trinity College, the University of the District of Columbia, and the University of Maryland-College Park. Eligible Mason students may enroll in courses at any of the consortium institutions. The consortium’s cross-registration arrangement permits students enrolled in eligible degree programs at one member institution to take a course at another member institution.

Participation in consortium cross registration is available to degree-seeking juniors, seniors, and graduate students in good standing and currently enrolled at Mason. Participation is limited to courses that are approved by the student’s department chair and dean, apply to the student’s program of study, are not offered during that semester at Mason, and have space available at the visited institution. Additional restrictions apply. Students may take one consortium course per semester, with a career maximum of 6 credits for undergraduates (9–12 if foreign language study is approved) and 6 credits for graduate students. Credit earned through the consortium is considered resident credit, so grades count in the Mason GPA.

Information and regulations, including restricted and excluded courses, for both outgoing and incoming Mason consortium students are available in the Schedule of Classes and on the web at registrar.gmu.edu/students/consortium/index.html. Information pertaining to all member institutions is available at www.consortium.org/main.asp. For more information, call the consortium coordinator in the Office of the Registrar at 703-993-2436.

Attendance Policies

Students are expected to attend the class periods of the courses for which they register. In-class participation is important not only to the individual student, but also to the class as a whole. Because class participation may be a factor in grading, instructors may use absence, tardiness, or early departure as de facto evidence of nonparticipation. Students who miss an exam with an acceptable excuse may be penalized according to the individual instructor’s grading policy, as stated in the course syllabus.

Absence for Religious Observances or Participation in University Activities

Mason encourages its faculty to make a reasonable effort to allow students to observe their religious holidays or to participate in university-sponsored activities (e.g., intercollegiate athletics, forensics team, dance company, etc.) without academic penalty. Absence from classes or exams for these reasons does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the absence. Students who miss classes, exams, or other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance or for participation in a university activity will be provided a reasonable alternative opportunity, consistent with class attendance policies stated in the syllabus, to make up the missed work. It is the obligation of students to provide faculty, within the first two weeks of the semester, with the dates of major religious holidays on which they will be absent, and the dates for which they are requesting an excused absence for participation in any university-sponsored activity scheduled prior to the start of the semester, and as soon as possible otherwise. Students requesting an excused absence for participation in a university- sponsored activity must provide their instructor with a letter from a university official stating the dates and times that participation in the activity would result in the student missing class. Faculty members are encouraged to take religious observances into consideration when constructing class schedules and syllabi.

The university offers a number of combined bachelor’s and accelerated master’s degree programs for academically strong Mason undergraduates with a commitment to research or graduate or professional studies. Students admitted into these programs may take a number of graduate courses in their field of study (with permission from their undergraduate and graduate advisors) after achieving 90 undergraduate credits and fulfilling all prerequisites. A maximum of 6 graduate credits completed with a 3.00 GPA or better in each course will apply to the undergraduate degree and give the student advanced placement in the related Mason master’s program. A maximum of 6 graduate credits may also be taken as reserve graduate credit and only applied to the master’s. See Graduate Course Enrollment by Undergraduates section above.

Students in an accelerated degree program must fulfill all university requirements for the master’s degree, including a minimum of 18 applicable graduate credits taken after the bachelor’s degree has been completed and posted to the student’s academic record. More information is available in the various schools and institutes. Admission is competitive; undergraduates are advised to inquire early in their undergraduate careers. Applications must be approved by the undergraduate coordinator in the student’s major program, the graduate coordinator in the graduate school or department, and the relevant graduate associate dean. The university waives the graduate application fee for Mason undergraduates.

Final exams are usually given at the end of undergraduate courses. Except in predominantly laboratory courses, exams may not be given during the last week of classes. Exams may not exceed the scheduled length of two hours, 45 minutes. Changes in location or time of in-class final exams must be approved by the appropriate department chair and dean. A professor who is considering assigning a take-home exam or significant end-of-semester paper or project should inform the students at the beginning of the semester. Such assignments should be distributed by the beginning of the last week of classes so that students can coordinate them with preparation for other exams. Students must not be required to submit exams before the date of the regularly scheduled exam for a course. Retaking final exams is not permitted.

Absences

Absences from final exams will not be excused except for sickness on the day of the exam or other cause approved by the student’s academic dean or director. The effect of an unexcused absence from an undergraduate final exam shall be determined by the weighted value of the exam as stated in the course syllabus provided by the instructor. If absence from a graduate final exam is unexcused, the grade for the course is entered as F. See the Additional Grade Notations section below for information on being absent with permission.

University course work is measured in terms of quantity and quality. A credit normally represents one hour per week of lecture or recitation or not fewer than two hours per week of laboratory work throughout a semester. The number of credits is a measure of quantity. The grade is a measure of quality. For grades applicable to graduate courses, see the Graduate Academic Standards, Grades section of this chapter.

The university-wide system for undergraduate grading is as follows:

No credit toward graduation accrues from a failing grade or a grade that is replaced by a retaken course. For more information, see the Registration and Attendance section of this chapter.

Additional Grade Notations

Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC): An S grade reflects satisfactory work (C or better for undergraduate students, B- or better for graduate students); otherwise, the student receives no credit (NC). S and NC have no effect on the student’s GPA. Entire courses normally graded S/NC are annotated in the catalog. Students may also elect to take credit without grade. For more information, see the Registration and Attendance section of this chapter.

A/B/C/NC: Students who successfully complete English Composition and Introduction to Literature (ENGL 101) or Composition for Non-Native Speakers of English (ENGL 100) are graded A, A-, B+, B, B-, or C. Students who do not attain at least a C in these courses receive no credit (NC). NC has no effect on the GPA.

Incomplete (IN): This grade may be given to students who are passing a course but who may be unable to complete scheduled course work for a cause beyond reasonable control. Unless the faculty member has specified an earlier deadline, the student must then complete all the requirements by the end of the ninth week of the next semester, not including summer term, and the instructor must turn in the final grade by the end of the 10th week.  Faculty members who choose to require an earlier incomplete deadline will be required to file an Incomplete Grade Contract with the local academic unit’s office, detailing the work that remains to be done, the general reason for the incomplete, and the student’s grade at the point of receiving the incomplete. Unless an explicit written extension is filed with the Registrar’s Office by the faculty deadline, the grade of IN is changed by the registrar to an F. The maximum IN extension is to the end of the same semester in which it was originally due. Students who have filed their intent to graduate have only six weeks from the date of degree conferral to resolve any incomplete grades and have the final grades recorded by the Registrar’s Office.

While a grade of IN remains on the transcript, it is treated as an unsatisfactory grade in determining probation, suspension, termination, or dismissal. Removal of INs from the transcript may result in retroactive elimination of probation, suspension, termination, or dismissal.

Incomplete, extended (IX): IX is given by the Registrar’s Office after receiving an Incomplete Extension form signed by the instructor and the appropriate dean. The extension gives students additional time to complete work; the amount of time is specified by the instructor. The final grade must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office before final exams for the semester in which the IN grade was originally due. A grade of IX affects the academic record in the same way as does a grade of IN.

In Progress (IP): This grade may be given in selected courses, including graduate theses, dissertations, practica, and internships. IP may also be used when the work of BIS 490 or a course that is graded S/NC or A/B/C/NC is not completed within one semester. IP has no effect on the GPA. With the exception of BIS 490, IP remains on the record until the work is completed and a final grade is assigned. An IP in BIS 490 not changed to a final grade by the last day of classes of the next semester, not including summer term, is changed by the registrar to an F. IP grades will also be awarded in courses numbered 998 and 999 until successful completion, and then they will be changed to S/NC. Upon successful completion of 998 or 999 and submission of the final grade, grades for all prior sections will be changed to S/NC.

