Graduate Student Academic Policies

Graduate students may appeal a final course grade if they believe the grade was based on instructor or clerical error, prejudice, capriciousness, arbitrariness, or was not aligned with the grading criteria in the course syllabus.

• Step 1: Attempt to resolve the issue informally.
  Within 10 business days of the start of the next semester, email your instructor (copy your Department Chair) to explain your concern, request a review of your grade, and include any supporting documentation. If the issue is not resolved within five business days, meet with the Department Chair. If the instructor is unavailable or is the Department Chair, follow the procedures outlined in the policy.

  Step 2: Submit a formal grade appeal.
  If the concern is not resolved through the department process, submit the completed Grade Appeal Form, along with supporting documentation and previous correspondence, to your College Dean. The College Grade Appeal Committee will review your appeal to determine whether it meets the policy's grounds for appeal.

  Step 3: Participate in the review process.
  If your appeal proceeds to a hearing, you and the instructor will have the opportunity to present information and supporting evidence. After reviewing the evidence, the College Grade Appeal Committee will determine whether a grade change is warranted and will notify you of its decision.

  Step 4: Request a University review (if applicable).
  If you believe the College Grade Appeal Committee did not follow the required procedures or acted in an arbitrary or capricious manner, you may request a final University-level review as described in the policy. This review focuses on whether the appeal process was followed, NOT on reconsidering the grade itself.

Relevant Policy Sections (scroll down to Grad Student section!): 4.00 Student Right to Appeal, 5.00 Grounds for Appeal, and 6.10–6.30 Appeal Process.

Graduate students must be officially enrolled during each term of participation. Every master’s degree candidate must complete at least 21 units in residence at CSUMB. Graduate transfer credit may be used only when approved as relevant by the graduate program coordinator, completed within seven years of the projected graduation date, and limited to a maximum of nine transfer units.

Continuous Enrollment and GRAD 699

Graduate students must maintain continuous enrollment while completing a thesis or culminating experience. If a program does not require ongoing enrollment in a research or thesis course, students may need to enroll in GRAD 699, a zero-unit course that maintains active enrollment but does not carry academic credit.

Leave of Absence

Graduate students are not eligible for informal time off. They must enroll every fall and spring semester, and summer if required by the program, unless they are on an approved formal leave of absence. A formal leave may be granted for a minimum of one semester and up to four total semesters. A leave does not defer student loans or extend the maximum allowed time-to-degree for graduate students.

Relevant policy sections:
Enrollment and Registration Policy: Sections 3.00 Enrollment and Registration, 5.20 Transfer Credit for Graduate Students, 6.00 Leaves, 6.10 Informal Time Off, and 6.20 Formal Leave of Absence.

Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative university GPA in all units attempted after admission. Graduate students who fall below a 3.0 are placed on academic notice. Students remain on academic notice until the conditions for removal are met or until they are academically disqualified.  

Graduate students must also complete coursework for the graduate degree within the maximum time frame of seven years, unless their program requires a shorter time frame.

Relevant policy sections:
Academic Standing Policy: Sections 2.00 Definitions, 3.00 Academic Standing, 3.10 Progress to Degree, 3.20 Grade Point Average, 4.00 Categories of Academic Standing, 6.10 Academic Notice, 6.20 Academic Disqualification, 6.30 Administrative-Academic Notice, 6.40 Administrative-Academic Disqualification, and 6.50 Reinstatement.