Mar 18, 2024  
2018-2019 Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Enrollment


Academic Calendar

Golden Gate University operates on a trimester academic calendar with sixteen-week trimester “A” terms in the fall, spring, and summer. Two consecutive eight-week terms “B” and “C” are held within each sixteen-week trimester term. In addition, the Schools of Taxation and Accounting offer full-time daytime cohort programs with classes scheduled during the “D” terms. The academic year begins with the fall trimester and ends with the following summer trimester.

Classes are offered during the daytime, evenings and weekends and are offered both in-person and online. Students should view the course schedule online at http://www.ggu.edu/degrees-and-courses/course-schedule for specific schedule information including time, place and availability of online classes.

Registration and advising begin approximately seven weeks prior to the start of each trimester term. Students may enroll at the start of all academic terms except the “D” terms, which are restricted to Taxation and Accounting cohort program students. Students may attend year round, but are not required to do so. See Enrollment Requirement to Maintain Admission Status for more information.

Prerequisites and Corequisites

Prerequisites are courses that must be successfully completed before the course for which they are required. Prerequisites, if any, are listed following the description.

Corequisites are prerequisites, which, if not successfully completed before the course for which they are required, may be taken at the same time as the course for which they are required. Like prerequisites, corequisites are listed after the course description.

Undergraduate Course Number System

Each undergraduate course is assigned a number according to the following plan:

1-99                 Lower-division courses

100-199          Upper-division courses

Uppercase “A” and “B” following a number indicate related courses that may be taken out of sequence (unless prerequisites are noted).

Directed study, with permission of the instructor, department chair or program director and the dean, is available to advanced students in several fields.

Courses carry from one to six units of credit in one trimester or term, depending upon the number of semester hours assigned to that course. Primary focus and consideration are given to expected learning outcomes and the way in which they are affected. Generally, for traditional in-person instruction, academic credit is assigned on the basis of one semester credit hour for each 15 hours of classroom contact. However, credit is not entirely derived by a simple arithmetic conversion of contact hours, but considers factors such as course assignments and activities, course materials and the nature of the learning experience, required outside preparation and assessment instruments. These factors are the sole factors for determining credit hours for classes involving distance learning.

California Articulation Number

The California Articulation Number (CAN) system identifies many transferable, lower-division, major-preparation courses commonly taught on California college and university campuses. While this program has been slated for discontinuation, it continues to be used by articulation officers throughout California. GGU will continue to recognize the CAN system until is it no longer accepted in the California higher education system.

The system assures students that CAN courses on one participating campus will be accepted “in lieu of” the comparable CAN courses on another participating campus. For example: CAN ECON 2 on one campus will be accepted for CAN ECON 2 on every other participating campus that has also qualified CAN ECON 2. Each campus retains its own numbering system, but adds the CAN designation parenthetically in its publications.

Check with counseling offices, departmental offices or articulation officers for current listings of CAN-qualified courses. A CAN catalog listing campuses and courses is published in January and June.

Graduate Course Numbering System

Graduate courses are assigned numbers according to the following plan:

200-299          Foundation Program Courses

300-499          Advanced Program Courses

800-899          Doctoral Seminars

Only one directed study may be taken for credit by a candidate for a master’s degree. The dean’s approval is required.

Courses carry from one to three units of credit in one trimester or term, depending upon the number of semester hours assigned to that course. Primary focus and consideration are given to expected learning outcomes and the way in which they are effected. Generally, for traditional in-person instruction, academic credit is assigned on the basis of one semester credit hour for each 15 hours of classroom contact. However, credit is not entirely derived by a simple arithmetic conversion of contact hours, but considers factors such as course assignments and activities, course materials and the nature of the learning experience, required outside preparation and assessment instruments. These factors are the sole factors for determining credit hours for classes involving distance learning.

Enrollment Status Classifications and Reporting

The university classifies students’ enrollment status based on the student’s academic level (e.g., Undergraduate, Graduate, Doctoral) and the number of units in which they are enrolled during an enrollment period. Enrollment periods include the trimester and corresponding sub-terms.

Status
Classifications
Less Than
Half Time
Half Time Three-quarter
Time
Full Time
Undergraduate 5 or fewer units 6-8 units 9-11 units 12 or more units
Graduate 3 or fewer units 4-5 units 6-7 units 8 or more units
Doctoral 2 or fewer units 3-6 units NA 7 or more units

For the purposes of awarding financial aid, these classifications do not apply to students who are registered in only one eight-week term (e.g., Fall B). Students must also register for another term, which can be either the other eight-week term or the sixteen-week trimester. Otherwise the student will be classified as “less than half time,” regardless of the number of registered units.

The university reports the enrollment status for all students enrolled in a given enrollment period to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) on a monthly basis. The report includes the beginning and ending dates of each student’s actual enrollment period and the enrollment classification (e.g., half time, full time, less-than full time, withdrawn). The NSC makes this information available to lending institutions, prospective employers, verification agencies and others wanting to verify a student’s enrollment.

The information reported to NSC is limited to directory information as defined under Privacy of Student Education Records  policy. Students who do not want information released by the NSC to inquirers (except to lenders), must submit a Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form to the Office of Records and Registration. The form is available on GGU4YOU or from the Office of Records and Registration.

