Policies and Procedures

Admission Policies

Students who are not admitted to San Francisco State University, may take SF State courses through the College of Professional & Global Education. If a student later applies for admission to SF State, academic courses taken at the College of Professional & Global Education may be used toward a degree. SF State will generally accept 24 semester units toward a baccalaureate degree or six units toward a graduate degree. Registration in College of Professional & Global Education classes does not constitute admission to the University.

For deadlines and information about applying to SF State, please visit the SF State site. For undergraduate admissions, students may contact Admissions at ugadmit@sfsu.edu or (415) 338-6486. For graduate admissions, contact Graduate Studies at (415) 338-2234.

Advising for College of Professional & Global Education programs is available from the program staff for each program. See the staff directory.

Re-entry appointments for returning SF State students can be made through the Undergraduate Advising Center by calling (415) 338-2101. These appointments are specifically for students who have already attended SF State in the past and are considering readmission. The appointments are designed to answer questions about readmission, alternatives to regular admission and other University services of special interest to re-entry students.

The disability community is a valued and integral component of life at SF State. Students with mobility, hearing, visual, functional (HIV/AIDS, psychological, environmental illness, etc.) and learning disabilities are encouraged to attend SF State. Students with a verified permanent or temporary disability are eligible to receive assistance in securing disability-related accommodations campus-wide from the Disability Programs and Resource Center.

For more information, visit the Disability Programs and Resource Center.

Contact

Email: dprc@sfsu.edu
Telephone: (415) 338-2472
Video Phone: (415) 335-7210
Fax: (415) 338-1041

Location

1600 Holloway Avenue
Student Services Building Room 110
San Francisco, CA 94132

In response to requests for a student's academic record from individuals other than the student, SF State can provide the following information in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974: student's name, enrollment status, class level, major, degrees earned, semester (or dates) of enrollment.

Note: Not all of this information is recorded for College of Professional & Global Education students. If further information is required, the student must submit a signed written request to the college.

The California State University (CSU), in compliance with Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title 9 of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in any of its policies, procedures or practices; nor does the University discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or lifestyle. The nondiscrimination policy covers admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, university programs and activities, including but not limited to academic admission, financial aid, educational services and student employment. Inquiries regarding the University's equal opportunity policies or implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act may be referred to the Affirmative Action office (415) 338-2998, the campus office assigned the administrative responsibility for reviewing the policies, or write:

Regional Director of the Office for Civil Rights
Region 9
50 United Nations Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94102

Registration Policies

See Register.

See Payment.

Students with holds at SF State are not eligible to register. Students with financial obligations have holds placed on their records and must pay debts prior to registration. Students with financial holds are not allowed to register through the College of Professional & Global Education and cannot receive transcripts or SF State registration packets. If the obligation continues to appear on SF State reports, the student's name is submitted to the Franchise Tax Board. The State then has the authority to withhold amounts owed to SF State from any tax refund. Please call the SF State Bursar's Office at (415) 338-1281 for information.

If you plan to enroll at the first class meeting, please check the online schedule for schedule changes and space availability before coming in to enroll. After obtaining the instructor's signature, you must submit a completed registration form and payment by check, money order or cashier's check (no cash) to the college's SF State campus or Downtown Campus office.

We do not recommend enrolling in a class after it begins without the consent of the instructor. If you should enroll and pay for a class after it begins without permission from the instructor, and upon attending the class, the instructor does not allow you to remain in the class, or you are unable to catch up on missed class meetings, or find the remainder of the class not useful, you will be subject to the refund deadlines and policies at the time of the drop.

With the exception of Open University classes, fees are listed in the description of each course on the online schedule. For Open University fees, see Open University. Some course fees, when indicated, include a non-refundable materials fee. All course fees include a non-refundable processing fee per course. See the refunds/drop deadlines section for details. See also Independent Study below and other individually arranged course fees.

CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum. Fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate. Therefore, CSU must reserve the right, even after fees are initially charged or initial fee payments are made, to increase or modify any listed fees. All listed fees, other than mandatory systemwide fees, are subject to change without notice, until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun. All CSU listed fees should be regarded as estimates that are subject to change upon approval by the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, or the Presidents, as appropriate. Changes in mandatory systemwide fees will be made in accordance with the requirements of the Working Families Student Fee Transparency and Accountability Act (Sections 66028 - 66028.6 of the Education Code).

Carefully read the course descriptions to be sure you have fulfilled any prerequisites and are eligible to enroll in each course. If you have not met prerequisites and later must drop or withdraw from a course, you are subject to standard refund deadlines and policies.

Academic Credit Certificate Requirements

To be admitted to an undergraduate academic credit certificate program, students should have at least 60 units of academic credit with a minimum GPA of 2.0 or sufficient experience to demonstrate they can perform upper division work. Students who do not have 60 units are encouraged to apply and may be admitted to a program on a conditional basis. To be admitted to a graduate academic certificate program, students must have an earned baccalaureate degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their undergraduate degree or in the last 60 units.

Contact individual academic certificate program staff (listed in program descriptions) for specific admission procedures. In most cases, students may take academic certificate program courses without being formally admitted to a program.

Academic credit, skills or experience acquired outside a certificate program may qualify students to challenge or waive certificate requirements.

Acceptance in an academic certificate program does not guarantee a space in any class. Spaces are reserved only when course registration forms and fees are received by the college.

Course fees are noted with each course description.

