Advancement To Candidacy (ATC)/Graduate Approved Program (GAP) Procedures
The ATC/GAP lists the specific requirements you must complete before your degree can be awarded. Once the ATC/GAP is approved, you are advanced to candidacy.Steps to Completion:
- Submit your ATC/GAP after completing at least nine semester units, but no later than the semester before graduating.
- Fill out your ATC/GAP online - no handwritten materials accepted.
- Have your ATC/GAP approved by your adviser and the graduate coordinator of your program, and submit it to the GradStop according to deadlines.
Make sure your ATC/GAP includes:
- A minimum of 30 semester units, or more if required by your program.
- A 3.0 GPA is required for course work listed on the ATC/GAP and in all post-baccalaureate work taken at SFSU.
- No lower division course work (100-299).
- No prerequisite course work.
- Only courses with grades of C or better (grades of C- and lower may not be included).
- A minimum of one-half of the units at the 700-899 level.
- No more than 12 semester units of work taken before you obtained classified status.
- The ATC/GAP may not have more than 30% of the work with CR grades.
- A maximum of 6 semester units of credit in special study courses (699, 899) or experimental courses (674, 677, 874, 877).
- A maximum of 4 student teaching units.
- A maximum of 6 semester units of any combination of extension work, credit by examination, and/or transfer work, in a 30-unit program.
- The ATC/GAP must specify how the student has met the two-level written English proficiency requirement.
- The ATC/GAP must specify a final demonstration of competence such as a thesis, a field research project, a comprehensive examination, or an approved culminating experience.
- Complete your Graduate Program within a seven year limit as specified by The California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Education.
7 year-time-limit chart below
| First Requirements | Time Limit | |
| on ATC/GAP begun | ATC/GAP will expire: | |
| Fall 2000 | ........................................ | August 2007 |
| Spring 2001 | ........................................ | January 2008 |
| Summer 2001 | ........................................ | June 2008 |
| Fall 2001 | ........................................ | August 2008 |
| Spring 2002 | ........................................ | January 2009 |
| Summer 2002 | ........................................ | June 2009 |
| Fall 2002 | ........................................ | August 2009 |
| Spring 2003 | ........................................ | January 2010 |
| Summer 2003 | ........................................ | June 2010 |
| Fall 2003 | ........................................ | August 2010 |
| Spring 2004 | ........................................ | January 2011 |
| Summer 2004 | ........................................ | June 2011 |
| Fall 2004 | ........................................ | August 2011 |
| Spring 2005 | ........................................ | January 2012 |
| Summer 2005 | ........................................ | June 2012 |
| Fall 2005 | ........................................ | August 2012 |
| Spring 2006 | ........................................ | January 2013 |
| Summer 2006 | ........................................ | June 2013 |
| Fall 2006 | ........................................ | August 2013 |
| Spring 2007 | ........................................ | January 2014 |
Units in Residence/Transfer Work
- Maximum of 6 semester units of transfer work allowed in a 30-unit program.
- Work taken in Winter Session may be counted as residence credit.
- Credit by examination or extension work is not considered resident study.
- SFSU will not accept transfer work when the institution offering the course work does not accept it for its own advanced degree program.
- No transfer work over 7 years old may be used on the ATC/GAP.
