Registration Process
Registration for courses for continuing students begins approximately eight weeks prior to the start of each quarter. Registration appointments for eligible continuing students are available online via BroncoDirect one week prior to the start of the registration period. All registration holds must be cleared prior to registration. Entering students may register for classes as part of their participation in mandatory orientation. Students may register for a maximum of 13 units during the initial days of registration; this limit increases during final days of the registration period. Students may add, drop and change courses during the Add/Drop Period, which begins prior to the first day of classes and ends on the fifth day of instruction. Students may enroll in additional units above the 16 unit maximum during the Add/Drop Period. Students who have not registered during the earlier Registration period must pay a late registration fee and registration deposit.
Students register online through BroncoDirect. Registration fee bills are posted online following the end of the registration period and fees are due approximately three weeks prior to the start of the quarter. Classes will be canceled for students who do not pay fees by the required deadline indicated on the online fee bill.
The CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum. Fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate. Therefore, CSU must reserve the right, even after initial fee payments are made, to increase or modify any listed fees, without notice, until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun. All CSU listed fees should be regarded as estimates that are subject to change upon approval by The Board of Trustees.
Credit for a course is given only when the student has completed the registration process and successfully completes the course. Specific registration and fee payment dates and instructions are available online at dsa.csupomona.edu/registrar. Deadlines are strictly enforced.
Placement Examinations (English Placement Test, Entry Level Math)
All students, unless exempt on the basis of specified test scores or approved coursework, must take the EPT/ELM tests prior to mandatory orientation and course registration. Exemptions are listed in the catalog section “Requirements for Bachelor’s Degree” and online at www.csupomona.edu/~academic/testcenter. Registration holds are placed for students who are required to take the EPT/ELM exams for whom test scores have not been received.
International students coming from abroad and out-of-state students must also meet testing requirements and deadlines. Students may contact the Educational Testing Service at (800) 997-8493 ext. 5 for outof-area testing; scores must be received prior to mandatory orientation and course registration.
English and Math Competence (Executive Order 665)
Executive Order No. 665 (EO 665) was issued by the California State University system in February 1997 to establish system wide requirements to bring students who need preparatory work up to competency levels in English and Mathematics. Minimum standards have been established for campus compliance. Students must be placed in the appropriate preparatory courses in the first quarter of attendance and each subsequent quarter. All required preparatory work must be completed within one year from the date of enrollment.
Policies and procedures relating to Executive Order No. 665 are handled through the Office of Academic Programs. The following policies and procedures were established for compliance with Executive Order 665 at Cal Poly Pomona beginning with the fall 1998 quarter:
- All undergraduate students admitted to Cal Poly Pomona must have proof of exemption or take the English Placement Test (EPT) and/or Entry Level Mathematics (ELM) at the earliest possible date after admission. Test scores must be on file at Cal Poly Pomona prior to registering for classes.
- If test results from the EPT/ELM indicate that preparatory coursework in English and/or Math is required, students must be enrolled at Cal Poly Pomona in the appropriate preparatory coursework during their first quarter of attendance and are expected to enroll each subsequent quarter until all preparatory work is completed. Mandatory course placements by test score are listed on the Test Center’s website at http://www.csupomona.edu/~academic/testcenter/index.shtml.
First term enrollment in preparatory coursework is mandatory; exceptions are not permitted. Students required to complete work are strongly advised not to participate in Study Abroad, National Student Exchange, internships, and other academic-related activities that will prevent them from enrolling in preparatory classes.
- Registration will be canceled for students who do not enroll in required preparatory courses in their first quarter of enrollment. If first quarter enrollment is canceled, the student may request to have their admission transferred to the subsequent quarter. Approval of this request will be subject to space availability.
- Students required to enroll in English and/or Math preparatory course(s) are expected to enroll each quarter until all preparatory work is completed. Non-enrollment in or withdrawal from one or more quarters for a documented compelling reason, such as death in the family, serious illness, disability, or an accident, may result in commensurate time extension. (Students must submit a Request for Extension Form.)
