M. Graduate Student Petitions and Exceptions

• Graduate Student Petition
  • Extending Time Limit for Degree Completion
  • Changing or Adding Degree Objective and/or Emphasis
  • Transferring to a New Department
  • Second UC Santa Barbara Master’s or Doctoral Degree
  • Transfer of Credit Policies
  • Transferring Units from UCSB Extension’s Open Enrollment or Education Abroad Programs
  • Waiver of Graduate Council Requirements
  • Permission for Dual Enrollment
  • In Absentia Petition and Requirements
• Leave of Absence Petition and Requirements
  • Returning from an Approved Leave of Absence
  • Impact of In Absentia and Leave of Absence on Degree Timeline Chart
• Complete Withdrawal from Classes Petition and Requirements
• Lapsed Status - Ramifications
  • Reinstatement from Lapse Status is Not Automatic
  • Consequences for International Students
  • Students Who Lapse Their Status Forfeit Student Privileges
• Reinstatement from Unregistered Status Petition and Requirements
• Office of the Registrar Petitions
  • Schedule Adjustments
  • Deadline for Adding Classes
  • Deadline for Dropping a Class and Changes of Grading Option
  • Retroactive Schedule Adjustments
  • Repetition of Courses

Graduate Student Petitions and Exceptions

The Graduate Division processes four types of petitions:

1. Graduate Student Petition
2. In Absentia
3. Leave of Absence (LOA)
4. Reinstatement to Graduate Status

With the exception of the request for in absentia registration, for which the fee is waived, the fee for each petition is $20.

Graduate advisors review and recommend to the Graduate Dean approval or denial of students' petitions for academic changes. International students must also secure approval and signatures from the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), Student Resource Building 3130, (805) 793-2929, and the Graduate Division on all petitions.

The Dean of the Graduate Division has the authority to approve or deny graduate student petitions. When a student makes a request through the petition process, the student may be told whether the department has recommended approval or denial to the Graduate Dean, but the Dean makes the final determination.

*  NOTE : Only original faculty signatures, not a stamp, are accepted on petitions and forms.

Extending Time Limit for Degree Completion

For more information, refer to Section L.

Changing or Adding Degree Objective and/or Emphasis

Students seeking to change their degree objective or emphasis use a Graduate Student Petition to request such a change. The changes most typically sought by students are the following:

• add or drop a doctoral or master's degree objective within the same department;
• add an interdisciplinary emphasis to the degree objectives. The approval of the graduate advisor in the student's home department must be secured prior to obtaining the approval from the interdisciplinary emphasis research advisor (for more information, refer to Section G); and
• add a degree objective in another department or program. The approval of the graduate advisors in both departments is required (see below).

Transferring to a New Department

Current students must begin the petition process by consulting with the Graduate Division Academic Services unit. Students must submit a Graduate Student Petition when requesting to transfer to an entirely new department. The new department should give the petition the same scrutiny as a new application for admission. Department advisors are cautioned against signing a change of status petition until they have reviewed the student's record, including information provided by the Graduate Division. When the student submits the petition to the Graduate Division, a copy of the student's academic file will be sent to the new department. If the student submits the petition directly to the new department, the department should request the academic file from the Graduate Division.

• In those instances when students close their degree objectives from their initial departments, that graduate advisor is asked to acknowledge the student's decision by signing the Graduate Student Petition.
• When students are adding additional degree objective(s), the graduate advisors from the first department may wish to talk to the students about their goals and increased workload for the future.

* NOTE : Students who are admitted to an Unclassified, Non-Degree objective-e.g., EAP reciprocity visitors-may not use a Graduate Student Petition to change formally to a master's and/or doctoral degree program. Once admitted to non-degree status (coded as UC for unclassified), they must complete a formal Graduate Admissions Application and meet all requirements stated in the application. For assistance, contact the Graduate Division Admissions unit at gradadmissions@graddiv.ucsb.edu.

Second UCSB Master's or Doctoral Degree

Graduate students with an open degree objective who wish to earn a second master's or doctoral degree must petition the Graduate Division. Coursework used to complete one degree cannot be used to complete the requirements of the other degree. Students seeking these second degrees must establish in writing that they will complete sufficient units and quarters of residency for both degrees. During the time of petition, students must attach a study plan outlining the coursework that will be used to fulfill requirements for both degrees.

