Academic Policies

Requirements for Bachelor’s Degree

General Requirements

A candidate for the bachelor’s degree shall have:

1. completed the courses in one of the listed baccalaureate curricula with a minimum “C” grade average (GPA of 2.0) in the major (required and designated subplan) courses, in all college-level courses taken at Cal Poly Pomona, and in all completed college-level course work;
2. completed the required general education courses;
3. completed the required courses in American history and government, including state and local government. This requirement is met by completing GE Sub-area D1 and D2;
4. completed at least one three-unit course that meets the American Cultural Perspectives Requirement;
5. spent not less than two semesters in residence, one semester immediately preceding graduation;
6. earned not fewer than 30 semester units in residence applicable to the bachelor’s degree; of which 24 units must be in upper division courses, and 9 units in general education courses;
7. earned a total number of grade points at least equal to twice the number of units attempted (achieve a “C” grade average e.g. GPA of 2.0) in all courses taken at Cal Poly Pomona and overall coursework;
8.    a) completed all coursework requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree, with at least 24 units required for the major and with at least 12 of these units being in 3000 or 4000 level courses; or

b) completed all coursework requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree, with at least 36 units required for the major and with at least 18 of these units being in 3000 or 4000 level courses; or

c) completed all coursework requirements for the Bachelor of Architecture degree, with at least 45 units required for the major and with at least 27 of these units being in 3000 or 4000 level courses; or

d) completed all coursework requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with at least 12 of these units being in 3000 or 4000 level courses; or

e) completed all coursework requirements for the Bachelor of Music degree, with at least 12 of these units being in 3000 or 4000 level courses;

9. met the Graduation Writing Test requirement*;
10. had a graduation check;
11. filed an application for graduation online through BroncoDirect prior to the deadline listed in the academic calendar.
    
    *On March 12, 2020, the CSU Chancellor’s Office temporarily suspended the Graduation Writing Test requirement due to COVID-19. Students graduating in Spring 2020 will not be required to complete the test: https://www.cpp.edu/admissions/testing-services/gwt.shtml

Graduation Requirement in Mathematics Proficiency

All students must demonstrate a base level math competency. This may be done by taking an approved course in mathematics or statistics. The following courses have been judged to meet this requirement: MAT 1060 , MAT 1140 , MAT 1150  , MAT 1200 , MAT 1250  , MAT 1300 , MAT 1910  or STA 1200 . Transfer students will satisfy this requirement by taking an equivalent course which may also be used to meet the CSU General Education quantitative reasoning requirement. Intermediate Algebra taken at a Community College will not meet this requirement, nor will it be considered acceptable to meet the quantitative reasoning requirement.

Graduation Requirement in Writing Proficiency*

All students must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation.  Information on currently available ways to meet this graduation requirement may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Planning, Building 121, 2^nd floor.

*On March 12, 2020, the CSU Chancellor’s Office temporarily suspended the Graduation Writing Test requirement due to COVID-19. Students graduating in Spring 2020 will not be required to complete the test: https://www.cpp.edu/admissions/testing-services/gwt.shtml

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement*

All students subject to degree requirements listed in the 1977-78 and later general catalogs must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation. Based on action taken by the Cal Poly Pomona Academic Senate in 1978, writing competence at Cal Poly Pomona is assessed primarily by means of a written test. All persons who receive undergraduate, graduate, or external degrees from Cal Poly Pomona must pass the Graduation Writing Test (GWT). The test is available to undergraduates at the completion of 60 units and for graduates upon admission.

The test must be taken by the semester following the completion of 75 units for undergraduates, or by the completion of 6 units for graduate students. If the GWT is not taken by this time, a hold will be placed on a student’s records. While the student’s records are on hold, registration will not be allowed nor will transcripts of credits be released.

Under certain conditions a student can fulfill the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirements by successfully completing a course: CPU 4010 , offered through the University Writing Center. A student may also, under special circumstances request to have the GWT requirements waived.  An undergraduate who had the GWT requirement waived will need to take it and pass it if they returns to Cal Poly Pomona as a graduate student.

Important information about the appeals process for the test is contained in the GWT Study Guide and the Information Bulletin, available to all students. They may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Planning, Building 121, 2^nd floor.

*On March 12, 2020, the CSU Chancellor’s Office temporarily suspended the Graduation Writing Test requirement due to COVID-19. Students graduating in Spring 2020 will not be required to complete the test: https://www.cpp.edu/admissions/testing-services/gwt.shtml

Minors

Minors are a formal collection of courses in a discipline or field other than a student’s major (or option, in the case of the College of Business Administration). A minor shall have a minimum of 18 units and a maximum of 36 units, of at least 9 units must be upper division. Some minors may be greater than 36 units if prerequisites are included. Minor may be declared at any time in a student’s career, are tracked in BroncoDirect (PeopleSoft), and appear on diplomas and transcripts. Students may declare a minor in the same department as their major or option if the college or department determines that that two sets of courses are clearly distinct.

Emphases

Emphases are a collection of courses advisory in nature. Emphases are not formally declared, are not tracked in BroncoDirect (PeopleSoft) and do not appear on transcripts or diplomas.

Determination of Graduation Requirements (Election of Regulation)

In determining graduation requirements, students have three basic options open to them. They may decide to meet the degree requirements listed in the Cal Poly Pomona university catalog at the time they first entered the university, or they may decide to use the requirements listed in the university catalog at the time of their graduation, or they may elect to use the requirements in effect at the time they began study at a CSU campus or a California community college.

At Cal Poly Pomona, all colleges/schools evaluate incoming students on the current curriculum for their major requirements. Questions on this matter should be directed to the student’s advisor or department chair.

Whenever a student changes major, while this action is not considered a break in enrollment status, they may elect to use either the major department degree graduation requirements published in the Cal Poly Pomona university catalog at the time the major was changed or the requirements in the catalog at the time of graduation.

California community college students transferring to Cal Poly Pomona without a break in enrollment status will be evaluated on the graduation requirements listed in the Cal Poly Pomona university catalog at the time of entrance to Cal Poly Pomona. Students may elect in writing to the Registrar’s Office to fulfill graduation requirements at the time they began attending a California community college or in effect at the time of graduation. After entry to Cal Poly Pomona, any change of status or major will cause them to come under the major degree catalog provisions valid at the time of the change. Also see “General Education Program” section in this catalog regarding transfer and GE certification.

Students who are not in attendance for more than one semester in any given calendar year are considered to have broken enrollment status. This will affect both major and other degree requirements and may require additional course work for degree completion.

