Instructions for Completing the Master's Degree Program Plan
Office of Graduate Studies
California State University, Chico
Chico, CA 95929-0875
1) Make an appointment with the Graduate Coordinator for your major. The Office of Graduate
Studies or your Major Department can help you in making the initial contact.
2) The Graduate Coordinator will instruct you as to departmental policy, such as the
requirements for being advanced to classified status and candidacy, the recommended time
to form your Graduate Advisory Committee, and the departmental requirements for
committee membership.* The Graduate Coordinator may also provide you with assistance in
identifying suitable courses from which you will ultimately build your program. In some
cases further advising will be done by your Committee Chair.
3) Complete the Master's Degree Program Plan form to reflect the program you decide upon in
consultation with your Graduate Coordinator or Committee Chair, as appropriate. Print a
copy, and ask your Graduate Coordinator and Committee Chair to check the Plan and sign it
if acceptable.
4) After you have signed the form and obtained the signatures of your other committee
members, return it to the Office of Graduate Studies in Student Services Center 460.
Electronic copies will be distributed after the Plan has been reviewed in the Office of
Graduate Studies.
5) The approval of your Graduate Coordinator and Committee Chair will be required for any
changes made to the Program Plan after it has been submitted. A copy of all approved
changes must be filed in the Office of Graduate Studies.
6) Please keep in mind the following minimum requirements for the Master's Degree at
California State University, Chico.
a) Completion of at least 30 units of 400/500/600-level courses (Please note that many
programs require more than 30 units of coursework.)
b) At least 18 units in the major discipline
c) At least 60% of the units required for the degree in stand-alone 600-level courses (not
cross-listed with 400/500-level courses)
d) Not more than 10 units total of 696, 697 and 699 coursework, and not more than 6 units of
699
e) Not more than a combined total of 30% of the units in Special Session credit earned in
non-matriculated status, coursework taken through Open University, and all transfer
coursework (University of California extension courses are not acceptable, nor are any
correspondence courses.)
7) In addition to the general university requirements, you must also meet all specific program
requirements as outlined in the University Catalog.
*Committee members must meet both the departmental and general university requirements for
committee membership. The general university requirements for committee membership are outlined in
A Guide To Graduate Studies: Policies, Procedures, & Format which is available online at the Office of
Graduate Studies website.
9/2019
