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Student Responsibility for Changes in Rules and Policies Privacy Rights of Students Nondiscrimination Policy Grades Assignment of Grades and Grade Appeals Courses Final Examinations Academic Credit Through Coursework

Student Responsibility for Catalog Information Students are held individually responsible for the information contained in this catalog. The requirements listed in the "Graduation Requirements" section of the catalog are those requirements which the University will make every effort to preserve for students subject to this catalog. All other parts of the catalog, including this "General Regulations" section, are subject to change from year to year as University rules, policies, and curricula change. Failure to keep informed of such changes will not exempt students from whatever penalties they may incur. Changes in Rules and Policies Although every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information in this catalog, students and others who use this catalog should note that laws, rules, and policies change from time to time and that these changes may alter the information contained in this publication. Changes may come in the form of statutes enacted by the Legislature, rules and policies adopted by the Board of Trustees of The California State University, by the Chancellor or designee of The California State University, or by the President or designee of San Diego State University. Further, it is not possible in a publication of this size to include all of the rules, policies, and other information that pertain to the student, San Diego State University, and The California State University. More current or complete information may be obtained from the appropriate department, school, or administrative office. Each semester, the Class Schedule and Student Information Handbook outlines changes in academic policy and procedure and current deadlines which are of importance to students. Nothing in this catalog shall be construed as, operate as, or have the effect of an abridgment or a limitation of any rights, powers, or privileges of the Board of Trustees of The California State University, the Chancellor of The California State University, or the President of San Diego State University. The Trustees, the Chancellor, and the President are authorized by law to adopt, amend, or repeal rules and policies that apply to students. This catalog does not constitute a contract or the terms and conditions of a contract between the student and San Diego State University or The California State University. The relationship of the student to San Diego State University is one governed by statute, rules, and policy adopted by the Legislature, the Trustees, the Chancellor, the President and their duly authorized designees. Privacy Rights of Students in Education Records The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. 1232g) and regulations adopted thereunder (34 C.F.R. 99) and California Education Code Section 67100 et seq, set out requirements designed to protect the privacy of students concerning their records maintained by the campus. Specifically, the statute and regulations govern access to student records maintained by the campus and the release of such records. In brief, the law provides that the campus must provide students access to records directly related to the student and an opportunity for a hearing to challenge such records on the grounds that they are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate. The right to a hearing under the law does not include any right to challenge the appropriateness of a grade as determined by the instructor. The law generally requires that written consent of the student be received before releasing personally identifiable data about the student from records to other than a specified list of exceptions. The institution has adopted a set of policies and procedures concerning implementation of the statutes and the regulations on the campus. Copies of these policies and procedures may be obtained at the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. Among the types of information included in the campus statement of policies and procedures are: (1) the types of student records and the information contained therein; (2) the official responsible for the maintenance of each type of record; (3) the location of access lists which indicate persons requesting or receiving information from the record; (4) policies for reviewing and expunging records; (5) the access rights of students; (6)the procedures for challenging the content of student records; (7)the cost which will be charged for reproducing copies of records; and (8)the right of the student to file a complaint with the Department of Education. An office and review board have been established by the Department to investigate and adjudicate violations and complaints. The office designated for this purpose is The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office (FERPA), U.S. Department of Education, 330 "C" Street, Room 4511, Washington, D.C. 20202. The campus is authorized under the Act to release "directory information" concerning students. Currently, in response to a specific inquiry, the Office of Admissions and Records releases the following: name, major field of study, dates of attendance, and degrees and awards received. While federal law allows for the release of address and telephone number, place and date of birth, and information related to participation in athletics, San Diego State University has developed a practice of keeping this information confidential. The above designated information is subject to release by the campus at any time unless the campus has received prior objection from the student specifying information which the student requests not be released. Students are given an opportunity to restrict the release of "directory information" about themselves by calling the Office of Admissions and Records touch-tone system, (619) 594-7800. The campus is authorized to provide access to student records to campus officials and employees who have legitimate educational interests in such access. These persons are those who have responsibilities in connection with the