2021-2022 Bulletin: Policies and General Information 
    
    Oct 09, 2024  
2021-2022 Bulletin: Policies and General Information [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)


Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a University policy applicable to all CGU students. 

Policy/General Requirements

All students are expected to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.000 at Claremont Graduate University with no more than two incomplete or grade pending courses at any time. In addition, doctoral students must show satisfactory progress in research and examinations as judged by the faculty in their academic program, and must make timely progress toward the degree as defined in the university’s “time requirements/time limit” policy as described in the Progress to Degree  section of the Bulletin.

Students who do not maintain the minimum grade point average or who exceed two outstanding incomplete or grade pending courses results in the student being placed on academic probation by the Registrar. Academic probation prevents a student from registering for the next semester until the student has been advised by the department.  A student on probation must present to the advisor or department a plan for removal from the academic probation status.

Students who remain on academic probation for two consecutive semesters are subject to dismissal from the university by the faculty in their academic program. Continued enrollment must be requested through an academic petition and students may be assigned additional degree requirements to ensure competency for the degree in the student’s field.

Students may not graduate from Claremont Graduate University on academic probation status.  The 3.0 grade point average is a standard of Claremont Graduate University.  Individual academic programs may require a higher grade point average and/or additional standards of progress.

Implications and Procedures

Students who do not progress in their academic programs or who are unable to satisfactorily complete program milestones are subject to dismissal or other academic action.  Generally, and subject to the discretion of the program faculty, students who fail at their first attempt at completing a milestone are provided one more attempt.  No additional opportunities are permitted after two failed attempts.

Financial Aid Ineligibility: Failure to meet SAP standards results in the student’s ineligibility to receive financial aid.

Federal Regulations require CGU to establish an annual SAP Policy that applies reasonable standards for measuring whether a student, who is otherwise eligible for financial aid, is maintaining SAP toward the completion of the educational objective. These standards must equal or exceed the academic standards for students not receiving federal financial aid. Programs governed by the SAP policy include Federal Direct Stafford Unsubsidized Loans, Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans, Federal Work Study, Federal TEACH Grant, and any other financial aid program requiring academic progress standards. Per the policy, reviews are conducted from two perspectives:

Qualitative Standard - must maintain good academic standing by meeting the minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA requirement. In addition, for master’s and doctoral students alike, a maximum of two Incomplete or Grade Pending grades are permitted at any one time.; Incompletes in Master’s Critique, Master’s Thesis, or Dissertation Research are not factored into the number of Incomplete or Grade Pending grades for financial aid purposes.

Quantitative Standard - time limits to complete a degree on a cumulative basis, comparing the number of units attempted versus the number of units earned on an annual basis. Time limits to degree are established in the University’s SAP policy. Leave of absence semesters and semesters during which the student withdraws prior to receiving financial aid are not counted toward the student’s time limit. Research leaves, which are intended to facilitate the student’s progress to degree are counted against the student’s time limit.

Appeals: 

Students who wish to appeal ineligibility for financial aid due to unsatisfactory academic progress must do so in writing. A personal statement must be submitted specifying reasons why the minimum academic requirements were not met and what steps are being taken to ensure academic requirements will be met in the future.  It is recommended that students provide supporting documentation as evidence of extenuating circumstances.  If a student has exceeded the time limit, an Academic Plan must be submitted to document outstanding degree requirements and to track the additional time that may be needed.  The student’s academic record and documentation provided in the student’s appeal package are taken into consideration.  Once the review process is complete, students are notified whether an exception to policy is approved.

If an appeal is approved, the institution is required to monitor the student’s progress for a minimum of one payment period(semester). Therefore, an update is required to be submitted on the student’s progress at the end of that semester.