If a student wishes to complete requirements at another institution, that work must be completed within one (1) semester or two (2) quarters of last enrollment at Cal Poly Pomona.

For purposes of this section “attendance” means attendance in at least (1) semester or (2) 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.

For additional information on compliance see the Office of Student Success, Building 121, 3^rd floor.

Participation in Graduation Ceremonies

Undergraduate students may apply for early participation in commencement if they have no more than six units remaining to fulfill the graduation requirements, and are in good academic standing (2.00 GPA for Cal Poly Pomona coursework, major GPA and 2.00 for all cumulative coursework) at the end of the term prior to that in which the student applies to participate.

Students who graduated in summer, fall and applied to graduate spring, will be included in the ceremonies.

Students with only the Graduation Writing Test (GWT) to complete should contact the Test Center for available options.

Students who left the campus with courses still to complete should contact the Bronco Advising Center (BAC) or the Registrar’s office for next steps.

Minimum Grade Point Average

In order to graduate, a student must have an overall GPA of 2.0 in all university coursework, in Cal Poly Pomona coursework, and in major coursework (e.g. required and designated subplan courses). If an undergraduate student, at the time of the graduation check, has less than a 2.0 GPA, the student may attempt to raise the GPA to a minimum of 2.0 by the following courses of action:

1. Attainment of sufficient grades in all remaining courses in the student’s program;
2. Attainment of sufficient grades in all remaining courses in the student’s program plus the use of the Repeated Course Policy. (Refer to “Repetition of Courses” section in this catalog.)
3. Use of the Academic Renewal Policy, which allows the removal of up to three quarters or two semester of previous academic work from baccalaureate degree consideration. (Refer to the “Academic Renewal” section in this catalog.)

A student may not substitute a support course or any other course as a major course after the major course has been taken. Further, this university has the right to prescribe that any particular graduation requirement be met within seven (7) years. For further details on this prescription please see the Bronco Advising Center, Building 121.

Academic Renewal

Under unusual circumstances, an undergraduate student may be permitted to disregard up to two semester or three quarters of previous undergraduate coursework taken at any institution from all considerations associated with the requirements for a baccalaureate degree. Academic renewal is not available to graduate students.

This policy is not intended to permit the improvement of an undergraduate’s grade point average beyond what is required for graduation. Formal requests for Academic Renewal is made during the semester in which the applicant plans to graduate.

The following conditions must prevail:

1. Five years have elapsed since the most recent work to be disregarded was completed and the student’s GPA is too low to qualify for graduation.
2. Since the completion of the work to be disregarded, the applicant has completed, at this university, 15 semester (22 quarter) units with at least a 3.0 GPA, 30 semester (45 quarter) units with at least a 2.5 GPA, or 45 semester (67 quarter) units with at least a 2.0 GPA. Work completed at any other institution shall not be used to satisfy this requirement.

The student may formally request for the removal of work from degree consideration in a letter to the Committee on Academic Renewal through the Office of Student Success. The letter shall specify which semester(s) or quarter(s) of previous work are to be removed from consideration with supporting statements providing evidence that:

1. The work under consideration is substandard and not representative of the student’s present scholastic ability and level of performance.
2. The level of performance represented by the work under consideration was due to described extenuating circumstances.
3. All degree requirements except the earning of at least a “C” (2.0) grade point average have been met or will be met by the end of the term.

If the committee acts favorably upon the request, the student’s academic record will be annotated to show NO work taken during the disregarded term(s), even if satisfactory, has been applied towards the meeting of degree requirements.. All work, whether or not discarded, will remain on the student’s permanent academic record.

If another institution has acted to remove coursework from consideration, such action shall be honored in terms of that institution’s policy.  Elimination of any coursework from degree consideration by another institution shall reduce by one term the two semester/three quarter maximum on the application of academic renewal to a student’s record.

Scholastic Requirements

Each student is expected to meet the academic standards required by the state, the university and by the instructor of a course. While class attendance is not recorded officially by the University, students are expected to attend all class meetings. Instructors’ standards, particularly as they impact grades, must be explained in the syllabus made available in each class near the beginning of the semester. It is the students’ responsibility to make themselves aware of each faculty member’s guidelines by carefully reading the syllabus.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor in advance of any planned absence and to request arrangements to make up academic work that is missed for any reason. The instructor is the judge of the validity of the reasons for absence and of what arrangements, if any, are to be provided for the student to make up class work. Instructors may require students to provide documentation for excused absences. It must be recognized that not all learning activities and exercises related to a class can be replicated.

It is possible for a student to have three final examinations scheduled for the same day. If that happens, the student has the liberty of asking the instructor of the middle exam to pick a mutually convenient time for the exam.

Students may not enroll in courses which have prerequisites without having successfully completed such prerequisites with the appropriate passing grade as designated by the offering department.

Assignment of grades and change of grades are the prerogative of the instructor of record. Students may appeal grades that they consider to be unfair. See section on “Grade Appeals Policy” for more details.

Retention of Student Work

1.1 Student work refers to examinations and other materials, including materials in electronic form, which contribute to the student’s final grade in a course and/or to the fulfillment of the requirements for a degree, program, or certification offered by the University. Duplicative copies in any format (such as digital or photographic copies) that preserve the content of the original work upon which grade evaluation is based are acceptable.

1.2 Students have the right to examine their work even if the instructor chooses to retain it rather than return it. It is the student’s responsibility to review their work within one academic term after a grade is assigned for the related course(s). If a student does not review their work within this time, the faculty has no further obligation to produce said work for student review. After one academic term, faculty members have the right to determine the method of disposal of the work. This disposal shall be in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). For the purposes of this policy summer is not considered an academic term. If the instructor is on leave, on sabbatical, or is not currently on the faculty including those participating in the Faculty Early Retirement Program, the academic term in question is the term in which the faculty member returns.

1.3 Student work pertaining to a grade appeal or other official review that is not completed must be retained until the appeal process is completed; provided the appeal process or other official review commenced within the academic term as defined in the subsection 1.2 of this policy.

Minimum Grades in General Education

Effective for new and returning students admitted fall 2015 or later, a grade of C- or better is required of each Cal Poly Pomona or transfer student completing courses in written communication in the English language (GE Sub-area A2), oral communication in the English language (GE Sub-area A1), critical thinking (GE Sub-area A3), and mathematics/quantitative reasoning (GE Sub-area B4).

ACADEMIC STANDING

Academic Standing - Undergraduate Students

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish the criteria for assignment of Probationary and Disqualification academic standings to undergraduate students. The minimum requirements for academic probation and disqualification are established under Executive Order No. 1038, Sections 41300 and 41300.1 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, and Chapter III, Sections 1 and 2 of the Standing Orders of the Board of Trustees of the California State University.

