Students with a baccalaureate degree who wish to continue their education for personal enrichment or to meet professional needs may do so at CSULB either as a post-baccalaureate student or as a graduate student. A post-baccalaureate student is one who has not declared a master's degree or a credential as an objective but who is nevertheless attending class and participating in academic work at the University beyond the baccalaureate degree. Post-baccalaureate students may only enroll through University College and Extension Services. A graduate student is one who has requested and received formal admission to a specific field of study that will lead to a graduate degree in one of the many disciplines available at CSULB.
Graduate and Post-Baccalaureate Admission Requirements
Graduate and credential applicants may apply with the
objective of completing a degree, a credential, or a
certificate program. Depending on the stated objective,
CSULB will consider an application for admission in one of
the three categories:
Admission to the University
In order to be admitted to CSULB as either a
post-baccalaureate classified student or as a
graduate student, the applicant must meet the
following requirements:
Students wishing to enroll in the University must follow the instructions supplied by the Office of Enrollment Services in the Admissions section of this Catalog.
NOTE: Graduating undergraduate CSULB students do not automatically continue as graduate students. They must apply under the same conditions as non-CSULB students. Once applications are received, they will be evaluated at appropriate offices. To be admitted to the University, a student must also be admitted to a specific program. The University does not admit post-baccalaureate students who do not have a degree, certificate, or credential objective. Provisional admission is granted to applicants anticipating their baccalaureate degree prior to registration but subsequent to filing the application. Proof of the baccalaureate is mandatory (final transcript must be on file) prior to the student's second semester of attendance. If it is not, provisionally admitted students will be prohibited from future enrollment until such proof is on file.
The student must request all institutions of higher learning attended (including CSULB) to send an official copy of transcripts directly to the Office of Enrollment Services and to the department advisor of graduate studies. Transcripts presented to the Office of Enrollment Services by the student are not acceptable. Graduates of California State University, Long Beach must follow these same procedures when making application to a graduate degree program.
All graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English must demonstrate competence in English. Those who possess a bachelor's degree from a postsecondary institution where English is not the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Some programs may require a higher score.
On the other hand, if space is available, a student who is admissible to the University but who does not meet program requirements for admission may nevertheless be accepted as a conditionally classified graduate student by the department or college offering the program, subject to the proviso that all remaining admission requirements of the program must then be fulfilled after enrollment. Only the Dean of Graduate Studies is authorized to grant conditional admission to a student who does not meet University requirements, and such action will be taken only in rare and compelling circumstances.
Master's and doctoral seeking students must take the Writing Proficiency Examination during the first semester they are in residence, or a hold is placed on all future registration privileges. Students must satisfactorily complete the test and have submitted their approved degree program prior to filing a Request to Graduate form with Enrollment Services. Students who have met this requirement during their baccalaureate degree program at another CSU campus are exempt from this requirement.
Graduate students who have not been admitted to candidacy for a master's degree and who participate in the International Programs may, upon their return to California State University, Long Beach, petition to have six units earned as resident credit in the International Programs included on their official student program for the master's degree. In no case may excess grade points earned in the International Programs be used to bring a grade point deficiency at California State University, Long Beach to the required 3.0 (B) average.
Students admitted to candidacy for a master's degree who plan to participate in the International Program of Studies must obtain permission, prior to beginning their study abroad, to have units earned abroad applied toward satisfaction of their degree requirements. A candidate's petition to apply units earned abroad must be reviewed and recommended by the department offering the degree. The specific courses to be taken on the foreign campus, thesis research which is to be done abroad, or any other requirements such as examinations to be taken upon the student's return must be listed on the official student program. Usually no more than six units of credit may be transferred to apply toward the minimum 30 units for an advanced degree as a result of participation in the International Program of Studies, but a maximum of 12 units may be allowed by the Dean of Graduate Studies in consultation with the University Graduate Council in a special case.
A copy of the candidate's graduate student program must be forwarded to the Resident Director for the foreign area, who must certify that any credit earned abroad is appropriate to meet graduate degree requirements.
Pending the faculty's evaluation of the student's work, a Report Delayed (RD) grade will be assigned in all courses in which work was completed abroad and which are offered to satisfy requirements toward an advanced degree.
