Undergraduate Policies and Procedures
Academic Standing
Academic standing is defined by the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA). The GPA is calculated by dividing the number of grade points earned in courses that assign letter grades by the number of units attempted. Courses in which grades of CR, NC, I and W are assigned are not used in GPA calculation.
A student’s academic status takes into account both the (1) Cumulative Total GPA, which includes coursework transferred from other institutions as well as coursework taken at CSUN, and (2) the CSUN GPA, which only includes coursework taken at CSUN.
The four categories of undergraduate academic status and the regulations pertaining to each are listed below:
- Good Standing: Students are in Good Standing at the conclusion of any matriculated term in which they have both a Cumulative Total GPA and a CSUN GPA of 2.00 or higher. Students in Good Standing are eligible to enroll in the University through the regular enrollment process. Students can enroll in a maximum of 19 units in a semester or summer term during the Registration by Appointment period. To request enrollment in more than 19 units, students must complete the Extra Unit Authorization form and obtain the appropriate approvals at the beginning of the Nonrestrictive Registration Period.
- Probation: Students are placed on Probation if either their Cumulative Total GPA or CSUN GPA falls below 2.00 at the conclusion of any term. Students remain on Probation until they either regain Good Standing or are placed in Disqualified Status. Students on Probation are eligible to enroll in the University through the regular enrollment process. However, they receive registration holds and are not able to register for classes until they have received advisement. During advisement, the student and advisor will review progress toward improving the student’s academic status and will remove the registration hold. Declared majors on Probation will typically receive advisement from the Student Service Center (SSC/EOP) Satellite office in their College. Undecided students will receive advisement in the Advising Resource Center/EOP. Students on Probation can enroll in a maximum of 13 units in a semester or summer term. To request more than 13 units, students must complete the Extra Unit Authorization form and obtain the signatures of the Director of their College SSC/EOP satellite and the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students on Probation will be disqualified if either their Cumulative Total GPA or CSUN GPA falls below the GPA listed for each class level in the chart below under “Disqualified Status.
- Disqualified Status: Students who were on Probation the previous semester are placed in Disqualified Status if, at the end of the next semester, either their Cumulative Total or CSUN GPA falls below the GPA listed for each class level in the table below.
| Class Level | GPA at the Time of Disqualification |
|---|---|
| Freshman (1-29 units earned) | 1.50 |
| Sophomore (30-59 units earned) | 1.70 |
| Junior (60-89 units earned) | 1.85 |
| Senior (90 + units earned) | 1.95 |
Units of developmental coursework are included in determining class level. Students in Disqualified Status are not eligible to enroll in the University through the regular enrollment process. They can enroll in CSUN courses only through Open University in the Tseng College. Students seeking to enroll in courses should refer to the Tseng College website, www.tsengcollege.csun.edu. Only 24 units of course credit earned in the Tseng College can be counted toward a CSUN degree.
Before students in Disqualified Status can be readmitted under an Academic Performance Agreement (APA), they must demonstrate acquired skills or achievements that support a successful return to the University. Such evidence may include successful completion of courses in the student’s degree program at another institution or through the Tseng College with grades that demonstrate the student can achieve Good Standing in a reasonable time frame if readmitted to CSUN. Students are strongly urged to meet with their CSUN academic advisor to discuss the requirements that must be completed in order to be readmitted to the University. When all requirements have been met, students may apply to the University for readmission.
- Readmitted under Academic Performance Agreement (APA): Students who have been academically disqualified, but who are readmitted to the University under terms of a special type of probation are classified as Readmitted under APA. Students who are Readmitted under an APA receive registration holds and are not able to register for classes until they have received advisement. During advisement, the student and advisor review the APA, examine the student’s progress toward improving academic status and set goals for the next semester. Declared majors typically receive advisement from the SSC/EOP Satellite in their College. Undecided students receive advisement in the Advising Resource Center/EOP.
Students who are Readmitted under APA can enroll in a maximum of 13 units in a semester or summer term. To request additional units, students must complete the Extra Unit Authorization form and obtain the signatures of the Director of their College SSC/EOP satellite and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Students in this status, whether they have one or two disqualifications must fulfill all of the following requirements until they reach Good Standing: 1) earn a minimum 2.00 semester GPA, 2) enroll in classes each semester and 3) have in place a signed APA that details the academic progress that must be achieved to move the student toward completion of the baccalaureate degree within a designated period of time.
