Academic Policy
Academic Appeals
A student may appeal a final exam result or course grade only if he or she believes that non-academic criteria, not directly reflective of academic performance in the course, were used in determining the result. As detailed more completely in the "Grade Appeal" section in the UCSD General Catalog and Academic Senate Regulation 502 a student appeal of an academic performance decision should first be made to the individual faculty member or teaching assistant who made the decision, and should be made within one month of the decision or within the first month of the following regular academic quarter. If this does not result in a resolution that is satisfactory to the student, he or she may appeal to the IR/PS Associate Dean.
Within twelve months of an action by UCSD with which the student disagrees, such as denial of a right to withdraw, dropping or adding a class, or other decisions related to the student's transcript, a student may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies for review. Appeal and other rights for students accused of violating UCSD policies and procedures are outlined in the UCSD Student Conduct Code.
Petitions pertaining to matters that occurred in excess of twelve months in the past shall be presented directly to the Committee on Educational Policy of the UCSD Academic Senate, available at the Academic Senate Office.
Back to topAcademic Probation
All IR/PS students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (be in Good Academic Standing) in order to receive an IR/PS degree.At any point during their graduate study, a student with more than 8 units of “U” and/or “F” or a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 will be required to withdraw.
Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 in any quarter will receive a letter from the Dean of Graduate Studies (OGS) notifying them that they are no longer in good academic standing and will be placed on probation. A copy of the letter is also sent to the IR/PS Office of Student Affairs.
If it is a student’s first instance of academic difficulty and the student’s cumulative GPA is above a 2.0, the letter serves as a warning and advises students of potential consequences and requirements for improvement. IR/PS Student Affairs or the academic advisers in the Global Leadership Institute, depending on the student’s home program, will set a required appointment with the student to review the OGS letter, establish an academic plan, and provide additional learning support when necessary and/or possible.
For MPIA and Part-Time MAS-IA Students: (two-year programs)
In the quarter subsequent to the first notice of probation, if the student:
- Raises his or her cumulative GPA above a 3.0, s/he will be notified that the probation has ended.
- Raises or maintains the cumulative GPA, but not to the required 3.0, s/he will have academic probation extended for an additional quarter. The student must meet with IR/PS Student Affairs to sign an academic contract that outlines the conditions for continued enrollment. These may include a required term GPA for successive quarters, academic counseling, tutoring and/or psychological counseling in addition to course load and grading options.
At the end of their first year, following two successive quarters of probation, students who have failed to achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher will be required to withdraw from the program. Any second-year student on probation must be able to attain the required cumulative GPA of 3.0 by the end of the second year. If that goal is judged unattainable by the Associate Dean (in consultation with the Dean), the student will be required to withdraw from the program.
- Lowers the cumulative GPA further, s/he will be required to withdraw from the program.
For BA/MIA and Full-Time MAS-IA Students: (one-year programs)
In the quarter subsequent to the first notice of probation, if the student:
- Raises his or her cumulative GPA above a 3.0, s/he will be notified that the probation has ended.
- Fails to raise their cumulative GPA above a 3.0, s/he will be subject to dismissal from IR/PS.
All students on probation are disqualified from holding student leadership positions and academic appointments (including teaching assistant, apprentice teacher, tutor, intern, or reader). Students on probation are not allowed to enroll in Independent Research (IRGN 499) courses. Students on probation cannot receive merit-based financial aid from IR/PS.
NOTE: The processing of grades is never complete before the start of the next term. Therefore a student may not be notified of the placement of a registration hold or a required withdrawal until after the start of a successive term. The ability to enroll should not be assumed to imply that probation has been lifted or that a student will be allowed to remain in an IR/PS program.
Back to topDegree Requirements
The MPIA degree requires completion of 98 units taken for a letter grade. In addition, students must complete the requirements of the MPIA core curriculum, a career track, a regional specialization, and the foreign language requirement. Courses beyond the required 98 units and not needed to complete other requirements may be taken pass/no pass.
Students must attain a C- or better in all MPIA core courses. Students who fail to attain a C- or better in a core course must take the course again. Failure to achieve a C- or better on the second attempt will result in exclusion from the program. Repeating a course may extend the program beyond two years, as many courses are only offered annually. Only the grade received in the repetition of the course will be used to calculate GPA.
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (equivalent to a B average) to remain in good academic standing and to graduate.
For more information, please see the Good Standing Requirements and Academic Probation sections of this document.
Diploma Conferral
Upon completion of degree requirements, it is the student’s responsibility to file the appropriate forms. Student Affairs hosts a series of "graduation workshops" to lead June graduates through this process. Students completing requirements in summer, fall, or winter quarters must initiate this process by contacting Student Affairs before the Add/Drop deadline of his or her last quarter.
