Graduate Admission
Admission Requirements
If you already hold a baccalaureate, you must apply to attend CSU, Chico
through the Office of Graduate Programs rather than through the Office
of Admissions, whether or not your objective is a master’s degree, credential,
or further undergraduate study.
To qualify for admission to postbaccalaureate study, you must meet the
following general requirements. You must be in good academic standing at
the last institution attended, and have completed a four-year college course
of study and hold an acceptable baccalaureate from an institution accredited
by a regional accrediting association (or have completed equivalent academic
preparation as determined by the Office of Graduate Programs). In addition,
you must have attained the grade point average required for your objective.
Generally, postbaccalaureate students must have a 2.5 (on a scale where
A=4.0) in the last 60 semester units attempted. However, applicants to
a master’s degree program must have a 3.0 in the last 30 semester units
attempted and a 2.75 in the last 60 semester units attempted. Applicants
to a second baccalaureate program are held to the same requirements as
undergraduate applicants (i.e., a 2.0 cumulative GPA for resident applicants
and a 2.4 cumulative GPA for non-residents).
Applicants who do not qualify for admission under these provisions may
be admitted by special action if, on the basis of acceptable evidence,
they are judged by the designated campus authority to possess sufficient
academic, professional, and other potential pertinent to their educational
objectives.
Admission Classifications of Postbaccalaureate Students
If you meet the minimum requirements for postbaccalaureate study as indicated
above, you may be considered for admission to one of the following:
Master’s Degree Student
You are a master’s degree student if you are admitted to at least conditionally
classified status in a specific degree program. See “Admission to Master’s
Degree Programs” below as well as individual academic program descriptions
for complete information.
It is possible to pursue both a master’s degree program and a credential
program concurrently. If you are interested in pursuing these dual objectives,
you should file the appropriate applications in the Office of Graduate
Programs.
Teaching Credential Candidate
You are a credential candidate if you are admitted to obtain a basic teaching
credential or a specialized credential. See the “Education” chapter for
specific information on the various teaching credential programs and any
additional admission requirements.
Unclassified Student
By meeting the general requirements, you are eligible for admission as
an unclassified student to qualify for a master’s degree or credential
program, complete a postbaccalaureate certificate porgram, earn a second
baccalaureate or second major, or take course work for personal or professional development. Some departments may restrict enrollment of
unclassified students because of heavy enrollment pressure, and admission
in this status does not constitute admission to, or assurance of consideration
for admission to, any graduate degree or credential program. If your goal
is to qualify for a master’s degree program, you should talk with the appropriate
graduate coordinator as early as possible to plan your course of study.
Admission Notification
The Office of Graduate Programs officially notifies both master’s degree
and unclassified applicants of the admission decision. For credential applicants,
the specific department responsible for the credential for which a student
has applied will notify applicants regarding their admission.
Admission to any of the above categories is limited to the specific semester
for which you have applied and been accepted. If you do not enroll during
the semester for which you are admitted, you will not be automatically
readmitted for a subsequent semester but must resubmit the appropriate
application and fee during the designated application period. The fee may
be waived if you have requested and been approved for a deferred admission
(see “Deferred Admission”).
If you do not hold a baccalaureate at the start of the semester for which
you have been admitted, your postbaccalaureate admission will be canceled
and your class level will be changed back to senior. You must then reapply
for postbaccalaureate admission as indicated above if you wish to enroll
after you receive the bachelor’s degree.
Application Procedures
All graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants (e.g., master’s degree applicants,
those seeking credentials, and those interested in taking graduate-level
courses for personal or professional growth) must file a complete graduate
application as described in the graduate and postbaccalaureate admission
booklet. Applicants who completed undergraduate degree requirements and
graduated the preceding term are also required to complete and submit an
application and the $55 nonrefundable application fee. Since applicants
for postbaccalaureate programs may be limited to the choice of a single
California State University campus on each application, redirection to
alternate campuses or later changes of campus choice will be minimal. To
be assured of initial consideration by more than one campus, it will be
necessary to submit separate applications (including fees) to each.
At CSU, Chico the Office of Graduate Programs can supply the appropriate
application materials for applicants to master’s degree programs, unclassified
status, or basic credential programs. Credential applicants should also
consult the “Education” chapter of this catalog for additional information.
To request an application electronically go to www.csuchico.edu/admissions
and click on “Request Information.”