Credit Hour (Unit) Definition

Golden Gate University has long followed the standard definition of a credit hour or unit using the “Carnegie Unit” as a baseline standard, where every one hour spent in class instruction over the course of a 15/16 week term equates to 2-4 hours of out-of-class preparation time. This includes other academic activities including internships, pratica, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours. As more courses have integrated online learning technologies to become blended or offered fully online, it is important for students to understand how the units they earn toward a degree translate to the commitment required to successfully meet the academic standards for the institution. As to be expected, there will be slight variations across academic level (undergraduate and graduate), or from academic department to department, and even at various during times of the term. Golden Gate University students can expect their time spent during instruction (contact hours) and class preparation, in person and online, to meet or exceed the standards defined by the Department of Education* in regulations effective July 1, 2011.

The following are three examples of a course work requirement:

  1. 15-week, in person, graduate course in the Ageno School of Business:
    2 hours, 40 minutes in class each week (approximately 45 contact hours)
    8-12 hours of student preparation time each week
    3 unit internship = 180 hours
    15 weeks = 3 units
  2. 16-week, in person, graduate course in the School of Accounting or Bruce F. Braden School of Taxation:
    2 hours, 40 minutes in class each week (approximately 48 contact hours)
    8-12 hours of student preparation time each week
    3 unit internship = 240 hours
    16 weeks = 3 units
  3. 8-week, blended, undergraduate course in the School of Undergraduate Studies:
    2 hours, 40 minutes in class each week (approximately 24 contact hours)
    2 hours, 40 minutes of online instruction** each week (approximately 24 contact hours)
    10-14 hours of student preparation time each week
    3 unit internship = 180 hours
    8 weeks = 3 units

* See https://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN1106.html for detailed information regarding this regulation.

** Online instruction includes review of online materials such as lectures, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and instructor-led participation.  It does not include reading course assignments or doing homework exercises, things that would be done “out of class” if the course were meeting face-to-face.

Enrollment Minimum and Maximum Requirements

Fully Admitted Students

Fully admitted students may enroll in the maximum number of units indicated below:

  • Undergraduate: 17 units
  • Graduate: 14 units
  • Doctoral: 8 units

Students may be permitted to enroll in additional units with the written approval of the appropriate academic dean. This approval must be given to the Office of Records and Registration prior to enrolling in the excess units.

Conditionally Admitted Students

Conditionally admitted undergraduate students may enroll in a maximum of 12 units per trimester period. Conditionally admitted graduate students may enroll in a maximum of nine units per trimester period. It is strongly recommended that conditionally admitted students take no more than two courses per trimester period until the conditional admission requirements are satisfied.

Provisionally Admitted Graduate Students

Provisionally admitted graduate students may enroll in only one trimester while awaiting the conferral of their undergraduate degrees. Provisionally admitted graduate students may not enroll in a subsequent trimester until their official transcripts showing their degree conferral has been received by Enrollment Services and their admission status has been changed to conditionally or fully admitted.

International Students

United States (US) federal regulations require international students residing in the US with a student F1 Visa or scholar J1 Visa immigration type to enroll in a full course of study. These students must enroll full time. The student’s degree level combined with the length of the trimester terms determine the full course of study requirement.

International (F1 or J1 visa) graduate students are required to enroll in a minimum of eight units per trimester term. International (For J1 visa) Doctoral students must be enrolled in a minimum of seven units per trimester term while they are completing their coursework and four units per trimester term while completing their dissertation.

Graduate and doctoral students are eligible for a vacation trimester term after completing two consecutive trimester terms of full-time coursework. Grades of W (Withdrawal), WF (Withdrawal Failure), AU (Audit), NC (No Credit), UW (Unauthorized Withdrawal) and I (Incomplete) are not calculated as earned units for immigration purposes.

GGU operates on a multi-term academic calendar consisting of three trimesters: fall, spring, and summer trimester. In order to be considered full time during one of these trimester terms, international students must enroll in in-person classes that span the 16-week trimester term. Students may satisfy this obligation by enrolling in 16-week courses or a combination of 16-week and eight-week courses.

Only one class (3 units) of online courses may be applied toward the full-time enrollment requirement for international students. International students may take more than one class online, but only on an approved vacation trimester term or in addition to a full-time course load.

International students must obtain prior approval from their international student counselor before dropping or withdrawing from courses. International students who are unable to fulfill the full course of study requirement should contact Graduate Advising Services without delay in order to prevent violation of their immigration status

International students may be permitted to fulfill their enrollment requirements by taking courses at other institutions while they are pursuing their program at Golden Gate University. Before enrolling elsewhere, the student must first receive approval from the Graduate Advising Center by submitting an “International Student Request To Take Courses At Another Institution” form to that office in Enrollment Services.

International students in valid immigration status at another institution may enroll in Golden Gate University courses with the written authorization from their home institution. International students must meet the minimum enrollment requirements of the other institution, and will be required to provide proof of having fulfilled GGU’s English Language Proficiency Admission Requirements .

Students Enrolling Concurrently at Other Institutions

Students may be permitted to fulfill the requirements of the academic program by taking courses at another institution while pursuing an academic program at Golden Gate University. The courses will be transferred provided the following three conditions are met:

  1. The student has not met the maximum number of allowable transfer units; and
  2. The student is in good academic standing; and
  3. The student has no outstanding financial obligations to the University.

Golden Gate University publishes the articulation agreements with other institutions on the Golden Gate University website. Students are not required to petition for permission to take courses at those institutions if students have met the above requirements and the course in question is listed in the agreement. Golden Gate University makes every effort to publish the most current articulation agreements, and strongly recommends that students refer to these agreements before registering for courses at another institution.

If the course the student wants to take is not included in the articulation agreement, the student is required to petition for permission to enroll in that course. Before enrolling at the other institution, students must first receive approval from the Office of Enrollment Services by submitting a “Domestic Student Request to Take Courses at Another Institution” form to that office. Students must include ample documentation (course descriptions, syllabus information, etc.) to support the request.

