You are in the official 2004-2005 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
You are in the official 2004-2005 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Admission to postbaccalaureate/graduate studies must be restricted to
the number of students for whom an effective education can be provided by
staff, facilities, and funding available at California State University,
Fresno. The university may limit postbaccalaureate/graduate enrollment on
the basis of the academic field and the relative aptitude of the applicant,
based on approved admissions criteria.
The minimum university requirements for admission to graduate and postbaccalaureate
studies at a California State University campus are in accordance with university
regulations as well as Title V, chapter 1, subchapter 3 of the California
Code of Regulations. Specifically, a student shall (1) have completed a
four-year college course of study and hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree
from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association, or
have completed equivalent academic preparation as determined by appropriate
campus authorities; (2) be in good academic standing at the last college
or university attended; (3) have attained a grade point average of at least
2.5 (A=4.0) in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted; and (4)
satisfactorily meet the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards
for graduate study, including qualifying examinations, as appropriate campus
authorities may prescribe. In unusual circumstances, a campus may make exceptions
to these criteria.
Postbaccalaureate applicants not interested in a graduate program may
choose to take courses for professional or personal growth, apply to work
toward a credential or certificate objective, or work toward a second baccalaureate
degree. These students may be admitted to the university in postbaccalaureate
standing in either an unclassified status or a classified status.
Admission to Postbaccalaureate Standing: Unclassified. By meeting
the minimum requirements to the university, students are eligible for admission
as postbaccalaureate unclassified, nondegree-seeking students. Students
who fall under this category may enroll in graduate courses for professional
or personal growth if they have satisfied all prerequisites and have filed
the appropriate standardized test scores. Some departments may restrict
enrollment of unclassified students due to heavy enrollment pressure. Admission
in this status does not constitute admission to or assurance of consideration
for admission to a graduate degree program or to a credential program.
Admission to Postbaccalaureate Standing: Classified. Students admitted
to the university as postbaccalaureate classified students have satisfied
additional professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards - including
qualifying examinations - prescribed by the campus, and may enroll in a
particular postbaccalaureate credential or certificate program. Admission
to postbaccalaureate classified standing does not constitute admission to
or consideration for admission to a graduate degree program, to a credential,
or to a certificate program.
Admission to the university for postbaccalaureate students who wish to
pursue a specific graduate program occurs in two phases: admission to the
university and admission by the Division of Graduate Studies to a graduate
program. Acceptance by the university does not guarantee admission by the
Division of Graduate Studies to a specific graduate program. Only those
students who are admitted to both the university and the Division of Graduate
Studies will be granted graduate standing in a master's or joint doctoral
degree program. Once graduate standing is attained, students must maintain
continuous enrollment until graduation. See the Continuous Enrollment section.
Admission to graduate standing is the responsibility of the Division of Graduate Studies. Students admitted to graduate standing have met the general requirements for university admission and the additional requirements and standards of the Division of Graduate Studies for admission to a graduate degree program. These requirements include academic preparation, evidence of scholarly and professional ability (standardized test scores and letters of recommendation), personal statement, and other requirements as described for each program in the appropriate section of this catalog. Some graduate programs require a separate application in addition to the university application to graduate and postbaccalaureate admission.
All applicants to a master's degree and advanced certificate programs
are required to submit appropriate admission test scores with the university
Application to Graduate/Postbaccalaureate Studies. Admission will require
submission of scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test,
or for business students, the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
Applicants for admission to the MPA program may submit either GRE or GMAT
scores. Applicants to master's degree programs in the Kremen School of Education
and Human Development may submit either GRE or Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
scores. GMAT information is available in the Craig School of Business Graduate
Office in the Peters Building, Room 183. Applications and information concerning
the GRE as well as the MAT and GMAT are available through the Testing Office
in the Family and Food Sciences Building, Room 110.
The University Graduate Committee has established a standardized test score
requirement for all applicants to provide a significant basis of comparison
to national educational standards and to ensure the admission of highly
qualified students to graduate degree programs. It should be noted that
an applicant's standardized test scores will not constitute the sole criterion
according to which an admissions decision will be rendered, as noted in
a previous paragraph. However, some departments, particularly in the sciences,
may give more importance to standardized test scores than departments in
other fields.
