You are in the official 2007-2008 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
You are in the official 2007-2008 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
A student must complete the following requirements in order to earn a Bachelor of Arts or Science degree. Requirements are described in detail in the latter part of this section. Most students accumulate a combination of units in the major, General Education, and nondesignated electives in order to fulfill the requirements of a baccalaureate degree. These requirements are fulfilled when a student successfully completes:
To receive the degree, a student files an application for graduation
obtained from the Office of Evaluations after paying the graduation fee
at the cashier's window in the Joyal Administration Building by one of the
published deadlines.
Undergraduate students may desire to complete the requirements for more than one major at the time of completion of the baccalaureate degree (i.e., graduate with a double major). When students apply for graduation, they must designate which is the primary degree major. Minimum requirements and exceptions for double majors are as follows:
The special major for a bachelor's degree (either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science) provides an opportunity for students to engage in an individualized course of study leading to a degree when legitimate academic and professional goals are not accommodated by standard degree majors. The special major consists of correlated studies in two or more fields. It is not intended as a means of bypassing normal graduation requirements or a means by which students may graduate who fail to complete the degree major in which they are enrolled. Also, students may not earn a special major as a double major, and postbaccalaureate students are not eligible to earn a special major at the baccalaureate level.
The special major must be approved in the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, with approval based upon a case-by-case justification. Candidates must have one full year of academic work (at least 30 units) still to be completed to meet minimum degree requirements. The minimum total unit requirement for a special major is 120 units. The minimum requirement for the special major is an approved program of 45 units, at least 30 units of which must be upper-division work. Units applied to General Education requirements may not be counted. Also, a maximum of 6 independent study units may be included in the special major program. Any exception to this limit must be approved in writing by the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs upon written recommendation by the special major adviser prior to registration for the additional units.
Students requesting a special major must obtain application forms from the Office of Advising Services. On these forms students must do the following:
Students must submit the foregoing material to the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for final approval. All established campus requirements and procedures for awarding bachelor's degrees will apply, including residence units, the upper-division writing requirement and number of acceptable transfer units.
B.S. Program Requirements: At least 25 units of the B.S. Special Major must be from campus colleges offering a broad range of instructional programs in science- or technology-based disciplines. These colleges include the following: Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Craig School of Business, Engineering, Health and Human Services, Science and Mathematics, and Social Sciences. Coursework must be taken in at least two different subject areas or fields of study, with no less than 9 units each from a minimum of two areas.
The residence requirement for the baccalaureate degree specifies that
30 units shall be earned in residence at the campus granting the degree.
Twenty-four of these units shall be earned in upper -division courses, 12
of the units shall be in the major, and 9 units shall be in General Education.
The residence requirement for graduate students is 21 units.
Extension credit and credit by evaluation, including credit by examination,
may not be used to fulfill the above described requirements.
English Requirement. English 1, Composition, or its equivalent
is a university graduation requirement that should be completed before the
end of the fourth semester of university attendance. (A grade of C is the
minimum acceptable grade to satisfy this requirement.) The English Placement
Test does not substitute for English 1. See
English Placement Test for
test scores prerequisite to enrollment in English 1.
U.S. History and Government Requirements. Undergraduate and second
baccalaureate degree candidates must demonstrate competence with respect
to the Constitution of the United States, American history, and in the principles
of state and local government of California in order to graduate. This may
be done by passing examinations or by completing History 11 or 12 and Political
Science 2 or 101. (In cases in which students have completed the federal
government requirement, Political Science 102 [1 unit] will fulfill the
California government requirement.) ( See History Department -- American History Requirement , Political
Science Department -- United States
Constitution Requirement, and General Education CORE.)
Upper-Division Writing Skills (UDWS) Requirement.
All undergraduate and second baccalaureate degree candidates must demonstrate
competency in writing skills at the upper-division (junior-senior) level
as a requirement for graduation. After completing 60 units and English Composition
(ENGL 5B and 10) or its equivalent with a C or better, students may meet
this requirement in one of two ways:
It is imperative that the UDWS requirement be met within two semesters
after completing 60 units. The UDWS requirement cannot be fulfilled by a
class or test taken outside of The California State University system and
cannot be satisfied at a CSU campus at which the student has not matriculated.
The UDWS requirement is not part of the General Education requirement. Passing
the UDWE does not exempt students from taking a W course if it is required
in their major, e.g., PLANT 110W.
Graduate students should consult Graduate Studies regarding the graduate-level
writing proficiency requirement.
Remedial Courses. Students admitted to a CSU campus are expected
to possess basic competence in the English language and mathematical computation.
Students who require remediation should be placed in remedial classes during
their first term of enrollment and should demonstrate proficiency by the
end of the first academic year. Such remedial courses are usually designated
by the letter R following the course number. Credits earned in remedial
courses cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements. (See Learning
Resource Center.)
Unit Limitations
The following unit limitations apply to all bachelor's degrees:
Major Requirements
Postbaccalaureate students (i.e., those who already hold a bachelor's degree)
may pursue a program leading to an additional baccalaureate degree or undergraduate
major. Students are urged to consult with a departmental adviser and with
the Division of Graduate Studies to determine whether a second baccalaureate
or graduate program better meets their needs.
