General Catalog versions and rights
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Graduate Bulletin
All graduate work leading to advanced degrees is under the jurisdiction of the Graduate Division and Research. Responsibility for all graduate curricula is delegated to the Graduate Council under the chairship of the Graduate Dean, who also serves as the administrative officer of the Graduate Division and Research.
The Graduate Division and Research admits all students to the University and to authorized graduate degree curricula, determines students' eligibility to continue in such curricula and, in the cases of unsatisfactory performance, requires students to withdraw from graduate curricula and the University.
The Graduate Dean is the appropriate University authority for the administration of all matters related to graduate degree curricula, minimum requirements for which are specified in Section 40510 of the California Code of Regulations.
San Diego State University is a member of the Western Association of Graduate Schools and the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States.
All master's degrees are conferred by the Trustees of The California State University upon recommendation of the faculty of San Diego State University. These degree programs are designed to provide instruction for graduate students in the liberal arts and sciences, in applied fields, and in the professions including the teaching profession.
Doctoral degrees are awarded jointly by the Board of Regents of the University of California and the Board of Trustees of The California State University in the names of San Diego State University and the cooperating campus of the University of California; in Education, jointly by the Board of Trustees of The California State University and the Board of Fellows of the Claremont Graduate School.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree is offered in the following fields:
Biology
Chemistry
Clinical Psychology
Ecology
Education
Engineering Sciences/Applied Mechanics
Geography
Language and Communicative Disorders
Mathematics and Science Education
Public Health/Epidemiology
The Master of Fine Arts degree is offered in the following fields:
Art
Creative Writing
Drama
The Master of Arts degree is offered in the following fields:
Anthropology
Asian Studies
Communication
Communicative Disorders
Economics
English
French
History
Interdisciplinary Studies
Latin American Studies
Liberal Arts
Linguistics
Mathematics
Music
Physical Education
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Spanish
Television, Film, and New Media Production
Philosophy
Women's Studies
The Master of Science degree is offered in the following fields:
Accountancy
Aerospace Engineering
Applied Mathematics
Astronomy
Business Administration
Child Development
Civil Engineering
Computer Science
Counseling
Electrical Engineering
Exercise Physiology
Geological Science
Interdisciplinary
Studies
Mechanical Engineering
Microbiology
Nursing
Nutritional Sciences
Public Health
Radiological Health Physics
Rehabilitation Counseling
Statistics
Concurrent degrees are offered in the following fields:
Master of Science degree in Geological Sciences and Doctor of Science in Earth Sciences
Admission to San Diego State University for graduate study is open to those applicants judged by the University to be fully qualified to benefit from graduate study. The requirements listed below are the minimum required for admission to the University. For many programs, the departments have established additional requirements. Potential applicants should refer to the Graduate Bulletin under the departmental listings. Students in their final baccalaureate year are also advised to contact the departmental offices as soon as graduate work is contemplated for advice as to how to proceed. Some departments stop reviewing applications earlier than others because of the limited space available.
All applicants for graduate and postbaccalaureate study (e.g., advanced degree applicants, those seeking credentials or certificates, and those interested in taking courses for personal or professional reasons, etc.) must file a complete application within the appropriate filing period. Second baccalaureate degree candidates should apply as undergraduate degree applicants. A complete application for graduate study includes the graduate and postbaccalaureate admission application plus supplementary materials determined by individual departments. Postbaccalaureate applicants, including those who completed undergraduate degree requirements and were graduated from this University, are also required to complete and submit an application and the $55.00 nonrefundable application fee. Since applicants for graduate programs may be limited to the choice of a single campus on each application, approvals for redirection to alternative campuses or later changes of campus choice will be minimal. In the event that a graduate applicant wishes to be assured of initial consideration by more than one campus, it will be necessary to submit separate applications (including fees) to each. Applications may be obtained from the Admissions and Records Office or the Graduate Division of any California State University campus.
All applicants for any type of graduate study at San Diego State University must: (a) hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association or have completed equivalent academic preparation as determined by the Graduate Dean; (b) have attained a grade point average of at least 2.75 (when A equals 4) in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted (this calculation may not include lower division courses taken after award of a baccalaureate degree); and (c) have been in good standing at the last institution attended. Applicants who do not qualify for admission under provisions (a) and (b) may be admitted by special action if the Graduate Dean determines that there is other academic or professional evidence sufficient to merit such action. The Graduate Division is the only official admissions authority for graduate study at San Diego State University. Each department or school recommends to the Graduate Division admission of students to its program and may deny admission even though the student meets the general requirements for admission to graduate study.