Applicants to a UC Santa Barbara master's program who have already earned a master's degree at another institution are not required to obtain approval from the Graduate Division to work on the second master's at UC Santa Barbara. This also applies to UC Santa Barbara doctoral students who have earned a doctoral degree elsewhere. In either case, however, the student must go through the regular graduate admissions process.

Transfer of Credit Policies

The Graduate Council policy on transfer of units:

• Upper-division and graduate courses may be transferred to UC Santa Barbara only if the student was in a graduate program when the courses were completed, and units were not applied toward a degree already awarded.
• Although units of credit taken elsewhere may be transferred, it is not possible to recognize and count quarters of academic residency earned at another university toward the UC Santa Barbara academic residency requirement.
• No transfer credit is allowed for courses taken while an undergraduate.
• No courses taken during UC Santa Barbara Summer Session will apply toward a graduate degree or teaching credential unless admission to graduate standing to UC Santa Barbara was effective in the summer or in a previous quarter.
• Pre-matriculation : Students admitted to begin graduate degrees in the fall quarter who enroll in the UC Santa Barbara summer session courses immediately preceding the aforementioned fall quarter are considered "pre-matriculated" graduate students. Upper-division and graduate-level coursework completed during the summer session by pre-matriculated students will count toward University and departmental requirements.
• Students must complete one graduate quarter at UC Santa Barbara before they may petition to transfer credit. With approval from the department and the Graduate Division, students may transfer up to 8-quarter units for courses completed with a grade of B or better from an accredited college outside the UC system; up to 12-quarter units may be transferred from another UC campus. Transferred units are treated as Pass/Not Pass upper-division units and are not computed into the UC Santa Barbara GPA, with the exception of courses completed through UC Santa Barbara Extension's Open Enrollment described in the following section.

Transferring Units from UCSB Extension's Open Enrollment or Education Abroad Programs

There are two special circumstances involving UC Santa Barbara graduate coursework that may be considered as transfer units:

1. Admitted students who had formally applied to a UC Santa Barbara graduate program at the time they completed coursework through UC Santa Barbara Extension's Open Enrollment (formerly known as "Concurrent Enrollment") may transfer up to 12 units to their graduate transcript, contingent upon department and Graduate Division approval. Open Enrollment courses taken in Fall 2000 or thereafter will be included in the UC Santa Barbara GPA if the department and Graduate Division accept and apply the courses toward the degree. Units taken through Open Enrollment prior to filing an admission's application cannot be transferred.
2. Education Abroad Program (EAP) reciprocity students who are subsequently admitted to a master's and/or doctoral degree program can transfer up to 12 units taken at UC Santa Barbara while in non-degree EAP status. Under limited circumstances, one quarter of UC Santa Barbara residency can be granted to EAP students who are later admitted to graduate status. The said EAP student must pay all UC Santa Barbara fees and tuition for the quarter to be counted toward fulfillment of a graduate academic residency requirement.

CURRENTLY ENROLLED GRADUATE STUDENTS

Graduate students may not take courses through UCSB Extension Open's Enrollment, which can be taken through regular enrollment at UC Santa Barbara. If such courses are taken, no unit credit will be counted toward fulfillment of degree requirements set by the Graduate Council.

For courses other than concurrent courses-i.e., unusual courses not otherwise available at UC Santa Barbara-permission must be sought in advance from both the academic department and the Graduate Division to allow for a transfer of credit.

Before approving transfer units, the graduate advisor should be satisfied that the courses being transferred are equivalent to UC Santa Barbara offerings, particularly if they involve substitutions for departmental requirements. A Graduate Student Petition is not necessary if the department is only recognizing area competencies, because the coursework and units will not be officially included on the student's transcripts. In those cases where competencies are recognized, the student must still enroll in courses that meet the department's unit requirement.

Waiver of Graduate Council Requirements

In situations where there is a request for a waiver of Graduate Council requirements, students in consultation with their departments should contact the Graduate Division Academic Services unit, (805) 893-2277.