If a student wishes to resume graduate study after withdrawal, the student must reapply to the University and request that the department or college initiate a petition to the Dean of Graduate Studies to reinstate the student in his or her former graduate program. In the absence of an approved petition for reinstatement, the student must be readvanced to candidacy and the department or college may determine that the student's graduate program should be changed.
All regulations involving a calculation of grade-point average subsequent to admission to the University as a post-baccalaureate graduate student shall be based on the following common practices and standards.
"Overall Graduate Grade-Point Average" shall be calculated on all upper-division and graduate-level coursework attempted by a student at this University after completion of a baccalaureate degree.
Grade-point average standards calculated on the basis of a smaller range, grouping, or set of upper-division and graduate-level courses, for example, "courses in the major" or "courses taken since admission to the degree program," presuppose that the student has met the minimum standard for any larger range, group, or set, including the Overall Graduate Grade-Point Average.
Some degree programs require additional units. Please consult individual degree program requirements.
A minimum of sixty percent of the units required for the degree shall be in the 500- and 600-level series and these shall be completed at this University, consistent with departmental requirements. Student teaching cannot be included in any master's degree program. All upper-division courses marked with an asterisk may be included in the master's degree programs of the department listing the course. With permission of the student's department graduate advisor, asterisk-marked courses may also be used on other graduate degree programs, when appropriate. Normally, other non-marked courses are not used.
Note: Graduate Studies 700 may be used to fulfill the enrollment requirement if the applicant has completed all degree program courses prior to the semester of graduation. An incomplete grade not otherwise resolved prior to graduation will automatically revert to the letter grade indicated on the "Requirements for Assigning an Incomplete Grade" form. A course with an unresolved grade of SP (Satisfactory Progress) will remain on the transcript but will be removed from the student's program of study. Incomplete grades may not be resolved following graduation.
The department will assign the student a faculty advisor who
must be consulted about preparing a degree program. The
advisor should have an official evaluation of the student's
previous work from the Office of Enrollment Services,
although transcripts provided by the student may be used to
develop a tentative student program and discuss degree
requirements. When the Office of Enrollment Services'
evaluation and the results of tests are available, the
faculty advisor can assist the student in drawing up a
student program. This student program must be approved by
the student's faculty advisor, the departmental graduate
advisor, and college dean or director of graduate studies
or, for Interdisciplinary Studies, the Dean of Graduate
Studies. The student program must list the following:
Graduate student programs may be revised as the
student advances toward the degree. Such revisions must be
recommended by the faculty advisor and approved by the
departmental graduate advisor and the college dean or
director of graduate studies or, for Interdisciplinary
Studies, the Dean of Graduate Studies.
An approved graduate student program remains in
effect as long as a candidate is making satisfactory progress. To
insure minimum satisfactory progress toward the degree
objective, the student must enroll in at least one session
during any 12-month period and complete all degree
requirements within seven years after completion of the
first course on the student program. See also information
about Graduate Studies 700 later in this section. The
student may not change the graduate major without filing a
new student program.
A student entering military service after having been
advanced to candidacy will not be considered as having
withdrawn from candidacy, provided that the student is
inducted, enlisted, or called to active duty during a
semester in which enrolled or not more than one semester
thereafter, and provided that the student enrolls for work
toward a degree within one calendar year of the date of
release from service.
Students who have been advanced to candidacy and absent
themselves from the University on educational leave will be
considered as not having withdrawn from candidacy for an
advanced degree, provided the terms of the educational leave
are fulfilled. Such students must reapply when returning to
the university, but the application fee will be waived.
A department or college recommends a student for advancement
to candidacy by forwarding a graduate student program for
approval to the college dean or director of graduate
studies or the Dean of Graduate Studies. After the
student's program has been processed and approved, a copy of
the completed student program and a letter advancing the
student to candidacy will be mailed to the candidate, with
copies filed with the department or college and the Office
of Enrollment Services.
