Academic Policies & Procedures

The academic policies and procedures outlined here apply broadly to all graduate programs. However, individual programs may have additional guidelines or requirements, so please consult your specific program’s guidelines for more detailed information.

Tables of Contents

Additional Master’s Degrees

Students holding a master’s degree who wish to pursue an additional master’s degree must obtain prior approval in writing from the appropriate administrator and/or program director or chair. No more than six units used to satisfy the requirements of a completed master’s degree may be used to satisfy the requirements of any additional master’s degrees. The additional degree(s) should not be identical to prior degrees in terms of scope and objectives.

Admissions Appeal

Any applicant for graduate or post-baccalaureate study who has been denied admission, or will be denied admission, to the University may request admission by submitting an appeal requesting that the application be reviewed. The appeal will be reviewed by the academic unit offering the program of study to which applicant has applied. Key to the decision is the applicant’s ability to succeed in the program of study given the explanation and documentation provided. The composition of the body hearing the appeal will be determined by the academic unit in question. The body’s decision will be based on a number of factors, normally favoring applicants who are close to qualifying and whose appeals both adequately explain the failure to meet admission criteria and demonstrate the motivation and potential to succeed.

The following stipulations will apply to graduate or post-baccalaureate admission appeals:

  1. Students will have 15 business days from the date of denial of admissions notification in which to appeal the denial.
  2. Students will be limited to one appeal per academic term.
  3. Appeals should be submitted to the academic unit in which the student plans to undertake a program of graduate or post-baccalaureate study.
  4. The response to the appeal will normally be issued within four weeks from the date the appeal is received.

Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to candidacy recognizes that the student has demonstrated the ability to operate at and sustain a level of scholarly competence that is satisfactory for successful completion of the degree requirements. In programs requiring a thesis, students are permitted to enroll in courses that offer thesis supervision or field experience projects, or they may opt to take a comprehensive master’s exam if allowed by their program. The student must be enrolled during the semester in which they apply for advancement to candidacy if required by their program. Advancement to candidacy must occur at least one semester prior to the anticipated completion of the program. Approval is granted by the program director or designee(s). (SP 09-08)

Master’s Degree

Students are eligible to advance to candidacy and must meet the following requirements:

  1.  Successfully complete required coursework with a satisfactory grade (B or better).
  2. Resolve incomplete grades, if applicable.
  3. Maintain a minimum cumulative and program grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. Courses taken Credit/No Credit shall not be used in computing the grade point average.
  4. Fulfill any program-specific requirements

Doctoral Degree

A doctoral candidate is a student in good standing that has been deemed ready to start a dissertation study. Advancement to candidacy is based on the student successfully passing the qualifying examination and defending their dissertation proposal. Before the student can be admitted to candidacy and move forward in the dissertation process, all coursework and qualifying examinations must be satisfactorily completed, in addition to the successful defense of the dissertation proposal. The total time between qualifying examination and advancement to candidacy may not exceed two years full time, unless there are mitigating circumstances by their program committee.

Before admission to candidacy and progression in the dissertation process, students must:

  1. Complete all required coursework.
  2. Successfully pass the qualifying examination as defined by their program.
  3. Successfully defend their dissertation proposal before a committee.

Catalog Rights

Graduate students’ catalog rights are determined by the catalog in effect at the time of their admission to the program. Students may choose the graduation catalog when submitting their application for graduation. If a student follows an earlier version of a program in which required courses have been discontinued or modified, the department may authorize appropriate substitutions. Absence related to an approved educational leave or for attendance at another accredited institution of higher learning is not considered an interruption, providing such absence does not exceed two years. The absence must be consistent with the CSU definition of educational leave and with CSU policy. Students who have been academically disqualified lose previously established catalog rights.

Classification Status

Conditionally Classified

To qualify for admission in conditionally classified graduate standing, a student must:

  1. Hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
  2. Have attained a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 (4.0=A) in the last 60 semester units attempted
  3. Have been in good standing at the last institution attended.
  4. Be accepted into a graduate degree curriculum on a conditional basis, subject to the requirement that any deficiencies must be remedied by additional preparation.

Classified

A student who meets the minimum requirements for admission as a graduate student, as specified in the preceding paragraph, may be admitted as a fully classified graduate student pursuing an authorized degree curriculum if the appropriate program authorities determine that they satisfactorily meet the professional, personal, scholastic, or other standards for admission to the graduate degree curriculum, including qualifying examinations that the appropriate program authorities may prescribe. Only those applicants who show promise of success as defined by each program will be admitted to the graduate curricula, and only those who continue to demonstrate a satisfactory level of scholastic competence as defined by each program shall be eligible to proceed in such curricula.

Continuous Enrollment and Education Leave for Master’s Degree Students

Graduate students must maintain continuous enrollment during their course of study at CI. Any graduate student in good academic standing who cannot maintain continuous enrollment may apply to take a leave of absence from the University for at most four consecutive semesters. No more than six cumulative semesters of leave may be taken. (SP 09-09)

Course Repeat

A graduate/post baccalaureate student may take a course a total of 3 times with no grade forgiveness. All grades will be calculated into the GPA. Unit credit for the courses will be granted only once unless courses are repeatable as specified in the catalogue. Courses may only be repeated when the grade is “WU,” “F ,” “D,” “D+ ,” “C-,” “C”, C+”, “IC.”