campus' academic, administrative or service functions and who have reason for using student records connected with their campus or other related academic responsibilities. Disclosure may also be made to other persons or organizations under certain conditions (e.g., as part of accreditation or program evaluation; in response to a court order or subpoena; in connection with financial aid; to other institutions to which the student is transferring). Nondiscrimination Policy San Diego State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, physical disability or sexual orientation in the education programs or activities it conducts. San Diego State University prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, and national origin. Students may file a complaint alleging violation of this policy. Detailed procedures for filing a complaint are available in the Office of the Ombudsman. Disability San Diego State University does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the regulations adopted thereunder and the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit such discrimination. The Office of Student Affairs has been designated to coordinate the efforts of San Diego State University to comply with these Acts in its implementing regulations. Inquiries concerning compliance may be addressed to this office at AD-231; telephone 594-5211. Gender San Diego State University does not discriminate on the basis of gender in the educational programs or activities it conducts. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, and the administrative regulations adopted thereunder prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender in education programs and activities operated by San Diego State University. Such programs and activities include admission of students and employment. Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX to programs and activities of San Diego State University may be referred to the Affirmative Action Officer (594-6464), the campus officer assigned the administrative responsibility of reviewing such matters, or to the Regional Director, Office for Civil Rights, Region 9, 50 UN Plaza, Room 239, San Francisco, California 94102. San Diego State University is committed to providing equal opportunities to men and women CSU students in all campus programs, including intercollegiate athletics. Race, Color, National Origin, or Disability San Diego State University complies with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the regulations adopted thereunder. No person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program at San Diego State University. Inquiries concerning the application of Title VI to program activities of San Diego State University may be referred to the Affirmative Action Coordinator, AD-110, 594-6464. Grades Definition of Grades for Undergraduate Students Grades and grade points per unit used in reporting are as follows: Grade of A (outstanding achievement; available only for the highest accomplishment), 4 points; B (praiseworthy performance; definitely above average), 3 points; C (average; awarded for satisfactory performance; the most common undergraduate grade), 2 points; D (minimally passing; less than the typical undergraduate achievement), 1 point; F (failing), 0 points; SP (satisfactory progress), not counted in the grade point average; W (withdrawal), not counted in the grade point average; AU (audit), no credit earned and not counted in the grade point average; Cr (credit), signifying units earned, but not counted in the grade point average; NC (no credit), no credit earned and not counted in the grade point average; I (authorized incomplete), no credit earned and not counted in the grade point average until one calendar year has expired at which time it will count as an "F" for grade point average computation; U (unauthorized withdrawal), counted as "F" for grade point average computation. Definition of Grades for Graduate Students Grades and grade points per unit used in reporting are as follows: Grade of A (outstanding achievement; available for the highest accomplishment), 4 points; B (average; awarded for satisfactory performance), 3 points; C (minimally passing), 2 points; D (unacceptable for graduate credit, course must be repeated, 1 point; F (failing), 0 points; SP (satisfactory progress), not counted in the grade point average; W (withdrawal), not counted in the grade point average; AU (audit), no credit earned and not counted in the grade point average; Cr (credit), signifying units earned, but not counted in the grade point average; NC (no credit) no credit earned and not counted in the grade point average; I (authorized incomplete), no credit earned and not counted in the grade point average until one calendar year has expired at which time it will count as an "F" for grade point average computation; U (unauthorized withdrawal), counted as "F" for grade point average computation. Plus/Minus Grading A plus/minus grading system is utilized at San Diego State University. Plus/minus grading is not mandatory but is utilized at the discretion of the individual instructor. The grades of A+, F+ and F- are not issued. The decimal values of plus and/or minus grades are utilized in the calculation of grade point averages as follows: A = 4.0 C+ = 2.3 D- = 0.7 A- = 3.7 C = 2.0 F = 0 B+ = 3.3 C- = 1.7 U = 0 B = 3.0 D+ = 1.3 I = 0 (when counting B- = 2.7 D = 1.0 as an "F") Faculty members use all grades from A through F to distinguish among levels of academic accomplishment. The grade for average undergraduate achievement is C. Satisfactory Progress Grade-"SP" The "SP" symbol is used in connection with courses that extend beyond one academic term. It indicates that work is in progress and has been evaluated and found to be satisfactory to date, but that assignment of a precise grade must await completion of additional work. Work is to be completed within a stipulated time period not to exceed one year except for graduate thesis (799A) or dissertation (899). Failure to complete the assigned work within one calendar year except for courses 799A, 899, General Mathematics Studies 90A, 99A, and Rhetoric and Writing Studies 92A, 94, 97A will result in the course being computed into the grade