Graduate Degree Requirements

University Writing Requirement

Students working toward a graduate degree are required to demonstrate writing skills that meet or surpass undergraduate proficiencies appropriate to the discipline. Graduate students fulfill the requirement prior to the award of the degree by completing one of the following:

1. an upper-division writing requirement at any California State University campus;
2. an upper-division course, with a grade of C (2.0) or better, at another university equivalent to a course that meets the Cal State Fullerton requirement. Equivalence must be certified by the academic unit responsible for the student’s academic work and by the Office of Graduate Studies;
3. upper-division or graduate-level course(s) certified as meeting the writing requirement and approved by the department or program responsible for the student’s academic work. The grade received must be a C (2.0) or better;
4. a minimum score of 4.0 on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Writing Assessment Test; a minimum score of 4.0 on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) Analytical Writing Assessment; or by passing a standardized writing proficiency exam, such as the Examination in Writing Proficiency (EWP), as approved by the Office of Graduate Studies and as established by a department or program as meeting their writing requirement;
5. by completing a written thesis, dissertation or other written project that serves as the approved culminating experience for the student’s graduate program. Requirements for format and language should be specific to the discipline as determined by the academic unit.

Departments and programs may, at their discretion and with approval of the Graduate Education Committee, establish additional writing requirements for their graduate students, subject to confirmation by the Office of Graduate Studies. For further information, students should consult their departmental graduate program adviser.

Study Plan

A Study Plan must be filed with the Office of Graduate Studies before 13 units of Study Plan coursework have been completed at Cal State Fullerton toward a graduate degree.

Requirements for Master’s Degree

General requirements for all master’s degree Study Plans include the following:

1. a minimum of 30 approved semester units (some programs require more);
2. at least 21 semester units must be taken in residence (for programs requiring 42 or more units, at least half the units must be taken in residence. Transfer credits and Cal State Fullerton extension credits are not residence units);
3. only 400- and 500-level courses may be used on the Study Plans (not all 400-level courses are approved for Study Plans). A graduate student enrolled in a 400-level course that has been approved for graduate credit will be required to complete additional assignments as determined by the instructor. University policy does not allow 300-level courses on graduate Study Plans;
4. normally 70 percent of all Study Plan courses will be at the 500-level (with prior approval, upon the recommendation of the Graduate Education Committee, programs may permit students to include up to 50 percent of coursework at the 400-level);
5. no more than nine units of post-baccalaureate work taken at Cal State Fullerton prior to admission to an approved graduate program;
6. no more than six semester units shall be allowed for a thesis or project;
7. maximum of six semester units of independent study;
8. no courses taken to satisfy prerequisite requirements;
9. no correspondence courses and/or credit by examination;
10. no courses with non-traditional grades (e.g., CR, S, P, AU) unless the course has been approved for such grading;
11. each course on the Study Plan must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better; some programs require a grade higher than C (2.0) in specific coursework;
12. a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (B) in all courses attempted to satisfy requirements for the degree;
13. completion of all Study Plan courses within 10 consecutive semesters (five years) or 14 consecutive semesters (seven years) with approved extension (the time limit starts with the earliest course listed on the Study Plan);
14. all courses must be taken after completion of the baccalaureate (or postgraduate credit granted);
15. no courses credited toward another degree; and
16. a final evaluation, which may be a thesis, a project, a comprehensive examination, a combination of project and exam, or a combination of thesis and exam.

Requirements for Ed.D.

General requirements for all Study Plans for the Ed.D. include the following:

1. a minimum of 60 approved semester units;
2. at least 48 units must be taken in residence (transfer credits and Cal State Fullerton extension credits are not residence units);
3. only 600-level courses may be used on the Study Plan;
4. no more than 12 semester units shall be allowed for a dissertation;
5. maximum of six semester units of independent study;
6. no courses taken to satisfy prerequisite requirements;
7. no correspondence courses and/or credit by examination;
8. no courses with non-traditional grades (e.g., CR, S, P, AU) unless the course has been approved for such grading;
9. each course on the Study Plan must be completed with a grade of B- or better;
10. a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (B) in all courses attempted to satisfy requirements for the degree;
11. completion of all Study Plan courses within 10 consecutive semesters (five years) or 14 consecutive semesters (seven years) with approved extension (the time limit starts with the earliest course listed on the Study Plan);
12. no courses credited toward another degree; and
13. a dissertation as a final evaluation.

