Admissions Policies

Undergraduate Admissions

Pacific Oaks offers courses at the undergraduate level as part of bachelor degree completion programs. Applicants wishing to enter the bachelor’s degree completion programs of Pacific Oaks College are required to submit a signed application, personal statement, work or volunteer experience/resume, and official transcripts from all institutions previously attended.

All official transcripts from all regionally accredited post-secondary institutions attended are expected to be on file prior to the applicant’s program start. Applicants that do not have official transcripts on file before the end of their first Add/Drop will be removed from any courses they have been registered for and placed in a No Show status.

In certain extenuating situations a 30-day extension may be granted. Until all relevant official transcripts are on file a registration and financial aid hold will be placed on a student’s account.  These holds prevent a student from registering for any additional classes, or receiving any financial aid. Students who do not submit all official transcripts within 30 days, will be removed from courses and will no longer be considered an active student.  Students who wish to re-apply may do so for the following term/semester.

New bachelor completion students in Human Development or Early Childhood Education programs are required to have a minimum of 60 transferable units. Acceptance may be granted with 48 applicable units and no more than 12 outstanding general education units remaining. All 60 credits must be posted to the student’s permanent record no later than the end of their first 3 semesters/6 sessions. Exceptions beyond 12 general educations units may be granted upon review and approval from the Admissions Advisory Committee.

Students with other admission contingencies that have not been completed prior to matriculation to Pacific Oaks College will have up until the end of their first 3 semesters or 6 sessions and prior to the start of their final semester at Pacific Oaks to meet all remaining requirements. Students who do not meet this requirement by this time will be administratively withdrawn from the institution.

Students who choose to complete coursework or Prior Learning Assessment beyond the 60 units required for admission will have until the first 3 semesters or 6 sessions and prior to the start of their final semester at Pacific Oaks to complete the additional Prior Learning Assessment or transfer work.

Once an acceptance offer has been issued, applicants have to pay their Tuition Deposit in order to reserve their spot in their program. This deposit is nonrefundable. Upon acceptance, all personal statements will be assessed for writing ability.  Based upon that assessment, students may be required to successfully complete the Academic Writing Seminar within the first 2 semesters/4 sessions of their enrollment.

Please see the appropriate School section for information about additional admissions requirements by program.

Undergraduate International Student Admissions

Based on U.S. Homeland Security regulations, international students must be enrolled full-time to be eligible for campus-based study in the United States under a student (F-1) visa. International applicants who wish to complete a degree online are not eligible for issuance of a student (F-1) visa.

International applicants must have non-U.S. transcripts evaluated by a NACES-approved (www.naces.org) evaluation agency.

The transcript evaluation must include:

1. A detailed report (course-by-course evaluation)
2. A U.S. degree equivalency
3. A U.S. Grade Point Average (GPA) equivalency

Transcript evaluations are not required from American universities operating overseas, provided the institution is regionally accredited by a recognized U.S. regional accrediting body, with grades report on a U.S. 4-point scale.

International students are required to demonstrate final pre-requisite degree conferral. An international student who is conditionally admitted with proof of final degree conferral pending will be permitted until the start of the second term to provide required degree conferral documents.

All international applicants for whom English is a second language, with the exception of applicants who have an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or 60 transfer credits from a university in which the language of instruction is English, must submit official scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum score of 79 TOEFL or 6.5 IELTS is required for admission. Scores must be no more than 2 years old.

Students in a non-immigrant status are not eligible for U.S. financial aid. Upon gaining acceptance to a campus-based program, accepted applicants who request sponsorship for a student visa (F-1) must submit a New Student Information Form and supporting documentation before a certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant students (I-20) can be issued. For current information on minimum financial requirements and how to obtain an I-20, please visit the international admissions page of the Pacific Oaks website.

Undergraduate Enrollment Status Requirements

Undergraduate enrollment at Pacific Oaks College is defined as follows:

Undergraduate Residency Requirement

All undergraduate students must complete at least 30 credits at Pacific Oaks College, and matriculated students will fulfill all remaining degree requirements through courses offered at the School.

Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy

Applicants may transfer up to 30 additional semester units (depending on program) beyond the 60 semester units required for admission toward undergraduate degree requirements, for a total of up to 90 credits. The decision to accept transfer credit resides solely with the respective School. Undergraduate transfer credit guidelines by School are:

Approved transfer credit will be posted to the student’s Pacific Oaks College (POC) transcript after s/he has registered and remained in residence through the Add/Drop deadline. All new students register during the same designated period regardless of transfer credit. Approved transfer credit will not be factored into a new student’s registration time. Transfer credit may affect registration eligibility and degree requirements in subsequent terms.

Please refer to the section on Academic Programs for additional program-specific guidelines regarding transfer credit. Transfer coursework must be approved by the School into which the credit is being transferred.

