Registration and Degree Information

• Enrollment and Registration
• Degree Regulations
• Master’s Degrees
• Doctoral Degrees

The policies and procedures in this Bulletin were accurate at the time of printing, but, new policies and procedures may be approved and implemented prior to the next publication of this document. Students beginning a degree program are expected to meet the requirements in force in the year in which they enter a program. Students are expected to make satisfactory progress (see the “Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) ” of this Bulletin) toward the degree, as determined by the university policy and as determined by their respective programs.

For every instance in which you are required to complete a form, you will see the following symbol (), which indicates that the form is available on the CGU website.

Enrollment and Registration

Registration information and course schedules for each semester are published on the web at www.cgu.edu/register shortly after midterm of the preceding semester. Continuing students register for courses for the upcoming semester during the dates noted in the academic calendar. 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

There are specified registration deadlines for each semester. All students are responsible for fulfilling any obligations and clearing any hold(s) on their account so that they may register by the deadlines. Students who do not meet the registration deadline(s) will incur late registration fees.

Continuous Enrollment

Students must be enrolled continually for the fall and spring semesters (summer is an optional semester for enrollment). Full-time status is equivalent to at least 8 units of study in a given semester and up to 16 units depending upon specific academic program requirements. Students who have completed their coursework requirements and are enrolled in Continuous Registration or Doctoral Study are considered as full-time students. Details about Continuous Registration and Doctoral Study are described later in this section of the Bulletin.

Auditing a Course

Students may audit courses with the permission of the instructor at a fee of $884 per 4-unit course or $442 per 2-unit course. Students enrolled in at least 12 units in the same semester may take up to 4 audit units at no extra charge. However, art students must be enrolled in at least 15 units in the same semester to take up to 4 audit units at no extra charge. There are no executive management courses offered for audit. If a continuing student wants to audit a class(es) and will not be enrolled in unit-earning classes, the student must also be enrolled in Continuous Registration or Doctoral Study. Please note that while in Doctoral Study or Continuous Registration, a student may audit one class for free.

Course Changes (Add /Drop)

Students wishing to add or drop a course after registration (including tutorials, seminars, and research) must either make the change on the student portal or submit a Change In Registration (Add/Drop) Request Form () to their academic department for processing. All procedural information on making changes to registration are on the web at www.cgu.edu/register. Changes must be processed within the semester in which they occur and by the deadline dates shown in the academic calendar. Any changes made past the deadline dates will incur a fee.

Students are responsible for additional tuition charges that may result from adding courses. If dropped courses result in lower tuition charges, refunds will be made in accordance with the University’s refund policy (available in the “Expenses and Financial Aid ” section of this Bulletin and at www.cgu.edu/studentaccounts). Students are advised to consider the effect adding or dropping units may have on financial aid eligibility or immigration status and to consult with the appropriate university administrators prior to making any changes.

Program Changes

Any change of degree, program, field, or concentration must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor and dean of the school using the appropriate Change of Degree or Field Form (). Approved changes become effective in the semester following the date that the form was submitted and approval was given.

Term-Based Transactions

Term-based transactions include all activities that affect the student’s record and account within a given semester. Therefore, all registrations, changes to registration, payment and/or payment arrangements must be made prior to the end of the term/semester in which a student is taking a class. No changes will be made after the last day of the semester.

For International Students

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (US CIS hereafter) requires all international students on a J-1 or F-1 visa to be enrolled full time (8 units minimum) both fall and spring semesters. International students should consult the international student coordinator before making any changes.

Additionally, F-1 and J-1 international students enrolled at CGU are responsible to adhere to the requirements stated by the US CIS regarding SEVIS. For specific requirements and documentation, students should see the CGU website at www.cgu.edu/international.

Withdrawal From Courses

Circumstances may arise wherein a student may not be able to complete a given semester. The student may need to withdraw from all courses or research for one semester. Students withdrawing from all courses, tutorials, seminars, or research during a given semester should note that they must register instead for Continuous Registration (master’s students) or Doctoral Study Fee (doctoral students), whichever is appropriate, for that semester, and must maintain continuous registration if they intend to complete degree requirements later. Unless a leave of absence is granted, students who withdraw from one or more courses will receive no tuition refund and will be assessed a late change fee.

Students who withdraw from a course after the published last day to drop will receive a notation of “W” on their transcript for the course.