Permission for Dual Enrollment

Occasionally, UC Santa Barbara undergraduates who have been admitted to graduate status need an additional quarter to complete a requirement for the bachelor's degree. In cases where this delay was outside the student's control, the Graduate Division will allow the student to petition for "dual enrollment." Under dual enrollment, the student is allowed to begin graduate studies and enjoy graduate student privileges (e.g., holding an academic apprenticeship) while completing the bachelor's degree. Students facing this situation should contact the Graduate Division Academic Services unit, gradacademics@graddiv.ucsb.edu, (805) 893-2277.

In Absentia Petition and Requirements

Graduate students whose research or study requires them to remain outside California for the duration of a full quarter can take advantage of in absentia registration. The research or study must be directly related to the student's degree program and of a nature that makes it necessary to be completed outside of California. This includes students holding a fellowship, internship, or having a graduate student researcher appointment.

Students who are approved for in absentia registration will receive a reduction of 85% of the combined registration, educational, and campus fees. Other fees, notably the nonresident tuition and graduate student health insurance fees remain unchanged. For the updated fee schedule, go to the Registrar's Summary of Quarterly Fees and Expenses.

Students using in absentia registration are responsible for adhering to the registration and fee payments deadlines published in the Registrar's quarterly Schedule of Classes. Students going out-of-state sometimes forget about these deadlines and become subject to late registration fees or worse, allow their status to lapse. These circumstances can be avoided by making arrangements for registration and fee payment for subsequent quarters before leaving UC Santa Barbara.

Eligibility Criteria for In Absentia Registration

• Master's and graduate professional students (Ed.D.) must have completed one year of coursework by the time in absentia status would begin.
• Master's and graduate professional students may be granted up to one year in absentia registration
• Doctoral students must have advanced to candidacy by the time in absentia status would begin.

Doctoral students may be granted up to two years, with the second year requiring special approval by the Graduate Dean.

Applying for In Absentia Registration

Students should submit to Graduate Division the Request for In Absentia Registration petition by the deadline posted in the Registrar's Schedule of Classes. The petition requires the approval of the department graduate advisor and the student's research advisor. Their signatures verify that the student will be conducting research or engaging in study which requires that the student be outside California for one to three quarters. Students on nonimmigrant visas must also secure the approval of the Office of International Students and Scholars prior to submitting the petition to Graduate Division. There is no fee to process an In Absentia Petition.

Approval may be for one to three consecutive quarters. Extensions for additional quarters are at the discretion of the Graduate Dean.

In Absentia benefits:

• to remain a full-time registered student
• combined registration, educational, and campus fees reduced by 85%
• remain eligible to receive financial aid
• remain eligible to receive funding from central fellowships
• remain eligible to hold a graduate student researcher appointment
• may be used to delay repayment of student loans
• retain Graduate Student Health Insurance (GSHIP)

Leave of Absence Petition and Requirements

Students on approved leave are not eligible to hold student academic appointment titles, receive University fellowships, and financial aid. Access to some University services may be affected by taking a leave of absence. Students are encouraged to consult each campus and/or external agency, prior to applying for leave, to be apprised of the consequences of not registering for the quarter.

In reviewing Leave of Absence petitions, graduate advisors are asked to keep the following in mind:

• Department approval of a leave of absence normally guarantees the student a position in the department when the student's leave is over.
• Persons on leave are not, technically speaking, students. A student is someone who pays fees and registers; registration is required to hold student academic apprentice titles and receive most University services.
• When students go on leave, most financial agencies expect the repayment of loans.
• As with all other student requests, the department recommends approval or denial. The Graduate Division holds final responsibility for approving or denying leave of absence petitions.

*  NOTE : Students may purchase Graduate Student Health Insurance (GSHIP) for a maximum of three academic quarters. They also retain library privileges.

Students who are not in good academic standing, with a cumulative GPA below 3.0 or with excessive units of unfinished coursework, must correct these deficiencies to be eligible for most types of leave. Questions regarding the merits of a particular leave request may be addressed to the Graduate Division Academic Services unit, Cheadle Hall 3117, (805) 893-5485, gradacademics@graddiv.ucsb.edu.

