Courses and Registration Tips
Various types of courses make up the MFA program: forms courses (500-level), workshops (600- and 700-level), craft topics (608s), literature classes (typically 513 and 685), visiting writers (699), and thesis (799). Each semester's course descriptions and archives of course descriptions can be found here.
Visiting Writers Classes
Visiting writers are an essential part of any good creative writing program. At Mason, nearly 1000 nationally and internationally known writers have spoken on campus over four-plus decades. We host four or five writers each semester for a small classroom experience (enrollment is capped at 10), a reading and conversation for the general public, and time for socializing/networking. Students are strongly encouraged to become as involved as their schedules allow.
One 1-credit section in each student's genre is required. The classes are almost always held from 1-3pm on the Thursday afternoon of the writer's visit, with the public reading taking place at 7:30pm, usually in the Fenwick Library's Reading Room. This schedule might change, for example, during Fall for the Book in October, when our guest writers might be added to the festival's schedule. Information about a forthcoming semester's visiting writers is posted and circulated as soon as possible before registration, then students look for the section of ENGH 699 that corresponds with a faculty member from their genre. That faculty member will be in touch about the course's reading and expectations.
Once a student takes their genre-specific section of ENGH 699, they are allowed to take more genre-specific sections of ENGH 699 (to complete one, 3-credit Electives slot) or a section outside of their genre with the faculty-of-record's permission and with an understanding that priority goes to students in that genre who need to meet the program requirement.
The format of ENGH 699 varies from section to section. Faculty believe it is valuable for students to encounter the teaching methods and styles of many different creative temperaments, and in most cases, faculty ask the guest writer to design their own sessions. Visiting writers may make reading assignments in advance and devote class time to the discussion of assigned works and aesthetic issues, or they may make student manuscripts a core of the discussion, or they may do both. In all sections, however, students are expected to: 1) read the work of visiting writers before those writers arrive on campus, 2) submit a manuscript prior to class if instructed to do so, 3) attend all public events such as readings, lectures, and panels, and 4) attend all seminars and workshops. For example, if the fiction faculty arranges for two Visiting Writers in the semester, enrolled students are required to attend the afternoon lecture and evening reading of both writers. Specific syllabi might be distributed by the faculty of record. Students must follow the syllabus and complete assignments accordingly.
Taken for 1-credit each, registering for three sections of ENGH 699 during your time in the program fills one complete Electives slot and affords students the chance to further build their network of published authors. Or some students elect to take the one required section of ENGH 699 and pair it with another writing workshop (for example) taken for just 2 credits to fill that Electives slot.
Literature Courses
ENGH 513 and ENGH 685 (sometimes ENGH 511) are literature courses typically taught by MFA faculty and are the lit courses MFA students tend to take, but they are not offered according to a predictable schedule or rotation. It is highly encouraged that MFA students take their literature courses with MFA faculty to better connect the study of literature with the creation of literary art. However, any graduate-level literature course suffices for the lit requirements. If an ENGH course in an area of interest becomes available, students are encouraged to take these courses when offered. For example, ENGH 661: Seminar on African-American Literature is a popular class that many MFA students have found enriching. Sometimes a course’s title does not readily identify it as a “literature” course, so always check with the Graduate Academic Coordinator if you are considering something other than a 513 or 685 course.
Internships and Independent Studies
The Department of English offers opportunities for qualified students to work with local companies and agencies in part-time positions for credit. Work may involve technical writing and editing, general editing, journalism, public relations, magazine work, creative writing, arts administration, and other career areas. These internships are taken as ENGH 504. Contact Scott Berg, Internship Coordinator, at sberg1@gmu.edu or 703-993-1635. A student may take one section of 504. ENGH 798 Independent Study is a rare scenario proposed by a student to the Program Director with the permission of the MFA faculty member in question, who may elect not to agree to an IS due to any number of workload situations and university service commitments. ENGH 798 is typically allocated to a student's Electives.
Graduate Certificate in Publishing Practice
Launched in Fall 2022, the purpose of the Graduate Certificate in Publishing Practice is to educate students about the field of publishing. Students will learn about publishing techniques for hard-copy print and online publications. Through direct experience with Stillhouse Press and Poetry Daily, students will learn the cycle of book publishing, including communicating with authors and media, copyediting, and visual design. Graduates of the certificate program will be able to collect, assess, and edit materials for online and print publications.
This option affords students the chance to graduate with a terminal art degree and a professional certification.