Applicants to the joint doctoral program in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)
are required to submit official scores of the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) General Test or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). For other requirements,
contact the California State University, Fresno/University of California
Davis Joint Doctoral Program.
All applicants granted graduate standing by the Division of Graduate Studies
are admitted to a graduate program through conditional or classified standing
as follows.
Graduate Program Admission: Conditional Classified Status. Students
may be admitted to a graduate degree program in this category if, in the
opinion of the appropriate campus authority, the student can remedy deficiencies
by additional preparation, including the combination of prerequisite requirements.
Note: Students who have been granted conditionally classified admission
to a graduate program are required to complete all conditions for achieving
classified status (full admission) to the program by the semester in which
a maximum of 10 units to be used toward the master's degree is completed.
In programs of 60 units, except counseling and rehabilitation counseling,
classification must occur prior to the completion of 20 units. Failure to
attain classified graduate standing in a timely manner as outlined in this
catalog may result in the loss of units to be applied toward the degree
since excess units may not be listed on the Petition of Advancement to Candidacy.
A student is expected to attain classified graduate standing either at admission
or during the first semester of studies. Candidates for classification are
expected to possess a 3.0 or better grade point average in coursework undertaken
for use toward the master's degree.
Graduate Program Admission: Classified Graduate Standing. This category
is granted to those students who fully meet all admission requirements of
the Division of Graduate Studies. It enables the student to pursue a graduate
degree and fulfill all of the professional, personal, scholastic, and other
standards -- including qualifying examinations -- prescribed by the campus.
Only those applicants who show promise of success and fitness will be admitted
to master's degree curricula, and only those who continue to demonstrate
a satisfactory level of scholastic competence and fitness shall be eligible
to proceed in such curricula. (See also Grade Requirements.)
Postbaccalaureate/graduate students who intend to change their major
or degree objective must complete and file a Change of Graduate Degree Objective,
which includes a fee payable at the cashier's window in the Joyal Administration
Building. These students must meet the admissions requirements of the new
program. These students must meet the admissions requirements of the new
program. The application for Change of Graduate Degree or Credential Objective
is available in the Division of Graduate Studies, Thomas Administration
Building, Room 132.
Students planning to engage in study toward a second master's degree
must obtain prior approval from the graduate dean. Students may not earn
a second master's degree in the same field. Coursework used to satisfy the
requirements of one degree may not be used to satisfy the require ments
of the second degree. Students may not be awarded two degrees in the same
degree-granting period or term.
Those graduate/postbaccalaureate students pursuing more than one objective
(i.e., two graduate degrees) must notify the Division of Graduate Studies
so that appropriate student standing may be noted with departments concerned.
A Certificate of Advanced Study may be earned in a limited number of approved, nondegree programs. Such programs provide useful coursework and professional experiences that emphasize the acquisition of advanced technical skills of a practical, applied nature. For a current list of such programs, consult the Division of Graduate Studies, (559) 278-2448. Applicants to a Certificate of Advanced Study program must meet the specific admission requirements of the individual program and the university. These include admission to postbaccalaureate standing and the submission of relevant test scores. A Proposed Program for the Certificate of Advanced Study form must be on file in the Division of Graduate Studies office immediately following completion of the first semester/term of certificate coursework. The submission of the proposed program is important because it gives a student permission to proceed toward qualifying for the advanced certificate, and approval of the program is required for a student to remain in good standing. Proposed program forms are available in the Division of Graduate Studies Office, Thomas Administration Building, Room 132. With prior approval, those pursuing study toward a master's degree may also pursue study toward a Certificate of Advanced Study. Double-counting of units on the certificate and on the graduate program, though limited, is possible. Those whose sole objective is the earning of the Certificate of Advanced Study are ineligible to receive graduate assistantships, fellowships, and other awards designed for those pursuing a graduate degree. An Application for the Award of the Certificate of Advanced Study form must be on file in the Division of Graduate Studies within the first two weeks of the term in which all courses and requirements are expected to be completed. The applications for the awarding of the certificate are available in the Division of Graduate Studies, Thomas Administration Building, Room 132. Upon clearance of the advanced certificate, a notation that the certificate has been awarded will be posted to the student's official transcript.