2.0 Good Standing

An undergraduate student is considered to be in good standing when a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) for all university level work attempted and for all such work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona is earned.

If a student’s GPA remains below 2.0 for more than two consecutive semesters, the student will not be certified for veterans educational benefits until their academic status is restored to good standing.

3.0 Early Warning / At Risk

All undergraduate students with a Cal Poly Pomona or Major GPA of less than 2.2 will have an advising hold placed systematically on their record. The students will not be able to register until they have cleared this hold with their major department.

4.0 Academic Probation

An undergraduate student shall be placed on academic probation if at any time the cumulative grade point average in all college work attempted or cumulative grade point average for work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona falls below 2.0. The student shall be advised of probation status promptly.

The first time an undergraduate student’s cumulative grade point average in either work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona or for all college level work attempted falls below 2.0 they shall be placed on academic probation, even in circumstances where their GPA falls below the Probation with Contract thresholds as described under section 5.0 of this policy.

An undergraduate student shall be removed from academic probation when the cumulative grade point average in all college work attempted, and the Cal Poly Pomona cumulative grade point average is 2.0 or higher.

After the first occurrence of the GPA falling below 2.0, students may be placed on probation with contract as detailed in section 5.0 of this policy without first being put on probation.

5.0 Probation with Contract (PwC) and Academic Disqualification

After attempting 12 semester units at Cal Poly Pomona, an undergraduate student is subject be placed on to Probation with Contract (PwC) if at any time:

a)  As a freshman (less than 30 semester units of college work completed) the student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 1.50 in all units attempted at Cal Poly Pomona, or in all college level course work attempted overall.

b)  As a sophomore (30 through 59 semester units of college work completed) the student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 1.70 for all units attempted at Cal Poly Pomona, or in all college level course work attempted overall.

c)  As a junior (60 through 89 semester units of college work completed) the student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 1.85 for all units attempted at Cal Poly Pomona, or in all college level course work attempted overall.

d)  As a senior (90 or more semester units of college work completed) the student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 1.95 for all units attempted at Cal Poly Pomona, or in all college level course work attempted overall.

When a student falls into PwC, they will be permitted to continue in the term immediately following the term in which Probation with Contract is assigned. A student who is considered Probation with Contract must earn a term GPA of 2.0 or higher for each subsequent consecutive term that they are in this status, until they have raised their Overall and CPP GPA higher than the PwC status for their class standing.

• Once the student has raised their Overall and CPP GPA above PwC status, the student is no longer subject to meet the Probation with Contract requirements, though probation guidelines may then apply.
• If the student does not meet the term GPA of 2.0 or higher at the end of the term, the student will be considered to fall into Academic Disqualification.

During all terms in which the student is Probation with Contract, the student will also receive an Advising hold and will be required to meet with a Retention and Graduation Specialist or a designee in their College to discuss a path to success and then have the hold removed. The determination regarding Probation with Contract status will occur term by term.

Students can fall into Disqualification in two ways:

• If the student does not meet the term GPA of 2.0 or higher at the end of any term following their Probation with Contract, the student will be in Disqualification.
• If, after a first PwC, a student successfully raises their CPP and Overall GPA above PwC range, but then it falls below PwC status in a subsequent term, that student will be in Disqualification

Academically disqualified undergraduate students shall normally not be eligible to re-enroll at the university. However, in exceptional circumstances, a student may be allowed to petition for reinstatement or re-ad mission after a second disqualification.

6.0 Administrative-Academic Probation

An undergraduate student may be placed on administrative-academic probation for any of the following reasons:

a) Withdrawal from more than two-thirds of a program of study in (2) successive semesters or in any (3) non-successive semesters. A student whose withdrawal is directly associated with a chronic or recurring medical condition or its treatment is not to be subject to Administrative­ Academic probation for such withdrawal.

b) Repeated failure to progress toward the stated degree objective or other program objective, including that resulting from assignment of 15 semester units of No Credit, when such failure appears to be due to circumstances within the control of the student.

c) Failure to comply after due notice, with an academic requirement or regulation as defined by campus policy, which is routine for all students or a defined group of students (example: failure to complete a required CSU or campus examination, failure to complete a required practicum, failure to comply with professional standards appropriate to the field of study, failure to complete a specified number of units as a condition for receiving student financial aid or making satisfactory progress in the academic program).

When such action is taken, the student shall be notified in writing and shall be provided with the conditions for removal from probation and the circumstances that would lead to disqualification, should probation not be removed.

7.0 Administrative-Academic Disqualification

A student who has been placed on administrative-academic probation may be disqualified from further attendance if:

a)  The conditions for removal of administrative-academic probation are not met with in the period specified.

b)  The student becomes subject to academic probation while on administrative-academic probation.

c)  The student becomes subject to administrative-academic probation for the same or similar reason for which the student has been placed on administrative-academic probation previously, although not currently in such status.

When a student has been placed on administrative-academic disqualification the student shall receive written notification including an explanation of the basis for the action.

In addition, the Office of Student Success may disqualify a student who at any time during enrollment has demonstrated behavior so contrary to the standards of the profession for which the student is preparing as to render their unfit for the profession. In such cases, disqualification will occur immediately upon notice to the student, which shall include an explanation of the basis for the action, and the campus may require the student to discontinue enrollment as of the date of the notification.

Academic Standing - Postbaccalaureate Students

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish the criteria for assignment of probationary and disqualification academic standings to postbaccalaureate students. The minimum requirements for academic probation and disqualification are established under Executive Order No. 1038, Sections 41300 and 41300.1 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, and Chapter III, Sections 1 and 2 of the Standing Orders of the Board of Trustees of the California State University. Probation and disqualification criteria of post-baccalaureate and graduate students may not be less than those established for undergraduate students.

2.0 Academic Probation

A postbaccalaureate student shall be placed on academic probation if at any time the cumulative grade point average in all postbaccalaureate level course work attempted or cumulative grade point average for postbaccalaureate course work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona falls below 3.0. The student shall be promptly notified in writing of their probation status.

The first time a postbaccalaureate student’s cumulative grade point average in either postbaccalaureate course work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona or for all postbaccalaureate course work attempted overall falls below 3.0 The student shall be placed on academic probation, even in circumstances where their GPA falls below the disqualification thresholds as described under section 3.0 of this policy.

A postbaccalaureate student shall be removed from academic probation when the cumulative grade point average in all postbaccalaureate course work attempted overall, and the Cal Poly Pomona cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or higher. The student shall be provided with any additional conditions for removal from probation and the circumstances that would lead to disqualification, should probation not be removed.

