Undergraduate Student Resources

BA in Art and Visual Technology

BFA in Art and Visual Technology

BFA in Art and Visual Technology with concentration in Graphic Design

BFA in Computer Game Design

BFA in Dance

The 4-Year Plan can be downloaded or printed as a pdf by clicking on the Print Options button at top right of the catalog page:

4-Year Plan for Film and Video Studies

BA in Music

BA in Music Technology

BM in Winds, String & Percussion

BM in Choral Education

BM in Composition Studies

BM in Instrumental Education

BM in Jazz Studies

BM in Keyboard Performance

BM in Music Technology Electroacoustic

BM in Music Technology Engineering

BM in Music Technology Recording

BM in Vocal Performance

BA in Theater with a concentration in Performance, Design, or Theater Studies

BA in Theater Education, PK-12 with a concentration in Theater Education

BFA in Theater with a concentration in Performance or Design

BFA in Theater, with a concentration in Musical Theater Performance

• Familiarize yourself with Students Rights and Responsibilities before submitting any requests.
• Know the academic policies of the university, college, and your degree program. 
• Verify your schedule each semester during and after the add/drop period to be sure you are registered for the courses you think you are. 
• Submit requests well before any deadline. Requests are reviewed in the order they are received and cannot be expedited because of late submission. 

Advisors and the CVPA Academic Affairs Office reviews requests in the order they are received. We respond to all requests as quickly as possible. 

Common causes of delay:

• The student fails to provide supporting documentation needed to complete the request (e.g., medical documents, employment verification, communications from the instructor, etc.).
• The supporting documentation is insufficient to complete the review. 
• The office has difficulty verifying the documentation. 
• The student does not check their Mason email account for responses or requests from the CVPA Academic Affairs Office. 
• There are administrative holds on the student's account (e.g., Financial, Parking, Library, Immunization, etc.). It is the student's responsibility to ensure their record is free of holds. All holds should be cleared before submitting a request to the CVPA Academic Affairs Office. 

The forms needed for most requests can be found on the website of the Registrar's Office. For forms that are not available on the Registrar's website, contact your advisor for more information. Your advisor can assist you through the process. 

Students in good standing (GPA at or above 2.0) are eligible to enroll in up to 18 hours of coursework per semester. In exceptional circumstances, students may request an overload of the maximum credit hours allowed. Credits must be approved by advisor and department before submitting form to the CVPA Academic Affairs Office. 

All undergraduate students who are planning an absence from George Mason must submit a formal request for Leave of Absence to the Registrar's Office. Students do not need to complete the form if they are participating in a university-sponsored study abroad program or have received permission to study elsewhere. 

Students who wish to take a course at a different institution must get pre-approval from the CVPA academic dean and the academic dean for the requested course (two signatures). There are specific circumstances when this can be approved.

Students are permitted to take up to a maximum of 9 credit hours elsewhere if they meet the following criteria:

• Fewer than 60 credit hours of transfer coursework,
• A minimum 2.0 GPA at the time of the request.

Notes:

• If a course is offered at GMU Korea or Mason Fairfax, permission will NOT be granted to take this course elsewhere except in the case of unusual circumstances. Students may submit a study elsewhere request to take general elective courses or courses that are not being offered at the campus in which they are studying.
• Financial hardship alone is not a sufficient reason for approval of a study elsewhere request.
• Students may not return to the community college to finish a sequence of courses.
• Once approved, courses elsewhere must be taken for a grade and be passed with a grade of C or higher in order to be transferred back to Mason. Although credit for the course will be transferred, the grade for the course will not.

Students should also review the policies under AP.1.4.2 Permission to Study Elsewhere in the Mason catalog.

Students who wish to study abroad must first receive permission from the Mason Study Abroad office and their program dean in order to have the credit transfer back to Mason. Visit the Mason Abroad Office's website for more information on opportunities. 

Students who wish to request to take a course at an institution within the consortium must have permission from the CVPA Academic Affairs office and the Registrar's Office. See item AP.1.4.9. in the University Catalog for more information. 

Students who have been away from the university who either did not submit a leave of absence form or were ineligible to take a formal leave of absence, and who have been away for less than two years must re-enroll in order to register for courses. 

Students returning from dismissal from the university must submit a request to return to Mason through their Academic Advisor, but only after a minimum of three calendar years from the university. See item AP.5.2.6 in the University Catalog for more information. 

Students in academic standing of suspension have a registration hold placed on their record that prevents enrollment in future coursework. Upon return from the suspension period, the student must have an Academic Advisor Approval form and Student Success Plan reviewed by their advisor and signed. After the form and plan have been completed, they must be submitted to the CVPA Academic Affairs Office for final approval. Upon receipt by the CVPA Academic Affairs Office, students will be advised about an additional requirement of completion of a Learning Services workshop. Upon completion of that workshop, the hold will be removed.

Deadlines to request a return from suspension:

• December 1 for the following spring semester
• April 15 for the following fall semester (students missing this deadline may be approved on a case-by-case basis).

All requests must originate from the professor of the course. For assistance, please see your Academic Advisor. 

• Academic Complaints
  Students may file a formal complaint and provide supporting documentation to the CVPA Office of Student Affairs for an academic reason and/or as an escalation beyond the department of their major. Students may remain anonymous in these complaints if they prefer.

• Reporting an Instance of Bias or Discrimination
  Learn how to Report Bias and Discrimination.

• Non-Academic Complaints
  Students may file a formal written complaint to the University for a non-academic reason by visiting the central Complaints page.

Substitution/Waiver request forms are used to either substitute or waive a degree requirement. For CVPA students, these requests require a signature from the Assistant Dean. The form is reviewed and approved by the college that houses the major or minor. 

Students may request a withdrawal after the drop deadline for non-academic reasons. Requests are considered only under exceptional circumstances. Students will need to provide verifiable, third-party documentation with the request.

In order to request a withdrawal, you must submit the CVPA Undergraduate Student Request for Withdrawal form to your advisor.  If approved by your Advisor, this form must be submitted to the CVPA Academic Affairs office for review.

Students enrolled in degree programs may process a maximum of three selective withdrawals during their entire undergraduate career at Mason. The three classes may have any number of credits. Refer to the university catalog for more information.