Absent with permission (AB): A student who has received permission from the academic dean or director to be absent from a final exam for cause beyond reasonable control may receive a temporary grade of AB. A rescheduled exam must be administered within 10 business days of the original exam date, or the AB will automatically become an F. Final determination of academic status is not complete while the AB remains on the transcript.

Special Provision (SP): The grade of SP may be given by a dean to students who are unable to complete the course requirements because of extraordinary long-term circumstances, such as major illness or military deployment. SP has no effect on the GPA and remains on the transcript until the work is completed and a final grade is assigned.

Midterm Reports

Midterm progress is reported for all full-semester 100- and 200-level classes, and for 300- and 400-level classes at the discretion of the professor. The reporting period extends from the fifth through the eighth week of the semester, allowing flexibility to individual faculty in providing reports for their classes. Students should check with their instructors as to when reports will be complete and available for viewing through Patriot Web. These progress reports, which appear in Patriot Web as “Midterm Grades,” do not become part of the student’s official record. They are not calculated in any GPA, and they do not appear on any official or unofficial transcript.

Final Grades

Semester grade reports are available through Patriot Web. Students may print a grade report for their own records or to issue to a third party. Official semester grade reports for tuition reimbursement may be obtained through the Office of the Registrar. Students may also order an official transcript through the Registrar’s Office.

Transcripts

Official transcripts include all credit course work attempted at the university. Official transcripts will not be issued when unsatisfied financial obligations to the university exist. Unofficial transcripts may be printed by the student from Patriot Web. See registrar.gmu.edu for information and instructions on requesting official transcripts.

GPA

Quality point values are assigned to letter grades as indicated in the grading system table. A quality point score is computed by multiplying the value of a letter grade by the number of credits for the course. For example, a student receiving an A (4.00) in a 3-credit course earns 12 quality points. The GPA is computed by dividing the quality points earned by the number of credits graded A+ through F (GPA hours).

For undergraduates, the GPA computed for the current term gives the current GPA , which is the measure of academic performance in one semester and affects eligibility for the dean’s list. The GPA computed for all institutional credit gives the cumulative GPA, which is the basis for the university’s retention policies, including good standing, warning, probation, suspension, and dismissal. Cumulative GPA also determines students’ eligibility to graduate and have university honors posted to their record at graduation.

Current GPA and cumulative GPA do not apply to graduate students. A notation of academic warning is entered on the transcript of a graduate student who receives a grade of C, or a grade of F in a graduate course or while a grade of IN or IX is in effect. A degree GPA is computed for graduate students based on graded courses completed at the university and applied toward the degree. For more information, see the Graduate Policies section of this chapter.

Change of Grade

The conditions and time limits for changes from the temporary grades IN, IP, AB, and SP to final grades appear in the Additional Grade Notations section.

Once a final grade has been recorded by the Office of the Registrar, it can be changed only in cases of computational or recording error, or pursuant to a successful appeal of the grade as described below. Additional work of any type submitted to improve a grade after the final grade has been assigned and sent to the Office of the Registrar is never accepted.

All changes of final grades must be initiated, approved, and recorded by the last day of classes of the next regular semester (spring for fall grades, and fall for spring and summer term grades).

Grade Appeals

Although faculty members are generally the best judges of student performance, there may be times when a student believes a grade is unfair. In such cases, the student should ask the faculty member to reconsider the grade. If the student is not satisfied, an appeal may be made to the head of the unit offering the course (the department chair, institute director, or designee). The recipient of the appeal should ask the student to return to the faculty member who assigned the grade for further consultation.

If the instructor is no longer associated with the university, the local administrator of the unit offering the course will appoint a faculty surrogate, who will assume magisterial authority of the instructor of record at this level of appeal.

If a mutually satisfactory agreement is not reached, the student may request that the chair form a committee of three faculty peers of the faculty member who assigned the grade. If the chair believes the student’s complaint is not legitimate, this reservation is reported to the chair’s supervisor, usually the dean. No review is conducted unless the dean believes the complaint has merit.

The faculty member or the student may challenge and have replaced one of the three members of the committee without giving a reason for the challenge. The committee meets separately with the faculty member and the student to explore the full particulars of the case. A nonparticipating observer of the student’s choice may attend the meeting. Every effort is made to avoid an adversarial relationship.

After the committee has reviewed the case thoroughly, it issues to the chair (with a copy to the faculty member) a written recommendation that includes the reasons for its findings. At this time, the faculty member has an opportunity to take the recommended action, if any. If the matter is not resolved at this point, the chair considers the committee recommendation and makes a recommendation to the dean. The decision of the dean is not subject to further appeal. If the dean decides that a change of grade is appropriate and the faculty member refuses to make the change, then the dean may direct the registrar to do so.

Grade appeals are not accepted after the last day of classes of the following semester (spring for fall grades, fall for spring and summer grades).

Pending Grade Appeal for Students in Academic Difficulty

A student may request a delay from the dean in imposing academic suspension because of a pending grade appeal that could change the student’s status. An approved delay allows the student to register.

If the grade appeal is successful, the official transcript is corrected and the student continues in classes as a student in good academic standing, on probation or on warning. If the grade appeal is not successful, the student is required to stop attending all classes immediately. No record of registration for the academic period appears on a transcript and the student receives the appropriate refund as of the decision date.

Application for Degree

In the semester prior to the expected completion of degree requirements, students must confirm their intent to graduate through Patriot Web. The deadline to file the intent to graduate is generally six to seven months prior to the conferral date. Specific deadlines are published on the registrar’s web site registrar.gmu.edu. Some graduate programs require a paper application. Applications are available on the registrar’s web site as well as complete instructions and deadlines regarding graduation. Separate applications for each graduate degree or certificate are required.

For a degree to be conferred, all course work must be completed, even if the course work is not being applied to the degree. Master’s degree students must complete non-course degree requirements including credit-by-exam, oral exams, theses, scholarly papers, and comprehensive exams prior to the conferral (graduation) date. Master’s theses and doctoral dissertations are due in the library well before the conferral date. For more information, go to thesis.gmu.edu.

Students must have active registration status in the semester or summer term of graduation. Students not registered for course work in the term of graduation must obtain a special registration. (For more information, see the Registration and Attendance section of this chapter.) Degree applications will not be automatically extended if graduation is postponed; students must reapply for each conferral date.

Degree Conferral

Mason awards degrees and certificates in programs and at levels authorized by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). The university confers degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. An academic program may include a degree program and additional majors, minors, or certificates. The university offers no certificate program below the bachelor level; some post baccalaureate certificates, however, may be awarded concurrently with the bachelor’s degree. For more information, see the Programs of Study  listings.

Definitions of Degree Components

• Degree program, major, or field: A program of study that normally requires at least 30 credits of course work in the specified field. The primary program name (degree and major or field) appears on the diploma for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Only the degree name appears for doctoral degrees. An undergraduate who desires to graduate with a BA or BS degree in two or more subjects must meet departmental requirements for the major in each field. For each major, at least 18 credits used to fulfill its requirements must be applied only to that major, i.e., cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of another major, a concentration, a minor, or an undergraduate certificate.
   
• Concentration: A second-order component of a degree program or a component of a track. A concentration consists of at least 12 hours that are not applied to any other concentration. Undergraduate concentrations are approved by the unit at the undergraduate level or by the Graduate Council at the graduate level.
   
