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Cliff Ramirez, Registrar
Registrar’s Office, Harper East
Website: www.cgu.edu/registrar
E-mail: student.records@cgu.edu
Office: (909) 621-8285
All students are expected to become familiar with and comply with all student policies of the University, including changes that may be made to policies and procedures. Refer to the registrar’s Student Rights & Responsibilities webpage for complete details.
The policies and procedures in this Bulletin constitute requirements for all CGU students as of the archived year. New policies and procedures may be approved and implemented following the publication of this Bulletin. Students admitted or readmitted to a degree program are expected to meet the requirements documented in the archived Bulletin for the year during which they enter or reenter a program. Student Handbooks, available from some programs, may impose stricter policies than those stated in the Bulletin, but department policies may not be less stringent than campus policy.
Complete registration information and course schedules for each semester are published on the CGU website (www.cgu.edu/registrar) prior to the start of the registration period. Continuing students register for courses for the upcoming semester during the registration period announced by the registrar’s office. All tuition and fees must be paid, or payment arrangements made, prior to the start of the term. New students obtain registration information through their academic departments prior to the beginning of their first semester of coursework.
Registration Deadlines
The registration and enrollment process at Claremont Graduate University is managed through a number of deadlines which have been established to comply with various federal regulations. These deadlines, announced in the academic calendar, govern the applicability and financial consequences of changes to student study lists–that is, to the courses in which a student is enrolled. Failure to comply with registration deadlines may result in late fees and other penalties. In addition, failure to register by the announced deadline may result in an interruption of student services and library privileges. Failure to enroll by the Add/Drop deadline for regular session, announced in the academic calendar, results in automatic withdrawal from CGU.
In order to enroll in courses, students must clear any and all outstanding obligations and holds on their student accounts. Impediments to eligibility for registration include financial obligations to the University, unmet academic and admissions requirements, unsatisfactory academic progress, and exceeded time to degree. Individual departments may also place department holds on student records, requiring academic advising prior to each registration period.
To avoid late fees and other penalties, students are responsible for addressing and resolving all impediments to registration well before the registration deadline.
Term-Based Transactions. Term-based transactions include all activities that affect the student’s record and account within a given semester. All registrations, changes to enrollment, payment and/or the specification of payment arrangements must be made no later than the last business day of the semester for which the transactions apply. No changes may be made to semester records after the last business day of the semester, announced in the academic calendar.
Student Status
Maintaining Continuous Student Status. Students are required to maintain a continuous student status with the University throughout their academic careers, up to and including, their graduation semesters. To maintain student status, students must be enrolled on a continual basis through the fall and spring semesters. Summer is an optional semester; enrollment during the summer term is not required to maintain student status. Students who are unable to enroll for any semester for any reason should consider requesting a leave of absence to maintain their student status. Expanded guidelines are available on the registrar’s Maintaining Student Status webpage.
Full-time status is equivalent to at least 8 units of study in a given semester and up to 16 units depending upon the requirements of the academic program in which the student is enrolled. Students enrolled in Continuous Registration/Doctoral Study considered full-time students.
In compliance with federal requirements, CGU periodically reports select enrollment information to the Department of Education. CGU reporting is made through the National Student Clearinghouse and is used primarily to validate eligibility for financial aid and continued deferment status of students. For international students, official enrollment data is used as verification of continued compliance with student visa and immigration requirements.
Deadlines for all enrollment transactions are governed by federal regulations established to ensure program integrity. Add/Drop deadlines and refund schedules are announced in the University’s academic calendar and have both academic and financial implications for students.
Courses
The CGU Schedule of Classes is available at www.cgu.edu/schedule/. Graduate students enroll in CGU courses and may enroll in certain courses offered by the five undergraduate Claremont Colleges (5C), Keck Graduate Institute (KGI), and the Claremont School of Theology (CST). Established agreements between the schools require students to obtain permission of the course instructor and, in some cases, permission of the department offering the course. Review and approval of the student’s CGU department is required for the awarding of graduate credit. Some undergraduate courses, such as physical education courses, do not earn graduate credit and may require payment of course fees to the institution offering the course.
Cross-registration procedures and enrollment forms are available on the registrar’s Registration webpage. All enrollments, including audited courses, are documented on the student’s CGU transcript. Courses approved for graduate credit count toward the student’s degree program. Grades received in credit-earning courses factor into the student’s grade point average and are subject to CGU grading policies.