A student must be enrolled in the semester or summer session
in which advancement to candidacy takes place, and this
must occur no later than one semester or summer session
prior to completion of course requirements. Normally, a
student is eligible and should file for advancement to
candidacy after completing six units of graduate coursework
for the graduate degree program with a 3.0 grade-point
average.
The minimum initial leave will be one full semester; the
maximum will be one calendar year. A student may request,
in writing, in advance, an extension of the leave. Under no
circumstances shall the total number of approved educational
leaves exceed two, nor shall the duration of approved
educational leaves extend beyond two calendar years.
Students returning from an approved educational leave are
required to submit an application form but will not be
required to pay another application fee. Students returning
from an absence for which an educational leave was
appropriate but not approved, in advance, must pay another
fee.
Graduate students who plan to enroll for credit at another
institution of higher education during the leave period
must obtain prior approval from the department graduate
advisor, department chair, and the college dean or designee
for the transfer of course credit to the student's program.
The period of an educational leave is counted in the
calculation of elapsed time under the regulations governing
the maximum period for completion of degree requirements
(seven years for graduate students).
For the period of an educational leave the student's rights
under the Election of Regulations rule are preserved,
maintaining the right of students to elect regulations as
if they had maintained continuous attendance.
Students who fail to enroll in two or more consecutive
semesters place themselves in jeopardy under the continuous
enrollment provisions of the election of regulations rules.
This includes the automatic loss of "advanced to candidacy
(candidate)" status. Moreover, students who break residency
and lose candidate status do not have a presumptive right
to reinstatement of their candidacy. These students will be
required to go through the process of readvancement.
An educational leave presupposes no expenditure of
University resources or faculty and staff time in behalf of
the student during the period of the leave. In addition, no
computer facilities, no library privileges, and no student
services are available to a student on educational leave.
Students may not enroll for courses in preparation for the
comprehensive examination or take the comprehensive
examination unless they have been advanced to candidacy for
the master's degree or unless advancement to candidacy will
occur in the semester in which the enrollment takes place.
During the first semester of residence, the graduate student
should ascertain from the faculty advisor what preparation
will be expected. Early in the final semester of study for
the degree, the candidate should contact the departmental
graduate advisor to make arrangements for taking the
examination. The department or college will notify the
Office of Enrollment Services whether the student has
passed or failed the final comprehensive examination. A
candidate who has failed will usually be allowed to take
the final comprehensive examination a second time, and the
departmental graduate advisor should be contacted for
specific procedures for the second attempt. To award a
candidate the master's degree for a particular semester,
the results of the comprehensive examination must be
reported to the Office of Enrollment Services prior to the
end of the semester.
Theses and projects submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for a graduate degree at this University shall
meet the following definitions established by the Trustees
of the CSU.
Students are responsible for understanding the definition of
a graduate thesis as outlined above and must follow the
format guidelines prescribed by the department in which the
thesis is completed.
Before agreeing to serve on a thesis committee, the
prospective members will review the thesis topic and
determine that they possess the requisite expertise to
serve on such a committee, and that sufficient resources and
materials exist and are reasonably available to the student
to support such a study.
Thesis committee members will review the research competence
of the thesis student before approving a thesis proposal.
Thesis committee members will advise and direct students in
their thesis work and ensure that the thesis meets the
standards and definition of a thesis specified above.
Thesis committee members will determine the grade to be
awarded for completion of the thesis; and by signing the
thesis signature page, thesis committee members certify
that they have determined that the thesis meets the
required standards of scholarship, format, and style of the
discipline.
When the thesis committee includes a thesis director who is
not the chair of the committee, this person may be
identified on the thesis approval page as "Thesis
Director."
Thesis committee chairs will determine that the student has
the proper preparation in terms of course work and research
skills to pursue the proposed thesis.
In departments where this function is not carried out by
graduate advisors, thesis committee chairs will advise the
student in the selection of other members for the thesis
committee, ensuring that the other members are appropriate
to the proposed thesis effort.
Thesis committee chairs will be the major contact point with
the student and will oversee the other committee members'
work with the student.
Thesis committee chairs will assure that the editorial and
format standards appropriate to the mechanical preparation
of a thesis are followed.