Course Substitutions

Substitutions will be reviewed and granted by the individual program on a case-by-case basis for up to 9 units.

Culminating Experience

The culminating experience for the granting of a graduate degree is the successful completion of one of the following: a designated (final or “capstone”) course, thesis, project, or comprehensive examination. The quality of work accomplished, including the quality of the writing, is the major consideration in judging the acceptability of the thesis, project, or comprehensive examination. The student must successfully complete the culminating experience required by the specific program to be granted a graduate degree.

Grading Policy

  1. “ABCDF” is the default grading system.
  2. Although it is not required, individual faculty members may add a + or -to any grade except F. By adding a + to a grade, the grade points earned increased by 0.3 (except an A+ shall still be 4.0 grade points).Course syllabi are required to state clearly whether + or - grading is used. 
  3. A student may take a course “CR/NC” if the course is designated as allowing “CR/NC” grading in the course approval process.
  4. The decision on how many units of courses may be taken “CR/NC” and which courses can be taken “CR/NC” is left up to each individual program.
  5. Course syllabi shall include a discussion of the instructor’s grading policy.
  6. The level of student performance and course grades are determined by instructor of record. (SP 12-07.)

Grading Symbols Assigned

RP (Report in Progress) The “RP” symbol is used in connection with courses that extend beyond one academic term. It indicates that work is in progress, but that the assignment of a final grade must await completion of additional work. Work is to be completed within one year except for graduate degree theses. Master’s thesis courses with an RP grade must be completed within seven years of the end of the term in which it was assigned. If the additional work is not completed within one year (or seven years for thesis/project courses), the RP grade will be administratively changed to a grade of F (Failure) or NC (No Credit), depending on the grade mode of the course.

W (Withdrawal) The “W” symbol indicates that the student was permitted to withdraw from the course after the third week of the semester with the approval of the instructor and appropriate campus officials. It carries no connotation of quality of student performance and is not used in calculating grade point average. See withdrawal procedures in the catalog.

WU (Withdrawal Unauthorized) The “WU” symbol indicates that an enrolled student did not formally withdraw from the course according to University policy and also failed to complete course requirements. It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible. For purposes of grade point average, this symbol is equivalent to an “F.”

Incomplete Grade Policy

An “Incomplete Authorized” (I) signifies that a portion of required course work has not been completed and evaluated in the prescribed time period due to unforeseen, but fully justified reasons and that there is still a possibility of earning credit. After the request of the student for the “I” grade, the faculty member makes the decision as to whether or not an “I” grade is issued. If an “I” grade is issued, the faculty member determines what conditions must be met for the “I” to be removed. However, to protect both students and faculty, it is necessary that there be a written record of the conditions. Thus, if there is a later disagreement, or if the instructor is no longer available, the “I” can still be handled by the program.

Once a student and faculty member have determined that an Incomplete Grade will be assigned, an Incomplete Grade Agreement will be completed in CI Records. The Incomplete Grade Agreement will include:

The work not completed and the percentage that each uncompleted assignment will count toward the final grade; and
The final grade the instructor will assign if the course requirements are not completed within one calendar year, or a shorter period as specified on the form, immediately following the term in which the “I” was assigned, without respect to continuous enrollment of the student during this period.

An “I” must be made up within the time period set forth by the instructor with a maximum allowable time span of one calendar year immediately following the end of the term in which it was assigned. This limitation prevails whether or not the student maintains continuous enrollment. Failure to complete the assigned work will result in an “I” being converted to an “IC” symbol, unless the faculty member assigns a specific letter grade at the time the Incomplete is assigned, which would replace the “I” in the student’s record at the end of the calendar year deadline. The “IC” is counted as a failing grade (equivalent to an “F”) for grade point average and progress point computation. Although the one-year maximum for incomplete grades will be the general university policy, Executive Order 171 specifies that exceptions can be made in special cases, such as military service and serious health problems. An extension of an “I” grade in any one course shall be allowed only one time, for a maximum total extension of one year. An “I” may not be changed to a passing grade as the result of re-enrolling in the course. A failing grade is not an acceptable reason to request or grant an incomplete grade. If a student subsequently completes a course that is recorded as incomplete on a transcript from another institution, it is the student’s responsibility to submit a corrected official transcript and advise the Registrar’s Office that they wish to receive credit. (SP 03-18)

International (Foreign) Student Admission Requirements

The CSU must assess the academic preparation of foreign students. For this purpose, “foreign students” include those who hold U.S. temporary visas as students, exchange visitors, or in other nonimmigrant classifications.
The CSU uses separate requirements and application filing dates in the admission of “foreign students.” Verification of English proficiency (see the section on English Language Requirement for undergraduate applicants), financial resources, and academic performance are each important considerations for admission. Academic records from foreign institutions must be on file at least six months in advance of enrollment for the first term and, if not in English, must be accompanied by certified English translations.