Continuous Registration (CR, for master’s students) and Doctoral Study (DS, for doctoral students) are used to maintain student status while the student is working on completing degree requirements such as qualifying exams, thesis/dissertation research and composition, and dissertation defense activities. Enrollment in CR/DS qualifies the student for full-time status. In order to qualify for enrollment in CR/DS, a student must meet the following requirements.
- At least one semester of coursework must have been completed. Newly admitted students and students in their first semester of another CGU program do not qualify for enrollment in CR/DS.
- The student is not enrolled in any coursework for units. Audits are permitted.
- As with enrollment in the courses, enrollment in CR/DS must be accomplished during the registration period for the semester.
In some cases, a single semester of CR/DS may be used to provide a student on academic probation with time to resolve the probationary status.
Students are cautioned against incurring excessive semesters of CR/DS enrollments, which not only raise question about the student’s ability to complete the degree, but may also result in serious satisfactory academic progress concerns.
Independent Study
In addition to established courses, CGU offers opportunities for earning graduate credit through internships and independent study/research activites. Course numbers include, but are not limited to, the following.
- 390 - Directed Research
- 397 - Tutorial Reading, Master’s level
- 398 - Independent Study, Master’s level
- 399 - Master’s Thesis Research
- 490 - Directed Research
- 495 - Doctoral Research
- 497 - Tutorial Reading, Doctoral level
- 498 - Independent Study/Doctoral Research
Enrollment in internship and independent study activities requires completion of an Enrollment Contract and Registration Form for Independent Study Coursework, available on the registrar’s Independent Study webpage. In addition to detailing course particulars, the contract requires documentation of anticipated learning outcomes for the independent coursework activities. All independent study activities must be conducted under the supervision of a CGU faculty member or a member of the extended faculty of The Claremont Colleges.
Independent study activities are intended to enhance the academic coursework of the degree program and should not be used as a substitute for enrollment in CGU courses. Additional information is available on the registrar’s Independent Study webpage.
Transdisciplinary Courses
Transdisciplinary Studies are a unique and important characteristic of the educational experience at CGU. Transdisciplinary (TNDY) courses, or T-courses, are offered each semester and are open to all CGU students. Doctoral students, admitted or readmitted Fall 2004 and later, are required to complete at least one T-course during their careers at CGU.
Repeat Policy
Students may repeat courses with the approval of the student’s program and provided all of the following conditions apply.
- The course itself does not restrict repetition.
- The student’s department or program does not restrict repeating courses or have other limits on repeating courses.
- Previous enrollments in the course have been assigned a permanent grade. Permanent grades are grades other than I (Incomplete) and GP (Grade Pending).
- The student must register and enroll for each repetition of a course. Applicable tuition and other fees apply.
All enrollments and the grade received for each enrollment in a course are recorded on the student’s transcript. Credit may be earned only once, regardless of the number of repetitions. The highest grade received in a repeated course is used for grade point average calculations.
The repeat policy does not apply to courses intended to be taken multiple times, such as independent study and other courses that may be specific to the discipline. Note that financial aid may not be available for enrollment in courses that have been previously taken. Students are urged to consult with Financial Aid prior to repeating a course.
Additional information and guidelines are availabe on the registrar’s Repeat Policy webpage.
Auditing a Course
Students may audit courses, except Executive Management courses, with the permission of the instructor of the course. Enrollment in a course on an audit basis requires submission of an Registration/Enrollment Change (Add/Drop) Form. Instructions and the form are available on the registrar’s Registering for Classes webpage.
Fees for auditing courses are disclosed in the Tuition & Fees schedule published by Student Accounts (www.cgu.edu/studentaccounts).
CGU permits students to audit a 4-unit course without additional tuition fees provided one of the following conditions applies in the semester for which the audit enrollment is desired.
- The student, except Art students, is enrolled in at least 12 units.
- The Art student is enrolled in at least 15 units.
- The student is enrolled in Continuous Registration or Doctoral Study.
Course Changes (Add/Drop)
After the registration period closes, students may still make changes to their course schedules and may do so through the last day of the semester. Federal regulations require a series of Add/Drop deadlines, which specify the percentage of refund that may be due for dropping courses. The last Add/Drop deadline identifies the date after which dropping courses are ineligible for a refund and result in a W (Withdrawn) notation on the student’s transcript. Changes made after the last Add/Drop deadline may also incur enrollment change fees.
