Graduate Degree Requirements, Policies, & Standards

Requirements for the Graduate Degree

To be granted a graduate degree, a student must have been classified, advanced to candidacy, and completed an approved program of study in an approved field. Requirements that apply to all programs follow. For specific requirements of particular programs, see the program descriptions in the departmental section of this catalog.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER’S DEGREE

General requirements for the master's degree program of study include:

• A minimum of 30 approved semester units, or more, as required by the particular program. Courses taken to satisfy prerequisite requirements are not included in the minimum of 30 required units.
• A minimum of 21 semester units in residence after admission to the program offering the degree. Transfer and CSUDH extension course work are not considered to be in residence.
• Maintaining continuous enrollment until graduation.
• A minimum of 70% of the total units toward the degree taken in graduate (500 level) courses. 300-level courses cannot be used unless the graduate program has obtained an exception from the University Curriculum Committee.
• A maximum of nine semester units of 500 level courses taken prior to admission.
• A maximum of six units for a thesis or project.
• A maximum of six units of independent study.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) in all courses counted toward the degree.
• All courses completed within the program’s time limit based on the date the degree is awarded. Courses taken more than eight years prior to the degree award date cannot be counted, without exception.
• Advancement to candidacy.
• Filing of the application for graduation by the application deadline.
• A culminating experience, which may be a thesis, a project, or a comprehensive examination as determined by the graduate program.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE Doctor of EDUCATION DEGREE

General requirements for the EDD degree program of study include:

• A minimum of 60 semester units earned in graduate standing.
• A minimum of 42 semester units in residence after admission to the program. Transfer and CSUDH extension course work are not considered to be in residence.
• Maintaining continuous enrollment until graduation.
• A minimum of 48 semester units taken in doctoral (600 or 700 level) courses. 400-level and lower courses cannot be used toward the EDD degree.
• A maximum of nine semester units of doctoral level research courses taken prior to admission.
• A maximum of 12 semester units for the dissertation.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) in all courses counted toward the degree.
• All courses completed within seven years of the date the degree is awarded. Courses taken more than eight years prior to the degree award date cannot be counted, without exception.
• Completion of the qualifying examination and advancement to candidacy.
• Completion of the doctoral dissertation, which includes the dissertation proposal defense, the oral dissertation defense, and production of the written dissertation.
• Filing of the application for graduation by the application deadline.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DOCTORATE DEGREE

General requirements for the OTD degree program of study include:

• A minimum of 100 semester units earned in graduate standing.
• A minimum of 65% of the total semester units taken in residence after admission to the program. Transfer and CSUDH extension course work are not considered to be in residence.
• Maintaining continuous enrollment until graduation.
• A minimum of 60% of the total semester units taken in doctoral (600 or 700 level) courses. 400-level and lower courses cannot be used toward the OTD degree.
• A maximum of 18 semester units of graduate courses taken prior to admission.
• A maximum of 15 semester units for the doctoral capstone project.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) in all courses counted toward the degree. Courses with a grade of C or below will not be counted toward the degree.
• All courses completed within seven years of the date the degree is awarded. Courses taken more than eight years prior to the degree award date cannot be counted, without exception.
• Advancement to candidacy.
• Completion of the doctoral capstone project.
• Filing of the application for graduation by the application deadline.

The approved program of study is valid as long as the student maintains continuous enrollment in regular semesters at the University.

ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY

Advancement to candidacy recognizes that the student has demonstrated the ability to sustain a level of scholarly competency commensurate with successful completion of degree requirements. Upon advancement to candidacy, the student is cleared for the final stages of the graduate program which, in addition to any remaining course work, will include the thesis or dissertation, project, or comprehensive examination.

Following are the requirements for Advancement to Candidacy:

• A minimum of 15 units
• Classified graduate standing
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above in all courses taken toward the graduate degree
• No grade lower than a "C" in the degree program
• For doctoral students, completion of the qualifying examination or assessment

Advancement to candidacy must be certified by the program’s department and communicated to the Office of Graduate Studies office in the semester after the student first qualifies for advancement to candidacy.