Students who are Readmitted under an APA, but who fail to maintain continuous enrollment in classes each semester, revert back to Disqualified Status. They must reapply and be readmitted to the University as a previously disqualified student in order to be eligible to enroll in classes through the regular enrollment process. See section below entitled Readmission of Previously Disqualified Students.
Academic disqualification is a permanent notation in a student’s academic record and has serious consequences that can impact attainment of a baccalaureate degree. The consequences of academic disqualification depend upon whether it is the first, second or third disqualification that the student receives.
Categories of Disqualification
First Disqualification:
Students who receive a first disqualification have the opportunity to be automatically readmitted to the University if they elect to enroll in classes in the semester immediately following their disqualification (not including summer). Students who fail to earn a minimum 2.00 semester GPA will receive a second disqualification.
Second Disqualification:
Students who receive a second disqualification are not permitted to continue to enroll in CSUN courses through the regular enrollment process for at least one semester. They must reapply to the University and be Readmitted under an APA in order to be eligible to enroll in classes through the regular enrollment process. Readmitted students are subject to all of the regulations described above in the section entitled Readmitted under APA. Students who fail to earn a minimum 2.00 semester GPA will receive a third disqualification.
Third Disqualification:
Students who receive a third disqualification are not eligible to seek readmission to the University for a minimum of five years after the final day of the semester during which they received the third disqualification.
Readmission of Previously Disqualified Students
Students in Disqualified Status who are interested in returning to the University for a subsequent semester must reapply to the University. Exceptions to this are given to students who receive a first disqualification and elect to enroll in classes the semester immediately following the semester of disqualification. These students are automatically readmitted to the University.
Students in Disqualified Status seeking readmission must submit:
- a formal application for readmission through CSU Mentor (www.csumentor.edu),
- official transcripts of course(s) completed at another college or university during the period in which the student has been in Disqualified Status and
- a Previously Disqualified Student Questionnaire. These documents must be filed in the Office of Admissions and Records by the published deadline before campus review can begin. For admission deadlines, see www.csun.edu/anr/AdmissionStatus.html.
Academic Reinstatement to the University after a Third Disqualification
Five years from the final day of the semester during which the student received a third disqualification, the student may reapply to the University during the appropriate application filing period. The student must provide evidence that demonstrates acquired skills or achievements that support a successful return to the University. Reinstated students are Readmitted under an APA and are subject to all of the regulations that apply to students in this status. Students who fail to earn a minimum 2.00 semester GPA will receive a final disqualification and will be given no further opportunities for readmission.
Schedule Adjustments
Students are permitted to change their initial enrollment by following the University’s Adjustment of Schedule procedure. Ordinarily a student may add, drop or change the basis of grading in SOLAR, sometimes using Permission Numbers, or later by filing a Late Change in Academic Schedule for Undergraduate Students form with the Associate Dean of the College offering the course or the Associate Dean of the student’s major if courses in multiple Colleges are involved. Some basic information is provided below. For additional details concerning approvals required, time deadlines and fees, consult the current Schedule of Classes. Forms may be obtained on the CSUN website, www.csun.edu/anr/forms, or from Admissions and Records.
- Adding: The last day to add a class is the end of the third week of instruction. Students may add with the approval of the course instructor using a permission number.
- Dropping: Students are responsible for attending all courses in which they are registered. During the first two weeks of instruction, students may withdraw without penalty and without the course instructor’s approval by accessing the Registration System. Non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal and will result in a failing grade.
- Changing the Basis of Grading: Changing the basis of grading from regular letter grading to Credit/No Credit or conversely may be accomplished through SOLAR only during the first three weeks of instruction.
- Late Requests for Change in Academic Schedule: To withdraw from classes after the third week of instruction, students must complete a Late Change in Academic Schedule for Undergraduate Students form. Students can obtain forms and procedural information at the Office of Admissions and Records.
Simultaneous Enrollment In Classes
Students may not enroll simultaneously in any two or more classes meeting during the same time period.