For more detailed information regarding advanced certificate program
eligibility, course guidelines/limitations, required grades, ect., contact
the Division of Graduate Studies or the appropriate certificate program
coordinator for the "Guidelines for the Certificate of Advanced Study
(CAS)" form.
Postbaccalaureate students interested in pursuing a second bachelor's
degree or a second undergraduate major should read the relevant portion
of the university catalog (Second Baccalaureate and/or Second Major) and
contact the appropriate academic department. Students may apply to pursue
a second bachelor's degree using the undergraduate application.
No units used to fulfill the requirements of one degree may be used to
fulfill the requirements of another degree. For example, 100-series courses
used toward a bachelor's degree may not be subsequently used toward a master's
degree.
A postbaccalaureate student pursuing a graduate degree or Certificate
of Advanced Study may repeat a course for academic credit (subject to limitations
in some degree curricula) regardless of what grade was originally earned
in the course. However, such a student is not eligible to petition for grade
substitution. All coursework taken, beginning with the first term of the
student's master's degree program, is used in determining the student's
grade point average and graduation eligibility.
A graduate of a nonaccredited college may be granted admission with unvalidated
unclassified postbaccalaureate standing, upon the filing of the application
and two copies of official transcripts of all college work. Such a student
may be eligible for placement in regular postbaccalaureate or graduate standing
when he or she has cleared all undergraduate deficiencies and has maintained,
in residence at California State University, Fresno, a grade point average
of 3.0 on 12 units of approved upper-division work or an average of 2.5
on 24 units of approved upper-division work. (Prospective applicants to
master's degree programs, see also Master's Degrees - Grade
Requirements.) When students with unvalidated postbaccalaureate standing
have met the listed requirements, it is their responsibility to request
a new statement of standing from their department and to file a Change of
Graduate Degree Objective with the Division of Graduate Studies Office.
The Division of Graduate Studies seeks to bring students from all parts
of the world to the campus. Since English is the language of instruction
at the university, students should be prepared to write their theses, examinations,
and seminar papers in English. Applicants whose native language is not English
must have acquired competence in the English language prior to enrolling
in a graduate program or prerequisite courses in order to avoid any delay
or difficulty in pursuing their studies.
All graduate and postbaccalaureate applicants, regardless of citizenship,
whose native language is not English, and whose preparatory education was
principally in a language other than English must demonstrate competence
in English. Those applicants must receive a minimum score of 550 (for the
paper-based test) and 213 (for the computer-based test) on the Test of English
as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Some graduate programs may require a higher
score. Applicants to the English program must attain a score of 600 (on
the paper-based test) or 250 (on the computer-based test).
It is highly recommended that TOEFL scores, Graduate Record Examination
General Test scores, application, and official academic documents reach
the university International Admissions Office at least six months before
the semester for which admission is desired. Applicants to the MBA program
must submit Graduate Management Admissions Test scores; applicants to the
MPA program may submit either GMAT or GRE scores.
The TOEFL is administered at various centers throughout the world. For further
information about the TOEFL, write or phone the educational attaché
at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate office or write to:
Office of Testing Services
California State University, Fresno
5300 Campus Drive M/S FF63
Family Food Sciences Building
Fresno, CA 93740-8019
U.S.A.
Requests for applications for international postbaccalaureate/graduate admission
should be directed to:
International Student Services and Programs
California State University, Fresno
5150 North Maple Avenue M/S JA56
Fresno, CA 93740-8026
U.S.A.
During the first semester at California State University, Fresno, foreign
graduate students whose native language is not English may be required to
enroll in special courses in English to help improve writing skills and
to provide the greatest possibility of success in graduate studies.
Classified graduate standing gives a student permission to work toward qualifying for candidacy. See Advancement to Candidacy diagram on the next page. Advancement to candidacy gives a student permission to proceed toward qualifying for the degree and provides the student with a program of study that has been officially reviewed and approved by both the student's faculty and by the Graduate Dean. This important step confers on the student the status of candidate for the degree and represents a commitment both on the part of the student and the degree program to complete the degree within a specified time limit according to requirements published in a specific university catalog year. Advancement to candidacy is essential to the student in planning for registration in courses. The student should therefore meet with his/her graduate program coordinator soon after attaining classified graduate standing to discuss advancement to candidacy. (See also Petition of Advancement to Candidacy.)
