This web page summarizes requirements and procedures for the convenience of current Regenerative Studies students. Students should also refer to the current University Catalog and the Class Schedule available through the University’s BroncoDirect web site. The University Catalog contains official University and Department rules and procedures, descriptions of all course offerings by all departments, information on costs, financial aid, etc., and descriptions of all University programs, centers, institutes, and services.
The Graduate Coordinator is the advisor for all graduate students and is responsible for administering the graduate program. Because the program is designed to serve students from a wide variety of backgrounds with different planning interests who complete the program on different schedules, the Graduate Coordinator provides individual assistance in developing each student's program of study. The current Graduate Coordinator is Dr. Denise Lawrence. Students can meet with her during posted office hours and by appointment. She can be contacted at (909) 869-2674 or by e-mail at dllawrence2@csupomona.edu.
All students receiving a degree from Cal Poly Pomona need to take and pass the GWT. Exemptions from this requirement are granted only to students who submit documentation certifying they passed an equivalent writing-competence exam at another CSU campus. This documentation must be submitted to and approved by the Test Officer.
Graduate student are advised to register for the GWT early in their first quarter at Cal Poly. You must register for the GWT by the quarter following your completion of 8 units (Winter quarter of the first year for most MSRS students). If you fail to register for the GWT, A hold will be placed on your record, meaning that registration for subsequent quarters may not be allowed, nor will transcripts of credits be released. To have the hold removed, you must register for the next GWT in person at the Test Center.
You must take the GWT until you pass, or at least three times. The test may be petitioned after 3 unsuccessful attempts. Information on procedures for appeals is in the Test Center, Building 98-P2-004 and on the Test Center website.
Most students are admitted to our program on a conditional basis. Under that status, students may take any 500 series or lower courses. Unconditional status, which allows students to take 600-level courses and advance toward completion of the program, is granted when the graduate program form is completed and approved.
During their first academic quarter in the program, a student must schedule a meeting with the graduate coordinator to complete and submit a graduate program form. The form sets out the courses that will be taken to complete the program. The graduate program form requirement assures that the student and the Graduate Coordinator review the student's approach to the program and establishes a set of courses, with a timeline, that matches program requirements and the student's needs. This serves only as an initial understanding of the student’s academic plan and may be subject to change based on course availability and student interests. The graduate program form must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator, Director, and Dean, and be verified by the University Graduate Studies Analyst.
At the same time the student submits the signed graduate program form, she or he must also submit an Academic Petition requesting a change of status from conditional to unconditional classification. This will allow for continued progress toward the degree.
These forms are available in the Lyle Center office.
University policy requires graduate students maintain their enrollment status. If a student plans to not register for three quarters in a row (including summer), that student must complete a “leave of absence” petition. Otherwise they will have to reapply to the program and be re-accepted in order to continue. A leave of absence allows a student to return within two years without reapplying. Forms are available at the registrars office and require signature of the Graduate Coordinator and Dean. Failure to return from leave as specified in the approved petition will be considered withdrawal from the University, and will require reapplication to the program.
Some changes in the set of courses taken by a student are expected between the completion of the graduate program form and graduation. These may be due to changes in student interest, course availability, and unforeseen course opportunities. Students should discuss potential changes with the Graduate Coordinator and receive approval for substitutions before the courses are taken. All changes can be combined in a final petition for amending the contract prior to graduation.
Petition forms for course substitution are available in the Lyle Center office and should list the courses to be deleted and the courses to be added to the program form. Units added to the form should equal or exceed the number of units deleted.
Each student is required to complete 200 internship hours of which 100 hours, at minimum, are to be completed at the Lyle Center, and 100 hours can be completed at either the Lyle Center or another site.
The 100 hour Lyle Center Internship is ideally completed during the winter and spring quarters (50 hours each quarter) of the student’s first year in the graduate program and is intended to provide the student with in-depth knowledge and appropriate skills in the regenerative systems in operation at the center. Center operations frequently make certain tasks a priority over others and will require intern participation. The goal of the internship at the Center is to enable students to focus in areas in which they have a primary interest while balancing the needs of the Center.
An additional 100 hour Internship is ideally completed during the summer months between the first and second year of the MS program. This internship can be completed at the Lyle Center, or elsewhere, at a public agency, in private business, or at a non-profit organization. It may be a paid or unpaid internship. The student is required to make an internship proposal for the graduate coordinator to review and the proposal must indicate the type of learning outcome expected. The learning outcome could be tied to the proposed thesis or project the student expects to complete, and/or it could be tied to the type of employment the student expects to pursue after graduation. The Lyle Center may facilitate contacts with appropriate businesses and agencies where possible, but students are encouraged to be proactive and seek out their own. In all cases, an individual on-site supervisor who will oversee the student’s work and activities must be identified. Students proposing an off-site internship must submit the Internship proposal form for approval by the Graduate Coordinator.
All students must complete a brief report at the end of each 100 hours of internship activity to receive credit towards graduation and secure a supervisor signature that the time required has been fulfilled.
Two courses, RS 694 Thesis/Project Research, and RS 695 or 696, Project or Thesis, constitute the two main sequential vehicles required for completing the thesis or project in Regenerative Studies. These courses can be taken at any time following completion of RS core required courses; RS 694 may be taken concurrently with RS 650 (Research Methods II). Enrolling in RS 694 and RS 695 or 696 requires permission. To enroll in RS 694, students must complete a brief proposal describing the thesis/project problem, include a bibliography of resources, identify the confirmed chair of the thesis/project committee, and list other potential advisors who have been consulted. This preliminary proposal may be completed during RS 550 (Research Methods I) during Winter Quarter, or after, and will be reviewed by regenerative studies faculty before students receive permission to enroll.
RS 694, Thesis/Project Research, is a course designed for the student to engage in the supervised library research aimed at fully defining the research question and detailing the data collection methodology to be implemented in the thesis or project. Students find that meeting regularly with the committee chair, as often as weekly, and meeting frequently with other committee members structures the progress of their work and keeps them on track. The successful completion of RS 694 requires students to produce and present a fully developed research proposal, obtain the written agreement of the committee members on a sign-off form, and complete a literature review acceptable to the committee chair. Students are required to present their proposals to the full faculty for comment and approval. A signed thesis/project proposal form must be submitted to the Center office before enrolling in RS 695 or 696.
Before the end of the third week of the academic quarter preceding the quarter the student intends to graduate, the student must request a graduation check by the Registrar’s Office. The student's transcripts will be compared to the approved graduate contract and the student will be notified of any remaining course requirements. Students must pass all courses in the graduate contract, the Graduate Writing Exam, and fulfill the internship requirement to complete the program.
If the graduation check identifies deficiencies in courses that the student is currently taking or intending to take in their final quarter, the student must continue as planned to complete these requirements. If deficiencies are noted due to failing a course listed on the program form, the student must retake the course or otherwise resolve the failing grade. If deficiencies are noted due to program changes made by the student (i.e. course substitutions) that were never officially petitioned, the student must submit the necessary course substitution petitions to resolve the deficiency.
Refer to the Registrar’s office web site for specific dates of all deadlines.
Before the end of the third week of the academic quarter the quarter the student intends to graduate, the student must apply for graduation with the registrar’s office. A graduation check must be completed prior to this application.
Refer to the Registrar’s office web site for specific dates of all deadlines.
