Post-baccalaureate

Who is a post-baccalaureate student?

You are considered a post-baccalaureate student if you hold a Bachelor's degree and wish to continue your education for personal enrichment or to meet professional needs by pursuing a certificate, credential or second Bachelor's degree.

What post-baccalaureate programs are offered at CSULB?

Second Bachelor's Degrees

CSULB accepts applications for a second B.A./B.S. only  from  highly qualified applicants to  the Direct Entry BSN/ MSN program and for engineering and Natural Sciences/Math majors. Please note that this Nursing program is open to applications in the Fall term only, not Spring. Engineering applicants must have completed at least three units of baccalaureate-level calculus equivalent to CSULB’s Math 122 (Calculus I, CAN Math 18). Students will be able to apply to these programs on CSUMentor and must apply by the appropriate deadline.

Certificate Programs

To review the list of available certificate programs at CSULB please visit the University catalog on-line. Certificates must be earned either concurrently while pursuing a Bachelor's degree or following the award of a Bachelor's degree. The award of a certificate will be noted on your transcript and is issued separately from your diploma.

Certificate programs usually require completion of 24 to 27 units of coursework and emphasize the practical application of knowledge. Courses taken to fulfill the requirements for the Bachelor's degree may be applied to a certificate program. However, if you choose to pursue a Master's degree only 15 units of graduate coursework may be applied to a certificate program. For more information about a specific certificate program visit the appropriate department.

Credential Programs

CSULB offers the following credential programs for public school teaching, specialists, service, and designated subjects, all of which have been designed to meet the current state requirements administered by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC):

• Single Subject Credential
• Multiple Subject Credential
• Specialist Credential
• Service Credential
• Designated Subjects Credentials

A Single Subject Credential authorizes a teacher to teach the specific subject(s) named on the credential in departmentalized schools. This is commonly done in California high schools and in most California junior high and middle schools. Music, Physical Education, Art, and Foreign Language teachers in elementary schools usually have Single Subject Credentials. The Single Subject Credential Program (SSCP) at CSULB is a state-approved program that prepares teachers in ten subject areas: Art, English, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Science, Languages Other Than English, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education & Adapted Physical Education, Science, and Social Science. The program includes courses in the single subject teaching area, in Secondary Education (EDSE), and in Single Subject Education (EDSS). Admission as a Single Subject Credential student requires an application to both the University and to the Single Subject Credential Program by the appropriate deadlines. For more information about the Single Subject Credential program and its admission requirements, visit the College of Education's Single Subject Credential website.

Those desiring to become elementary teachers in California complete requirements for a Multiple Subject Credential. This credential authorizes holders to teach multiple subjects in grades pre-K through 12 in self-contained classrooms, though generally they teach at the elementary or middle school level. The Multiple Subject Credential Program (MSCP) offers the following program choices, typically found in the elementary school: the Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential Preparation Program, Multiple Subject Spanish-English Bilingual Cross-cultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD), Multiple Subject Asian Languages-English BCLAD, and the Multiple Subject Internship. Admission as a Multiple Subject Credential student requires an application to both the University and to the Multiple Subject Credential Program by the appropriate deadlines. For admission to the MSCP, prerequisite courses must have already been completed or be in progress at the time the MSCP application packet is submitted. Only complete applications are accepted. For more information about admissions and the Multiple Subject Credential Program, visit the Elementary and Special Education Admission and Advising Center website.

Those who wish to teach children and youth with disabilities in California must meet the requirements for the Education Specialist Credential. At CSULB, the Education Specialist Credential Program offers two authorizations: Mild/Moderate and Moderate/Severe. Students can also complete a dual program and earn the credential in both Mild/Moderate and Moderate/Severe. Teachers with these credentials are authorized to teach students aged 5 to 22 in a variety of settings, such as a special day class, resource room, or as an inclusion support teacher in a general education setting. Admission as an Education Specialist Credential student requires an application both to the University and to the Education Specialist Credential program by the appropriate deadlines. For more information about admission to the Education Specialist Program, visit the Elementary and Special Education Admission and Advising Center website. For more information about the Education Specialist Credential Program, visit the College of Education's Education Specialist website.

Do I have to reapply for admission if I recently graduated from CSULB?

Yes! You must reapply to the university under the same conditions and deadlines as all other students.

How do I qualify for admission?

For all post-baccalaureate degrees you must meet the following general admission requirements:

• Have completed a four-year college course of study and hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.

• Be in good standing at the last college or university you attended.

• Meet the minimum GPA requirements for admission to the university. This can be met in any of the following ways:

• Hold an advanced degree

• Hold a baccalaureate degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 (A=4.0)

• Hold a baccalaureate degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 in the last 60 semester or 90 quarter units you attempted, excluding lower-division and/or extension coursework attempted after the baccalaureate degree.

• Students in the progress of completing a baccalaureate degree may be admitted on a provisional basis, subject to proof of degree completion by the established deadline , if their cumulative GPA is at least 2.7 or if the GPA in their last 60 semester or 90 quarter units are calculated at a 2.5 or higher

• Satisfactorily meet the professional, personal, scholastic and other standards for graduate study, including all qualifying examinations, as prescribed by the appropriate campus authorities.

If you wish to enroll in a credential program, you may be required to satisfy additional professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, as prescribed by a specific department. For information on specific credential programs, visit CSUMentor.

How do I apply for admission?

You should apply online by visiting CSUMentor. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may obtain an admissions application from a CSU campus.

Students who wish to earn a certificate or credential must submit a Graduate/Post-Baccalaureate Admissions Application along with the $55 nonrefundable application fee and all requested documents.

When is the application deadline?

You should check with the department to which you are applying to determine application deadlines for certificate or credential programs.

† With the exception of highly qualified Engineering applicants, who must apply Aug. 1-31, 2008
‡ With the exception of highly qualified Nursing, Engineering, and Natural Sciences/Math applicants, who must apply by Nov. 30, 2008.

How will I know that you received my application?

You will receive written confirmation that acknowledges our receipt of your application. Often we can respond in two to four weeks. However, it may take four to six weeks for an admission decision to take place during peak periods of application processing. Those peak periods are: February, March and April for Fall applications, and September and October for Spring applications.

You may also call our automated phone system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (562) 985-2500 to find out the current status of your application. Have your 9-digit student identification number handy when accessing this system.

When will I be notified of my admission status?

You will receive written confirmation that acknowledges receipt of your application within two to four weeks. However, it may take four to six weeks beyond our acknowledgement letter for an admission decision. Processing time depends on when all required documents have been received, and whether it is a peak period of application processing. Those peak periods are: February, March and April for Fall applications, and September and October for Spring applications.

Where can I get more information on teaching careers?

The California Center for Teaching Careers (Cal Teach) is an excellent web site for anyone considering a career in teaching. Cal Teach was instituted by former Governor Wilson and the California Legislature in 1997 to recruit qualified individuals into the teaching profession in order to alleviate the shortage of credentialed teachers in California.

What's the next step?

Visit Registration to learn about the registration process and Financial Aid to learn how you can qualify for financial aid.