Upper-division and/or graduate-level units earned at Fresno State in the semester or summer session in which the bachelor's degree is granted are automatically listed on the student's permanent record as postbaccalaureate credit as long as
In addition, only credit for courses in which grades A, B, C, or CR are
earned may be counted. No course may have its credit divided between baccalaure-
ate and postbaccalaureate programs; use of such credit for graduate degrees
at California State University, Fresno requires special approval and is
limited to one-third of the total units required in a graduate degree program.
(See Graduate Studies - Advancement
to Candidacy.) Only students with graduate standing may enroll in the
following courses: 290, 298, 299. (See Graduate Studies - Criteria
for Thesis and Project.) Use of postbaccalaureate credit for other purposes
is to be determined by the appropriate authority.
Students who anticipate meeting bachelor's degree requirements by the
end of a term should obtain and file a completed application for a degree
(with appropriate fees) with the Evaluations Office within the first two
weeks of that term. The Graduate Office processes graduate degree applications.
See Academic Calendar for filing dates and deadlines.
Failure to apply before the final deadline will delay the granting of the
degree.
The Evaluations Office checks students' applications for bachelor's degrees
and reports to them regarding eligibility for the degrees. Degrees are not
awarded to students with I or RD grades remaining on their
records. Students receiving I grades during the final year that have not
been completed (or changed to F grades) by the appropriate clearance
deadline will not be considered for graduation that semester and must reapply
for the degree. (See Incomplete.)
In order to be eligible for graduation, students must:
It is the responsibility of students to be sure that all requirements have been met and that documentation has been filed with the Evaluations Office, or Graduate Office, by the appropriate deadlines. No additions, deletions, or changes to students' records are permitted after the degree has been recorded.
Honors at Graduation. Honors at the time of graduation from the university are awarded to undergraduate students based on the following criteria:
The grade point average earned at California State University, Fresno
determines which honors the student receives:
Summa Cum Laude (highest honors) 3.90 to 4.00
Magna Cum Laude (high honors) 3.70 to 3.89
Cum Laude (honors) 3.50 to 3.69
Since the requirement for honors could change, students are requested to
check the current General Catalog for the criteria in effect at the time
of graduation.
California State University, Fresno pledges that a first-time freshman
student may attain the baccalaureate degree in four years when a student
follows the provisions and regulations outlined below.
To facilitate students' graduation goals, California State University, Fresno
extends to qualified students the opportunity to engage in a formal partnership
that assures timely completion of a degree. Students enrolling in the university's
Degree Guarantee Program are pledged certain advantages that will facilitate
progress toward the degree. Among these advantages are:
The Degree Guarantee Program is a partnership. Students share in the responsibility for timely graduation. To obtain a degree in four years, students must fulfill the following conditions:
Noncompliance with any of the above conditions 1 through 13 may result
in voiding the student's enrollment in the Degree Guarantee Program and
the university's pledge to award the student a degree within four years.
Nonetheless, it is understood that all degree requirements still must be
met before the university is able to award a degree.
Enrollment in the California State University, Fresno Degree Guarantee Program
is initiated by a student filing an application. Signing of this application
by a student and his or her designated Degree Guarantee Program adviser
confirms their mutual understanding of the respective obligations of the
student/university partnership required for the achievement of a degree
in four years.
Additional information about the Degree Guarantee Program may be obtained
by contacting the assistant to the coordinator of the Four-Year Degree Guarantee
Program in the Office of Advising at 559.278.1787.
Commencement is held annually at the end of spring semester. Students
who have completed degree requirements in the summer or in the fall semester
immediately preceding commencement are eligible to participate with those
who complete their work in the spring semester. For additional information,
see Kennel Bookstore, Student Life, and/or the Office of the Vice President
for Student Affairs and Dean of Students.
Many students want to study areas not covered by traditional degree programs to increase professional competence, to acquire paraprofessional training, to change careers or to promote personal enrichment. A baccalaureate or master's degree, or second baccalaureate or second major may be inappropriate for them, yet they may still deserve recognition for their work. To meet the needs of these students the university has established three kinds of certificates:
California State University, Fresno offers basic - Multiple Subject,
Single Subject, and Special Education -- teaching credentials as well as
advanced - Specialist and Services -- credentials required for employment
in K-12 public schools. The Kremen School of Education and Human Development
is the primary unit responsible for professional preparation and credential
authorization. However, subject matter preparation required for basic credential
programs and professional preparation required in some advanced credentials
- school nursing, psychology, school social work, agriculture, and deaf
and hard-of-hearing - are provided by various academic departments. For
information about credential programs, refer to the Education section of
this catalog or to the appropriate academic department.
Basic Teaching Credentials, Elementary
Multiple Subject:
Multiple Subject, BLCAD
Multiple Subject, with emphasis in Early Childhood Education
Multiple Subject Internship
CalState TEACH
Basic Teaching Credentials, Secondary
Single Subject:
Single Subject
Single Subject Internship
Basic Teaching Credentials, Special Education
Preliminary Level I Education Specialist
Advanced Specialist and Services Credential
Specialist Teaching Credentials
Services Credentials
Academic
Regulations