Complete Withdrawal from the Institution
Students who find it necessary to cancel their registration or to withdraw from all classes after enrolling for any academic term are required to follow the university’s official withdrawal procedures. Failure to follow formal university procedures may result in an obligation to pay fees as well as the assignment of failing grades in all courses and the need to apply for readmission before being permitted to enroll in another academic term. Information on canceling registration and withdrawal procedures is available from Admissions and Records. Please call (818) 677-3700.
Students who receive financial aid funds must consult with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Department prior to withdrawing from the university regarding any required return or repayment of grant or loan assistance received for that academic term or payment period. If a recipient of student financial aid funds withdraws from the institution during an academic term or a payment period, the amount of grant or loan assistance received may be subject to return and/or repayment provisions.
Withdrawals During the First 20 Days of Instruction:
Students wishing to completely withdraw from the University prior to or during the first 20 days of instruction may do on SOLAR by accessing System Registration. University Cash Services will automatically process (and mail) checks based on withdrawal information. New and returning students who completely withdraw from the University prior to the 20th day of instruction are not considered continuing students and must reapply to attend any subsequent semester. Those students who are continuing from the previous semester will automatically be placed on a Leave of Absence if they meet the criteria. (See Leave of Absence under Categories of Enrollment for further information.)
Withdrawals After the 20th day of Instruction:
Students who must withdraw after the twentieth day of instruction and prior to the last three weeks of instruction for reasons clearly beyond their control, and who can justify serious and compelling circumstances, may withdraw without academic penalty by securing the approval of the instructor and the appropriate campus officials, as designated in the current Schedule of Classes. If approved, the Grade of “W” will be assigned for withdrawals after the twentieth day of instruction. Students completely withdrawing after the 20th day of instruction will be considered continuing students for the next semester. Under no circumstances does nonattendance nor the stopping of payment of a check constitute a withdrawal from the University.
Withdrawals During the Last Three Weeks of the Semester:
Withdrawals are not permitted during the final three weeks of instruction or thereafter except in cases such as accident or serious illness where the cause of the withdrawal is clearly beyond the student’s control and the assignment of an incomplete is not practical. Ordinarily it is expected that withdrawals during this period will be complete withdrawals from the University except in circumstances where sufficient work has been completed in one or more of the courses to permit an evaluation of coursework and an assignment of a grade. Students may obtain forms and procedural information at the Office of Admissions and Records.
Medical Withdrawal
Students seeking complete medical withdrawals may complete the necessary forms at the Student Health Center. Upon receipt of verifying information from a student’s personal physician, the Director of the Health Center will evaluate the case. A medical withdrawal usually constitutes complete withdrawal from the University for the academic period in question.
In cases where medical evidence and the specific physical demands and environment of the classes overwhelmingly support withdrawal from only a portion of a student’s program of study, partial withdrawals will be permitted prior to the final three weeks of the instruction, except in cases of accident or serious illness. A request for a partial medical withdrawal for undergraduate students and a partial medical withdrawal Health Provider Report must be completed and submitted to the office of Undergraduate Studies. These forms are available at www.csun.edu/forms. Partial medical withdrawals will be granted solely for established medical purposes prior to a student taking final exams.
Withdrawals due to illness in the family will be granted only if the attending physician stipulates that the student is the primary caregiver for the family member. Withdrawals due to illness in the family should be requested on late change in academic schedule for undergraduate students at www.csun.edu/anr/forms and submitted according to directions on the form.
Enrolling in Courses with Prerequisites
Students must fulfill a course’s prerequisite(s) prior to enrollment in the course. A faculty member may decide to issue permission numbers to students who want to enroll in a course but have not completed a prerequisite course. Graduate students may enroll in undergraduate courses without having to obtain permission numbers unless a department has indicated otherwise. For the most updated information regarding prerequisite enforcement see the Schedule of Class Enrollment Guide at www.csun.edu/anr/soc.
Administrative Action on Prerequisites
Although it is the student’s responsibility to drop classes, the University may withdraw a student, within the first three weeks, from a course if he or she fails to meet the prerequisite(s) or other requirements as indicated in the catalog. These prerequisites may include:
- Completion of prior coursework.
- Passing of qualifying examinations.
- Class year standing.
