Postbaccalaureate Requirements, Policies, & Standards

Requirements for the Postbaccalaureate Credential or Certificate

Completion of REQUIREMENTS AND AWARD OF Postbaccalaureate Credential or Certificate

The postbaccalaureate credential or certificate is awarded upon the satisfactory completion of all state and university requirements and the specific requirements for the particular credential or certificate. The awarding of postbaccalaureate credentials and certificates is managed by the department offering the credential or certificate program. Please contact the specific program for more information about obtaining confirmation that a credential or certificate has been earned.

Policies and Standards for Postbaccalaureate Enrollment

Continuous Enrollment Requirement

A student with a postbaccalaureate certificate or credential objective who is not simultaneously pursuing a graduate degree may elect to be absent for one semester without losing eligibility for re-registration, subject to the following conditions:

1. Registration access will not be provided to students who were scholastically disqualified following their most recent semester of attendance at CSUDH.
2. Students who attend another college or university during an absence from CSUDH must file an application for admission as a returning student and must have official transcripts of work attempted sent to the Office of Admissions. The non-refundable $70 application fee is required.
3. Absence due to an approved Planned Educational Leave shall not be considered an interruption in attendance.

Postbaccalaureate students who are absent for more than one semester without an approved Planned Educational Leave are considered to have withdrawn from their program and must reapply to the university; such students will be subject to any new requirements of the university or program. Students have withdrawn are not guaranteed readmission to the program, and if readmitted, lose their previous catalog rights.

Planned Educational Leave for Postbaccalaureate Students

Postbaccalaureate 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 exceeding one semester. 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
• Are not enrolled in classes at any CSU in the semester of the requested leave
• Have not been academically disqualified

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 postbaccalaureate student with a grade point average of 2.5 or better. Application for the leave must be filed with the appropriate Program Director or Department Chair 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 Program Director or Department Chair. 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.

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.

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 postbaccalaureate 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.

Policies and Standards for Postbaccalaureate Scholastic Achievement

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.

Postbaccalaureate Academic Standards

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 2.5 or higher, maintain a 2.5 GPA in all courses used to fulfill the program requirements, and make successful progress toward the certificate or credential.

To earn the certificate or credential, the grade point average of 2.5 is calculated on all courses used to fulfill the program requirements. No course with a grade lower than a "C" will be applied to the postbaccalaureate program. No student on academic notice may be granted a postbaccalaureate certificate or credential.

Scholastic Notice and Disqualification

Academic notice and Disqualification

Postbaccalaureate students are placed on academic notice if they fail to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 across all postbaccalaureate units attempted. If they do not bring their grade point average up to 2.5 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 certificate or credential program and may not enroll in any courses offered by the University other than those offered by Open University through the College of Continuing and Professional Education.

Administrative-Academic notice

A postbaccalaureate 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 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 administrative-academic notice and the circumstances that would lead to disqualification should administrative-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 certificate or credential 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 a written notification, including an explanation of the basis for the action.

Reinstatement of Academically Disqualified Students

The reinstatement of an academically disqualified postbaccalaureate 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 a 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 postbaccalaureate 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 certificate or credential program from which the student was disqualified.

Students who have been disqualified from a postbaccalaureate program may be admitted to another postbaccalaureate 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 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. Postbaccalaureate students are restricted to a maximum of one reinstatement after academic disqualification.

Election of Curriculum (Catalog Rights)

A postbaccalaureate 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 greater than one semester, 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 program 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 specific certificate or credential program for further information.