CSU makes every effort to keep student costs to a minimum. Fees listed in published schedules or student accounts may need to be increased when public funding is inadequate. Therefore, CSU must reserve the right, even after fees are initially charged or initial fee payments are made, to increase or modify any listed fees. All listed fees, other than mandatory systemwide fees, are subject to change without notice, until the date when instruction for a particular semester or quarter has begun. All CSU listed fees should be regarded as estimates that are subject to change upon approval by the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, or the Presidents, as appropriate. Changes in mandatory systemwide fees will be made in accordance with the requirements of the Working Families Student Fee Transparency and Accountability Act (Sections 66028 - 66028.6 of the Education Code).

Once students have completed the necessary coursework, students may submit the Certificate of Completion Request Form to receive a certificate signifying program completion.

To graduate, these requirements must be met:

1. The student must have been formally admitted into the program.

2. The coursework used to satisfy the requirements of an academic certificate must be completed with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) and only courses with a grade of credit, C-, or better may be included to meet academic certificate program requirements. Note: Some programs may require students to maintain a B average. For more information, contact the appropriate program director or coordinator.

3. At least two-thirds of the units applied toward meeting the requirements of an academic certificate program must be graded on an A - F basis.

4. All requirements for academic certificate programs must be completed within a seven-year time period, defined as beginning with the date of registration for the first course used to meet the requirements for the certificate and ending with the date the last requirement is completed. Students should file an application for the award of the certificate within the same time period.

5. All financial obligations to the University must be cleared.

Academic certificate program courses require good writing skills. Students enrolled in academic certificate programs who do not have baccalaureate degrees are asked to demonstrate their writing ability. Students may complete this requirement by taking the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) course offered by their department. Alternately, students may take and pass ENG 414.

Additional Information and Policies

Carefully review your complete schedule to make sure course times do not overlap. If you must later drop or withdraw due to scheduling conflicts, you are subject to standard refund deadlines and policies.

The College of Professional & Global Education reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or combine scheduled classes, change course dates and/or times, or change instructors at any time. Standard refund deadlines apply for classes in which the instructor has been changed. See the refund policy regarding other changes.

To qualify as being registered on a full-time basis, students must enroll in at least 12 units of academic credit for undergraduate level courses or 8 units for graduate level courses. For half-time status, students must enroll in at least 6 units of academic credit for undergraduate level courses or 4 units for graduate level courses. Registration in fewer units constitutes less than half-time enrollment. Students may earn a maximum of 19 units in the fall or spring semester. In the summer semester, students may earn a maximum of 14 units of undergraduate level study or 11 units of graduate level study.

Students can confirm their class schedule through their student record by accessing SF State Gateway. Students who cannot access the Internet can call (415) 405-7700 for enrollment verification. Students should check their schedules after payment to make sure their payments were successfully processed. Students who wish to drop courses must call (415) 405-7700. Students are not automatically dropped for non-attendance.

Paid students, who would like an SF State identification card, should inquire about how to obtain one at either of our two registration locations.

Students who have demonstrated ability to do independent work may register for special study. Before registering, the student must have a special study petition approved and signed by the department chair, the instructor who will supervise the student, and the Dean of the College of Professional & Global Education. The course numbers for special study are 699 (undergraduate) and 899 (graduate). The deadline for submitting special study registration with payment of $395* per unit is the last day to add a course on the calendar. *Please Note: Students must pay the tuition rate per unit of the program in which they are enrolled.

Students are required to provide the University with their correct Social Security Numbers (individual taxpayer identification numbers) pursuant to the authority contained in Section 41201, Title 5, California Code of Regulations, and Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code. The University uses the Social Security Number to identify records pertaining to the student and, if needed, to collect debts owed the University. Also, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires the University to file information returns that include the student's Social Security Number and other information such as the amount paid for qualified tuition, related expenses, and interest on educational loans. That information is used to help determine whether a student, or a person claiming a student as a dependent, may take a credit or deduction to reduce federal income taxes. Students who do not have a Social Security Number at the time of enrollment will be required to obtain a Social Security Number and submit it to the University within 60 days (except F-1 Visa International Students who are not eligible for a SSN. Failure to furnish a correct Social Security Number may result in the imposition of a penalty by the IRS.

If you are enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program or are taking courses to acquire or improve job skills, you may qualify for a Hope Scholarship or Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. The Hope Scholarship tax credit is available only to students in their first two years of post-secondary education who are enrolled at least half-time in an eligible program. The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit is available to students at all educational institution. The tax credits are based on the amount of qualified tuition and fees, less grants and other tax-free educational assistance, and the taxpayer's modified adjusted gross income. Consult IRS Publication 970 or your tax preparer for additional information.

 

  • See course description for material or travel fees.
  • One card fee: $2
  • University official transcripts per copy: $8
  • Check/eCheck returned for any cause (insufficient funds, closed account or stop payment): $20
    The amount of any dishonored check plus the $20 fee becomes a financial obligation to SF State.

Fees are subject to change by the Trustees ofthe California State Universities and Colleges.

We recommend you maintain current contact information in your student record using the SF State Gateway. Once logged in, look for the section entitled Personal Information. Click on the appropriate link (Mailing Address, Home Phone, SF State email) to change your university listing of address, phone number, or email. A student's signature on a College of Professional & Global Education registration or add/drop form gives approval to update address, email and phone number changes, that have occurred.

If you have had a name change, or discover an error in your name, birth date or Social Security Number, you may request a correction to your student record by downloading and completing a Student Record Change Form on the forms page. Complete and sign the form and submit with copies of the required documents to our office for processing. Some requests may require additional information/time to research and process.

The College of Professional & Global Education reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or combine scheduled classes, change course dates and/or times, or change instructors at any time.

Document Readers are required to view documents.