• Certificate: A nondegree program complementary to a degree that requires at least 24 undergraduate or 15 graduate credits. Certificates are approved by the school or college at the undergraduate level and by the Graduate Council at the graduate level. The name of a completed certificate program appears on the transcript after the conferral of an undergraduate degree. For each undergraduate certificate, at least 15 credits used to fulfill its requirements cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of a major, a concentration, a minor, or another undergraduate certificate.
   
• Minor: A complement to a bachelor’s degree program or major normally requiring at least 15 credits in a field other than the student’s major. Of the courses presented for a minor, at least 8 credits must be applied only to that minor and may not be used to fulfill requirements of the student’s major, concentration, an undergraduate certificate, or another minor.
   
• Option: The choice of a thesis or nonthesis path in graduate programs.

Catalog Requirements for Degrees

Catalog year refers to the setting of course and non-course requirements within academic programs as stated in the school and college section of a specific catalog. Catalog year does not set academic policies other than program requirements in place, however. For more information, see the Knowledge of University Policies section of the Student Rights and Responsibilities section. Not all programs and degree components are available in all catalogs. For any one degree, all requirements must be met as stated in a single catalog.

Bachelor’s degree candidates who have been continuously enrolled (allowing absences from summer terms or single semesters) may choose to graduate under the terms of any catalog in effect at or after their admission. Students who have been inactive for five or more years or who have attended another institution without prior approval from their academic dean or director must graduate under a catalog in effect at or after their re-admission.

Master’s and doctoral degree candidates who have been continuously enrolled may choose to graduate under the terms of any catalog in effect at or after their admission. Students who have been inactive more than one year, however, must graduate under a catalog in effect after they have been granted permission to re-enroll, or they must petition their unit dean or director to graduate under an earlier catalog. The final decision rests with the unit dean or director.

Commencement

Commencement provides an opportunity for students and their families to share in the conferral of academic degrees. Students who wish to participate should check the web site at events.gmu.edu for current information about all Commencement details including tickets, regalia, and schedules. Bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates who declare their intent to graduate in August but who have not yet completed all degree requirements may participate in the commencement ceremony in anticipation of degree completion. Their names are marked with an asterisk identifying them as candidates pending completion of all requirements. Doctoral students may participate only if they have successfully completed all degree requirements, including defending and submitting a signed, final copy of their dissertation by the deadline.

Student Classification

Admitted undergraduates are classified as follows: freshman, 0–29 credits completed; sophomore, 30–59 credits completed; junior, 60–89 credits completed; and senior, 90 or more credits completed. Full-time undergraduates are classified as those students enrolled in 12 or more credits per semester. Please note that different criteria for full-time status may apply for tuition, verification, and financial aid purposes. For more information, contact the offices of Student Accounts, Registrar, and Student Financial Aid, respectively.

Academic Advising

The mission of academic advising at Mason parallels the university’s mission by providing resources and programs to mentor, teach, and guide students in their decision making as they develop their educational and career goals. Admitted undergraduate students should meet regularly with an academic advisor to discuss academic programs, educational goals, and career plans. With their advisors, students plan academic programs to meet the general university degree requirements and specific requirements within their major fields. It is the student’s responsibility to read the catalog and know and fulfill the requirements of a specific baccalaureate degree. To assist in the advising process, Mason provides a computerized degree evaluation. Students may access their individualized reports through Patriot Web.

Individual departments establish their own advising processes; students should check with their departments for the appropriate procedures. During their freshman and sophomore years, students in the Honors College plan their schedules with honors advisors. Every department coordinates advising of its honors students through the Honors College.

Some departments require that students be advised prior to registration each semester. For the categories of students (regardless of major) who may not register until they have seen an advisor, see the Registration and Attendance section of this chapter.

Academic Advising Center
Student Union Building I, Room 304, MS 2E6
Phone: 703-993-2470
Fax: 703-993-2478
Web: www.gmu.edu/departments/advising
E-mail: advisor@gmu.edu

Admitted students who have not yet declared a major or are considering a change of major are assisted in the Academic Advising Center. Students are encouraged to make an appointment for information about general education requirements, programs, policies, procedures, and other academic concerns. The center also provides information and guidance for students who are interested in preprofessional programs in the health fields. Advising is available by appointment Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Tuesday until 8 p.m. when classes are in session.

Student Academic Affairs
Johnson Center, Room 245, MS 2C4
Phone: 703-993-9082
Fax: 703-993-9008
Web: www.gmu.edu/departments/saa

Student Academic Affairs is the umbrella unit for the Freshman Center, Transfer Center, and the University Transitions Office and also rules on all academic actions submitted by students not in a declared major.

Advising upon Entrance into Upper Division (Junior Standing)

Upon entrance into the upper division, every student should meet with an advisor to adopt a program of study. This meeting should cover the following:

• Review of requirements for the degree and major the student has chosen
• Review of the student’s record including any deficiencies which must be corrected
• Discussion of career or graduate study options open to the student enrolled in such a program
• Opportunities for departmental faculty to evaluate the student’s suitability to major in the chosen discipline.

This advising session occurs in the semester in which the student will have completed 60 or more acceptable credits. The results are a matter of record, with any approved modifications being entered into the student’s computerized degree plan.

Although an upper-division student who has filed an approved program of study is usually not required to consult again with an academic advisor, it is good practice to seek periodic academic and career advising. It remains the student’s responsibility to seek approval for any program change so that the computerized degree plan may be kept current. In particular, once a student has completed 60 credits, a change of major requires an extended session with an advisor in the new major and approval of a new program of study before the change is complete.

A student in lower-division status may change majors by filing a Change/Declaration of Academic Program Form with the registrar. These are minimal advising procedures to be followed in all undergraduate segments of the university; individual units may require additional advising sessions.

Health Professions Advising and the Medical Sciences Advisory Committee
Phone: 703-993-9305
Web: prehealth.gmu.edu

Students are responsible for educating themselves about a career in the health professions (e.g., dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, optometry, podiatry, or veterinary medicine) and should become familiar with the relevant graduate/professional admissions process. The health professions advisor coordinates academic and career advising for Mason students and alumni as the chair of the Medical Sciences Advisory Committee. The committee reviews all qualified candidates for admission to health profession programs in dentistry, podiatry, veterinary, allopathic, and osteopathic medicine to create a composite letter of evaluation for the applicant. The committee comprises university faculty and professional advising staff. For more information, consult the advising web site or contact the health professions advisor, 209 Science and Technology I, 4400 University Drive, MS 2C4, Fairfax, Virginia 22030.

Requirements for Retention

The following system of academic progress became effective in fall 2004 and applies to all undergraduate degree and nondegree students at Mason, including those formerly categorized as extended studies students.

Academic retention is based solely on the cumulative GPA. The cumulative GPA required for retention varies according to the credit level or attempted credit hours, which is a combination of all credits attempted at the university plus credits transferred from other institutions or obtained by testing.

Dean’s List

Students in degree status who take at least 6 credits in a semester and earn a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher merit placement on the Dean’s List. Courses subsequently repeated and excluded will not retroactively affect Dean’s List status. This notation will be placed on the individual’s permanent record.

Good Academic Standing

Students are in good academic standing unless they are academically dismissed, suspended, or on probation. Students on academic warning are still considered to be in good academic standing.

