Undergraduate and Graduate Course Sharing Policy

Reviewed and approved by Council of Deans, 3/31/26

 

Undergraduate and Graduate Course Sharing Policy

The policy seeks to provide unambiguous guidance to the schools, college, and academic departments as they develop curricular pathways for accelerated bachelor’s to master’s degree programs.  This policy also extends to undergraduate and graduate course sharing when not in dual degree programs.

 

Undergraduate and Graduate Course Sharing

Counting Graduate Units Toward Undergraduate Requirements

When graduate units are being taken in the undergraduate program within the dual degree design, then no more than fifty percent (50%) of graduate units can be counted toward the undergraduate degree.  This also applies to undergraduate and graduate course sharing when not in dual degree programs.  Each school and program should apportion the graduate units between the undergraduate major and overall units for the undergraduate degree based on the respective undergraduate program's requirements, including any applicable program accreditation requirements.  Courses are subject to the undergraduate program grade requirements.

 

Counting Undergraduate Units toward Graduate Requirements

No more than eight (8) undergraduate units shall be counted toward a graduate degree.*  Courses should be upper division - i.e. 300 and 400-level courses.  Departments may decide the minimum grade requirement for counting an undergraduate course toward a graduate degree.

*Exception to limit of undergraduate units toward graduate programs

Dual bachelor’s to master’s degree programs whose curricula are governed by California state and/or external agency licensure or certification requirements, and where the number of undergraduate units counted toward the graduate program may exceed 8 units, are exempted from this limitation.  Proper documentation for the number of undergraduate units being counted toward the master’s program should be kept on file by the respective dual degree programs.

 

Title IV Aid & VA Educational Benefits and Undergraduate / Graduate Course Sharing

In order for undergraduates to use Federal Title IV financial aid and/or VA educational benefits for graduate courses, the graduate courses must be applicable to students’ undergraduate major and/or overall units for the bachelor’s degree.

In order for graduate students to use Federal Title IV financial aid and/or VA educational benefits for undergraduate courses, the undergraduate courses must be applicable to students’ graduate major and/or overall units for the graduate degree.