Change a Degree Designation Process

Chancellor’s Office approval is required for changes in degree designation (for example, from BA to BS). To propose a degree designation change, campuses submit a request to California State University Academic Programs Team.

At CSULB, to request a designation change, an originator needs to initially obtain proper approval from their department and college via their internal curriculum approval processes. Following that, they need to send a request document to the Academic Programs Office (catalog@csulb.edu), which should include:

• The existing degree title and degree designation
• The requested new degree designation
• A rationale for the changes
• Degree roadmaps
  • Bachelors: 2-year and 4-year roadmaps
  • Masters: Full degree roadmap
• Assurance that all necessary campus approvals have been obtained

A rationale statement should be one or two paragraphs long and may address disciplinary convention, recruitment issues, employer concerns, or the degree designations used at other CSU campuses or at public or private institutions across the country, for example. The Master Plan and longstanding Trustee policy discourage the proliferation of degree designations and degree terminology, so these proposals are evaluated carefully. Changes in degree designation do not require prior Trustee approval, but they will be included in the next campus Academic Plan sent to the Board of Trustees.