Waiver of English 101

General Information

English 101 is a prerequisite for all English Mason Core requirements, including ENGH 302.  You may seek a waiver for this course through an exam administered by the English Department.  This exam is only offered once each semester for a limited period.

Description of the Exam

This is an optional three-hour skills assessment essay exam that allows students to demonstrate the writing proficiencies and rhetorical awareness equivalent to that of a student who has successfully completed ENGH 100 or ENGH 101.  It is one option for completing the ENGH 101 general education requirement.  You do not need to complete the exam to register for an ENGH 100 (or 100) course.

You will be required to complete a student-agreement-form which states that:

  • This is an optional exam
  • Taking the exam does not guarantee a waiver
  • If I receive a waiver, it will only appear in my degree evaluation in Patriotweb (I do not receive credit hours and my GPA is not affected).
  • Exam results will be posted to the exam Blackboard site 1-2 weeks after the exam closes, but the Registrar/Degree Compliance office does not always process exemptions quickly.  This means that:
    • Summer exam results will not be available in time for students to add a Fall ENGH 101 class.
    • Students who pass the exam and receive a waiver may not have their waiver processed in time for the next semester's registration (this is out of the English Department's control)
    • Students should plan ahead and take the ENGH 101 exam right away if they do not have credit for ENGH 100/101 and want to exempt out.
  • Exam results notifications are only sent by GMU and posted to the exam site.
    • You are responsible for contacting Stacey Remick-Simkins (sremicks@gmu.edu) if you do not receive your results.
  • If you receive a no-pass, you cannot retake the exam and must enroll for ENGH 101 (or ENGH 100).
  • If you receive a no-pass, you cannot retake the exam and must enroll for ENGH 101.

Exam FAQs

* Does the exam cost? No, there is no cost for taking the exam and you do not pay tuition if you receive the waiver.

* How often is the exam scheduled? They are scheduled online during a 2-3 week period.  The schedule is posted on this site.  Exams will not be offered outside of the exam dates provided.

* Does a CLEP exam from another school make me eligible for a waiver? We do not accept CLEP or any other waiver scores for equivalent courses from other institutions.