- Admission to, or special requirements of, special programs such as Honors or Credential.
- Completion of prior coursework with a required minimum credit.
- Consent of instructor.
Such an Administrative Withdrawal may be initiated only by the Associate Dean of the College, upon recommendation from the instructor.
Syllabi for all Undergraduate Courses
To better inform students about the requirements, content and methodology of the university’s undergraduate curricula, all faculty teaching undergraduate courses will distribute a written syllabus to each student in the course and/or post it online no later than the second week of classes. The syllabus should contain the following information:
- Course objective(s)
- A brief list or summary of topics or projects covered
- Course requirements and methods of evaluation
- Grading criteria including whether or not the plus/minus system will be used
- Contact information (instructor’s name, office hours, office location, and campus phone number)
- For a General Education course, the syllabus should describe how it meets the currently approved goals of the General Education section in which it resides
Attendance (Class Attendance)
Students are expected to attend all class meetings. Students who are absent from the first two meetings of a class that meets more than once a week, or from the first meeting of a class that meets once a week, lose the right to remain on the class roll UNLESS the instructor is notified that the absence is temporary. Students who have lost the right to remain in the class must FORMALLY WITHDRAW from the class, following university procedures and deadlines. Failure to formally withdraw from a class will result in the instructor assigning to the student a grade of “U” which, in computing a student’s grade point average, counts as a grade of “F.” If no instructor was assigned to the course, students who will be temporarily absent from the course must notify the Department Chair.
In a compressed term or session of fewer than 15 weeks, the rule applies if the first class meeting is missed. An instructor may allow a student to continue in the class if the student notified the instructor that the absence would be temporary. If no instructor was assigned to the course in advance, students must notify the department chair that their absence from the class will be temporary.
Missed Classes While Representing the University in Official Curriculum Related, University Approved Activities
When representing the university in official curriculum-related, university-approved activities requires a student to miss classes, faculty are expected to provide, within reason, opportunity to make up any work or exams that are missed.
To be eligible for such accommodation, the student is obligated to provide the instructor of the class with written documentation signed by the faculty, staff member or administrator supervising the activity, giving specific information concerning the activity, its location, and the dates and times when class attendance is not possible. This documentation must be submitted to the instructor during the first week of the semester or as soon as the information becomes known. Instructors may set limits on the number of classes that may be missed for which special accommodation to make up missed work will be allowed. The process for making up missed class work is the prerogative of the instructor and shall be communicated to the affected students during the first week of classes or as soon as the need for accommodation becomes known.
For the purposes of this policy, if a question arises as to which events meet the definition of official, curriculum-related, university-approved activities the determination shall be made by the Associate Vice President for Undergraduate Studies.
Absence from class for official curriculum-related, university-approved activities does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of absence.
University sponsors of these activities have an obligation to respect the importance of regular class attendance for successful academic performance and to minimize the number of such absences. Instructional faculty have an obligation to respect the importance of such student participation, and to assist student participants in meeting their academic obligations.
Grading Systems and Policies
The University uses a combination of the following grading options:A-F Letter-grading: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F. Grades A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- indicate passing grades; F indicates failure. Faculty define the grading criteria for all courses. Any changes in grading policies should be provided in writing to students before such changes are implemented.
Grading Symbols:
| Grade and Definition | Points | Date |
|---|---|---|
| A Outstanding | 4.0 | 1958- |
| A- | 3.7 | 1987- |
| B+ | 3.3 | 1987- |
| B Very Good | 3.0 | 1958- |
| B- | 2.7 | 1987 - |
| C+ | 2.3 | 1987- |
| C Average | 2.0 | 1958 - |
| C- | 1.7 | 1987 - |
| D Barely Passing | 1.0 | 1958 - |
| D+ | 1.3 | 1987 - |
| D- | 0.7 | 1987 - |
| F Failure | 0.0 | 1958 - |
| CR Credit | 0.0 | 1967 - |
| NC No Credit | 0.0 | 1973 - |
| U Unauthorized Incomplete | 0.0 | 1977-02 |
| AU Audit | 0.0; | 1958 -87 |
| RP Report in Progress | 0.0 | 2008- |
| SP Satisfactory Progress | 0.0 | 1973-2008 |
| I Incomplete | 0.0 | 1958 - |
| IC Incomplete Charged | 0.0 | 2008- |
| W Withdrawal | 0.0 | 1958 - |
| WU Unauthorized Withdrawal | 0.0 | 1958 -73, 2002- |
Credit/No Credit Grading
CR, indicating passed with credit, is given for work equivalent to C or better for undergraduate students and for work equivalent to B or better for postbaccalaureate and graduate students. NC, indicating no credit, is given for work equivalent to C-, D+, D, D-, or F for undergraduate students and for work equivalent to B-, C+, C, C, D+, D, D-, or F for postbaccalaureate and graduate students.