In the evaluation process, an emphasis will be placed on evaluating basic proficiencies and electives first, with courses in the liberal studies core to follow.

Students who wish to receive financial aid for courses taken concurrently at other institutions must submit a separate petition to the Financial Aid Office.

International students must follow the policy for concurrent enrollment as described in the International Students section above.

Enrollment Requirement to Maintain Admission Status

Golden Gate University requires students to enroll in and complete at least one unit of academic credit every three trimesters in order to preserve their admission at the institution. Domestic students may be absent for two consecutive trimesters without consequence. International students with F1 or J1 visas must meet the more stringent enrollment requirements as described in the International Students section above.

Students who fail to enroll for three consecutive trimesters are considered to be inactive. Students whose programs become inactive under this policy are required to apply for readmission in order to resume their academic studies at Golden Gate University. See the University’s Readmission of Former Students  policies for more information.

Registration Policies and Procedures

Internet and E-mail Access Required of All Students

Golden Gate University expects all students registering for courses to have access to a computer and the Internet either at work, at home, in the 1st Floor HUB at 536 Mission Street or through one of GGU’s computer labs. Most, if not all, courses offered at GGU have some content and tasks online.

The University communicates registration, payment and other administrative information by e-mail, and expects all students to have an e-mail address and to check it regularly. Students must keep the University informed of their e-mail address and other contact information. Changes may be submitted online via GGU4YOU under the “Profile” menu or by submitting a Change of Student Information form to the Office of Records and Registration. The University will accept registration requests submitted by e-mail but only if the e-mail originates from the e-mail address on record for the student.

Registration Request Submission Requirements

All registration requests, including course drop/withdrawal requests, must be submitted in one of the following way(s):

  • Online via GGU4YOU at www.ggu.edu
  • E-mail to: registration@ggu.edu (Note: Message must originate from the student’s e-mail address on record at Golden Gate University.)
  • Fax to: 415-442-7223
  • Mail to: Office of Records and Registration, 536 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105

The following kinds of requests are insufficient, and will not be processed:

  • Oral/spoken requests
  • Requests submitted to instructors, deans or academic department chairs or staff
  • Requests submitted by anyone other than the student, including family members

Students are not officially enrolled until tuition and fees have been paid for all registered courses or other acceptable arrangements have been made, such as enrolling in a deferred payment plan. Students must pay in full or make other arrangements by the payment due date for the term, as published in the academic calendar, or their registrations will be canceled. A student whose registration is canceled due to failure to pay who requests to be reinstated will be assessed a $100 late registration fee. Payment in full or other satisfactory payment arrangements must be made before a student’s registration will be reinstated.

Pre-Registration Academic Advising Requirement

The following students are required to have their schedules approved by their advisor prior to registering:

  • Undergraduate students must work with their enrollment counselor in their first or returning trimester at GGU, and subsequently with their academic advisor.
  • Graduate students either beginning a new academic program or planning to graduate at the end of the term for which they are registering can work with either a faculty advisor or a student services advisor in their particular school.
  • Students enrolling under open enrollment status must have their schedules approved by their enrollment counselors.
  • Students making the credit/no credit grade election.
  • Students who have yet to satisfy the terms of their conditional admission.
  • Students on academic probation.

International Students (F1 and J1 Visa)

Before registering, students will need the approval of an advisor in the Graduate Advising Center if they:

  • Are registering for their first term.
  • Want to drop/withdraw from a course.
  • Haven’t submitted verification that they have health insurance.

Students with Conditional Math or English Admissions

Students who have not satisfied the math or English admissions requirements must receive advising and obtain the approval of a student services advisor prior to registration.

Open Enrollment Status

Prospective students who are seeking to earn degrees or certificates, who have applied for admission to the university but whose applications have not been processed, may enroll in courses through open enrollment status. In addition, students who desire to take courses for personal enrichment but are not seeking academic credentials may request to enroll through open enrollment status. Permission to register for individual courses is based on prior academic performance and preparation in appropriate prerequisites. See the Open Enrollment Status  policies for more information.

Adding or Dropping Courses

Adding Before the Add Deadline

Students may register for a course section after it has begun during the Add Period. The Add Period extends through the second week of classes for trimester terms, and through the first week of classes for eight-week terms. Students are not allowed to register for intensives courses (less than eight weeks long) once they have begun. The specific dates are published in the course schedule and can be found in the Academic Calendar. Students must submit add requests either in writing online through GGU4YOU, by fax, e-mail, or in person to the Office of Records and Registration. Making an oral/spoken request or submitting a written request to the instructor or any other university office is insufficient.

Adding After the Add Deadline (Late Registration)

Students who want to register for a course section past the “Last Day to Register/Add” may request late registration. For specific dates, students should consult the Academic Calendar. To request late registration, students must submit, along with their registration request, all of the following:

  • Written or e-mailed approval from the course’s instructor
  • Written or e-mailed approval from a senior administrator in the school or division in which the course is housed, such as a dean, director or department chair
  • A $100 late registration fee. This fee will be charged only once per trimester term, regardless of whether students have already registered for courses within that term. This fee will only be waived if students present written evidence of extenuating circumstances beyond their control that prevented them from registering before the registration deadline. Only the Office of Records and Registration or school’s senior administrator can authorize a waiver - not the course’s instructor.

Drop “W” Grade Policy

After the “Last Day to Drop without Tuition Charge,” dropped courses are assigned “W” grades by the registrar; the only exceptions are for courses that are canceled by the university or when a student changes from one section to another section of the same course, both of which are offered in the same academic period. Students are liable for the tuition for all courses dropped after the “Last Day to Drop without Tuition Charge.” For specific dates, students should consult the Academic Calendar. Course sections that are dropped after the “Last Day to Drop Without Tuition Charge” are included in the attempted units for evaluating Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid recipients.

Dropping and Withdrawing from a Course Section

Students may withdraw from a trimester course section through its fourteenth week, an eight-week course section through its seventh week, and a nine-week course section through its eighth week, as published in the Academic Calendar. If the student was admitted conditionally or placed on academic probation, the student must meet with the academic program advisor before dropping or withdrawing from a course or withdrawing completely from the university.

If the student drops a course section before the “Last Day to Drop Course Without Tuition Charge or ‘W’ Grade,” as published in the Academic Calendar, which is approximately the end of the third week of the course, the full tuition charge will be credited to the student’s account. If a student withdraws from a course section after this deadline, the registrar will record a “W” grade on the student’s transcript and the student will be liable for the tuition charge.

In order to officially withdraw, the student must submit a drop request in writing online through GGU4YOU, by fax, e-mail or in-person to the Office of Records and Registration. Making an oral/spoken request or submitting a written request to the instructor or any other university office is insufficient.

Requests for withdrawal or change-to-audit status will not be approved after the “Last Day to Withdraw from Course” as published in the Academic Calendar and the student will receive a grade for the course. If the student ceases to attend a course section and does not officially withdraw, the instructor will assign an “F” grade, and will record the student’s last date of attendance (LDA) in class or participation online. When applicable, the student’s LDA will be reported to 3rd parties that have provided funding for the student’s education, such as the US Department of Education or the US Department of Veteran Affairs.

Changing to Audit Status

Students may change to audit status for a trimester course section through its fourteenth week and an eight-week course section through its seventh week. For specific dates, students should consult the Academic Calendar. However, if the student registers for a course in non-audit status and later changes to audit, no audit discount will be given. Doctoral courses may not be audited.

Requests for changes to audit status must be submitted in writing to the Office of Records and Registration. An oral/spoken request or a written request submitted to the instructor is insufficient.

Students who elect audit status may not change their registration status later to receive a letter grade or a “CR” (Credit) grade without the approval of the dean, program director, or department chair associated with the student’s academic program. Refer to “Auditing Courses” for additional policies relating to auditing courses.

Financial Aid Recipients Who Withdraw Completely From All Courses

Financial aid recipients who withdraw from all courses during a financial aid award period (fall, spring, summer) must notify the Financial Aid Office by email at finaid@ggu.edu after submitting the proper withdrawal request to the registrar. Complete withdrawal may be accomplished by dropping or withdrawing from all enrolled courses.

International Students

International students (F-1 or J-1 visa), must contact the Graduate Advising office before dropping or withdrawing from a course. The advisor will advise the student about compliance with US immigration policies, Department of Homeland Security regulations.

Refunds

If students drop before the refund deadline, the tuition charge for the dropped courses will be reversed, and their accounts will be credited. This credit will be used toward their future registration charges. If, instead, students would like this money refunded to them, they should send a written request to Student Accounting Services via fax at 415-442-7819 or e-mail to sas@ggu.edu. Oral/spoken requests will not be processed.

Section Waitlists

Students attempting to register for full/closed course section(s) will be given the option of placing themselves on the section’s waitlist. Tuition is not assessed when students are added to a waitlist. Students may remove themselves from course waitlists using GGU4YOU if they no longer want to be enrolled in the waitlisted course.

Course waitlists are managed by each school or department. Students are registered from the waitlist if seats become available or the section capacity is expanded. Students who are already registered for another section of the same course or who are registered for a conflicting course section will not be registered from the waitlist. Students will be notified by e-mail if they are registered from the waitlist. Students who do not want to be enrolled in the previously waitlisted course must drop it using GGU4YOU or by contacting the school or department that added them to the course.

A course section may have a waitlist even though the capacity of the section may be greater than the number of students currently registered. This situation may occur when the course section was full at a prior time and a waitlist was created, after which students dropped the course section, making seats available. However, it is not possible to bypass the waitlist, as there may still be students ahead on it. Students who seek to register for a closed course section should add themselves to the waitlist and wait for the school or department to respond.

Administrative Withdrawal

The university reserves the right to administratively withdraw a student from courses in the event of any of the following:

  • Failure to meet financial obligations with the university
  • Course prerequisites are not met
  • Violations of academic or administrative policies

If a student is administratively withdrawn, the student’s withdrawal date will be recorded as the first day of the term. All registration charges (tuition and fees) associated with the course will be reversed. Golden Gate University must return the funds for students who are administratively withdrawn who have received any form of federal financial aid , including loans, if the withdrawal results in complete withdrawal from the trimester term. The Return of Title IV Funds  may result in a balance due on the student’s account.

Directed Study

Students may study a topic not offered in the course schedule individually under the guidance of a faculty member by requesting a directed study. To register for a directed study, the student should obtain the signatures of the faculty member and the appropriate school dean on a Directed Study Form, and submit both this form and a registration form to the Office of Records and Registration. Directed studies are subject to the following restrictions:

  • Undergraduate students may register for only three units of directed study coursework per term.
  • Graduate students may register for only three units of directed study coursework per degree program.
  • Directed studies must be taken for letter grades only (not credit/no credit) or audit (AU).

Directed studies may be substituted for requirements in an academic program and are subject to the same administrative and academic policies as regular courses.

