Registration and Enrollment

• Continuous Registration

  Regulations: 

  • Unless a Leave of Absence has been granted, students are expected to register for every academic quarter once their graduate studies begin.
  • For the quarter in which the degree is awarded, students must either be registered or maintain Filing Fee Status.
  • If a student was enrolled or on filing fee status every quarter of the previous academic year, then they may complete their degree during the summer without paying fees.
  • A candidate for a higher degree is regarded as a student in residence only if they are actually enrolled in at least four units of upper division and/or graduate work. 
• Directed Studies Courses (290)

  Deadline: The Petition for Directed Studies must be submitted no later than the first day of instruction for the quarter in which the student plans to take the 290. 

  Regulations: 

  • Courses numbered 290 (Directed Studies) are intended to provide opportunities for qualified students to undertake advanced work in a topic appropriate to the student's special interests and needs. Directed Studies allow students to study topics that are not covered in a regularly offered course on campus. 
  • Research and creative activities intended for publication/performance/etc. should not be used as the basis for a 290. Such activities should be classified as 297/299, depending on whether or not it is related to the student's thesis. 
  • Studying for exams should not be used as the basis for a 290. Individual work with a faculty member to develop a coherent reading list falls under 291.  
  • The 290 should not be used for 100-level work. 
  • The 290 should not be used if the same work is available in a regularly offered course on campus. 
  • Students should not use the 290 course if another course within the 290-299 course range is more appropriate. Other courses in the 290-299 range are:  
    • 291 – Studying for Exams.  Students cannot use this course to fulfill any unit or degree requirements. Graded S/NC. 
    • 292 – A student registers for and attends a 100-level course. In addition, the student completes supplemental assignments which serve to bring the coursework to the graduate level. 292 cannot be paired with a lower-division undergraduate course and may be letter graded. Typically, students earn 1 or 2 units.  
    • 297 – Directed Research. Typically, this course consists of research work that is not directly related to the student’s thesis or dissertation. Graded S/NC. 
    • 299 – Research for the thesis or dissertation. Graded S/NC.

  Procedure: 

  1. Approval is not required prior to enrolling students in 290 courses. If a 290 petition is denied, enrollment can be adjusted at that time. 
  2. The Petition for Directed Studies can be found on, R'Grad. 
  3. The petition must be completed with a detailed response to each question provided. Students should provide as much detailed information as possible in their responses in order to avoid delays in processing. 
  4. A comprehensive syllabus must be provided including:
     • The specific topics and materials to be studied.
     • The date, time, place and content of each meeting.
     • The assignments to be completed and their due dates.
     • The final form that this work will take (i.e., term paper, examination, book reviews).
  5. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  6. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
• Enrollment Adjustment

  Deadlines: 

  • Deadline to add a course: Week 3 
  • Deadline to drop a course: Week 6
     

  Regulations: 

  • If a student holds a fellowship, or is employed as a TA or GSR, they must be enrolled in 12 units. 
  • If a student has loans, they should check with financial aid before dropping below 12 units. 
  • International students are required to be enrolled in at least 12 units of course work. 
  • Required Paperwork by Week to Add or Withdraw From a Course: 
     

  Week	Required Paperwork
  1-2	Students may add and drop courses through R'Web. No “W” will appear for dropped courses. No fee is required.
  3	Add: The Enrollment Adjustment must be submitted. No fee is required.  Withdraw: The Enrollment Adjustment must be submitted. A “W” will appear on the transcript for withdrawn courses. No fee is required.
  4 and Beyond	Add: The Enrollment Adjustment must be submitted. The $4 fee is required.  Withdraw: The Enrollment Adjustment must be submitted. A “W” will appear on the transcript for dropped courses. The $4 fee is required.

  Procedure: 

  1. The required petition should be submitted to the Graduate Division.  
     • The Enrollment Adjustment can be found on, R'Grad. 
  2. All required information must be provided, including all required approvals, CRNs, and information regarding the student’s attendance. 
     • The above deadlines refer to the date that the Enrollment Adjustment is received by the Graduate Division.
  3. Once the Graduate Division has reviewed the petition, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will receive notification from R'Grad. 
  4. If no fee is required, the approved Enrollment Adjustment will be forwarded via R'Grad to the Registrar’s Office for processing. 
  5. If the $4 fee is required, it will be charged to the student's account by the Graduate Division. 
  6. It is then the student's responsibility to verify that the Enrollment Adjustment has been processed by the Registrar's Office (15 business days processing time) and that the $4 fee is paid to the Cashier's Office (in person or via R'Web). Enrollment Adjustment verification may be completed via the R'Web Degree Audit or the R'Web Student Profile.
• Enrollment Reports

  Regulations: 

  • Continuing students must be paid and enrolled by the end of week 2. In order for UCR to receive budgetary credit for students, we need to confirm they are in the quarter by the end of the third week of classes. 
  • Students who hold fellowships or employment (TA, GSR, Assoc. In. or Teaching Fellows) must be enrolled in at least 12 units by no later than the end of the second week of classes in order for their aid to disburse. 
  • Students' course enrollment each quarter should total to at least 12 graduate units (or a combination of graduate and upper division units), including credit for supervised teaching and research, unless the Graduate Advisor has approved a lesser load. 
  • International Students must always be enrolled in 12 units per their visa requirements, unless a reduced load is approved by the International Student Resource Center (ISRC).
     

  Procedure: 

  1. Fees are due the 15th of the month prior to the beginning of the quarter. Please check the Registrar's Academic Calendar for exact payment deadlines.
  2. Students not paid by the 15th deadline may receive a delinquent account hold.
  3. Unpaid graduate students will receive a late fee of $100 at the end of week two. 
  4. Students not enrolled by the end of week two will have their status changed to Ready to Enroll (RD). Students on RD status will have that quarter, plus two additional quarters to re-enroll. After week 2 of the third unenrolled quarter on RD status, the student status will be inactive and the student must reapply in order to enroll.
  5. Departments should consistently review available reports and determine why the student has failed to register or pay tuition. This may involve checking for holds, reviewing the bill and contacting graduate students by email or phone. 
  6. Additional information on the Late Payment and Penalty process can be found on the Registrar's web site.
• Filing Fee Status

  Deadline: 

  • Fall Quarter: September 1st 
  • Winter Quarter: December 1st 
  • Spring Quarter: March 1st 
  • Summer Quarter: June 1st*
     

  Regulations: 

  • A Ph.D. student who has completed all degree requirements with the exception of filing the dissertation and the final defense, or a Master’s student who has completed all degree requirements with the exception of filing the thesis/field report/project or completing an exam, may use Filing Fee Status in their final quarter instead of paying full registration fees.
  • When a Ph.D. or Master’s Thesis Plan student is on Filing Fee Status, it is expected that a full draft of the dissertation/thesis has been read and approved by the committee, that only minor revisions need to be made, and that no more than 12 hours of faculty time will be required.
  • Students on Filing Fee Status do not pay regular tuition and fees, nor do they enroll in coursework. Therefore, they are not entitled to University student privileges or use of University facilities, such as the Student Recreation Center. However, students on Filing Fee Status still have access the Library. 
  • Students on Filing Fee Status may NOT be employed with any student employment title such as GSR, TA, or Associate-In. Additionally, they cannot receive University fellowships/loans. 
  • Students on Filing Fee Status are not enrolled in the medical insurance program but may purchase Health Insurance (albeit at a higher rate) if enrolled in GSHIP the previous quarter. 
  • Only one quarter on Filing Fee Status is allowed.
    • The only exception is if a student fails the master’s comprehensive exam, in which case a retake of the exam on Filing Fee Status is allowed.
    • Students who fail to complete their degree programs by the appropriate deadline while on Filing Fees Status must register and pay full fees for the following quarter. 
  • Students on Filing Fee pay one-half of the Student Services Fee. Filing fee Status for the 2023/24 Academic Year is $201.
  • For Master’s students, an Application for Candidacy must be filed with or before the Filing Fee petition will be considered. 
  • Master’s students must be advanced to candidacy and have at least 3 quarters of residency and a 3.0 GPA in order to use Filing Fee Status. 
  • Students may use Filing Fee Status the quarter after being on Leave of Absence. They may also readmit on Filing Fee Status.
     

  *Filing fee status is required for summer only if a student was not enrolled or on filing fee status for all three quarters of the previous academic year.  If a student has already used filing fee status, summer session enrollment may be required.  Please see Summer Enrollment for more detailed information.

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition for Filing Fee can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
  4. After the Filing Fee application is approved, tuition and fees are adjusted to reflect the correct payment amount (one-half of the Student Services Fee).  Filing Fee Status for the 2023/24 Academic Year is $201.
  5. To see if an application for Filing Fee has been approved, check the student's learner record for that quarter on SGASTDN in Banner. If you see the code “FIL” in the Fee Assessment Rate field, then Filing Fee has been approved. 
• Half-Time Status and Reduced Fees

  Deadline: 

  • Fall Quarter: September 1st 
  • Winter Quarter: December 1st 
  • Spring Quarter: March 1st
     

  Regulations: 

  • With the recommendation of the student’s graduate program and the approval of the Dean of the Graduate Division, Half-Time Status may be granted under the following conditions:  
    • The faculty in the student’s degree program judge that Half-Time Status is academically feasible. 
    • The student is making acceptable progress toward the degree. 
    • The student cannot attend full-time for reasons of occupation (full-time employment outside of the University), family responsibilities, or health issues that prevents them from physically attending classes full-time.  
      • Students are not eligible for Half-Time Status simply because they do not want to enroll in more than one class, have only one class left to complete, or want a fee reduction. 
    • The student is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.  
      • Federal regulations governing student visa status require full-time attendance for most international students. 
    • The student is NOT employed on campus and does not hold a University fellowship. 
      • UCR staff employees who are eligible to receive reduced fees under the Reduced Fee Enrollment policy (PPSM-51) are not eligible to receive an additional reduction in fees under the Policy and Procedures Concerning Half-Time Status and Reduced Fees.
    • Students enroll in no more than six units (eight units for programs within AGSM), including physical education classes, during the quarter for which they are approved for half-time status.  
      • If this unit limit is exceeded, the student will not receive the Half-Time Status fee refund for that quarter or for any subsequent quarter until another petition for Half-Time Status is submitted and approved. 
    • If in the Ph.D. program, the student is NOT advanced to candidacy.  
      • Under the Normative Time Policy, all Ph.D. students advanced to candidacy are considered full-time and are not eligible for Half-Time Status. 
      • If the student is approved for Half-Time Status and advances to candidacy during the same quarter, the student will be billed back one-half of the Tuition, and one-half of the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition (if applicable). 
  • Students approved for Half-Time Status receive half off tuition, non-resident tuition (if applicable), and the professional fee (if applicable). 
  • Students approved for Half-Time Status may no longer be eligible for deferment of student loan repayment obligations. 
  • Half-Time students will accrue time towards their degree at one-half the rate of full-time students.  
  • Half-Time Status may be requested on a quarterly basis or for the entire academic year. 
  • Students must reapply each academic year.
     

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition for Half-Time Status and Reduced Fees can be found on, R'Grad. 
  2. The petition must be completed, with all required information provided. 
  3. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  4. Once the Graduate Division reviews the petition, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will be notified by email via the R'Grad system.
• In Absentia Registration

  Deadline: 

  • Fall Quarter: September 1st 
  • Winter Quarter: December 1st 
  • Spring Quarter: March 1st  
     

  Regulations: 

  • In Absentia status is a form of registration available to academic and professional graduate students undertaking coursework or research related to their degree programs 100 miles or more from the UCR campus. 
  • Students registered for In Absentia are assessed 15% of tuition, as well as full health insurance and student services fees. 
  • Students are also assessed non-resident tuition and/or professional school fees if applicable. 
  • Students may apply for In Absentia status if the following criteria are met:  
    • The research or coursework is of a nature that makes it necessary to be completed 100 miles or more from the UCR campus for at least one full quarter. 
    • The work away from the UCR campus is directly related to the student’s degree program as evidenced by faculty approval. 
    • The work involves only indirect supervision (correspondence or review of written work) from UCR faculty during the In Absentia period. 
    • The work involves no significant collaboration with UCR faculty during the In Absentia period. 
  • The student must be enrolled full-time (12 units) while on In Absentia. 
  • Students in self-supporting programs or exchange programs are not eligible for In Absentia registration. 
  • Students may apply for and receive University fellowships and research assistantships (GSR), but not teaching assistantships (TA) or serve as readers or tutors. 
  • Doctoral students must meet the following criteria:  
    • Must be advanced to candidacy before the In Absentia period begins. 
    • May only use In Absentia registration for a maximum of 6 quarters. 
    • May apply for only one year at a time. Students who wish to register In Absentia for a second academic year must reapply. 
  • Master’s only and graduate professional (e.g. MBA) students must meet the following criteria:  
    • Must have completed at least one year of course work by the time the In Absentia period begins. 
    • May only use In Absentia registration for a maximum of three quarters.
       

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition for In Absentia Registration can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
• Intercampus Exchange

  Deadline: The application for Intercampus Exchange must be submitted at least four weeks prior to the beginning of the quarter for which Intercampus Exchange is desired. 

  Fall: September 1
  Winter: November 15 (considering the Thanksgiving holiday and Winter break when campus is closed)
  Spring: March 1

  Regulations: 

  • A graduate student in good standing who wishes to take advantage of educational opportunities available at another campus of the University of California may do so through the Intercampus Exchange Program (ICE). 
  • Students who wish to study temporarily at another UC campus or who wish to take courses on more than one campus of the University of California in the same quarter may use ICE. 
  • A UCR graduate student who wishes to utilize ICE must register and pay tuition and fees on the home campus to have student privileges at the host UC campus.
    • Unless specifically restricted, fellowship recipients may participate in ICE.
  • An ICE student must be in good academic standing with at least one quarter of residence at UCR and have well-defined academic objectives for the proposed study at the host campus.  
    • Such objectives might include a need to take a specific course not offered at UCR; the need to study under the guidance of a specialist in the student’s field; or the need to have continuous access to library holdings unavailable at UCR. 
  • The student is still considered to be "in residence" on the home campus and has not transferred enrollment or been admitted to the Graduate Division or department at the host campus. 
  • Grades obtained in courses on the host campus will be transferred to the home campus for entry on the student's official records. 
  • A student is not expected to need more than three courses of ICE privilege. Any exceptions to this must be approved by the Graduate Dean.
  • Students should contact the Student Health Services at UCR for more information about using UCR's GSHIP away from their home campus.

  Procedure: 

  1. The UC Intercampus Exchange Program Application is printed from the forms page of the Graduate Division website. 
  2. Separate applications must be submitted for each quarter. Three applications to cover an entire academic year may be submitted during Fall Quarter. 
  3. For those interested in attending a school on the semester system (e.g. Berkeley or Merced), two applications for Winter and Spring Quarters must be filed for the Spring Semester of the host campus. 
  4. The application must be completed, with all required information provided. 
  5. The application must have signatures from the student and the home department Graduate Advisor (electronic signatures are acceptable).
  6. The completed and signed application is forwarded to the Graduate Division. 
  7. Once the Graduate Division reviews the application, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will receive notification by email.
      

