To qualify for a baccalaureate degree, a student must comply with all University regulations and satisfy specific requirements in these areas:
- Units: A minimum of 120 semester units is required. At least 40 units must be in courses recognized for upper-division credit.
- Residence: A student must complete a minimum of 30 semester units at CSU Stanislaus. At least 24 of these 30 units must be earned in upper-division courses, at least 12 must be in the major, and at least 9 must be applicable to General Education–Breadth requirements (Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Sections 40403 and 40405). Credit in summer terms or special sessions may be counted as residence credit on a unit-for-unit basis. Extension course credit or credit by examination or evaluation will not be counted as residence credit.
Opportunity to Achieve Degree in Four Years
The University pledges that its curriculum and the scheduling of courses are designed to provide the opportunity for first-time freshman students to achieve a baccalaureate degree in four years.
To take advantage of this four-year graduation opportunity, students must fulfill the following requirements beginning in their freshman year:
- Satisfactorily complete all qualifying examinations when required;
- Enroll as a full-time student each term and complete a minimum of 30 units per year;
- Declare a major within the first semester of enrollment;
- Maintain the declared major program without change;
- Meet all academic, grade, and coursework requirements;
- Maintain minimum 2.0 cumulative, major, and CSU Stanislaus grade point averages;
- Meet with the assigned adviser each semester prior to registration and adhere to adviser curricular recommendations;
- Register each semester during priority registration and meet all University deadlines;
- Meet financial aid obligations, if applicable; and
- Adhere to all administrative and academic policies and procedures.
If a student has documentation to demonstrate that he/she has met fully each requirement stated in the degree pledge and is not able to graduate within the established timeline, the University will authorize the student to register in the remaining courses required for graduation without fees. This is the sole remedy for the University’s failure to meet any of its obligations under its degree pledge. Complete details of requirements are available from the Advising Resource Center.
Transfer and part-time students are given the opportunity to complete a degree in a comparable and reasonable time frame. Interested students should consult the Advising Resource Center.
Catalog Year for Graduation Requirements
An undergraduate matriculated student who has been in continuous enrollment in regular sessions pursuing a degree may elect to meet baccalaureate graduation requirements in effect 1) at the time of first entering a California community college or CSU campus, 2) at the time of matriculation at CSU Stanislaus, or 3) at the time of graduation. For the purpose of this regulation, “continuous enrollment” means attendance in at least one semester each calendar year. Attendance in summer or winter term is not applicable to this regulation. An absence for an approved leave, or for attendance not to exceed two years at another regionally accredited college, may be permitted. Students who do not enroll at least part-time for one semester each calendar year risk the loss of rights to their original catalog year for graduation requirements.
Program admission and completion requirements for a credential or an additional degree or major will be established by the catalog applicable at the time of subsequent program admission. (See Evaluation of Transfer Credit in this catalog.)
Evening courses
Course offerings that satisfy General Education (GE) requirements have been expanded to give students more options for late afternoon and evening enrollment at the Turlock campus and at CSU Stanislaus Stockton Center. Courses that satisfy degree majors typically will be offered on a two- or three-year cycle, helping students plan and complete all lower-division and upper-division GE at the Turlock campus, as well as upper-division GE at the CSU Stanislaus Stockton Center within six semesters of evening enrollment. (See the current Schedule of Classes.)
Winter Term
The winter term offers students an opportunity to complete General Education, major and minor requirements, and to participate in unique courses designed for the winter term student. All students are encouraged to enroll in winter term courses.
Mathematics Competency
A demonstration of mathematics skills competency is a requirement for a bachelor’s degree. Satisfactory performance on the CSU Entry-Level Mathematics (ELM) examination or an approved alternative program of mathematics course work is required. Further information regarding this examination, placement, possible exceptions, and completion of the General Education mathematics requirement may be obtained from the Mathematics Department. (See Entry-Level Mathematics Requirement under the Admission section of this catalog.)
Graduation Application
A prospective candidate for a baccalaureate degree should submit an application for graduation to the Enrollment Services Office when two semesters remain to complete requirements for the degree, or when a minimum of 90 units has been earned toward completion of the degree. In any case, a student should not apply later than the date indicated in the academic calendar. Students who fail to graduate in the term for which they apply for graduation must reapply for a later term in order to be eligible for continuing undergraduate enrollment.
A prospective candidate for a baccalaureate degree must apply to the Enrollment Services Office for re-admission and be admitted for a new educational objective before April or October to qualify respectively for fall or spring Priority Registration.
Faculty Approval
Approval of the major adviser, department chair, and the Director of Academic Advising is required before the University may award a degree.
Graduation Honors
Graduation honors are awarded to students earning baccalaureate degrees at commencement on the basis of both their overall and CSU Stanislaus grade point averages achieved in their undergraduate work. Projected or estimated grade averages for degree candidates are excluded from grade point average calculations. Honors designation for Spring and Summer candidates in the Commencement program is based on grades earned by the end of Winter Term. To receive an honor, both averages must meet the standards as follows:
Cum Laude 3.40—3.59
Magna Cum Laude 3.60—3.79
Summa Cum Laude 3.80—4.00
These are minimum grade point average requirements. Calculations are not rounded upward to qualify a student. When there is a difference between the averages, the lower of the two will be used in determining the level of honors. (See Grading System section.)
Multiple Majors and/or Minors
Second majors, minors, and/or concentrations may not be comprised essentially of courses from the same discipline or requirements of the first major, minor, or concentration. In order to earn a second major, minor, or concentration a student must complete additional units greater than one-half of the upper-division unit requirement, in the second major, minor, or concentration.
Requirements for an Additional Baccalaureate Degree
A student may earn one degree and two majors with the second major posted to the student’s academic record as an additional major.
To qualify for an additional baccalaureate degree, students must:
- Complete a minimum of 30 semester units in residence at CSU Stanislaus after requirements for the last degree have been met. Specific requirements include completing:
- at least 24 upper-division units, and
- at least 12 units in the new major.
- Comply with all CSU Stanislaus graduation requirements, including:
- the General Education requirements of the student’s current catalog year,
- satisfaction of the graduation mathematics and writing competency requirements, and
- other institutional and system requirements in effect at the time of acceptance for the second degree or at the date of completion.
- Obtain approval of the major department chair.
- Maintain at least a 2.0 (C) grade point average for all CSU Stanislaus residence coursework taken while pursuing the additional degree.
- Complete a major in a discipline other than that in which a previous degree was earned.
Rather than complete requirements for an additional degree, a postbaccalaureate student may complete only requirements for an additional major. This program must be completed under the supervision of an academic department.
Upper Division Writing Proficiency
In addition to satisfactory completion of all General Education Communication Skills requirements, all students must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation. To do so, they must complete the Writing Proficiency Screening Test (WPST) with a passing score and then pass, with a minimum grade of C— or better, an upper-division writing proficiency (WP) course. Students who have not met the graduation writing requirement must achieve a passing score on the WPST before gaining admission to any of these courses. Peer tutoring to prepare for this test is available at the Writing Center. A course taken prior to the first semester in which WP status takes effect for that course may not be used to satisfy the writing competency requirement. Writing proficiency courses are designated in the Schedule of Classes with (WP). The following is a listing of the status of WP courses:
