STEPS TO COMPLETING THE M.A. DEGREES

The Seven Step Process of Completing the M.A. degrees is as follows:

                        Step 1- Complete Application materials

                        Step 2-Create a Program of Study

                        Step 3-Complete Other Forms

                        Step 4-Take Classes

                        Step 5- Apply for Graduation

                        Step 6-Complete Program Advisement Form

                        Step 7-Finish the Last Semester

Step 1- Complete Application Materials

The initial step, the application process can be rather confusing for students.   Individuals must formally apply (1) to the university and (2) the Graduate Education Department (GED) program in which you are interested (i.e., M.A.-Multicultural Option).  Students also need to satisfy a writing requirement upon entering as well.  Students will complete this step on their own.

WHAT?

The primary forms students will need to be acquainted with are the (1) application to the university and (2) the application to the GED Multicultural program.  The criteria used for admission are outlined in the campus catalogue.

WHO?

Most entering M.A. (Multicultural Option) students must complete both application forms and satisfy the writing requirement.  See exceptions below. 

(Attention Second Master’s Degree) Students for whom this is a second Master’s degree must also apply to the GED program and reapply to the university.

(Attention TED students & GED Program Switch Students)  Students currently in TED courses or those switching from one GED program to ours do not need to reapply to the university.  However, they do need to apply to the GED program and do so immediately.

(Attention former CLAD only students) Former CLAD only students who plan to pursue an M.A. and CLAD simultaneously need to apply to the GED and the university for the coming semester.

HOW?

A- APPLY TO THE UNIVERSITY FOR ADMISSION

Pick up application materials from one of the following offices, depending upon the way in which you wish to be admitted to the university.  There are 2 ways you can enroll:

            1) Extension Program

This is a quick way to be admitted because you do not have to submit your college transcripts initially.   Some first semester students elect this route.  Yet, students should be reminded that regularly registered students have priority over extension students when class space is limited.  Also, taking courses through the Extension program is slightly more expensive than taking courses through the regular university.  Students pursuing the M.A. must be admitted to the regular university by their second semester or they will not be able to apply their previously earned course work to the M.A. degree.  Therefore, students pursuing their M.A. will be required to apply formally to the regular university for admission and do so shortly after beginning their first semester.  You may apply on-line at :  http://www.csudh.edu/extendeded/register.htm                

                                    Location: EE/1100

Hours: Monday to Thursday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Saturday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

(Call first to confirm hours.  Hours subject to change.)

                                    Telephone: (310) 243-3741

            2) Regular University Admission

Most students prefer to be admitted through the university from the onset.  It is less     expensive and priority is given to regularly registered students when class space is limited. Also, one need not apply twice for admission, first through Extension then later through the university.   However, the application (and transcripts) needs to be submitted by the deadline dates of June 1 for fall admission and November 1 for spring admission.

There are now several ways in which you can obtain application materials: (1) by calling           and asking them to be sent to your home, (2) picking them up in person, and (3) online at             www.csudh.edu/csudh/edm.htm  (Click on “Online Graduate Application”) or http://www.csumentor.edu/AdmissionApp/grad_apply.asp

                                    Location: WH/200

                                    Hours: Monday to Thursday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

                                    Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

                                    Telephone: (310) 243-3696 (applications available online)

To inquire about the status of your application call

(310) 243-3645

B. APPLY TO THE GRADUATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT (GED)

Pick up your GED application forms from the Student Services Center and return the following documents to the Student Services Center:

(1) A completed GED (Multicultural Option) application. For a copy of the application, click here.

(2) An unofficial transcript of course work that demonstrates that you have a minimum of 2.75 GPA in your last 60 units of college course work.

            (3) Three letters of recommendation.

            (4) Other requirements depending upon your degree objective.

 (Attention CLAD Only & M.A. and CLAD combination degree students.) Attach a copy of your California Preliminary or Professional Clear Teaching Credential (Single or Multiple Subject). Students pursuing an M.A. only are not required to have a teaching credential.

Check with your application processor in the Student Services Center after turning in all documents to make certain that they are being processed.  Wait for letter of acceptance.

                                    Location: SCC/Bldg. 5

Hours: Monday to Thursday 8:00 am to 6 pm

Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Summer Hours: Monday to Thursday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Friday 8:00 am to 12:00

                                    Telephone: (310) 243-3530

C.  SATISFY WRITING REQUIREMENT

Satisfy the writing requirement (GWAR) by either taking the GWE examination, English 350, or other approved options.  Students who have received their B.A. from a California State University other than CSUDH have already satisfied this requirement by taking a comparable writing examination on their campus.  You may contact the GWE coordinator to discuss other alternatives. To learn more about GWE testing dates, or the name of the GWE coordinator, call the Testing Office at (310) 243-3909 or visit the Testing Office located in Welch Hall, room A210.

WHERE?

Take completed forms to offices from which you obtained them. 

WHEN?