  Once Approved by UCR’s Graduate Division 

  1. If UCR’s Graduate Division approves the application, Graduate Academic Affairs Staff will seek approval from the host Department Chair and host Graduate Dean. 
  2. If the host campus approves the application, the student will receive notification from the host campus as well as from UCR’s Graduate Division. 
  3. Registration must be completed at both campuses.  
     • The student will receive an approval email from the host campus containing detailed instructions for registration (as the process varies by campus). 
     • Graduate Academic Affairs Staff will enroll the student at UCR.
        

  Once ICE Coursework is Completed 

  1. The host UC campus will automatically forward transcripts reporting the student’s work to our Registrar for inclusion on the student's transcript.  
     • It is the student's responsibility to verify that this work is reflected accurately on their UCR transcript. 
     • Students should be aware that it can sometimes take as long as a month for our Registrar to receive an ICE transcript from the host UC campus. 
  2. If the student receives an "I" grade, they will have to request a transcript be sent to the UCR Registrar once the work is complete.  
     • Students will be responsible for any cost related to additional transcript copies related to delayed or incomplete grade assignment.
• Leave of Absence

  Deadlines: 

  • Fall Quarter: September 1 
  • Winter Quarter: December 1  
  • Spring Quarter: March 1

  Regulations: 

  • A Leave of Absence is intended to allow the temporary interruption of a student's academic program and is granted for the following reasons: 
    • A Serious illness or other temporary disability.
    • The need to concentrate on a job or occupation not directly related to the degree program. 
    • Family responsibility.
    • A Leave of Absence cannot be approved for reasons of financial hardship.
  • To be eligible for a Leave of Absence, students must:
    • Have the approval of their Graduate Advisor.
    • Have been enrolled for at least one quarter.
    • Be in good standing (3.0 or better overall GPA).
    • Must be making acceptable progress.
    • All leaves require a justification from the Graduate Advisor of the student’s department. 
  • Graduate Students on Leave forfeit the use of University facilities and faculty time.
  • Graduate Students on Leave cannot work in a job or occupation related to their degree, nor can they work on any UC campus.
  • Graduate Students on Leave may not take qualifying examinations nor may they receive credit for academic work done while on Leave. 
  • Leaves are not granted for more than three quarters with the exception of childbearing cases. In such cases, students may be considered for additional quarters of Leave. 
  • Students on Leave are not automatically enrolled in the University’s Graduate Student Health Insurance Program (GSHIP).
    • If the student was enrolled in GSHIP the previous quarter, they are eligible to enroll in GSHIP on a voluntary basis.
    • Students applying for three consecutive quarters of leave are eligible to enroll in the GSHIP on a voluntary basis for a maximum of two consecutive quarters.
    • For more information or assistance, please contact the Student Health Insurance Office at 951-827-5683 or https://studenthealth.ucr.edu/student-health-insurance-plan-ship.

  Financial Impact of a Leave of Absence:

  • Students who request a Leave of Absence after instruction has begun are held to the refund schedule at https://registrar.ucr.edu/tuition-fees/refunds.  The refund amount is determined by the date in which a Leave form is filed with the Graduate Division.
  • Fellowships, Employment and other types of Financial Aid play a complex role in the refund you might receive if you are approved for a Leave of Absence. 
    • For information about how a fellowship or employment is impacted by a Leave of Absence, consult with your department Graduate Program Coordinator.
    • Those with student loans should contact the Financial Aid Office for questions regarding how a Leave of Absence will impact the student loan.

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition for Leave of Absence can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
• Ready to Enroll Status

  If a student has been an enrolled student for at least one quarter and does not enroll in a subsequent quarter, they can re-enroll for up to two additional consecutive quarters without having to reapply for admission. 

  There is no application process for Ready to Enroll status.  A student's status will convert to Ready to Enroll if they never enrolled for a particular quarter after having been enrolled the previous quarter.  Any enrollment activity on a student's record will disqualify them from Ready to Enroll.

• Registration Holds

  Regulations: 

  • Students may have holds placed on their student records (which could affect registration, enrollment, financial aid, campus services and/or release of academic transcripts) for failure to:  
    • Comply with admission provisions. 
    • Settle financial obligations with the University. 
    • Respond to official notices. 
    • Submit requested documents. 
  • Registration cannot be completed until these blocks are cleared. 
  • The Graduate Admissions Office will block entering students if a final transcript or an application fee is required for admission. 
  • The Graduate Division Academic Affairs Section often places holds on students’ registration who have been in their programs for an excessive amount of time. An approved timetable must be submitted before the hold will be removed and they will be allowed to register.
     

  Procedure: 

  1. Students are instructed to contact the office that placed the hold on their registration immediately. 
  2. Each student who becomes subject to a hold action is given advance notice and ample time to respond. 
  3. In most cases, the hold must be released from the initiating office before a student may enroll in classes or receive various campus services. 
  4. Information on holds can be obtained from the office initiating the hold, which students can find on their Banner/R'Web. 
  5. Graduate Program Coordinators may use SOAHOLD in Banner to view a student's holds.
• Repeating Courses

  Regulations: 

  • Graduate students may only repeat courses in which they received a grade of D, F or NC. Only the most recently earned grade is used in computing a student's grade point average. 
  • Courses in which a grade of D or F was earned may not be repeated on a Satisfactory, No Credit basis.
  • Repetition of a course more than once requires the Dean's approval.  
• Summer Enrollment

  Graduate students are not required to enroll in summer courses unless:

  • They are attempting to graduate during the summer and had one or more quarters of non-enrolled status during the previous academic year (i.e., Leave of Absence, Ready to Enroll Status or Inactive Student status).
  • They are attempting to complete a non course requirement during the summer (i.e., qualifying exam or capstone requirement) and had one or more quarters of non-enrolled status during the previous academic year. 

  Students completing a capstone requirement (Thesis, Dissertation, Final Defense, Manuscript, Professional Paper, etc.) may choose to use filing fee status in summer if they had one or more quarters of non-enrolled student status during the previous academic year.

  • In lieu of filing fee status, students may choose to enroll in 2 units of 297 (directed research) or 299 (research for the dissertation/thesis)
  • Tuition rates for summer units may be calculated by using the cost estimator tool on the UCR Summer Sessions web site
  • Filing fee status may only be used one time (https://graduate.ucr.edu/regulations-and-procedures#filing_fee_status_)
• Unit Maximum Exception

  Regulations: 

  • Graduate students may enroll in a maximum of 20 units per quarter. 

  • Special approval is necessary in order to exceed this unit limit. 

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition for Exceed Unit Limit can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. The petition must have original signatures from the student and the Graduate Advisor. 
  3. Once the Graduate Division reviews the request, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will be notified by email.
• Withdrawal from UCR

  Deadlines: 

  • Fall Quarter: September 1 
  • Winter Quarter: December 1  
  • Spring Quarter: March 1

  Regulations:

  • With the approval of the Graduate Dean, students may withdraw from the University at any time prior to the end of instruction.
  • Students who are planning to withdraw should submit the Petition for Withdrawal through R'Grad prior to the first day of instruction to avoid any fee payment for the withdrawal quarter.
  • The effective date for the withdrawal is determined by the petition submission date and additional information provided.
    • The amount of the reversal is determined by the number of calendar days elapsed between the first day of instruction and the withdrawal petition effective date.
    • The refund table can be found on the Registrar's Office web site.
  • Fellowships and financial aid are awarded to students with the understanding that they will complete the entire quarter.  Students who withdraw during the quarter will be required to return any financial support received.
  • Reversal of the Graduate Student Health Insurance fee may vary; contact the Campus Health Center at (951) 827-5683 for more information.

   Procedure: 

  1. The Petition for Withdrawal from UCR can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.

Grading

• Appeal of Grades

  Regulations: 

  • There is only one criterion under which students may appeal grades: if a student believes that non-academic criteria has been used in determining a grade.
    • Non-academic criteria, as defined by the Faculty Code of Conduct, is criteria not directly reflective of class performance, such as discrimination on political grounds, or for reasons of race, religion, sex, ethnic origin, or other arbitrary or personal reasons. 
  • For further details see Academic Senate Regulation R5.
     

  Deadline and Procedure: 

  • Deadline and Procedures for grade appeal are outlined in Senate Regulation R5.
• Change of Grading Basis

  Deadline: 

  • Deadline to change the grading basis of a course: Week 8

  Regulations: 

  • Graduate students may take course work on an S/NC basis only when the course description indicates that this is an option. 
  • Graduate students may not use undergraduate* or graduate courses taken on an S/NC basis to complete their master’s or PhD degree requirements, unless the course is only offered on an S/NC basis. Exceptions must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate Division. 
  • A grade of S is equivalent to a grade of B (3.0) or better, but does not count towards the student’s grade point average. 
  • No credit is given for a course in which a grade of NC has been assigned.

  *Graduate students are not permitted to use lower-division undergraduate courses toward degree requirements.  Courses numbered 001-099 may be taken, with graduate advisor approval, on an S/NC basis without Graduate Dean's approval as long as the course description indicates that S/NC grading is an option.

  Required Paperwork by Week to Change the Grading Basis of a Course: 

  Week	Required Paperwork
  1-2	The student and Graduate Program Coordinator should review the degree audit to verify that the course is not needed for graduation.  Students and Graduate Program Coordinators may make the S/NC adjustment online during this time period.  No fee is required.
  3	The Enrollment Adjustment must be submitted. No fee is required.
  4 and Beyond	The Enrollment Adjustment must be submitted. The $4 fee is required.

  Procedure: 

  Weeks 1 and 2 

  1. During weeks 1 and 2 of the quarter, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator should review the degree audit to verify that the course is not needed for graduation.  Students and Graduate Program Coordinators may make the S/NC adjustment online during this time period.  No fee is required.

  Week 3

  1. During week 3 of the quarter, the Enrollment Adjustment must be submitted to the Graduate Division in order to change the grading basis of a course.  During week 3, the Registrar will not require a $4 fee to make the change. 
     • The Enrollment Adjustment is used to change the grading basis and can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once the Graduate Division reviews the request, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will receive notification from R'Grad. 

  Week 4 and Beyond 

  1. During week 4 and beyond of the quarter, the Enrollment Adjustment must be submitted to the Graduate Division in order to change the grading basis of a course.  During week 4 and beyond, a $4 fee will apply. 
     • The Enrollment Adjustment is used to change the grading basis and can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once the Graduate Division reviews the request, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will receive notification from R'Grad. 
• Credit by Examination

  Deadline: The Credit by Exam Petition must be filed with Graduate Academic Affairs no later than the first day of instruction of the quarter in which the student is to be examined.  

  Regulations: 

  • Students who think that their knowledge of the appropriate subject matter is sufficient to be tested by formal examination without enrollment in a course may petition for credit by examination. 
  • Several conditions must be met before such a petition can be approved:  
    • The student must be registered for at least four units of upper division and/or graduate work at the time the examination is taken. 
    • The student's scholarship must be satisfactory (3.0 or better cumulative grade point average). This means that a student may not use the credit by exam mechanism their first quarter in the program.
    • The course itself must be one which can be tested by examination (Graduate seminars and research courses cannot be taken for credit by examination). 
  • Instructors retain the prerogative to decide whether they will serve as examiners, and to determine the form such an examination will take. 
  • The credit by examination procedure shall not be used as a device for improving a grade nor to reduce the minimum residence requirement.
  • Units are received for credit by exam, but not grade points. The student will receive an S grade if they pass the exam or an NC grade if they do not.  Please refer to the UCR General Catalog in the Graduate Studies section under Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC) Grading for further guidelines.
  • There will be a notation on the transcript indicating that the course was completed through credit by exam.
  • There is no limit to the number of courses that a student may complete through credit by exam.

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition for Credit by Exam can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. The petition must be completed, with all required information provided. 
  3. The petition must have signatures from the student, the instructor appointed to give the examination, and the Graduate Advisor (not the student’s faculty advisor). 
  4. The completed and signed petition is forwarded to the Graduate Division on or before the first day of instruction of the quarter in which the student is to be examined.
  5. Once the Graduate Division reviews the petition, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will be notified by email. 
  6. If approved, the petition will be filed by Graduate Division Academic Affairs with the Registrar’s Office. 
  7. The Registrar then enrolls the student in the course and the exam can be taken. 
  8. The results of examinations for degree credit are entered on the student's record as though the student had actually taken the courses of instruction.
     • Units are received, but not grade points. The student will receive an S or an NC grade depending on the outcome of the exam.
     • There will be a notation on the transcript indicating that the course was completed though credit by exam.
  9. The grade for a course taken through credit by exam is reported to the Registrar’s Office on a Grade Change Form.
• Incomplete Extension

  Deadline: Once the instructor communicates to the student the deadline for work to be completed, the Graduate Student General Petition must be submitted before the Incomplete lapses to an F (before the last day of the quarter following the assignment of the “I”). 

  Regulations: 

  • If a student receives an Incomplete “I”, the instructor must receive the incomplete portion of the work needed to earn a grade no later than the last day of the quarter following the assignment of the "I."  
    • Courses taken either Spring or Summer quarter that received an “I” grade must be completed by the last day of the following Fall quarter. 
  • If not made up within the time allowed, the "I" lapses to an F or NC. 
  • Once the grade lapses to an “F” or “NC,” the Registrar requires an approved Graduate Student General Petition extending the time to remove the “I” to be filed before changing the grade. 
  • If extenuating circumstances prevent students from completing their course work within the allotted time, they may file a request to extend the time for removal of the "I".
     

  Procedure: 

  1. The Incomplete Extension petition can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.

Transfer of Units

• Backdate Units From UCR Undergraduate Degree

  Deadline: There is no set deadline to submit a petition to backdate units. However, the petition to backdate units must be submitted and processed before the student can be advanced to candidacy. 

  Regulations: 

  • Any 200-level courses that a student takes as an undergraduate at UCR will automatically show on the graduate transcript, unless the courses are approved to count towards undergraduate degree requirements. 
  • Any 200-level courses shown on the graduate transcript may be used to meet master’s and PhD requirements, if relevant to the degree. 
  • These units may be used toward the minimum 200-level unit requirement for master’s and PhD degrees, but will not reduce the minimum required quarters of UCR residence. 
  • UCR graduate students may use, with the approval of their Graduate Advisor, any relevant 200-level course(s) taken during a UCR bachelor’s program toward a graduate degree at UCR, excluding any 200-level course(s) approved to count for bachelor’s degree, unit, or GPA requirements. 
  • Alternatively, the Graduate Advisor may waive degree requirements based on 200-level courses taken as a UCR undergraduate and require the student to complete minimum unit requirements while enrolled in a graduate program. 
  • Units may not be transferred from other undergraduate institutions. 
• Transfer From Another UC

  Deadline: There is no set deadline to submit a petition to transfer units. However, the petition to transfer units must be submitted and processed before the student can be advanced to candidacy. 

