GPA & Probation

What are the requirements for good standing?

CSULB requires that graduate students stay in “good standing”. Graduate Students must maintain at least a B average in all courses completed during their graduate career. That means that an overall GPA of at least 3.0 must be maintained. In addition, Graduate Students are required to complete all courses required to meet their degree requirements with a grade of no lower than a “C”.

What is Academic Probation?

Academic Probation is a warning to a student that their academic performance has fallen below the minimum requirements for good standing and for graduation. Probation for graduate students occurs any time their GPA falls below 3.00. When a student is placed on probation, they have two semesters in which to raise their GPA to at least a 3.0 and once again be in “good standing”. If they do not successfully raise their GPA within two semesters, they will be Academically Disqualified.

What is Academic Disqualification?

Academic Disqualification is dismissal from CSULB.

No Repeat/Delete of Courses

If a graduate student receives a ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade in a course, that grade will never be deleted from their transcript. Taking the course again may be necessary to satisfy the requirements of the MSCS program, but all grades earned for the required class will stay on the student’s transcript.

Advancement to Candidacy and Graduation

At the time of Advancement to Candidacy and Graduation a student must be in good standing and their GPA for the course required for their MSCS degree must be at least 3.0. Their grades in all 10 courses which count toward their MSCS degree must be at least ‘C’.

An Example Scenario

FIRST SEMESTER
 ............................................ Units .. Grades
CECS 521  Database Architecture ............. 3.00 ... B       
CECS 528  Adv Analysis of Algorithms ........ 3.00 ... D 
       CECS 572  Advanced Computer Networking ...... 3.00 ... C        

TERM GPA :     2.000      
CUM  GPA :     2.000      
Probation  
-- Student Needs three A’s to get out of Probation.
-- Student must retake CECS 528 because it is a required class.

SECOND SEMESTER
 ............................................ Units .. Grade
CECS 526  Advanced Operating Systems ........ 3.00 ... A        
CECS 528  Adv Analysis of Algorithms ........ 3.00 ... B        
CECS 544  Software Test & Verification ...... 3.00 ... A        

TERM GPA :     3.667      
CUM  GPA :     2.833      
Continued on Probation  
-- Student Needs one more A’s to get out of Probation.
-- Both grades earned in 528 will stay on transcript.

THIRD SEMESTER

  ............................................ Units .. Grade
CECS 529  Search Engine Technology ........... 3.00 ... B   
CECS 575  Obj Oriented Analysis & Design ..... 3.00 ... A   
    CECS 590  S Topics Computer Science .......... 3.00 ... B   

    TERM GPA :     3.333      
CUM  GPA :     3.000   
   Cleared Probation  
-- Student can Advance to Candidacy.