Student Retention Categories

The university’s minimum standard for satisfactory academic achievement is 2.00 on a 4.00 scale. Students with at least 7 attempted credits and a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 fall into one of three categories: warning, probation, and suspension. All notations of academic standing are included in a student’s permanent record. The cumulative GPA range that defines each of the categories varies according to the credit level, as noted below:

Exception for Freshmen and Transfer Students

Freshmen and transfer students in their first semester of study at Mason will receive probation as the strongest academic sanction. GPA retention levels, as stated above, will apply in all subsequent semesters. Students in this category should be on notice that they must make up ground in order to avoid suspension in future semesters; in particular they should consult their advisors and consider repeating courses in order to achieve academic good standing.

Termination from the Major

Undergraduate students in any retention category may be reviewed for possible termination by their dean. Termination from a major—or from all majors in a college—may be imposed as a result of excessive repeating of required courses without achieving the minimum standard, and for other evidence of continued failure to make adequate progress toward completion of the major. Students must be informed a semester in advance and given a chance to meet the standard or appeal. Once a termination decision has been made, a letter of termination is sent to the student by the dean or director of the school, college, or institute, and notification of termination from the major is affixed to the student’s academic record. Students who are terminated are no longer eligible to pursue that major, but may transfer to a different major within the university to complete their undergraduate degree.

Periods of Academic Suspension

Students in degree status who incur a first suspension following a spring semester or summer term serve a period of suspension through the next fall semester. Students who incur a first suspension following a fall semester serve a period of suspension through the next summer term. A second suspension is for one calendar year: two semesters and a summer term. Students returning from suspension are on probation for one academic period. Course credits earned at other colleges during the period of suspension from Mason (for academic or nonacademic reasons) are not accepted for the degree program.

Nondegree undergraduate students placed on suspension have no specified rights of return to the university. Nondegree students who have been suspended and wish to resume their studies after a period of absence must qualify for readmission through the Office of Admissions.

Academic Dismissal

A third suspension results in academic dismissal, a status that is usually permanent. In exceptional cases, students who have been dismissed may apply for readmission after a minimum absence of three calendar years from the university, but only if they meet one or more of the following conditions after having been dismissed:

• Demonstrate academic success (2.50 GPA or better) in at least 18 credits of classes taken during the period of dismissal at an accredited two- or four-year college or university. Such credits may be considered for transfer back to Mason, but there is no guarantee of acceptance of the credit.
• Provide other evidence of a renewed ability to achieve academic success.
• Provide evidence that all degree requirements will be met once an additional 12 or fewer credits are complete.

Meeting the above requirements does not guarantee a return. The Office of Admissions and the appropriate school or college dean will make individual decisions in the best academic interests of the student and the university. For students seeking readmission to a new school or college, the new dean will make the decision in consultation with the former dean and the Office of Admissions. For more information, see the Academic Clemency section of this chapter.

Academic Period

Academic period refers to fall semester, spring semester, or summer term. For determining the duration of academic warning, probation, and suspension, an academic period is defined as follows:

Each academic period begins on the 15th day following the last scheduled day of final exams for the previous period. Each academic period ends on the 14th day after the last scheduled day of final exams. For example, assume that the last scheduled day of final exams for a semester is Monday, December 23. That period then ends on Monday, January 6. The next period begins on Tuesday, January 7.

Academic Performance and Credit Limit

Undergraduate students on warning, probation, or returning from suspension are limited to a maximum of 13 credits for following semesters until they achieve good standing. Students registered for 14 or more credits are responsible for seeking academic advisement and adjusting their enrollment to a maximum of 13 credits.

Academic Standing and Student Activities

Only students in good academic standing are eligible to hold or run for elective or appointive office in any organization or activity associated with Mason, compete in any athletic or other activity representing Mason on either an intercollegiate or a club level, or serve as a working staff member of any student organization. Note that students on warning are considered to be in good standing. Some organizations and activities may impose stricter academic criteria for participation.

A student whose eligibility for an activity requires the completion of a semester will have fulfilled that requirement when the student’s publicly scheduled exams are over, unless continued eligibility depends on the grades received. In the latter case, the student will not become eligible until the end of the semester as defined in the Academic Period section of this chapter.

Academic Clemency

Undergraduate students returning to Mason after a separation of a minimum of three calendar years may petition their academic dean to have up to 16 previous credits earned at Mason removed from the calculation of their cumulative GPA. Courses and grades so removed will not count toward graduation requirements. Note that the courses, with their original grades and the notation “Academic Clemency,” will remain listed on the student’s transcript permanently. The petition for clemency must be filed in the first semester of returning to Mason; approval may depend on successful completion of that semester. Approval of the request is neither automatic nor guaranteed.

Undergraduate Academic Program, Declaration of Major

To plan a sound academic program, undergraduates should select a degree and major as soon as it is practical but no later than four weeks before the end of the sophomore year. To declare a major, students should confer with the appropriate advisor in the new major program. Students approaching the recommended point for declaring a major, but still uncertain of their choice, should consult the Academic Advising Center, Student Union Building I, Room 304, advisor@gmu.edu.

Change of Academic Program

Students considering a change in their academic program (major or degree) are encouraged to see an advisor in the Academic Advising Center or a faculty advisor in their prospective discipline. Departmental chapters of this catalog describe requirements for acceptance. Students not meeting the requirements may appeal to the department chair for an exception.

Once a student has completed 60 credits, a change of major requires a meeting with an advisor in the new major before the change is complete. To file a change of major, signatures of advisors or designates in both the new and former major programs must be obtained on the Change/Declaration of Academic Program Form.

Credit for More than One Undergraduate Major

Students seeking to graduate with a BA or BS degree in two or more subjects must meet departmental requirements for the major in each field. For each major, at least 18 credits used to fulfill its requirements cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of another major, a concentration, a minor, or an undergraduate certificate.

Students pursuing two or more concurrent majors must complete the Declaration of Second Major section of the Change/Declaration of Academic Program form, available in the Registrar’s Office or at registrar.gmu.edu/forms. The applicant must present a detailed program of study for both majors and obtain the authorizing signature from the chair or director of the second program and from the dean or director, if required by the college, school, or institute. When required by a specific academic unit, department chairs and deans or directors must also approve all changes to the programs of study. Students may begin a program at any time that permits completion before the anticipated graduation date.

Minors

Students may elect minor programs of study in addition to major fields by completing the Declaration or Change of Minor section of the Change/Declaration of Academic Program Form. Minors usually require between 15 and 21 credits of study, at least 8 of which must be applied only to that minor and may not be used to fulfill requirements of the student’s major, concentration, an undergraduate certificate, or another minor. Students must complete at least 6 credits in their minor at Mason and achieve a minimum 2.00 GPA in courses applied to the minor. Students interested in a minor should consult the appropriate departmental chapters in this catalog.

Undergraduate Certificates

Students may elect undergraduate certificate programs of study in addition to major fields by completing the Change/Declaration of Academic Program Form. Students pursuing undergraduate certificates must be admitted to Mason in degree-seeking status. Undergraduate certificate programs require at least 24 credits, 15 of which may not also be used to fulfill the requirements of a major, a concentration, a minor, or another undergraduate certificate. More than half of the credit hours for an undergraduate certificate must be taken at Mason, and more than half must be taken in degree-seeking status. Students must achieve at least a 2.00 GPA in courses applied to the certificate. Students with a previous bachelor’s degree, who are admitted to an undergraduate certificate program alone, have four years to complete certificate requirements. A completed undergraduate certificate may be posted to the transcript only after completion of a bachelor’s degree. Note that these are university minimum requirements; individual programs may have higher standards and/or more restrictive requirements.