  Regulations: 

  • Petitions for transferring credit will be considered only when the work is necessary to fulfill degree requirements. 
  • Units cannot be transferred from a program from which the student received a degree. 
  • All transfer work must have been completed in graduate standing with a minimum grade of "B". 
  • Units for graduate work completed at another University of California campus may be counted for up to one-half of the total units required for the UCR master's degree. 
  • Students receive both units and grade points for this work when it is transferred to their UCR transcript. 

   

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition to Transfer Course Work can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. An official transcript of the work completed must be sent directly to the Graduate Division if not already on file. 
  4. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
• Transfer From an Outside Institution

  Deadline: There is no set deadline to submit a petition to transfer units. However, the petition to transfer units must be submitted and processed before the student can be advanced to candidacy. 

  Regulations: 

  • Petitions for transferring credit will be considered only when the work is necessary to fulfill degree requirements. 
  • Units cannot be transferred from a program from which the student received a degree. 
  • All transfer work must have been completed in graduate standing with a minimum grade of "B". 
  • A maximum of eight-quarter units from institutions outside the University of California may be counted toward the master's degree at UCR.  
  • These units must be from an institution of recognized standing while the student was enrolled in a graduate program and did not receive a degree. 
  • The units cannot be used to reduce the minimum residency requirement or minimum requirement in 200 level courses taken at this University. 
  • Students pursuing the comprehensive exam option must still complete 18 units of 200-level coursework. 
  • Students pursuing the thesis option must still complete 24 units of 200-level coursework. 
  • Only unit credit is posted on the UCR transcript (Grades are not transferred).

   

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition to Transfer Course Work can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. An official transcript of the work completed must be sent directly to the Graduate Division if not already on file. 
  4. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
• Transfer From UCR Extension

   

  Deadline: There is no set deadline to submit a petition to transfer units. However, the petition to transfer units must be submitted and processed before the student can be advanced to candidacy. 

  Regulations: 

  • Petitions for transferring credit will be considered only when the work is necessary to fulfill degree requirements. 
  • Units cannot be transferred from a program from which the student received a degree. 
  • All transfer work must have been completed in graduate standing with a minimum grade of "B." 
  • Students may transfer in up to 8 units of UCR Extension concurrent enrollment credit (Concurrent enrollment means that the student took regularly offered UCR courses but registered and paid for them through the Extension Office).  
    • Up to 12-units are permitted to be transferred from UCR Extension if the courses were taken prior to Fall 2021 (GR 5.4).
    • Students must have taken these units before their enrollment as graduate students. 
    • Matriculated graduate students (including students on leaves of absence) may not enroll in course work through UCR Extension without the Graduate Dean’s approval. 
    • Graduate students who withdraw before completing their program objectives may then take courses through UCR Extension but are required to wait one year before applying those courses to their degrees. 
    • Grades from UCR Extension courses will be recorded on student transcripts. 
    • A student could transfer in eight additional units from institutions outside of the University of California. 

   

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition to Transfer Course Work can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. An official transcript of the work completed must be sent directly to the Graduate Division if not already on file. 
  4. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.

Coursework Exceptions

• Substitute Course Work

  Deadline: Substitution requests are expected to be submitted prior to the substitute course being taken. The petition must be submitted and processed before the student can be advanced to candidacy. 

  Regulations: 

  • All substitutions of degree requirements must be reviewed by the Graduate Advisor and approved by the Graduate Dean. 

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition to Substitute Course Work can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
• Waive Course Work

  Deadline: There is no set deadline to submit a petition to waive course work, but the sooner petitions are submitted the sooner the better to determine the student's academic program. The petition must be submitted and processed before the student can be advanced to candidacy. 

  Regulations: 

  • All waivers of degree requirements must be reviewed by the Graduate Advisor and approved by the Graduate Dean. 
  • Waiver of course work will not reduce the minimum number of units required for a master’s degree. 
  • Students can request courses be waived based on previous comparable academic work. 
  • Waiving courses can give students credit for a degree requirement, but it does not transfer units or grades onto their UCR transcript. 
  • There is no limit on the number of courses students can waive. 

   

  Procedure: 

  1. The Petition to Waive Course Work can be found on R'Grad.
  2. The student must provide detailed explanation as to what they would like to waive, whether it be a particular UCR course or a degree requirement. 
  3. Students must submit an official copy of the relevant transcript directly to the Graduate Division, if not already on file. 
  4. Once the Graduate Division reviews the petition, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will be notified by email.

Language Requirement 

• Regulations, Waiver of Language Requirement, Reporting Completion of Language Requirement

  Regulations updated via Academic Senate in February 2022

  Deadlines:  

  • A petition to waive the language requirement should be submitted as soon as possible after the student is admitted to graduate standing. 
  • If foreign language is required by the graduate program, it must be completed before a Doctoral student may advance to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 

   

  Regulations: 

  • Each program determines if knowledge of a foreign language or languages is required of students pursuing graduate degrees and which of the methods approved by the Graduate Council may be used to fulfill the language requirement for their program. Graduate program catalog copy must reflect language requirements that have been approved by the Graduate Council.
  • Satisfaction of a foreign language requirement may be demonstrated under one of the following options:  
    • Passing a written or oral language exam administered by the graduate program. 
    • Language placement exam or assessment conducted by an accredited organization.
    • Satisfactorily completion of a language course(s) at a level specified by the program. 
    • Alternative language certification identified by the graduate program and approved by the Graduate Council.
  • With the support of the program and the approval of the Graduate Dean,  
    • Students may receive credit for language examinations or course work completed not more than four years before entering graduate study at UCR. 
    • An international student may receive credit for knowledge of their native language. 
  • For Master’s students, completion of the language requirement(s), if a part of the graduate program, may occur any time prior to the completion of degree requirements, and need not be passed before a student can be advanced to candidacy for the Master’s degree. 
  • For Doctoral students, language skill requirements, if part of the graduate program, must be passed before a student advances to candidacy. 
  • Evidence of satisfaction of the language requirement will be provided to the Graduate Division for each student. 
  • The Graduate Council must approve any changes in the method(s) chosen to fulfill the language requirement or in the need for the language requirement. 
  • See regulation here

   

  Procedure for Reporting Completion of Language Requirement: 

  1. The Graduate Division must be advised via the R'Grad Report of Exam or Degree Requirement petition, of the test or course taken and the date passed. If an alternate skill requirement is satisfied, this should be specified.

  Procedure for Requesting Waiver of Language Requirement: 

  1. In order to request a waiver of the language requirement, students must submit the Waive Course Work Petition, via R'Grad.
  2. The petition should explain in detail the basis of the waiver request (i.e., native speaker of a language or coursework completed at another university) 
  3. Once the Graduate Division reviews the petition, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will be notified by email of the result.

Professional Development and Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) 

• Professional Development Regulations
  • Professional development training is a requirement of all master's and Ph.D. programs. 
  • Training typically includes elements of research and professional ethics, grant and professional writing, strategies for success in graduate school and the profession, pedagogy, public speaking, career and job market guidance, and other relevant topics to help students become successful professionals. 
  • Each program determines the format, content, and extent of its training in order to make it specific to, and appropriate for, the discipline. 
  • A program may provide all of its training independently, partner with other programs, or utilize services provided by other campus units or professional organizations. 
  • Training must be for unit credit and may be delivered as a single course or as portions of multiple courses.
  • See regulation here
• Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Regulations

  Detailed information about RCR requirements can be found here - https://graduate.ucr.edu/responsible-conduct-research

   

Examinations  

• Scheduling of Examinations

  Regulations: 

  • Examinations which are required for an advanced degree, including language, comprehensive, and qualifying and final examinations, may be given only during an academic session for which the student has registered or is on Filing Fee Status.  
  • Such examinations may be given between the end of any academic session for which the student was registered and the first official day of the next regular academic session (quarter breaks). 
  • Such examinations may be given during the summer months, if the student had student status (enrolled or on Filing Fee) every quarter of the previous academic year.  

  • If the student was withdrawn or on leave any one of those quarters, they must enroll in two units of a 10-week Summer Session course work to take exams during the summer. 

  • To avoid conflicts of interest, or the appearance of a conflict of interest, when domestic partners or spouses make up the majority of faculty overseeing an exam, another faculty member will be added to that committee. 

• Repeat of Critical Examinations

  Regulations: 

  • A graduate student may be given a second examination in the event of unsatisfactory performance on critical examinations (including comprehensive examinations for Master’s degree and Ph.D. qualifying examinations) with the positive recommendation of the examination committee.  
    • The second examination may have a format different from the first, but the substance should ordinarily be the same. 
    • In the case of oral qualifying exams, the second examination will not ordinarily  be given until three months have elapsed since the first examination. 
    • A student whose performance on the second attempt also is unsatisfactory, or who does not undertake a second examination within a reasonable period of time, is subject to academic disqualification. 
    • Only two attempts at major exams are allowed unless the Graduate Council has approved a programmatic change.
• Report of Examinations

  Procedure: 

  1. The results of written exams should be reported to the Graduate Division as soon as they are known. 
  2. In order for an exam result to be used to award a degree (such as a comprehensive exam result for a Plan II Master's Degree), it must be received by the Tuesday following the last day of the quarter.  This is the same day that grades are due via iGrade. 
  3. Results must be reported using the Report of Exam or Degree Requirement petition in R'Grad.
• Review of Examinations

  Regulations: 

  • Programs shall make every effort to review the results of candidacy exams when formally requested by students.  

    • Requests for review should be made within one month.

• Appeal of Examinations

  For procedures on the Appeal of Examinations, please see the Appeal Procedures section below.

The Master's Degree  

• Thesis (Plan I)

  General Regulations/Minimum Requirements:    

  • A minimum of thirty-six quarter units in approved courses is required, at least twenty-four of which must be earned in graduate courses.  
    • A maximum of twelve units may be in graduate research for the thesis (299). 
    • No transfer units from a university outside of the University of California may apply toward the required twenty-four units of graduate courses. 
  • All candidates for the degree must prepare and present an acceptable thesis. 
  • In addition, the major program, or group, may require any examination that is necessary to test students' knowledge of the discipline. 
  • The minimum academic residence in the University of California is three quarters, two of which must be spent at the Riverside campus.  
    • Registration in at least 4 units of 100 or 200 level course work is necessary for each quarter of academic residence. 
  • Students must complete a 3.00 overall GPA in all upper division and graduate level course work related to the degree. 
  • A second Master's degree may be approved when there is little relation between the degrees, but duplication of a Master's degree in a single field is not permitted. 
  • See regulations here

   

  Thesis Committee/Membership Regulations: 

  • General  
    • Master’s Thesis Committees are appointed by, and responsible to the, Graduate Council through the Dean of the Graduate Division. 
    • The Master’s Thesis Committee is charged with guiding the student's research and passing judgment on the final merits of the thesis. 
    • The committee arranges for such conferences with the candidate as are necessary for the development and elucidation of the research treated in the thesis. 

   

  • Membership  
    • Overall Committee  
      • Must consist of at least 3 members
      • A majority of committee members must be Academic Senate members from the student’s graduate program. 
      • Adjunct faculty and CE Specialists are recognized as equal to UC Academic Senate members and can participate on committees as the Chairperson or Co-Chairperson with no additional justification or review. 
      • All committee members should normally be voting members of the UC Academic Senate. 
        • Any exceptions must be accompanied by the nominee's CV and justification from the graduate advisor. The request will be evaluated by the Graduate Division based on the nominee having comparable education and experience to a UC Academic Senate member and that no other UCR senate faculty has the same knowledge.  
      • To avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest, when domestic partners or spouses make up the majority of the faculty overseeing a thesis, another faculty member will be added to that committee for a total of 4 members.

   

  • Chairperson/Co-Chairperson
    • Expected to be Academic Senate members from the student's graduate program. If this is not feasible, they must at minimum be a UCR employee and a voting member of the UC Academic Senate.
      • Adjunct faculty and CE Specialists are considered Senate members for committee membership. 

   

  Thesis Committee Change Procedure  

  1. In order to make a change to an approved thesis committee, the student must submit the Dissertation/Thesis Committee Nomination/Change Form as well as a memo from the Graduate Advisor. 
     • The memo should explain the reason for the change and confirm that any member being removed is aware and in agreement with being removed.
• Comprehensive Examination (Plan II)

  Regulations: 

  • A minimum of thirty-six quarter units in approved courses is required, at least eighteen of which must be earned in graduate courses.  
    • None may be in graduate research for the thesis (299). 
    • No transfer units from a university outside of the University of California may apply toward the required eighteen units of graduate courses. 
  • A comprehensive examination is also required (the program or graduate group determines the content).  
    • No more than two attempts to pass the exam may be allowed. 
    • Results of comprehensive exams must be reported to the student in writing as soon as they are known. A copy must also go to the Graduate Division. 
    • The Graduate Advisor or the Chair of the department must sign the report. 
  • The minimum academic residence in the University of California is three quarters, two of which must be spent at the Riverside campus.  
    • Registration in at least 4 units of 100 or 200 level course work is necessary for each quarter of academic residence. 
  • Students must complete a 3.00 overall GPA in all upper division and graduate level course work related to the degree. 
  • A second Master's degree may be approved when there is little relation between the degrees, but duplication of a Master's degree in a single field is not permitted. 
• Advancement to Candidacy

  Deadline: Applications for Candidacy for the Master’s degree must be submitted by the first day of instruction of the quarter in which the student plans to graduate. If the application is not received by the deadline date, the award of the degree may be deferred to the following quarter. 

  Regulations: 

  • If the Master’s degree requires a thesis (Plan I), the entire thesis committee must be nominated. 
  • All requirements for the degree must be completed by the last day of the quarter in which the student wishes to graduate. 
  • No student may graduate with a “GD” (Grade Delay) posted. 
  • Terminal Master’s students cannot graduate with an Incomplete grade on their record even if it is not needed for the degree. 
  • All requirements for the degree must be satisfied within a calendar year of the time of completion of the required course work.  
    • Should the student be unable to complete the degree requirements within this time, candidacy will lapse. The student must then re-submit the Application for Candidacy in order to reinstate Master's Candidacy with the Graduate Division. 
  • The approval of the Graduate Dean is required for all substitutions or waivers of degree requirements.

   

  Procedure: 

  1. The Application for Candidacy for Master's Degree can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. Graduate Program Coordinators should review the student's degree audit in Degree Works prior to submitting the Application for Candidacy.  
     • Any completed departmental non-course requirements should be entered on SHANCRS in Banner. 
     • If not done already, for any completed non-course requirements that only Graduate Division may enter, attach official documentation showing completion. Example: Comprehensive Examination. 
     • If applicable, the student's concentration should be entered on SGASTDN or SFAREGS in Banner. 
  4. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
• Final Defense for Master's Degree

  Deadline: The final defense (if required by the academic program) must be successfully completed by the last day of the quarter in which the student intends to graduate. 