- Students must complete with a “C” or better (2.0 or higher) all preparatory course requirements within one year (four consecutive quarters) from the first term of enrollment. A student who has not satisfied this requirement and has not been granted a time extension will be placed on administrative leave of absence. Administrative leaves of absence will not be granted for students who have been academically disqualified.
If students admitted for fall choose to begin their preparatory coursework in the preceding summer, the preceding summer will not be included in the four-quarter maximum. Fall will be considered as the first quarter of the one-year requirement for these students.
Request for Extension – (additional time for a compelling reason)
Students need to anticipate whether or not preparatory coursework will be completed within the allowable time frame. To be allowed additional time (beyond the four consecutive quarters) to complete all EO 665 requirements, a Request for Extension Form must be submitted by the appropriate deadline.
If students anticipate during their third quarter of enrollment that they will not complete their requirements within the four quarter period, they should file their extension request before the beginning of the 8th week of classes during the third quarter. Requests for Extension will not be accepted after the beginning of the 8th week of classes during the fourth quarter.
An extension request shall be judged on the following factors: the student’s Cal Poly Pomona GPA (expected to be 2.0 or better), progress toward degree (indicated by the number of GE, major, and support courses completed), effort in preparatory classes (indicated by attendance, homework, and examinations), progress in preparatory classes, and serious or compelling reasons that interfered with the student’s academic success. Supporting documentation that verifies the student’s effort in the preparatory classes is required. Students who are participants in academic support programs such as Math ILE, EOP/Undeclared Students, and the Disability Resource Center are strongly encouraged to discuss their request for extension with their program advisors.
Extension request forms are available from the Office of Academic Programs in the CLA building, room T7-7 or on the Cal Poly Pomona’s website: http://www.csupomona.edu/~academic/programs/eo665.html. Forms for supporting documentation are available from the Mathematics and Statistics Department.
To re-enroll following administrative leave of absence:
Students in good academic standing who are placed on leave of absence because they did not complete preparatory coursework within their first year of enrollment will be permitted to return to the university if they complete the appropriate general education requirements within one year. A student who did not complete preparatory mathematics coursework will need to satisfy the General Education Area B-4 (mathematics) requirement at another educational institution before returning to Cal Poly Pomona. A student who did not complete preparatory English coursework will need to satisfy the General Education Area A-2 (English) requirement at another educational institution before returning to Cal Poly Pomona.
Students in negative academic standing (on probation or subject to disqualification) who are placed on a leave of absence may be required to complete additional requirements prior to re-enrolling. These requirements should be included on an advising contract completed by the student and a department advisor.
Students are strongly advised to check with their major departments and the Departments of English and/or Mathematics to determine if courses they plan to take at another institution will meet the requirements for their major as well as the requirements for re enrollment at Cal Poly Pomona.
Math Diagnostic Placement Test (MDPT)
See Mathematics Department for MDPT test and placement information.
Concurrent Enrollment
Intrasystem Concurrent Enrollment Program: the California State University allows a student to be enrolled at more than one CSU campus concurrently as long as full fees have been paid at the home campus. For requirements, procedures and forms inquire at the Registrar’s Office.
Intrasystem and Intersystem Enrollment Programs
Students enrolled at any CSU campus will have access to courses at other CSU campuses on a space available basis unless those campuses or programs are impacted or admission to the desired program or admission categories are closed. This access is offered without students being required to be admitted formally to the host campus and sometimes without paying additional fees. Although courses taken on any CSU campus will transfer to the student’s home CSU campus as elective credit, students should consult their home campus academic advisors to determine how such courses may apply to their specific degree programs before enrolling at the host campus.
There are two programs for enrollment within the CSU and one for enrollment between CSU and the University of California or California Community Colleges. Additional information about these programs is available from the Registrar’s Office.
CSU Concurrent Enrollment – matriculated students in good standing may enroll on a space available basis at both their home CSU campus and a host CSU campus during the same term. Credit earned at the host campus is reported at the student’s request to the home campus to be included on the student’s transcript at the home campus.