The Graduate Council allows students to take an official leave of absence for the following reasons:

• medical/health difficulties;
• pregnancy and/or parenting needs during the first 12 months after the child's birth or adoption;
• emergencies in the immediate family;
• military duties required by the government of the student's home country; and
• a Filing Fee quarter of leave of absence for terminal master's or doctoral students who intend to complete their degree the quarter the leave is approved.

Leaves are normally granted one quarter at a time, up to a maximum of three quarters of leave during a student's graduate career. The Filing Fee leave of absence is counted separately from the first four categories (medical, maternity, family emergency, and military) of leave enumerated above.

The Graduate Division requires the following documentation to establish leave eligibility:

• Students applying for medical and/or pregnancy leave must submit a doctor's note.
• Students applying for leave for parenting (the first 12 months after the baby's birth or after adoption) needs must submit either a birth certificate or verification from an adoption or similar agency.
• Students who are requesting a leave for a family emergency must explain in writing the circumstances behind the request.
• International students in a F1 or J1 visa category are required to make an appointment with Office of International Students and Scholars before requesting a family emergency leave of absence. Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), Student Resource Building 3130, (805) 793-2929.
• Students requesting a leave of absence to fulfill a military service obligation must furnish documentation from the government of their home country.
• Students who are approved for a Filing Fee quarter of leave have entered into a contractual obligation to finish that quarter or accept certain consequences.

*  NOTE : Students who fail to file their theses or dissertations, or pass their comprehensive examinations during the approved quarter of Filing Fee leave must subsequently register the quarter the final degree requirements are met.

Returning from an Approved Leave of Absence

A leave of absence is approved for a set period of time only. It is not necessary for students to notify the Graduate Division when they wish to return from an approved leave. The Office of the Registrar automatically assesses fees and generates a pass time to register for classes in the quarter immediately following an approved leave of absence. Students on an approved leave of absence during spring quarter and wishing to register in the summer session may do so by enrolling directly with Summer Sessions.

Impact of In Absentia and Leave of Absence on Degree Timeline Chart

**Note : Effective Fall 2009, research leaves of absence are no longer an option under University of California policy.

Complete Withdrawal from Classes Petition and Requirements

Students who have registered and paid fees , and then need to leave the University must file a Complete Graduate Withdrawal Petition to request a refund of fees and to cancel class enrollments to avoid the possibility of receiving failing grades. In an emergency, the Office of Student Life will help the student withdraw from classes and seek a refund of fees, Student Resource Building 2260, (805) 893-4569. Early in the quarter, speed is of the essence to gain the largest refund of fees possible. Students who might be eligible for an approved leave of absence should be encouraged to apply for a leave rather than withdrawing. The Graduate Complete Withdrawal Petition can be picked up at the Office of the Registrar, Student Affairs and Administrative Services Building 1105.

Lapsed Status - Ramifications

Students who leave the University without an approved leave of absence relinquish all privileges of being a student: this is also known as "lapsed status". In contrast, an approved leave of absence represents an official status recognized by the University and allows limited access to University services.

Reinstatement from Lapse Status is Not Automatic

It is critical to note that a department is under no obligation to approve a student's request for reinstatement.

• Quarters in lapsed status still count towards your normative and time-to-degree deadlines, and affect eligibility for funding.

Consequences for International Students

• Failure to enroll in full-time study violates an international student's immigration status. International students may be asked by the U.S. Immigration Service to leave the United States.
• The non-resident tuition time clock continues to tick. The non-resident tuition reduction which is in effect for three calendar years upon advancement to candidacy, this includes non-registered quarters.

Students Who Lapse Their Status Forfeit Student Privileges

• Includes pre-existing offers of departmental financial support (i.e., graduate student academic appointments and fellowships). This is especially true for those students seeking to reinstate and have exceeded the department's normative time and Graduate Council time-to-degree deadlines.
• Ineligible to use Student Health Services or to purchase Graduate Student Health Insurance (GSHIP).
• Lose library privileges.
• Lose U-Mail privileges after 13 months of lapsed status.
• Loan agencies may require repayment of student loans to begin.