  Regulations: 

  • Under unusual circumstances, the exam may be waived with the consent of the Thesis Committee Chairperson and the approval of the Graduate Dean. 
  • The final defense may be given either prior to the completion of the thesis or after the acceptance of the thesis.
  • The defense must occur while the student is in residence during a regular academic session, either enrolled in units or on filing fee.
  • Administration of the final defense is subject to the policies of the Graduate Council governing critical examinations.
  • Committee members nominated from outside the UC Academic Senate must have qualifications comparable to a UC Academic Senate member and submit a CV. In addition, strong academic justification for inclusion on the committee must be provided by the Graduate Advisor. 

  Final Defense Modality:

  • The final defense modality options (in-person, hybrid, remote) are specific to the program. Information can be found in the general catalog or student handbook.
  • If the program approves a final defense to be conducted remotely, committees may use Zoom or other video conference options.
  • The Committee Chairperson may provide space or technical support on campus for the student to complete their final defense.
  • Final Defense presentations, even when remote, are "open to the academic community and the general public."

  Proxy:  

  • In the event that one member of the Thesis Committee cannot attend the final defense:  
  • The Chair of the committee may appoint an Academic Senate member from the student's department to attend for the absent member.  
    • If this happens, please notify the Graduate Division first. Explain which member will not be attending and who will proxy in their place. 
    • The committee membership does not officially change. The original thesis committee members sign the signature page approving the final version of the thesis. The proxy member only votes on the outcome of the Final Defense. 

  Procedure: 

  1. Immediately after the defense, the student or Committee Chairperson must initiate the Final Defense Approval Form via R'Grad. 
     • The completed form must be received by Graduate Academic Affairs prior to the graduation deadline for the quarter.
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. The form should be completed as follows:  
     • The date of the examination must be provided. 
     • The Thesis Committee Chair must confirm the student passed the exam  
     • In the event that the final defense is waived, justification must be attached to the form explaining why. 
  4. The student and the program advisor will receive an email once a the final defense is approved.
  5. Student may confirm completion of all graduation requirements by viewing their Degree Audit in R'Web.
     • Graduation deadlines can be found HERE.
• Graduation
  • In addition to advancing to candidacy and completing all degree requirements by the deadline, ALL students must submit an Application to Graduate through R’Web by the Monday of week 4 of the quarter that they plan to graduate. Please see the Graduation Procedures page for specific deadlines and instructions.

The Doctoral Degree  

• Regulations, Minimum Requirements
  • See regulations here
  • Students must obtain a 3.00 overall GPA in all upper division and graduate level course work related to the degree. 
  • The minimum academic residence for the Ph.D. is six quarters at the University of California, three of which must be spent in continuous residence at UCR.  
    • Registration in at least four units of course work is necessary to qualify for each quarter of academic residence. 
  • Because the Ph.D. is a research degree, the University gives programs considerable latitude in establishing degree requirements. 
  • The individual student's program of study is planned in consultation with the Graduate Advisor, who supervises the student's progress before the appointment of the doctoral committee. 
  • A doctoral program generally involves two stages:  
    • The first stage is spent fulfilling the requirements established by the program or department and the Graduate Council, typically a series of courses culminating in written and oral qualifying examinations. When all course work, language, written and oral exams are passed, the student is advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. 
    • The second or in-candidacy stage is devoted primarily to independent study and research and to the preparation of the dissertation. 
  • The duplication of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy is not allowed.  
    • Students already admitted to a Ph.D. program at UCR may not petition to pursue a second Ph.D. program once admitted.  
      • They may pursue a Master’s degree in another field if the departments and Graduate Dean approve. 
• Nomination for Qualifying Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

  Deadline: The Nomination for Qualifying Exam for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy must be submitted via R'Grad at least 2 weeks (preferably 1 month) prior to the oral qualifying examination. 

  Regulations for Oral Qualifying Examination:  

  • Upon the recommendation of the program Chair or Graduate Advisor, Doctoral Oral Qualifying Exam Committees are appointed by and are responsible to the Graduate Council through the Dean of the Graduate Division. 
  • The Doctoral Oral Qualifying Exam Committee is charged with examining the student's knowledge of the general field of study as well as the related fields and areas of special interest, and with substantiating the adequacy of the student's preparation and qualifications to be advanced to candidacy for the doctorate. 
  • Following its formal appointment, the Oral Qualifying Exam Committee is free to adopt whatever procedures it thinks appropriate to conduct the Qualifying Examination for candidacy, subject to the rules of the program and the policies established by the Graduate Council. 
  • The student must be given adequate notice of the content, form, and time of examination.  
  • The Oral Qualifying Examination must be administered in its entirety on one date. 
  • The Oral Qualifying Examination is not open to the general public, but members of the Academic Senate may attend. 
  • No exam may take place without an approved Oral Qualifying Examination Committee. 
  • See regulations here

  Oral Qualifying Exam Modality:

  • The oral qualifying exam modality options (in-person, hybrid, remote) are specific to the program. Information can be found in the general catalog or student handbook.
  • If the program approves the Oral Qualifying Exam to be conducted remotely, committees may use Zoom or other video conference options.
  • The Committee Chairperson may provide space or technical support on campus for the student to complete their Oral Qualifying Exam.

  Regulations for Oral Qualifying Examination Committee Membership: 

  Overall Committee  

  • Must consist of 5 members.
  • A majority of committee members must be Academic Senate members from the student's graduate program.
  • For purposes of this committee, adjunct faculty and CE Specialists are recognized as equal to UC Academic Senate members and can participate on committees as the Chairperson, Co-Chairperson, or Oversight Member with no additional justification or review. 
  • All committee members should normally be voting members of the UC Academic Senate.  
    • Any exceptions must be accompanied by the nominee's CV and justification from the graduate advisor. The request will be evaluated by the Graduate Division based on the nominee having comparable education and experience to a UC Academic Senate member and that no other UCR senate faculty has the same knowledge.   

  Chairperson/Co-Chairperson  

  • Expected to be Academic Senate members from the student's graduate program. If this is not feasible, they must at minimum be a UCR employee. 
    • Adjunct faculty and CE Specialists are considered Senate members for committee membership.

  Oversight Member  

  • Must be an Academic Senate member. 
    • Adjunct faculty and CE Specialists are considered Senate members for committee membership.
  • Must not hold an appointment in the student's academic unit or graduate group (A cooperating faculty member from the student’s department cannot be an oversight member). 
  • The purpose of this member is primarily to monitor the fairness of the exam itself. Additionally, the oversight member may enhance the scholarship of the student and contribute to the academic benefits of the exam. 

  Procedure:  

  1. To nominate the Oral Qualifying Examination Committee, the appropriate petition should be submitted to the Graduate Division at least two weeks prior to the examination. The Nomination for Oral Qualifying Exam Committee petition can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing and approval process.
  3. Graduate Program Coordinators should review the student's degree audit in Degree Works prior to approving the petition.  
  4. Any completed departmental non-course requirements should be entered on SHANCRS in Banner. 
  5. If not done already for any completed non-course requirements that only Graduate Division may enter, official documentation showing completion must be submitted. Example: Written Qualifying Examination. 
  6. If applicable, the student's concentration should be entered on SGASTDN or SFAREGS in Banner. 
  7. If any nominee is not a member of the UC Academic Senate (or Adjunct faculty/CE Specialist), a curriculum vitae and a memo justifying the appointment from the Graduate Advisor or Department Chair must be submitted. 
  8. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
  9. It is the responsibility of the graduate program to ensure that the committee members are notified of their formal appointment and the date and time of the Oral Examination. It is also their responsibility to make sure that the Committee Chairperson receives a current copy of "Instructions for Chairperson of Doctoral Qualifying Committee" supplied by the Graduate Division. The instructions are to be conveyed to the entire committee by the Chair. 

  Procedure to Change the Oral Qualifying Examination Committee:  

  1. If a change needs to be made to a student’s approved Oral Qualifying Examination Committee, a new Nomination Form (via R'grad) should be submitted as soon as possible. 
  2. If the Committee Chairperson is being changed, the Graduate Advisor must provide memo of explanation in the OQE Nomination Form using the Documents tab in the R'Grad petition.
  3. Graduate Program Coordinators should make Graduate Division staff aware of any changes made to the Oral Qualifying Examination Committee to ensure that the revised committee is formally appointed before the exam takes place. 
• Report on Qualifying Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy & Nomination of Dissertation Committee

  Deadline: The Report on Qualifying Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy & Nomination of Dissertation Committee must be submitted via R'Grad within 48 hours of the Oral Qualifying Examination taking place. 

  Regulations: 

  • If a student has failed the qualifying examination, the committee should make a recommendation for or against a second examination.  
    • A second examination should ordinarily not to be given until at least three months have elapsed. 
    • The date of the second oral examination should be communicated to the Graduate Division in writing at least two weeks prior to its occurrence. 
    • A third examination is not permitted.  
  • A committee report that contains only one negative vote will be deemed a pass. 
  • A committee report that contains two or more negative votes will be considered a failure. 
  • See regulations here

  Procedure for Passed Exam: 

  1. The findings of the Oral Qualifying Examination Committee must be reported within 48 hours on the Report of Qualifying Examination via R'Grad.
  2. The Report of Qualifying Examination form can be found on R'Grad. 
  3. The form should be completed as follows:  
     • The exact date of the Oral Qualifying Examinations must be provided. 
     • Each committee member must indicate whether or not they approve the student’s exam.  
     • The student’s dissertation committee must be nominated on the form.
     • The approval of the Graduate Advisor (not the student’s faculty advisor) is required, verifying the proposed Dissertation Committee. 
     • Regulations for committee membership may be found under The Dissertation Committee, below. 
  4. The completed form is routed to the Graduate Division via R'Grad. 
  5. Once the Graduate Division reviews the form and the student's degree audit, the student and Graduate Program Coordinator will be notified by email regarding advancement to candidacy. 

  Procedure for Failed Exam: 

  1. Procedure is the same as above, with the following exceptions:  

     • The Committee Chairperson must also indicate whether or not a second attempt at the Oral Qualifying Examination is recommended.

• The Dissertation Committee

  Regulations for Dissertation Committees: 

  • General  
    • See regulations here
    • Dissertation Committees are appointed by and responsible to the Graduate Council through the Dean of the Graduate Division. 
    • The Dissertation Committee is charged with guiding the student's research and passing judgment on the final merits of their dissertation. 

    • The committee arranges conferences with the candidate as are necessary for the development and elucidation of the research treated in the dissertation. 

  • Membership  
    • Overall Committee  
      • Must consist of at least 3 members.
      • A majority of committee members must be Academic Senate members from the student's graduate program. 
      • For committee purposes, adjunct faculty and CE Specialists are recognized as equal to UC Academic Senate members and can participate as the Chairperson or Co-Chairperson with no additional justification or review. 
      • All committee members should normally be voting members of the UC Academic Senate.  
        • Any exceptions must be accompanied by the nominee's CV and justification from the graduate advisor. The request will be evaluated by the Graduate Division based on the nominee having comparable education and experience to a UC Academic Senate member and that no other UCR senate faculty has the same knowledge.
      • To avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest, when domestic partners or spouses are a majority of the faculty overseeing a dissertation, another faculty member will be added to that committee for a total of 4 members. 
    • Chairperson/Co-Chairperson
      • Expected to be Academic Senate members from the student's graduate program. If this is not feasible, they must at minimum be a UCR employee. 
        • Adjunct faculty and CE Specialists are considered Senate members for committee membership.

  Procedure to Nominate the Dissertation Committee:

  1.  The committee is initially nominated using the Report on Qualifying Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy & Nomination of Dissertation Committee via R'Grad at the time that the Oral Qualifying Exam results are reported.

  • Students are asked to nominate the entire committee at the time of advancement.
  • If the entire committee is not known, advancement will be processed with nomination of only the chairperson. 
  • If only the chairperson is nominated, then a hold will be placed on the student's enrollment for the following quarter.
  • The student must nominate the remainder of the dissertation committee in order for the hold to be released.

  2. If a change to the committee becomes necessary, the procedure below must be followed for the change to be reported to Graduate Academic Affairs.

  Procedure to Change the Dissertation Committee: 

  1. In order to change an approved Dissertation Committee, the Dissertation/Thesis Committee Nomination/Change Form must be submitted.

  • The form can be found on R'Grad. 
  • Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.

  2. A memo of explanation/support from the Graduate Advisor may also be required.  

  • If members are being added no memo is needed. 
  • If members are being deleted because they have left UCR, indication is needed on the form. 
  • If members are being removed for other reasons, information from the Graduate Advisor is required.  
    • The information should explain the reason for the change and confirm that any member being removed is aware and in agreement with being removed. 

  3. Changes should be received in the Graduate Division no later than two weeks before the final defense.  

  • If the change is being made within two weeks of the final defense, the student or Graduate Program Coordinator must contact Graduate Division Graduate Academic Affairs to alert them of the change.
• Advancement to Candidacy

  Deadline: 

  • Doctoral students should complete their Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations and advance to candidacy in the first four years of their Ph.D. study. 
  • Non-Resident students must complete their Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations and advance to candidacy by the first day of instruction in order to qualify for a 100% reduction in Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) for that quarter. The NRST reduction applies to 9-quarters only. 
    • Students may qualify for 3 additional quarters NRST reduction if they meet certain requirements.  

  Regulations: 

  • Before being advanced to candidacy, the student must complete all University and program requirements (except for completion of the dissertation and its final oral defense, and certain seminar and teaching requirements) and then pass a series of Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations. 
  • Candidacy for the Ph.D. will lapse if the student fails to continue enrollment, unless the Dean of the Graduate Division approves otherwise.  

    • Upon readmission the Graduate Division will discuss with the department whether the student should be re-admitted in-candidacy or should repeat their exams and be held to new catalog requirements. ​​​​

  • The Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) charge for graduate doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy is reduced by 100%. A graduate doctoral student may receive the reduced NRST rate for a maximum of three years. Any such student who continues enrollment thereafter, or who re-enrolls after receiving the reduced charge for three years, will be charged the full NRST rate that is in effect at the time. The clock does not stop on reduced NRST if a student takes a leave of absence or withdraws from the University. 

  Procedure: 

  1. After all paperwork and necessary degree requirements have been completed, the student will be billed the Candidacy Fee and notified of formal advancement to candidacy by email.

  2. Verification of necessary requirements can be viewed on the student's degree audit in R'Web.

• Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) 9-Qtr Reduction After Advancement

  Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) Reduction Extension Requests

  After advancement to candidacy, non-resident PhD students automatically receive a 9-quarter 100% reduction of the NRST fee. Quarters spent remote learning count towards the 9-quarter limit.