COMPLETION OF REQUIREMENTS AND AWARD OF THE DEGREE

The graduate degree is awarded upon the satisfactory completion of all state and university requirements, the specific requirements for the particular program, and the recommendation of the appropriate faculty advisor and Graduate Program Director.

CULMINATING EXPERIENCE

All graduate degree programs require a culminating experience as defined in CSU EP&R 82-39. This experience may be a thesis or dissertation, project, or comprehensive exam. At the discretion of the graduate program, students may be permitted to switch their culminating experience selection (e.g., from a comprehensive exam to a thesis, or vice versa).

Theses and Dissertations

Education doctoral students must meet the dissertation requirements set by the doctoral program. Consult the program director for details.

All graduate students who undertake a thesis as their culminating experience for a master's degree must follow the procedures outlined the CSUDH Thesis Guide, available online at the Graduate Studies website.

Master's students may enroll in the thesis course for a maximum of six units. The credit allowed for the thesis course varies, and students should read their graduate program description for specific information.

Creative and Applied Projects

A creative or applied project is not sufficient in itself to meet the requirement of a culminating activity. Although the content and structure are more flexible for a creative or applied project than for a thesis, they must consist of two distinct components: (a) the project itself, and (b) an explanation of the project presented in a scholarly framework. Like a thesis, the culminating project requires graduate-level writing incorporating original scholarship concerning areas important to the discipline.

Occupational therapy doctoral students must meet the capstone project requirements set by the doctoral program. Consult the program director for details.

Master’s projects may be presented in any of a variety of appropriate media, including but not limited to digital media, videocassettes, CDs, audio cassettes, slides, kits, ring binders, and book-type materials. The scholarly framework introduces, justifies, and validates the applied or creative project and discusses the project’s relationship to previous scholarly activity in the field. The committee chair should be consulted early in the process of planning the project to ensure that the required elements are included in the scholarly framework. Students pursuing culminating projects are encouraged to consult the "Thesis and Project Guide," but are not obligated to conform to this format unless required by their specific graduate program.

Master's students may enroll in the culminating project course for a maximum of six units; doctoral students may enroll for a maximum of 15 units. The credit allowed for the project course varies, and students should read their graduate program description for specific information.

Comprehensive Exams

A comprehensive examination is a written assessment of the student's ability to integrate the knowledge of the area, show critical and independent thinking, demonstrate mastery of the subject matter, and demonstrate writing skills commensurate with the granting of the master’s degree. The comprehensive examination is equivalent in rigor to the thesis. A record of the examination questions and responses shall be maintained in accordance with the records retention policy of the California State University.

Given the above criteria, all comprehensive exams must include an essay portion that comprises at least 50% of the examination.

In the case where comprehensive exams are divided into separate components, such as by course or topic, each program shall inform students in writing as to how each section will be graded and what the retake policy will be for the exam.

To meet the requirements of the culminating experience and qualify for the master’s degree, a student who has selected the comprehensive exam must obtain a passing score or grade on the comprehensive exam in the semester in which it is attempted.

ELIGIBILITY TO TAKE THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM

Students must have met all requirements for advancement to candidacy. Additionally:

• Students must be in good academic standing, defined as a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 for all post-baccalaureate work, whether part of the degree program or not.
• For 30-36 unit master's degrees, all course work must have been previously completed or will be completed concurrently in the semester the exam is taken. Students completing course work in the summer session are not eligible to take the comprehensive exam in the spring semester.
• For master's degrees that require more than 36 units, students may take the exam one semester prior to completion of the program provided a substantial amount of course work has been completed. Each program will establish uniform requirements for eligibility to take the exam and shall make these requirements available to students in writing. A copy of the requirements shall be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies.
• Student's eligibility to take the examination must be verified by the Graduate Program Director.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE EXAM

Comprehensive exams must be administered within the six weeks preceding the last day of scheduled final exams in the fall or spring semesters.