CSU Visitor Enrollment – matriculated students in good standing enrolled at one CSU campus may enroll at another CSU campus for one term. Credit earned at the host campus is reported at the student’s request to the home campus to be included on the student’s transcript at the home campus.
Intersystem Cross Enrollment – matriculated CSU, UC, or community college students may enroll on a “space available” basis for one course per term at another CSU, UC, or community college and request that a transcript of record be sent to the home campus.
Maximum Unit Load
The maximum number of units an undergraduate student normally takes in any one quarter is 16, including audited courses and concurrent or dual work at other colleges or universities. Students may pre-register through the online registration system for up to 16 units; additional units may be added with individual instructors once the quarter begins. The normal maximum course load for graduate students is 12 units.
Adding or Dropping Classes
Registered students who do not appear in class the first day of the quarter may be dropped from the class roll by the instructor. However, the responsibility for properly dropping classes ultimately rests with each student. Students who do not drop a scheduled class which they are not attending are subject to receiving a failing grade. Visit the Student Accounting and Cashiering Services online at http://www.csupomona.edu/~fas/sacs regarding refund of fees.
Classes may be added or sections changed through the fifth class day. Students may drop a class without penalty (no entry on student’s record) through the fifth calendar day of the quarter. After the 15th day of instruction, students may petition to drop a class only for serious and compelling reasons. Permission to drop during this time period will be granted only with the approval of the professor and the student’s major department chair and college dean. All requests for permission to drop under these circumstances and all approvals will be made in writing on a petition to drop. A statement of the reason(s) for dropping is required. For a class dropped during this period, a “W” grade will automatically be recorded. Beginning fall 2009, students are not permitted to have more than 28 units of W grades in classes unless there are circumstances clearly beyond the student’s control.
Dropping of classes shall not be permitted during the final ten days of instruction except in cases in which the reason is due to circumstances clearly beyond the student’s control. Such drops may be approved for the following reasons: emotional disturbance which requires professional consultation; serious illness or accident resulting in considerable loss of time; and/or financial difficulty or other personal problems of a serious nature which require withdrawal from the university or reduction in load (verification may be required). Failure in a class is not an acceptable reason for withdrawing. Ordinarily dropping of classes during this time period will involve total withdrawal from the university.
If a student does not have a validated withdrawal petition on file in the Registrar’s Office, the “W” grade will not appear on the final grade report. The administrative grade of “WU” or “F” will be shown. For explanation of these grading symbols, see catalog section “Grading System.” Students may improve their GPA, as a consequence of receiving a “WU” or “F”, by formally repeating the course. See “Repeated Course Policy.”
Drops - Instructor Initiated
It is a student’s responsibility to ensure that he/she has been dropped from a class by following the appropriate procedures within the given time period for each quarter. Students should attend the first class meeting available to them after they register for the class or drop the class if they do not plan to attend. If a student is absent without prior notification, the instructor (or department office) may then administratively drop the student from the class. Students are cautioned never to depend on this faculty option, but to take responsibility for appropriately dropping the class. An instructor may also administratively drop a student who does not meet prerequisite requirements for the course. These administrative drops shall be without penalty and must be filed by the instructor with the Registrar’s Office no later than the end of the sixth day of instruction.
Auditing Courses
Auditing a course is attending a class for no credit. A student must be registered and must have paid fees in order to audit a course. Audited courses must be included on the student’s official program of study and they are designated by AU beside the course unit listing. A special audit card must also be signed by the instructor and returned to the Registrar’s Office by the appropriate deadline. No exceptions to this policy are permitted.
Courses may be added for audit only during the add period (first through fifth day). There is no preregistration to audit a course. Once a student has decided to audit a course or take a course for credit, the student cannot switch this status. The student’s college dean must approve the decision for a student who has audited a class to subsequently repeat that course for credit.