After the first occurrence of the GPA falling below 3.0, postbaccalaureate students may be academically disqualified without first being put on probation.

3.0 Probation with Contract (PwC) and Academic Disqualification

A postbaccalaureate student is subject to Probation with Contract if at any time:

a)  After the completion of 8 semester units of postbaccalaureate work, the student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 2.3 for all postbaccalaureate work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona or for all postbaccalaureate work attempted overall.

b)  After the completion of 16 semester units of postbaccalaureate work, the student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 2.7 for all postbaccalaureate work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona or for all postbaccalaureate work attempted overall.

c)  After the completion of 24 semester units of postbaccalaureate work, the student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 2.9 for all postbaccalaureate work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona or for all postbaccalaureate work attempted overall.

All Academically Disqualified postbaccalaureate students shall be notified of their disqualification before the beginning of the semester following the assignment of that academic standing. Students disqualified at the beginning of a summer enrollment break should be notified at least one month before the start of the fall term. The disqualification notification shall advise the student that the disqualification is to be effective immediately. The disqualification notification shall include any conditions which, if met, will result in permission to continue in enrollment. Failure to notify students does not create the right of a student to continue enrollment.

Postbaccalaureate and graduate students may petition for reinstatement following disqualification with no break in continuous enrollment status. Postbaccalaureate and graduate students will normally be ineligible for reinstatement or readmission after a second disqualification. However, in exceptional circumstances, a student may be allowed to petition for reinstatement or readmission after a second disqualification.

4.0 Administrative-Academic Probation

A postbaccalaureate student may be placed on administrative-academic probation for any of the following reasons:

a)  Withdrawal from more than two-thirds of a program of study in (2) successive semesters or in any (3) non successive semesters. A student whose withdrawal is directly associated with a chronic or recurring medical condition or its treatment is not to be subject to administrative-academic probation for such withdrawal.

b)  Repeated failure to progress toward the stated degree objective or other program objective, including that resulting from assignment of 15 semester units of No Credit, when such failure appears to be due to circumstances within the control of the student.

c)  Failure to comply, after due notice, with an academic requirement or regulation, as defined by campus policy, which is routine for all students or a defined group of students (example: failure to complete a required CSU or campus examination, failure to complete a required practicum, failure to comply with professional standards appropriate to the field of study, failure to complete a specified number of units as a condition for receiving student financial aid or making satisfactory progress in the academic program).

When such action is taken, the student shall be notified in writing and shall be provided with the conditions for removal from probation and the circumstances that would lead to disqualification, should probation not be removed.

5.0 Administrative-Academic Disqualification

A student who has been placed on administrative-academic probation may be disqualified from further attendance if:

a) The conditions for removal of administrative-academic probation are not met with in the period specified.

b) The student becomes subject to academic probation while on administrative- academic probation.

c) The student becomes subject to administrative-academic probation for the same or similar reason for which the student has been placed on administrative-academic probation previously, although not currently in such status.

When a student has been placed on administrative-academic disqualification the student shall receive written notification including an explanation of the basis for the action.

In addition, the Office of Academic Programs may disqualify a student who at any time during enrollment has demonstrated behavior so contrary to the standards of the profession for which the student is preparing as to render him/her unfit for the profession. In such cases, disqualification will occur immediately upon notice to the student, which shall include an explanation of the basis for the action, and the campus may require the student to discontinue enrollment as of the date of the notification.

Satisfactory Progress

Full-time undergraduate students are considered to be maintaining satisfactory academic progress toward their degree goal when the student have completed a minimum of 24 units per academic year of which a minimum of 16 units directly apply to satisfying requirements of their major curriculum according to their Degree Progress Report (or until such time as all major requirements are satisfied). Good standing is defined as 2.0 GPA.

Half-time students are considered to be maintaining satisfactory academic progress toward their degree goals when they have completed a minimum of 18 units per academic year of which a minimum of 12 units directly apply to satisfying requirements of their major curriculum according to their Degree Progress Report (or until such time as all major requirements are satisfied). 

Super Senior Policy

Super Seniors are students who have accumulated more than 100% of the units required for one or more of their academic majors.  Excess Unit Seniors are students who have accumulated more than 125% of the units required for one or more of their academic majors (and have earned at least 90 units at Cal Poly Pomona).  Excess Unit Seniors receive a registration hold each semester until the student’s graduate. The first semester the student receive such a hold, they are expected to meet with a designated advisor in their department to complete a Graduation Plan Worksheet. Each subsequent semester Excess Unit Seniors are expected to meet with their advisor to discuss their progress. 

If an Excess Unit Senior fails to follow the Graduation Plan and does not have a reasonable explanation for doing so, the student may be placed on academic/administrative probation by the Associate Dean of the College. If the student continues to deviate from the Plan without cause, the student may be forwarded to Office of Student Success for possible academic/administrative disqualification.

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 highly recommended 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. This form is available on the Registrar’s Office webpage under “Forms.”

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. Transferring 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).

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 https://www.cpp.edu/~studentsuccess/guides/change-of-major.shtml.

Change of major petitions for non-impacted majors may be submitted at any time during the semester. However, change of major petitions must be submitted no later than the end of the fourth week of the semester to be effective in the following semester.

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 semester of the desired change (i.e., November 30 for fall; 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.

Declaration of Minors and Additional Majors

Students may declare up to two minors in addition to their primary major if all academic programs can be completed within 24 units above the number of units required for their primary major.  Students must receive the approval of the chair of the department offering the proposed academic program.

Students may declare one major in addition to their primary major if all academic programs can be completed within 32 units above the number of units required for their primary major.  Students must receive the approval of the chair of the department offering the proposed academic program.

Minors or double majors may be declared at any time in a students’ career but students are strongly encourage to declare minors and double majors early in their career.  After earning 90 totals units, students may declare a minor or additional major only if they are in good academic standing and have the approval of the chair of the department offering the proposed academic program.

Credits from transfer units, non-traditional college-level work (including AP, IB, and CLEP examinations, and credit by challenge examinations), and military service in excess of 40 semester units shall be excluded from the unit count for the purposes of the minor and double major policies.*

Students may request exceptions to the minor and double major policy by filing a general academic petition.

*Students often have credits from these sources that are not applicable to their Cal Poly Pomona degree program for a variety of reasons, including unfamiliarity with how tertiary education works (especially first generation college students), poor advising at Community College, exploration/change of career direction, credits for sports, etc.  The intention of this policy is to count up to 40 semester units that likely fulfill GE and academic program requirements at Cal Poly Pomona without prohibiting transfer students from minoring or double majoring if they have a large number of units that do not further their Cal Poly Pomona degree.