LENGTH OF THE EXAM

The written portion of the comprehensive exam shall not be less than four hours.

SCORING OF THE EXAM

Each reading of the comprehensive exam will be double-blind, i.e., the student’s identity will not be known to the readers, and the readers' identities will not be revealed to students.

Each exam will be scored by no less than two readers. If two readers read the exam and disagree on the pass/fail score or grade, a third reader shall read the exam under the same blind conditions prescribed for the original reading.

RETAKING THE EXAM

Students who fail the comprehensive exam and choose to retake it will take the exam at a regularly scheduled session (e.g., the following semester).

Students who retake the exam shall take the exam in its current format, regardless of the format of the original exam.

Application for Graduation

Master's and doctoral degree candidates should file for graduation in accordance with the following schedule:

Application for Graduation

Graduation Term	Regular Deadline	Late Deadline
Fall Semester	July 1	September 15
Spring Semester	October 1	Last day of fall semester
Summer Session	February 1	April 15

If the above dates fall on a weekend or holiday, the deadline will be at the close of business on the previous working day.

If all degree requirements are not completed during the term of the application, a Change of Graduation Date form must be filed giving the new term of degree completion together with the appropriate fee.

Graduate Commencement Exercises

Commencement Ceremonies are held at the end of each spring semester.  Students who have completed their degree requirements in the previous fall semester, and those who will complete their course work in the spring or summer semesters, are eligible to participate in the Commencement Ceremony. Students must apply for one of these graduation terms by April 15th to ensure that their name will appear in the Commencement Program.

After a student applies for graduation, a Commencement Participation link will be available in their student portal under “Important Student Links.” Students must register through this link by April 15th to participate in the Spring Commencement Ceremony.

Dates are subject to change and will be updated on the Commencement website. Diplomas will be mailed to students after verification that all academic requirements have been completed.

Policies & Standards 

Policies and Standards for Graduate Enrollment

Residency Requirement

At least 70% of the semester units of approved coursework required for the graduate degree must be completed in residence at CSUDH (65% for OTD students). A student is considered to be in residence when they have been admitted to the university and to the graduate program and are registered in regular or special sessions courses at CSUDH. Approved units earned in summer sessions may be substituted for regular semester unit requirements on a unit for unit basis. Extension coursework may not be used to fulfill the minimum residence requirement.

Continuous Enrollment Requirement

A student with a graduate degree objective must maintain continuous enrollment, defined as enrollment in regular or special session courses each fall and spring semester of the academic year. Students who have completed the maximum number of units required for the degree but are completing their culminating activity may enroll in regular university courses or in a specially designated 600-level course. Students must have program permission to enroll in the 600-level course. If they choose to enroll in regular university courses, students must continue to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 in all courses taken until the degree is granted. Students should check with their graduate program to determine whether there are any limits on the number of semesters in which they can enroll in the 600-level course.

Graduate students who fail to maintain continuous enrollment are considered to have interrupted their residency and must reapply to the university; such students will be subject to any new requirements of the university or program. Students who break continuous enrollment are not guaranteed readmission to the program, and if readmitted, lose their residency credit (courses they may apply to the degree) and their catalog rights. Loss of residency units means there is no guarantee that more than 9 units of previous course work may apply to the degree requirements upon readmission to the program.

Students who break continuous enrollment may petition to the College Dean for reinstatement of residency units. Serious and compelling reasons for breaking enrollment must be demonstrated. If the petition is denied by the Dean, the student may request a hearing from the Graduate Council.