All undergraduate transfer of credit is subject to the following conditions:

1. Transferred course credit is restricted to undergraduate level, degree applicable courses from a regionally accredited degree granting institution.
2. Students with credit from multiple institutions will need to provide the School with an official transcript from each institution. Pacific Oaks College will not accept third party evaluations.
3. Courses that cross multiple subject areas may not be split for credit.
4. Students who have completed university extension credit are not guaranteed that the courses will be transferred to Pacific Oaks.
5. Only courses with a grade of C (2.0 on a 4.0 grade scale) or better will be accepted for transfer into the Bachelor’s Program. Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit courses are eligible only if the course can be verified as a C (2.0) or higher.
6. Students who have completed internships or practicums, regardless of passing grade and degree applicability, will not be awarded transfer credit for these experiences at Pacific Oaks College.
7. All courses are required to be college level, degree applicable, and not designated as developmental or remedial in nature.
8. Course-to-course equivalency matches require an 80% content match. Students must provide POC with a course syllabus for transfer of credit to be evaluated.
9. A quarter credit taken in transfer will be equated to two-thirds of a semester credit.
10. When credit through examination is awarded; it is not included in the grade-point average.
11. Students may take approved outside standardized exams (International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), DANTES Subject Standardized Exams (DSST), etc. If they do not receive passing scores, they will be required to complete the necessary course work.
12. POC does not recognize other institutions’ credit by exam, proficiency, or challenge exams. Only nationally recognized exams approved by POC and outlined below are accepted.
13. Courses completed either at Pacific Oaks or in transfer from a regionally accredited institution, that exceed the course time limits prior to the date of readmission will not be counted towards graduation requirements or completion of credential. Course time limits vary by school; please see the Course Time Limit policy for additional details. The content of these courses may no longer be current or required for a degree or credential.
14. Regarding academic credits earned outside of the U.S.:
    1. Students must submit official academic records from all schools they have attended
    2. Credits must meet all general transfer credit policies
    3. Credits must have been completed at an institution with the equivalence of U.S. regional accreditation as determined by a NACES-approved transcript evaluation agency (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services http://www.naces.org/members.htm/)
    4. Official transcripts must be accompanied by a course-by-course transcript evaluation from a NACES-approved transcript evaluation agency with the exception of Canadian coursework, which can be evaluated by Pacific Oaks
    5. Transcript evaluations are not required from American universities operating overseas, provided the institution is regionally accredited by a recognized U.S. regional accrediting body, with grades report on a U.S. 4-point scale

Students who completed a professional degree (e.g. Bachelor-level Medical degrees) outside of the United States will need to have their transcript accompanied by certified English translation along with a comprehensive report (see criteria above) with U.S. degree equivalency. Catalog descriptions may be required. International transcripts submitted without translation and/or the detailed evaluation will not be reviewed by the Academic Evaluations Department.

Any course that does not meet the specific content requirements of an existing POC course may be accepted as transfer credit as an elective if the course supports the required competencies and learning objectives of the program and meets the following conditions:

1. The course must meet all other requirements for transfer credit.
2. The course must be at the equivalent degree level.
3. Courses cannot be duplications of other requirements successfully completed.

In order for the transfer request to be processed, the student must submit an official transcript upon acceptance with Pacific Oaks College. Unofficial transcripts may be used for review prior to enrollment into Pacific Oaks College; however, this review is not considered official and no credit will be posted to the student record.

An official transcript is defined as a document that has been sent from the sending institution directly to the receiving institution or hand delivered to the Admissions office in a sealed envelope from the degree granting institution. Official transcripts sent to Pacific Oaks must be in an unopened envelope from the institution.

New bachelor completion students in Human Development or Early Childhood Education programs are required to have a minimum of 60 transferable units, conditional acceptance may be granted with 48 applicable units and no more than 12 general education units remaining.  All 60 credits must be posted to the student’s permanent record no later than the end of the first 3 semesters/6 sessions.

Students are required to have all official transcripts reflecting these credits on file and posted to their permanent record by this time or the student will be removed from any courses they may have been registered for and placed in a No Show status.

Students with additional admission contingencies that have not been completed prior to matriculation to Pacific Oaks College will have up until the end of their first academic year (three semesters or six sessions) and prior to the start of their final semester at Pacific Oaks to submit all remaining contingencies (including but not limited to: transfer credits, official transcripts, test scores etc.) to be posted to the student’s permanent record. Students who do not meet this requirement by this time will be administratively withdrawn from the institution.

Students who choose to complete coursework or Prior Learning Assessment beyond the 60 units required for admission will have until the first academic year (three semesters or six sessions) and prior to the start of their final semester at Pacific Oaks to complete the additional Prior Learning Assessment.  

Nontraditional Credit Transfer Policies

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Pacific Oaks College recognizes that students can obtain college level learning in a variety of ways outside the traditional classroom. Due to this thinking and understanding, Pacific Oaks College honors other forms of learning completed in a variety of different areas. Students with Prior Learning Assessment should contact the Office of the Registrar for review and possible transfer credit.

