Add/Drop Policy
No student may add a course after the first day of the semester. The last day students may drop a semester course without a withdrawal appearing on the academic record is the Friday after the residency concludes for the fall term and the second Friday after the start of the spring term.  Students withdrawing after this period will receive a W on their permanent record.

Withdrawal Policy
Students must apply in writing to the director to withdraw from the program. Students withdrawing but not applying for a leave of absence will be required to reapply to the program, and if accepted, will be subject to the rules and regulations then in force.

Leave of Absence
Students must enroll in a minimum of two courses per semester to remain active on the rolls of the college. Students in good academic and financial standing may request a leave of absence for no more than two semesters during the total period of the degree candidacy. Students are expected to return to the college at the conclusion of their leave. Students must apply in writing to the program director for a leave of absence.

Course Extension
Students unable to complete a course within the semester must apply in writing to the director for an extension by week 13 of the semester. Extensions may be granted for one semester only. The extension fees in academic year 2014-2015 are $1,860 for CNF 630 Final Manuscript; $150 for CNF 610 Internship, and $1064 for all other courses. Modest annual increases may be expected.

Transfer Credit
Because the M.F.A. in Nonfiction is based on a residency-mentorship model, transfer credit is not allowed. Other graduate work will, however, be considered in the admissions process, and several of our M.F.A. students already have advanced degrees.

Evaluation/Grading System
All semester work will use the following grading system:

●  Pass (equivalent to A-B)
●  MP/Marginal Pass (equivalent to C)
●  NP/No Pass (equivalent to F)
●  W/Withdraw
●  EX /Extension

 As part of the continued guidance offered to each student, the program director and the Academic Review Committee review the record of any student who receives a course grade of Marginal Pass (MP) or No Pass (NP). On the basis of this evaluation, the student may be placed on probation or dismissed from the college.

Detailed information on policies and procedures is contained in the Welch Center for Graduate and Professional Studies graduate student handbook.

Library Resources
Goucher's M.F.A. students will be returning to their hometowns to complete their semester work, but they will have the same Goucher library privileges as students living on campus. Students can access Goucher library's online books and articles via the library's Off-Campus Graduate Programs page. Databases specific to the Nonfiction program are suggested in the Subjects section. Students also may obtain books and articles from Goucher's library collection or from other libraries through interlibrary loan if they live in the United States, although they may find it faster to borrow from a local public or academic library in their community. Goucher's distance learning librarian will answer research questions and help develop a research strategy by email or telephone. Visit the Off-Campus Graduate Programs page for additional information.

The cost to return books by mail to the Goucher library will be the student's responsibility as will be the payment of any fees incurred for local library services. A state resident may use a public university's library collection at no charge.

Technology Support
The M.F.A. program takes advantage of Goucher's extensive technological resources, such as the GoucherLearn course management system and the WebEx synchronous meeting system to foster greater student, peer and mentor interactions. Email lists and Web-based discussion groups will be available to each M.F.A. student and faculty member. No prerequisite knowledge of online learning is required, although instruction will be offered in-person during the residencies and online via a technology orientation in advance of the residencies. Students must have Internet access, at their own expense, in order to participate in online portions of the program.Please check Minimum Technology Requirements for Online Courses to make sure your computer system is suitable.  

Welch Center for Graduate and Professional Studies
Since its founding in 1885, Goucher College has been known for its commitment to excellence in liberal arts and sciences education. First located in downtown Baltimore, Goucher moved to its current suburban campus shortly after World War II. The college's undergraduate program consists of 18 departments and five specialized programs. Goucher College is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.The Robert S. Welch Center for Graduate and Professional Studies was founded in 1977 to provide adults with educational opportunities. The Center also offers a Master of Arts in Arts Administration, a Master of Arts in Cultural Sustainability, a Master of Arts in Digital Arts, a Master of Fine Arts in Digital Arts, a Master of Arts in Environmental Studies, a Master in Education, a Master of Arts in Historic Preservation, a Master of Arts in Management, and a Master of Arts in Teaching.