Application & Admission

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 The university reserves the right to select its students and deny admission to the university or any of its programs as the university, in its sole discretion, determines appropriate based on an applicant’s suitability and the best interests of the university. 

Prospective Graduate & Post-baccalaureate Students

There are four steps to the application process for most prospective graduate and post-baccalaureate students:

1. Applicants must submit an online CSU graduate application for admission at CALSTATE Apply.
2. Most graduate degree programs at Cal State East Bay also require that an applicant complete a separate departmental application.
3. Cal State East Bay will determine an applicant’s eligibility based on criteria discussed in this chapter.
4. The University will notify the student of the decision.

Note: see also Application Procedures & Filing Deadlines below.

Graduate and Post-Baccalaureate Admission Requirements

Admission Requirement

Graduate and post-baccalaureate applicants may apply for a degree objective, a credential or certificate objective, or where approved, may have no program objective. Depending on the objective, the CSU will consider an application for admission as follows:

• General Requirements - The minimum requirements for admission to graduate and post-baccalaureate studies at a CSU campus are in accordance with university regulations as well as Title 5, Chapter 1, Subchapter 3 of the California Code of Regulations.
  • Specifically, a student shall at the time of enrollment: (1) have completed a four-year college course of study and hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association, or shall have completed equivalent academic preparation as determined by appropriate campus authorities; (2) be in good academic standing at the last college or university attended; (3) have earned a grade point average of at least 2.5 on the last degree completed by the candidate or have attained a grade point average of at least 2.5 (A=4.0) in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted; and (4) satisfactorily meet the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards for graduate study, including qualifying examinations, as appropriate campus authorities may prescribe. In unusual circumstances, a campus may make exceptions to these criteria.  
• Students who meet the minimum requirements for graduate and post-baccalaureate studies may be considered for admission in one of the four following categories:
  • Graduate Classified - To pursue a graduate degree, applicants are required to fulfill all of the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, prescribed by the campus; or
  • Graduate Conditionally Classified - Applicants may be admitted to a graduate degree program in this category if, in the opinion of appropriate campus authority, deficiencies may be remedied by additional preparation; or
  • Post-Baccalaureate Classified (e.g. admission to an education credential program) - Persons wishing to enroll in a credential or certificate program will be required to satisfy additional professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, prescribed by the campus; or
  • Post-Baccalaureate Unclassified - To enroll in undergraduate courses as preparation for advanced degree programs or to enroll in graduate courses for professional or personal growth, applicants must be admitted as post- baccalaureate unclassified students. By meeting the general requirements, applicants are eligible for admission as post-baccalaureate unclassified students. Admission in this status does not constitute admission to, or assurance of consideration for admission to, any graduate degree or credential program. (Most CSU campuses do not offer admission to unclassified post-baccalaureate students).

Note: These and other CSU admission requirements are subject to change as policies are revised and laws are amended. The CSU website and the admission portal are good sources for the most up-to-date information.

Graduate & Post-Baccalaureate Admission Categories

Students who meet the minimum requirements for graduate and post-baccalaureate studies may be considered for admission in one of the four following categories:

Graduate Classified

• To pursue a graduate degree, applicants are required to fulfill all of the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, prescribed by the campus; or 

Graduate Conditionally Classified

• Applicants may be admitted to a graduate degree program in this category if, in the opinion of appropriate campus authority, deficiencies may be remedied by additional preparation; or

Post-Baccalaureate Classified (e.g. admission to an education credential program)

• Persons wishing to enroll in a credential or certificate program will be required to satisfy additional professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards, including qualifying examinations, prescribed by the campus; or

Post-Baccalaureate Unclassified

• To enroll in undergraduate courses as preparation for advanced degree programs or to enroll in graduate courses for professional or personal growth, applicants must be admitted as post-baccalaureate unclassified students. By meeting the general requirements, applicants are eligible for admission as post-baccalaureate unclassified students. Admission in this status does not constitute admission to, or assurance of consideration for admission to, any graduate degree or credential program. (Most CSU campuses do not offer admission to unclassified post-baccalaureate students).