Thesis committee chairs will establish guidelines for the
student and timetables to be followed to ensure completion
of the thesis in a reasonable time.
Thesis committee chairs will arrange for the oral defense of
the thesis when required.
The thesis committee chair is responsible for canvassing the
committee and reporting the grade agreed upon by its
members. After the completed thesis has been reviewed by
the University thesis reviewer for conformance with
prescribed format criteria and the approval page has been
signed by the committee and by the dean, the final grade
will be submitted.
For purposes of determining eligibility to remain at the
University, both quality of performance and progress toward
the student's objective will be considered. Eligibility
will be determined by use of grade points and grade-point
average.
Students who are enrolled in a graduate degree program in
conditionally classified or classified standing will be
subject to academic probation if they fail to maintain an
overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 (as defined
earlier under General Regulations Governing the Master's
Degree) in all units attempted subsequent to admission to
the degree program.
Every graduate student who has been advanced to candidacy
must maintain an overall grade-point average of 3.0 and a
grade-point average of 3.0 in all courses applicable to the
degree. Candidacy for an advanced degree may be revoked if
a student's overall grade-point average falls below 3.0 at
any time. Students who become subject to dismissal from an
advanced degree program will be notified of the action
taken by the college associate dean for graduate studies or
the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Graduate or post-baccalaureate students will be subject to
disqualification if while on probation they fail to earn
sufficient grade points to be removed from probationary
status. Disqualification will bar a student from any further
enrollment at the campus.
A student on probation who, prior to the beginning of the
next term, fails to attain a cumulative grade-point average
of 2.5 on all units attempted at the University will be
disqualified.
A student who is disqualified because of scholastic
deficiency may petition the appropriate program authority
for readmission only after an absence of two semesters or
upon successful completion of summer session courses which
remove the grade-point deficiency.
Petitions for readmission must indicate the reason for
requesting readmission and must include a statement of any
academic work successfully completed since disqualification
or of any other activity which gives evidence in support of
the petitioner's belief that readmittance is warranted. An
application for admission and required transcripts, as well
as the petition, must be submitted to the Office of
Enrollment Services before the dates established by the
University for filing applications.
Grievance Procedures
The steps required in a grievance are available from the
Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies (SS/A 309).
For graduate students, courses at the 300/400/500/600/700
levels require "B" level proficiency to merit award of the
"CR" grade; at the 100/200 levels "C" level proficiency or
better is required for award of the "CR" grade.
The option of Credit/No Credit grading for graduate students
on 100/200/300/400-level courses is subject to specific
regulations of the individual departments regarding their
graduate students and regarding the authorization for this
option intrinsic to the approved course. Otherwise, no
limitation exists as to the number of courses taken under
this policy.
Any candidate for a master's degree who believes that
previous training has provided adequate preparation in a
certain area may request a waiver from the department
concerned.
A candidate may also apply for course credit by examination,
but only for prerequisite courses and not to satisfy any of
the requirements for the master's degree. Requests for such
examinations must be made to the department concerned and
approved by the department chair. Credit by examination is
restricted to courses published in the current CSULB
Catalog. Please see Credit by Examination in the General
Regulations section of this Catalog.
All course credit by examination will be recorded as CR
(Credit) and will not be included in calculation of
grade-point averages; such credit may not be used to remove
a grade of D or F in a course already attempted, nor may
course credit by examination be granted for any course
which is a prerequisite to one for which credit has already
been received.
Extension/continuing education credit may not be used to
reduce the minimum units required in a discipline for a
master's degree, that is, extension credit may be used to
complete coursework required outside the discipline. Excess
grade points earned in extension classes may not be used to
offset a grade-point deficiency in the total graduate
record.
Grades earned at another institution may not be used to
offset grade-point deficiencies in courses taken at this
University. However, grades of "C" earned at another
institution in courses transferred to satisfy subject matter
requirements for an advanced degree at this institution must
be balanced by grades of "A" at this University to meet the
required 3.0 (B) overall average.
Credit earned by correspondence or by examination cannot be
used to satisfy master's degree requirements.
Graduate students who wish to register for more than one
unit of credit per week of attendance during the summer
session must secure advance approval from the college
associate dean or director of graduate studies. Petition
forms and information may be obtained in the college
offices.