Both the university application and GED program application must be completed by the required deadline dates of November 1 for spring admission or June 1 for fall admission. The GWAR should be satisfied as soon as possible or it may prevent you from making progress toward the degree.

(Attention TED students; Former CLAD students; GED Program Switch students)

These students must complete GED application materials by the deadline date and before they complete 9 units of TED/GED courses that they intend to count toward the M.A.  If the GED application and the university application are not turned in before completing 9 units, these units cannot count toward the degree.  No exceptions will be made.

WHAT DO I DO AFTER I HAVE COMPLETE ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS ?

After you have submitted all of your application materials you probably wondering what you should do next. While you are awaiting a letter of acceptance from the university, you can make good use of your time by doing the following:

1. TURN IN CHANGE OF STATUS/POST BACCALAUREATE FORM

If you want to count any previously taken CSUDH courses toward your MA, you will need to complete a POST BACCALAUREATE/ CHANGE OF STATUS form if you have not done so already. This form may be obtained from the Graduate Studies Office in Welch Hall (WH A-340) or the Student Services Center.  Complete this form and turn it in to the Graduate Studies Office after attaching a copy of your unofficial Toro Web transcripts.  Make certain to make a Xerox copy of this completed POST BACCALAUREATE/ CHANGE OF STATUS form before turning it in.  (You may be asked for the date that you turned it in at a future advisement meeting.)

2. ARRANGE TO MEET THE GWAR REQUIREMENT

All students must have satisfied the GWAR writing requirement by the first semester they are in the program.  Failure to do so could delay your graduation. There are several ways in which this can be satisfied. You have already satisfied this requirement if you:

* Passed ENG 350 with a grade of B or better.

* Graduated from a CSU campus other than CSUDH after 1985, and passed the writing test required by that campus.

* Took upper division writing courses at your college.  You must obtain a letter from the GWE coordinator. Contact the Testing Office for the name and phone number of this individual.

 If you have not satisfied any of these requirements, you will need to take the GWE examination. Contact the Testing office at  (310) 243-3909 to learn about specifics. 

3. PLAN THE COURSES YOU WILL TAKE ONCE ADMITTED.

 After you have received your letter of acceptance from the MA (Multicultural Option) coordinator, you will be able to enroll in classes. You may safely enroll in any of the following courses:  

If these classes are full and you need other options, check this Blackboard site for announcements. We will post any other courses that are still OPEN for you to enroll in. Most new students ask, " How many of my TED units will count toward the M.A.? " Let me provide you with the short answer.  No more than 9 units of previously completed TED coursework may be applied, however, the program advisors must approve these courses. You will learn which courses count toward the MA during your first semester in the program when you attend Advisement Meeting # 1. You will learn the dates and times of this required meeting from Blackboard. Think of this as a website for all things related to your MA program. When you receive your letter of acceptance, you will learn exactly how to enroll yourself in this website.  I might add that Blackboard is our primary means of keeping you updated regarding recent events.  So it is very important that you enroll yourself in it immediately upon receiving your letter of acceptance.  

4. WAITING FOR YOUR LETTER

You are not OFFICIALLY in the MA program until you have received a letter of acceptance from the MA (Multicultural Option) coordinator.   If you have not received a letter in four weeks, contact the GED secretary, at (310) 243-3524.

 Steps 2 to 7 

Apart from completing course work that leads to your degree, the university will require you to tend to administrative details. These “steps,” as I call them, will need to be completed at designated times in order for you to graduate on time.  If they are overlooked, complications could develop which would ultimately postpone your date of graduation or lead to other difficulties.  Therefore, it is important that you pay careful attention to each of these steps and the details associated with each of them.   

These details can be perplexing and a source of anxiety for students, yet this need not be the case.  To prevent you from overlooking important administrative details that could result in a graduation delay, we have created two mandatory advisement meetings. They will guide you step by step through the process from beginning to end.  However, it should be clear that the meetings are not a substitute for the campus catalogue or failing to keep informed regarding new program developments.  All students are responsible for purchasing and reading the campus catalogue and checking the program BLACKBOARD website at

http://toro.csudh.edu . When taken together, the meetings and the campus catalogue will provide the direction that you will need in order to make normal progress toward the degree. Most of your questions have been answered at the advisement meetings, making it unnecessary to stand in long lines to speak individually with program advisors.  

Required Advisement Meetings 

            Step details will be addressed during two required meetings: Meeting # 1 and Meeting # 2. The first meeting, Meeting # 1, will take place during the first semester after you have been formally admitted to the program.  The second meeting, Meeting # 2, will take place the semester before you graduate.  Failure to attend these meetings at these particular points in your studies will delay your graduation date.  Therefore, it is critical that you determine when you will attend these critical meetings and mark your calendars.  (Students pursuing the CLAD ARE required to attend meetings if they are seriously considering pursuing the M.A. degree. Otherwise, individuals pursuing only the CLAD courses need NOT attend either of these meetings. )  

 May you have an enriching experience as you complete your studies in our program!