Resources for New Students

The CSUN English Department's MA program has three options: Creative Writing, Literature, and Rhetoric & Composition. Although you must choose an option when beginning your program, there is space for you to change options. Please consult the Graduate Adviser if you choose to do this.

Graduate students typically take 2-3 courses per semester. See the information on the About page for information about full-time status and its implications for financial aid.

New students should attempt to enroll in ENGL 507 (Introduction to Graduate Studies) in their first or second semester. Registration for ENGL 507 (Introduction to Graduate Studies) is by permission number only. To obtain a permission number, please contact the Graduate Coordinator, Frank de la Santo (frank.delasanto@csun.edu).

Registration dates vary but typically begin in mid to late November for the spring semester and late May to June for the Fall semester. To find your registration date, login to the Student Portal and check the Registration section in My Checklist. For further information, see the My Checklist Tutorial. Note that the University does not provide information about registration dates to faculty advisers. If you are unsure when your registration date is or if you think it is wrong, please contact the Office of the Registrar.

In addition, you should try to enroll in the Theory course for your option as early as possible in your course of studies. Theory courses are ENGL 638 for Literature, ENGL 652 for Creative Writing, and ENGL 651 for Rhetoric and Composition. These courses are typically held only in the Fall semester for ENGL 638 and 652, and only in the Spring semester for ENGL 651.