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Forms:
Waiver of University Regulations

What does the waiver waive?

  1. Graduate Entrance writing requirement
  2. 12 unit limit prior to classification
  3. 7 year limit on applicable coursework
  4. Extension of time to complete an incomplete grade
  5. Retroactive Withdrawal
  6. Other



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Graduate Entrance Writing Requirement

All graduate students pursuing or intending to pursue a specific graduate program on this campus, will be required to pass (or have passed) the graduate entrance writing requirement before classification into a program. If you have taken a junior or senior level expository writing course at a college or university other than CSUSB within the past seven years with a grade of "B" or better, then you may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies to consider that course as an acceptable substitute.

See Acceptable Documentation for Petitions for Waiver of the Graduate Entrance Writing Requirement .

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12 Unit Limit Prior to Classification

In accordance with university regulations, no more than 12 units of credit earned in unclassified or conditionally classified standing maybe used to demonstrate fitness to complete the program OR may be counted toward meeting the requirements for a graduate degree. However, if you feel extenuating circumstances have precluded your classification in a more timely manner, you may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies to waive this requirement on your behalf.

In order for the Dean to evaluate your situation you must include in your request not only a complete statement of your situation, but also a statement of why it is critical for this requirement to be waived. Additional pages may be attached.


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Seven Year Limit on Applicable Coursework

The graduate program you are pursuing must be completed within a seven year period (for some programs on this campus there are earlier completion requirements). No more than seven years may elapse between the time of registration for the earliest course listed on your program and the completion of all requirements for the degree. If you have coursework that has surpassed the seven year limit, you may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies to waive this regulation.

In order for your petition to be approved you must have a written statement from a faculty member stating "I HAVE EXAMINED THIS STUDENT AND FOUND HIM/HER TO BE CURRENT IN THE SUBJECT MATTER OF (name of the course or courses)" .


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Extension of Time to Complete an Incomplete Grade

An incomplete grade must be made up within one calendar year immediately following the end of the term in which it was assigned. If it is necessary to extend this time limit, the student must obtain the consent of the instructor, the Graduate Coordinator and the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies.


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Retroactive Withdrawals

Students must withdraw from all classes of the term

Requests for withdrawal following the close of the term (retroactive withdrawal) will be considered only for: accident or illness (physical or mental), serious personal or family problems, or military transfer.

Documentation is required. In addition, extenuating circumstances must be shown to have prevented withdrawal in a more timely fashion. The student must list each course number and obtain the instructor's signature for all courses they are attempting to withdraw from. Partial withdrawal of grades during a term is not permissible for any reason. All courses must be withdrawn and will be noted with a "W" on the official transcript. Lack of awareness of the withdrawal procedures is not an extenuating circumstance.

Employment-related reasons are acceptable only for withdrawals processed during the term in question.


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Acceptable Documentation for
Petitions for Waiver of the Graduate Entrance Writing Requirement

Below is a list of the types of documentation students may submit in support of their petitions to waive the graduate entrance writing requirement. While a wide variety of documents is acceptable, all must show evidence of summary, synthesis, analysis, research and the proper citing of sources, the elements required by the WREE and 306.

Acceptable Documentation Includes:

1. Dissertation or Master’s Thesis from another university.
Student must submit a signed copy of the thesis or dissertation and a copy of their transcript showing completion of the degree.

2. Senior Project, thesis or research project completed at another university.
The document must demonstrate knowledge of the style guide of the discipline and show evidence of summary, synthesis, analysis, research and the proper citing of sources. Students must submit a catalog description of the course and a copy of their transcript showing completion of the course for which the project was written.

3. Upper-division and graduate writing courses taken at another institution.
Students must submit a copy of their transcript and a catalog description of the course. The catalog description must indicate that the course is required research-based writing. If the description does not, then students should provide the syllabus or a paper written for the course. RESEARCH PAPERS WRITTEN FOR CSUSB GRADUATE COURSES ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.

4. Published scholarly articles.
The article should show evidence of analysis/synthesis and documentation of sources. Unacceptable: articles written for such things a community newspapers and club, church or job newsletters which show no evidence of research-based analytical writing.

5. A major study or report written as a part of the student’s job responsibilities.
The report must demonstrate the elements of summary, synthesis, analysis, research and the proper citing of sources. Unacceptable: report which show no clear evidence of authorship and/or the student’s contribution to the project.

6. Upper-division writing requirement (UDWR) tests taken at other CSU’s.
CSUSB accepts only three UDWR tests as equivalent to our WREE and 306: those from CSU Fresno, CSU Sacramento, and San Diego State University. At many other CSU’s, the UDWR test is a minimum proficiency test or asks for impromptu, personal experience, non-text-based writing.

7. The Writing Requirement Exemption Exam (WREE) and 306.
Students who cannot provide acceptable documentation, may satisfy the Graduate Entrance Writing Requirement by taking the Writing Requirement Exemption Exam (WREE) or 306, the upper-division writing course. To satisfy the writing requirement, students must earn a “B” or better in 306. No waiver is needed when the WREE or 306 is taken.

8. Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).
Students who score 5.0 or higher on the writing portion of the GMAT may waive the Graduate Entrance Writing Requirement.

9. Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Students who score 5.0 or higher on the writing portion of the GRE may waive the Graduate Entrance Writing Requirement.

(Approved by Graduate Council, 4/23/08)



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