Restrictions concerning the nontraditional grading option given undergraduate students can be found under the Credit/No Credit Policy that follows. Postbaccalaureate and graduate students should refer to the Grading System discussion under the Graduate Programs section for further information regarding grading options.
Credit/No Credit Policy: Undergraduate students who are not on probation may elect the Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) option for one or more courses each term, up to a maximum of 18 units applicable to the bachelor’s degree. If 18 or more semester credit-graded units are accepted on transfer from other institutions, no additional credit-graded CSUN courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements. The CR or NC grade will not be considered in the computation of the student’s grade point average. Courses taken on a CR/NC basis cannot be applied toward the satisfaction of ANY of the following degree requirements:
- General Education
- Title 5
- The Major, except those courses offered on a CR/NC basis only, subject to departmental approval. (Note: Additional courses in the discipline of the major beyond those used to satisfy major requirements may not be taken for CR/NC.).
- The Minor, except those courses offered on a CR/NC basis only, subject to departmental approval.
Grading Symbols, Policies and Assistance
Administrative Grading Symbols
Incomplete (I):
The symbol “I” indicates that a portion of required coursework has not been completed and evaluated in the prescribed time period due to unforeseen, but fully justified reasons, but that a substantial portion of the course requirement has been completed with a passing grade and that there is still a possibility of earning credit. The work that is incomplete normally should be of such a nature that it can be completed independently by the student for later evaluation by the instructor. An “Incomplete” shall not be assigned when a student would be required to attend a major portion of the class when it is next offered.
It is the responsibility of the student to bring pertinent information to the attention of the instructor and to determine from the instructor the remaining course requirements which must be satisfied to remove the “Incomplete.” A final grade is assigned when the agreed-upon work has been completed and evaluated. An “I” must normally be made up within one calendar year immediately following the end of the term during which it was assigned. This limitation prevails whether or not the student maintains continuous enrollment.
Students who believe they meet the necessary conditions to be assigned an “Incomplete” should secure a “Request for a Grade of Incomplete” form from the CSUN homepage (www.csun.edu) by clicking on “Quicklinks,” then “Student Forms.”
Students should complete the form and submit it in person to the course instructor on or before the day of the Final Exam. The instructor should check all appropriate boxes in the “Instructor Information” section of the form and complete the information that describes the assignment(s) to be completed and the due date. If students fail to submit the “Request” by this deadline, they should receive the grade that they have earned for the entire course, including work completed and penalties for work not completed. No retroactive “Incomplete” grades are permitted. If the request for an “Incomplete” is granted, assign a grade of “Incomplete” on the SOLAR grade roster.
When the required work is completed, the instructor will fill out a “Correction of Grade or Removal of Incomplete” form and turn it in to the Department office.
Incomplete Charged (IC):
If the “Correction of Grade or Removal of Incomplete” form is not submitted by the due date, Admissions and Records will automatically change the “Incomplete” (I) to an “Incomplete Charged,” (IC) which is equivalent to an F. The “IC” replaces the “I” and is counted as a failing grade for grade point average and progress point computation.
Report in Progress (RP):
This grade replaces the SP. The “RP” symbol shall be used in connection with thesis, project, and similar courses in which assigned work frequently extends beyond a single academic term and may include enrollment in more than one term. The “RP” symbol shall be replaced with the appropriate final grade within one year of its assignment except for master’ thesis enrollment, in which case the time limit shall be established by the appropriate campus authority. The president or designee may authorize extension of established time limits.
