Catalog Rights and Continuous Attendance
A student’s catalog rights are based on when and where you begin college and how long you have been “continuously enrolled.” Undergraduate students who have been enrolled either at a California Community College or a CSU campus for at least one semester or two quarters of consecutive calendar years are considered to be “in continuous attendance.” A student in continuous attendance may choose to meet the requirements for graduation specified in the Humboldt State University catalog which was/is in effect:
- When the student first enrolled in any CSU or California community college,
- When the student first enrolled at Humboldt, or
- When the student graduates.
Students changing their major or minor may be required to complete the major or minor requirements in effect at the time of the change.
Changes of Rules and Policies in the Catalog
Although every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information in this catalog, students and others who use this catalog should note that laws, rules, and policies change from time to time and that these changes may alter the information contained in this publication. Changes may come in the form of statutes enacted by the Legislature, rules and policies adopted by the Board of Trustees of the California State University, by the chancellor or designee of the California State University, or by the president or designee of the campus. It is not possible in a publication of this size to include all of the rules, policies and other information that pertain to students, the institution, and the California State University. More current or complete information may be obtained from the appropriate department, school, or administrative office.
Nothing in this catalog shall be construed as, operate as, or have the effect of an abridgment or a limitation of any rights, powers, or privileges of the Board of Trustees of the California State University, the chancellor of the California State University, or the president of the campus. The trustees, the chancellor, and the president are authorized by law to adopt, amend, or repeal rules and policies that apply to students. This catalog does not constitute a contract or the terms and conditions of a contract between the student and the campus or the California State University. The relationship of students to the campus and the California State University is one governed by statute, rules, and policy adopted by the legislature, the trustees, the chancellor, the presidents and their duly authorized designees.
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Class Level
Students are classified according to the number of semester units completed.
- Freshmen: fewer than 30 units
- Sophomores: 30 to 59.9 units
- Juniors: 60 to 89.9 units
- Seniors: 90 or more
Course Numbering System
001-099 - pre-baccalaureate courses. Credit earned for pre-baccalaureate courses does not count toward unit requirements for major, general education or degree.
100-199 - lower division courses appropriately taken in the freshman year, with numbers 100-109 reserved for courses satisfying lower division general education (GE) requirements in breadth areas A-F. Exception: CHIN 105, FREN 105, GERM 105 and SPAN 105.)
200-299 - lower division courses appropriately taken in the sophomore year, with numbers 200-209 reserved for courses satisfying lower division general education (GE) requirements in breadth areas A-F.
300-399 - upper division courses appropriately taken in the junior year, with 300-309 reserved for upper division courses meeting GE requirements in breadth areas B, C and D
400-499 - upper division courses appropriately taken in the senior year.
500-599 - graduate level courses which may be taken by qualified seniors on an elective basis
600-699 - graduate level courses open only to graduate students
700-799 - credential/licensure courses
Reserved Numbers 180, 280, 380, 480, 580, 680, and 780 indicate special topics courses on current issues or specialized subjects offered on an as needed basis. Course descriptions are available at registrar.humboldt.edu/class-schedule.
Letter suffixes are used to distinguish between courses assigned the same number and may also indicate a sequence, course attribute, or component. Courses lasting two or more terms have sequential numbers, not letter suffixes.
Letters B, C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, N, O, P, Q, T, U and V are used to distinguish between courses assigned the same number. Courses may or may not be part of a sequence.
The letter S indicates that a course includes a service learning component.
Letters W, X, Y and Z are used for a sequence of courses that meet a general education requirement. Limitations: the entire sequence must be completed before any units will count toward the requirement, and not all the units earned for the sequence will count toward the requirement, only the number specified (usually 3 units).
Activity (A), discussion (D), laboratory (L), additional for major (M), and research courses (R) associated with a lecture will have the same number as the appropriate lecture course, plus the appropriate letter suffix. Courses may be offered independently from the lecture.
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Credit Hour
On July 1, 2020, the United States Department of Education changed its definition of the student credit hour. Fundamentally, the change now shifts responsibility for credit hour compliance to the accreditation agency and/or to the state.
As such, the CSU’s accreditor, the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), has published its own updated definition of student credit hour and related accreditation processes. The new regulations no longer require an accrediting agency to review an institution’s credit hour policy and procedures. It does require the WSCUC to review the institution’s definition of credit hour and (as a newly introduced practice) an institutions’ processes and policies for ensuring the credit hour policy is followed.
The CSU credit hour definition is consistent with federal law (600.2 and 600.4 revised July 1, 2020) and the requirements of the WSCUC. The CSU defines a credit hour as an amount of work represented in stated learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement. Such evidence is an institutionally established equivalency that:
- Approximates not less than:
- One hour of direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately 15 weeks for one semester or equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
- At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph 1.a. of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours; and
- Permits an institution, in determining the amount of work associated with a credit hour, to take into account a variety of delivery methods, measurements of student work, academic calendars, disciplines and degree levels. Institutions have the flexibility to award a greater number of credits for courses that require more student work.
As in the past, a credit hour is assumed to be a 50-minute (not 60-minute) period. In some courses, such as those offered online, in which “seat time” does not apply, a credit hour may be measured by an equivalent amount of work, as demonstrated by student achievement.
For purposes of accreditation, all CSU campuses are required to develop, communicate and implement procedures for regular, periodic review of this credit hour policy to ensure that credit hour assignments are accurate, reliable and consistently applied. WSCUC published new draft guidelines that will take effect in June 2021. Campuses will be responsible (effective summer 2021) for publishing a clearly stated practice or process that ensures they are in compliance with the student credit hour definition.
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Terminology
College: an administrative division of the university that houses a number of academic departments. Humboldt State University has four colleges: the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; the College of Extended Education & Global Engagement; the College of Natural Resources & Sciences; and the College of Professional Studies.
Concentration: a significant subdivision of a major that appears on a student’s transcript, but not on the diploma.
Department: an organizational division that offers and administers academic programs. The name of the department usually matches the program it administers, but not always. For example, the Political Science major is offered by the Department of Politics.
Discipline: a conventional academic perspective or area of study. Chemistry, psychology, and marine biology, for example, are disciplines at Humboldt State University.
Emphasis: a subdivision of a concentration or major that does not appear on a student’s transcript or diploma.
Major: Primary area of study.
Program: a set of requirements met by certain courses. Programs may be associated with one or more academic departments.
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Transcripts
Humboldt State University has partnered with Credential Solutions for online transcript orders. Students may order official transcripts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Transcripts can be sent electronically or mailed in hard copy, depending on the receiving institution or destination.
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