Advancement to candidacy must be attained no later than the semester (or summer) preceding the semester (or summer) in which the student applies for the master's degree. Campus policy requires a student to petition for advancement to candidacy as soon as he/she becomes eligible to do so. Normally, this should occur within one semester of having attained classified graduate standing. Compliance with this policy is necessary for a student to remain in good standing. All students in graduate standing must also demonstrate a satisfactory level of scholastic, professional, and ethical competence as determined by program faculty to be eligible to continue in the graduate program. Eligibility requirements for advancement to candidacy include the following:
For advancement to candidacy, demonstration of competence, usually equivalent
to that achieved through two years of collegiate study of one foreign language,
is required in specified majors in which upper-division and graduate courses
demand such competence.
Competence in the use of a foreign language is required for advancement
to candidacy for the Master of Arts degree in English, History, Music (vocal
performance and choral conducting only), and the M.F.A. in Creative Writing.
The foreign language requirement for the M.A. in International Relations
is a prerequisite for graduation rather than advancement to candidacy. Ordinarily,
the requirement calls for demonstration of the ability to read materials
of the major in one appropriate foreign language. Geology, however, specifies
that a student doing a thesis involving a foreign country must have a reading
knowledge of the language of that country. Consult your graduate adviser
or the chair of the Foreign Languages and Literatures Department for information
about placement tests.
The approved degree program for the master's degree is a coherent pattern
of (1) specific requirements for the program and (2) additional courses
selected to meet the student's particular needs. It consists of at least
30 units which must be completed within five years just preceding the granting
of the master's degree. Only graduate courses (200 series) and such upper-division
courses (100 series) as are recommended by the colleges, schools, or departments
and approved by the University Graduate Committee are acceptable on the
unit requirement. Other courses are counted in calculating the student's
study load and overall GPA, but cannot be counted toward the unit requirement
for the master's degree. Courses that were used to satisfy the requirements
of a previous degree may not be used on the program. The approved program
must be consistent with the following policies:
Click here to view the Advancement to Candidacy chart.
It is the student's responsibility to complete the specific courses listed on his or her Petition of Advancement to Candidacy (master's program) or the Proposed Program for the Certificate of Advanced Study (Advanced certificate program). Once a program has been approved by the University Graduate Committee, it may be changed only on the written request of the student and his or her graduate program adviser (if required) and coordinator/director, and with the approval of the dean, Division of Graduate Studies. Program Adjustment Request forms for master's and certificate programs are available in the Division of Graduate Studies Office.
A culminating experience is required for each master's degree. Acceptable
culminating experiences include thesis (299), project (298), or comprehensive
examination. Individual departments permit one or more culminating experiences
described in this section. Students who have enrolled in thesis or project
units will not be permitted to change to another culminating experience
after the initial semester of such enrollment.
No academic distinction is made between a thesis and a project. Either
one is equally acceptable as a means of fulfilling the requirements for
the master's degree. Specific departmental instructions or requirements
should, however, be ascertained by the candidate before enrollment in courses
298 or 299. The instructor of record for thesis or project must issue a
letter grade on the Master's Degree Clearance form through the Division
of Graduate Studies.
Whether a student is preparing a thesis or a project, it should be noted
that quality of work accomplished is a major consideration in judging acceptability.
The finished project must evidence originality, appropriate organization,
clarity of purpose, critical analysis, and accuracy and completeness of
documentation where needed.
Critical and independent thinking should characterize every project. Mere
description, cataloging, compilation, and other superficial procedures are
not adequate.
The quality of writing, format, and documentation must meet standards appropriate
for publication in the scholarly journals of the field, or be consistent
with the dictates of an authorized stylebook.
Students conducting thesis research involving human subjects should not
begin use of human subjects until written approval has been received from
the departmental Human Subjects Committee and, where review demands, the
University Committee on Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS). Guidelines
and forms for protocols can be obtained from the departmental office or
the Office of the Vice President for Administration. Students should allow
at least two weeks for a required CPHS review.