Add/Drop policies apply to all enrollment transactions, including withdrawals and requests for leaves of absence. Add/Drop deadlines and refund schedules are published in the Academic Calendar . Applicable refund schedules are identified by the session or module in which the course is scheduled. Requests for changes are not accepted after the last business day (Friday) of the semester.
Students may make changes to their enrollment schedules through the student portal up to the regular session Add/Drop deadline for the semester. After this date, all changes must be requested using a Registration/Enrollment Change (Add/Drop) Form, submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Procedures and forms are available on the registrar’s Add/Drop website.
Students are responsible for any additional tuition charges that may result from adding courses. Refunds are made in accordance with the University’s refund policy (see Expenses and Financial Aid or www.cgu.edu/studentaccounts). Students are advised to consider the impact that adding or dropping units may have on financial aid eligibility or on immigration status and are urged to consult with the appropriate university administrators prior to making any changes.
Changing graded/audit enrollment status in a course is governed by the following rules.
- No penalties for changes prior to the Add/Drop deadline for the semester.
- For changes from graded to audit after the Add/Drop deadline, refunds are governed by Add/Drop deadlines.
- For changes from audit to graded, the full tuition for the course is charged.
Withdrawal From Coursework
If unable to complete a semester of studies, a student has a number of options and should consult with the registrar’s office, financial aid, and student accounts regarding the financial implications of any withdrawal activity considered.
A leave of absence should be considered where circumstances warrant a temporary period away from studies. Leaves of absence are not available to students in their first semester in a program. New students in their first semester should consider withdrawing and deferring admission. Students who withdraw without official notification to the University lose their student status as a result of non-enrollment. Readmission may be required in order for the student to resume studies at CGU.
An alternative to withdrawing from courses may be enrollment in Continuous Registration (masters students) or Doctoral Study (doctoral students), whichever is appropriate. These types of registrations maintain student status and permit the student to return to coursework in the next semester. Students must have completed at least one semester of enrollment in their programs to request Continuous Registration or Doctoral Study.
All withdrawal transactions are subject to all Add/Drop refund schedules and applicable fees. Late change fees and the W (Withdrawn) enrollment notation on the student’s transcript may also apply.
Enrollment Considerations for International Students
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) requires that all international students on a J-1 or F-1 visa be enrolled full time (8 units minimum) during both fall and spring semesters. Before making any enrollment changes, international students should consult the international student coordinator. In addition, international students who receive Incomplete (I) grades in courses or who do not receive a grade for a course may be subject to academic probation for immigration purposes.
Questions regarding ICE requirements under the Student Exchange and Visitor Information Systems (SEVIS) Program should be referred to the international student coordinator. Refer to the International Student and Scholar Services section of the Bulletin or to www.cgu.edu/international.
Students may transfer a limited number of units from other institutions toward their degree programs at Claremont Graduate University. Procedures and the Transfer Credit Request Form are available from the registrar’s Transfer Credit webpage. University requirements are provided in this section; however, students are urged to consult with their academic programs, which may impose additional requirements and evaluation assessments.
General Requirements. In order to be considered for acceptance as transfer credit to CGU, coursework must meet all of the following conditions.
- All transfer credit requests must be accompanied by an official transcript from the institution where the coursework was completed and units earned.
- Coursework must have been completed at the graduate level at a regionally accredited institution.
- Coursework must have been completed at a grade B or better.
- Coursework must be relevant to the student’s degree program at CGU and be appropriate quality and currency.
- If the institution was outside the United States, coursework units must not have been used to qualify for what would be equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree.
Evaluation. For U.S. colleges and universities, the legend of an official transcript provides sufficient information for evaluation. Coursework for which credit, pass, or satisfactory grades were earned require official documentation from the institution indicating that the grade is equivalent to a B or better. In some cases, course syllabi and other documentation about the course or institution providing the instruction may be required to determine eligibility.
For coursework from institutions outside the U.S., evaluation by an external foreign credentials evaluator may be required. The student requesting the transfer credit would assume responsibility for submitting the request direct to the third-part evaluator as well as for paying all fees incurred.
Transcript Notation. Approved transfer credit is recorded on the CGU transcript. The number of units accepted and the name of the institution from which the units were earned are documented. Individual course titles and grades are not listed on the CGU transcript. Grades earned in courses accepted for transfer credit are not factored into the student’s grade point average at CGU.