Admission to the University

All graduate and post-baccalaureate applicants (e.g., Ed.D. applicants, joint Ph.D. applicants, master’s degree applicants, those seeking educational credentials or certificates) must file a complete graduate application as described in the graduate and post-baccalaureate admission materials at: www.calstate.edu/apply.  Applicants who completed undergraduate degree requirements and graduated the preceding term are also required to complete and submit an application and pay the $70 nonrefundable application fee at the time of submission. The application fee cannot be transferred to a future term; each application filed requires an application fee payment.  To be considered by more than one campus, it is necessary to submit separate applications (including fees) to each.  All CSU applications must be submitted online at www.calstate.edu/apply.  An acknowledgment will be sent to the applicant when the online application has been submitted.

To be considered for admission, students must be admissible to both areas:

• Eligible to be admitted to the University AND
• Eligible to be admitted to a Graduate Program

Please note, if applying to a future term, any past due application fees are still required and must be paid prior to enrollment in classes.

Transcripts

Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be sent to Cal State East Bay’s Office of Admissions. This includes all institutions before and after a student’s bachelor’s degree. If a student’s graduate program also requires official transcripts, the student will also need to send additional offiicial copies directly to their department.

These and other CSU admissions requirements are subject to change as policies are revised and laws are amended. The CSU website, www.calstate.edu, and the CSU admissions portal, www.calstate.edu/apply, are good sources of the most up-to-date information.

Admission to Graduate Degree Programs

Most graduate degree programs at Cal State East Bay require that an applicant complete a separate departmental application. Programs may require that the student meet additional admission requirements beyond those required for admission to the University. Contact the major department for procedures and deadlines.

Students pursuing a state-supported master’s degree may not be simultaneously enrolled in a Cal State East Bay Extension degree program. If a student is unsure of the program’s classification, see the Graduate Policies  chapter. 

For information on changing major, degree, or credential objectives after admission, see the Change of Educational Objective section in the Graduate Requirements  chapter or send your inquiries to gradadmission@csueastbay.edu.

Graduate & Post-Baccalaureate Admission Application Procedures & Filing Deadlines

All graduate and post-baccalaureate applicants (i.e., doctorate, joint Ph.D. applicants, master’s degree applicants, those seeking educational credentials or certificates and, where permitted, holders of baccalaureate degrees interested in taking courses for personal or professional growth) must file a complete graduate application as described in the graduate and post-baccalaureate admission materials on the Cal State Apply website. Applicants seeking a second bachelor’s degree must submit the undergraduate application for admission. Applicants who completed undergraduate degree requirements in the preceding term are also required to complete and submit an application and the $70 non-refundable application fee. In order to ensure timely initial consideration by more than one campus, it is necessary to submit separate applications (including fees) to each. All CSU applications must be submitted online via the Cal State Apply website. An acknowledgement will be sent to the applicant when the online application has been submitted.

Note: At this time, Cal State East Bay accepts applications from students seeking a second baccalaureate degree for most, but not all majors. More information, including a list of majors which are not accepting second bachelor’s applications, is available at: https://www.csueastbay.edu/admissions/second-baccalaureates.html

Application Filing Periods

Note: Each non-impacted campus accepts applications until capacities are reached. Many campuses limit undergraduate admission in an enrollment category due to overall enrollment limits. If applying after the initial filing period, consult the campus admission office for current information.

Application filing periods are also listed at: https://www.csueastbay.edu/admissions/documents-deadlines-and-important-information/application-and-doc-deadlines/graduate-and-credential-students.html.

*Note: If applying after the initial filing period, consult the campus admission office for current information.