  The Graduate Division has received approval from campus administration to allow graduate students up to 12 quarters of reduced NRST after advancement to candidacy. In order to verify and track requests, we've developed this procedure for students to apply.

  Criteria:

  1. Students requesting the reduction must fall into one of two categories:

  • Have entered the PHD program in cohorts between Fall 2014 and Fall 2019 for programs with a 6 year normative time* OR
  • Have entered the PhD program in cohorts between Fall 2015 and Fall 2019 for programs with a 5 year normative time*.

  *normative time for a program can be found in the General Catalog

  2. Students must be at least in their 9th quarter after advancement to candidacy to request the initial extension for the 10th quarter.

   

  Procedure:

  • The request is initiated via R'Grad. The petition will then route for review.
  • All requests will be reviewed to confirm they meet the criteria outlined above by the Director of Academic Affairs.
  • If the request is eligible for the reduction, student fees will be adjusted to eliminate the NRST for the requested quarter.
  • Extensions will only be permitted one quarter at a time, meaning they can only be requested in the quarter prior to the quarter the reduction is needed. Students must request the extension each quarter it is needed. Multiple quarters of reduction will not be permitted in one request.
  • Deadlines - the deadline to apply for the reduction in the next quarter is:
    • Fall - September 1st
    • Winter - December 1st
    • Spring - March 1st
• Report of Final Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Final Defense)

  Deadline: The final examination (final defense) must be successfully completed by the last day of the quarter in which the student intends to graduate. 

  Regulations:  

  • The Dissertation Committee supervises a final examination, the focus of which is the content of the doctoral dissertation. 
  • Under unusual circumstances, the exam may be waived with the unanimous consent of the committee and the approval of the Graduate Dean. 
  • The final examination may be given either just prior to the completion of the dissertation or after the acceptance of the dissertation.
  • The final examination must occur while the student is in residence during a regular academic session, either enrolled in units or on filing fee.
  • The final examination is open to all members of the academic community and the general public. 
  • Administration of the final examination is subject to the policies of the Graduate Council governing critical examinations. 
  • Faculty may indicate that a student has passed the defense of their dissertation “with revisions.”  
    • Should the committee choose this option, the student must be notified that they have 120 days from the defense of the dissertation to successfully complete revisions and file the dissertation.
    • The student must still be in residence during a regular academic session, either enrolled in units or on filing fee, during the quarter of planned graduation.
    • Students who fail to file within 120 days must seek an exception to file from the Graduate Division; exceptions must be supported by the Graduate Advisor and all members of the dissertation committee. 

  Final Defense Modality:

  • The final defense modality options (in-person, hybrid, remote) are specific to the program. Information can be found in the general catalog or student handbook.
  • If a program approves a final defense can be conducted remotely, committees may use Zoom or other video conference options.
  • The Committee Chairperson may provide space or technical support on campus for the student to complete their final defense.
  • Final Defense presentations, even when remote, are "open to the academic community and the general public."

  Proxy:  

  • In the event that one member of the Dissertation Committee cannot attend the final defense:  
    • The Committee Chairperson may appoint an Academic Senate member from the student's department to attend for the absent member.  
      • If this happens, please notify the Graduate Division first. Explain which member will not be attending and who will proxy in their place. 
      • The committee membership does not officially change. The original dissertation committee members sign the signature page (via R'Grad) approving the final version of the dissertation. 

  Procedure:  

  1. The results of the Final Examination are reported on the Report of Final Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Final Defense). 
  2. The form can be found on R'Grad. 
  3. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  4. The form should be completed as follows:  
     • The date of the examination must be provided. 
     • Each committee member must confirm if the student passed the exam, passed with revisions, or if the exam is being waived.  
  5. The completed and signed form is forwarded to the Graduate Division via R'Grad. 
  6. The student and the program advisor will receive an email once a the final defense is approved.
  7. Student may confirm completion of all graduation requirements by viewing their Degree Audit in R'Web.
     • Graduation deadlines can be found HERE.
• Graduation

  Regulations: 

  • In addition to advancing to candidacy and completing all degree requirements by the deadline, ALL students must submit an Application to Graduate through R’Web by Monday of week 4* of the quarter in which they plan to graduate. Please see the Graduation Procedures page for specific deadlines and instructions.
    
    *This date is determined by using the Registrar's Calendar https://registrar.ucr.edu/calendar. 

The Candidate in Philosophy Degree

• Regulations, Minimum Requirements

  Applications for the Candidate in Philosophy must be made through the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies with the recommendation of the graduate program concerned. A Ph.D. student who is advanced to candidacy and has to leave UCR without a degree may apply for the Candidate in Philosophy. This is awarded only to students leaving UCR without a master's or doctoral degree. 

• Graduation

  In addition to requesting the degree, ALL students must submit an Application to Graduate through R'Web by Monday of week 4* of the quarter in which they plan to graduate. Please see the Graduation Procedures page for specific deadlines and instructions.
  
  *This date is determined by using the Registrar's Calendar https://registrar.ucr.edu/calendar. 

Curriculum Change (Catalog Year/Degree Objective/Major)

• Change in Catalog Year

  Deadline: First day of instruction for the quarter the change is needed.

  Regulations:

  To be awarded a graduate degree, students must either 1) meet degree requirements of the UCR catalog in effect the year they entered the program; or 2) fulfill degree requirements from one UCR catalog applicable during any of the subsequent years in which the student was enrolled full-time for at least one quarter.

  Changing the catalog year will update the requirements that display on the degree audit. Before making an official change, students should use the "What-If" function in the audit to determine what impact it will have on degree requirements.

  Procedure:

  1. The Catalog Year Change petition can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
• Change in Degree Objective: PhD to Master's

  Deadline: The Petition to Change Degree Objective (to change from PhD to Master's) must be submitted by the first day of instruction of the quarter in which the student wishes their degree objective to be changed. 

  Procedure: 

  1. The Degree Objective Change from PhD to Master's petition can be found on R'Grad. 
  2. Once submitted by the student, the petition will go through an electronic routing process.
  3. The student will receive an email once a decision is made.
• Change in Degree Objective: Master's to PhD

  Deadline:  

  • Fall Quarter: September 1 
  • Winter Quarter: November 1 
  • Spring Quarter: March 1 

  Regulations: 

  • Students admitted to a master's degree program in fall 2018 or later may be eligible for fellowship funding.  Students should check with their program coordinator or graduate advisor for details. 
  • International students will need to provide proof of financial support in order to be eligible for an updated I-20. 

  Procedure: 

  1. In order to change from master's to PhD within the same major, students must submit the online application for admission found here. Official transcripts and GRE scores are not required, as the Graduate Division should already have these on file. 
  2. At least a 3.2 cumulative GPA is required.
     • If the student's GPA is less than 3.2, the Graduate Advisor must provide justification for admission to the PhD.
     • If the student is international, proof of financial support for one academic year must be provided according to the guidelines for international student admission.  Support may be a combination of fellowship, departmental funds, employment and money from the student.
  3. Students who are not being considered for fellowship funding may have the application fee waived.
  4. Visit our application instructions for deadlines, and contact information.  
  5. All institutions attended since high school must be listed. 
  6. The Statement of Purpose must be provided explaining why the student wishes to change to the new degree objective. 
  7. A minimum of one letter of recommendation relevant to the program must be provided (most likely from the Graduate Advisor or the potential PhD Advisor).  
  8. Once the application is submitted the program will review the request and forward it to the Graduate Division. 
  9. If the request is approved, the student will be sent an offer of admission.
• Change or Add Major

  Deadline:  

  • Summer Quarter: June 1
  • Fall Quarter: August 1 
  • Winter Quarter: November 1
  • Spring Quarter: February 1  

  Regulations: 

  • Any financial support that a student has received for their current major will not automatically apply to the new major. 
  • International students will need to provide proof of financial support. 

   

  Procedure: 

  1. In order to change or add a major, students must submit the online application for admission found here. Official transcripts and GRE scores are not required, as the Graduate Division should already have these on file. 
  2. Visit our application instructions for deadlines, and contact information.  
  3. All institutions attended since high school must be listed. 
  4. The Statement of Purpose must be provided explaining why the student wishes to change or add the program. 
  5. A minimum of one letter of recommendation relevant to the program the student wants to add or change to must be provided.  
     • Letters of recommendation used for the program the student is currently in may not be used. 
     • Individual programs may require additional letters of recommendation. 
  6. Once the application is submitted the program will review the request and forward it to the Graduate Division. 
  7. If the request is approved, the student will be sent an offer of admission.

Designated Emphasis  

• Completing a Designated Emphasis

  Regulations: 

  • Some Designated Emphasis (DE) programs allow double counting of units between the DE. and the PhD while others do not. Check the specific DE to confirm. 
  • Only PhD students may apply for a DE. Students in a terminal Master's program are not eligible. 

   

  Procedure: 

  1. The student should meet with the DE Director to review the requirements determine how they will impact their program of study and to become familiar with how to receive advising for the DE.  The regulations for the specific DE programs and the application forms are available on the Graduate Division website.
  2. The student completes the form.
  3. Once the requirements are complete, the student acquires a signature from the director of the DE.
  4. Submit the form to Graduate Academic Affairs. 
  5. The DE notation will appear as text on the student's transcript.
• Proposing a Designated Emphasis

  Deadline: Academic Senate sets deadlines for Graduate Council agenda items. 

  Procedure: A "how to" guide on writing a D.E. proposal can be found a here.

• Substitution Requests

  Regulations:

  • Any substitutions must be approved by the Designated Emphasis (DE) Program Director as well as the Graduate Dean.
  • 200-level requirements may not be substituted with lower-division coursework.

  Procedure:

  1. The student and the DE Program Director should discuss the substitution prior to the student enrolling in the class.
  2. The student submits the substitution request via R'Grad.
  2. The DE Program Director writes a memo of justification for the substitution and submits it to Graduate Academic Affairs via email.
           Amanda.Wong@ucr.edu (last names A-K)
           Trina.Elerts@ucr.edu (last names L-T) or
           Gabriela.Ochoa@ucr.edu (last names U-Z)
  3. Graduate Academic Affairs will communicate with the student and the DE Program Director regarding approval.

Acceptable Progress and Academic Disqualification 

• Academic Disqualification

  Regulations: 

  • According to Academic Senate regulations, disqualification is at the discretion of the Dean of the Graduate Division. 
  • To assure that a decision to disqualify a student from an academic program is just, certain basic "due process” requirements should be met.  
    • Rules and regulations for each program for pursuing a graduate degree in that academic area (which have been approved by the Graduate Council) should be clearly stated and made known to all students in the program. 
    • Academic standards should be applied uniformly. 
    • A program may modify its rules and regulations at any time with the approval of the Graduate Council so as to improve its offering and to exercise properly its educational responsibilities. However, students should be promptly informed of such modifications and allowed, whenever feasible, to complete work under standards operative at the time of their initial enrollment in the program. 
    • Grades should accurately reflect a student's performance in each course. 
    • Attempts should be made as early as possible to discover when students lack the academic qualifications needed to complete their degree program. 
    • Students should be given early written notice of unsatisfactory academic progress and a reasonable period of time in which to make-up all deficiencies. 

  Procedure to Notify of Disqualification:  

  1. Upon recommendation of academic disqualification by the graduate program, the student's academic record is reviewed carefully by the Dean of the Graduate Division, in consultation with the student's Graduate Advisor. 

  2. Unless there are indications of procedural error or other substantive mitigating factors to explain the student's record, the Graduate Dean will notify the student of the disqualification.  

  After Disqualification:  

  1. If disqualification of a student has been recommended and the student wishes to further discuss the decision, a conference with the Department Chair or Graduate Adviser is encouraged. 

  2. If appropriate, a meeting between the student and the Dean of the Graduate Division, may follow this. 

  3. Depending upon the substance and outcome of that meeting, a decision will be made as to whether additional steps should be completed prior to formal disqualification. 

• Academic Evaluation and Review

  Regulations: 

  • An overall written evaluation of each student's academic progress must be done by the program graduate advisor at least once each academic year. This should include a brief review of the student's work to date, with particular attention to the period since the last report. This report should address academic objectives for the next period. The Graduate Division and the student should receive copies of this report.

  • Graduate Council policy requires that each graduate program be responsible for annual written evaluations of all of its students. This policy was enacted to help establish good communication between faculty and students, ensure the timely completion of degree objectives, and help avoid problems resulting from misunderstandings about rules, procedures and academic expectations within graduate programs. These reviews should be coordinated by the graduate advisor in each program acting with the assistance of a graduate committee or, in smaller departments, by the faculty as a whole, rather than by the graduate advisor alone, or the student's research director alone. This evaluation should address not only the quality of the student's (1) course work, (2) research, and (3) teaching (if applicable), but also their progress in completing necessary examinations (area, core field, language, comprehensive, and qualifying, as applicable) in a satisfactory and timely manner. It is useful to also include discussion of any unusual problems which an individual student is experiencing (i.e., problems with research techniques or scholastic difficulties and the prognosis for overcoming them, warning if students are taking overly long in attaining their educational goals, personal problems affecting the student's work, problems created by outside occupational demands, etc.). Additionally, this would be an appropriate place to congratulate students on accomplishments and honors received by them during the year.

• Timetable

  Deadlines: 

  • Fall Quarter: September 1st 
  • Winter Quarter: December 1st 

  • Spring Quarter: March 1st 

  Regulations: 

  1. Permission for continued registration will be withheld (i.e., blocked) for students considered to be making unacceptable academic progress. 
  2. When students have reached the end of acceptable progress limits (i.e., their program's normative time plus one year) the Graduate Division requires a calendar outlining the timetable to completion of the dissertation/thesis and degree. 
  3. A timetable is also required from students in the PhD program who have been a student for 12 quarters but have not advanced to candidacy. 

  Procedure:  

  1. Students will receive notification from the Graduate Division if their registration has been blocked and a timetable is required. 

  2. The appropriate timetable is accessed on R'Grad. 

  3. There are different timetables for different situations, so the student should read carefully and complete the form that applies to them. 

  4. The timetable must be completed, with all required information provided. 

  5. The form is routed via R'Grad for electronic signatures and comments from the Graduate Advisor and the student’s major advisor and then routed to the Graduate Division Academic Affairs office.

  6. Once the Graduate Division reviews the timetable, the student and graduate program coordinator will be notified by email via R'Grad.