Members of the faculty of San Diego State University holding appointments at or above the rank of instructor or lecturer may not be candidates for degrees at this University. Faculty may register for courses as postbaccalaureate unclassified students.
All applicants seeking admission to graduate study at San Diego State University must apply and be accepted in one of the following categories:
A student wishing to enroll in courses at the University for personal or professional reasons, but not necessarily with an objective of an advanced degree, credential, or graduate certificate may be considered for admission with postbaccalaureate standing (unclassified) when the student meets the criteria specified under General Admission Requirements. Admission with postbaccalaureate standing (unclassified) does not constitute admission to, or assu rance of consideration for admission to, advanced degree curricula. Students admitted in this category may not enroll in 600-, 700-, and 800-numbered courses without special permission from the Graduate Division.
A student who is enrolled in the University with postbaccalaureate standing may request acceptance into an advanced degree curriculum with graduate standing (classified or conditionally classified). Applications for such continuing students are available from the Graduate Division and Research. Reports of the GRE General test scores must be on file at the University before continuing students may apply for graduate standing (classified).
A student wishing to be admitted to a program leading to a credential only or to an advanced certificate only (not an advanced degree) must meet the criteria specified under General Admission Requirements. Additionally, all students in advanced certificate programs must achieve a satisfactory score on the GRE General test. (Students holding an advanced degree from an institution that is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools are exempted from this requirement.) A student must also meet the professional, personal, scholastic and other standards prescribed by the appropriate department. The applicant should contact the department involved for information concerning specific admission requirements and should submit a departmental application during the appropriate filing period. Admission with postbaccalaureate standing (classified) does not constitute admission to, or assurance of consideration for admission to, advanced degree curricula.
A student wishing to be admitted to a program of study leading to an advanced degree must meet the criteria specified under General Admission Requirements, and, in addition, must:
Students admitted with graduate standing (classified) are admitted to authorized advanced degree curricula and may enroll in 600- and 700-numbered courses. Such admission does not imply that a student will be advanced to candidacy for an advanced degree.
A student wishing to be admitted to a program of study leading to an advanced degree who meets the criteria specified under General Admission Requirements but who has deficiencies in the criteria for graduate standing (classified) may be granted conditional graduate standing (classified), if the deficiencies can be met by specific additional preparation, including qualifying examinations. Not more than 15 semester units may be assigned to satisfy undergraduate deficiencies in the major and all course conditions must be met within five semesters from the time of initial enrollment. Students admitted with conditional graduate standing (classified) are admitted to authorized advanced degree curricula and may enroll in 600- and 700-numbered courses. Once the conditions established by the department, school, or college have been met, the student will be accorded full graduate standing (classified).
A project sponsored by the University Research Council and the Graduate Division and Research, the Albert W. Johnson University Research Lectureship is awarded to an SDSU faculty member for outstanding achievement in research and scholarship. The purpose of the University Research Lectureship is to recognize such achievement, to foster its continuance, and to enable a distinguished resident faculty scholar to share knowledge more broadly with the academic community and the community-at-large.
One SDSU faculty member may be designated annually as the Albert W. Johnson University Research Lecturer for the academic year. Each of the lectures in the Series will be published to assure its increased availability to the students and faculty of the University and to the community at large.
Past lectures have included Dr. Maurice Friedman, Professor of Religious Studies; Dr. Helen Wallace, Professor of Public Health; Dr. David Ward-Steinman, Professor of Music; Dr. Robert Kaplan, Professor of Psychology; Dr. Alvin Coox, Professor of History; Drs. James Flood and Diane Lapp, Professors of Education; Dr. Catherine Yi-yu Cho Woo, Professor of Chinese; Dr. E. Percil Stanford, Professor of Social Work; Dr. Joseph Ball, Professor of Anthropology; and Dr. Arthur Getis, The Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation Chair in Geographical Studies.
Complete details on the operation and administration of these requirements, together with other information on graduate study, will be found in the Graduate Bulletin, which is available at the Bookstore and also available on the WorldWideWeb (http://libweb.sdsu.edu/bulletin/).
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