On-time applicants may expect to receive an acknowledgment from the campuses to which they have applied within two to four weeks of filing the application. The notice may also include a request that applicants submit additional records necessary to evaluate academic qualifications. Applicants may be assured of admission if the evaluation of relevant qualifications indicates that applicants meet CSU admission requirements. Offer of admission is not transferable to another term or to another campus. Graduate programs may restrict admissions due to capacity limits.

International Graduate Students

Students who will be studying on any temporary visa  (ie. F, J or H) or any applicants with transcripts from outside of the U.S. should view www.csueastbay.edu/international for submission deadlines. The university has established deadlines to ensure that all application materials will be processed in time to allow international students to make the necessary passport, visa, travel, and other arrangements to reach the campus before the start of the term of admission. Current deadlines applicable to international students can be found on the university website or by contacting the International Admissions Office: iao@csueastbay.edu

Academic Records **

Certificates, diplomas, mark sheets, transcripts, and test scores must be sent directly from the issuing institution to the Office of Admissions, or, if an international applicant, to the International Admissions Office to be considered official. The Admissions Offices reserve the right to determine what constitutes an official document. Certified English translations must accompany all non-English original documents. Documents submitted are the property of Cal State East Bay and will not be returned.

Hardship Petitions

The campus has established procedures for consideration of qualified applicants who would be faced with extreme hardship if not admitted. Petitioners should write the campus Admission Office regarding specific policies governing hardship admission.

Credit for Prior Learning

Credit For Experiential Learning

Cal State East Bay grants undergraduate degree credit for successful completion of non-collegiate instruction, either military or civilian, appropriate to the baccalaureate degree, which has been recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) Military Guide, ACE National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training and/or National College Credit Recommendation Service. The numbers of units allowed are those recommended in the ACE Military Guide and/or the ACE National Guide to Educational Credit for Workforce Training.

Please consult the appropriate academic advisor or graduate coordinator for further assistance. 

Note: Lower division, occupational courses designed to train technicians are not acceptable for university credit. Credit granted for non-collegiate instruction is not generally applied to general education or major requirements.  In the event that general education credit is granted, credit is limited to 3 units in Area E.  Credit granted outside of general education is limited to 3 units.  Therefore, the maximum amount of credit is 6 units overall.

Undergraduate Credit for Demonstrated Learning, Knowledge, or Skills Acquired Through Experience

Academic credit can be given by a program for documented learning, knowledge, and skills acquired through experience.  Academic credit can be awarded for a specific undergraduate major course, general education course, or elective course.

Undergraduates must meet the following conditions before seeking academic credit for documented learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience.

1. The undergraduate must be matriculated at Cal State East Bay and have satisfactorily completed 15 units towards their degree at CSUEB.

2. The undergraduate experiential learning experience must articulate to a specific undergraduate major course, general education course, university-wide course or elective course.  

3. Students should meet with their academic advisor to determine if their experiences may meet the course learning outcomes to be awarded academic course credit.

4. If the advisor concludes that their experience appears to meet specific course outcomes for their degree, the advisor will refer the student to the appropriate department for final verification and subsequent evaluation of their experience.

5. Students can appeal decisions regarding credit for demonstrated learning, knowledge, or skills through experience.

Departments can choose appropriate assessment methodologies for experiential learning course credit.  These may include, but are not limited to, written examinations, portfolios, personal interviews, demonstrations and/or other means of assessment. Faculty and/or subject matter experts may create and evaluate assessments in accordance with department academic standards for credit for experiential learning.  In some cases, as deemed appropriate by the department, supporting documentation may be obtained from a field supervisor and/or employer.  No instructor or department is obliged to offer experiential course credit.

For those programs that are externally accredited, departments should contact their accrediting agencies to ascertain if they allow credit towards the major for demonstrated learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience.  If their accrediting agency does not, departments should communicate this information to the student.

The course credit assessment for demonstrating learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience must be administered during the first two weeks of the term and the results submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the fifth week of the term.

