Advancement to Candidacy

Advancement to Candidacy at SFSU

Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) is required of all graduate students pursuing a Master's or Doctoral degree at SFSU (5 CCR § 40510) and marks a significant milestone in your graduate program. This milestone acknowledges that you have demonstrated competence in graduate studies and are prepared to complete your degree requirements, including your culminating experience. 

Select graduate programs recommend graduate student Advancement to Candidacy each semester in lieu of filing an ATC form. The Department Chair or Graduate Coordinator recommends you for Advancement to Candidacy, if you have fulfilled all admission conditions and met the following criteria:  

• Completed or will complete the requisite number of units specified by the Graduate Program documented in the Degree Progress Report (DPR) 
• Maintain good Academic Standing with a minimum 3.0 Grade Point Average 
• Resolved all incomplete grades 
• Maintains active enrollment during the semester of Advancement to Candidacy  

Once approved, Advancement to Candidacy status will be reflected in your Student Center under Milestones. This designation signifies that you have demonstrated sufficient academic competency in graduate-level studies and are prepared to proceed with remaining degree requirements, including the Culminating Experience.

Students should review their Degree Progress Report after each semester’s grades are recorded to monitor progress towards degree and to resolve errors and/or complete deficiencies.

Graduate programs that recommend advancement (no form required) 

Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) form  

Graduate programs not listed require an ATC form which acts as a contract between you, your department and the University. Your form documents requirements you have completed and will complete before your degree can be awarded. The ATC form must be approved by your department and Graduate Studies before you can enroll in your Culminating Experience course. 

Complete the ATC form with your graduate advisor the semester prior to the semester you intend to enroll in the Culminating Experience course

• You can submit the ATC form after completing at least eighteen semester units. 
• Forms are submitted the semester prior to enrollment in the culminating experience course and are due every October and April 1st. 
• ATC form needs to be filled out in coordination with your program adviser and submitted for final review, approval and signing through the AdobeSign ATC Submission Portal. 

Coursework substitutions 

Occasionally, programs are unable to offer a course listed in the Bulletin as acceptable for the degree. When this occurs, necessary paperwork must be submitted to amend the plan of study. 

Core coursework 

If a required core course is not offered, an ATC Substitution form must be submitted. The course must be approved by the department and Graduate Studies before the student enrolls in the course. 

Electives 

If an elective course is not offered or you have enrolled in a different elective and it is not automatically populating in the Electives section of the Degree Progress Report, you must submit an Approved Electives form

Seven-year limit 

Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations requires that a master’s degree shall be completed in no more than seven years. Coursework expires and cannot be used to meet degree requirements after seven years. You can find when your coursework expires in the Degree Completion Table in the Bulletin. Review the Graduate Studies Bulletin for complete ATC requirements.   

ATC Bulletin

Review and download ATC form