Time to Complete
The certificate program is offered on both a full-time and part-time basis. Degree-seeking MFA students may take courses as part of their regular course load (typically as electives). Please contact the Program Director for advising. Students may begin the certificate program in either the fall or spring semester. Degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking students can complete the certificate program in one academic year (two semesters) if maintaining a course load of 9 credit hours per semester/full-time status. Degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking students can complete the certificate program in one and a half academic years ( three semesters) if maintaining a course load of 6 credit hours per semester/part-time status. Students can complete the certificate program in three academic years (six semesters) if maintaining a course load of 3 credits per semester/part-time status.
Curriculum Requirements
The curriculum provides instruction in online and traditional print publishing techniques. Core coursework educates students in editing and layout of text, graphics, and photographic materials. Coursework focuses on revising text for clarity and accuracy, and preparing the layout of page content for print. Through the practicum courses, students gain hands-on experience in publishing processes (e.g., editing and design) and products (e.g., books and websites). Students will also be exposed to traditional publishing modes and digital publishing in the field of poetry.
Program Requirements (18 Credit Hours)
Core Course: 3 credits
ENGH 503: Theory and Practice of Editing (3 credits)
Practicum: 6 credits
ENGH 605: Publishing Practicum: Stillhouse Press (3 credits)
ENGH 606: Publishing Practicum: Poetry Daily (3 credits)
Restricted Electives: 9 credits
ENGH 504: Internship in Publishing (3 credits)
ENGH 505: Document Design (3 credits)
ENGH 507: Web Authoring and Design (3 credits)
ENGH 509: Proposal Writing and Development (3 credits)
ENGH 612: Cultures of Professional Writing (3 credits)
ENGH 689: Advanced Proposal Writing (3 credits)
Additional courses (such as International Literary Publishing and the History and Theory of Publishing Practice and Technology) are under development. For more information, contact Professor Scott Berg at sberg1@gmu.edu or 703-993-1635.
Rules and Tips for Registration
Departmental Approval Required: A departmental approval error received while registering on Patriotweb means that the student registering must email the instructor of record asking for an override. The email should include the student’s name and G# (and the reason for taking the course if the instructor and student are not acquainted or the student is not taking a regular MFA course). In some cases, faculty may ask for a manuscript prior to approving an override.
Overrides: Overrides on Patriotweb are the means by which faculty allow students to take courses that are controlled or closed. Once overrides are issued, students can register. Only the instructor can issue an override. Patriotweb will not notify students by email when they receive an override, so it is imperative that students check at least every day after they email their request to the instructor. For controlled and closed courses that indicate the need for departmental approval, students must contact the instructor via email to ask for an override.
Waitlist Overrides: These grant waitlisted students a seat in a previously full class at the discretion of the instructor (please understand that keeping class sizes small is to everyone’s benefit). For students on a waitlist, when a seat becomes available, it is offered in the form of an override to the student in the #1 position on the waitlist. Students on waitlists should routinely check their registration status page in Patriotweb for any override. Waitlist overrides only last 72 hours so students must register within those 72 hours. A new override will be issued to the next student on the waitlist should the override to the first student go unused.
Full-Time Status: The University Catalog stipulates that Graduate students are considered full-time if they hold a full-time graduate assistantship (total 20 hours a week) and are enrolled in at least 6 graduate credits per semester. Note, however, that Graduate Teaching Assistants need to be enrolled in 9 graduate credits in both the fall and spring semesters of their first year since Commonwealth of Virginia regulations mandate that a graduate student “entering the classroom” (face-to-face or online) must have earned at least 18 graduate credits.
Inactive Student Status: With the exception of students in the thesis phase of the program, graduate students may take a semester away from study after they have been enrolled for at least one semester. No forms are required and there are no penalties/fees associated with taking a semester away, but students who are not enrolled in classes will lose privileges in the library and the gym. Those privileges will be restored once the student enrolls again. Students who go unregistered for more than two consecutive semesters will become inactive. Inactive students must apply for re-enrollment using a Graduate Application for Re-enrollment form (request from the Graduate Academic Coordinator). Re-enrollments allow a student to complete a program after having to step away from the program for unforeseen circumstances. Most re-enrollment requests are granted; however, poor academic performance can be a factor in a denied request for re-enrollment. Once the form has been completed, it should be submitted to the Graduate Academic Coordinator for processing. After a re-enrollment has been approved and processed, it will take a few days before the student is allowed to register and their status is returned to “active.” Students should carefully review the university policies pertaining to re-enrollment as well as the information outlined on the re-enrollment form regarding time limits and unsatisfactory grades.
Please Note: Let the Program Director or the Graduate Academic Coordinator know if you need to take a semester away from study. If unforeseen circumstances make progress toward your degree difficult, talk to the Program Director to discuss your options.