Second Baccalaureate Degree

Admission to seek an additional bachelor’s degree for holders of such degrees is processed by the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Planning in the same way as other undergraduate admissions.

A student who has earned a baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution must meet the curricular requirements for the second baccalaureate degree as well as minimum residence requirements established by this university. A minimum of 30 semester units must be taken in residence and, of the 30 units, 24 shall be earned in upper division courses with 12 of these upper division units being in courses in the major.

Advanced standing will be granted for work completed for the original baccalaureate degree as applicable to the new degree objective. Work completed at this university prior to awarding of the original baccalaureate degree shall be counted as appropriate toward the residence requirements for the second degree. Any change in general degree requirements (such as general education) will have to be met in order to receive the second baccalaureate degree.

Transfer Credit

A student who has attended an accredited two-year or four-year college will be given full credit for college level courses successfully completed. Credit for courses taken at other institutions count toward fulfillment of curriculum requirements when applicable; other courses count as elective credit. Cal Poly Pomona does not accept credit for courses in religious practices.

A maximum of 70 semester units (105 quarter units) of community college course credit may be applied toward the bachelor’s degree. No credit may be allowed for professional courses in education taken at a community college.

A maximum of 24 semester units of extended university course credit may be applied toward the bachelor’s degree. Units students take over the 24 college level transferable limit-through Cal Poly Pomona or other Continuing Education or Extended Education programs or Open University coursework-may satisfy a specific course requirement, but only 24 units may be considered by the university as transferable college level work that may be counted towards satisfying the minimum units required for a degree.

No limit is placed upon the number of transferable credits from a four year college or university, except that no student will be granted a bachelor’s degree in any curriculum without having met the general unit, grade, and residence requirements.

No credit will be given for work taken at an unaccredited institution until the student has successfully completed 20 semester units of work at this university. At that time, and upon recommendation of the student’s major department, credit may be given for the unaccredited work.

Once a student has commenced work at this university, approval of the advisor must be secured prior to taking courses at another institution for credit toward major requirements at this university. (See also concurrent enrollment section and eligibility for intercollegiate athletics section.)

Course Numbering System

Courses are grouped into number series indicating the level at which the students are presented.

Credit Hour

As of July 1, 2011 federal law (Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, sections 600.2 and 600.4) requires all accredited institutions to comply with the federal definition of the credit hour. For all CSU degree programs and courses bearing academic credit, the “credit hour” is defined as “the amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

• One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
• At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practice, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.”

A credit hour is assumed to be a 50-minute period. In courses in which “seat time” does not apply, a credit hour may be measured by an equivalent amount of work, as demonstrated by student achievement. The credit hour policy applies to all courses at all levels (i.e., undergraduate, graduate, professional) that award academic credit.

Compliance review of the credit hour policy is conducted at the time of the periodic academic program review process. New or revised academic programs will be reviewed for compliance with the credit hour policy by the Associate Vice President for Academic Programs.

Grading System

Grades have the following functions:

1. To recognize performance in a particular course.
2. To act as a basis of screening for other courses, programs or graduate school.
3. To inform the student of their level of achievement in a particular course.
4. To stimulate the student to learn.
5. To inform prospective employers of the student’s achievements.

At the discretion of the instructor, plus and minus (+/-) grading symbols may also be granted. The grade points associated with each grade are as follows:

*Grade points associated with a CR grade in Spring 2020 is 2.0. CR grade is not included in the student’s grade point average (GPA) calculation but will be counted as units completed.

Audit

An Audit grade (AU) signifies that a student has audited a course through an approved process. 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. Once enrolled as an auditor, a student may not change to credit status unless such a change is requested prior to the last day to add classes. A student who is enrolled for credit may not change to audit after the third week of instruction.

Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)

Courses will be graded on a CR/NC basis as follows:

1. Mandatory CR/NC Grading
   1. Some courses, as indicated by their catalog descriptions are offered for CR/NC grading only. Such courses are designated by the sponsoring department. Enrollment in these courses are not counted in the 16-unit limit or the 2-course/6 unit limit described in II-A below.
   2. All challenge examination credit will be awarded on CR/NC basis only. Credit for courses in a student’s major will be given letter grades only.
2. Optional CR/NC Grading
   A student may elect to be graded on a CR/NC basis in those courses which are designated by the University as being approved for optional grading. Courses designated for CR/NC grading will be shown in the catalog with the bold-faced dagger symbol (+). When a student elects CR/NC grading, the following conditions apply:
   1. A student may take up to two courses per semester, not to exceed six units, on a CR/NC basis. The total number of units which are graded CR/NC may not exceed 16 units for all college level work to be counted towards a bachelor’s degree, including all transfer work, and six units for a master’s degree including all transfer work.
   2. A student who opts for CR/NC must already be regularly enrolled in the course. Before the end of the third week of classes, the student must file the CR/NC request form in the Registrar’s Office. A student may not change from one grading option to the other after the end of the third week of classes.
   3. A course may not be repeated as CR/NC if the student has previously been enrolled in that course for the traditional grading option. A course may be repeated for CR/NC only if a grade of NC has been earned previously.
   4. Undergraduate students and post-baccalaureate students seeking a second degree will be given a grade of CR for coursework equivalent to a grade of C or better in any course for which CR/NC grading is approved and in which the student is properly enrolled. “NC” will be assigned for coursework equivalent to a “C-,” or lower.
      For graduate courses designated as mandatory CR/NC, the grade of “CR” will be given for coursework equivalent to a grade of “B” or better. “NC” will be given for coursework equivalent to a “B-,” or lower grade. This will apply to both graduate and undergraduate students who are enrolled in graduate courses.
   5. Courses in the student’s major may not be taken as CR/NC unless designated as mandatory CR/NC grading.
   6. To be eligible to opt for CR/NC grading, an undergraduate student must have earned at least a 2.0 GPA in all Cal Poly Pomona work attempted. (The 2.0 GPA requirement is waived in the case of non-matriculated students having no previous work recorded at Cal Poly Pomona). A graduate student must have earned at least a 3.0 GPA. New students enrolling at Cal Poly Pomona for the first time are eligible if they were admitted on a “clear” basis.
3. Grades of CR/NC are not included in the student’s grade point average. Courses for which CR is recorded will be counted as units completed only.
4. These regulations apply to all students enrolling at Cal Poly Pomona including non-matriculated students in the Extended University program, summer session, and workshops who wish to elect courses on a Credit/No Credit grading basis.