Custom Study

On rare occasion, the university will need to alter the meeting times of a course section from those that were published in the course schedule or on the GGU website. Students registered for the course will be offered the option of dropping the course along with a full tuition credit, or continuing with an altered schedule that is agreed upon by the instructor and all of the students. This course section is referred to as a “custom study,” as its meeting dates and times are customized by the participants. This change may result in less frequent contact between the instructor and students, but in no way alters the course’s learning objectives, unit load, tuition amount or administrative requirements.

Internships

Internships are structured learning experiences that allow students to work while attending the university. The internship program at Golden Gate University integrates students’ academic and career interests with work experience. The objectives of the program are to provide students with opportunities to apply academic theory in their major to the work world by gaining relevant field experience, earn academic credit toward degree requirements, and further their career and professional growth. Internships may be either paid or unpaid. Internships are subject to the same registration, financial and grading policies as regular courses.

Units earned may be applied to fulfill degree requirements; students may complete one or more academic internships per degree program. Contact your school or department for more information. Office of Career Planning staff members, deans, department chairs and faculty are available to help students identify internship opportunities that match their academic program and career interests. Students can learn more about the internship program and how to locate and prepare and register for an internship by accessing the Internship Information webpage via GGU4YOU. All internship course registrations must be approved by the department chair or the designated faculty internship supervisor and the academic advisor for international students.

Academic Credit (Varies by Academic Program)*

  • 3 units = 11 to 12 hours (minimum) per week for 16 weeks (180 minimum total hours; weekly hours are flexible)
  • 2 units = 7 to 8 hours per week for 16 weeks (120 minimum total hours; weekly hours are flexible)
  • 1 unit = 3 to 4 hours per week for 16 weeks (60 minimum total hours; weekly hours are flexible)

*Your academic department will determine the maximum number of internship hours and units applicable toward degree and certificate programs. Contact your school or department for more information. All students approved for internships must complete the minimum required work hours within the dates of the term in which the course is taken, unless otherwise approved by the department.

Internship Grading Criteria

The schools and departments will determine the criteria used for grading. The department chairs or the designated faculty internship supervisor will provide students with their internship assignments and inform them of the grading criteria when they receive approval for the internship.      

Internship Eligibility Requirements for Undergraduate Degree Students

  • Must have accumulated at least 60 units
  • Must have successfully completed at least 12 units at Golden Gate with a 2.50 GGU GPA or higher
  • Must have completed major subject area requirements
  • Must be fully (not provisionally or conditionally) admitted
  • Undergraduate students must receive a letter grade (A-F) for internship units taken to satisfy “Required for the Major” courses or “Business Core” courses.
  • Must meet departmental guidelines for qualifications for the internship

Internship Eligibility Requirements for Graduate-Degree Students

  • Must have successfully completed at least nine graduate units at Golden Gate University
  • Must be in good standing
  • Must have completed degree graduate proficiency and foundation program requirements. Since individual degree programs have exceptions, the appropriate catalog sections should be consulted.
  • Must be fully (not provisionally) admitted
  • Must meet departmental guidelines for qualifications for the internship

Internship Eligibility Requirements for Certificate Students

Fully admitted certificate-seeking students should consult with their department for specific eligibility requirements and application of internship units to their certificate programs.

Internship Eligibility Requirements for International Students

United States federal regulations govern the ability of international students and other international visitors to be employed in the United States. Internships, training and education programs that enable international visitors to provide services are generally considered as employment. Students in these programs are required to comply with the immigration laws and regulations pertaining to employment. Any activity performed by an international student or visitor for which the student or visitor receives any type of pay, remuneration, compensation, bonus or gift may be considered as employment under the regulations. Examples of compensation include, but are not limited to, the receipt of any type of benefit to the student such as money, meals, lodging and gifts of any type.

Students residing in the United States under any type of nonimmigrant visa status who intend to participate in the internship program at Golden Gate University may be eligible to participate if they are maintaining their immigration status and have permission in writing from an academic advisor in the Graduate Advising Center. Specific information regarding all of the eligibility requirements is available from the Graduate Advising Center.

Immigration rules and regulations generally control the following:

  • The length of time the student must be present in the US before being eligible for an internship
  • The relationship between the degree level, major, concentration or field of study and the internship field
  • The number of hours the student may be employed each week
  • The number of credit hours the student must be enrolled - in addition to the internship credit hours
  • The length of time permissible for each internship period

International students should consult the resources provided by the Graduate Advising Center to determine their eligibility and to obtain detailed information concerning immigration regulations for the internship program.

Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Courses

Undergraduate students in the final term prior to graduation may concurrently register for both undergraduate courses and graduate courses, provided the student is within six units of earning the bachelor’s degree and is in good academic standing. The student must have been admitted to a graduate program or apply for open enrollment at the graduate level prior to registration. Tuition is based on the academic level of the course, and not the student’s academic level. Academic credit for a course is granted for either the graduate level or the undergraduate level, but not both. This policy does not apply to graduate proficiency, foundation program or accounting foundation courses.

Grading Policies and Procedures

Grading System

The university uses a four-point scale, including plus (+) and minus (-), to calculate a grade point average (GPA). Grade point values are assigned as follows:

GRADE

  POINTS PER UNIT

A+ Outstanding 4.0
A Outstanding 4.0
A- Outstanding 3.7
B+ Good 3.3
B Good 3.0
B- Good 2.7
C+ Fair 2.3
C Fair 2.0
C- Fair 1.7
D+ Poor 1.3
D Poor 1.0
D- Poor 0.7
F Failure 0.0
WF Withdrew Failing 0.0
IF Incomplete Failure 0.0

The following symbols have no grade point value and are not used in the calculation of the grade point average: AU (Audit), I (Incomplete), CR (Credit), NC (No Credit), W (Withdrawal), UW (Unofficial Withdrawal).