The Program
A student must consult with the graduate advisor of the
department or college to prepare a tentative degree
program. After completing prerequisites and other
requirements, the student must formulate an official student
program and apply for
The official student program, when approved, serves
as the basis for the Office of Enrollment Services' graduation
check which is required before the degree can be granted.
Students who have not been advanced to candidacy are
subject to all changes as published in the Catalog, Policy
Statements, and certifications.
Advancement to Candidacy
Advancement to candidacy is the next step after achieving
classified status
and signifies approval of a plan of
study by the student's major department and college or, for
Interdisciplinary Studies, the Dean of Graduate Studies. The
prerequisites to advancement to candidacy are:
Advancement to candidacy is to occur at least one
semester or summer session prior to the semester (session) in which
the student expects to graduate. It must occur prior to a
student filing the Request to Graduate form with the Office
of Enrollment Services. Filing deadlines are the same as
for baccalaureate degree candidates.
Election of Regulations
Graduate students advanced to candidacy will be held
responsible for the regulations governing master's degrees
in effect at the time of advancement or at the time the
last requirement for the degree is met, whichever is more
conducive to the student's course of study. A change in
master's degree objective or readmission to a graduate
degree program following withdrawal requires that a new
student program be filed under the current graduate policies
as published in the latest edition of the Catalog.
Educational Leave
Any registered student, undergraduate or graduate, in good
academic standing may request an Educational Leave.
Students requesting an Educational Leave shall complete an
Educational Leave Form in the semester before the leave is
effective, including an explanation of their reasons for
seeking the leave and a statement of when they intend to
resume academic work. The completed form is to be submitted
for approval to the student's department chair
(undergraduate) or graduate advisor.
Comprehensive Examination
Each department or college requiring a final comprehensive
examination determines the content of the examination. Such
examinations may be written or oral or both. A faculty
committee shall represent the department in preparing
questions, administering, and reading the examination.
Through the comprehensive examination, the faculty provides
an opportunity for the master's degree candidate to
demonstrate analytic ability and knowledge of the
discipline. Working with the department chair or dean of
the college and the appropriate committee, the departmental
graduate advisor usually assumes responsibility for
scheduling the examinations and for selecting the other
faculty members to participate.
Theses and Projects
A student may enroll for Thesis (course 698 or 699) only
when that student has been advanced to candidacy for the
degree or when advancement to candidacy will occur in the
semester of initial enrollment in Thesis.
Thesis Committees
A student's thesis committee shall consist of at least three
members qualified in the areas relating to the thesis. At
least two shall be full-time faculty members at CSULB, one
of whom must be a tenured or tenure-track. The chair of the
thesis committee, including the chair of a committee for an
interdisciplinary studies degree, must be tenured or
tenure-track faculty member from a department authorized to
offer a graduate degree. The thesis committee must be
approved by the appropriate department graduate advisor and
the college associate dean or director of graduate studies.
Normally the chair of the committee also serves as thesis
director, but this is not necessarily so. The thesis
director must be a person qualified in the specific area of
the thesis, but need not be a tenured or tenure-track
faculty member. The committee shall be responsible for the
guidance of the student throughout the thesis effort. Any
change in the composition of the committee requires
justification and must be approved by the appropriate
department graduate advisor and college associate dean or
director of graduate studies.
Thesis Committee Chairs
Thesis Reviewer
All theses must be acceptable for deposit in the University
Library. The thesis reviewer in the University Library
will verify that each thesis meets the format criteria
prescribed by the department or degree program and by the
University and that it meets all University procedural
requirements for theses. Students should consult the
University thesis reviewer for information, advice, and
assistance on the mechanics of preparing a completed thesis
and should purchase a copy of Master's Theses and Projects:
Guide to Style and Format (copies of this guide can also be
checked out from the reserve desk in the University
Library). The thesis reviewer also conducts periodic
workshops on how to prepare a thesis at CSULB.
Academic Probation and Disqualification
Graduate Students
Other Post-Baccalaureate Students
A conditionally unclassified student who fails to maintain a
cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 on all units
attempted at the University will be placed on probation.