Satisfactory Progress (SP):
The symbol “SP” is used in connection with thesis, project, developmental and similar courses where assigned work frequently extends beyond a single academic term. It indicates that work is in progress and has been evaluated and found to be satisfactory to date, but that the assignment of a precise grade must await completion of additional work. Enrollment for more units of credit than the total number of units which can be applied to the fulfillment of the student’s educational objective is expressly prohibited. Work is to be completed within a stipulated time period.
Withdrawal (W):
The symbol “W” indicates that the student was permitted to drop the course after the twentieth day of instruction with the approval of the instructor and appropriate campus officials. It carries no connotation of quality of student performance and is not used in the calculation of grade point average. (See Change of Program under Changes of Official Enrollment section for further information.) Change of Schedule Petition Forms are available online at www.csun.edu/anr/forms.
Withdrawal Unauthorized (WU).
For purposes of grade point computation, the “WU” grade is equivalent to an “F.” The symbol “WU” indicates that an enrolled student did not officially withdraw from the course and failed to complete course requirements. If a student has stopped attending class without formally withdrawing, an F or WU should be given. For a Credit/No Credit class the appropriate grade is NC. WC may also be assigned by the instructor when assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to evaluate academic performance using A, B, C, D, or F.
Credit (CR)
is assigned for work equivalent to A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C for undergraduate courses; and to A, A-, B+, B for postbaccalaureate and graduate courses. CR grades are not included in the calculation of grade point average. (GE and Title 5 courses may not be taken for CR/NC. They must be taken for a grade.)
No Credit (NC)
is assigned for work equivalent to C-, D+, D, D-, or F for undergraduate courses; and to B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, or F for postbaccalaureate and graduate courses. NC grades are not included in the calculation of grade point average. (GE and Title 5 courses may not be taken for CR/NC. They must be taken for a grade.) Repeating Courses (Grade Forgiveness)
Repeat Policy
The university recognizes that undergraduate students may need to repeat one or more courses in order to fulfill degree requirements and/or enhance previously acquired skills. However, students should seek academic advisement before deciding to repeat any course. Students should be aware that other institutions (e.g., medical schools, graduate programs, law schools) might not recognize this repeat policy and will use the forgiven grades in recalculating grade point averages. The following rules apply:
- A maximum of 15 semester units of CSU Northridge coursework in which a student earned a C minus or lower grade may be repeated for the purpose of excluding grades (or grade forgiveness) from the computation of a student’s overall GPA. Only the first 15 semester units repeated are eligible for grade forgiveness. All subsequent repeats will be averaged into the student’s total GPA.
- Students cannot improve grades of courses taken at CSUN by repeating them at another institution. Students cannot improve grades of courses taken at another institution by repeating them at CSUN.
- Registration in repeated courses is limited to the Nonrestrictive and Late Registration periods and is prohibited during the Registration-by-Appointment period.
- Only one repeat per course is permitted for the purpose of improving the grade. The higher of the two grades is counted in the student’s grade point average. The lower grade is forgiven from GPA computation, but both grades appear on the student’s permanent record (transcript).
- If a student enrolls in a course for a third or additional time, the units attempted and any grade points earned will be averaged with all other grades earned for the course (except ones that were awarded grade forgiveness). On the third or subsequent enrollment in a course, permission of the Associate Dean of the college is necessary.
- Subsequent enrollment must be on the same basis of grading as the first.
- Grades assigned as part of a disciplinary action cannot be forgiven.
- This policy does not pertain to repeats in courses such as Music Ensembles and Independent Study where the curriculum allows, permits or requires repeats.
Majors and Minors
All students must declare a major by the time they complete 60 units. Students who have not declared a major by this time will have a registration hold placed on their records until they declare a major. Contact the Advising Resource Center/EOP for assistance in selecting a major. These holds will be reviewed daily and the hold released for any student who declares a major.
Double Majors:
Students may complete two majors, either within the single designation Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science or from majors in different, non-matching degree programs. When a student completes two majors, both majors will be recorded on the diploma. Appropriate department-approved coursework taken to satisfy the requirements for one major may also be used to satisfy requirements in the second major.