The grade point average is calculated by dividing the grade points earned by the units completed. The cumulative Golden Gate University grade point average is calculated using only courses completed at Golden Gate University. A student’s grade point average at the time of completion of a degree program is not included in subsequent academic work.

Grade Point Average Calculation

The GPA is calculated by dividing the total grade points earned by the total letter-graded units completed. For example

COURSE GRADE UNITS GRADE POINTS GRADE POINT AVERAGE

Course 1 A- 3.0 11.1  
Course 2 B+ 3.0 9.9  
Course 3 A 1.0 4.0  
TOTAL   7.0 25.0 GPA = 3.57

Only Golden Gate University courses are used to compute the GPA, not courses transferred in from other schools. Courses graded on a CR/NC (pass/fail) basis are not included in the calculation.

The GPA is calculated by academic level: undergraduate, graduate or doctoral. Each course is assigned one and only one academic level. A student’s academic level for a given course may be different from its default course academic level. For instance, the default academic level for MATH 30  is undergraduate. If taken as part of an undergraduate program, it has an undergraduate academic level; if taken as part of a graduate program, it has a graduate academic level.

The GPA calculation will include all courses taken at a given academic level, regardless of whether those courses apply toward the student’s degree or certificate program requirements. Golden Gate University does not issue program GPAs.

The GPA calculation is frozen at the point a degree is awarded. Courses taken after the degree is awarded will not be included in the degree’s GPA, even if they are at the same academic level. For instance, undergraduate courses taken after earning a bachelor’s degree will not be retroactively included within that degree’s GPA.

Auditing Courses

Students who audit courses are not required to participate in class or to take examinations and do not receive academic credit or grades for the courses. An “AU” grade is recorded on the student’s transcript and has no effect on the grade point average. Students may initially register to audit a course or change their registration to an audit status within the first fourteen weeks of a trimester, or the first seven weeks of an eight-week term. For specific dates, students should consult the Academic Calendar. However, if the student registers for a course in non-audit status and later changes to audit, no audit discount will be given. Doctoral courses may not be audited. Requests for changes to audit status should be submitted in writing to the Office of Records and Registration. An oral (spoken) request or a written request submitted to the instructor is insufficient. Students who elect to audit courses may not change their registration status later to receive a letter grade or a “CR” (Credit) grade without the approval of the dean, program director, or department chair associated with the student’s academic program.

The tuition for audited courses is two-thirds of the tuition for non-audited courses. This discount is only applicable at the time of initial registration, and students who change their status to audit after initial registration are not eligible for this discount. Specifically, a change to audit status after initial registration will not result in reduced tuition.

International students (F and J visa) with a student or scholar visa may audit courses; however, these units are not included in their full-time unit load calculation.

Credit/No Credit Grade Election

Under certain circumstances, students may elect to receive a CR/NC (pass/fail) grade instead of a letter grade. Neither a “CR” (credit) grade nor an “NC” (no credit) grade is used in the student’s grade point average calculation. However, a “CR” grade counts as academic credit, whereas an “NC” grade does not.

In order to make the CR/NC Credit grade election, students must obtain the permission of their academic advisor. Students may either elect CR/NC grading at the time of registration or by forwarding their advisor’s approval to registration@ggu.edu. Students must make the CR/NC election no later than the end of the fourteenth week for a trimester course or the end of the seventh week for an eight-week term course.

Once a student has made the CR/NC election, the decision may not be revoked unless a grade of “NC” (no credit) is received. Students receiving a grade of “NC” may submit a written request to restore the actual letter grade received. Requests should be submitted to records@ggu.edu.

The following restrictions apply to the Credit/No Credit grade election:

  • Undergraduate students may elect the CR/NC grade for general elective courses only. A grade of “C-” or better must be earned to receive a “CR” grade and to earn academic credit for the course.
  • Graduate students may elect the CR/NC grade for 200-level foundation courses or courses used to fulfill proficiency requirements only. A grade of “B” or better must be earned to receive a “CR” grade and to earn academic credit for ENGL 200  or ENGL 201 ; a grade of “C-” or better must be earned in all other 200-level courses to receive a “CR” grade and to earn academic credit.
  • Doctoral students may elect the CR/NC grade for DBA 899 Dissertation Research  only.
  • Students who are admitted with an academic conditional admission or who are on probation are not eligible to elect CR/NC grading.

Failing (F) Grades

When a student fails to earn academic credit for a course, and does not withdraw by the “Last Day to Withdraw from Course” as published in the Academic Calendar, the instructor will assign an “F” grade. In addition, the instructor will record the student’s last date of attendance (LDA) in class or participation online. When applicable, the student’s LDA will be reported to 3rd parties that have provided funding for the student’s education, such as the US Department of Education or the US Department of Veteran Affairs.

Incomplete (I) Grades

A student may request an instructor assign an “I” (Incomplete) grade for a course. The instructor has full discretion as to whether an incomplete grade is appropriate.   The assignment of an incomplete is appropriate only if the following criteria are met:

  • The student is making satisfactory course progress as evidenced by a passing grade.
  • The student has completed the majority of the academic coursework.
  • The student is unable to complete the remaining course material because of unforeseen - but fully justifiable - circumstances.

Coursework must be completed and the grade received by the Office of Records and Registration by the deadline date established by the instructor, which can be no later than the end of the following trimester.