Requirements for Bachelor’s Degrees

• Admission. Candidates must have been officially admitted into degree-seeking status.
• Residency. At least one-fourth of the total credits applied to the degree must be completed at Mason and include at least 12 upper-level credits (courses numbered 300 or above) in the major program. A maximum of 18 credits earned in non-degree status at Mason can be applied toward a bachelor’s degree.
• Credit Hours. Students must complete at least 120 credits that count toward graduation and fulfill all degree requirements. A few programs require more than the minimum 120 credits.
• Quality. Candidates must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher, and must meet all higher standards for grades allowable in majors, minors, or certificates. The Mason cumulative GPA does not include transfer courses.
• Upper Level. Students seeking a bachelor’s degree must apply at least 45 credits of upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above) toward graduation requirements.
• University General Education. Candidates must complete general education requirements as described for their catalog year. This includes satisfying the requirement of two semesters of English composition (ENGL 101 and ENGL 302) with a grade of C or better.
• College/Department General Education. Students must satisfy additional general education requirements for specific degree programs, as described in the college section of the catalog.
• Major. Students must satisfy all requirements for their major and degree program, as described in the college section of the catalog, and as detailed in the degree evaluation for their catalog year.

English Composition Requirement

Mason requires students to complete at least two semesters of English composition. Students enrolled in the Honors College or New Century College learning communities complete the English composition requirement as specified in those programs. All other students, unless they have received equivalent credit through transfer or proficiency exam, must enroll in ENGL 101 (or 100) upon admission and, after meeting its prerequisites, ENGL 302. Students must attain a minimum grade of C in composition courses to fulfill degree requirements.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirement

In addition to English composition and as part of the university’s commitment to literacy in all programs, at least one course in each major has been designated “writing intensive.” While other courses in the major may require written projects, writing-intensive courses emphasize the process of drafting and revision. Faculty members give constructive comments on drafts of at least one course project. Students then revise and resubmit, or use for future submissions. Writing-intensive courses are numbered 300 and above. See the description of each major for the specific courses that fulfill the requirement.

Second Bachelor’s Degree

A second bachelor’s degree may be earned, either concurrently or sequentially. To graduate with two degrees, students must present at least 30 Mason credits beyond those required by either degree alone. For sequential awarding of degrees, students must be readmitted for the second degree through the Office of Admissions and complete a minimum of 30 credit hours after that point to have fulfilled the residency requirement for that degree.

Students who are concurrently pursuing two bachelor’s degrees at Mason must present a detailed program of study for both degrees and obtain authorizing signatures from the chair or director of each degree program and the dean or director, if required by the college, school, or institute. Students may declare the second concurrent degree by completing the Declaration of Second Bachelor’s Degree section of the Change/Declaration of Academic Program Form. Students pursuing concurrent degrees should apply to graduate when both degrees are complete, or be prepared to meet the requirements noted above for sequential awarding of degrees.

University Honors

A student graduates with distinction from the university when at least 60 credits applied toward graduation are earned at Mason, and the student’s cumulative GPA is at least equal to one of three values: 3.90, summa cum laude; 3.70, magna cum laude; or 3.50, cum laude.

A student graduates with recognition from the university when between 45 and 59 (inclusive) credits applied toward graduation are earned at Mason, and the student’s cumulative GPA is at least 3.80.

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is the governing body for all graduate academic policies and procedures. The council approves all new graduate programs; authorizes all graduate course work, policies, and degrees conferred by the university; and sets minimum standards for admission to and graduation from any graduate program. These are minimum standards that all programs must meet; individual programs may set and enforce higher standards. The Office of the Provost administers university graduate policies for the Graduate Council.

Graduate Faculty

The graduate faculty consists of all tenured and tenure-track faculty members and other faculty members appointed to the graduate faculty by the provost.

Academic Programs

At the graduate level, Mason offers certificates and master’s and doctoral degrees. There are also a number of combined bachelor’s and accelerated master’s degree programs for academically strong undergraduates with a commitment to research. For more information, see the Registration and Attendance section of this chapter.

Student Status

Students may access graduate classes and programs according to their status as nondegree or enrolled degree students. For more information, see the Admission  chapter of this catalog.

Full-Time Classification

Graduate students are considered full time if they are enrolled in at least 9 graduate credits per semester or hold a full-time assistantship (20 hours a week) and are enrolled in at least 6 graduate credits per semester. Graduate students who are enrolled in dissertation credits (either 998 or 999) are considered full time if they are enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester, regardless of whether they hold an assistantship. Graduate students who have completed the minimum number of credits required by their degree program, including the minimum number of credits of 998 and 999 required by the university and their degree program, are considered full time if they are registered for at least 1 credit of 999 and their advisors and department chairs certify each semester that they are working full time on the dissertation. Note that different criteria for full-time status may apply for tuition, verification, loan deferral, and financial aid. Contact Student Accounts, the Registrar’s Office, and Student Financial Aid, respectively, for more information.

Change from Nondegree Status

A student admitted for graduate study in nondegree status may request a change to degree status within the same program. All admission requirements (as usually defined by the student’s program for degree status) must be met, including official transcripts and letters of recommendation. If the student intends to use credits earned in nondegree status toward a degree, the credits must be approved on the Graduate Transfer of Credit Request form. The credit must have been earned within six years prior to first enrollment as an admitted student in the specific certificate or degree program, and a minimum grade of B (3.00) must have been earned. There is a limit on the number of credits that can be transferred when changing from nondegree to degree status; please see the applicable degree program for specific information.

Removing Provisional Qualifier

For policies concerning students admitted provisionally, see the Graduate Admission Policies section in the Admission  chapter of this catalog.

Permission to Re-Enroll

Permission to re-enroll in a program must be obtained by all master’s and doctoral degree students who have failed to enroll in at least 1 credit of course work for two or more consecutive semesters at Mason. A program may allow a student to petition to graduate under any catalog in effect while the student was enrolled. The final decision rests with the unit dean or director. Forms are available from the Office of the Registrar at registrar.gmu.edu/forms.

Voluntary Resignation from Graduate Academic Program

Degree-seeking students may officially resign from their academic program with the approval of their department or program chair and their dean. The Voluntary Resignation form must be approved by the student’s program and Student Accounts, then submitted to the Registrar’s Office for notation on the transcript. Resignations after the drop period will result in grades of W on the student’s transcript for that semester, and removal from any future registered courses. Program resignation is final. Students who have been granted a resignation will not be able to register for any courses unless admitted to another degree program or nondegree status in a different program.

Academic Advising

When a student is admitted to graduate study, the student is assigned a faculty advisor by the academic program responsible for the student’s program of study. Registration for newly admitted graduate students, as well as continuing students, begins with a visit to the student’s academic advisor. There, the student can obtain information about specific courses and degree requirements and develop an individual program of study. Progress in an approved program of study is the shared responsibility of the student and the advisor. The graduate student is responsible for compliance with the policies and procedures of the college, school, or institute, and all applicable departmental requirements that govern the individual program of study. Students should consult with their advisors before registration each semester.

Transfer of Credit

Graduate credit earned prior to admission to a certificate, master’s, or doctoral program may be eligible to be transferred into the program and applied to the certificate or degree. Transfer of credit requires the approval of the program director and dean or director of the school, college, or institute. They will determine whether the credit is eligible for transfer and applicable to the specific certificate or degree program. Note that credits accepted for transfer do not compute into any Mason GPA. Limits on the number of credits that can be transferred derive from the degree requirements given below.

Credit is usually considered for transfer at the student’s request at the time of initial registration as a degree-seeking student. Students must supply official transcripts.  For transcripts from outside the United States, students must supply an official transcript evaluation and an official translation for transcripts not in English if these documents were not supplied in the admission process. Credit transfer requests from students who are admitted provisionally are not considered until they have fulfilled the conditions of their admission and the provisional qualifier has been removed from their records.