Planned Educational Leave for Graduate Students

Graduate students in good academic standing may request a Planned Educational Leave for personal, educational, financial, medical, or other reasons to avoid a break in continuous enrollment. Students are eligible to apply for a Planned Educational Leave if they:

• Completed at least one semester of coursework at CSUDH (fall or spring)
• Previously earned units at CSUDH
• Have not applied to graduate in the semester of the requested leave
• Are not enrolled in classes at any CSU in the semester of the requested leave
• Have not been academically disqualified or had a previous break in enrollment

Although reasons for seeking a planned leave may vary, all applicants should intend to return to formal study within a specified time period.

To apply for a Planned Educational Leave, the student must be a conditionally classified or classified graduate student with a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Application for the leave must be filed with the appropriate Graduate Program Director at least one week before University Census for the semester during which the leave is to begin and should be accompanied by appropriate documentation.

Students may request Planned Educational Leave for a minimum duration of one semester up to a maximum duration of one calendar year. Under compelling circumstances, a student may request, in writing and in advance, an extension of an approved leave. The total number of approved Planned Educational Leaves may not exceed two, and the combined duration of Planned Educational Leaves may not total more than two calendar years.

The Planned Educational Leave is approved at the discretion of the student's Graduate Program Director. Approval of a student's leave application constitutes agreement by the University that the student will be temporarily exempted from the continuous enrollment requirement as long as the student meets the conditions specified in the approved leave application. Students who do not return to the University at the conclusion of their planned leave will be considered to have withdrawn from the University at the end of their last semester of regular enrollment at CSU Dominguez Hills.

Approval of a planned leave does not constitute an extension of the time period for completing all course work and other requirements for the master's degree.

A student with an approved Planned Educational Leave shall be classified as "on leave" and shall not be considered a regularly enrolled student. Therefore, the student is not entitled to the campus services normally provided to enrolled students, except that the student may confer with their academic advisor and others regarding leave activity and plans for re-enrollment.

Each student with an approved Planned Educational Leave will have an entry made on their student record indicating that the student is on leave. The dates of the beginning and conclusion of the leave will also be recorded.

Full-Time Status

The designation of enrollment as “part-time” or “full-time” varies by University office. Graduate students are considered to be full-time students during any semester in which they are enrolled in:

More than six units of graduate courses for the purposes of calculating student fees; and

Eight or more units of graduate courses for the purposes of being recognized as a full-time student by the University.

However, eligible graduate students may receive full financial aid packages during semesters when they are enrolled in at least four units of graduate program courses. Please consult Financial Aid for more information.

Intrasystem and Intersystem Enrollment Programs

Fully matriculated students enrolled at any CSU have access to courses at other CSUs on a space available basis unless those universities/programs are impacted. This access is offered without students being required to be admitted formally to the host university and in most cases without paying additional fees. Students should consult their home university academic advisors to determine how such courses may apply to their specific degree programs before enrolling at the host university.

There are two programs for enrollment within the CSU and one for enrollment between CSU and the University of California. Additional information about these programs is available from the Registrar's Office.

CSU Fully Online Courses – Matriculated students in good standing may request enrollment in one course per term, offered by a CSU host university. Enrollment requests will be granted based on available space, as well as completion of any stated prerequisites. Credit earned at the host university is electronically reported to the student’s home university to be included on the student’s transcript at the home university.

CSU Visitor Enrollment – Matriculated students in good standing enrolled at one CSU may enroll at another CSU for one term. Credit earned at the host university is reported at the student’s request to the home university to be included on the student’s transcript at the home university.

Intersystem Cross Enrollment – Matriculated CSU or UC graduate students may enroll on a “space available” basis for one course per term at another CSU or UC campus and request that a transcript of record be sent to the home university.

These programs do not apply to students seeking degrees concurrently at two different California State University (CSU) campuses or with a UC or CCC. Financial aid and scholarships are tied to enrollment status at a single institution. Students cannot receive financial aid at two universities at the same time. The CSU system does not have a policy that explicitly addresses seeking degrees concurrently at more than one CSU campus. However, the general practice is that students are expected to be enrolled at a single CSU campus at a time, unless through CSU Concurrent Enrollment or a pre-approved agreement between the two CSU campuses.