Diplomas will be dated as of the last day of the quarter in which all requirements, including current course work, are satisfactorily completed. Diplomas will be mailed by the Registrar's Office four to six months after the close of the quarter in which the degree was conferred. Transcripts noting conferral are usually available prior to this. Review your academic history on TritonLink for your conferral prior to ordering a final transcript. Transcripts may be ordered at: http://registrar.ucsd.edu/ver2/.
Students with compelling reasons may request a "verification of completion" letter from Student Affairs. Career tracks, language and regional specialization are posted to the student’s transcript at the time of degree conferral. These designations do not appear on the diploma.
Enrollment
New students will receive information in July about fall courses and the process of enrollment using Tritonlink. Class registration will begin in August and can be accomplished via internet from most anyplace in the world. First year students are guaranteed entry into core courses.
In their first year, all students are required to meet with their faculty advisers beginning in the 5th week of both fall and spring quarters. Appointments will be available via sign-up sheets posted to faculty office doors the week prior to advising. During advising sessions, faculty must approve the student’s following quarter class choices. Students will then turn in signed forms to IR/PS Student Affairs and be cleared for enrollment. Failure to meet with faculty advisers or to turn in signed forms will result in being blocked from enrollment. Opening and closing dates for registration are posted under Enroll/Register on Tritonlink.
Enrollment and registration deadlines are scheduled for the same day and must be met to avoid penalties. A $100 late fee will be assessed for failing to meet the deadlines. Students are advised to check their Tritonlink student account regularly. All fees, including late fees, must be paid in full by the end of the second week of instruction to avoid cancellation of enrollment. Reinstatement requires approval from both IR/PS Student Affairs and the Office of Graduate Studies, in addition to the payment in full of all fees. If fees are not paid by the end of 4th week, student enrollment will be cancelled permanently for the quarter. Fees paid by IR/PS or other award sources are not credited to a student’s account until enrollment is complete.
Faculty Advisors
Incoming students are matched with a faculty member who provides curriculum and career guidance. Every effort is made to match students with a faculty member who shares their interest in a region and/or career track. If a student would like to change advisors, it is his/her responsibility to find a new faculty member who will undertake the advising responsibilities. To change advisors, a petition must be filed with the IR/PS Student Affairs. Both the current and new faculty advisors must agree that a reassignment should occur.
Back to topForeign Language Requirements For MPIA and BA/MIA Students
IR/PS considers foreign language competency an indispensable skill for international relations professionals. All BA/MIA and MPIA students are expected to acquire the language skills necessary to work in the Pacific Rim. All MPIA students and BA/MIA students who did not complete their language requirement as undergraduates are encouraged to contact IR/PS Student Affairs to develop an individual plan for the completion of their foreign language requirement. In general, students can fulfill the foreign language requirement according to the table below. In certain cases, students may also satisfy the requirement in other Pacific Rim languages, such as Thai, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
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IR/PS Regional Specialization Options |
Corresponding Language Options |
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Latin America |
Spanish |
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China |
Chinese (Mandarin) |
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Japan |
Japanese |
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Korea |
Korean |
|
Southeast Asia |
Bahasa Indonesia |
Strategies to Satisfy the Language Requirement
For students pursuing one of the six career tracks, the language requirement may be satisfied in four ways:
1. Native speaker ability
As demonstrated by graduation from a high-school or university outside the United States with primary instruction in the foreign language.
2. Coursework
Completion of six quarters (four semesters) of approved college-level language instruction, with a grade of "B" or better in the final course. Students wishing to apply previous coursework to this requirement must petition Student Affairs.
Students planning to satisfy the language requirement by completing coursework should note that IR/PS does not offer instruction in all Pacific Rim languages that can be used to satisfy the MPIA degree requirements. IR/PS instruction is only offered in Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Bahasa Indonesia. In addition to the courses offered at IR/PS, students may elect to take language classes at other UCSD departments that offer languages such as Korean, Vietnamese, French, Tagalog, and Brazilian Portuguese. For purposes of language study, IR/PS considers the UCSD Education Abroad Program a campus language department. Please see the Education Abroad Program for more information about transferring credit earned abroad to the MPIA degree.
Rarely, students are allowed to take language classes outside of UCSD. If a student wishes to study a Pacific Rim language not offered at UCSD, the student should contact Student Affairs to coordinate an independent study program. Students must submit a petition to Student Affairs requesting approval for units to be counted toward the degree prior to the start of their independent study program. Requests for independent language study are granted based on the quality of instruction, reputation of the institution and student enrollment status. Students may be required to submit supporting documentation such as syllabi, instructor resumes, or catalog information.
3. Equivalency Exam
Passing the IR/PS-administered language exam, which is the equivalent of the final exam administered in the sixth-quarter course in the selected language.