Leaves of Absence

The vice president for student services and dean of students of the University grants leaves of absence for military service, family leave, medical disability, or financial hardship. Students must submit a Leave of Absence Request Form () and it must be accompanied by supporting documents. Leaves of absence are granted for one semester and are not automatically renewed. During such leaves, students are exempt from paying doctoral study or continuous registration fees, but retain access to the library and its facilities.

Medical disability, military service, and family and financial hardship leaves extend the time limit for completion of degree requirements by the period for which the leave was granted.

Research Leave of Absence

In exceptional circumstances, permission for leaves of absence of up to one year for full-time research or other activities directly related to the student’s academic program may be approved. Research leaves are processed by the vice president for student services and dean of students and granted by the provost and vice president for academic affairs based upon recommendations from the student’s major advisor and dean of the school. During such leaves, the student is exempt from paying the doctoral study or continuous registration fees. Research leaves do not affect the time limit for completion of all 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 any other member of the University or Claremont Colleges community, or a threat of serious destruction of 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.

Withdrawal from CGU

Students will be withdrawn from CGU if they do not register by the end of the first two weeks of a given (fall/spring) semester or if they formally request (in writing) to be withdrawn. Withdrawal from CGU will be noted on the student’s transcript.

Any student working with the faculty to fulfill degree requirements must be a registered student.

Reinstatement

Students who have withdrawn from their graduate programs for one full semester or exceeded institutional time requirements/limits (time requirements/limits are described later in this section of the Bulletin), and who have not been terminated for academic or disciplinary reasons, may request reinstatement to CGU. Former students may request reinstatement only to their previous academic program and degree type. A Request For Reinstatement Form () must be submitted to the appropriate faculty chair or dean, and should be accompanied by a plausible timetable for completing all remaining degree requirements. (This form is available at www.cgu.edu/registrar.)

Reinstatements are recommended by the faculty, approved by the dean of the school, and processed by the Office of Admission and Records. Upon approval, the student may be required to repeat or augment portions of prior work. Any prior financial obligation to CGU must be cleared before reinstatement will be granted.

A nonrefundable reinstatement fee is required (see www.cgu.edu/studentaccounts for the current reinstatement fee). At the time of reinstatement, the student’s program plan must adhere to the institutional time requirements (time requirements are described later in this section of the Bulletin) for completing the degree program.

Student Enrollment Status Verification and Loan Deferment

For loan eligibility and deferment purposes, a student registered for at least 8 units is considered to be a full-time student, and a student registered for at least 4 units is considered to be a half-time student. The Office of Admission and Records can verify student status upon the written request of a student. A Status Request Form () is available at www.cgu.edu/registrar.

A doctoral student registered for Doctoral Study after completion of the required number of units for the degree is considered a full-time student until completion of the seventh year after first registration. If one year of transfer credit is granted, the full-time designation continues until completion of the sixth year after first registration.

A master’s degree student registered for Continuous Registration after completion of the required number of units appropriate to the degree program is considered a full-time student until completion of the fifth year after first registration. (In some master’s degree programs, for example, the M.B.A. program, the student is considered to be full-time until completion of the sixth year.) A student registered in the Teacher Education Internship Program is considered a full-time student for purposes of loan eligibility and deferment when he or she is taking a minimum of four units of coursework in the fall or spring along with the teaching internship.

Approved leaves of absence for research do not extend these calendar limits. Leaves of absence for medical disability, military service, and family or financial hardship do extend the time limit allowed to complete the degree.

Degree Regulations

It is the responsibility of the student to meet all the degree requirements outlined in this section and any other requirements within specific academic program sections of this Bulletin.

Grading System

Claremont Graduate University uses a 4.0 scale for determining grade point average as follows:

Other notations include:

Incompletes

A student who has received an Incomplete is required to make up the work by such time as is stipulated by the instructor after consultation with the student, but in no case later than one calendar year from the time at which the work was originally due. If the Incomplete is not made up within the specified time, it will become a Permanent Incomplete on the student’s transcript (PI).

Degree candidates expecting to graduate in a given semester must have removed all Incompletes as well as completed all coursework prior to the last day of the semester. If such Incompletes are not removed, the degree will be granted in the subsequent term, subject to the successful removal of the Incompletes.

Extensions of Time

The normal time limit for a master’s degree student to complete the requirements for a degree is no more than five years from the date of initial enrollment (six years for the M.B.A. and the E.M.B.A.); for a doctoral student, it is no more than seven years. These limits may vary based on the program, leaves of absence, and any transfer credit accepted. Transfer credit only affects the time limit for doctoral students.