point average as an "F" (or a "NC" if the course was taken for a credit/no credit grade). Withdrawal Grade - "W" The symbol "W" indicates that you were permitted to drop a course after the first four weeks of instruction because of a verified serious and compelling reason, and you have obtained the signature of the instructor and the approval of the dean or designee of the college in which the class is located. After the fourth week, the grade of "W" will appear on your permanent record for courses which an official drop has been approved. Dropping a class after the end of the tenth day of instruction and prior to the last three weeks of instruction is permissible only for verified serious and compelling reasons. Permission to drop a class during this period is granted only with the signature of the instructor, who indicates your grade status in the class, and the approval of the dean or designee of the college in which the class is located. If you wish to withdraw from all classes during this period, you must obtain the signature of each instructor and the approval of the dean or designee of the college of your major. Dropping a class is not permitted during the final three weeks of instruction, except in cases such as accident or serious illness where the cause of dropping the class is due to circumstances clearly beyond your control, and the assignment of an incomplete is not practicable. All such requests must be accompanied by appropriate verification. Ordinarily, withdrawals in this category will involve total withdrawal from the University, except that credit, or an Incomplete, may be assigned for courses in which sufficient work has been completed to permit an evaluation to be made. Requests to withdraw under such circumstances must be signed by each instructor, who indicates your grade status in the class, and approved by the dean or designee of the college of your major. After the last day of the semester, if you wish to change assigned grades to "W" grades you must request to withdraw from the full semester's work; no requests for individual classes will be accepted. Such requests may be granted only in verified cases such as accident or serious illness where the cause for substandard performance was due to circumstances clearly beyond your control. Only those retroactive changes from an assigned grade to a "W" which are approved by the instructor who assigned the original grade will be made, except that (a) the dean or designee of the college your major may authorize the change of "U" to "W," and (b) department chairs shall act on behalf of instructors no longer affiliated with the University. Auditing - "AU" Enrollment as an auditor is subject to permission of the instructor, provided that enrollment in a course as an auditor shall be permitted only after students otherwise eligible to enroll on a credit basis have had an opportunity to do so. Auditors are subject to the same fee structure as credit students and regular class attendance is expected. Failure to meet required class attendance may result in an administrative drop of the course. To enroll as an auditor, obtain the Change to Audit Grade form from the Office of Admissions and Records. Obtain instructor approval and return the completed form on or before the fifteenth day of instruction to the Office of Admissions and Records. Once enrolled as an auditor, you may not change to credit status unless such a change is requested prior to the end of the fifteenth day of instruction. If you are enrolled for credit, you may not change to audit after the end of the fifteenth day of instruction. Credit/No Credit (Undergraduate Student Option) - "Cr/NC" An undergraduate student may elect to be graded credit/no credit in particular courses, subject to the following conditions: 1. Upper division courses graded credit/no credit (Cr/NC), whether taken at this or at another institution, may not be used to satisfy requirements for your major or minor except for those courses identified in the course listing as graded "Cr/NC." 2. Courses graded credit/no credit may not be used to satisfy the Communication and Analytical Reasoning section of General Education. 3. No more than 15 units graded credit/no credit may be offered in satisfaction of the total units required in a bachelor's degree program, except that all units accepted as transfer credit from another institution at the time of your admission may be used. If 15 or more units graded credit/no credit are transferred, you may not use additional courses graded credit/no credit to satisfy total units required for a bachelor's degree. Exceptions to this rule will be made only if you are required to take an SDSU course on a credit/no credit basis. 4. Units for courses required for graduation which are offered for Cr/NC only will not be counted as part of the 15 elective units of Cr/NC allowed. 5. If for any reason (change of major or minor or transfer from another institution) upper division courses graded credit/no credit are offered to satisfy requirements in the major, you may be required by the major department to pass competency examinations at an acceptable level or take prescribed alternate courses before being allowed to continue in the major. 6. Change in grading basis may be made by calling RegLine (619-594-7800) on or before the fifteenth day of instruction. No changes in grading basis are permitted after that date. 7. A grade of "Credit" is awarded for work equivalent to all grades which earn 2.0 or more grade points (A through C). "No Credit" is awarded for work equivalent to all grades which earn less than 2.0 grade points (C- through F). 