Policies and Standards for Graduate Scholastic Achievement

Advisors and Program Faculty

All graduate degree programs have a Graduate Program Director designated to give overall supervision for the graduate program. In many instances, the Graduate Program Director also serves as the student's advisor. The program faculty are responsible for all major recommendations to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research regarding the student's achievement of classified standing, advancement to candidacy, and completion of the graduate degree.

It is the responsibility of the student to arrange appointments for advisement and other information in the office of the academic unit offering the degree program. At a minimum, students should obtain advisement at the following critical times in their academic program:

1. prior to or during the first semester;
2. at the time of advancement to candidacy;
3. at the time of applying for graduation.

It is the student's responsibility to follow the procedures as outlined in this catalog to ensure timely progress toward the degree and to ensure compliance with all policies and regulations pertaining to the granting of the graduate degree.

Prerequisites

The grade point average required in prerequisite courses varies according to the particular program. See specific program requirements in the program sections of this catalog.

Grade Point Average

The grade point average at CSUDH is computed on a 4-point scale. A specified number of grade points is associated with each grade listed in the "Grades and Grade Points" section. Credit/No Credit ("CR/NC") grades have no grade point value and are not calculated in the grade point average.

The total grade points are calculated by multiplying the number of grade points associated with the grade assigned by the number of units for each class. The grade point average is computed by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of units attempted.

To remain in good academic standing, a student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, maintain a 3.0 GPA in all courses used to fulfill graduation requirements, and make successful progress toward the degree. For some graduate programs, a grade of “B” (3.0) or higher is required in some or all courses.

For graduation, the grade point average of 3.0 is calculated on all courses used to fulfill the master’s degree program. No course with a grade lower than a "C" will be applied to the degree program. No student on academic academic notice may be granted a master's degree.

Graduate students may repeat courses; however, the two grades will be averaged into the total grade point average. Unit credit for the courses will be be granted only once, and courses may be repeated only once.

Scholastic Notice and Disqualification

Academic notice and Disqualification

Graduate students are placed on academic notice if they fail to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 across all postbaccalaureate units attempted. If they do not bring their grade point average up to 3.0 in the following semester in residence, they are subject to disqualification from the program in which they are enrolled. Some students may be able to avoid disqualification one time if their department offers a study plan that is approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

Students who have been disqualified for academic deficiency will be withdrawn from their degree program and may not enroll in any courses offered by the University other than those offered by Open University through Extended Education.

Administrative-Academic notice

A graduate student may be placed on administrative-academic notice by action of appropriate campus officials for any of the following reasons:

1. Withdrawal from all or a substantial portion of a program of study in two successive terms or in any three terms.
2. Repeated failure to progress toward the stated degree objective or other program objective, when such failure appears to be due to circumstances within the control of the student.
3. Failure to comply with an academic requirement or regulation that is routine for all students or for a defined group of students (for example, failure to take placement tests, failure to complete a required internship, etc.).

When such action is taken, the student shall be notified in writing and shall be provided with the conditions for removal from academic notice and the circumstances that would lead to disqualification should academic notice not be removed.

Administrative-Academic Disqualification

A student who has been placed on administrative-academic notice may be disqualified and withdrawn from the graduate program for any of the following reasons:

1. The conditions for removal of administrative-academic notice are not met within the period specified.
2. The student becomes subject to academic notice while on administrative-academic notice.
3. The student becomes subject to administrative-academic notice for the same or similar reason they were previously placed on administrative-academic notice, even if the first notice was successfully remediated.

When such action is taken, the student shall receive written notification including an explanation of the basis for the action.

Reinstatement of Academically Disqualified Students

The reinstatement of an academically disqualified graduate student is by special action only. Students must submit a Petition for Reinstatement, available on the Graduate Studies and Research website or in the Graduate Studies office. Students cannot apply for readmission through the Cal State Apply process.