Holding of Records
Student records may be placed on a hold status because of financial or other obligations to the university. Having a hold status is denoted by a negative service indicator in the student information system. Depending on the severity of the hold, registration, grades, confirmation of graduation, transcripts, and accounts receivable may be affected. Students may view their registration-related holds online at broncodirect.cms.csupomona.edu. It is the responsibility of the student to clear a registration hold, or service indicator, prior to attempting to register. Other types of holds will be noted in the student record file and it is the responsibility of the student to fulfill hold obligations prior to receiving certain services within the university. All holds are cleared by the department that issued the service indicator. Legal authority for these actions is cited in Sections 42380 and 42381 of Title V of the California Code of Regulations.
Transfer to Other Institutions
A student who plans to transfer from this university to another college or university, should, at the earliest possible date, request that a transcript of record be forwarded by the Registrar’s Office (see “Fees and Expenses Schedule” for charges) to the new institution. Evaluation of transcripts will be made by the new institution.
Leave of Absence (Planned Educational Leave)
When a student finds it necessary to interrupt progress toward a degree for a reason related to the educational objective and acceptable to the appropriate university authorities, the student may be granted a leave of absence. A student on leave of absence may, upon return from the leave, continue in the same program that the student had prior to the leave, and the student retains the right to elect requirements in effect at the time of entrance or reentrance into the curriculum. Only students in good standing are eligible for a leave of absence.
A leave of absence will be granted when the student has filed an approved petition with the Registrar’s Office. The leave petition, which must be approved by the department chair, or graduate coordinator and school dean, shall specify the reasons for the leave and the duration of the leave. A student granted a leave of absence has a commitment from the university to be reinstated in good standing. This commitment must be validated by a written notice of return from leave for the quarter of return specified in the leave application submitted to the Registrar’s Office no later than two weeks prior to the prescheduling of continuing students for that quarter.
The reason for requesting a leave must be stated completely and clearly. Students may petition for a leave of absence for such reasons as: professional or academic opportunities, like travel or study abroad, employment related to educational goals and major fields of study, or participation in field study or research projects; medical reasons, including pregnancy, major surgery, or other health-related circumstances; and financial reasons, such as the necessity to work for a specified period in order to resume study with adequate resources. Approval will depend upon the significance of the leave in furthering the student’s educational objective. It is the student’s responsibility to demonstrate the significant relationship between the leave of absence and the progress toward the educational objective. Leaves may be granted for a maximum of two years or eight consecutive quarters. A request for leave of absence must be filed prior to the period of absence. Retroactive leave requests will not be approved.
Failure to return from leave as specified in the approved petition will be considered withdrawal from the university. Under such circumstances, re-enrollment will require a full application for readmission under the same circumstances as any new or returning applicant including enrollment in the curriculum in effect at the time of re-enrollment.
Students may “stop-out” without filing for a leave of absence if the absence does not exceed two quarters.
International students are reminded that immigration laws governing their visas generally do not allow them to take advantage of the “stopout” university policy. International students should always consult with the International Student Advisor before attempting a leave of absence.
Cancellation of Registration or 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 the Registrar’s Office, Building 98 (CLA), 2nd floor. Students who withdraw from the quarter after the fifth day of classes will receive a “W” on their permanent records.
Students who receive financial aid funds must consult with their financial advisor 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. Students who have received financial aid and withdraw from the institution during the academic term or payment period may need to return or repay some or all of the funds received, which may result in a debt owed to the institution.
If a student is unable to withdraw from the university in person due to “serious and compelling” or “emergency” reasons and is unable to have a friend or relative obtain the necessary signatures, she/he should contact his/her respective academic department for assistance. Current documentation explaining the nature of the student’s inability to come to campus to process the Withdrawal Petition, as well as documentation to support the serious and compelling or emergency situation, is required. Upon receiving such documentation, staff from the student’s academic department will seek the appropriate signatures and, if approved, submit the Withdrawal Petition to the Registrar’s Office.
International students should consult with the International Student Advisor as to immigration regulations related to this university policy.