For students who enter with prior two-year and/or four-year course credit awarded on the student’s official transcript for demonstrated learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience, Cal State East Bay will accept this credit for articulation and transfer, as long as the course credit is based on current system-wide articulation.

No more than 30 semester units of credit obtained through experiential course credit may be applied toward the baccalaureate degree. No credit earned through experiential course credit may be used to satisfy the requirement of 30 semester units in residence at Cal State East Bay.

Programs may contact Academic Programs & Services (aps@csueastbay.edu) for further assistance on credit for demonstrated learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience. 

Graduate Credit for Demonstrated Learning, Knowledge, or Skills Acquired Through Experience

Academic credit can be given by a program for documented learning, knowledge, and skills acquired through skills acquired through experience.  Academic credit may be awarded for a graduate course.

From the revised Executive Order 1036, graduate students must meet the following conditions before seeking academic credit for documented learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience.

1. The graduate students must be matriculated at Cal State East Bay and have satisfactorily completed 3 units towards their degree at CSUEB.

2. The graduate experiential learning experience must articulate to a specific course in the student’s graduate program.  

3. Students should meet with their graduate advisor to determine if their experiences may meet the course learning outcomes to be awarded academic credit.

4. Students can appeal decisions regarding credit for demonstrated learning, knowledge, or skills through experience.

Under no circumstances may credit for prior learning exceed 25% of the units for the degree program.

Departments can choose appropriate assessment methodologies for experiential learning course credit.  These may include, but are not limited to, written examinations, portfolios, personal interviews, demonstrations and/or other means of assessment.  Faculty and/or subject matter experts may create and evaluate assessments in accordance with department academic standards for credit for experiential learning.  In some cases, as deemed appropriate by the department, supporting documentation may be obtained from a field supervisor and/or employer.  No instructor or department is obliged to offer experiential course credit.

For those programs that are externally accredited, departments should contact their accrediting agencies to ascertain if they allow credit for demonstrated learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience.  If their accrediting agency does not, departments should communicate this information to the student.

Programs may contact Academic Programs & Services (aps@csueastbay.edu) for further assistance on credit for demonstrated learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience.

Credit for Transferred Courses

A minimum of seventy (70) percent of the total units required by the degree program must be completed in residence while enrolled as an admitted graduate student at Cal State East Bay.

Note: The number of transferable units for each degree program will be rounded to the nearest whole number of units.

Units taken while at other schools, while an undergraduate with permission to take graduate courses, while pursuing an additional baccalaureate degree in “Unclassified Post-Baccalaureate” status, while enrolled in another graduate degree program, or while enrolled in Continuing Education courses-including Open University courses-do not count as resident units. Courses offered in special session are considered resident units. Please note that individual graduate programs may require more than 70 percent of the required degree units in residence, so check the particular program’s section of this catalog for these requirements.

To request transfer credit:

• The student must have taken the course after earning a bachelor’s degree;
• Their department must accept the course(s) as relevant to their degree program;
• The institution at which the student took the course must customarily grant the level of credit for the course (graduate or upper division) that the student wishes to receive for it at Cal State East Bay;
• The student must have taken the course within five calendar years immediately preceding the receipt of their degree.

A student may also apply units earned through the CSU International Programs that meet the criteria outlined above. No more than half of the units required for the degree may be earned in this manner. If a student also wishes to apply transfer credits to their degree, the total of the transfer and International Program units may not exceed one-half of those required for the degree. If a student completes their capstone experience (thesis, project, or comprehensive examination) while in the International Programs, this must be done under the supervision of at least one Cal State East Bay faculty member.

In general, Cal State East Bay does not allow the use of credit-by-examination from challenged courses for master’s degree requirements. Exceptions may be established by individual departments and must be noted in the degree description in the University Catalog. They are governed by the following policies:

• The student must pass the exam challenging the course with a grade of “B-” or better;
• Not more than 9 units of credit-by-examination may be applied to the degree.