Incomplete

The symbol “I” (Incomplete Authorized) indicates that a clearly identifiable portion of the course requirements cannot be completed for serious and compelling reasons. An Incomplete shall not be assigned when it is necessary for the student to attend a portion of the class during a future term.

“I” grades are assigned at the request of the student and granted at the discretion of the instructor. A failing grade is not an acceptable reason to request or grant an “I” grade. It is the responsibility of the student to bring pertinent information to the attention of the instructor and to determine from the instructor the conditions that must be met to complete the course, and the associated deadline, not to exceed one year, which must be satisfied to remove the Incomplete. The Contract for Incomplete Grade is used to record these conditions. This written record protects both students and faculty. Copies of this Contract are to be filed in the Department Office, Registrar’s Office and given to the student. A final grade is assigned when the work agreed upon has been completed and evaluated.

An “I” grade must normally be made up within one calendar year immediately following the end of the term during which it was assigned. However, the time period set forth by the instructor on the Contract prevails. This limitation prevails whether or not the student maintains continuous enrollment. Failure to complete the assigned work within the time period set by the instructor will result in the “I” being converted to an “IC” symbol, unless the faculty member designates a specific letter grade at the time the Incomplete is assigned to replace the “I” in the student’s record.

Although the one-year maximum for incomplete grades is the general university policy, exceptions can be made in special cases, such as military service and serious health problems. The extension of an “I” grade in a course shall be allowed only one time, for a maximum extension of one year. The General Academic Petition is used to file such requests.

Effective fall 2009, students may not re-enroll in courses for which an “I” grade has been assigned. In cases where repetition of the course is deemed appropriate, the student should be assigned a withdrawal (“W”) or failing grade rather than an “I” grade.

Report Delayed

The “RD” symbol may be used where a delay in the reporting of a grade is due to circumstances beyond the control of the student. The symbol may be assigned by the Registrar’s Office only and, if assigned, shall be replaced by a substantive grading symbol as soon as possible upon submission of a Grade Change Form. An “RD” shall not be used in calculating grade point average or progress points.

Report in Progress

The “RP” symbol is used in connection with courses that extend beyond one academic semester. The symbol indicates that work in progress has been evaluated as satisfactory to date but that the assignment of a precise grade must await the completion of additional coursework. Cumulative enrollment in units attempted may not exceed the total number applicable to the student’s educational objective. All work is to be completed within one calendar year of the date of first assignment of RP and a final grade will be assigned to all segments of the course on the basis of overall quality. Any extension of this time period must receive prior authorization by the advisor, department chair and college dean on a General Academic Petition. For master’s degree thesis or projects (6950, 6960), the time limit is two years. The “RP” symbol is authorized for specific courses, for example, courses numbered as 4610, 4620 6900-6990, etc. The “RP” grade is not used in calculating the grade point average.

Official Withdrawal

The “W” symbol indicates that the student was permitted to withdraw from the course after the tenth day of instruction through the end of the 12th week of instruction with the approval of appropriate campus representatives. It carries no connotation of the student performance and is not used in calculating grade point average. A “W” will not be recorded for a class unless the student has officially withdrawn from the class.

Students may withdraw after the tenth day through the 20th day (fourth week) of instruction via the BroncoDirect system. Withdrawal from classes after the 20th day of instruction until the end of the 12th week of instruction is permissible only for serious and compelling reasons. To request to withdraw from classes after the fourth week of instruction, students must submit to the Registrar’s Office a Request for Class Withdrawal for Serious and Compelling Reasons Form. After the 12th week of instruction through the last day of finals week, withdrawals will only be permitted for serious and compelling reasons beyond the students’ control.

Effective fall 2009, undergraduates are limited to 18 units of recorded course withdrawals, i.e., where students receive “W” grades for the classes. Course withdrawals prior to fall 2009 and withdrawals approved through the Retroactive Withdrawal Petition process will not contribute to this limit. After the tenth day of instruction through the last day of finals week, students whose reasons for withdrawing from classes are beyond their control may request that such class withdrawals not contribute toward the 18-unit limit. Approved requests for this exception will be indicated by the Dean’s signature and the Associate Provost on the Request for Class Withdrawal for Serious and Compelling Reasons Form.

Withdrawal Unauthorized

The symbol “WU” indicates that an enrolled student did not withdraw from the course and also failed to complete course requirements. It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible. For purposes of grade point average and grade point computation this symbol is equivalent to an “F”. The “WU” is also assigned when a student does not drop a course properly, such as when a student withdraws from a course without authorization (e.g. no approved withdrawal form is on file in the Registrar’s Office). If the appropriate withdrawal form is on file, this “WU” will be replaced by a “W” in the Registrar’s Office and a “W” will appear on the final grade roster.

Retroactive Withdrawal

The administrative grade of “WU” will be given for a course if a student discontinues attendance and participation without officially dropping the course or withdrawing from the university. It is the sole responsibility of the student to formally drop courses by filing the appropriate forms with the Registrar’s Office in a timely manner. Retroactive Withdrawal will not be approved for students who did not withdraw from a course or courses because they did not report for the first meeting of a class and were not dropped.

When a student has received “WU” in all of the courses in which they enrolled during an academic semester, the student may petition for retroactive withdrawal. The grades may be retroactively changed to the administrative grade of “W” if the student can demonstrate and document that serious and compelling reasons required their unofficial withdrawal from the university during the semester in question and that the grades received were not earned (e.g. letter grades A-F).

Students who wish to apply for retroactive withdrawal must do so within one calendar year of the last day of the semester in which they unofficially withdrew from the University. A student does not have to be enrolled in the university at the time the application for retroactive withdrawal is submitted.

Petition forms are available from the Office of Student Success website and must be submitted by the fifteenth day of classes in order to be considered by the Retroactive Withdrawal Committee for the current semester.

Grade Appeals Policy and Procedure

Under the provisions of Executive Order 1037, “Assignment of Grades and Grade Appeals,” and the University’s “Statement of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Grievance Procedures,” students may appeal grades that they consider to be unfair.

The Executive Order governs the assignment of grades by faculty and requires an appeal procedure to ensure that the rights and responsibilities of faculty and students are properly recognized and protected. Occasionally, a circumstance will prevent assignment of an earned grade or will cause an assigned grade to be questioned by a student.

The following policy has been adopted by Cal Poly Pomona to provide the mechanism to deal with such unusual occurrences:

Course grades assigned by instructors are presumed to be correct. It is the responsibility of the student who appeals an assigned grade to demonstrate clerical error, prejudice, or capriciousness in the assignment of the grade, or that a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability was requested and not appropriately provided; otherwise, the judgment of the instructor is final.

