Graduation Checklist for Undergraduate Students

Review your Academic Requirements Report (ARR), one of the most important tools to monitor your academic progress, accessible on MyCSULB. This report provides a detailed summary of your degree requirements – both completed and still unmet. You will also see an ALERT notation indicating your Timely Graduation status. To access your report, simply click on Student Center and choose Academic Requirements from the pull-down menu. 

Note: All requirements must be complete (all green) in order for your degree to be awarded. 

Please contact your academic advisor if you have any questions.

You must satisfy the following requirements in order to be awarded a Bachelor's degree from CSULB:

• Earn the number of units required for your degree, a minimum of 120 units
  For details regarding your particular major, refer to your Academic Requirements Report or to the University Catalog for the academic year in which you were admitted to your degree program. Be aware that in accordance with Title 5, all CSU baccalaureate degree programs require a 120-unit minimum.
   
• Earn a Minimum of 30 Units in Residence
  You must earn a minimum of 30 units at CSULB, including at least 24 upper-division and at least 12 major units. A maximum of 24 units of special session or open university credit earned prior to your admission term or while in a non-degree status may be counted toward your degree.
   
• Earn a Minimum of 40 Upper-Division Units
  You must earn a minimum of 40 units in courses numbered 300-499. You must take all upper division courses in your major within a 10-year period. If you took upper division units more than 10 years before completing your program, you may not apply those units to your program unless your major department revalidates them.
   
• Activity Units
  Activity courses provide practice in such areas as music, dance, physical education and Sports, Athletics, and Recreation (SAR). Except as required by a student's major, students may apply to the degree no more than eight units each of activity course credit in music, dance, or physical education and no more than four units of activity course credit in SAR, up to a total of no more than 20 units in all areas.
   
• Complete the General Education (GE) Pattern
  You are required to complete a specific pattern of approved GE courses. Refer to your Academic Requirements Report or the University Catalog for the academic year in which you were admitted to CSULB. You can also contact the University Center for Undergraduate Advising at (562) 985-4837 for further information.
   
• Satisfy Major Requirements
  Specific course and unit requirements must be earned for your particular major. Refer to your Academic Requirements Report or the University Catalog for requirements specific to your degree program and catalog year. All upper-division courses required for your major must be completed within 10 years preceding the award of your bachelor's degree. If courses were taken more than 10 years prior, they must be retaken or revalidated by the department.
   
• Maintain Minimum 2.00 GPA
  A minimum 2.00 GPA is required in each of the following:
  • All college courses
  • All college courses attempted at CSULB
  • All courses in your major

       All three GPA calculations can be found on your Academic Requirements Report.
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• Satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)
  Continuing students must attempt the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement Proficiency Examination (GPE) when they have completed between 30 and 50 units of credit. Upper-division transfer students are encouraged to take the GPE prior to their first term at CSULB; if unable to do so, they must attempt the GPE in their first term in residency at CSULB unless they have demonstrated competence at another CSU campus. All students must attempt the GPE before they apply to graduate. To graduate, students must pass the GPE or its equivalent and also successfully complete a Writing Intensive Capstone course. Please see the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement for additional information on the pathways to completing these requirements.
   
• Receive Formal Faculty Approval from your major department.
  This does not require any action on the part of the student.

You can keep track of your progress toward earning your Bachelor's degree by checking your Academic Requirements Report in the Student Center on MyCSULB, which will also give you a detailed summary of your degree requirements—both completed and still unmet. You will also see an ALERT notation indicating your Timely Graduation status. 

All items listed on your To-Do list on MyCSULB must be completed before your degree is awarded. This includes outstanding transcripts or test scores. 

Please submit the documents by the published deadlines. If the documents are not received by the deadline for your graduation term, your graduation will be denied. 

• Spring – July 1
• Summer – October 1
• Fall – February 1
• Winter – March 1

• Incomplete “I” grades at CSULB must be resolved within one calendar year of receipt and prior to your planned graduation date. 
• Report Delayed “RD” grades, often used for INTL 400/INTL 200 courses, must be resolved prior to graduation. Therefore, you may be required to extend your graduation date. 
• Report in Progress “RP” grades must be resolved prior to graduation, with the exception of Early Start program courses. 

You must complete all degree requirements before your degree is awarded. It takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks after the last day of the semester before degrees are posted.  

What does my “Graduation Status” mean?
 

Please note: Your record will be reviewed throughout your graduation term and your graduation status will be updated based on any changes made to your record. The graduation status may take longer to update than other changes on the Academic Requirements Report. 

Your degree cannot be awarded if you fail to complete any one of the following:

• Meet all degree requirements by your declared graduation term.
• Maintain a 2.0 in all three GPA categories - Overall Cumulative GPA, CSULB Cumulative GPA, and Major GPA.
• Submit all necessary documents to Enrollment Services by the appropriate deadline.
• Complete any Incomplete (I), Report Delayed (RD) or Report in Progress (RP) grades by the last day of your graduation term. You cannot make up an Incomplete after graduation.

Contact your Academic Advisor or Enrollment Services for additional information.

If you have already applied to graduate and are appealing for a change in your graduation term, you must contact your major advisor to discuss why a change to your graduation term is necessary. Please see CSULB's Timely Graduation for Undergraduate Students for eligibility guidelines. Remember that per CSULB policy, after earning 90 units, once a graduation date is established, extension is by appeal only and will be considered only with the approval of your major advisor. Enrollment may be restricted to courses required for the degree.

1. Document your plan to complete your remaining degree requirements with your advisor.
2. If your advisor supports your request to change your graduation term, they will submit a request on your behalf in the student record system.
3. Your request will be reviewed to ensure that it complies with the Timely Graduation for Undergraduate Students policy. You may be required to submit a Timely Graduation Appeal.
4. You will be notified of the final decision via your CSULB email.

You can view any holds you may have in your MyCSULB Student Center, as well as additional information pertaining to clearing the hold and the appropriate contact information for that specific hold. See Registration Holds for more information.