Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Academic Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Academic Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Undergraduate Policies and Procedures


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Student Classification

Class level:
  Freshman 0-29.9 acceptable completed semester units
  Sophomore 30-59.9 acceptable completed semester units
  Junior 60-89.9 acceptable completed semester units
  Senior 90 or more acceptable completed semester units
  Postbaccalaureate Possesses acceptable baccalaureate or advanced degree
  Graduate Admitted to a master’s or other graduate degree program
Admission status:
  General Met all admission requirements
  Probational Admitted with scholastic deficiency warning (see Scholarship Standards)
  Conditional Permitted to register pending official verification of admission status
  Extension Permitted to register for extension and open university coursework only; not admitted to the University
  Visitor Permitted to register for a single term only
Enrollment status:
  Continuing Student who had resident unit credit attempted during the prior term
  Returning A former matriculated student returning after an absence of one or more terms
  New Student who is registering in a regular term for the first time

Official Program Limits

The normal unit load is 15 units but students can take up to 18. A student who wishes to register for more than 18 units for fall or spring semester must obtain the approval of the major department chair at registration on a Registration Options form. The maximum for which a student may enroll during the summer term is 10 units.  Additional units in a winter and summer term require the approval of the major department chair on an Add/Drop form. Enrollment for approved excess units is permitted beginning the first day of class. Units taken for Credit by Examination do not count toward excess units; however, concurrent enrollment courses, audited courses, and courses in which a student is making up an incomplete grade are all counted as part of the student’s total course load, making them applicable to this regulation.

When courses in the 5000 series are included, a program normally may not exceed three courses or 12 units in fall or spring. Students with outside responsibilities are advised to reduce their study loads proportionately.

Postbaccalaureate Credit

All courses taken during the term in which a student earns a degree that are not needed to fulfill degree requirements will upon the approval of the Request for Postbaccalaureate Credit form, be indicated on the student’s permanent academic record as acceptable postbaccalaureate credit. Forms may be obtained on-line or at Enrollment Services, MSR 120.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses

Courses numbered 5000 through 6999 are graduate or professional postbaccalaureate courses. The only undergraduate students permitted to enroll in these courses are last term seniors within nine semester units of graduation, who have obtained the proper approvals. See Postbaccalaureate Credit earlier in this section.

Intrasystem and Intersystem Enrollment Programs

Students enrolled at any CSU campus will have access to courses at other CSU campuses on a space available basis unless those campuses or programs are impacted. This access is offered without students being required to be admitted formally to the host campus and sometimes without paying additional fees. Although courses taken on any CSU campus will transfer to the student’s home CSU campus as at least elective credit, students should consult their home campus academic advisers to determine how such courses may apply to their degree programs before enrolling at the host campus.

There are two programs for enrollment within the CSU and one for enrollment between CSU and the University of California or California Community Colleges. Additional information about these programs is available from Enrollment Services, MSR 120, (209) 667-3264.

CSU Concurrent Enrollment - matriculated students in good standing may enroll at both their home CSU campus and a host CSU campus during the same term. Credit earned at the host campus is reported at the student’s request to the home campus to be included on the student’s transcript at the home campus.

CSU Visitor Enrollment - matriculated students in good standing enrolled at one CSU campus may enroll at another CSU campus for one term if the CSU campus is accepting visitors. Credit earned at the host campus is reported at the student’s request to the home campus to be included on the student’s transcript at the home campus.

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

Declaration or Change of Educational Objectives

An undergraduate student who selects or changes the degree objective at Stanislaus State after enrollment must file a Declaration or Change of Degree Objective form with the Enrollment Services. To change and/or declare a degree objective officially, the student is required to receive advising from an advisor in the receiving major/concentration/program, and all appropriate signatures must be obtained on the form. Students admitted to a credential program will have their academic status updated by the Credentials Processing Center in the College of Education.

Students must declare a major once they have accumulated 60 units of credit. Students who transfer from other institutions with 60 units or more must declare by the beginning of their second semester on campus. Students who do not declare a major by the time specified will be prevented from registering via a hold until such time a major is declared.

Petitions/Appeal of University Requirements

This policy applies only to undergraduate students. For the parallel policy applicable to graduate students, see the Graduate Education   section of this catalog.

Students may petition university deadlines, or for waiver, or substitution of certain university-wide academic requirements, or request a review of decisions affecting their academic status. Petition for Exception to University-Wide Requirements forms and information concerning regulations may be secured online or from the Academic Resource Center or the Enrollment Services. All such petitions must be reviewed and signed by the appropriate faculty, dean, and/or director as indicated on the back of the petition form. Undergraduate students should file petitions with the Academic Resource Center or the Enrollment Services, and graduate program students should file petitions Enrollment Services. Generally, appeals concerning administrative deadlines that have passed should be directed to a college dean. A $10 petition processing fee is charged, except for the Student Request to Change Catalog Year or General Education Substitution form.

A request for waiver or substitution concerning a departmental major, minor, or other requirements should be directed to the appropriate department. No processing fee is charged.

An Appeals Committee on Student Petitions has been established as advisory to the Provost. Petition decisions concerning academic status and certain academic requirements may be referred to the Appeals Committee via the Academic Resource Center.

Change of Postal/E-mail Addresses

Students who change mailing, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers after admission or registration should immediately update their directory information on their myStanState portal. This information is needed to ensure that official communications, registration information, correspondence, and other such materials reach the student without delay.