Students who find it necessary to exceed the time limits published in this Bulletin will observe the following procedure:

• Students must complete the Extension of Time to Degree form () (available at www.cgu.edu/registrar) and secure the approval of the faculty advisor and the dean of the school in which they are enrolled. The academic department will then submit the signed form to the Office of Admission and Records for processing.
• The first such extension will be granted for a period of up to one year to students enrolled in a master’s program and up to two years to students enrolled in a Ph.D. program (except for psychology students). Any subsequent extensions sought and granted will be for a period of one year and must carry the approval of the faculty advisor and dean of the school.

Standards of Academic Honesty

All students at Claremont Graduate University are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty in the performance of all academic work. A student shall be subject to discipline for any form of academic dishonesty, including (but not limited to) cheating, plagiarism, forgery, and the use of materials prepared by another (whether published or not, including commercially prepared materials) without appropriately crediting the source. The University will follow procedures that provide the student with safeguards appropriate to the nature of the alleged violation and the potential penalty. Disciplinary sanctions may range from an official warning to the expulsion of the student from Claremont Graduate University. A description of procedures is available in the “Academic Honesty ” section of this Bulletin and on the webpage of the vice president for student services and the dean of students.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

The general requirements for satisfactory academic progress can be found in the “Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) ” section of this Bulletin.

Use of Computer Resources

The University expects that all students will adhere to the policies and procedures governing the use of computer and electronic-based information resources. Copies of student user rights and obligations are available in the institutional handbook on the CGU web page (www.cgu.edu/handbook). Users are responsible for being familiar with these conditions.

Courses

Courses offered by CGU, and selectively by the five undergraduate Claremont Colleges, Keck Graduate Institute, and the Claremont School of Theology, are open to graduate students. Those numbered 200 and above carry graduate credit. Courses and seminars numbered from 300 to 600 normally serve the primary programs for graduate students. All 200 level courses are usually open only to master’s and first-year doctoral students. If a master’s or first-year doctoral student desires to take a 100 – 199 level undergraduate course for graduate credit that is not a part of their regular graduate curriculum, the student must obtain approval of their faculty advisor and the course instructor. Students receiving credit for such courses are required to do work of graduate caliber.

In addition to general courses, Claremont Graduate University offers individualized instruction on a wide range of topics through tutorials and independent study supervised by faculty. These are: Tutorial Reading (397) and Independent Study (398) on the master’s level, and Tutorial Reading (497) and Independent Research (498) on the doctoral level.

Advancement to Candidacy for a Degree

Admission to the University and passing of coursework do not automatically advance a student to candidacy for a degree or guarantee institutional recommendation for a teaching or administrative credential. See the following sections and specific academic sections for further statements of policy regarding advancement to candidacy.

Completion of Degree Requirements

All students must be registered during the semester in which they intend for their degree to be granted. The student must submit the Intent to Receive a Degree form () and Degree Completion Survey () (www.cgu.edu/registrar) to the Office of Admission and Records by the deadline stated in the academic calendar. Additionally, the student must meet all deadlines in order for the degree to be considered completed and be granted. The Intent form is valid only for the semester in which it was originally filed.

In the event that a student does not meet the deadlines within the semester he or she anticipated receiving a degree, the original Intent form that was filed is no longer valid. The student must submit a new Intent to Receive a Degree form () for the next intended semester in which all degree requirements will be completed. Note: if all academic and institutional degree requirements, including the removal of Incompletes, are finished prior to the first day of classes for that next semester, the student need not register for that next semester even though the degree will be granted during that term.

Exceptions

A student requesting an exception to a degree requirement must submit an Academic Petition Form () (available at www.cgu.edu/registrar) and supporting documents that must have the endorsement of the student’s faculty advisor and dean of the school. Upon academic approval, the student must then submit the form(s) to the vice president for student services and dean of students for administrative approval and processing well in advance of the deadline for the requirement.

Master’s Degrees

Master of Arts Degree

Claremont Graduate University accepts candidates for the degree of Master of Arts in the following fields:

Master of Science Degrees

Claremont Graduate University offers the degree of Master of Science in the following fields:

Other Master’s Degrees

Claremont Graduate University also offers the following master’s degrees:

Unit Requirement. Completion of the master’s degree requires a minimum of 30 units of graduate credit. See specific academic program sections in this Bulletin to confirm the number of units required. A student whose program includes a thesis or critique may, on faculty recommendation, receive a maximum of 6 units of credit for thesis research. Four units of credit may be awarded for writing a critique.