• Standards of Scholarship and Disqualification

  Regulations: 

  • Graduate students are expected to make satisfactory progress toward an approved academic objective, as defined by the faculty of their program in accordance with the policies of the Graduate Council and to maintain a satisfactory grade point average for all work undertaken while enrolled as a graduate student. 
  • Satisfactory progress is determined on the basis of both the recent academic record and overall performance. 
  • Normally graduate students are expected to enroll for at least twelve units (unless on an approved leave or on Filing Fee Status), and satisfy all requirements of the academic program according to an approved schedule. 
  • A graduate student who has not demonstrated satisfactory progress is not eligible for any academic appointment, such as Reader, Graduate Student Researcher, or Teaching Assistant, and may not hold a fellowship or other award that is based upon academic merit. 
  • Students are considered to be making unacceptable progress are and become subject to dismissal when:  
    1. Cumulative grade point average falls below the required level of 3.0 at any time or
    2. Quarterly GPA in two consecutive terms fall below 3.0, even if the cumulative GPA remains above 3.0 or 
    3. Fail to make progress in research for two consecutive quarters resulting in NC grades in research units or 
    4. Program requirements such as exams or research are not fulfilled in a timely or satisfactory manner or  
    5. Fail to pass critical exams (including comprehensive or qualifying exams) in two attempts or  
    6. Does not have a faculty advisor to supervise research in accordance with the standard of practice in the student's program or  
    7. PhD students not advanced to candidacy by their 15th quarter or any student not having completed all degree requirements within one year beyond normative time
  • After consultation with the appropriate department or graduate group, the Dean of the Graduate Division will notify students who become subject to dismissal of actions taken.  
  • See regulations here

  Procedure for Notifying Student of Unsatisfactory Progress:  

  1. If a student is not making acceptable progress, it is important that they be notified of this as early as possible. 
  2. All such notices should be in writing to the student, with a copy retained in the academic unit files and a copy sent to the Graduate Dean. 

  Action Taken by Graduate Division:  

  1. If the student is experiencing scholastic difficulties, such as a GPA below 3.0 or NC grades in research, the Graduate Dean sends a notice of unsatisfactory progress and may place a registration hold for future quarters. Students in this situation may no longer be eligible for academic student employment, such as TA or GSR. 
  2. If a student is taking overly long to complete their degree requirements, one year beyond normative time to advancement or completion, they will be asked to complete a timetable outlining their plans to advance to candidacy or complete the program. Students may no longer be eligible for academic student employment, such as TA or GSR, if they are beyond normative time.   
  3. If a student does not have an advisor, they are typically given one quarter to find a new advisor before being subject to disqualification. 
  4. If the Graduate Advisor is of the opinion that there are extenuating circumstances, which warrant an exception being made for an individual student, or if the student shows significant improvement in their academic record, the Advisor may make a written recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate Division to permit the student to continue with scholastic deficiencies. 
     • If in the ensuing quarter(s) it is the Graduate Advisor's opinion that improvement in the record is unlikely, or that the student is unable to meet the requirements for a degree, then the Graduate Advisor should encourage the student to withdraw from the University rather than face possible disqualification. 

Academic Integrity, Appeal Procedures, and Dispute Resolution

• Academic Integrity

  Principles of Academic Integrity: 

  At the University of California, Riverside (UCR) honesty and integrity are fundamental values that guide and inform us as individuals and as a community. The culture of academia requires that each student take responsibility for learning and for products that reflect their intellectual potential, curiosity, and capability. Students must represent themselves truthfully; claim only work that is their own; acknowledge their use of others' words, research results, and ideas, using the methods accepted by the appropriate academic disciplines; and engage honestly in all academic assignments. Anything less than total commitment to honesty circumvents the contract for intellectual enrichment that students have with the University to become an educated person; undermines the efforts of the entire academic community; and diminishes the value of an education for everyone, especially for the person who cheats. Both students and faculty are responsible for ensuring the academic integrity of the University.

 

  Misunderstanding of appropriate academic conduct will not be accepted as an excuse for academic misconduct. If a student is in doubt about appropriate academic conduct in a particular situation, he or she should consult with the instructor in the course to avoid the serious charge of academic misconduct. 

  Types of Academic Misconduct:  

  The following provides definitions of academic misconduct to assist students in developing an understanding of the University's expectations, while recognizing that no set of written guidelines can anticipate all types and degrees of violations of academic integrity. To the extent that these definitions are not exhaustive, duly appointed representatives of the University will judge each case according to its merits.

 If a referral requires further expertise, additional appropriate representatives may be designated to review. 

  Types of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to: 

  Cheating. Fraud, deceit, or dishonesty in an academic assignment, or using or attempting to use materials, or assisting others in using materials that are prohibited or inappropriate in the context of the academic assignment or capstone in question.

  Fabrication. In the context of student academic misconduct, fabrication includes making up data or results and recording or reporting them, such as laboratory or field research results completed in courses or academic projects.

  Falsification. In the context of student academic misconduct, falsification is manipulating data or results within an academic assignment so the student's work is not accurately represented. This also includes falsifying academic or university documents and providing false information or testimony in connection with any investigation or hearing under this policy. 

  Plagiarism. In the context of student academic misconduct, plagiarism is the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit. This includes the copying of language, structure, or ideas of another and attributing (explicitly or implicitly) the work to one's own efforts. Plagiarism means using another's work without giving credit.

 

  Facilitating Academic Misconduct. Assisting others in any form of academic misconduct, such as taking an exam or providing coursework for other student(s) to submit as their own effort.

  Unauthorized collaboration. Working with others without the specific permission of the instructor on assignments that will be submitted for a grade. This includes, but is not limited to, in-class or take-home tests, papers, labs, or homework assignments. Students may not collaborate without faculty authorization.

 

  Interference or sabotage. Damaging, removing, or otherwise harming another student's work. This includes interfering with university materials or systems that affect the academic performance of others.

 

  Research Non-Compliance. Failure to comply with research regulations such as those applying to human subjects, laboratory animals, intellectual property, licensing, and standards of safety, or any significant departure from accepted practices of the relevant research community.

  Retaliation. Any type of retaliation against a person who reported or provided information about suspected or alleged misconduct and who has not acted in bad faith.

  For more on the types of academic integrity, please see the academic senate's definitions. 

   

  Procedures to be Used in Cases of Suspected Academic Misconduct:  

  If a faculty member suspects that an act of academic misconduct has occurred, the faculty member must promptly communicate with the student regarding the allegation and the information upon which it is based; the notification process must occur within 28 calendar days from the discovery of the alleged act. The faculty member may make a request for an extension of time through the Associate Dean for Graduate Academic Affairs. If the discovery is made by a student, teaching assistant, reader, grader, or tutor, that individual should immediately communicate with the faculty member in charge of the course so that the faculty member can proceed with the investigation.

  Once the faculty member has determined that it is more likely than not that the student committed an act of academic misconduct, the case will be forwarded to the Associate Graduate Dean for Academic Affairs to begin initial administrative review. The Graduate Academic Integrity Referral Form must be submitted.

  Details about this process are outlined in the Academic Senate regulations. These regulations should be closely followed for all potential Academic Integrity violations. A flowchart of the process is also available. 

  Last update to AI regulations - December 2022

• Appeal Procedures for Graduate Students

  Appeal Procedures for Graduate Students

   

  1. Purpose and Scope

  The purpose of these procedures is to afford all continuing, former, and returning graduate students of UCR an opportunity to appeal academic or administrative decisions that impact their academic progress.

  Decisions originating at the program level, such as adverse outcomes on critical exams (e.g., comprehensive exams, written and oral qualifying exams, final defense), dissertation/thesis acceptability, change of major or degree objective, disqualification from graduate standing, placement on probationary status, denial of readmission to the same program (if the student was previously in good standing), revocation of campus fellowships, and other administrative or academic decisions that terminate or otherwise impede progress toward academic or professional degrees can be appealed using these procedures (Section 3).

  Decisions originating at the Graduate Division level including matters pertaining to the formal requirements for advancement to candidacy (e.g., nullifying qualifying exams and composition of committees for higher degrees), the awarding of higher degrees (e.g., degree revocation), or procedural issues, can also be appealed using these procedures (Section 5).

  This procedure is provided for students who file an appeal within the given time frames. All time frames are defined in terms of calendar days, excluding campus holidays and summer session, starting the day the student either knew or reasonably should have known of the actions leading to the appeal. The Dean of the Graduate Division may extend time frames for good cause upon notice to all parties involved in the appeal. A student may bring an appeal individually or may file an appeal jointly with other students when each claims injury as a result of the same alleged action(s).

  The scope of this procedure is limited to the matters listed above. Examples of actions not covered by this process include, but are not limited to, appeals regarding denial of admission, student records, grades in courses of instruction, academic integrity, accommodation for disabilities, student employment, student conduct and discipline, auxiliary student services (such as housing, child care, etc.), and whistleblower complaints. This procedure may not be used to appeal any alleged action or inaction by the School of Medicine (except for MS or PHD granting programs) or University Extension.

  Access to Academic Records and Evaluation Review: Pursuant to FERPA requirements, students are entitled to timely access to academic records stored in their academic file. In addition to access to their academic record, students may request that the relevant faculty members review qualifying examination or other evaluation outcomes with them, if such review was not provided as part of the exam or evaluation process.

  A. Appeal at the Program Level

  When an appeal centers on program actions, a student must first exhaust program level review procedures described in Section 3 of this document. In this procedure, "program" refers to degree granting programs at UCR, including academic departments that are subject to Graduate Division oversight, and only to those programs.

  B. Appeal of a Program Level Decision to Graduate Division

  This procedure governs the Graduate Division review of decisions made at the program level, regarding appeals of actions originating in a program.

  C. Appeal of a Graduate Division Level Decision to Graduate Council

  When an appeal centers on actions originating in the Graduate Division, a student must submit the appeal to the Graduate Council of the UCR Academic Senate.

   

  2. Grounds for Formal Appeal

  A formal appeal may only be brought if it is based on one or more of the following grounds:

  A. Evidence of procedural error or violation of official policy committed by academic or administrative personnel;

  B. Evidence of non-academic criteria being used to evaluate academic work, including, but not limited to, discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age medical condition, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a veteran;

  C. Evidence of special mitigating circumstances beyond the student's control (such as documented severe illness to self or immediate family, or death in the family) not properly taken into account in a decision affecting the student's academic progress. In order to seek relief under "special mitigating circumstances," the student must have raised the issue with the program contemporaneously with the mitigating circumstances, or as soon as possible and no later. For example, if a documented medical condition impairs the student's ability to pass an exam, the student must notify the exam committee prior to the exam's administration.

   

  3. Appeal at the Program Level

  These procedures include informal and formal resolution processes for appeals regarding actions originating within the student's department or graduate program. Students must first attempt an informal resolution at the program level, described below in Section 3A. Copies of program level appeal resolution procedures may be published in a Graduate Student Handbook, on the program's website, or obtained from the Chair or Graduate Advisor in each unit. If a mutually satisfactory informal resolution cannot be reached, a program level formal appeal may be initiated, described below in Section 3B. Note that most actions related to a student's academic progress originate in the graduate program, not in the Graduate Division. For example, if a student is academically disqualified by the Graduate Division, the department or graduate program initiates this action.

  A. Informal Resolution

  As a first step in this appeal procedure, students are strongly encouraged to pursue informal resolution of disputes over academic decisions before moving to a formal appeal. Informal resolution involves further communication among the affected parties (e.g., a student and the chair of the exam committee), perhaps in the presence of a third party if desired. Absent an informal resolutions, a formal appeal must be initiated in writing.

  B. Formal Appeal Initiation

  The following formal appeal procedure defines what constitutes a valid appeal and outlines rules for submission.

  • The formal appeal should be addressed in writing to the Graduate Advisor. Alternatively, if there is a conflict of interest, the appeal may be addressed to the Department Chair or Program Director. If a conflict of interest remains, the appellant may request the Graduate Division appoint a "Designee" to accept the appeal instead.
  • Formal appeals must be initiated by a written statement indicating  the action(s) being appealed and the date(s) the action(s) occurred, the grounds upon which the appeal is based (Section 2), and the relief requested. It may also include any supporting documentation and any background information that the student deems pertinent to the case.
  • The appeal must be initiated within 21 calendar days from the day the student knew or reasonably should have known about the action generating the appeal or within 21 days of the notification of the result of the informal resolution process.

  C. Investigation and Record Keeping of the Formal Appeal

  I. Determining Validity

  The Graduate Advisor or Designee shall determine the validity of an appeal with respect to whether it meets the criteria described in Section 2.

  If validity cannot be determined based on the original appeal, the Graduate Advisor shall 1) request additional material be provided by the appellant and 2) forward the original appeal to the other individual(s) involved and ask them to provide written responses within 14 days of receipt, in order to make that determination.

  The appellant shall be notified as to the determination of validity within 21 days of the submission of an appeal.

  If the appeal is deemed valid, it will be forwarded to the Faculty Hearing Panel and begin the procedures in Section 3C-II.

  If the appeal is deemed invalid, the appellant can appeal to the Graduate Division by following the Appeal of Program Decision procedures in Section 4.

  Failure of the Graduate Advisor or Designee to inform the appellant of the outcome as to the validity of the appeal within 21 days shall result in the referral of the appeal directly to the Graduate Division.

  II. Faculty Hearing Panel

  a. A panel of faculty appointed by the Graduate Advisor or Designee (such as the program's graduate committee) will serve as the Faculty Hearing Panel (hereafter referred to as the "Panel"). The Panel must have at least two members. Only faculty who were not involved in making the decision under appeal may sit on this panel. The Panel will make a decision on the merits of the appeal as well as a remedy, if any.

  b. The Panel will review the written appeal, responses from the individual(s) involved, and any other submitted materials; afford the opportunity for the affected parties to meet separately with the Panel; and make any appropriate efforts to interview witnesses or other parties and discover information relevant to the decisions.

  c. The Panel may not change an exam result, though it may deem the result invalid.

  d. The Panel will make a decision within 60 days of the initiation of the formal appeal. Failure of the Panel to do so shall result in referral of the appeal directly to the Graduate Division (Section 4).

  e. If the appeal is approved by the Panel, Graduate Division will ensure the prompt corrective action is taken. A written summary of the appeal and the conclusions reached will be kept in the student's academic file.

  f. If the appeal is not approved by the Panel, refer to Section 4 for Appeal of Program Decision to the Graduate Division.

  g. Notice to Parties: The appellant and any individual(s) involved will be informed in writing of the outcome of the appeal and any corrective action.

  III. Standards of Review

  The standard of review to be employed by the Panel shall be the "clearly erroneous" standard. Under the clearly erroneous standard, academic outcomes will not be disturbed unless the Panel is left with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.

   

  4. Appeal of Program Decision to the Graduate Division

  A student may formally appeal the decision by the Panel (Section 3C-IIf) or the validity decision by the Graduate Advisor or Designee (Section 3C-I) to the Graduate Division. If the program is unable to make a timely decision, that shall result in the referral of the appeal directly to the Graduate Division (Section 3C-IId).

  A. Time Frames for Formal Appeal

  The formal written appeal must be received in the Office of the Dean of the Graduate Division within 21 days of the notification of the result of the Appeal at the Program Level decision. Appeals referred to the Graduate Division for lack of decision will be received from the program directly. The formal written appeal should generally be concluded within 60 days of the date it was received by the Office of the Dean of the Graduate Division.