4. Proficiency Exam
Passing a proficiency exam equivalent to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) scale. The writing proficiency examination is optional. The minimum required level of proficiency is equivalent to a FSI Scale 2+ for Spanish, 2 for Portuguese, and 2- for most other languages. Please see Proficiency Certification for more information.
Full and Half Time Study
1. MPIA students are expected to take at least 16 units each quarter in order to complete all degree requirements within the two year timeframe.
BA/MIA students are expected to take at least 16 units each quarter in order to complete all remaining degree requirements within a one year timeframe.
UC San Diego policy requires enrollment in at least twelve (12) units each quarter to maintain full-time status. Any student intending to register for less than twelve (12) units must contact Student Affairs, as financial aid, campus academic appointment, fellowships, and visa status for international students can be affected. Students enrolled in 7-11 units will pay full-time tuition and fees.
To qualify for half-time study, a student must be enrolled in six units or fewer per quarter and must file a petition with IR/PS Student Affairs. Students should note that only the tuition, education fee, and professional fee are reduced during half-time study; all other fees remain the same. Additionally, campus financial aid may be reduced. Any IR/PS student interested in applying for half-time study should contact the IR/PS Student Affairs Office immediately.
2. MAS-IA may be pursued at either a fulltime or part-time pace.
- MAS-IA students intending to complete the degree in one year are expected to be enrolled in at least 16 units each quarer.
- MAS-IA students intending to complete the degree in two years will take 8 units each quarter.
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Good Standing Requirement
IR/PS students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA), including UCSD courses taken outside IR/PS, and have no more than eight units of F and/or U grades appear on his/her transcript. MPIA students are required to meet with their faculty advisers in fall and spring quarters of their first year prior to the next quarter's class enrollment. BA/MIA students are required to meet with their faculty advisers fall quarter beginning 6th week. The purpose of these sessions is to help students match their study plan with their career goals, review scholastic progress, and encourage communication between students and faculty. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisers beyond the required advising sessions.
Good standing is a requirement to:
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Retain campus employment.
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Retain fellowship and scholarship funding.
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Take a leave of absence (Please see Leave of Absence and Withdrawal).
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Receive a graduate degree from UC San Diego.
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Participate in the University Extension Complimentary Enrollment Program.
Students who do not maintain good standing are placed on academic probation. Please see Academic Probation for more information.
Back to topGrading Policy
All IRCO and IRGN courses are graded using the IR/PS Grading Guideline as follows:
1. For a class with enrollment of 25 or larger, the median grade should be no higher than B+. In addition, the number of grades strictly above B+ should not exceed the number of those strictly below B+.
2. For a class with 11-24 students, the grade A (including A+ and A-) should not be given to more than half of the class. This rule also applies to regional cores, required career track courses, and language courses with 10 or fewer enrollments.
3. Students who take the class on P/NP or S/U basis are not included in the enrollment number for the purpose of this policy. Students taking the class on a letter grade basis, whether MPIA students or not, are included.
4. When there is a justifiable exception to the guideline, the faculty member shall attach an explanatory note to the grading sheet.
The Incomplete (I) Grade
If a student is doing passing work in a course, but is unable to complete the work at the end of the quarter for legitimate reasons (circumstances beyond the student's control), the instructor may assign the “Incomplete” (I) grade. Legitimate justification for petitioning for the (I) grade is illness or family crisis. Unacceptable reasons include lack of time, lengthiness of research and other controllable circumstances.
It is the student's responsibility to request the "Incomplete" (I) grade from the class instructor, provide documentation for the request, and request an "Incomplete" petition from Student Affairs. Students must file the petition by the Friday of the 10th week of the quarter in which the course is taken.
In order to remove an (I) grade, the required work must be completed and a grade assigned prior to the Friday of the 10th week of the following quarter or the instructor's assigned deadline (whichever comes first). It is the student's responsibility to get the work completed and submitted to the instructor on time. In addition, the student should check with the IR/PS Student Affairs to ensure that the grade has been assigned.
Please note the following regulations:
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If an (I) grade is not replaced with a final grade prior to the end of the final week of the following quarter or by the instructor's written deadline, it will lapse to a “Fail” (F). Grades that convert to an F are permanent to the record.
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Extensions on (I) grades will not be made retroactively.
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If a student takes a leave of absence, he/she must still remove any outstanding (I) grades before the end of the first quarter of leave.
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It is the student's responsibility to make sure that all proper forms have been completed.
The In Progress (IP) Grade
If a sequence course has been approved for an “In Progress” (IP) grading option, the IP grade may be assigned until the work is completed for the sequence. If an IP grade has not been replaced by a final grade at the time of graduation, the IP grade will remain on the student's records. If the entire sequence is not completed, the instructor may assign grades and unit credit for what has been completed. Courses graded IP are not used in calculating a student's grade point average until graduation. At that time, course units still graded IP must be treated as units attempted in calculating the GPA; thus units graded IP will have the same effect on the overall GPA as an F or U.