Students planning to conduct research involving live animals housed on campus
must receive approval of the research from the Animal Care and Use Committee.
Forms may be obtained from the office of the dean, College of Science and
Mathematics.
University policy requires graduate students to be continuously enrolled
at the university (1) while completing a grade of RP in either thesis or
project, or a grade of RP or I in any other course; (2) while preparing
to take a comprehensive examination; or (3) during the semester in which
an application for the degree to be granted is filed. This policy does not
apply to students who are either enrolled in a course for a letter grade
or who have been officially granted a planned educational leave of absence.
All students must maintain continuous enrollment during all fall and spring
semesters, and during any summer term in which they apply to graduate. To
maintain the required enrollment, students must enroll in Graduate Studies
Continuation through Extended Education (Extension) or in GS 299C (Regular
University Enrollment).
Students who choose to enroll through the Extension option and who later
wish to return to regular enrollment at California State University, Fresno
will be required to refile an application for admission to the university.
Those who have been out of regular enrollment for more than one semester
and wish to return will be required to pay an application fee, in addition
to refiling an application for admission. For additional information and
deadlines, consult the Division of Graduate Studies. Students unable to
register in person may provide a letter of permission to a "proxy,"
allowing the proxy to register on their behalf.
GS Continuation (Extension). Students who choose to enroll in GS
Continuation should go to the Division of Graduate Studies office by the
second week of the semester or summer term to have their enrollment eligibility
verified. If determined eligible by the Graduate Division, students will
be given the appropriate paperwork and will be directed to the Division
of Extended Education, Education Building, Room 130, to pay registration
fees. Checks for GS Continuation are made payable to California State University,
Fresno in the amount of $227 (amount subject to change.)
GS 299C (Regular University Enrollment). Students enrolling in GS
299C through regular university enrollment should follow the instructions
for S.T.A.R. Registration in the Schedule of Courses. GS 299C enrollees
must go to the office of the Division of Graduate Studies to obtain the
schedule number and have their eligibility verified prior to their assigned
registration date and time as indicated on the S.T.A.R. Registration letter.
The International Students Services and Programs Office has indicated that
international students may fulfill the continuous enrollment requirement
only through GS 299C registration (regular university enrollment) in the
fall or spring semesters.
Exclusive of prerequisite coursework, a period of five years is allowed
for the completion of all requirements for the master's degree. This time
limit is indicated for each student on the approved advancement to candidacy
petition. A student whose program has been interrupted by military service
should consult the dean of the Division of Graduate Studies about provisions
for military extensions. Outdated coursework will not be approved for inclusion
on the Petition of Advancement to Candidacy at the time formal approval
of the petition is granted. Those courses completed more than five years
before the date for completion of all requirements for the master's degree
cannot be used to meet total unit requirements except through validation
as follows:
Out-of-date coursework may be validated only if such work has been approved
previously on this Petition of Advancement to Candidacy. A maximum of one-third
of required degree units may be thus validated, by such means as are recommended
by the department and approved by the graduate dean. Coursework from other
institutions may not be validated.
The same time limitations and validation procedures noted above apply to
the completion of a Certificate of Advanced Study, as well. The time limit
for an advanced certificate is noted on the Proposed Program for the
Certificate of Advanced Study form.
All graduate students will be held to the scholarship standards listed
under Academic Regulations. The following provisions also apply to master's
degree programs.
A student admitted to a master's degree program in conditionally classified
or classified graduate standing is required to maintain a minimum grade
point average of B (3.0) on all work taken subsequent to admission to the
program.
No course with a grade below C may apply on an approved program for the
master's degree.
To be eligible for advancement to candidacy, a student must have earned
at least a B average (overall, program, and California State University,
Fresno) on all coursework completed after the date of embarking on the first
course to be included in the master's degree program. Students may not graduate
with an "I", "RD", or "RP" in any course on
his/her record, beginning with the earliest semester/term listed on the
advancement petition.
To be eligible for enrollment in the thesis or project, a student must have
been advanced to candidacy and must have maintained a minimum overall Fresno
State and program grade point average of B.