To be eligible for transfer credit, the credit must be graduate credit earned at another accredited university, earned at another institution and recommended for graduate credit in the American Council on Education guidebook, or earned at Mason while in a nondegree status or enrolled through extended studies. The credit must have been earned within six years prior to first enrollment as an admitted student in the specific certificate or degree program, and a minimum grade of B (3.00) must have been earned. The course must be applicable toward a degree at the institution offering the course. Extension and in-service courses that are not intended by the institution offering the courses to be applied to a degree program are not eligible for transfer credit to Mason. The credits cannot have been previously applied toward a degree at another institution or Mason; however, up to 3 credits previously applied to a degree program at another institution may be transferred into a certificate program at Mason.

Reduction of Credit

The number of credits required by a doctoral, master of fine arts, or master’s program of more than 39 credits may be reduced on the basis of a previously earned master’s degree. Reduction of credit requires the approval of the program director and the dean or director of the school, college, or institute. They determine whether the credits are eligible for reduction of credit and applicable to the degree program and the number of credits to be reduced. Reduction of credit is limited to a maximum of 30 credits in a doctoral program, 20 in an MFA program, and 18 in the MA in psychology concentration in school psychology, and derive from the degree requirements given below.

Students requesting a reduction of credit must supply official transcripts.  For transcripts from outside the United States, students must supply an official transcript evaluation and an official translation for transcripts not in English if these documents were not supplied in the admission process. Reduction-of-credit requests from students who are admitted provisionally are not considered until the students have fulfilled the conditions of their admission and had the provisional qualifier removed from their records.

Credits used in reduction of credit are not subject to time limits, and the credits must have been applied to a previous degree. All the other conditions given above for eligibility of transfer of credit apply also to reduction of credits.

Credit by External Exam

Degree credit for satisfactory completion of an external exam is limited to those exams and achievement levels specifically approved by the Graduate Council.

Credit from Other Institutions

Students enrolled in a degree program may take graduate courses at another accredited institution and apply these credits to a master’s or doctoral degree with prior approval. Approval must be secured in writing from the director of the graduate program and the dean or director of the school, college, or institute, and submitted to Mason’s Office of the Registrar before registering at the other institution. Upon completion of the course, students must arrange for an official transcript to be submitted to Mason so that the credits may be transferred into their Mason degree program. These credits are subject to all the other conditions given above for transfer credit, including limits on numbers of credits that can be taken elsewhere. Note that credits accepted for transfer do not compute into any Mason GPA. Permission to take a course elsewhere does not exempt a graduate student from satisfying the degree requirements given below.

Enrolled, degree-seeking graduate students may be eligible to take a limited number of courses through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. See the University Consortium section. Credits earned through the consortium are considered resident, not transfer, credits, and are therefore not subject to transfer of credit conditions or limitations.

University course work is measured in terms of quantity and quality. A credit normally represents one hour per week of lecture or recitation, or not fewer than two hours per week of laboratory work, throughout a semester. The number of credits is a measure of quantity. The grade is a measure of quality. The university-wide system for grading graduate courses is as follows:

* Although a B- is a satisfactory grade for a course, students must maintain a 3.00 average in their degree program and present a 3.00 GPA on the courses listed on the graduation application.

Academic Warning

A notation of academic warning is entered on the transcript of a graduate student who receives a grade of C or F in a graduate course or while a grade of IN is in effect.

Academic Termination

Graduate students who are admitted provisionally may be terminated from their academic programs if they fail to meet the conditions of their admission within the time limits set at admission. Students admitted provisionally and nondegree graduate students may be terminated upon accumulating grades of F in two courses or 9 credits of unsatisfactory grades in graduate courses. Provisionally admitted students who accumulate 12 credits of unsatisfactory grades in undergraduate courses will also be terminated. (For students admitted provisionally, graduate and undergraduate grades are not combined in the calculation of unsatisfactory credits leading toward termination.) Although the university will make every effort to notify students when their performance reaches the threshold for termination, each student is responsible for knowing the termination criteria for non-degree students at Mason, for knowing when their grades have met the standard, and for initiating any appeal to their dean. Students may be terminated if they fail to achieve satisfactory progress toward their degree. A letter of termination is sent by the dean or director of the school, college, or institute, and notification of academic termination is affixed to the graduate student’s official record. Students who are terminated are no longer eligible to take courses in the program but may apply to another degree program or take courses in other programs through nondegree studies.

Academic Dismissal

A degree-seeking graduate student is dismissed after accumulating grades of F in two courses or 9 credits of unsatisfactory grades in graduate courses. These are minimum standards of academic performance; some programs have higher standards. Although the university will make every effort to notify students when their performance reaches the threshold for dismissal, each student is responsible for knowing the dismissal criteria for degree-seeking graduate students at Mason, for knowing when their grades have met the standard, and for initiating any appeal to their dean. A student may also be dismissed for failure to meet other program requirements such as doctoral competence exams. The notation of academic dismissal is affixed to the graduate student’s official record. A student who is dismissed may not take additional course work at Mason.

Requirements for Graduate Certificates

Candidates must satisfy all applicable university requirements and all requirements established by the graduate certificate program faculty. Individual departmental graduate certificate requirements are listed under their academic departments in this catalog. Note that the following are university minimum requirements; individual programs may have higher standards and/or more restrictive requirements.

• Graduate certificate programs require a minimum of 15 graduate credits.
• Only graduate courses may apply toward the graduate certificate.
• A maximum of 3 graduate credits taken at another institution can be transferred into a graduate certificate program. See Transfer of Credit section.
• Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in course work presented on the certificate application, which may include no more than 3 credits of C. (Grades of C+, C-, and D do not apply to graduate courses.) The GPA calculation excludes transfer credits.
• Certificate students are subject to graduate termination and dismissal policies.

Students in Master’s or Doctoral Programs also Pursuing Graduate Certificates

Admission
Students must be admitted to the master’s or doctoral program in degree status. They must also be admitted to the graduate certificate program at least one semester before completion of certificate requirements.

Course Work in Degree Status
More than half of the credits required for the certificate program must be taken in degree status for the master’s or doctoral degree.

Time Limits
The time limits coincide with the six-year time limit for master’s degrees or the six-year time limit for advancement to candidacy in a doctoral degree. Master’s and doctoral time limit rules apply.

Multiple Programs
Students may be enrolled in one or two graduate certificate programs while they pursue a master’s and/or doctoral degree. Students who have completed a graduate certificate may subsequently be approved to apply many of those credit hours to a master’s degree. Courses applying to the master’s or doctoral program may also apply to up to two graduate certificate programs. When such sharing of credits between graduate certificates and graduate degrees has occurred, a maximum of two graduate certificates may be conferred.

Students in Graduate Certificate Programs Only

Admission
Students must be admitted to the graduate certificate program.

Course Work After Admission
More than half of the credits required for the graduate certificate program must be taken after admission to that program.

Time Limits
The time limit for completion is six years from the date of admission to the graduate certificate program. The time limit is not extended because of an absence and subsequent re-enrollment into the graduate certificate program. Failure to meet the time limit or to secure an extension request may result in termination from the program.

Multiple Programs
Students may be admitted to two graduate certificate programs at the same time. The graduation application for each graduate certificate must include a minimum of 12 credits that apply only to that certificate and not to another.