If the coursework is not completed by the designated deadline, the “I” grade will convert automatically to “IF” (Incomplete Failure). If eligible to enroll, and the student chooses to repeat the same course in a subsequent academic period, he/she will be required to pay all applicable tuition and fees.

International Students (F and J Visa) with a student or scholar visa may receive “I” grades; however, these units are not included in their full-time unit load calculation.

Withdrawal (W) Grades

A student, who ceases to attend a course after the “Last Day to Drop Course Without Tuition Charge or ‘W’ Grade” has passed, as published in the Academic Calendar, may withdraw from the course by dropping it online via GGU4YOU or by submitting a withdrawal request to the Office of Records and Registration. The student must withdraw from the course prior to the “Last Day to Withdraw from Course” as published in the Academic Calendar, which is approximately the end of the fourteenth week of the trimester or the end of the seventh week of an eight-week term. The registrar will assign the grade of “W” for courses from which students withdraw. The instructor may not assign the grade of “W” to students. The grade of “W” has no effect on the student’s GPA. If eligible to enroll, and the student chooses to repeat the same course in a subsequent academic period, he/she will be required to pay all applicable tuition and fees.

Financial aid recipients should be aware that “W” grades affect their Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) evaluation, a regulation established by the US Department of Education. The department authorizes Golden Gate University to award federally subsidized loans, and requires that all students who receive such loans complete at least 67% (75% for graduate and doctoral students) of the courses which they attempt. A course with a “W” grade does not count toward that completion rate. Students who do not meet the SAP requirement will not be eligible to receive federally subsidized loans. International Students (F and J Visa) with a student or scholar visa may receive “W” grades; however, these units are not included in their full-time unit load calculation.

Unofficial Withdrawal (UW) Grades

A student who has never attended an onsite course or participated in an online course by the end of the second week of instruction will be assigned a “UW” grade (Unofficial Withdrawal) by the instructor. This grade will have no effect on the student’s GPA. As a consequence of receiving the “UW” grade, the registrar will administratively drop the student from the course. When the student is administratively dropped, the registrar will delete the “UW” grade from the student’s academic record and will credit the student’s account for the full amount of the tuition charges.

Transferability of Credits

The transferability of credits earned at Golden Gate University is at the discretion of the receiving college, university, or other educational institution. Students considering transferring to any institution should not assume that credits earned in any program of study at Golden Gate University will be accepted by the receiving institution. Similarly, the ability of a degree, certificate, diploma, or other academic credential earned at Golden Gate University to satisfy an admission requirement of another institution is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Accreditation does not guarantee credentials or credits earned at Golden Gate University will be accepted by or transferred to another institution. To minimize the risk of having to repeat coursework, students should contact the receiving institution in advance for evaluation and determination of transferability of credits and/or acceptability of degrees, diplomas, or certificates earned.

Course Repeat Policy

Students repeat courses by enrolling in the same course, or an equivalent course, after having earned grades. When students repeat courses, the original and the subsequent grades will appear on their academic transcripts. However, only the most recent graded attempts will be used to fulfill their academic program requirements, and only those grades will be used in students’ cumulative grade point average (GPA) calculations.

However, when GGU grants transfer credit for coursework completed at other institutions or by completion of CLEP or DSST exams that is equivalent to courses they have completed at GGU, the “CR” grades recorded on students’ GGU transcripts will not replace the grades earned at GGU in their cumulative GPA calculations.

All graded course attempts are used in students’ cumulative attempted unit calculations. However, only the most recent graded attempt will be used in students’ cumulative completed unit calculations.

There is no discount in tuition or fees for repeated courses. There are restrictions on the number of attempts that can be used to determine enrollment status for financial aid eligibility. See Eligibility Requirements  for more information.

Dean’s List for Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students who have matriculated into a degree or certificate program who demonstrate academic excellence are included on the School of Undergraduate Studies’ Dean’s List. The Dean’s List notation appears on the academic transcript when the student has met the following criteria:

  • Achievement of at least a 3.50 grade point average in one trimester term (e.g., fall, spring, summer) when completing a minimum of six units for that trimester

Only courses completed at Golden Gate University are considered for the Dean’s List. Eligible students will receive a letter from the Dean of the School of Undergraduate Studies and their names will be posted on the Golden Gate University website.

Dean’s List for Graduate Students*

Graduate students who demonstrate academic excellence are included on the Dean’s List for the respective school in which they are enrolled. To qualify for the Dean’s List, a graduate student must have completed at least six units per term for the previous two terms and maintained a 4.00 grade point average. Eligible students will receive a letter of recognition from the dean of their school after all grades have been posted.

*Non-law students only

Grade Grievance Policy

Golden Gate University subscribes to principles of fairness of academic decisions. The grade grievance process can be used to dispute or appeal a course grade that a student believes was given unfairly or in error, other than in situations where a reduced grade was given as a result of an alleged violation of academic integrity. In that situation, the appropriate appeal process is detailed in the Academic Integrity Policy .

In all other situations where the student wishes to appeal a course grade, the student is encouraged to contact the course instructor. Students must contact the instructor within 15 calendar days of the beginning of the term following the term in which the grade in question was received. Hopefully, a satisfactory resolution can be reached through meaningful and respectful dialog between the student and faculty member. However, in cases where a satisfactory resolution cannot be achieved, a student may file a formal grade grievance using the grade grievance form within 45 calendar days of the beginning of the term following the term in which the grade in question was received. In cases where a student wishes to grieve a grade for a class in which an incomplete was initially awarded, the grievance must be filed within 45 calendar days of the date the letter grade is recorded by the Records Office.