The application and accompanying information will specify exactly what
you must submit. The application must be submitted to the Office of Graduate
Programs by the deadline given in the Academic Calendar. You must also
request that each postsecondary institution you have previously attended
send three official copies of your transcripts directly to the Office of
Graduate Programs.
(NOTE: If you have attended Chico in the past, either as a graduate or
an undergraduate student, you will not need to obtain additional copies
of transcripts you have already had sent to the institution. Neither will
you need to provide transcripts of your Chico record.) These transcripts
must arrive by the application deadline listed in the Academic Calendar.
Test scores, when required, must also be submitted by the application deadline
(see “Admission to Master’s Degree Programs” and individual academic program
descriptions for more information on tests).
The $55 non-refundable application fee in the form of a check, money order,
or credit card payment to the California State University is required
of all applicants, with the following exceptions: 1) postbaccalaureate
students currently enrolled at Chico who are changing their objectives;
2) those who were previously enrolled as postbaccalaureate students, have
broken enrollment at Chico only one semester, and have not attended any
other schools in the interim; 3) students who have been granted a deferred
admission; 4) students filing as auditors; and, 5) students who have applied
for, and been granted, an application fee waiver.
Admission to Second Bachelor’s Degree Programs
If you already possess a baccalaureate, you may apply for admission to
a program leading to a second bachelor’s degree. In doing so, you should
apply directly to the Office of Graduate Programs since your status is
postbaccalaureate. However, you will be held to the same admission requirements
as undergraduates applying to baccalaureate programs (i.e., a 2.0 cumulative
GPA if you are a resident of California or a 2.4 cumulative GPA if you
are a non-resident). If you are applying for admission to an impacted area
of study, you must follow supplementary admission procedures and meet special
criteria (see “Undergraduate Admissions”).
Admission to Master’s Degree Programs
In addition to the requirements described previously for all postbaccalaureate
students, as an applicant to a master’s degree program you may be required
to successfully complete a nationally standardized qualifying examination
(e.g., Graduate Record Examination, Graduate Management Admission Test,
Miller Analogies Test) and fulfill other admission criteria specified by
the department. Refer to individual academic program chapters for information
on specific departmental requirements. When tests are required, a record
of the test scores must be filed in the Office of Graduate Programs prior
to the application deadline listed in the Academic Calendar.
After the application deadline, completed files are forwarded to the department
for review. The department may recommend that you be admitted to one of
the following categories:
Conditionally Classified
A conditionally classified master’s degree student is one who has not been
formally approved for master’s degree study. The purpose of an admission
to conditionally classified status is to provide an opportunity for you
to meet requirements to become a classified master’s degree student.
To be admitted as a conditionally classified master’s degree student, you
must meet the general requirements for all postbaccalaureate students specified
in “Admission Requirements” above as well as any specific requirements
outlined by your major department for this category.
While enrolled as a conditionally classified student, you will be required
to complete 12 qualifying, letter-graded units of 200/300-level work with
at least a 3.0 GPA. In addition, you must satisfy any departmentally specified
criteria for admission to classified standing. You must also maintain at
least a 3.0 GPA in all course work taken subsequent to admission to conditionally
classified status. Failure to meet these requirements may result in the
termination of your enrollment in the master’s degree program.
Classified
You are a classified master’s degree student if you have been formally
accepted by the department and the Office of Graduate Programs to pursue
master’s degree study.
In addition to meeting the general requirements for all postbaccalaureate
students specified in “Admission Requirements” above and specific requirements
prescribed by the department, you must meet the following minimum requirements:
1. Satisfactory grade point average as follows:
a) An undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 in the last 30
semester units and a 2.75 in the last 60 semester units, or
b) A postbaccalaureate
grade point average of at least 3.0 in a minimum of 12 departmentally specified
units of letter-graded graduate-level course work, and
c) In addition to
“a” or “b” above, a grade point average of at least 3.0 in all postbaccalaureate,
graduate-level course work taken within the five years prior to admission
to classified status. This course work includes all graduate-level transfer
work and all graduate-level courses completed in excess of baccalaureate
requirements which have been approved for postbaccalaureate credit, whether
or not they are applied to the master’s degree.
2. Approval by the department and the Office of Graduate Programs.
You are required to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in all course work taken
subsequent to admission to the master’s program, as well as a 3.0 GPA in
all course work to be applied toward requirements for the master’s degree.