Transfer of Credit. Credit may be transferred toward a master’s degree under the same general conditions as those governing transfers for the Ph.D. No more than 15 semester units or their equivalent may be transferred into master’s programs requiring 60 units, no more than 10 into those requiring 48 units, and no more than 6 into those requiring fewer than 48 units. Transfer credit is generally awarded only for work completed prior to the student’s first enrollment at CGU. In all cases, students should inquire about the requirements and evaluation procedures in the program concerned. Information and the Transfer of Credit form () is available at www.cgu.edu/registrar.

Residence and Time Requirement/Limit. The institutional residence requirement and time limit for the master’s degree is that all requirements be completed within five calendar years (six years for the M.B.A. and E.M.B.A.). The student must be enrolled continuously, either for credit or for Continuous Registration, until the degree is earned. See the “Degree Regulations” section in this Bulletin regarding petitions for extension of time.

Continuous Registration. Master’s degree students are required to maintain continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been met, including, if applicable, approval of a thesis or critique and payment of binding fees. A student not enrolled in coursework or thesis research is required to register for Continuous Registration (400M). Please refer to the “Reinstatement” section of this Bulletin for details on the procedures for re-enrolling if continuous registration has not been maintained.

Qualifying Examinations. The faculty of a particular field may require a written qualifying examination in addition to or in place of the thesis or critique. Students should consult the academic section of this Bulletin for specific requirements.

Thesis or Critique. A thesis or critique affords evidence of the candidate’s ability to analyze and evaluate materials and to write clearly. A thesis involves the careful design and execution of a research problem. A critique may also involve a research problem, or it may be a critical analysis and evaluation of the literature on a particular subject, or a description and evaluation of a project. A thesis or critique may be prepared either in conjunction with one or more courses, or independently under the guidance of the student’s advisor. It must be read and approved by the advisor(s). A thesis or critique is featured only in certain fields.

Thesis or Critique Registration. (The catalog number assigned to this registration is 399.) Students may register for a maximum of 6 units of credit for thesis research and 4 units of credit for the critique with faculty approval. A grade of Incomplete is given until the thesis or critique is completed.

Final Oral Examination. Students submitting a thesis or critique may be required to defend it in an oral examination. This examination also includes questions on the candidate’s general field of concentration. The committee conducting this examination normally includes the candidate’s advisor and one or more CGU faculty members with whom the candidate has taken graduate work, and in certain fields a thesis examiner who is not a member of the University faculty.

Final Copies of Theses and Critiques. Final copies of theses must be submitted to the Office of Admission and Records by the date posted in the academic calendar. Two unbound copies of the thesis, the original and a copy, are deposited in Honnold Library after the final examination. Final copies of the critique, the original and one copy, must be submitted to the faculty in the relevant field.

Final Approval. During the semester in which a student expects to have met all requirements for the degree, a Master’s Final Approval form () must be completed. The student must submit the form to the department or school for appropriate signature. If the student is recommended for the degree, the form is returned to the Office of Admission and Records for verification and processing.

Students should check the academic calendar for the final date for completion of all degree requirements for master’s degrees to be awarded in late August, January, or May.

Master’s Degree Along the Way to the Ph.D. Students may only qualify for a master’s degree while pursuing a Ph.D. if the two degrees are in the same field and if none of the units earned in the Ph.D. are counted toward/shared with any other degree at CGU. Upon completion of all requirements of that master’s degree, the student should submit all necessary paperwork associated with it in the semester in which the student intends to receive the degree (according to the deadlines printed in the academic calendar).

Once a student has earned a master’s degree in the same field as the Ph.D. none of the units accomplished for those two degrees may be applied to a subsequent degree.

California State Teacher Credentials. A program of study is offered by the faculty in education to prepare prospective teachers to meet certification requirements for public school teaching in California. The program, based on the concept of internship, provides alternative means of achieving certification and prepares teachers at elementary and secondary levels. Admission is possible either at the beginning of the spring semester or the summer semester. Applicants must meet the education faculty’s requirements for admission to the M.A. program.

Prospective teachers who are admitted to this program combine academic study with an intensive observation-participation program in cooperating school districts. In September, the intern begins full-time teaching at full salary under the supervision of a CGU advisor. A teacher placement specialist is available to assist students in obtaining full-time teaching internship positions. Upon successful completion of the program, a student has met requirements for the California Clear Teaching Credential. The M.A. is earned by completing additional coursework.

Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree Programs at The Claremont Colleges. (B.A./M.A.) Claremont Graduate University offers qualified undergraduate students at The Claremont Colleges the opportunity to work simultaneously toward the completion of their undergraduate degree requirements and a master’s degree in selected academic fields. Applicants must be recommended by their respective college faculty and should apply to the program during their junior year. Undergraduate students should consult their advisors and the University as early as possible to plan their academic programs. For additional information, contact the academic department in which you are interested. The units accepted must be a B or better.

Doctoral Degrees

Students completing master’s degree requirements at Claremont Graduate University should not take for granted automatic admission to Ph.D. programs. Admission to doctoral programs requires formal application and subsequent approval by the field faculty and the dean of the school. (See the section titled “Program Changes” for procedures.)

Doctor of Church Music Degree

The Doctor of Church Music combines excellence in church music performance with a theological background. The degree requirements are generally those of the Ph.D. with exceptions noted in the section on “Music.”

Doctor of Musical Arts Degree

The doctor of musical arts degree indicates significant achievement in performance or composition. In general, the degree requirements are the same as those given for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with specific exceptions as noted in the section on “Music.”

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Claremont Graduate University accepts candidates for the degree of doctor of philosophy in the following fields:

Unit and Tuition Requirements. Doctoral students must complete their programs in a period of seven years. During this time, a minimum of 72 units of paid coursework, independent study, and research, including transfer credit, must be completed.

Transdisciplinary Course (T-Course) Requirement. Doctoral students who enrolled fall 2004 semester or later are required to complete the transdisciplinary T-Course during the second year of coursework. This course is an advanced intensive experience that prepares doctoral students for high-level discourse, research, and inquiry and provides practical experience working with colleagues in different fields. The course will count as 4 of the regular 72 units toward the student’s degree. It will not add any additional units to the student’s degree requirements nor count against the total number of transfer units from previous graduate coursework.

Exceptions. Students in the following programs are not required to take the T-Course, but are welcome to: Ph.D. in Botany, Joint Ph.D. with CSU Long Beach, Joint Ph.D. with San Diego State University, and Ph.D. in Computational and Systems Biology.

Time Requirement/Limit. All degree requirements must be completed within seven years from the time a student begins graduate study at Claremont Graduate University. The seven-year maximum time period for the Ph.D. degree is reduced by six months for 12 units or less of transfer credit and by twelve months for 13 to 24 units of transfer credit.

Residence Requirement. The residence requirement for the Ph.D. degree may be met either by two semesters of full-time study in a 2-year period or by the completion of 48 units of coursework within a 3-year period, including work in the summer session.

Students who receive transfer credit for 12 units or less may meet the residence requirement either by completing two full-time semesters of coursework within a 2-year period or by completing 36 units within a 2 1/2-year period. Those receiving transfer credit for 13 to 24 units may meet the residence requirement by completing 24 units within a 2-year period. The seven-year maximum time period for the Ph.D. degree is reduced by six months for 12 units or less of transfer credit and by twelve months for 13 to 24 units of transfer credit.

Students who are admitted to a Ph.D. program at Claremont Graduate University after completing a master’s degree at CGU are, for purposes of residence and time requirements/limits only, subject to the same regulations as students who enter CGU after completing a master’s degree at another institution. Units earned in a master’s program at CGU normally count toward the unit requirement for a Ph.D. degree in the same field. Because coursework requirements differ from field to field, students entering a Ph.D. program with a CGU master’s degree should consult their faculty advisors in planning their Ph.D. program, not all units may count toward the Ph.D.

This policy does not apply to students who were initially admitted to the Ph.D. program and who have received a master’s degree at CGU in the course of their work toward the doctorate. The general requirements for the Ph.D. degree outlined in this Bulletin are applicable to such students.

Neither Dissertation Research (495) nor Doctoral Study (499) may be used to satisfy the residence requirement. The student must be enrolled continuously, either for credit or for Doctoral Study, until the degree is earned.

Doctoral Study. When not paying tuition for courses or research, a student is required to register for Doctoral Study (499) and to pay the doctoral study fee each semester until all requirements for the degree have been completed. This applies equally to students not in residence. Students who do not register by the end of the second week of a given semester will be assumed to have withdrawn from their studies at Claremont Graduate University and this will be noted on their transcripts. (See sections on “Withdrawal from CGU” and “Reinstatement.”)