A student who believes that a course grade has been assigned inappropriately must follow the proper steps in the appeal process, observing the time limits for completion of various steps in the process as follows:

Step 1: The student should speak face-to-face with the instructor during the first three weeks of the semester following the assignment of the grade. Note: If the grade is assigned in the spring semester, the student should follow these procedures in the following fall semester. If the instructor is on leave, on sabbatical, or is not currently on the faculty including FERP faculty at the time of the appeal, the University shall attempt to contact the instructor on behalf of the student.*

If an appointment cannot be arranged, the student should attempt to communicate with the instructor by phone, e-mail or fax. If a grade has been assigned in error, the instructor can quickly correct the error by submitting a change of grade form to the Registrar’s Office.

Step 2: If the grade dispute is not resolved with the instructor and the student intends to appeal the grade, the student must appeal to the next level as soon as possible, but no later than the sixth week of the following semester. In most cases, the student will appeal to the chair of the academic department that offered the class. If the instructor is a department chair, the student should appeal to the dean of the college that offered the class. If the instructor is a dean, the student should appeal to the Provost. The person to whom the student appealed will discuss the issue with the instructor and respond to the student, usually within two weeks.

*Note: the grade appeal process is suspended during the summer when fewer students and faculty members are expected to be on campus. The grade appeal process is also suspended if the faculty member is on leave or on sabbatical. Thus, for spring semester, “the following semester” will be the following fall semester. For appeals of summer grades, the following semester is the following fall semester. For appeals when the faculty member is either on leave or on sabbatical “the following semester” is the semester the faculty member returns to CPP.

Step 3: If the student is still not satisfied after receiving the response from this second level of appeal, the student may submit a written statement within ten working days to the University Course Grade Appeal Committee through the Office of the Student Success. The formal grade appeal should be submitted prior to the end of the regular semester following the semester for which the grade was assigned.

Step 4: The Chair of the University Course Grade Appeal Committee will forward the student’s statement to the instructor. The instructor will be asked to respond in writing by a specified date (normally within two weeks). The student’s statement and the instructor’s response will then be reviewed by the entire committee, normally within two weeks of receipt of the instructor’s response.

The Committee will take one of the following actions:

1. Request additional information from the student and/or the instructor.
2. If the University Course Grade Appeal Committee finds that the student has grounds for complaint based on discrimination, caprice, or clerical error, then the instructor of record will be asked to reevaluate the grade. If the instructor refuses to reevaluate the grade or the instructor’s reevaluation results in the same grade, then the chair of the academic department that offered the class shall be asked to find a qualified faculty member with academic training comparable to the instructor of record to evaluate the student’s work and assign a grade. If the instructor is a department chair, the dean of the college that offered the class shall be asked to find a qualified faculty member with academic training comparable to the instructor of record to evaluate the student’s work and assign a grade. If the instructor is a dean, the Provost shall be asked to find a qualified faculty member with academic training comparable to the instructor of record to evaluate the student’s work and assign a grade.
3. Recommend to the instructor that the grade be maintained as given.
4. Call for a formal hearing.

Step 5: When the Committee has made its recommendation, the student will be notified of it in writing, and be given a copy of the instructor’s written response to the student’s statement. This grade appeal procedure may take six to eight weeks to complete. The outcome of the formal grade appeal procedure is final; there is no higher level of appeal.

The Office of Student Success shall ensure that the university website, catalog and other publications reflect this policy. Additional information on preparing a written grade appeal is available from the Office of Student Success or the website at   https://www.cpp.edu/~studentsuccess/oss/academic-advising/university-policy-information/grade-appeals.shtml.

Course Repetition

• Students will be prevented from registering for a course in which a grade of C or higher has been assigned.*
• Undergraduate students are limited to 28 semester units of course repetition through regular enrollment.
• Courses repeated prior to Fall 2009 that are included in the calculation of the GPA (not forgiven) will not contribute to this limit. However, units of courses taken prior to Fall 2009 that have been “forgiven” will contribute to this 28 semester unit limit.
• Undergraduate students may attempt to improve their GPA by repeating a course.
• Only grades of C-, D+, D, D- F, WU or IC may be repeated and forgiven (excluded from GPA calculation).
• The course can be repeated no more than two times for a maximum of three attempts. The number of repeats of individual courses prior to Fall 2009 will contribute to this 2 repetition (3 attempts) limit.  
• Withdrawing from a class and receiving a W grade is NOT considered an attempt. Such attempts will NOT be taken into account when determining how many times a student has taken a course, and in the calculation of the 28 semester unit course repetition limit.
• Grades received in courses taken through Extended Education in excess of the 28 semester unit limit can be used to satisfy content and prerequisite requirements, but will not be used in GPA calculations. These courses will appear on the student’s transcript.
• Students may request waivers of this policy. A waiver will be granted only to students with a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 and documentation of demonstrated effort. Courses explicitly designated as repeatable in the University Catalog are not included in this policy.
• Students must submit a General Academic Petition (PDF) with the necessary approval signatures to the Office of Student Success.
• Courses explicitly designated as repeatable in the University Catalog are not included in this policy.
  
  *Students may subsequently repeat a course with a CR grade earned in Spring 2020 for a letter grade.

Grade Forgiveness

Students may receive Grade Forgiveness through course repetition. When a grade is forgiven due to course repetition, the grade and units for the excluded course work will not be used in the calculation of the grade point average and the units will not be used to satisfy the requirements toward graduation. The excluded course work will remain on the student’s permanent record, but will be annotated as excluded from the grade point average through grade forgiveness.

• Effective Fall 2018, Grade Forgiveness through course repetition is automatically invoked when a student repeats the course for course if the new grade is better than the original grade. If a student retakes an eligible class in which student earned a grade of C- or lower, grade forgiveness would automatically apply as long as the student had remaining units. (See note below for Grade Forgiveness prior to Fall 2018.)
• Grade Forgiveness through course repetition is limited to 16 semester units. These 16 units contribute to the 28 semester unit limit for course repetition.*
• Students may repeat an additional 12 units for grade replacement, meaning the repeat grade will not nullify the original grade, and both grades will be factored into the student GPAs.
• Units of courses where grade forgiveness has already been applied prior to Fall 2009 will contribute to the 16 semester unit limit.
• Once the 16 units of grade forgiveness are exhausted, students would have to file additional paperwork through existing processes to increase the amount of grade forgiveness available.
• Students that wish to repeat a quarter course under semesters, or a course that has undergone a number change, a general academic petition should be filed to that effect. Such petitions should be approved as a matter of course, assuming all existing conditions for grade forgiveness apply.
• Grade Forgiveness can be applied only to courses taken for undergraduate credit and before awarding of a bachelor’s degree.
• Grade forgiveness shall not apply to courses for which the original grade was the result of a finding of academic dishonesty. For advisement purposes, the letter J will be affixed after the grade awarded to the student in the class in question, e.g., D+J for a grade of D+. The suffix J will not appear on official transcripts.
• A Cal Poly Pomona course may be used to forgive the grade of a course taken at another institution if the two courses are determined to be equivalent by the chair of the department offering the CPP course. Courses taken at other institutions cannot be used to forgive the grade of a course taken at Cal Poly Pomona.
• A Challenged Course cannot be used as a repetition of a regularly enrolled course. 
• Students that prefer to use grade forgiveness differently than facilitated by automatic grade forgiveness, a general academic petition may be filed to this effect.
• Students and advisors will be able to view on BroncoDirect the number of units repeated and forgiven.
• Effective Fall 2009, the grade forgiveness policy will apply to IC grades.
  