Return to the University
Effective Winter 1988, returning Cal Poly Pomona students who have not maintained continuous enrollment and have no more than 24 quarter units left to take, will:
- Reapply to the University;
- File a petition to be allowed to complete requirements on the curriculum being followed when last enrolled;
- If the petition is approved, finish all courses left to take on designated curriculum. The major department has the right to determine the relevancy and applicability to degree of outdated coursework.
- Take the upper division General Education requirement;
- Take and pass the Graduation Writing Test;
- Apply to graduate at the proper time.
Students must have no more than a total of 36 units to take under this policy; 24 (or less) from the major curriculum plus 12 upper division units in General Education, if not already completed.
If a student’s record does not meet the requirements of this policy, the student must reapply to the university and follow the current curriculum. If petition (#2) is denied, the student must follow the current curriculum when re-enrolling.
Undergraduate Enrollment Priorities
Students are assigned registration appointments for each registration period. Students who have been awarded priority by the Academic Senate are assigned appointments prior to the beginning of the registration period. Registration appointments for postbaccalaureate students normally begin on the first day of registration. Undergraduates are assigned appointments based on the number of units completed and applicable toward the CPP degree.
Change of Major
Undergraduate students who have entered the university with an undeclared major and students wishing to change from one degree program to another should contact the department of the intended major for requirements and filing periods. Students may not change from a major to undeclared major status. Students enrolled under certain laws must obtain approval by the Veterans Administration before a change of major can be made.
International students are required to notify the International Student Advisor after changing majors so that the student’s immigration document can be updated.
Academic and career advising are strongly advised so that change of major decisions are well-informed and additional time and units to completing the degree are minimized. Changes to a new major should be considered as early as possible in the student’s academic career. Students who are unsure about which major to pursue may contact the Career Center for career counseling to narrow their choice of potential majors.
Undergraduate students declaring a major for the first time or students changing from one degree program to another must submit a Petition to Change Major Curriculum to the Registrar’s Office after obtaining approval from the department offering the intended major. These petition forms are available in most department offices and in the Registrar’s Office.
Academic advising appointments and/or change of major meetings may be required to ensure that a student has the potential to succeed in the selected major. Students changing their major are subject to the major/minor requirements in effect at the time of the change. Transfer from one major to another does not in any way change the student’s academic standing, nor does it constitute a break in continuous enrollment. See the General Education section in this catalog regarding transfer and change of major students and GE certification.
Non-impacted Majors: Lower-division students requesting a change of major must be in good academic standing (i.e., 2.0 grade point average for all college-level work attempted, all Cal Poly Pomona work attempted, and all work attempted in the major core).
Additional requirements for change of major may be established for upper-division students. In addition to good academic status, upper-division students may be required to meet a minimum number of units or complete specific courses with grades of C or better to qualify for a change of major. Specific requirements are available at http://www.csupomona.edu/~academic/programs/major-change.shtml.
Change of major petitions for non-impacted majors may be submitted at any time during the quarter. However, change of major petitions must be submitted no later than the end of the fourth week of the quarter to be effective in the following quarter.
Impacted Majors: Lower-division and upper-division students requesting a change of major to an impacted program must meet the supplemental requirements required for that major. Acceptance into the new program will be on the same basis as for new applicants. This policy is subject to further change and students are advised to check with the Registrar’s Office for up-to-date information. Students are advised to check with the department office of the major in which they are interested in declaring.
Students requesting a change of major into an impacted program must file the required change of major petition no later than the last day of the initial application period for the quarter of the desired change (i.e., February 28 for summer; November 30 for fall; June 30 for winter; August 31 for spring).
Closures or Limits of Changes of Major: Departments may close or limit changes of major for a specific term to ensure that the number of students in that major can be accommodated.
Curriculum Deviation
Although the university has specified a program of courses for each major, under certain conditions a student may be permitted to deviate from the established curriculum. Information regarding requests to deviate from the curriculum may be obtained from the student’s adviser.