Candidate
While exceptional students may be granted candidacy immediately upon admission,
master’s degree students are normally advanced to candidacy after demonstrating
ability and aptitude for the discipline as a classified master’s degree
student and meeting specific departmental requirements to become a candidate.
Minimally, these will include:
1. Classified graduate standing and completion at CSU, Chico of at least
9 units of the proposed program.
2. Completion of departmental examinations, such as diagnostic examinations.
3. A grade point average of at least 3.0 in all course work taken subsequent
to admission to the master’s program, and in all course work to be applied
toward requirements for the master’s degree.
4. Approval by the department and the Office of Graduate Programs.
Use of Social Security Number
Your social security number is used to identify you in your association
with the university, first as an applicant and later as a student. Therefore,
you are required to include your social security number in designated places
on your admission application forms pursuant to the authority contained
in Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Section 41201.
Enrollment in Distance & Online Education Courses
Chico Distance & Online Education offers a variety of courses via the Internet
using various Web-based applications. For information on current course
offerings, call the Center for Regional and Continuing Education, 530-898-6105.
Students who are regularly enrolled in Chico Distance & Online Education
courses receive resident credit and are held to the same application, transcript,
and fee requirements as on-campus students.
International Student Admission
If you have attended a recognized foreign institution and have received
a degree deemed equivalent to the U.S. baccalaureate, you may apply for
admission as a graduate student. Prior university-level preparation should
be appropriate to your graduate degree objective, and superior undergraduate
grades are essential. Application must be made to the Office of Graduate
Programs at least six months in advance of the desired admission date.
In addition to the academic requirements, all international students whose
native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL). Other examinations, such as the Graduate Management Admission
Test, the Miller Analogies Test, and the Graduate Record Examination, may
also be required by a department as a condition of admission.
Postbaccalaureate TOEFL Requirement
All postbaccalaureate applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose preparatory
education was principally in a language other than English must demonstrate
competence in English. Those who have not completed at least three years
in a degree program at a postsecondary educational institution in Australia,
Great Britain, anglophone Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or the United States,
must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Scores more than two years old are not acceptable. Applicants without the
specified educational preparation in English must complete the TOEFL with
a minimum score of 213 on the computer-based test, or a minimum total score
of 550, with at least 50 in each section, on the paper-based test. Individual
programs may require higher scores, and the TOEFL score requirement is
subject to change. You are, therefore, encouraged to contact the Office
of Graduate Programs for the most current information.
Admission as an Auditor
An auditor is a student who enrolls in a course for informational purposes
only. An auditor attends class sessions regularly but does not participate
in the class, take examinations, or receive credit for the course. To qualify
as an auditor, you must submit an application for admission (without paying
the application processing fee required of credit students) and such transcripts
as are necessary to show that you possess a baccalaureate. In addition,
you must obtain permission of the instructor to register as an auditor
in any course. Auditors pay the same registration fees as credit students.
Deferred Admission
Chico has a deferred admission program through which students who have
been fully accepted for postbaccalaureate study may postpone enrollment.
To qualify for deferred admission, you must have on file in the Office
of Graduate Programs three official copies of transcripts from all postsecondary
institutions previously attended so that complete eligibility can be determined.
You must have paid the required fee with your original application to request
the one-time deferment. The period of deferment shall not exceed two years
(four semesters), and you must submit an application for deferment to the
Office of Graduate Programs.
Deferred admission may not be used by students wishing to attend another
college or university while “holding a space” for a later semester at Chico.
If you attend another school or enroll in CSU, Chico Extension or Open
University classes during the deferred period, you will have to reapply
for admission during the appropriate application filing period, pay the
application fee, and submit three official transcripts of any work completed
subsequent to filing the original application. However, Chico seniors who
do not graduate as anticipated may request to defer their postbaccalaureate
admission even though they take additional Chico course work to complete
baccalaureate requirements during the period of deferment.
If your application for deferred admission is approved, you will not be
required to pay the application fee to reactivate your admission. However,
you must resubmit the appropriate application forms by the deadline. Postbaccalaureate
students should call the Office of Graduate Programs for complete information.
Transcript Retention
If you submit transcripts to the Office of Graduate Programs at Chico and
then fail to submit an application, the transcripts will be retained for
two years and will then be discarded. If you complete an application file,
but do not enroll for the semester for which you have been accepted, your
transcripts will also be retained for two years and then discarded.
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