Requirements for Master’s Degrees

Candidates must satisfy all applicable university degree requirements and all requirements established by the master’s program faculty. Individual departmental degree requirements are listed under the respective master’s programs in this catalog. Programs may impose more stringent requirements.

• Admission. Candidates must have been officially admitted into degree status.
• Credit Hours. Candidates must earn a minimum of 30 graduate credits.
• Credit Level. Only graduate courses may apply toward the degree.
• Institutional Credit. The majority of the credits applied to the degree must be earned at Mason or, in the case of programs offered through joint, cooperative, or consortial arrangements, at the participating institutions.
• Residency. A minimum of 18 credits must be taken in degree status, after admission to the degree program.
• Thesis/Project Limits. A maximum of 6 credits of master’s thesis research (799) or master’s project may be applied to the degree.
• Quality. Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in course work presented on the degree application, which may include no more than 6 credits of C. (Grades of C+, C-, or D do not apply to graduate courses. The GPA calculation excludes all transfer courses and Mason nondegree studies credits not formally approved for the degree.)

Thesis Options

Requirements regarding a thesis vary with the degree program. A number of master’s programs offer both thesis and nonthesis options. The same quality of work is expected of students regardless of their chosen option. For more information, consult the section on degree requirements under each degree program.

Time Limit

Master’s degree students have six years from the time of first enrollment as a degree-seeking student to complete their degrees. Individual master’s programs may have stricter time limits, which are published in this catalog. International students attending in F-1 or J-1 status also have more restrictive time limits; contact the Office of International Programs and Services for information.  Students who are given permission to re-enroll following an absence from Mason may not count the six-year time limit as beginning on the date of re-enrollment. Students who will not meet published time limits because of circumstances beyond their control may petition for an extension. Failure to meet the time limits or to secure approval of an extension request may result in termination from the program.

Master’s Thesis

When a thesis proposal has been approved by the appropriate department, the department chair sends the collegiate dean or director a copy of the thesis proposal, including the approval signatures of the master’s thesis committee members. Students may enroll in thesis research (799) at the beginning of the next semester. Students must register for a minimum of three credit hours in their first semester of 799.  After that semester, students may enroll for one credit of 799 per semester and be considered full time, if the following requirement is met: the student, advisor and department chair must certify each semester that the student is working full time on the thesis. Please note: Master’s students must maintain continuous enrollment in 799 while writing and submitting a thesis. Graduation candidates who miss the library deadline for thesis submission, but do submit officially before the next semester begins, do not have to register for 799 in that next semester, but must stay active to graduate.

The master’s thesis committee is named by the candidate’s department chair, who designates a member of the graduate faculty from that department as the thesis committee chair. The committee is appointed after consulting with the candidate and advisor and consists of at least three people. Two must be members of the graduate faculty from the candidate’s department, while one may come from outside the department.

The thesis committee chair is primarily responsible for directing the candidate’s research and writing activities. The student is responsible for keeping all committee members informed of the scope, plan, and progress of the research as well as the writing of the thesis.

Students selecting the thesis option should obtain a copy of Mason’s Thesis, Dissertation, or Project Guide, which is available at thesis.gmu.edu. Students may register in 799 only after their thesis proposal has been submitted and approved as prescribed in the guide. Any student not in attendance at Mason who is preparing a thesis under the active supervision of a member of the faculty or wishes to take an exam must maintain continuous registration in 799 for at least 1 credit per semester.

Thesis Submission

The university has a policy on the dissemination of scholarly works created by graduate students. The Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETDs) program encourages masters-level graduate students to submit an electronic copy of their thesis for broad scholarly dissemination through the Mason Archival Repository Service (MARS). Student participation in the ETDs program is strongly encouraged, but not mandatory. All students choosing to participate in this program will be required to sign the MARS Author/Contributor Permission Agreement.

On or before the thesis deadline for any semester, the student will submit a complete (signed Signature Sheet through Curriculum Vitae) 100% cotton copy of his or her thesis to the University Libraries along with a transmittal sheet. The student may also opt to submit an electronic copy of his/her thesis. These submissions can be in Word, WordPerfect, or in portable document format (PDF). Media formats (tiff, jpeg, png, wav, avi, mpeg, mov, rm, wmv, wma, etc.) for supporting materials will also be accepted. Datasets may be accepted at the discretion of the libraries. The files may be submitted on CD, DVD, or USB memory device. Please note that those students opting out of the ETDs program are required to submit two 100% cotton copies of their thesis.

For degree conferral in a particular semester, the above materials must be submitted to the library by 5 p.m. on the last Friday of classes in that semester. For specific deadlines and other information, go to registrar.gmu.edu.

Doctoral Students Also Pursuing a First Master’s Degree

Requirements for master’s degrees apply with the following exceptions. Residency derives from the doctoral degree requirements. Time limit may derive from the doctoral requirements, although programs may reject course work that is not sufficiently current. Students must be officially admitted to degree status in the master’s program a full semester before the one in which they will complete master’s degree requirements, i.e. admitted in fall for graduation the following spring.

Requirements for Doctoral Degrees

Candidates must satisfy all applicable university degree requirements and all requirements established by the doctoral program faculty. Departmental degree requirements are listed under the respective doctoral programs in this catalog. Programs may impose more stringent requirements.

• Admission. Students must have been fully admitted into degree status.
• Credit Hours. Candidates must earn a minimum of 72 graduate credits, which may be reduced by a maximum of 30 credits from a completed master’s degree or other suitable, approved transfer work.
• Degree Credit. The remaining 42 credits for students with a master’s degree may apply only to the doctoral degree and not to a second master’s degree.
• Credit Level. Only graduate courses may apply toward the degree.
• Institutional Credit. More than half of all credits applied to the doctoral degree (minimum 72) must be earned at Mason or in the case of programs offered through joint, cooperative, or consortium arrangements, at the participating institutions.
• Residency. More than half of all credits (minimum 72) must be taken in doctoral degree status, after admission to the degree program.
• Candidacy. Candidates must pass a written or oral doctoral candidacy (qualifying) exam, or both.
• Dissertation. Candidates must complete a minimum of 12 credits of doctoral proposal (998) and doctoral dissertation research (999), including at least three credits of 999. A maximum of 24 credits of 998 and 999 may be applied to the degree.
• Defense. Candidates must pass a final public defense of the doctoral dissertation.
• Quality. Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in course work presented on the degree application, which may include no more than 6 credits of C. (Grades of C+, C-, or D do not apply to graduate courses. The GPA calculation excludes all transfer courses and Mason extended studies or nondegree credits not formally approved for the degree.)

Time Limit

Doctoral students have six years from the time of first enrollment as a degree-seeking student to advance to candidacy. Students have five years from the time of advancement to candidacy to graduation. Individual doctoral programs may have stricter time limits, which are published in this catalog. International students attending in F-1 or J-1 status also have more restrictive limits; contact the Office of International Programs and Services for information.  Students who are given permission to re-enroll following an absence from Mason may not count the time limits as beginning on the date of re-enrollment. Students who will not meet published time limits because of circumstances beyond their control may petition for an extension. Failure to meet the time limits or to secure approval of an extension request may result in termination from the program.

Doctoral Research Skill Requirements

Some doctoral degree programs require demonstration of proficiency in a research skill, including knowledge of the research literature in a foreign language, computer language, statistical methods, or a research tool specific to the discipline. Research skill requirements are included with the degree requirements for the specific doctoral degree. Where demonstration of research skills is required, certification that this requirement has been met must be completed for advancement to candidacy.