Election of Regulations
An undergraduate student remaining in attendance in regular sessions at any California State University campus including Cal Poly Pomona, at any California community college, or any combination of California community colleges and campuses of the California State University may, for purposes of meeting graduation requirements, elect to meet the requirements in effect at the campus from which the student will graduate either (1) at the time the student began such attendance or (2) at the time of entrance to Cal Poly Pomona, or (3) at the time of graduation. Cal Poly Pomona campus authorities may authorize or require substitutions for discontinued courses and may require a student changing his or her major or any minor field of study to complete the major or minor requirements in effect at the time of the change.
For purposes of this section “attendance” means attendance in at least one semester or two quarters each calendar year (January 1 through December 31). Absence due to an approved educational leave or for attendance at another accredited institution of higher learning shall not be considered an interruption in attendance, if the absence does not exceed two years.
Cal Poly Pomona may prescribe that particular academic requirements be met within as few as seven years of the date of award of the degree.
All colleges/schools evaluate incoming students on the current curriculum for their major/core and support areas. Questions on this matter should be directed to the student’s advisor or department chair.
For additional information on compliance see the AVP for Academic Programs, Building 98, (909) 869-6975.
Full-Time Equivalent and Full-time Student
Enrollment in the California State University is measured in full-time equivalent (FTE) students. One FTE is the equivalent of 15 units of student course credit taken by one or more students. One FTE could represent one student carrying 15 course-units, three students each carrying five course-units, five students each carrying three course-units, or any other student/course-unit combinations the product of which equals 15 course-units. The university’s FTE enrollment is the total course-units taken by all students divided by 15.
FTE is not related to full-time student status. An undergraduate student is considered full-time for such purposes as veterans’ benefits, social security benefits, athletic eligibility and other financial aids when enrolled for 12 units of credit. A full-time student is not necessarily a full-time equivalent (FTE) student. Graduate students and some, but not all, categories of postbaccalaureate students are considered full-time for many purposes when they are enrolled for eight units.
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) set out requirements designed to protect students’ privacy in their records maintained by the campus. The statute and regulations govern access to certain student records maintained by the campus, and the release of such records. The law provides that the campus must give students access to most records directly related to the student, and must also provide opportunity for a hearing to challenge the records if the student claims they are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate. The right to a hearing under this law does not include any right to challenge the appropriateness of a grade as determined by the instructor. The law generally requires the institution to receive a student’s written consent before releasing personally identifiable data about the student. The institution has adopted a set of policies and procedures governing implementation of the statute and the regulations. Copies of these policies and procedures may be obtained from the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services. Among the types of information included in the campus statement of policies and procedures are: 1) the types of student records maintained and the information they contain; 2) the official responsible for maintaining each type of record; 3) the location of access lists indicating persons requesting or receiving information from the record; 4) policies for reviewing and expunging records; 5) student access rights to their records; 6) the procedures for challenging the content of student records; 7) the cost to be charged for reproducing copies of records; and 8) the right of the student to file a complaint with the Department of Education. The Department of Education has established an office and review board to investigate complaints and adjudicate violations. The designated office is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-5920.
The campus is authorized under the Act to release “directory information” concerning students. “Directory information” may include the student’s name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status, degrees, honors, and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. The above designated information is subject to release by the campus at any time unless the campus has received prior written objection from the student specifying what information the student requests not be released. Written objections should be sent to the Registrar’s Office.
The following conditions must be met:
- The designated faculty advisor must sign a statement of responsibility regarding the privacy rights of students.
- Mailing labels are provided directly to the designated faculty advisor.
- Students within the organization may prepare material, but only faculty or staff having a legitimate educational interest may assist with the addressing of the prepared material for mailing.
- An authorized faculty or staff member mails the material.
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 have responsibilities in the campus’s academic, administrative or service functions and have reason for accessing student records associated with their campus or other related academic responsibilities. Student records may also be disclosed 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; or to other institutions to which the student is transferring). |
