Graduate Reinstatement

Graduate Reinstatement Policy

If a student is disqualified, either academically or administratively, they may apply for reinstatement to their graduate program by completing a “Petition for Graduate Reinstatement.” The petition must be approved by the appropriate graduate coordinator or the department chair, and the Office of Graduate Studies.   Reinstatement petitions may be approved under the following conditions:

  • Program of Study: Enroll in 6-9 units of Graduate Coordinator approved courses via Open University and earn a 3.3 overall GPA for those approved courses. Courses must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator and may possibly be used for program credit.  Graduate Coordinators may contact the Office of Graduate Studies for exceptions to the unit requirements.   Reinstatement should be requested specifying the Program of Study option on the petition and including a list of the courses that were taken.  The petition should be filed after the courses in the Program of Study have been completed.
  • Grade change (IC to letter grade, grading error): In some cases, a student may have earned a grade of incomplete or a grade may have been erroneously posted, impacting a student’s GPA such that a student’s academic standing goes from alert to disqualification. Thus, a subsequent grade change may alter the term GPA such that the academic standing may change from disqualification to either continued alert or good standing. In this case, reinstatement should be requested specifying the Change of Grade option on the petition and attaching a copy of the change of grade form as soon as possible. 
  • Extenuating circumstances: Approved retroactive course/semester withdrawal petitions following posting of academic standing may alter the term GPA such that the academic standing may change from disqualification to either continued alert or good standing. In this case, reinstatement should be requested specifying the Extenuating Circumstances option on the petition and attaching a copy of the late withdrawal form as soon as possible.
  • Special Consideration: This category is reserved for students returning after three or more years who wish to enter a new program or can demonstrate that life experiences have better prepared them for success in completing their program. Please contact the program Graduate Coordinator for more information.

Note that the reinstatement petition must be initiated by the Graduate Coordinator, however, the student should work closely with the Graduate Coordinator to provide correct information in an initial letter of request, and to clearly understand the process of both reinstatement and readmission. International students must contact the Center for International Education (CIE) and work with a CIE advisor to ensure visa compliance. After approval by the graduate coordinator or department chair, the petition will be forwarded for consideration to the Director of Graduate Studies, who has final authority to approve reinstatement. If a student should become disqualified a second time, their reinstatement normally will not be considered.

Graduate students seeking reinstatement must:

  • Address a letter to their Graduate Coordinator or Major Department Chair, stating the reasons why their GPA fell below a 3.00 and/or why they were removed from their graduate program for any non-grade-related issue.  The letter should also indicate how they will improve their grades and/or address other program-related performance issues and remain in good standing if reinstated.
  • Meet with their Graduate Coordinator or Major Department Chair to discuss the issues presented in their letter.

The Graduate Coordinator or Major Department Chair:

  • If the Graduate Coordinator supports reinstatement, he/she completes and signs the Petition for Graduate Reinstatement after meeting with the graduate student.
  • Sends the completed Petition for Graduate Reinstatement form, along with the student's letter, to the Director of Graduate Studies.