A student who is academically disqualified as a result of not meeting GPA requirements will be withdrawn from the university. Should the student wish to file a grade grievance, the student remains withdrawn and ineligible to enroll in classes while the grade grievance is under review. If the grade review results in a higher grade and the student’s GPA consequently meets the university standard, the student will be readmitted the term after the grade grievance is resolved, and the academic disqualification notation will be removed from the student’s record.

A submitted grade grievance form will be forward to the appropriate review committee. The committee’s decision will be communicated to the student and instructor within 20 working days of receipt of the form.

The decision of the review committee is final and is not subject to further appeal.

Grade Submission Deadlines

All instructors are required to submit grades within ten business days after the end of the term. The Office of Records and Registration notifies the schools regarding instructors who have not submitted grades by this deadline. Students who do not see their grades on GGU4YOU after this deadline should contact the school that offered the course for assistance. When the instructor fails to submit a final grade by a reasonable amount of time after the deadline, the university registrar records an administrative “NC” grade. The instructor may change the administrative “NC” grade to an “I” grade or the grade earned if the student completed the course.

Grade Reports

Students may view grades online through GGU4YOU within one business day after the instructor submits them. The Office of Records & Registration will only mail out grade reports upon individual request from the student, and will only mail them to the address on record as the student’s preferred address. To make a request, e-mail records@ggu.edu or call 415-442-7200. The Office of Records & Registration will not fax grade reports, nor give out grades or grade point averages over the telephone.

Neither online access to grades nor hard copy grade reports will be given to students with any unresolved obligations with the Office of Student Accounting Services. This policy also applies to any outstanding balances with the Golden Gate University Bookstore or any other company that operates a concession or service on behalf of the university.

Official Academic Transcripts

An official academic transcript is a legal document, and therefore, a student’s legal name must appear on the student’s Golden Gate University transcript. Students may change their legal names by submitting the Student Information Change Request form along with supporting legal documentation, such as a birth certificate, marriage license, divorce decree, diver license, passport, or court order.

An official academic transcript is a copy of a student’s permanent academic record, which includes all graded academic work attempted and/or completed while in residence at GGU or accepted as transfer credit from other post-secondary institutions, credit awarded for tests such as CLEP, honors received, and degrees or certificates earned. Only those courses completed in residence at GGU will appear with letter-grades and are used in the student’s grade point average calculations. Academic records are listed chronologically by Trimester. Transcripts are issued only in their entirety. However, separate transcripts are issued for a student’s School of Law academic records and those pertaining to GGU’s business schools. Consequently, students who complete the JD/MBA program will be issued two separate transcripts. GGU does not issue unofficial transcripts.

Golden Gate University has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to provide transcript ordering online at studentclearinghouse.org. Students can order transcripts using any major credit card; the credit card will only be charged after the order has been completed. The Clearinghouse website will walk students through placing of the order, including delivery options and fees. Students can order as many transcripts as they like in a single session. A processing fee of $2.25 will be charged per recipient. Order updates will be emailed to the student. Students can also track the order online.

Transcript orders should be submitted online through GGU4YOU using the link on the “Student” menu. Students who do not have a GGU4YOU account may submit requests online at studentclearinghouse.org. Students unable to submit an online request may submit a written offline request for an additional charge. Offline requests should either be mailed or faxed to the Office of Records and Registration, Golden Gate University, 536 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-2968; phone 415-442-7200; fax 415-442-7223. E-mailed requests will not be accepted. The student must sign and date the request and provide payment in the form of cash, check or money order (made out to “Golden Gate University”) or a credit card number with expiration date and billing address. The university offers two processing services:

  • Regular service - mailed out within 10 business days
  • Rush service - mailed out by the next business day via overnight delivery (two-day delivery to PO boxes and international addresses) Requests must be received by 4 pm Pacific time to receive rush service the following day. Rush service fulfillment time may extend up to five business days for students who attended before 1985, as records prior to that year are manually archived.

Each transcript is $10 if requested online (plus $2.25 per recipient) and $15 if requested offline. Rush service requests will be charged an additional $20 per recipient address or hold for pick-up or $30 per non-US recipient address.

The Office of Records & Registration will mail out, free of charge, one transcript per student to all degree recipients upon graduation. This copy cannot be requested or individually expedited. Students wanting a copy of their transcript before receiving their free copy must submit a request and pay the requisite fee.

Transcripts are not released for students with any unresolved obligations to the University, the Golden Gate University Bookstore, or any other company that operates a concession or service on behalf of the University.

Golden Gate University Student Records Retention Plan

The Office of Records and Registration follows the records retention plan below, which is based on recommendations developed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers’ (AACRAO) as published in the Retention, Disposal, and Archive of Records (2013 Edition).

Many of the student records covered by this retention plan contain confidential information protected by federal and state law. The office staff is required to handle and dispose of these confidential records appropriately to protect student privacy. This retention plan provides a schedule for the length of time these records are to be maintained.

Records not Maintained by the Records Office:

  • Letters of recommendation

Records Maintained by the Records Office After Admission:

Record Type Retention Period

Application for Admission

One year if student does not enroll after admission or readmission
Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Other schools’ transcripts Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Change of degree program forms Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Academic petitions Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Certificate of completion request forms (certificate programs)  Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Advanced placement and other placement tests reports Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Standardized test score reports (GMAT, TOEFL, CLEP, etc.)  Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Withdrawal request forms Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Transfer credit evaluation Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Program evaluation reports (degree audit) Five years after graduation or last attendance date
Registration records Five years after graduation or last attendance date
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