Students will only be considered for reinstatement after a minimum of one-semester non-attendance following academic disqualification. Approval of reinstatement is partially based on evidence that the causes of previous low achievement have been removed or resolved. At minimum, Petitions for Reinstatement must include a Statement of Low Achievement that explains, in detail, how the causes of low achievement have been corrected and what plans are in place to ensure future academic success. Students may choose to provide supplemental evidence, which could include, but is not limited to, transcripts of coursework completed after disqualification, medical testimony, and/or other objective evidence.

To prove their academic ability, academically disqualified graduate students may also complete courses through CSUDH Open University or at other regionally accredited academic institutions. Reinstated students are not guaranteed to receive content credit for coursework completed during disqualification. Grades earned elsewhere will not reduce the CSUDH grade-point deficiency or change the CSUDH grade-point average; grades earned elsewhere serve only as indicators of academic ability. Units earned will not be counted towards university residency requirements. Successful completion of coursework does not guarantee reinstatement to the University or to the graduate program from which the student was disqualified.

Students who have been disqualified from a master's degree program may be admitted to another degree program on the recommendation of the department concerned and with the approval of the appropriate College Dean and the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

Petitions for Reinstatement and supplemental attachments should be submitted to the Graduate Program Director of the disqualifying program. Submission deadlines are as follows:

Petitions for Reinstatement Submission Deadlines

Reinstatement Deadlines

Reinstatement Term	Submission Deadlines
Fall Semester	May 31
Spring Semester	December 15
Summer Semester	Not Accepted

The University reserves the right to request additional information from the student regarding their Petition for Reinstatement. Students will be notified of the reinstatement decision in writing by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research approximately 4 – 6 weeks after submitting the petition. Decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

If the Petition for Reinstatement is approved, the student will have to agree to the terms and/or conditions identified by the program. Graduate students are restricted to a maximum of one reinstatement after academic disqualification.

Election of Curriculum (Catalog Rights)

A student maintaining continuous enrollment in regular or special sessions and continuing in the same program may elect to meet the degree requirements in effect either at the time of entering the program or at the time of completion of degree requirements. Students with a break in enrollment, whether due to voluntary departure without an approved Planned Educational Leave, previous academic disqualification, or other lapse in continuous enrollment do not have catalog rights to their initial admission semester and must elect to meet the requirements in effect at either their time of readmission/reinstatement or time of degree completion.

Credit for Prior Learning

In accordance with California State University Executive Order 1036, academic credit may be earned from (1) examinations, (2) learning, skills, and knowledge acquired through experience, (3) learning acquired outside formal higher education and/or (4) education, training and service provided by the Armed Forces of the United States. Consult your graduate program for further information.

Time Limit for Completion

All requirements for the master's degree, including all course work in the student's approved program of study, must be completed within five years unless a time limit of seven years is noted in the program’s section of the University Catalog. This time limit commences with the semester of the earliest course used toward the student's program of study.

Outdated Course Work

Students are expected to complete all required coursework and the culminating thesis, project, or examination for the master's degree within five years (or seven years if permitted by the program). Outdated coursework must be repeated or validated. Copies of the Petition for Validation of Outdated Course Work may be obtained from the Graduate Studies and Research office and must be approved by the graduate program director. Students must submit the petition during the expected term of graduation.

Validated coursework shall not exceed 25% of the units required for the degree program (e.g., 8 units for a 30-unit program).

Outdated transfer coursework from other colleges or universities is not eligible for validation.

Coursework that exceeds seven years by no more than one academic year may be eligible for validation at the discretion of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research; beyond that time limit, coursework cannot be validated.

Enrollment in Graduate Courses by Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students in their final year may petition to take two graduate courses that are not used to fulfill the requirements for the bachelor's degree. Approval must be obtained from the appropriate Graduate Program Director prior to registration in order to receive graduate credit for courses taken in the senior year. Petitions are available in the Records and Registration office.