8. The only courses which may be repeated with a credit/no credit option are those in which you previously received a grade of "No Credit." If a course previously taken for a grade is repeated for a grade of "Credit," the original grade will continue to be used in computation of the grade point average. NOTE: "NC" is not calculated in the grade point average at San Diego State University. However, some institutions, particularly for graduate admissions, calculate an "NC" as an "F." Authorized Incomplete Grade - "I" The symbol "I" (incomplete authorized) 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 and that there is still a possibility of earning credit. It is your responsibility to bring pertinent information to the instructor and to reach agreement on the means by which the remaining course requirements will be satisfied. The conditions for removal of the Incomplete shall be reduced to writing by the instructor and given to you with a copy placed on file with the department chair until the Incomplete is removed or the time limit for removal has passed. A final grade is assigned when the work agreed upon has been completed and evaluated. An Incomplete shall not be assigned when the only way you could make up the work would be to attend a major portion of the class when it is next offered. Contract forms for Incompletes are available at department offices. An Incomplete must be made up within one calendar year immediately following the end of the term in which it was assigned. This limitation prevails whether or not you maintain continuous enrollment. Failure to complete the assigned work within one calendar year will result in an Incomplete being computed into the grade point average as an "F" (or a "NC" if the course has been taken Cr/NC). After one calendar year, the only way you may eliminate that grade from the grade point calculation is to repeat the course and file a petition for course "forgiveness" (see "Repeated Courses" below). In any case, because your record must provide an accurate and complete accounting of your academic history, the notation of "Incomplete" will remain on the record. Unauthorized Withdrawal Grade - "U" The symbol "U" indicates that you enrolled in a course, did not withdraw from the course, but failed to complete course requirements. It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, the number of completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible. For purposes of grade point average computation, this symbol is equivalent to an "F." If you attend a portion of a course and then, after receiving failing grades, stop attending without officially withdrawing, you should normally receive a final grade of "F" and not "U." Computation of Grade Point Average To compute the grade point average, the total number of grade points earned is divided by the number of units attempted. Units earned with a Cr (Credit) are not included in the computation. A grade of "I" (authorized incomplete) is not counted in the grade point computation until one calendar year has expired, at which time it will count as an "F." The minimum GPA for a bachelor's degree is 2.0 (C); in other words, you must have earned at least twice as many grade points as units attempted. Repeated Courses Course "Forgiveness" and Course Repeat Policy: Undergraduate students are subject to the following conditions and requirements. If you receive a grade of C- or lower (fewer than 2.0 grade points per unit) you may request that the course repeat policy for grade forgiveness be applied to that course. The course repeat policy can be applied to as many as four repetitions of lower division courses and one upper division course taken at San Diego State University, except in cases where enrollment is restricted and you no longer qualify for admission to a course. 1. In the semester in which you are repeating a course for which you want an earlier grade "forgiven," you must notify Admissions and Records before the end of the add period (or before noon of the third day of Winter or Summer Session classes) that you want the "forgiveness" policy applied to that course. While the original grade(s) will remain on your record, the grade earned in the repeat, whether higher or lower than the original grade, will be used in place of the earlier grade in calculation of grade point averages. 2. A course may be repeated only twice for grade forgiveness. Courses repeated more than once including repeats of those originally taken at another institution all count as part of the five-course maximum. Although the original grade(s) will remain on the transcript, only the latest grade will be used in calculating grade point averages. 3. The course "forgiveness" and course repeat policy applies only to repeats of the same course (same number, same title, and, for Experimental Topics courses, same subtitle). Exceptions will be made only in those cases where the course number changes and the change is documented in the General Catalog. 4. In some cases, admission to courses may have become restricted due to impaction, limitation by major code, enforcement of prerequisites, or sequence requirements (e.g., mathematics and foreign language); in those cases, you are prohibited from repeating those courses. 5. The only courses which may be repeated Credit/No Credit are those in which you previously received No Credit; if a course previously taken for a grade is repeated Credit/No Credit, the original grade will continue to be calculated in grade point averages. Repeating courses in which the original grade was "NC" does not require the filing of the Course Forgiveness Petition, nor does it subtract from the five forgivable repeats permitted, since the No Credit grade does not affect your GPA. 6. The course "forgiveness" policy may be extended to courses originally taken elsewhere and repeated at San Diego State University, in which case the original transfer grade will no longer be used in the calculation of the overall grade point average. However, the "forgiveness" policy applies only to courses repeated at San Diego State University. 7. The course "forgiveness" policy applies to courses repeated at San Diego State University in Summer Sessions and Winter Session; it does not apply to courses repeated through Open University during Fall and/or Spring semesters. 8. If courses with C- or lower grades are repeated without appropriate notification having been filed by the deadline or in excess of course repeat limitations (no more than two repeats per course, no more than five repeats total), course "forgiveness" will not be applied; all grades for those courses will be calculated in grade point averages. Units for a course will be counted only once toward graduation, regardless of number of repeats. 