Further information can be found on the International Programs website .

Graduate-Post-Baccalaureate English Language Requirement

All graduate and post-baccalaureate applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose native language is not English and whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English must demonstrate competence in English. Those who do not possess a bachelor’s degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Some programs require a higher score. Applicants taking the Computer-Based Test of English as a Foreign Language must present a score of 213 or above. Some programs may require a higher score. Several CSU campuses may use alternative methods for assessing fluency in English including Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), and the International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP).

CSU Minimum TOEFL/IELTS Standards are:
TOEFL Graduate 80 (Internet)  213 (Computer-based) 550 (Paper-based)
IELTS Graduate 6.5

Minimum Graduate GPA

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) is required across all letter-graded courses taken to satisfy requirements for the graduate degree. Programs may implement stricter grade requirements. (SP05-22)

Number of Units Granted for a Thesis or Project

No more than 6 units of course credit may be offered for a thesis or project to fulfill the requirements of a graduate degree. (SP05-25)

Number of Units Granted for a Doctoral Dissertation

Doctoral dissertation should not exceed 12 units.

Prerequisite Courses to Meet Graduate Degree Requirements, Use of

No undergraduate courses taken to satisfy prerequisite requirements for admission to a graduate program may be included in the minimum number of units required for that program. (SP05-20)

Academic Notice, Disqualification

Academic Notice

A student seeking a Master’s degree or teaching credential will be subject to academic notice if their CSUCI GPA falls below a 3.0 after their first semester or after completing 6 graded units. A graduate program may also place a student on academic notice for failure to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better in all courses taken to satisfy the requirements of the degree. Individual graduate programs may have additional policy requirements that if not met, may result in placement on academic notice. (SP21-04)

Academic Disqualification

All students’ records will be evaluated for disqualification at the end of each semester. Students cannot be placed on notice for the first time at CSUCI and be disqualified in the same semester. However, students who have previously been on notice at CSUCI and fall below criteria listed above will be subject to academic disqualification, even if the notice and disqualification semesters are non-consecutive.
Graduate students may appeal disqualification through the Graduate Appeals Board no later than the deadline, before the start of the following semester. The Graduate Appeals Board will review cases and make recommendations to the graduate program, who will make the final decision about whether a student should be reinstated. Students who appeal unsuccessfully may be readmitted to the university given a positive recommendation from the graduate program. (SP21-04)

Residence Required for the Master’s Degree

A minimum of 21 semester units must be taken in residence after admission to the graduate program offering the degree. The program may authorize the substitution of credit earned by alternate means for a part of this residence requirement.

Graduation Requirements

To qualify for graduation students must complete all requirements for the master’s degree by the official graduation date listed in the schedule of classes. Graduation is not automatic upon the completion of requirements. Students who intend to graduate must take the initiative and should follow the key steps listed below. While students are ultimately responsible for completing all degree requirements, assistance is available through faculty advisement. It is important that students meet regularly with an advisor to avoid graduation problems and delays.

To be eligible for the Master’s Degree, the candidate shall have completed the following minimum requirements:

Requirements for Master’s Degree

  1. The completion of a specified course of study approved through their program of study
  2. A minimum of 30 semester units of approved graduate work. (SP05-28)
  3. Completion of graduate work in no more than 7 years. (SP05-23)
  4. At least 21 semester units must be completed in residence as indicated in the University Catalog.
  5. Seventy percent of the degree must be at 500 and 600 level. When undergraduate 400-level courses are taken, extra work must be completed. (SP05-24)
  6.  No more than 6 semester units shall be allowed for a thesis, project, or comprehensive exam preparation. (SP05-25)
  7. Advancement to Candidacy: A candidate who has been granted classified standing will be advanced to candidacy once they have completed all protocols established by the program.
  8.  Satisfactory completion of a thesis, project, or comprehensive examination as required by their program.

Requirements for the Doctoral Degree

The basic requirements for the doctoral degree are as follows:

  1. The degree requires a minimum of 60 units of approved doctoral level work including 12 units for dissertation studies. It is expected for all work to be completed within a three-year period.
  2. A 3.0 GPA or better in all 60 units offered as satisfying the requirements of the degree.
  3. Satisfactory performance on the qualifying examination(s) and approval of dissertation proposal.
  4. Successful completion and oral defense of the dissertation.
  5.  Successful submission of the dissertation.

Graduation Application

Submit a completed graduation application in CI Records and pay the appropriate fees by the published deadline for the term in which you wish to graduate. Students may visit the Registrar’s Office website for more information regarding graduation.

Commencement Participation

Commencement is held annually at the end of the spring semester. Students who have completed degree or credential requirements the previous summer or fall terms are eligible to participate in the ceremony along with those who plan to complete their work in the spring or subsequent summer ending August 31 and have filed an Application for Degree and Diploma. Names of graduates and degree candidates who have applied for graduation by the published deadline will be published in the Commencement Program. Students who do not wish to have their names published in the Commencement Program may opt out by filing a Request to Withhold Directory Information form with the Office of the Registrar. (SP 09-10)

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