The following numbers are used for doctoral research in all fields: Dissertation Research (495); Tutorial Reading (497); and Independent Research (498). With the exception of Dissertation Research (495), grades are due at the end of the semester in which the course was taken. Grades for Dissertation Research are not due until the dissertation is submitted and the oral defense has been passed. No grades are given and no units are awarded for doctoral study registration. For details about graduate courses and undergraduate courses for graduate credit, see the paragraphs under “Courses” earlier in this section.

Transfer of Credit. Certain coursework completed at other institutions may be accepted for credit at CGU. The work must have been completed with at least a grade of “B” at a graduate institution accredited by a regional accrediting body. It must be shown to be relevant to the degree program of the student in question, and to be of appropriate quality and currency. Units from a college or university outside of the U.S. are only transferable if those units were not applied toward the bachelor’s degree equivalency.

No more than 24 semester-units or their equivalent may be transferred. The number of units of credit for courses accepted for transfer will appear on the CGU transcript. Decisions about the acceptability of proposed transfer credits are made by the student’s faculty advisor and chair or dean of the department or school using the Transfer of Credit Request Form (). The Office of Admission and Records must, when the petition is submitted, have received official transcripts recording the courses in question. The request should specify precisely which courses are to be considered and also identify any degree or certificate program in which they figured. In some cases, the general content of a particular completed program may justify transfer of the credit accrued in it. In all other cases, the request should include descriptions, from institutional catalogs if possible, of course contents. Transfer credit is awarded only for work completed prior to the student’s first enrollment at CGU. Students should, in any event, inquire about the requirements and evaluation procedures in the academic program concerned.

Research Tools. Reading proficiency in two approved foreign languages is normally required, except when the graduate faculty in a field accepts substitutions. Such substitutions include statistics, mathematics, computer programming, and others in selected fields. For further details, students should consult the respective program sections.

Students who have fulfilled the research tool for the Ph.D. degree at another institution may petition their faculty to have the research requirements accepted by Claremont Graduate University, provided they were completed within the last three years. Entering students who wish to petition should do so immediately with their academic department.

Prerequisites for Qualifying Examinations. The following requirements must be met before a student is permitted to take the qualifying examinations:

(1) attainment of full graduate standing;

(2) satisfaction of the research tools requirement, as outlined under individual programs; and

(3) completion of not less than two years of full-time graduate study, or 48 units, including transfer credit. Any Incompletes appearing on the student’s record must be over and above the 48 units needed for eligibility.

Qualifying Examinations. Students are expected to take their qualifying examinations in sufficient time to allow for completion of the degree within seven years (including transfer credit).

When a student has completed the program of study prescribed, the advisor and dean of the relevant program will approve a committee to give the qualifying examinations. The approval must be made using the Form 1: Qualifying Examinations Form () at least two weeks before the examinations are scheduled to begin. Upon completion of the exam(s) the committee will record the results on Form 1 and submit it to the Office of Admission and Records. In the case of failure to pass either the written or oral examinations, the student may be permitted, on recommendation of the advisor and dean of the school concerned, to take a second examination after a stipulated period of time has elapsed (no less than three months and no more than one calendar year after the first examination). If the results of the second examination are unsatisfactory, no further examinations will be permitted except upon recommendation of the graduate faculty in the field concerned and with the approval of the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Advancement to Candidacy. Advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree takes place when the student’s dissertation proposal is approved. As soon as possible after completion of qualifying examinations, the student should request that a dissertation committee be appointed. (See the next section for dissertation committee policies.) The dissertation committee and the dean of the school in the student’s field approve the committee members using the Form 2A: Advancement to Candidacy: Committee Proposal (). The student will present his or her dissertation proposal for approval by the committee. After acceptance of the proposal by the committee and submission of a 350-word abstract of the proposal, the student is advanced to candidacy by approval of the dissertation committee and dean of the school using Form2B.

Dissertation, Committee Membership and Final Oral Examination. The dissertation must be completed within the seven-year limit for completion of all degree requirements; see previous section on “Time Requirement.”

Using Form 3A: Final Oral Exam: Committee Proposal () available at www.cgu.edu/registrar, the dissertation chair and the dean of the school submit their approval of the names of the committee members and a date for the final oral examination. The approval must be submitted at least three weeks before the scheduled date of the examination and forwarded to the Office of Admission and Records for institutional verification.