To be eligible for the granting of the master's degree, a student must have
maintained a B average on his or her complete approved program as well as
on all courses taken, beginning with the first term listed on the Petition
of Advancement to Candidacy.
To be eligible to receive the master's degree with distinction, a student
must have earned at least a 3.9 grade point average on all coursework taken
from the first semester of the approved master's degree program. A minimum
GPA of 3.9 must also be attained on the approved program to qualify.
Graduate (master's degree) students wishing to request substitutions or modifications in a department's degree requirements should initiate their request through the department's graduate committee. Requests for exceptions to established university policies governing graduate study may be addressed to the dean, Division of Graduate Studies and also to the university Graduate Commit tee. Grade protests must be submitted to the Student Academic Petitions Committee through the director of advising services according to university policy. Information concerning grade protest procedures is available in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.
Enrollment in Graduate-level (200-297) Courses. Enrollment in
graduate-level (200-297) courses is limited to those who have been officially
admitted to a graduate degree, advanced certificate, or credential program.
However, there is a special program for last-semester undergraduate seniors
who want to enroll in 200-level courses. All criteria listed on the Undergraduate
Petition to Enroll in Graduate (200-level) Courses must be met. This petition,
available from the Division of Graduate Studies, should be filed prior to
the semester in which the student desires enrollment in 200-level course(s).
An application for the master's degree to be granted (which includes the graduation fee payable at the Cashier's Window in Joyal Administration Building) must be filed within the first two weeks of the semester in which the work is to be completed. In addition, applicants must be enrolled (see Continuous Enrollment). During the summer, the application should be filed before the end of the third week of the first summer session. (See Academic Calendar and Fees and Expenses in this catalog and the Class Schedule.) Graduation application forms are available in the Division of Graduate Studies office. Prior to filing a request for the master's degree to be granted, the student should check with the graduate adviser of the master's program concerned in order to ensure that all program requirements have been, or will soon be, completed.
Once all requirements for the degree to be granted have been met, it is the student's responsibility to ensure that all necessary paperwork, including the Master's Degree Clearance form, is submitted to the Division of Graduate Studies by the published deadlines. Diplomas for those completing degree requirements will be awarded approximately two to four months after the end of the semester or final summer session.
Failure to complete requirements for the degree during the semester (or
summer) of the application necessitates the filing of a new application,
including a reapplication fee, for the term of actual completion. Such reapplication
is subject to the same time schedule as the original application.
The interdisciplinary studies major for the Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Science (M.S.) degree is available to qualified graduate students when there is a need for advanced study in subject matter that is interdisciplinary and that is not available through existing graduate programs. In such instances, proposals for a special major that may combine cohesive, interrelated coursework from two or more departments must be submitted for approval. Proposals that could be accommodated by an existing master's degree or option at California State University, Fresno, as in the use of elective courses, are not approved.
The M.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies differs from the M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies by requiring breadth of technical knowledge and attainment of specific professional competencies in scientific research methodologies and data-driven analysis. For detailed policy, requirements, and application, contact the Division of Graduate Studies.
Those seeking admission to the M.A. or M.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies must adhere to university graduate admissions requirements, including submission of applications, official transcripts, and appropriate standardized test scores (e.g. GRE, TOEFL). Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA on previous graduate work and related prerequisites, and must be admitted to the university. Standards for admission to graduate classified standing as specified in this catalog for at least one of the principal departments must be met. All appropriate course prerequisites on the approved program must be completed.
A minimum of 30 units is required. At least 70 percent of the program must consist of courses designated for graduate study, that is, in graduate-level 200-series courses. The proposed program must reflect the requirements of scholarly creativity and research appropriate to the graduate level and must exhibit overall coherence in a particular, recognized field of study. An acceptable thesis (2-6 units) that demonstrates interdisciplinary research is required. The faculty advisory committee may require an oral defense of the thesis or a written final examination.
Although interdisciplinary studies provides an opportunity for exceptional students to engage in a program outside the framework of existing majors, all normal graduation requirements and standards will be applied.