Academic Credit
Credit/No Credit Grading
A graduate student may take courses at the 100/200/300/400
levels under the Credit/No Credit grading policy; however,
no course in which a grade of "CR" has been assigned may be
used to fulfill the requirements for a master's degree,
except that the grade of "CR" may be permitted for master's
theses or projects to a maximum of six units when the
individual department has specifically designated Credit/No
Credit grading for the thesis/project course in the
department and for field work, practicum, and/or internship
courses.
Waiver of Course Requirement and Credit by Examination
No waiver of course requirements or credit by examination
may be used to satisfy master's degree requirements.
However, the following rules govern course waivers or
credit by examination in satisfying prerequisites for
admission to candidacy in any master's degree program.
Graduate Transfer Units by Extension
At the option of the college or department offering an
advanced degree requiring a total of thirty units, up to
six units of approved extension/continuing education or
transfer credit is acceptable on graduate student programs.
At the option of the college or department offering a
graduate degree requiring a total of 30 units, this limit
may be raised to 9 units of extension/continuing education
credit if taken at CSULB. These limits may be increased
further for graduate degrees requiring more than 30 units
provided that (1) no graduate degree may be awarded by CSULB
unless at least 24 units are taken in residence, and (2) no
graduate student program may use either
extension/continuing education or transfer credit to satisfy
the requirement that at least 60 percent of the total units
be taken at the 500 and 600 levels. Extension courses
completed at campuses including California State University,
Long Beach shall be acceptable within the six-unit transfer
limit, provided the work can be properly evaluated and the
course is acceptable as graduate work for an equivalent
graduate degree on the campus where taught.
Extension/continuing education and transfer course material
shall be evaluated and approved by CSULB faculty teaching
in the topic area in conjunction with the department
graduate advisor and college associate dean or director of
graduate studies. Final approval/disapproval shall be the
responsibility of the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Graduate Studies 700
Registration in Graduate Studies 700 (GS 700) is restricted
to graduate students who have completed all other course
work and who have been advanced to candidacy, have
departmental and college approval, and require additional
utilization of University facilities to complete their
thesis or comprehensive
examination. Although no
unit credit is added to the student's program or transcript, the
course is considered as one unit of concurrent enrollment
credit for fee payment purposes. Students must be
registered either in a course or in GS 700 for every
semester in which they plan to use University facilities or
consult members of the faculty. Registration is also
required in winter or summer session if that is when a
student plans to graduate. Application forms are available
from and must be signed by department graduate advisors.
Students must be familiar with the rules governing
residency (see previous section on Advancement to
Candidacy).
Academic Load
Eight graduate-level units per semester is a normal academic
load for a full-time graduate student engaged in study
toward a master's degree. For purposes of calculating
"full-time enrollment" for graduate students, a weighting
factor of 1.5 is applied to each unit of enrollment in
graduate courses (500/600/700-courses). If a candidate
wishes to exceed this limit, it should be discussed with
the departmental graduate advisor. The maximum load for
graduate students working toward a master's degree is 16
units per semester. Students who are employed full-time
should not exceed six units per semester.
Honors
The Graduate Dean's List of University Scholars and Artists
The Graduate Dean's List provides for University recognition
of its most outstanding graduate students. Candidates for
this honor will normally have completed the coursework
applicable to their graduate student programs at the
University. The annual list is limited to one percent of the
University's graduate enrollment. Those honored will be
named in the Commencement Program and will receive a
certificate from the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Departmental Graduate Student Honors
In recognition of outstanding graduate student achievements,
departments may honor graduating master's degree candidates
by special recognition in the annual commencement
ceremonies. Departmental graduate student honors are
reserved throughout the University to two students (or a
maximum of ten percent) from a department. Departmental
graduate student honors are usually restricted to students
not otherwise recognized by University or college awards.
These honors are normally conferred for excellence in and
contributions to the discipline, including outstanding
seminar papers, artistic exhibitions, special achievements
in field work and in University committees and functions, as
well as participation in scholarly and professional
organizations resulting from student research.
Abridged from the 1995-1996 CSULB Catalog.