Policies

The policies listed below are either specific to graduate students or include elements that apply to graduate students as well as undergrads.

The California Administrative Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 40510, specifies the minimum requirements for a master’s degree.  Please note that certain master’s programs may involve additional units and requirements above and beyond the state-mandated minimum.  

California Administrative Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 40510 (PDF)

Graduate students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 for all work completed to remain in good standing with the University.

Academic Standing, Disqualification and Progress policy

The candidate must complete a thesis, project, or comprehensive exam as required by the department. Culminating projects that are published by the library require review by the Graduate Studies Office, as well as final approval by the student’s faculty committee.

A public defense of the thesis is required and may be required for a project. For students completing a thesis or project for their culminating experience, the student has four semesters to complete the thesis/project, including the first semester of enrollment for thesis units.

The RP (Report in Progress) grade will remain until the student submits the culminating project. Projects taking more than four semesters to complete will require an approval for extension by the Graduate Studies Office or may require reapplication to the program and re-enrollment in the units.

The Graduate Student Degree Requirements Continuous Enrollment Policy provides guidance for graduate student enrollment while completing the culminating experience.

Graduate Student Degree Requirements Continuous Enrollment Policy

Policy regarding the archiving of masters level culminating experiences, theses and projects.

Graduate Theses and Projects Policy

If a project or thesis, either directly or indirectly, involves humans in research, the student must seek approval from the Committee on the Rights of Human Subjects prior to initiating any activity with the subjects. There is human subject involvement when human
beings are asked to participate:

• physically in an activity or to donate their tissue, organs, fluids, and other bodily material;
• when information is sought from them directly (as through interview, questionnaire) or indirectly (as through observation);
• when information concerning specific, individually identifiable human beings is asked for from third parties – whether through access to files, data banks, or other means – or through direct inquiry of third parties concerning the individuals in question.

Research proposals for which the question of human subject involvement is itself uncertain or ambiguous must be submitted for review. The Human Subjects application and detailed information on the review process can be downloaded from the ORSP website.

Your application must be reviewed before you begin your research, and a copy of the approved protocol cover sheet should be included as an Appendix of the thesis/project. The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is located in Salazar Hall 1040, 664-2124.

Human Subjects in Research policy