9. If you repeat a course in which a grade of C or better was received, only the original grade and units earned will be used for calculation of grade point averages and units needed for a degree. Assignment of Grades and Grade Appeals 1. Faculty have the right and responsibility to provide careful evaluation and timely assignment of appropriate grades. 2. There is a presumption that grades assigned are correct. It is the responsibility of anyone appealing an assigned grade to demonstrate otherwise. 3. If you believe that an appropriate grade has not been assigned you should first seek to resolve the matter informally with the instructor of record. If the matter cannot be resolved informally, you may present the case to the appropriate campus entity, have it reviewed and, where justified, receive a grade correction. 4. It is your responsibility to attempt to resolve grade disputes in a timely manner, typically during the semester following the semester the questioned grade was received. If twelve or more months have elapsed since the grade was issued, or you have graduated, no grade change will be made. Courses Satisfaction of Requirements Except as permitted in the Graduation Requirements section of the catalog, a course cannot be used to satisfy more than one requirement. Numbering of Courses Courses numbered 80 through 99 are nonbaccalaureate level and are not acceptable for a bachelor's degree; those numbered 100 through 299 are in the lower division (freshman and sophomore years); those numbered 300 through 499 are in the upper division (junior and senior years) and intended for undergraduates; those numbered 500 through 599 are in the upper division and are also acceptable for advanced degrees when taken by students admitted to graduate standing; those numbered 600 through 799 are graduate courses; and those numbered 800 through 899 are doctoral courses. Courses numbered at the 900 level are reserved for graduate courses in certain professional curricula as part of advanced certificate, credential, and licensure programs and are specifically intended for students admitted to the University with post-baccalaureate classified standing. Courses numbered at the 900 level are not applicable to other graduate programs. Courses numbered 397 offered in regular sessions are professional advancement training or tutorial/discussion classes which may accompany other credit courses and are not acceptable towards an undergraduate or graduate degree. Courses numbered X-01 through X-79 and X-397 are professional advancement units offered only through Extension to meet specific academic needs of community groups and are not acceptable toward an undergraduate or graduate degree. Undergraduate Enrollment in 600-, 700-, and 800-Numbered Courses 1. You must obtain permission of the instructor. 2. You must be a senior in good standing and have a B (3.0) GPA average. 3. Undergraduate enrollments may not cause the exclusion of a qualified graduate student in a graduate course. 4. Undergraduate students must complete a petition for request to enroll which is available in the Graduate Division. California Articulation Number (CAN) The California Articulation Number (CAN) identifies some of the transferable, lower division, introductory (preparatory) courses commonly taught within each academic discipline on California college campuses. The system assures students that CAN courses on one participating campus will be accepted "in lieu of" the comparable CAN course on another participating campus. For example: CAN ECON 2 on one campus will be accepted for CAN ECON 2 on another participating campus. Courses at San Diego State University that have qualified for CAN designations are listed parenthetically by the course description in the Courses and Curricula section of this catalog. Final Examinations No final examination shall be given to individual students before the regular time. If you find it impossible to take a final examination on the date scheduled you must make arrangements with the instructor to have an incomplete grade reported and must take the deferred final examination within the time allowed for making up incomplete grades. Academic Credit Through Coursework Credit for Upper Division Courses Normally, only juniors, seniors and graduate students enroll in upper division courses (numbered 300 and above). However, a freshman or sophomore may enroll in an upper division course for upper division credit if the instructor consents. Article 40405.2 of Title 5, California Code of Regulations specifically limits upper division general education credit to students who have achieved upper division status. Community College Credit A maximum of 70 semester units earned in a community college may be applied toward the degree, with the following limitations: (a) no upper division credit may be allowed for courses taken in a community college; (b) no credit may be allowed for professional courses in education taken in a community college, other than an introduction to education course. Concurrent Master's Degree Credit The bachelor's degree must be completed at the end of the semester or term in which the concurrent credit is earned. A senior who has met all of the required competencies in writing and mathematics and who is within 12 units of completing requirements for the bachelor's degree and whose grade point average in the last 60 semester units attempted is 3.0 or above may petition the Graduate Council to take for concurrent master's degree credit 500-numbered courses listed in the Graduate Bulletin as acceptable for master's degree programs, and certain 600- and 700-numbered courses approved by the department, with the remaining requirements for the bachelor's degree. Petitions may be obtained from the Graduate Division and must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records by the end of the third week of classes of the semester or term in which the concurrent credit is earned, and you must have on file a current graduation application for the bachelor's degree. The maximum number of units which may be earned as concurrent master's degree credit is determined by the difference between the number of units remaining for the bachelor's degree and 15. Top of Page webmaster@libweb.sdsu.edu Copyright © 1997, San Diego State University. All rights reserved.