  B. Content of a Formal Appeal

  Formal appeals must be initiated by a written statement indicating the action(s) being appealed and the date(s) the action(s) occurred, the grounds upon which the appeal is based, and the relief requested. The written statement may include a request for a personal appearance before the investigative officer, if desired, and notice to the Graduate Division if the student bringing the appeal will be represented by counsel or other representative. The written statement should also include a description of the results of the appeal at the program level, and any background information that the student deems pertinent to the case. All written material must be submitted prior to the time frames stated in Section 4A. Material submitted after that date might not be considered in the investigation, unless new material or information emerges that was not available prior to the deadline.

  C. Procedure for Processing a Formal Appeal

  The Dean of the Graduate Division may:

  • conduct the investigation and make a decision for final action; or,
  • assign an Associate Dean, an ad hoc committee, or another campus official to conduct the investigation and make a recommendation to the Dean for final action.

  The Graduate Division will notify the student regarding which individual or committee will be in charge of investigating the Formal Appeal within 14 days of the receipt of the written statement initiating the Formal Appeal.

  D. Investigation of a Formal Appeal

  Formal Appeals will be investigated according to the following procedures. The individual or committee in charge of the investigation will:

  I. consult with the appropriate campus compliance officer regarding all appeals that include allegations of discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex, race, national origin, color, age religion, sexual orientation, or disability (Section 6);

  II. forward a copy of the appeal to the individual(s) involved and ask them to provide written responses within 14 days of receipt (the written responses should include notice to the University if the respondents wish to be represented by counsel or other representative);

  III. forward a copy of the responses to the student bringing the appeal;

  IV. arrange for a personal appearance by the student if requested in the written statement initiating the appeal. The scope of the personal appearance shall be limited to matters that were raised by the written appeal or the responses that are within the jurisdiction of this procedure. The student shall be provided 14 days notice of the time and place of the personal appearance. If the student wishes to be represented by counsel or other representative, the student must notify in writing, at least 7 days prior to the date of the personal appearance. The notice should include the name, title of, and contact information for the counsel or representative. This notice will constitute an authorization to send the representative copies of relevant student records;

  V. obtain any other relevant information from other individuals or sources available, including arranging for personal appearances of witnesses as necessary;

  VI. prepare a written report setting forth the factual findings of the investigation, and either the final decision made, or the recommendation for the final decision to be made.

  E. Final Decision of a Formal Appeal

  The Dean of the Graduate Division will notify the student of the Formal Appeal decision within 60 days of the receipt of the written statement initiating the appeal. The decision is final.

  F. Standards of Review

  When reviewing the validity of an appeal, the standard of review to be employed by the Dean of the Graduate Division shall be under "abuse of discretion" standard. Under this standard, determinations regarding appeal validity will not be reversed unless the Dean of the Graduate Division determines that there was an error in judgement by the Graduate Advisor or Designee, and therefore, there was no reasonable basis for the decision.

  When reviewing the determination of the Faculty Hearing Panel, the standard of review to be employed by the Dean of the Graduate Division shall be under an "arbitrary and capricious" standard. Under the "arbitrary and capricious" standard, academic outcomes will not be disturbed unless the Dean of the Graduate Division determines that a previous determination is invalid because it was made on unreasonable grounds or without proper consideration of circumstances.

  G. Reconsideration

  I. Grounds

  Students may request reconsideration of a decision made by the Dean of the Graduate Division on the following grounds only:

  a. New evidence is discovered which was not available by duly diligent effort at the time the decisions was made, and which materially affects the outcome of the case; or,

  b. There is evidence that the Appeal Procedures for Graduate Students described herein were not followed and the failure to follow the procedures resulted in a decision adverse to the student.

  II. Procedure and Time Frame for Reconsideration

  Students must submit their request for reconsideration in writing to the Office of the Dean of the Graduate Division. The request must be received within 21 days following the date of the notification to the student of the final decision on the Formal Appeal. The Dean or Administrative Committee will notify the student of the final decision concerning the request for reconsideration within 21 days after the request is received.

   

  5. Appeal of Actions Originating Within the Graduate Division

  These procedures include informal and formal resolution processes for appeals regarding actions originating within the Graduate Division. Examples of such decisions can be found in Section 1. Students may first attempt an informal resolution with the Dean or Associate Dean of the Graduate Division, described below in Section 5A. If an informal resolution is not feasible, students may formally appeal to the Graduate Council.

  A. Informal Resolution

  For appeals regarding actions originating within the Graduate Division, the student is strongly encouraged to initiate informal resolution with the Dean or Associate Dean of the Graduate Division. Informal resolution involves further communication among the affected parties, perhaps in the presence of a third party if desired. If a mutually satisfactory resolution cannot be reached through informal means, the appeal may be brought under the Formal Appeal Procedures outlined in Section 5C.

  B. Time Frames for Formal Appeal

  The formal written appeal must be received by the Graduate Council within 21 days from the time the student knew or could reasonably be expected to have known of the action being appealed, or within 21 days of the notification of the result of the informal resolution process if the student attempted informal resolution through the Graduate Division.

  C. Formal Appeal

  I. Content of a Formal Appeal

  Formal appeals must be initiated by a written statement indicating the action(s) being appealed and the date(s) the action(s) occurred, the grounds upon which the appeal is based, and the relief requested. The written statement may include a request for a personal appearance before the investigative officer, if desired, and notice to the Graduate Council if the student bringing the appeal will be represented by counsel or other representative. The written statement should also include any background information that the student deems pertinent to the case. All written material must be submitted prior to the time frames stated in Section 5B. Material submitted after that date might not be considered in the investigation, unless it was not available prior to the deadline.

  II. Procedure for Processing a Formal Appeal

  For appeals regarding actions originating with the Graduate Division, the appeal will be referred to the Graduate Council for final action in all matters. The Chair of the Graduate Council, or designated member of the Council, will be in charge of the Council's investigation and final action. The Graduate Council will notify the student regarding which individual will be in charge of processing within 14 days of the receipt of the written statement initiating the Formal Appeal.

  III. Investigation of a Formal Appeal

  Formal Appeals will be investigated according to the following procedures. Nothing in these procedures shall be interpreted as precluding further attempts at informal resolution before a final decision is made.

  The individual or committee in charge of the investigation will:

  a. determine the validity of the appeal based on the criteria in Section 2.

  b. consult with the appropriate campus compliance officer regarding all appeals that include allegations of discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex, race, national origin, color, age religion, sexual orientation, or disability (Section 6);

  c. forward a copy of the appeal to the individual(s) involved and ask them to provide written responses within 14 days of receipt (the written responses should include notice to the University if the respondents wish to be represented by counsel or other representative);

  d. forward a copy of the responses to the student bringing the appeal;

  e. arrange for a personal appearance by the student if requested in the written statement initiating the appeal. The scope of the personal appearance shall be limited to matters that were raised by the written appeal or the responses that are within the jurisdiction of this procedure. The student shall be provided 14 days' notice of the time and place of the personal appearance. If the student wishes to be represented b counsel or other representative, the student must notify in writing, at least 7 days prior to the date of the personal appearance. The notice should include the name, title of, and contact information for the counsel or representative. This notice will constitute an authorization to send the representative copies of relevant student records;

  f. obtain any other relevant information from other individuals or sources available, including arranging for personal appearances of witnesses as necessary;

  g. prepare a written report setting forth the factual findings of the investigation, and either the final decision made, or the recommendation for the final decision to be made.

  IV. Final Decision of a Formal Appeal

  The Chair of the Graduate Council shall notify the student of the final decision on the Formal Appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the written statement initiating the appeal. Decisions by the Graduate Council are not, however, meant to limit the Dean of the Graduate Division's ability to take additional appropriate action with decanal authority (except in cases regarding actions originating with the Dean). For example, for a student whose failure on a qualifying examination had been upheld by the Graduate Council, the Dean could readmit the student or allow a change of major.

  V. Standards of Review

  When reviewing the determination of the Graduate Division, the standard of review to be employed by the Graduate Council shall be under an "arbitrary and capricious" standard. Under the "arbitrary and capricious" standard, academic outcomes will not be disturbed unless the Graduate Council determines that a previous determination is invalid because it was made on unreasonable grounds or without any proper consideration of circumstances.

  VI. Reconsideration

  a. Grounds - Students may request reconsideration of a decision made by the Dean of the Graduate Division or the Graduate Council on the following grounds only:

  • New evidence is discovered which was not available by duly diligent effort at the time the decision was made and which materially affects the outcome of the case; or,
  • There is evidence that the Appeal of Actions Origination Within the Graduate Division described herein were not followed and the failure to follow the procedures resulted in a decision adverse to the student.

  b. Procedure and Time Frame for Reconsideration - Students must submit their request for reconsideration in writing to the Graduate Council. The request must be received within 21 days following the date of the notification to the student of the final decision on the Formal Appeal. The Chair of the Graduate Council will notify the student of the final decision concerning the request for reconsideration within 21 days after the request is received.

   

  6. Other Complaints

  Academic Integrity - Academic Integrity disputes involving graduate students must be resolved using Academic Senate Bylaw 6.5.

  Affirmative Action - Consult the compliance office with any concerns.

  Age Discrimination - For disputes regarding age discrimination, contact the UCR Compliance Officer.

  Disability Discrimination - For disputes regarding disability discrimination, contact the ADA Compliance Coordinator in the Student Disability Resource Center.

  Employment - The Academic Personnel Office is charged with resolving disputes involving graduate student academic employment.

  Faculty Code of Conduct - For disputes regarding faculty conduct, students may contact the Academic Senate or the Vice Provost of Administrative Resolution.

  Grade Appeals - Grade disputes must be appealed under the Academic Senate Bylaw R5, Procedures for the Appeal of Grades.

  Ombuds - For other non-academic issues, the student may be referred to the campus Ombuds. The Office of the Ombuds can provide confidential, informational assistance, as a neutral party, toward the resolution of the problem.

  Sex Discrimination or Sexual Harassment Complaints - Students with appeals involving allegations of sex discrimination or sexual harassment which would otherwise fall under the jurisdiction of the Appeal Procedures for Graduate Students should attempt resolution under the UCR campus office for Title IX sex discrimination or sexual harassment complaints first. If the complainant is not satisfied with the resolution provided by the Title IX complaint resolution procedures, an appeal may proceed directly to the Formal Appeal Procedure outlined in Section 3B for program level appeals or Section 5C for Graduate Division level appeals. In such cases, any allegations of sexual harassment investigated under the Title IX procedure will not be re-investigated in the Formal Appeal. The individual or committee in charge of the Formal Appeal investigation will rely on the fact-finding report made pursuant to the Title IX sexual harassment complaint resolution procedure. All matters involving academic or administrative decisions that interfere with the graduate student's academic progress (Section 1) are under exclusive jurisdiction of the Appeal Procedures for Graduate Students. The formal written appeal must be received in the Office of the Dean of the Graduate Division within 21 days of the notification of the result of the sexual harassment complaint resolution process.

  Student Records, Information and Disclosure - Complaints regarding access to student records and for complaints alleging that student records are inaccurate, misleading, inappropriate or otherwise maintained in violation of student rights to privacy should be referred to the Registrar's Office.

  Whistleblower - For disputes regarding whistleblower complaints, including complaints for retaliation, visit the UCR Compliance website.

   

  7. Articulation with Other Campus Procedures

  All graduate student appeals that include allegations of interference with academic progress must be brought under the Graduate Appeals Procedure. Once a graduate student has brought an appeal under the Graduate Appeals Procedure, they may not bring the same appeal under any other campus appeal or grievance procedure, until there has been a determination on the Graduate Appeal that the situation is outside the scope of the Graduate Appeals Procedure.

  The only exception to this guideline is for complaints including allegations of sex discrimination or sexual harassment, which may be pursued through the Title IX office prior to initiating the Graduate Appeals Procedure.

  Graduate Students may have complaints regarding University actions that do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Graduate Appeals Procedure. If a graduate student brings a complaint under a procedure other than the Graduate Appeals procedure, and the complaint is investigated and a decision is made, an appeal regarding the same facts may not be brought again under the Graduate Appeals Procedure unless there are subsequent events that give rise to allegations of interference with academic progress, or unless the complaint was pursued through the Title IX office.

  For these limited situations where an appeal may be brought under the Graduate Appeals Procedure after it was brought under another campus complaint procedure, the issues investigated in the first procedure will not be re-investigated pursuant to the Graduate Appeals Procedure. Rather, the Graduate Appeals Procedure will provide a decision with regard to the allegations of interference with academic progress based on the factual findings of the prior procedure.

  Appeals brought under the Graduate Appeals Procedure may include allegations of serious misconduct by University students, staff, or faculty. Neither the Dean of the Graduate Division nor the Graduate Council has jurisdiction under these procedures to impose discipline in cases of alleged misconduct. In such cases, the aspects of the case that fall within this procedure will be resolved. Any allegations of student, staff, or faculty misconduct will be referred to the appropriate disciplinary procedure for investigation and action where warranted.

• Dispute Resolution

  Graduate students are strongly encouraged to resolve academic and TA/GSR employment problems directly and informally wherever possible. Successful dispute resolution requires clear and objective communication between the affected parties and good-faith efforts to establish common understanding and avoid subjective accusation. Unfortunately, some disputes cannot be resolved informally. In such cases, graduate students should follow the following procedures. 

  Employment Issues 

  Employment-related grievances* which cannot be resolved through informal discussion with the faculty member or administrator in charge should proceed in accordance with the appropriate university policy (note the timeliness provisions of these policies): 

  • Graduate students with academic appointments such as GSRs but not including TAs, Associate-Ins, Teaching Fellows, Readers, Tutors, and Remedial Tutors are covered by the UC Academic Personnel Manual Policy 140. 

  • Graduate students with academic appointments as TAs, Associate-Ins, Teaching Fellows, Readers, Tutors, and Remedial Tutors are covered by the ASE/UAW Contract Article 12. 

  • Most graduate students holding non-academic appointments on campus are covered by the UC Personnel Policies for Staff Members Article 70. 

  Graduate students who are uncertain which policy pertains to their employment-related grievance can contact the Office of Administrative Resolution for advice. 

  *A grievance is defined as a complaint by an eligible non-Senate academic appointee that meets the scope/definition set out in APM-140-4. 

  Academic Issues 

  Complaints involving academic or administrative decisions that interfere with the graduate student’s academic progress, such as adverse outcomes on qualifying exams, dismissal from graduate standing, placement on probationary status, denial of readmission to the same program (if the student was previously in good standing), disputes over joint authorship of research in accordance with joint authorship policies of campus departments or units, revocation of campus fellowships, and other administrative or academic decisions that terminate or otherwise impede progress toward academic or professional degree goals are dealt with using the Graduate Appeal Procedure approved by the Graduate Council. 

  The following are exceptions to the above: 

  • For disputes involving course grades, the procedure for Appeal of Grades should be followed. 

  • For academic integrity issues, students should consult with the Graduate Division. The Senate regulations on academic integrity will be used to resolve issues. 