Reinstatement from Unregistered Status Petition and Requirements

Students who have a break in registration must petition to return to registered status. To reinstate, the student must complete a Petition for Reinstatement to Graduate Status and secure the approval of the department graduate advisor and the Graduate Division Academic Services unit.

Students in unregistered status spring quarter may enroll in Summer Session courses without filing a reinstatement petition; however, the student must file a Reinstatement Petition to enroll in the subsequent fall quarter.

Departments are asked to think carefully about a decision to reinstate a student. A department may have good reasons for not reinstating a student. For example, if the student was having trouble meeting academic requirements, or the department's resources to support the student's area of interest have diminished over time, or faculty with whom the student previously worked have left UC Santa Barbara. These factors should be taken into account before reinstatement is approved.

Students seeking to reinstate who have exceeded one or more of the time-to-degree requirements must formulate a plan and detailed timetable for completion of the relevant degree requirement. This includes students who have yet to advance to candidacy and/or complete the master's degree within the four years allowed, or who have not completed the doctorate within the seven years allowed. In some cases, students who have been unregistered for a long period of time may be required to sit for doctoral qualifying examinations following reinstatement to prove currency in the field.

The plan for completion along with a timetable must be verified by the student's research advisor and submitted to the graduate advisor with the Reinstatement Petition. If the graduate advisor approves the Reinstatement Petition, the timetable for completion should be forwarded to the Graduate Division along with the petition.

Office of the Registrar Petitions

In addition to the "Graduate Complete Withdrawal Petition" described above, graduate students should be aware of the following Office of the Registrar petitions.

Schedule Adjustments

Graduate students use GOLD to make routine schedule adjustments prior to and at the beginning of the quarter. Well into the quarter, however, students must petition to add or drop classes or to change grading options. Please refer to the Schedule of Classes for the exact date each quarter when the petition requirement begins. The Registrar assesses a charge for each schedule adjustment made after the deadline specified in the Schedule of Classes, whether it was accomplished via GOLD or petition. The Graduate Student Schedule Adjustment Petition requires the review and signature of the department graduate advisor in addition to the instructor, the petition can be picked up in the Graduate Division, Cheadle Hall 3117, or in the Office of the Registrar, Student Affairs and Administrative Services Building 1101.

*  NOTE : Additional requirements apply depending on the timing of the request, as explained below:

Deadline for Adding Classes

Graduate students have until the 15th day of instruction to add classes via GOLD.

Deadline for Dropping a Class and Changes of Grading Option

The deadline for dropping a class and changes of grading options by petition is the last day of instruction each quarter. There are earlier deadlines for students who use GOLD rather than filing a hardcopy Schedule Adjustment Petition-see the Schedule of Classes for the exact dates.

Retroactive Schedule Adjustments

Once a quarter is over and grades are posted, retroactive changes to student transcripts require Graduate Division approval. Retroactive grade changes will be approved only when the student can prove there was a legitimate clerical or administrative error. Graduate Council Policy stipulates that students cannot request grade changes because they are dissatisfied with their grades or want a more presentable transcript.

In cases where a failing grade (F, U, or NP) appears on the student's transcript, the Graduate Division will contact the instructor to determine whether the grade was earned or assigned in error. (See "Repetition of Courses," below, for the one possible exception to this policy on retroactive changes.)

*  NOTE : Students should be advised that if by dropping their first effort they will decrease their total units for the quarter below 8 units, this could affect their financial aid, employment, and fellowship awards.

•  This is particularly important for international students. As their student visas require they maintain fulltime enrollment status.

Repetition of Courses

With departmental approval, students occasionally repeat a course to earn a better grade, in some cases to meet departmental degree requirements. When students earn a better grade in their second attempt in the same course, they may petition to withdraw retroactively from the first attempt. If the instructor of the first course concurs with the request, the department graduate advisor and Graduate Dean indicate their approval by signing the Graduate Student Schedule Adjustment Petition available at the Office of the Registrar, Student Affairs and Administrative Services Building 1101 or initiated by the graduate student or the department.

•  NOTE : Students should be advised that if by dropping their first effort they will decrease their total units for the quarter below 8 units, this could affect their financial aid, employment, and fellowship awards.

• This is particularly important for international students. As their student visas require they maintain fulltime enrollment status.