Requirements for DNP

General requirements for all Study Plans for the DNP include the following:

1. from 36 to 48 approved semester units, with 36 being the minimum. For the Nurse Anesthesia concentration, 110 units are required;
2. at least 30 units must be taken in residence. For the Nurse Anesthesia concentration, at least 88 units must be taken in residence (transfer credits and Cal State Fullerton extension credits are not residence units);
3. only 500- or 600-level courses may be used on the Study Plan;
4. no more than nine semester units shall be used for the doctoral project;
5. maximum of six semester units of independent study;
6. no courses taken to satisfy prerequisite requirements;
7. no correspondence courses and/or credit by examination;
8. no courses with non-traditional grades (e.g., CR, S, P, AU) unless the course has been approved for such grading;
9. each course on the Study Plan must be completed with a grade of B- (2.7) or higher. A higher minimum grade may be required for some specific courses. For the Nurse Anesthesia concentration, all Study Plan courses must be completed with a  grade of B (3.0) or higher;
10. a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (B) in all courses attempted to satisfy requirements for the degree;
11. completion of all Study Plan courses within 10 consecutive semesters (five years) or 14 consecutive semesters (seven years) with approved extension (the limit starts with the earliest course listed on the Study Plan);
12. no courses credited toward another degree; and
13. a doctoral project as final evaluation.

The approved Study Plan is valid as long as the student maintains continuous enrollment in regular semesters at the university; otherwise it is necessary to reapply and meet any changes or additional requirements approved in the interim.

Culminating Experience Guidelines

Each master’s program requires a final evaluation (culminating experience) that marks the end of the graduate program: a thesis, a project, a comprehensive examination or a combination of project and exam, or a combination of thesis and exam. An oral presentation is strongly encouraged. Ed.D. students are required to write a dissertation and complete an oral defense. DNP students are required to write a doctoral project and complete an oral defense.

Through culminating experiences, individual students demonstrate mastery of disciplinary materials. Because these demonstrations of mastery are specific to individual students, dissertations, theses, projects, performances, exhibitions and comprehensive examinations shall be composed of individual student work, unless more than one culminating experience is required in the program.

Individual student work shall include exhibitions in which individual work is clearly identified but displayed alongside the work of others. Individual student work shall also include accompanied artistic performances, or performances rendered in ensemble, in which individual student performances are clearly identifiable. In programs that require more than one culminating experience, at least one culminating experience must be based on individual student work.

Students whose programs require a culminating experience that is undertaken in groups (e.g., for the MBA) shall receive an individual assessment based on a component of the work identifiable as authored or created by each individual student.

Election of Curriculum

A student remaining in continuous attendance in regular semesters and continuing in the same curriculum may elect to meet the degree requirements in effect either at the time of entering the curriculum or at the time of completion of degree requirements, except that substitution for discontinued courses may be approved by the graduate program adviser.

Changes in Study Plan

If a classified graduate student needs to make a change in the approved Study Plan, a request should be made to the student’s departmental graduate program adviser. Requests must be made prior to registration for any coursework to be substituted or added. No course may be removed from the Study Plan after a student has taken it. Forms which may be used to file a request for change in Study Plan are available from graduate program advisers, in the Office of Graduate Studies, or at fullerton.edu/graduate/current_students/forms.php.

Changes in Study Plans may also be required because of outdated coursework or grade-point average deficiencies (see “Time Limit for Completion” and “Graduate Academic Standards”).

Time Limit for Completion

All requirements for the graduate degree, including all coursework on the student’s Study Plan, normally should be completed within five years. This time limit begins with the semester of the earliest course used on the student’s Study Plan and consists of a total of 10 consecutive semesters. When individual circumstances warrant, this time limit may be extended for up to two years (four additional consecutive semesters).

A student may request an extension of the 10-semester time limit by filing a petition with the Office of Graduate Studies. The petition must contain a full explanation of the circumstances that prevented completion of the degree requirements within the normal five-year limit and must be approved (signed) by the graduate program adviser, the chair of the appropriate graduate committee and the associate vice president for academic programs (or designee). Approvals for extension must be obtained prior to the expiration of the five-year limit.

Outdated Master’s Degree Courses

Outdated coursework (coursework older than the student’s approved time limit; i.e., five or seven years for the master’s degree) must be repeated. However, a maximum of nine units of coursework may be exempt from repetition if the course content can be validated. Validation is allowed at the discretion of the graduate program adviser, the academic unit offering the subject course and the associate vice president for academic programs (or designee). Copies of the “Petition for Validating Outdated Coursework” may be obtained from the Office of Graduate Studies or website.

Validation must be accomplished by passing a written comprehensive test of the materials covered by the course being validated or by some equivalent method with prior approval of both the graduate program adviser and the associate vice president for academic programs (or designee). Courses completed more than 10 years prior to the completion of requirements for the degree are not eligible for validation. Any outdated coursework that cannot be validated either because of a denial of the petition or because it is in excess of the nine units allowed for validation must be repeated or updated through enrollment in additional Study Plan coursework. If coursework is repeated or additional coursework is required, those units and grades will be added to the Study Plan.