This can be done no sooner than six months after advancement to candidacy, when the dissertation has been completed, when all other requirements for the degree have been fulfilled, and when the dissertation committee recommends scheduling the final examination.

The final oral examination will center on a defense of the dissertation and the relationship of the dissertation to the student’s general field of study. The final date for the scheduling of final oral examinations is listed in the academic calendar. Each dissertation committee will consist of at least three members drawn from the core CGU faculty or The Claremont Colleges extended faculty on the condition that at least one committee member must be a core CGU faculty member in the candidate’s school. Claremont Graduate University encourages the inclusion on each dissertation committee of an expert in the student’s field from outside The Claremont Colleges. There may be an outside examiner on a four-person committee, but not on a three-person committee. The outside examiner may be a faculty member from another institution, or a qualified practitioner. The outside examiner has a vote in the committee’s proceedings only with the consent of the dean of the school. The chair of the candidate’s committee must be a member of the core CGU faculty or the Claremont Colleges extended faculty. Each dissertation committee must be approved by the dean.

In the case of failure to pass the final oral examination, the regulations listed above for qualifying examinations are applicable; i.e., the student may be permitted, on recommendation of the graduate faculty in the field concerned, to take a second examination not less than three months and no more than one calendar year after the first examination.

The original signed dissertation and one copy, unbound, accompanied by an abstract not exceeding 350 words, must be submitted to and accepted by the Office of Admission and Records no later than the date listed in the academic calendar. Dissertations may not be removed thereafter. The original and copy will be deposited in Honnold Library.

Publication of the Dissertation. Before the candidate may be awarded the degree, arrangements for the publication of the candidate’s dissertation must be made. To achieve this, the candidate is required to pay a fee to cover the cost of microfilming the dissertation and must also sign an agreement authorizing Proquest to reproduce the dissertation on microfilm. The negative microfilm is deposited with that organization, from which positive microfilm copies may be ordered. The abstract is published in Dissertation Abstracts. Microfilming does not deprive the author of the right to publish the dissertation in book form.

The candidate may make the payment for microfilming and binding when submitting the final copy of the dissertation in the Office of Admission and Records by the deadline posted in the academic calendar. Details outlining the fees are available on the Office of Admission and Records’ web page at www.cgu.edu/registrar.

Joint Doctoral Programs

Joint Ph.D. Program with California State University, Long Beach. Claremont Graduate University cooperates with California State University, Long Beach, in offering the joint Ph.D. program in Engineering and Industrial Applied Mathematics. See the “Mathematics ” section of this Bulletin for further information.

Joint Ph.D. Program in Computational and Systems Biology. Claremont Graduate University cooperates with Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences in offering the joint Ph.D. in Computational and Systems Biology. See the “Mathematics ” section of this Bulletin for further information.

Joint Ph.D. Program in Computational Science with San Diego State University. Claremont Graduate University cooperates with San Diego State University in offering the joint Ph.D. In Computational Science. See the “Mathematics ”section of this Bulletin for further information.

Joint Ph.D. Program in Education with San Diego State University. Claremont Graduate University cooperates with San Diego State University in offering a program that addresses the challenges of educating a multicultural society. See the “Education ” section of this Bulletin for further information.

Dual Degree Policies. Dual degree policies, procedures, and approval forms are available from the Office of Admission and Records (available at www.cgu.edu/registrar).

Students interested in pursuing a dual degree program must submit a signed, approved Change of Degree or Field Form () to the Office of Admission and Records prior to completion of their first 16 units at CGU. Dual degree programs require the approval of the faculty and deans of both schools and departments, the Office of Admission and Records, and the Academic Standards Committee and must comply with the current dual degree policies of the University.

The maximum number of units from previous graduate coursework that may be transferred into a CGU dual degree program is 12 semester units for students pursuing a master’s/Ph.D. program. No units may be transferred into dual master’s programs.

A student is considered dual degree for the duration of their program (i.e. until both programs are completed). Students in the master’s/doctoral dual degree program may not receive a second master’s degree in the doctoral field. Students may not apply any units earned in the dual degrees to any subsequent degrees.

International students wishing to pursue a dual degree should be aware that due to federal regulations, neither degree will be awarded until the requirements for both degrees have been fulfilled.

Students may pursue existing formal dual degree programs or design an individual program to meet their academic and professional goals, subject to the approval of both schools and the Academic Standards Committee. Students should seek the advice and guidance from their academic departments and the Office of Admission and Records for proper procedures.