Minors:
Although a minor is not required for a baccalaureate degree, many students elect a minor to strengthen preparation in areas related to the major field or to career choices. Students may, in conjunction with a CSUN bachelor’s degree program, elect to complete the requirements for one or more minors which have been approved and are listed in the catalog. A minor departmental evaluation must be presented to the Office of the Graduation Evaluators for each minor desired. Students changing their minors after their minor departmental evaluations have been submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records should be aware that they may be required to complete the minor requirements in effect at the time of change. The completion of a minor will be indicated on the transcript at the time of graduation when all degree requirements are met. Interested students should consult an advisor in the department offering the minor of their choice.
Guidelines for Minors:
- The minimum number of units required in a minor program is 18; the minimum number of Upper Division units required in a minor program is 8. A minimum of 6 units of Upper Division work must be taken in residence at CSU Northridge.
- Awarding a Major and Minor or More than One Minor from the Same Department to the Same Student: Departments may offer a major and a minor to the same student, or more than one minor to the same student only if the major and minor(s) are associated with different academic degree programs. Exceptions to this policy require the approval of the Educational Policies Committee. Note that different options in the same degree program are not considered different academic degree programs for this policy.
- Restrictions against overlapping credit in the General Education program are not applicable to courses in the minor program.
- A minor departmental evaluation must be presented to the Office of Admissions and Records for each minor desired.
- Failure to complete a declared minor program may delay a student from obtaining a bachelor’s degree. Contact Graduation Evaluations in Bayramian Hall 150 or (818) 677-3781.
- The minor is recorded on the student’s CSU Northridge transcript but is not indicated on the diploma.
Change of Major or Minor:
The major under which students enter the University is their official major. Undergraduate students in good standing, enrolled or on official leave may, with prior departmental approval, change their major and/or minor when they consider it to be in their best educational interest. Students changing their major or minor fields of study, and students changing from undeclared or undecided majors to decided majors, should be aware that they may be required to complete the major/minor requirements in effect at the time of change.
A request for a change of major or minor cannot be officially recognized without departmental approval and submission of the Application for Change of Undergraduate Major or Minor form to the Office of Admissions and Records. The form and procedural information may be obtained at the Office of Admissions and Records.
In order to have a new major reflected on the Registration packet for the Fall semester, students must submit their change of major by the end of the third week of March. The deadline to file a major change for the Spring semester is the end of the first week of October.
Students who plan to enter an impacted major during a given semester must file their application no later than the end of the fourth week of instruction, in the preceding semester. A change to an impacted major will not be indicated on the student’s file until the student has officially been admitted to the new major department. Graduate students follow a separate procedure which is outlined under Change of Objective in the Graduate Programs section of the catalog.
Students considering changing their minors should review the Guidelines for Minors.
Final Examination Policy
In lecture courses, no final examination may be scheduled by an instructor prior to the regularly scheduled time. Any student who finds it impossible to take a final examination on the date scheduled must make arrangements in advance with the instructor either to take the examination at another time prior to the deadline for reporting grades, or request that a grade of Incomplete be assigned, and must then follow the regulations concerning the removal of the Incomplete. No exceptions will be made to these regulations without the written approval of the instructor, the department chair, and the dean of the college in which the course is offered.
Dean’s List
Students who carry a minimum of 12 graded semester units (CR/NC courses do not apply), and who achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or better, are awarded Dean’s List standing for that semester.
Students whose minimum unit load includes from the Tseng College courses may apply for Dean’s List standing if the Extension courses are required for the student’s major and if the Tseng College courses are taught by members of CSUN’s faculty. If a grade change brings a student’s grade point average up to 3.5, the student may apply at Admissions and Records to have the honor awarded retroactively.
Students working on second undergraduate degrees or graduate degrees are not eligible for Dean’s List awards.
Honors at Graduation
To receive honors at graduation, a student must:
- Complete a minimum of 45 units of work in letter-graded courses in this University;
- Earn a grade point average of 3.50 or above in all work taken in this University;
- Earn the following grade point average in all undergraduate courses, including transfer work:
| Summa Cum Laude | GPA of 3.90 or above |
| Magna Cum Laude | GPA of 3.75 to 3.89 |
| Cum Laude | GPA of 3.50 to 3.74 |
For questions about Honors at Graduation, visit the Office of Admissions and Records Graduation Evaluations department in BH 150 or call (818) 677-3781.