Educational Objective

Declaration of Educational Objective

Each applicant must have a declared educational objective when submitting an application. International students who hold F-1 student visas may be admitted as Conditionally Classified Graduate, Classified Graduate, or Classified Post-Baccalaureate students. They may not be admitted as “Unclassified Post-Baccalaureate” students.

Note: Some graduate programs may require admission tests such as the GMAT or GRE, a supplemental application, a resume and/or other supplemental information. Please consult the individual graduate program for any additional application or admission requirements.

Graduate and Post Baccalaureate English Language Requirement

CSU minimum standards for Graduate Students:

All graduate and post-baccalaureate applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose native language is not English and whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English must demonstrate competence in English. Those who do not possess a bachelor’s degree from a postsecondary institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of  80 on the Internet-based or 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Some programs require a higher score. Several CSU campuses may use alternative methods for assessing fluency in English including Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP).

Cal State East Bay interprets “where English was the principal language of instruction” to mean that a school is located in a country where English is the native language (the daily medium of communication of the majority of residents is English), and that the students receive academic instruction in all subjects (except foreign language courses) at all levels of education in English.  Therefore, letters or transcripts attesting to English as the principal medium of instruction from institutions in countries where English is not the official language, will not be accepted. 

In addition to the U.S. countries currently meeting the above requirement are: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize (formerly British Honduras), Bermuda, Botswana, Canada (except  Quebec), Cayman Islands, Commonwealth Caribbean, Dominica, England, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana (aka British Guiana), Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Micronesia, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia (Caribbean Commonwealth), Scotland, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, Virgin Islands (British), Wales, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Applicants may fulfill the English language requirement by submitting:

An official transcript showing graduation with a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university, or an international college or university in a country where English is the official language (as given in the list above.)

A TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 550 (213 computer-based or 80 Internet-based) or above.  A score of 92 (Internet-based) or above is required for applicants seeking a Master’s of Science degree in Economics).

An overall test score on the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam of 6.5 or above. A score of 7 or above is required for applicants seeking a Master’s of Science degree in Economics.

Note: All test scores must be sent directly from the testing institution. Cal State East Bay’s International Admission Office contacts are located at: https://www.csueastbay.edu/iao/how-to-apply/index.html.

Transitory Admission Eligibility

Graduate students are eligible for Intrasystem Concurrent Enrollment, Intrasystem Visitor Enrollment, and Cross-Registration with the University of California, Berkeley, and selected other East Bay colleges.

Intrasystem Concurrent Enrollment

Students who are enrolled at any campus of the California State University may apply to attend another campus while concurrently enrolled at their home campus.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must have completed at least one term at the home campus as a matriculated student, or will be enrolled concurrently in such status,
• Must be, or have been, enrolled in an authorized graduate program at the home campus, and
• Must be in good standing at the last college attended.

Intrasystem Visitor Enrollment

Students of any campus of The California State University may apply for admission as a visiting student at another campus for a period of one term.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Have completed at least one term at the home campus as a matriculated student,
• Are, or have been, enrolled in an authorized graduate program at the home campus, and
• Are in good standing at the last college attended.

For further information contact the Office of Admission at (510) 885-3500 or admissions@csueastbay.edu.

Returning Graduate & Post Baccalaureate Students

Cal State East Bay students are granted an automatic leave of absence for two semesters. This leave maintains the continuous attendance status of the student with eligibility to register in the following semesters and holds the catalog that determines degree requirements.

Graduate Cal State East Bay students who do not enroll for three or more consecutive semesters must reapply for admission to the university. An application fee is charged. At the time of readmission, students may be required to satisfy new university and/or program requirements.  Following a mandatory interruption of one or more semesters, students who have left in a negative academic standing may not be eligible to return until they complete additional coursework. Students who have been academically disqualified or dismissed must file an appeal for reinstatement/readmission.