  Other Issues 

  With the exception of Title IX/sexual harassment and student conduct issues that are addressed in the next section, other disputes arising from actions or inactions by faculty or administrators in graduate programs should also be handled first in an informal fashion, beginning with the faculty member(s) or administrator(s) involved, and then, if necessary, the Graduate Adviser or supervising administrator. If a satisfactory resolution cannot be achieved, the issue then should be taken to the student’s Department Chair or Program Director. If a student still remains unsatisfied, an appeal may be submitted to the Graduate Dean or, in cases involving the Faculty Code of Conduct, the Dean of the student’s school or college. 

  For students appealing to the Graduate Dean, the procedure closely follows that for academic issues. A written appeal must be received within 30 calendar days of the disputed (in)action and must be based upon: (i) procedural error; and/or (ii) personal bias or violation of the campus nondiscriminatory policy. Upon receipt of a valid appeal, the Graduate Dean will initiate an investigation of the claims stated in the written appeal. The student is entitled to a meeting with the Dean during this investigation. After consultation with the student, the student’s program, and any other relevant campus units, the Graduate Dean will rule on the appeal. Every reasonable effort will be made to notify the student of the ruling no later than 90 calendar days after the date of receipt of the original appeal. In reporting the final ruling, the Dean will communicate to the student and the student’s program the basis for the ruling and its effective date. The Dean’s ruling is final and cannot be appealed. 

  Additional Resources 

  Graduate students who are unsure about which procedure to follow or who have questions about the policies affecting their lives at UCR should first contact the Associate Graduate Dean for Academic Affairs, or the Director of Academic Affairs. The Office of the Ombudsperson also is available as a neutral and independent office for advice and guidance on dispute resolution approaches. For student conduct issues, please refer to Student Conduct and Academic Integrity Programs for more information. The University Department of Equal Employment & Affirmative Action and the Title IX/Sexual Harassment Office are available to help where questions or issues related to inappropriate conduct (discrimination or sexual harassment) are involved. In addition, the Office of Administrative Resolution is available as a general resource for students with complaints. 

• Retaliation

  If you believe you've experienced retaliation, here are some resources to assist you: 

  Investigations and Complaint Resolutions, including Whistleblower information - UCR has a number of grievance and complaint processes. This site can help you explore your options. 

  Faculty Code of Conduct (APM-015) - there are several important policies that apply to members of the Academic Senate. 

  Employee Retaliation - If you've experienced retaliation as an academic employee, look to your contract for information on how to proceed. 

  • TA Contract - UAW Article 25, Respectful Work Environment
  • GSR Contract - UAW Article 26, Respectful Work Environment

Academic Employment 

• General Regulations
  • Teaching and Graduate Research Assistantships are offered through academic departments. GSRs are normally arranged with individual faculty members, or in some cases, with the department. 
  • TAs and GSRs:  
    • Must be making acceptable progress toward the degree 
    • Must be advanced to candidacy within 12 quarters after entry 
    • Must have no more than seven units of Incomplete grades 
    • Must enroll in and complete 12 units of course work or research each quarter 
    • Must maintain a 3.00 GPA 
    • Any student who was born in a country where English is not the official language or who indicates on their application for admission that English is not their first language must pass an English language competency exam before performing duties as a TA 
  • During the academic year, graduate students may not be employed more than 50 percent time, or 20 hours per week, in any combination of appointments. 
  • Students may be employed full-time during quarter breaks and in the summer.  
  • The length of service for a Teaching Assistant or Associate is limited to 12 quarters.  
    • The Graduate Dean may make exceptions upon written request by the department. However, no one may serve in a teaching title for more than 18 quarters of service. No exceptions are made.
• Childcare Reimbursement
  • An ASE or GSR appointed at 25% time or more for an entire quarter shall receive up to $900 per quarter for childcare expenses incurred during the appointment period. 
  • A qualified dependent is defined as a child who is age 12 or under by July 1. 
  • Childcare provided by the spouse, a child under age 19, or someone else the ASE/GSR claims as a dependent for tax purposes, is not reimbursable and the childcare provider must have a valid tax ID or social security number. 
  • The maximum amount is not per child but is the maximum amount that can be received for all children. 
  • Reimbursement requests are submitted after the expenses are incurred.
• Fee Remission
  • The Graduate Student Health Insurance (GSHIP) is paid for all TAs, Teaching Fellows, Associate Ins, Readers, Tutors, and GSRs employed in any combination of these titles at 25 percent time (10 hours per week) or more. 
  • Additionally, they receive a remission of the Student Services Fee and Tuition. 
  • GSRs are eligible to have the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition remitted when they are appointed as a 45% time GSR for the full quarter, are not receiving other forms of support that fund Nonresident Supplemental Tuition, and meet all of the eligibility requirements for a GSR title. 
  • Students must work the entire quarter to be eligible to receive the fee remissions and if they do not they are responsible for repaying these fee remissions. 
• Salaries
  • The salaries of Teaching Assistants depend on the percentage time appointment. 
  • The amount Graduate Student Researchers are paid depends upon a variety of factors. 
  • For specific salaries for graduate student title codes (TA, GSR, Assoc In, Teaching Fellows, Readers and Tutors), see the Employment Manual for Graduate Students.
• TA Duties
  • The following is expected of all TAs:  
    • To attend, to the extent required by the department or supervising faculty, all meetings of the class in which the student is doing laboratory work, section discussions, or grading of papers or exams. 
    • To consult with the professor in charge of the course as to grading policies, course content, procedures, and proctoring. 
    • To attend all meetings of classes, sections, and laboratories for which the student is personally responsible.  
      • Failure to meet regularly scheduled classes for which the TA is responsible constitutes a dereliction of duty and may be grounds for termination of employment. 
      • If there is a good reason for absence, the TA must inform the department and arrange for a substitute. 
    • To make proper and thorough preparation for each class, lab, or section for which the student is responsible. 
    • To assign the amount of written work proper to the lab or section for which the student is responsible, and to read and grade the written work thoroughly and as rapidly as possible. 
    • To post office hours at least one hour per week per section or laboratory, depending on the course, and to hold those office hours without fail. 
    • To report grades accurately and on time to the instructor in charge of the course. 
    • To give grade books to the instructor in charge at the end of the appointment. 
    • To maintain a professional attitude toward all students in classes at all times.  
      • The ethical standards of behavior for faculty instruction apply equally to Teaching Assistants. 
  • To notify the supervising instructor as soon as the TA anticipates any workload related issues that may result in a violation of the workload article of the ASE/UC contract.
• Union Representation
  • All Graduate Student Researchers, Teaching Assistants, Associates, and Teaching Fellows, as well as Readers and Tutors, are covered under a collective bargaining agreement between the University and UAW 
  • The contract can be found at: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/bx/contract.html 
  • The union can be contacted at CASE/UAW, 5015 Canyon Crest Dr., Suite 206, Riverside, CA 92507 or (951) 369-8075 or http://www.uaw.org/

Fellowship Recipients 

• General Regulations
  • Fellowships are awarded on the basis of scholarly achievement and promise. 
  • UCR career employees are not normally eligible for fellowship money. 
  • All recipients of fellowships:  
    • Must enroll and complete 12 units of course work. 
    • Must maintain a 3.00 GPA. 
    • Must have no more than seven units of Incomplete grades. 
    • Must be advanced to candidacy for the PhD within 12 quarters after entry. 
    • Must graduate by the end of their program’s normative time to degree plus one year. 
    • Changes in major or degree objective may affect eligibility.
• Fellowships That Pay Fees
  • If your fees are paid by a fellowship, you must be enrolled in classes before fees are due. 
  • Financial Aid will not disburse until you are enrolled.
• Stipend Payments
  • Stipends are paid in the following time frames:  
    • Fall Quarter - on or before October 1st  
    • Winter Quarter - usually right after the New Year’s holiday (Disbursement depends on the University's holiday schedule.) 
    • Spring Quarter - on or before April 1st  
  • Only one check is issued per quarter, so students should budget accordingly. 
  • Students may authorize a direct deposit to the bank of their choice.  
    • Forms are available from Student Business Services. Otherwise, checks will be mailed to the local address listed in R'Web.
• Taxes
  • Students receiving financial support should be aware that part or all of their awards might be subject to federal income tax. 
  • In general, the following rules apply:  
    • Fellowships and scholarships from any source in excess of the amount equal to tuition, fees, books, and course-related expenses is fully taxable, although generally not subject to withholding.  
      • Domestic students report stipend payments as income on their Federal and State taxes in April of each year. 
      • International students must file GLACIER paperwork in order to determine their tax obligation. Taxes are taken out of the stipend amount at the time of disbursement. 
    • Payments received for work or services performed (i.e., TAships, GSRs) are taxable through payroll. 
    • Income is subject to tax withholding and is reported to the IRS. 
    • International Students and Scholars Office has a website for tax information for international students.
• Working While Receiving Fellowship Money
  • Fellowships are awarded to students to free them from the need for employment. 
  • Fellowship awards with less than a $10,000 stipend may be supplemented. 
  • Fellowship awards with a stipend of $10,000 or greater per quarter may be supplemented only after approval of the Graduate Dean.  
  • It is not unusual for the Dean to approve employment of up to 10 hours a week (25 percent time) during the tenure of an award. 
    • Employment may be approved up to 50 percent time for limited periods, but only if employment averages 25 percent or less over the course of the academic year. 
    • The Graduate Advisor in your department must make the request of the Dean in writing. 
  • The Dissertation Year Fellowship does not allow supplementation.

Self-Support Graduate Programs

• General Information

  There are several self-support graduate programs (SSP) at UCR.  These graduate programs serve a public need by addressing the training requirements of a profession (or degree).  The programs operate on a self-supporting basis which means that they are required to cover the full cost of the program (including program faculty & other direct costs, campus direct and indirect costs, and UCOP funding assessments).  

  The Graduate Division administers admission to each of these programs, but it is highly recommended that interested applicants contact the individual programs for information about admission requirements.  
   
  Self-support programs may charge a per-unit or per-term fee.  Students enrolling in these programs cannot use Cal Vet Tuition/Fee Exemptions.   Not all programs charge the Graduate Student Health Insurance Premium (GSHIP). 

  The Student Recreation Center (SRC) fee is not charged as part of the per-unit fees for self-support programs.  Students who wish to access the SRC may contact them and make arrangements to pay the membership fee separate from the per-unit fees. 
   
  See below for details and links to more information about each program. 

• FAQ
  1. How much do the self-support programs cost?
     • Each program has a different fee structure.  Please visit the Registrar's Office web site for a breakdown of the current fee structure.  The Palm Desert Low-Residency MFA program also has an additional residency fee for each of the five residencies required for completion of the program.
  2. Will I also be charged a professional fee for the self-support program that I enroll in?
     • No.  Students enrolled in the traditional MBA program will be charged a professional fee, but the self-support programs are not assessed this fee.
  3. I noticed that traditional graduate programs include UC Systemwide Fees and also UCR Campus Fees.  Is that the case with self-support programs as well?
     • No.  Students enrolled in self-support programs only pay the per unit charges, and in some cases they are assessed the Graduate Student Health Insurance Premium (GSHIP).  Only the Online Master's of Science in Engineering and the Palm Desert MFA do not automatically include the GSHIP charge.
  4. How do I apply for one of these self-support programs and what are the application requirements?
     • Each program has different requirements for admission.  Each program's admissions process is administrated by the Graduate Division, but it is always best to visit the web site for the individual program for specific requirements and to make arrangements to speak to someone associated with that program about your admission questions.  The programs offered by the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (FMBA, MFin, MPAc) often host information sessions, both virtual and in person, where you can learn more about the programs.
  5. Will I need to take the GRE or GMAT in order to be admitted to these programs?
     • All of the self-support programs require the GRE or GMAT except the Palm Desert Low-Residency MFA.
  6. What do I need to do in order to get financial aid to help me with the cost of attendance?
     • In order to be considered for federal, state, or institutional financial aid, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  FAFSA is available for submission starting January 1 for the following academic year.  Some of the self-support programs also offer internal awards which may be need based or merit based depending on the award.  Visit the individual program web sites for information about those types of awards.
  7. What if I want to enroll in one of the self-support programs that charge the GSHIP but I have my own health insurance?
     • You can apply for a waiver of the GSHIP by contacting Student Health Services and submitting the waiver form.  You must be able to prove that you have comparable or better coverage from another source.
  8. If I drop a class, how will it affect my fees?

  • Students in the following Self-Supporting Graduate Programs will receive a 100% refund on their per unit tuition when dropping/withdrawing from some classes during the term.  If a student withdraws from UCR for the term, refunds will be given per the UCR Campus Standard Fee Refund Table on the Registrar's web site. 

    • Flex MBA Program 
    • Executive MBA Program 
    • Master of Finance Program 
    • Master of Professional Accountancy Program 
    • Palm Desert MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts 

  • Students in the Online Master of Science in Engineering Program will be refunded per the UCR Campus Standard Fee Refund Table on the Registrar's web site for all course adjustments after the first day of instruction, and for withdrawing from the university for the term.

• Program Descriptions

  Professional MBA Program (PMBA) - formerly Flex MBA

  • The Professional MBA program is an MBA program experience tailored to an individual's schedule.  Offered through the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management, students are allowed flexibility and convenience in attaining the degree.  The program offers evening courses so that students can still work or meet other day-time obligations while enrolled.  The program can be completed in as little as 20 months, or can be taken over several years.  80 quarter units are required in order to complete the Professional MBA.

  Master of Finance Program (MFin)

  • The Master of Finance Program through the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management offers a comprehensive overview of the entire field of finance, with an emphasis on empirical methods and applications.  The degree is designed to be completed in approximately three quarters (one year, 48 quarter units).  This degree is often preferred by students who seek to pursue professional certifications in finance like Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Global Remuneration Professional (GRP). 

  Master of Professional Accountancy Program (MPAc)

  • The Master of Professional Accountancy Program is designed to be completed in approximately nine months (48 quarter units).  The goal of the program is to prepare students to become ideal accounting and auditing professionals.  The degree is offered by the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management.

  Online Master of Science in Engineering (OMSE) 

  • The Online Master of Science in Engineering Program is offered through UCR's Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering.  It is designed to enable fully employed engineers to advance their professional education.  All courses are offered online.  There are five different specialization areas: Bioengineering, Electrical Engineering - Power Systems, Environmental Engineering Systems (Water), Materials at the Nanoscale, and Mechanical Engineering.  The program takes approximately two years to complete (9 courses, 36 units). 

  Palm Desert Low-Residency Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts (MFA)

  • The MFA Program, offered through UCR's Palm Desert Campus, offers specializations in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting, as well as forms within those genres.  The goal is to provide instruction in not just writing, but also in publishing and production.  Students take seven quarters of online study and complete five 10-day residencies in Palm Springs, CA (56 units total are required for the degree).  The final thesis residency concentrates on having thesis manuscripts read by agents, producers, and publishers.