Prior to or during the first term of study, students should seek the support of a preliminary faculty advisory committee to gain counsel and advice in forming an interdisciplinary graduate program. After consultation with the advisory committee, students should complete the Application to Pursue an Interdisciplinary Studies Master's Degree Program, which includes a plan of study.
After approval by the sponsoring faculty and department, the application and supporting documents are formally presented to the graduate dean. The application will then be forwarded to the University Graduate Committee for final approval. A formal application and plan of study must be filed with the Division of Graduate Studies no later than the beginning of the second term of study. A maximum of 10 units may be applied toward the master's degree prior to official university approval of the plan of study.
For the unusually talented student with superior preparation, the M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies provides an opportunity to work in a highly individualized graduate program that emphasizes interdisciplinary graduate study, independence in securing a faculty graduate committee across departmental lines, and the opportunity to establish expertise in a special arena. Graduate students have pursued special majors in subjects that included multimedia electronic art, biological illustration, ethnomusicology, and agribusiness.
At least 15 units for the M.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies must be from one of the campus colleges offering a broad range of instructional programs in science or technology-based disciplines. Typically this disciplinary range is found in colleges with three or more such programs of study. These colleges include the following: Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Engineering and Computer Science, Health and Human Services, Science and Mathematics, and Social Sciences. Coursework must be taken in at least three different subject areas or field of study with no more than 12 units from any one field and not less than 6 units in each of the three areas. Two of the three fields may be from one department if the subject area content and/or professional requirements within these two fields are clearly recognized as being uniquely different.
This extension certificate program is designed to provide coursework and instructional development for future and current community college faculty. Course content will enhance technical competencies, provide students with greater understanding of the role and functions of the community college, and provide important understanding of community college students and the factors crucial to their success in learning.
This certificate program consists of five courses for a total of 12 units. One of these courses is a culminating course that includes a mentored experience at a regional community college. Field placement is contingent upon participants receiving a positive recommendation from each of the program instructors. Depending on the participant's professional status, this experience will include either a mentored teaching placement in a community college classroom or the assignment of a coach. Letter grades are used for all courses with the exception of the mentored experience.
Graduate Studies Community College (GSCC)
220. The Community College as an Institution (2)
Emphasis will be on faculty responsibilities in the area of curriculum content
and institutional governance, including student support services and issues
of retention and matriculation methods.
221. The Community College Student (2)
Explores the cultural, sociological, economic, and political factors that
affect learning and success in the community college classroom. Participants
learn to recognize the factors that affect student success and to implement
strategies to enhance cross-cultural understanding within classrooms.
223. Effective Community College Teaching and Classroom Communication
Strategies (2)
Examines various instructional techniques specific to the community college.
Also examines the unique characteristics of the classroom as a communication
context. Participants will apply theory to practice of effective lecture,
discussion, and collaborative lessons.
224. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at the Community College
(3)
Introduces students to fundamental theories of curriculum, curriculum development
and approval processes, transfer course curriculum, and program review.
Participants will learn to use and adapt assessment instruments to meet
the needs of a diverse student population.
225. Sponsored Experiences at the Community College (3)
The field experience promotes adherence to high standards of professional
conduct. It also promotes effective cooperation and professional development
through self-assessment and collegial interactions with other members of
the profession. Participants must complete all coursework prior to being
approved for field placement.
Graduate Studies (GS)
296.Interdisciplinary Colloquium (1-3)
Prerequisite: consent of coordinator. Seminar in interdisciplinary special
major issues, allowing discussion with a broad-based, cross-disciplinary
emphasis.
299.Interdisciplinary Thesis (2-6; max total 6)
Prerequisite: See university Criteria for Thesis and Project; consent of
thesis chair. Preparation, completion, and submission of an acceptable thesis
for the interdisciplinary major master's degree. Approved for RP grading.
299C.Graduate Program Continuation (0)
For continuous enrollment while completing the culminating experience.
300T.Topics in Graduate Studies (1-3; max total 12)
Topics related to the nature of graduate education, to the purpose and
background of research and scholarly activity in the graduate enterprise,
including participation in aspects of ongoing research conducted by faculty.
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to main Graduate Studies page
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the Graduate Studies Web Site for more information.
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