Directions for Course Currency
The university sets time limits on students to earn the degree, credential, and/or certificate to
ensure that students have reasonably current knowledge in those courses that comprise the
graduate program for which a graduate degree, credential, and/or certificate is awarded.
When coursework taken at California State University, Sacramento has expired currency for
inclusion in a graduate, credential, or certificate program, the academic unit may allow the
student to validate that coursework by examination, subject to the following:
Student must be fully classified in a graduate program OR accepted as a credential or
certificate student
Student must be in good standing in order to be eligible.
The following restrictions apply to the extension of course currency validation:
Not more than 6 hours of the total credits in a master’s program may be validated. Not
more than 9 of the total credit units in a doctoral program may be validated.
Only courses with a fixed content are eligible for validation (Independent study, research,
field study, special topics courses, and workshops are ineligible.)
Only those courses currently being taught by the department (offered in the course
schedule in the last 4 years or 8 semesters) are eligible for validation. Courses taken at
another university are not eligible for validation.
To receive credit for currency, the student’s course grade shall be equivalent to at least a
“B” (3.0).
Currency is extended for only one term. If the degree is not completed in the one term,
then the course must be repeated for validation.
The only option available to students for an unsuccessful validation is to repeat the course.
Procedures
Once the time limit for currency has elapsed for a course, the student should immediately contact
his/her graduate committee chair or the department graduate, credential, or certificate advisor.
Student Instructions:
1. Provide an explanation of how currency was maintained in the content area of each
course that is now (or will be at time of graduation) beyond the time requirement.
Do not explain how you are using the knowledge learned in the courses, but how you
have remained current in the subject area and built upon that knowledge (i.e.,
seminars, conferences, professional development courses, tutorials, subsequent
coursework). Provide support documentation (i.e., CEU transcript, conference
program(s), evidence of completion certification).
2. Please briefly describe why you were unable to complete your degree program within the
time limit (e.g., 5 years for Ed.D., 7 years for master’s degree).
3. Complete the course currency form and submit the form and all documentation to the
department graduate coordinator or department chair.
Recognizing that departmental processes differ across campus, it is important that students
contact the department advisor and/or graduate coordinator concerning currency validation.
Please be advised that many departments only validate currency by repeat of a course. The
deadline for submission of these documents is October 1 for the Fall term and February 1 for the
Spring/Summer terms.
Instructor Of Record: Grade:
o o
Summer
o o
o
Yes
o
No
Faculty Name:
o o o
Summer
o o
o
by:
o
Review of professional documents and oral exam
o
written exam and interview
o
o
Faculty Signature:
o o
Comments:
Dean, Graduate Studies Date
Faculty Advisor
OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES ONLY
** Graduate Coordinator must be a tenured / tenure-track faculty
member
DUE DATES - Fall Term: October 1 / Spring Term: February 1
Year:
I have never taught this course, but I am competent to certify the student's currency in this course for the
following reasons:
Spring
* MUST ATTACH EXAM QUESTIONS / WRITTEN EXAM RESPONSES AND / OR PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS
NOT current (Attach written rationale for not granting currency)
Petition: Granted Denied
Graduate Coordinator (Faculty)
Must have signatures from at least two (2) faculty.
Office of Graduate Studies
Graduate Course Currency Certification Form
SECTION ONE STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE THIS SECTION FIRST*
I have tested* this student for currency in the above course on
Currency Certification requested for (list only one course):
Fall Winter
Fall
Student ID:Student Name:
Semester Course Completed: Spring
NOTE: ONE (1) course per form
This is the only course for which I am seeking currency certification
Winter
2011 OCT
Department Chair Date
Date
On the basis of this testing, I certify that this student is:
current in the course content (Attach written letter with rationale for granting currency)
Date
Date:
(limited to one (1) term)
Date
SECTION THREE FOR DEPARTMENT APPROVAL**
This currency will remain effective until
* Attach items required by the instructions
SECTION TWO CERTIFYING FACULTY TO COMPLETE THIS SECTION
Year:
Plan to complete Culminating Experience work: ______________________ (list term)
If you are NOT the Instructor of Record for this course, PLEASE CHECK ONE of the following boxes and complete as
appropriate:
I last taught this course in:
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