Outdated transfer coursework cannot be validated.

Advisers and Committees

University policy provides that each student’s program for the master’s degree shall be under the guidance of an adviser and for some programs, a thesis or project committee as well. Each doctoral student will have a dissertation committee. A graduate program adviser is designated in each department or program to give overall supervision for the graduate program. In some departments, the graduate program adviser also serves as the individual student’s adviser. Policies and procedures related to graduate committees are available in the Office of Graduate Studies.

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. As a minimum, the student should obtain advisement 1) either prior to or during the first semester of attendance, 2) when requesting classified standing and 3) when applying for a graduation check prior to the final semester.

It is advisable for the student to maintain a personal file of transcripts and other evidence of grades and achievements, and to have these documents available whenever seeking advisement.

Graduation

A student who has been granted classified standing becomes a candidate for graduation after a graduation check request is submitted and the fee is paid for graduation by the student and an affirmative recommendation is made by the graduate program adviser. An overall minimum graduate grade-point average of 3.0 (B) for all 400-, 500- and 600-level coursework attempted subsequent to admission to a degree program, including all transfer work and previous coursework approved for use in the graduate career, and an overall minimum grade-point average of 3.0 for all Study Plan coursework is required. Other scholastic, professional and personal standards, the passing of examinations, and other qualifications, may be required.

Completion of Requirements and Award of Degree

Deadlines

All coursework for the degree, except final course examinations, must be submitted by the last day of classes, in order to assure granting of the degree by the end of the semester or session. The degree is awarded upon the satisfactory completion of all state and university requirements, as well as the specific requirements approved on the student’s graduate Study Plan. Award of the degree also requires the recommendation of the appropriate graduate program adviser and committee, the approval of the faculty, and the approval of the associate vice president for academic programs (or designee).

If a dissertation or thesis is required, it must be completed according to instructions shown under the ”Dissertations, Theses and Projects ” section. Specific deadlines are listed each semester on the Office of Graduate Studies website.

Applying for Graduation

Students must apply for a graduation check and pay the graduation and diploma fee prior to the deadline.

The last date to file the application is listed in the Registration Guide for each regular semester and is posted on the Office of Graduate Studies website.

Students who fail to complete requirements as planned must update the application for a graduation check and do so by the appropriate deadline. A fee is required to change the graduation date.

Forms for changing the graduation date are available at the Office of Graduate Studies.

Graduation and Commencement

The effective date of graduation will be the last day of the specific term in which requirements are completed.

Commencement ceremonies are held only at the end of the spring semester. Once students have completed the graduation check process, i.e., filed for graduation check and paid the graduation fee, they are eligible to participate in the commencement ceremonies appropriate to their graduate date. Students completing requirements at the end of the fall and spring semesters and during the following summer may participate in those ceremonies.

Information concerning commencement activities is sent to students by college dean’s offices usually in April of each year. Check the university’s website (fullerton.edu/commencement) for further details about commencement events and procedures. Arrangements for cap, gown and hood purchase are made in the campus bookstore, Titan Shops.

Graduate Academic Standards

Grade-Point Average Requirements

A grade-point average (grade points divided by units attempted) of at least 3.0 is required for graduation with a graduate degree. This grade-point average applies to 1) all 400-, 500- and 600-level units attempted subsequent to admission to a degree program; and 2) all units required on the graduate Study Plan including transfer courses. Each course on the:

• Master’s Study Plan must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better;
• DNP and Ed.D. Study Plan must be completed with a grade of B- (2.7) or better;
• DNP with a concentration in Nurse Anesthesia Study Plan must be completed with a grade of B (3.0) or better.

Some programs require higher minimum grades for specific courses.

A master’s degree student may request a change in the Study Plan in order to raise the Study Plan grade-point average by:

1. adding no more than six units of approved coursework, or
2. repeating no more than six units of coursework in which a B- (2.0) or lower was earned, or
3. a combination of the above, not to exceed six units.

Requests to add courses to the Study Plan, repeat courses or add courses to raise the overall grade-point average, must be approved by the graduate program adviser and the associate vice president for academic programs (or designee) prior to registration. When a course is added or repeated, the original course remains on the Study Plan and on the student’s transcript and both grades are used in calculating the student’s grade-point average.

A grade-point average of at least 2.5 is required for continuing status as a credential, certificate or undeclared post-baccalaureate student.