Limitations for Master’s Degrees
The number of units which may be accepted as transfer credit toward a master’s degree at CGU is governed by the total number of units required for the degree.
- For programs requiring 60 units, no more than 15 units may be accepted.
- For programs requiring 48 units, no more than 10 units may be accepted.
- For programs requiring less than 48 units, no more than 6 units may be accepted.
Limitations and Considerations for Doctoral Degrees
No more than 24 units may be accepted as transfer credit toward a doctoral degree at CGU. In some cases, the general content of a particular program of study or the achievement of a graduate degree may be used to justify the assigned of transfer credits unit.
Limitations on Multiple Program Enrollments
For students transferring between programs within CGU, units earned for CGU coursework may be applied toward another degree’s requirements provided the courses are relevant and applicable. Units earned in CGU coursework, however, may only be applied toward two degrees. Students accepted into a third degree program at CGU are responsible for completing all of the degree requirements of the third program.
Changes to a student’s degree program, field, or concentration must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor and dean. A Change of Degree Form is used to initatiate changes and additions to a student’s program of study. Requests to add a new academic field or discipline is an applocation for admission to the new program. Students may be required to provide additional documentation, such as letters of recommendation, for evaluation by the admissions committee of the new department. Approved changes are effective at the beginning of the next semester.
Additional guidelines are provided on the registrar’s Change of Degree webpage.
CGU identifies three different types of leaves of absence.
General Leave of Absence
The University grants leaves of absence to students for military service, family leave and other personal situations, medical disability, and financial hardship. Leaves of absence are granted for one semester and are not automatically renewed. Additional semesters of leave require a new request each semester. Except for those in active military service, students are limited to two consecutive semesters on leave of absence status. If a student expects to be away from studies for a year or longer, withdrawal from the University is recommended. When ready to resume studies, the student may apply for readmission.
A leave of absence is a student’s time away from studies. Students are not expected to engage in coursework while on a leave of absence. Collaboration with faculty, working on Incomplete grades, use of University facilities, and access to student services are not available to students on a leave of absence. Students who wish to continue library services must request for and pay the CGU Student and Technology Fees during the semester of leave. For the period of an approved leave, the student is not required to register in order to maintain student status. Individuals employed in CGU positions that require student status may not continue in those positions during a leave of absence.
For leaves granted due to medical disability, military service, and family or financial hardship, the student’s time to degree is automatically extended for the period of the approve leave.
A Leave of Absence Request Form (available from the registrar’s Leave of Absence webpage) along with the appropriate documentation to support the request must be submitted to the registrar during the registration period of the applicable semester, but no later than the last business day of the semester. If a leave is requested after the start of a semester, only those courses for which no grade has been recorded may be dropped. Add/Drop policies apply to all refunds and transcript notations.
Students with financial aid and those who have received aid in previous semesters are advised to consult with a financial aid representative prior to requesting a leave of absence. Changes in enrollment affect student eligibility for financial aid. In addition, semesters without enrollment impact the student’s qualification for deferment status.
International students must consult with the international student coordinator when anticipating the need for a leave of absence since serious immigration consequences may result.
Research Leave of Absence
In exceptional circumstances, the University may approve a leave of absence of up to one year for full-time research or other activities directly related to the student’s academic program. Research leaves are requested in the same manner as other leaves of absence, using the Leave of Absence Request Form (available from the registrar’s Leave of Absence webpage). The student’s statement should outline planned research activities; list institutions and sites to be visited; identify field experts and faculty to be consulted or interviewed; and explain the relationship and relevance of these activities to the student’s dissertation project. Leaves of Absence for Research are submitted to the registrar, who will obtain the necessary approvals from the dean/chair and the Provost.
Students on a Leave of Absence for Research are not required to register for the semesters of their leave. Note that research leaves do not extend the student’s time to degree requirements.
Involuntary Medical Leave of Absence
It is the policy of Claremont Graduate University that if any student, because of an apparent medical or psychological condition, poses a threat to the physical well-being of him/herself or to any other member of the University or the Claremont Colleges community, or poses a threat of serious destruction to property, such student may be placed on an involuntary medical leave of absence. This policy applies to medical and psychological problems only, and not to matters solely of a disciplinary nature. A copy of the procedures for implementation of this policy may be obtained from the dean of students. Add/Drop policies and refund schedules apply.