  *Units earned for a repeated course in Spring 2020 shall be excluded from the 16-semester unit maximum for grade forgiveness.

Petition to Waive Restrictions on Course Repeats

Note: Prior to Fall 2018, Grade Forgiveness through course repetition will not automatically be invoked when a student repeats a course unless student seeks grade forgiveness by submitting the Grade Forgiveness through Course Repetition Form (PDF) form to the Registrar’s Office.

Graduate Courses Taken By Undergraduates

An undergraduate may petition for up to nine semester units of graduate coursework taken as an undergraduate student for postbaccalaureate credit providing that:

1. the courses are at the 3000, 4000, or 5000 level;
2. none of the courses to be taken for graduate credit is applied to the bachelor’s degree;
3. the student has senior standing (has completed 90 semester units) and an upper-division grade point average of 2.75 or better; some departments may specify a higher GPA;
4. the petition is submitted before the end of the last week of instruction in the semester in which the work is performed; retroactive credit will not be granted;
5. the petition is endorsed by the course instructor, and approved by the student’s undergraduate Department Chair, College Dean, and the Graduate Studies Office.

If the petition is approved, the courses for which such credit is requested will be identified on the transcript as postbaccalaureate coursework as applicable, and grades earned will be considered in the cumulative postbaccalaureate-GPA as applicable.  If no petition is filed, the coursework will be considered undergraduate work.

Petitions for consideration of coursework taken as an undergraduate student will not be considered from students after completion of the undergraduate degree. 

When an undergraduate student takes a graduate course, there will be no differential evaluation procedure.  All students in the class will be considered graduate students and evaluated according to postbaccalaureate standards established by the associated graduate college.

Contact the Graduate Studies Office for further information.

Honors Policy

1.0 Honors at Entrance

First time freshmen shall be awarded “Honors at Entrance” if during their tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades they earned a GPA of at least 3.5 in all subjects excluding physical education and military science, and have received a commendation from their high school principals for having contributed in the areas of citizenship and leadership.

2.0 Dean’s List

The Dean’s List, announced at the end of each semester, honors undergraduate students who have completed, at Cal Poly Pomona, 12 or more letter grade units during the semester with a 3.5 or better grade point average for Cal Poly coursework.

Each student on the Dean’s List should be celebrated by the University with a minimum of a letter from the appropriate Dean and any further honors the College wishes to bestow.

3.0 President’s List

The President’s Honor List, announced at the end of the spring semester, honors undergraduate students who have a grade point average of 3.5 or better for completion at the University (Cal Poly Pomona) of 12 or more units during any two semesters of a university year.

Graduating seniors may still achieve either the Dean’s or President’s Honor’s list who have a grade point average of 3.5 or better for completion at the University (Cal Poly Pomona) of 12 or more units during one semester, but the final semester may be 9 units if this is all that is required for graduation.

4.0 Honors at Graduation

The University grants honors at graduation to students who have demonstrated academic excellence during their career in higher education. The grade point average for the determination of honors is calculated on all grades earned at this institution as well as any other institution of higher education attended.  The honors designations with the grade point averages required are summa cum laude-3.80-4.00; magna cum laude-3.65-3.79; cum laude-3.50-3.64.

Students who complete their graduation requirements prior to the beginning of the spring semester will have their GPA’s determined before the commencement program is printed and their designated honors will be identified in the program. Students who complete their graduation requirements in the spring semester will not have their final GPA’s determined until after the commencement program printing. In order to identify these students in the commencement program, their GPA as of the beginning of spring should be used as the determining GPA for graduation honors recognition. If the GPA status (as to Graduation Honors) changes for spring semester graduates as a result of grades earned during the spring semester, this will be recorded on their transcripts and on their diplomas. This status change will not occur in the commencement program. The number of status changes is expected to be minimal.

Only students who have completed all of their graduation requirements before spring semester or students who are registered and complete the balance of their graduation requirements in the spring semester (as of the census day) will be eligible for honors at graduation.

The label “Graduation Honors” is printed next to the student’s name in the commencement program and announced at the college convocations.

University Honorary Societies

Sigma Xi

The members of the Society of the Sigma Xi are scholars who have produced significant research in the pure or applied sciences. The object of the society is to encourage original investigation in the physical, life, agricultural, earth, medical, and behavioral sciences, mathematics, and engineering. Membership is gained by being elected by an institutional chapter, by a duly authorized club, or by the Chapter-at-Large. The membership of the Cal Poly Pomona Sigma Xi Authorized Club consists of faculty and students. The Club has the authority to elect Associate Members.

Golden Key National Honor Society

The Golden Key National Honor Society is a non-profit organization which was founded by undergraduate students in 1977 at Georgia State University to recognize and encourage scholastic achievement and excellence among upper division students in all undergraduate fields of study. It is through the recognition of scholastic achievement, the presentation of scholarships to outstanding members, and the involvement of members in educational programs that the society promotes excellence in academics.

Phi Beta Delta

Phi Beta Delta is an honor society formed to recognize and encourage professional, intellectual, and personal achievements in international education. The Cal Poly Pomona chapter was founded in 1986 and at present primarily consists of students who have spent a year of study abroad in one of the 34 California State University overseas study programs in 16 different countries. Other students and also faculty and administrators may be invited to become members. The society fosters community and dialogue within an international perspective.

Alpha Lambda Delta

Alpha Lambda Delta is a national honor society open to freshmen who are full time students and rank in the top 20 percent of their freshman class at the end of their first semester. Its goals include the promotion of high standards of learning. The Society has numerous awards, national workshops, program guidance and fellowships and loans for graduate and professional study.