Program of Study

Usually before the end of the second year of graduate study but no later than consideration for advancement to candidacy, doctoral students must submit a program of study for approval by the dean or director of the college, school, or institute. The program of study must include major courses and supporting courses to be completed, research skills required, subject areas to be covered by the candidacy exam, and a proposed date for the candidacy exam. Program of Study Forms are available from each program’s doctoral coordinator. Any changes in the programs of study must be documented with an amended Program of Study Form.

Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy implies that a doctoral student has demonstrated both a breadth and a depth of knowledge in the field of study and is capable of exploring problems on the boundaries of knowledge, and has identified a research area that is likely to lead to a successful dissertation. The candidacy exam includes a written part and may include an oral part, depending on the particular doctoral program. Doctoral students should consult the degree requirements for each doctoral program to determine whether an oral portion is required, whether it is judged separately or with the written portion, the number of times a failed candidacy exam may be repeated and any associated time limits, and any time limits for attempting the candidacy exam.

Before doctoral students may be advanced to candidacy by the unit dean or director, they should have completed all course work required by the program faculty, been certified in all doctoral research skills required, passed the candidacy exam, and been recommended by the doctoral supervisory committee or program coordinator. Students advanced to candidacy after the add period for a given semester must wait until the following semester to register for 999 Dissertation Research.

Dissertation Committee

By the time a doctoral student is advanced to candidacy, the dean or director of the school, college, or institute appoints a dissertation committee upon recommendation of the program director. Students work collaboratively with the program director and faculty to form the dissertation committee, with the understanding that some areas of research may be impossible to support due to available faculty expertise.  Program personnel will facilitate the formation of the dissertation committee to the extent possible, but there can be no guarantee of successful formation. The committee consists of a dissertation director, normally a graduate faculty member (see the Graduate Faculty section in this chapter) from the department of the student’s field of study and at least two other members of the graduate faculty, one of whom must be from outside the student’s local academic unit (school, college, institute, or department). Additional members may be appointed who are not members of the graduate faculty or are from outside the university.

Student-initiated changes in the composition of the dissertation committee may occur only with the approval of the dean or director in consultation with the committee. Such changes may be made for extenuating circumstances only. Faculty may resign from a dissertation committee with appropriate notice by submitting a written resignation.

Dissertation Registration (998, 999)

Students working on dissertation research (999) must register for a minimum of 3 credits of 999 per semester (excluding summers) until they have completed the minimum number of credits of 998 and 999 required by the university and their degree program. Then, they must register for 1 credit of 999 until the dissertation is complete and has been officially submitted to the library. See the Full-Time Classification section for more information.

All registration for doctoral dissertation research (999) must be planned with the dissertation director and approved by the dean or director of the school, college, or institute. Dissertation research (999) is open only to doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy. Once enrolled in 999, students must maintain continuous registration in 999 each semester until graduation, excluding summers. Students who defend in the summer must be registered for at least 1 credit of 999 in the summer. Individual doctoral programs may require continuous registration beginning with 998. Graduation candidates who miss the library deadline for dissertation submission, but do submit officially before the next semester begins, do not have to register for 999 in that next semester, but must stay active to graduate.

It is the student’s responsibility to complete registration for dissertation proposal (998) or research (999) prior to the first day of classes for the semester. If this date is missed, students must still enroll in these courses via Add or Late Schedule Adjustment procedures and are subject to Late Registration fees. Failing to register on time in a particular semester does not alter the requirement for continuous registration in 999.

Doctoral Dissertation

A dissertation is required for the doctor of philosophy degree and most professional doctoral degrees. The dissertation is a written piece of original thinking that demonstrates doctoral candidates’ mastery of subject matter, methodologies, and conceptual foundations in their chosen field of study. This is generally achieved through consideration of a problem on the boundaries of knowledge in the discipline.

The director of the dissertation committee is primarily responsible for directing the doctoral candidate’s research and guiding the preparation of the written dissertation. After the dissertation committee is appointed, the student should begin discussions with the director to define a suitable problem for the dissertation. Before the student may enroll in doctoral dissertation research (999), the dissertation proposal must be approved by the dissertation committee and evidence of approval sent to the unit dean or director for approval. Before that time, the student may enroll in proposal research (998).

Guidelines for the content and general format of doctoral dissertations are in the Thesis, Dissertation, or Project Guide, which is available at thesis.gmu.edu. Consult a doctoral coordinator to determine which additional reference manuals are suitable.

Doctoral Defense

As soon as all degree requirements have been satisfied, including completion of the doctoral dissertation, the doctoral candidate may request a doctoral defense. Approval for the defense is given by the doctoral dissertation committee, department or program chair, and relevant dean or director of the school, college, or institute. Notice of a defense must be circulated to the university community two weeks before the defense date. The public defense should demonstrate the candidate’s maturity of judgment and intellectual command of the chosen branches of the field of study.

At the close of the final defense, the dissertation committee makes final judgments for approving the dissertation. The doctoral candidate is responsible for making all required changes promptly, submitting the original and required copies, and obtaining signatures. Final approval for the dissertation is given by the doctoral dissertation committee, department or program chair, and the relevant dean or director of the school, college, or institute, all of whom must sign the final copy.

For a dissertation to be approved, all members of the committee must sign. If a committee member refuses to do so, the student or any member of the committee may petition the unit dean or director for a review and ruling. The dean or director may seek the advice of outside reviewers to provide an assessment of the work. The final decision is that of the dean or director, and is not subject to appeal.

Dissertation Submission and Fees

The university has a policy on the dissemination of scholarly works created by graduate students. The Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETDs) program encourages doctoral-level graduate students to submit an electronic copy of their dissertation for broad scholarly dissemination through the Mason Archival Repository Service (MARS). Student participation in the ETDs program is strongly encouraged, but not mandatory. All students choosing to participate in this program will be required to sign the MARS Author/Contributor Permission Agreement.

On or before the dissertation deadline for any semester, the student will submit a complete (signed Signature Sheet through Curriculum Vitae) 100% cotton copy of his or her dissertation to the University Libraries along with a transmittal sheet. The student will also submit an electronic copy of his or her dissertation. These submissions can be in Word, WordPerfect, or in portable document format (PDF). Media formats (tiff, jpeg, png, wav, avi, mpeg, mov, rm, wmv, wma, etc.) will be accepted. Datasets may be accepted at the discretion of the libraries. The files may be turned in on CD, DVD, or USB memory device. Please note that those students opting out of the ETDs program are required to submit two 100% cotton copies of their dissertation.

Submission of an additional PDF on CD of the dissertation to University Microfilms International (ProQuest) is required; a fee of either $55 or $150 (depending on publishing option chosen) is paid by the student for this process. Submission of a completed Survey of Earned Doctorates is also required. All copies of the dissertation must be submitted and all fees paid before the doctoral degree is awarded.

For degree conferral in a particular semester, the above materials must be submitted to the library by 5 p.m. on the last Friday of classes in that semester. (For specific deadlines and more information, go to registrar.gmu.edu.) To be included in Mason’s published commencement program, doctoral students must submit materials to the library by the commencement program deadline.

University Dissertation and Thesis Services

University Dissertation and Thesis Services (UDTS) facilitates completion and submission of dissertations, theses, and graduate-level projects. The program assists Mason students in all stages of production. The UDTS web site, thesis.gmu.edu, provides students with useful tools, including downloadable templates of necessary elements, forms required for the submission process, and links to related web sites. Students completing a thesis or dissertation are required to complete a format review. UDTS is located in Fenwick Library, Special Collections and Archives, Wing 2C. For more information, contact the university dissertation and thesis coordinator at 703-993-2222.