Withdrawal from CGU
Withdrawal means termination of the relationship between the student and CGU. The following considerations should be taken into account when withdrawal is considered.
- Students who are working with faculty on completion of degree requirements may no longer continue in their programs.
- Financial implications may result, including compliance with Add/Drop refund schedules and academic reporting, loss of aid eligibility, and activation of loan repayment status. Students with current or outstanding loans should consult with financial aid and student accounts representatives.
- International students must consult with the international student coordinator before attempting to withdraw since there may be serious immigration consequences as a result of withdrawal.
Withdrawal may occur in different ways.
Automatic Withdrawal. Students are withdrawn from the University for failure to maintain an active student status. Students who do not register by the Add/Drop deadline are automatically withdrawn from CGU. The Add/Drop deadline is announced in the University’s Academic Calendar. Students who are withdrawn due to lack of enrollment and who do not register by the end of the semester in which they were withdrawn must apply for readmission when ready to resume studies.
Voluntary Withdrawal. Students may withdraw themselves from CGU using the Registration/Enrollment Change (Add/Drop) Form (available from the registrar’s Add/Drop webpage) or by writing to the registrar. Students who wish to return to CGU at a later date should specify their desires in their statement of withdrawal. Withdrawals after a semester has begun are governed by Add/Drop policies in regards to tuition refunds and impact on the student’s academic record.
Unintentional Withdrawal. Students are cautioned against unintentionally withdrawing themselves during the online registration process. Registration for at least one class should be made before the registration deadline to ensure continuity of student status and student services. When enrollment transactions are submitted through the student portal, classes should be added before any classes are dropped. Students who drop all of their courses are automatically withdrawn by the registration system, resulting in an inability to access the online enrollment system. Consult the registrar’s office for assistance in these situations.
Claremont Graduate University reserves the right to dismiss students from their programs of study. Reasons may include violations of University Policies , lack of University Policies or progress to degree , and health and safety considerations.
Students who have not maintained a continuous student status and who wish to resume their studies at CGU must apply for reinstatement, sometimes referred to as readmission. An Application for Reinstatement, available from the registrar’s Reinstatement webpage must be completed. The application requires that a personal statement be attached, indicating the reasons for returning to CGU and renewed commitment to completing their program.
Depending upon the length of time since the student’s last semester of enrollment, additional documentation may be required by the admissions committee.
- Updated letters of recommendation
- Updated resume
- Transcripts
- GRE, GMAT, or other test scores
- A degree plan or outline of dates and academic goals to establish a new time to degree
All applications are reviewed by the program’s admissions committee. Depending upon the age of the coursework already taken, students may be required to repeat courses, enroll in additional courses, pass additional exams, or repeat/complete additional degree requirements. For graduation purposes, reinstated students are held to the degree requirements of their program as published in the CGU Bulletin for the semester of the student’s reinstatement.
The reinstatement process is available only to students wishing to return to the same degree program in which they were last enrolled. Students wishing to begin a different program at CGU must submit a new application through Admissions.
Students who have outstanding obligations to CGU or who were previously dismissed from the University are not eligible for reinstatement.
A nonrefundable reinstatement fee (see www.cgu.edu/studentaccounts) is required at the time of application. Questions about reinstatement and submission of the application are directed to the registrar’s office.
For loan eligibility and deferment purposes, a student registered for at least 8 units is considered full-time. A student registered for at least 4 units is considered to be half-time. Verification of a student’s enrollment status for third parties, including lenders, employers, and other organizations, is provided by the National Student Clearinghouse, an agent for the University. Information and procedures on requesting verifications of enrollment are provided at www.cgu.edu/verify.
Doctoral students registered in Doctoral Study and master’s students enrolled in Continuous Registration are considered full-time students. Full-time enrollment through Continuous Registration or Doctoral Study is limited by time to degree standards and applicable financial aid regulations.
Students registered in the Teacher Education Internship Program are considered full-time for purposes of loan eligibility and deferment while taking a minimum of four units of coursework in fall or spring along with the teaching internship.
Deferments, or extended grace periods before the repayment period for loans begins, are subject to financial aid regulations. Generally, the initial grace period for repayment of student loans is determined by the last semester of the student’s enrollment, not by the date of graduation. Students should always consult with their lenders regarding rules specific to their individual loans. |