Interfield degree. An interfield degree program allows a student to complete one doctoral degree with a program of study that combines work in two academic fields.

Students wishing to be considered for an interfield degree must formally apply for admission to both departments in which they wish to study.

The student, in collaboration with faculty advisors, must draw up a detailed program proposal. New students admitted to an interfield degree must complete the proposal within the first year of work in the interfield program. Continuing students wishing to change to an interfield degree must submit the proposal with the Change of Degree or Field Form (). The program proposal must specify the courses to be taken, grouped within discipline areas, as well as subject areas for the qualifying examinations, residence intentions, foreign language and other research tools to be completed in the program, and the specific title of the interfield degree. Finally, the program proposal must identify the operating procedures of one academic field to be utilized in determining qualifying examination procedures, the dissertation committee, and other mechanisms employed in the advance of the program. The operating procedures to be employed shall reflect those in the academic field in which the majority of work will be completed.

Program proposals are subject to the approval of the faculty and deans of both fields concerned, and must be submitted to the Office of Admission and Records for administrative approval and processing.

Interfield application instructions are available on the Office of Admission and Records’ webpage at www.cgu.edu/registrar.

Interfield doctoral students may receive a master’s degree in one but not both fields.

The name of the interfield degree lists the disciplines in a sequence that reflects the academic focus of a particular program.

Significant changes in examination are as or program design must be submitted by the student for ratification by the relevant department committees and the dean of the school and submitted to the Office of Admission and Records.

Special Academic Programs

California State Administrative Credentials

The faculty in education offers a program to meet certification requirements for school administrators—the Professional Administrative Services Credential. Credential and Ph.D. work may be combined.

Work toward the Professional Administrative Services Credential is integrated with the program in education leadership. An outline of the philosophy and structure of the urban education leadership doctoral program is included in the “Education ” section of this Bulletin.

Summer Session

The summer session is designed primarily for currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students at The Claremont Colleges. However, it also is open to students at other colleges and universities and other individuals not currently enrolled at any educational institution.

The summer session offers required and elective courses, which are fully integrated with the academic-year curriculum, as well as opportunities for students to complete research tool requirements and to participate in internships and field placement seminars.

Summer session courses are taught by regular Claremont Graduate University faculty, members of the faculties of the other Claremont Colleges, and distinguished visiting and adjunct faculty.

Additional information about the summer session is included in the “Information for Applicants ” section of this Bulletin.

Non-CGU students must complete a Visiting Student Application Form () and must receive approval from the academic department of interest prior to the start of the summer semester.

Professional Credit Unit Programs

The faculty of Claremont Graduate University from time to time offers professional development programs based on a professional credit unit (PCU), conferred for graduate study not associated with advanced degree programs. Education and credit given in these programs has served as a basis for salary increments and other recognition of students by their employers.

Acceptance to a PCU program does not constitute acceptance to the University per se, but up to six PCU units earned prior to beginning a CGU degree program may be transferred toward a master’s-level degree on petition by the student and approval of the appropriate department faculty.

Tuition for professional credit units is established on a program-by-program basis each year, but normally has been substantially less than that charged for regular degree programs. Grades of S (Satisfactory) and U (Unsatisfactory) will be used unless letter grades have been specifically recommended, in which case the regular CGU grading policy will be followed.

PCU activities are offered in a variety of formats. Some follow the usual semester plan, while others may take the form of intensive work over a limited period of time. Structure is determined by the nature of the objectives sought, but in each case a calendar for completion of work associated with the course, seminar, or workshop is clearly established and adhered to closely. Administrative aspects (i.e. registration and transcripts, etc.) of PCU activities are centralized in the Office of Admission and Records.

McNair Scholars Program

The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program seeks students who have completed at least their sophomore year and are first-generation and low-income, or who are from a group underrepresented at the doctoral level (African-American, Latino-American, or Native-American).

The program encourages students to pursue graduate studies by providing opportunities to define goals, engage in research, and develop the skills and student/faculty mentor relationships critical to success at the doctoral level. The program awards each student with a $2,100 stipend and provides a six-week summer academic program designed to increase skills, confidence, and encourage enrollment in graduate school.

McNair scholars receive 10 units of graduate credit for successfully completing five graduate level courses during the six-week summer session. The courses may become part of the student’s program at their undergraduate institution.