Repeated Courses

For master’s degree students, if a grade less than C (2.0) is received in a Study Plan course, the course must be repeated and passed with a grade of C (2.0) or better. For DNP* and Ed.D. students, if a grade less than B- (2.7) is received in a Study Plan course, the course must be repeated and passed with a grade of B- (2.7) or better. Some programs require higher minimum grades for specific courses.

A Study Plan course may be repeated only once. If a course is repeated, both grades are included when computing the student’s Study Plan and cumulative Cal State Fullerton grade-point average. Repetition of a course carries no additional unit credit toward the degree; however, the additional units are included in the cumulative units shown on the Cal State Fullerton transcript.

In extenuating circumstances, the student may petition the associate vice president for academic programs (or designee) to add another course to the approved program with the unit value equivalent to that of the course in which the unsatisfactory grade was received.

*For students in the DNP with a concentration in Nurse Anesthesia program, all Study Plan courses must be passed with a B (3.0) or better on the first enrollment. There is no option to repeat a course.

Probation

A student enrolled in a graduate degree program will be placed on academic probation if either the graduate grade-point average (all graduate classes) or the Study Plan grade-point average (counting only classes on the Study Plan) falls below 3.0.

• Master’s degree and DNP* students will be allowed two further semesters on academic probation before being subject to disqualification.
• Ed.D. students may not have a grade-point average below 3.0 in two successive terms. The student will be placed on probation the first term in which their grade-point average drops below 3.0; a grade-point average below 3.0 following completion of the next term is grounds for disqualification from the Ed.D. program.

*For students in the DNP with a concentration in Nurse Anesthesia program, academic probation is not an option as all Study Plan courses must be passed with a B (3.0) or better on the first enrollment.

A graduate student may also be placed on probation for reasons other than graduate and/or Study Plan grade-point average. This is known as administrative-academic probation. The reasons for this may include repeated withdrawal, failure to progress toward an educational objective, non-compliance with an academic requirement, failure to demonstrate a level of professional competence or fitness commensurate with the standards of the student’s discipline, or inappropriate behavior as defined in the Student Bill of Rights and Responsibilities and in the Academic Dishonesty sections of this catalog (see “University Regulations ”).

Students will remain on administrative-academic probation contingent upon conditions required for their continuing in the program. The Office of Graduate Studies maintains a list of students on probation and subject to disqualification.

Disqualification

The associate vice president for academic programs (or designee), in consultation with the student’s graduate program adviser, will disqualify a:

• master’s student who is on probation if the student does not, or cannot, raise the Study Plan and graduate grade-point average to 3.0 by the completion of the second regular semester following the semester in which the grade-point average fell below the minimum 3.0 standard.
• DNP* student who is on probation if the student does not, or cannot, raise the Study Plan and graduate grade-point average to 3.0 by the completion of the second regular semester following the semester in which the grade-point average fell below the minimum 3.0 standard. Additionally, a grade of less than B- in six or more units will result in dismissal from the DNP program.
• Ed.D. student if the grade-point average is not raised to 3.0 the term immediately following the term the student’s grade-point average fell below 3.0.

If a student’s grade-point average becomes so low that it cannot be raised to 3.0 within the prescribed limits of coursework, the student will be disqualified from the graduate degree program.

*Students in the DNP with a concentration in Nurse Anesthesia program will be disqualified if a grade of B- or below is earned in a Study Plan course.

Students placed on probation for reasons other than grade-point average will be disqualified if:

1. the conditions for removal of administrative-academic probation are not met within the period specified;
2. the student becomes subject to academic probation while on administrative-academic probation; or
3. the student is removed from administrative-academic probation and subsequently becomes subject to administrative-academic probation for the same or similar reasons as originally placed on probation.

Disqualification removes a student from graduate standing and prevents further enrollment in university courses (except through Extension). A student who has been disqualified from a master’s degree program may not apply for readmission to that program for one calendar year. A student who has been disqualified from a specific degree program may apply for readmission to a different degree program. A readmitted student must file a new Study Plan that meets current requirements and policies. Any disqualified student who wishes to use previous coursework must have it approved by the associate vice president for academic programs (or designee).

Appeals related to graduate degree probation or disqualification should first be directed to the departmental graduate program adviser. Contact the Office of Graduate Studies for further information and procedures.

Probation and Disqualification for Credential, Unclassified or Undeclared Post-Baccalaureate Students

A post-baccalaureate student (credential, unclassified or undeclared status) will be subject to academic probation if after completing 12 or more units, the cumulative grade-point average falls below a 2.5 average or the minimum set by the program.

A post-baccalaureate student (i.e., credential or certificate objective) on probation will be subject to disqualification if the cumulative grade-point average is not raised to 2.5, or the minimum set by the program, the semester after being placed on probation.