The No Report/No Record (NR) Grade
If a blank appears on the transcript, it means that the Registrar did not receive a grade for the student on the grading sheet submitted by the instructor. Some reasons for this are 1) the grading options for the course did not correlate with the grade that the instructor assigned, or 2) the student may have entered an incorrect course code on the enrollment request, thus, he/she is enrolled in the wrong course/section, or 3) the instructor did not report a grade.
It is the student's responsibility to remove a No Report/No Record (NR) grade before the end of the following quarter or it lapses to an F or U grade. An NR grade which has lapsed to an F or U grade, cannot be changed.
Graduate Courses
IR/PS MPIA, MAS-IA, and BA/MIA courses are listed in the TritonLink Schedule of Courses in the 400 series. With prior approval via the petition process, MPIA students may also take upper-division undergraduate courses (100 series) and outside department graduate level courses (200 series). Requests for non-IR/PS courses to apply to the MPIA degree are judged based on relevance to international affairs and course rigor. Students are encouraged to contact Student Affairs to discuss course selection. A maximum of 16 units of outside coursework may be used toward the MPIA degree, excluding approved language coursework. All non-IR/PS coursework intended to fulfill degree rqeuirements must be petitioned.
With the exception of the Education Abroad Program (EAP) and the University of California Intercampus Exchange (ICEX), no degree coursework may be taken outside of UC San Diego.
Leave of Absence
Graduate students are eligible for a maximum of three quarters leave of absence with IR/PS approval. A student who leaves the University for no more than three quarters with the intention of resuming study must file a formal Leave of Absence and/or Withdrawal form prior to leaving the campus. Graduate students must have completed at least one quarter of academic residence and be in good stnading to be granted a leave. A student on leave of absence status cannot use university facilities or faculty time, be employed at UCSD, UCSD Medical Center or UC Extension. Merit and need-based fellowship recipients taking leave are advised to meet with a member of the Student Affairs staff at IR/PS or the UCSD Fiancial Aid Office to discuss the impact on their aid packages.
International Students on Leaves of Absence
Under normal conditions, an international student is not permitted to go on a leave of absence. Immigration regulations require that the student must be enrolled in a full-time course of study for the duration of the student’s stay in the United States. Exceptions may be granted in cases of documented illness or to students wishing to return to their home countries for the duration of their leave. These must be approved by the UCSD International Center. See Student Affairs for forms and information.
Parental Leaves of Absence
A graduate who is expecting a child or who has the primary responsibility for the care of a newborn or an adopted child under the age of five, is eligible for up to three (3) quarters of parental leave. During the quarter in which the childbirth or adoption occurs, the student may, with departmental approval, continue to register as a full-time student and retain eligibility for support, reduce to part-time status (less than twelve units) and be eligible for up to 25% time employment on campus, or take a leave of absence and request a one-quarter extension of all unexpired time limits. Students are entitled to no more than three quarters of parenting leave, regardless of the number of children. See Student Services for forms and information.
Transcripts
Students may view their academic record on TritonLink. Students may print unofficial transcripts directly from TritonLink. Official transcripts must be ordered through the UCSD Office of the Registrar and can be done so online at: http://registrar.ucsd.edu/ver2/.
Students with compelling reasons may request a "verification of completion" letter from Student Affairs. A "verification of completion" may only be requested by the student.
IR/PS cannot provide copies of undergraduate transcripts to students. Students should order several copies of their undergraduate transcripts, and keep copies sealed in the sender's envelope in order to have an "official" copy.
Waiving Courses
A student may petition to waive a (first year) core course, a regional core course, or a required career track course. Placing out of a course requires completion (prior to matriculation at IR/PS) of two undergraduate courses with a grade of “B” or higher. One of the two classes must be at an upper division level. In most cases where a student waives a required regional or required career track course, the evaluator will require a replacement course from the same disciplinary area (e.g., political science, economics/management). Economics and management are considered to be the same disciplinary area for purposes of this ruling.
If a student feels that he or she should be placed out of a course, he or she must file a petition with IR/PS Student Affairs. Petitions to waive or substitute courses must be submitted no later than the second week of the quarter in which the course in question is scheduled.
Placing out of a course does not reduce the number of units required for the MPIA degree.
Students who will miss a required course due to study abroad may be allowed to substitute a similar course. Course substitution must be included in the student's EAP study abroad plan and approved by petition by Student Affairs prior to departure. Please see Education Abroad Program.
Withdrawal
See Student Affairs in Room 4102.
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