Graduation Holds

This page provides details about the items listed in the Graduation Hold Letter you may receive from the GAPE office. Contact your Graduate Program Coordinator with any question about these items. You have 30 days from the date on your hold letter to clear all graduation requirements.  

If you are unable to clear all requirements, you will need to submit a Graduation Date Change Request.

Your hold letter may list one or more of the following items:

 

Class Not Listed on Transcript

All courses on your candidacy must appear on your transcript. If you will be taking a class listed on your candidacy in a future term, you must change your graduation date. 

Course Substitution

If you took a different class to replace a class on your approved candidacy form, please submit a completed Course Substitution Form to officially revise your candidacy. This form can also be used to drop or add a class on your approved candidacy, with no replacement. You will need your Graduate Program Coordinator approval for all requests. If you are changing a core class, you will also need approval from your department chair. 

Missing Grade - Candidacy

All courses on your candidacy must be graded. If your transcript shows an incomplete grade of I, NC, RD or RP for any course on your candidacy, contact your Graduate Program Coordinator to review your status.

Missing Grade - Transcript

All courses on your transcript must have a grade, regardless of whether the course is part of your official program/candidacy. If your transcript shows I, RD or RP for any course, contact the instructor for those classes or your Graduate Program Coordinator.

RP Grade for Your Culminating Experience

If your transcript shows an RP grade for your culminating experience course (299, 298 or other designated class), you will need to maintain continuous enrollment until you complete the course.  Check with your Graduate Program Coordinator to see if you need the 1290R class while clearing the RP grade. You should also review the Continuous Enrollment Policy on the College of Graduate Studies website.  

If you will be clearing the RP grade for your culminating experience course in a future term, please change your graduation date and enroll in 1290R for the new term.

Low Grade on Candidacy Course

All courses on your candidacy form must be completed with a grade of C or higher, CR, or the minimum grade specified by your program. See the formal policy online. If any of the courses on your candidacy have a C- or lower grade, please meet with your Graduate Program Coordinator to explore your options to successfully complete the course(s).  

Low Candidacy/Program GPA

Your candidacy/program GPA must be a 3.0 or higher. If this GPA is below a 3.0, meet with your Graduate Program Coordinator to explore options to raise your GPA.

Low University (Overall SJSU) GPA

Your overall SJSU GPA must be a 3.0 or higher. If this GPA is below a 3.0, meet with your Graduate Program Coordinator to explore options to raise your GPA.

Continuous Enrollment - Past Terms

Graduate students must maintain continuous enrollment until they complete their degree. Review the Continuous Enrollment Policy on the College of Graduate Studies website for details. 

If you have completed all your program courses and only need to complete your culminating experience, you may need to submit a request for a retroactive enrollment in the 1290R class. Check with your Graduate Program Coordinator to see if the UNVS 1290R or the department 1290R class is the best option for you. 

Continuous Enrollment - Future Terms

If you have a RP or an I grade in your culminating experience course and still need to complete your culminating experience, check with your Graduate Program Coordinator to decide if you should enroll in UNVS 1290R or the department 1290R course while you complete your work. You also need to change your graduation date.

Learn more about the 1290R enrollment policy from the CGS office. Contact the Registrar's Office if you need assistance with enrollment.

Culminating Experience - Missing

Your culminating experience course must appear on your transcript. If you will be completing this requirement in a future term, you need to change your graduation date. You should review the SJSU Catalog to see the requirements for your program and discuss the best option for completing your Culminating Experience with your Graduate Program Coordinator.

Verification of Your Culminating Experience

If your program requires a Verification of Culminating Experience form to complete your degree, the GAPE office must receive this directly from your department before we can award your degree. Please check with your Graduate Program Coordinator regarding the status of your Verification of Culminating Experience form.

Thesis Approval

If your culminating experience is a thesis, the GAPE Office must receive confirmation from the Thesis Coordinator in the College of Graduate Studies that your Thesis has been approved for publication. You should check with the Thesis Coordinator regarding your status.

Time Limit on Coursework

Master's degree coursework completed more than 7 years ago is no longer valid. The limit is 5 years for doctoral candidates. See the time limit policy in the university catalog for details. Please meet with your Graduate Program Coordinator to review your options.