AP Exams

Students who successfully pass and complete testing through Advanced Placement (AP) with scores of 3 or higher will be considered for college level credit. Students who have previously completed AP exams will need to submit official score sheets to Pacific Oaks College.

CLEP Exams

Students who have successfully passed the College- Level Examination Program (CLEP) Exams may enter into Pacific Oaks College. Exams are required to be passed with the minimum American Council on Education (ACE) Credit Recommendation. Scores lower than the ACE Recommendation will not be considered for transfer credit. Students will need to submit an official score sheet to Pacific Oaks College.

IB Exams

The International Baccalaureate Exams (IB Exams) are also considered for college level learning to Pacific Oaks College. Students who have completed testing from IB should contact the Office of the Registrar for possible acceptance of this credit. Students should provide Pacific Oaks College with an official transcript for possible credit review.

DSST Exams

Students who have successfully passed the DANTES Subject Standardized Exams may enter into Pacific Oaks College. Exams are required to be passed with the minimum American Council on Education (ACE) Credit Recommendation. Scores lower than the ACE Recommendation will not be considered for transfer credit. Students will need to submit an official score sheet to Pacific Oaks College.

Military students

Previous military experience is reviewed for college transfer credit at Pacific Oaks College. Students with previous military experience terminated under honorable conditions in any of the United States Military Branches may submit their official transcripts or a certified copy of DD-295 to the Office of the Registrar. Credit review will be based on the American Council on Education (ACE) Credit Recommendations.

Professional Training and Certification

Professional training that is recognized by the American Council on Education (ACE) can also be submitted for review. Students who have completed training will need to submit their official transcript from ACE (http://www.acenet.edu/higher-education/topics/Pages/Transcript-Services.aspx) and are required to inquire on the cost of this request. Students should submit these transcripts prior to matriculation with Pacific Oaks College. Trainings and certifications not recognized by ACE will not be reviewed for transfer credit.

Propero Courses

Prospective students needing to meet the Pacific Oaks College general education requirements may fulfill the remaining general education requirements through the successful completion of Propero online courses (http://www.propero.org/). Propero is a 3rd party vendor that offers a variety of courses for students in general Education areas. Students will need to complete the course(s) through Propero and then submit an official transcript of the ACE Recommended Credit to Pacific Oaks College for the credit to be accepted by the institution. Students wishing to pursue this PLA option should contact the Registrar’s Office.

Straighterline.com Partnership

Prospective students needing to meet Pacific Oaks College general education requirements may fulfill the remaining general education requirements through the successful completion through the Straighterline.com Partnership (http://www.straighterline.com/). Straighterline and Pacific Oaks College have established a partnership that will allow students to complete a variety of courses in select general education areas. Students will need to complete the course(s) through Straighterline and then submit an official transcript of the ACE Recommended Credit to Pacific Oaks College for the credit to be accepted by the institution. Students wishing to pursue this PLA option should contact the Registrar’s Office.

Articulation Agreements

Articulation is the process of evaluating courses to determine whether coursework completed at one institution will meet requirements for Admissions, transfer credit, general education, and/or major preparation at another institution.

Articulation agreements are formal, written agreements agreed to and signed by the faculty at two colleges. To help you transfer easily into Pacific Oaks College, we have developed articulation agreements with local colleges. However, official evaluation and awarding of the transfer credits resides with the Academic Evaluations Department.

General Education Requirements for Undergraduate Degree Students

Upon entry, Pacific Oaks College requires prospective students to have the following minimum general education requirements completed through an Associate’s degree or equivalent credit.

Portfolio Development and Assessment

Pacific Oaks Colleges’ Portfolio Development and Assessment process instructs students on how to best demonstrate, through writing, that what they have learned outside of the classroom holds equivalent value to what they would have learned in a comparable college course. This knowledge may have been gained through past work, training programs, in-service courses, volunteer service, cultural or artistic pursuits, community or religious activities, organizational memberships, adult education, noncredit courses, study abroad, military training not evaluated for credit by ACE or other experiences.

A portfolio provides students with the opportunity to earn credits for identifying and articulating the college-level knowledge they obtained throughout their prior learning experiences. This learning must demonstrate an understanding of the experiential learning process by aligning personal experience with the learning outcomes of Pacific Oaks College courses identified as eligible for Portfolio Development. Students learn best practices in identifying areas of course equivalent learning while developing appropriate skills to write portfolios.  Through the Portfolio Development and Assessment process, students may earn up to 24 credit hours required for the completion of the Early Childhood Education Degree in the School of Education or up to 30 credit hours required for the completion of the School of Human Development’s Bachelors’ Degree.

Completion of the following is required to participate in the portfolio development and assessment process:

·         Demonstration of a minimum of 5 years of verifiable work experience in a related field.

·         Approved Portfolio Submission eligibility form.

·         Enrollment in HD 489

All portfolios must be completed and approved by the Portfolio Reviewers prior to credit being applied to student record.

Upon completion of HD489, each student will be eligible to submit up to FOUR (4) portfolios for review at no charge.  Students will be charged $150 for each portfolio submitted and reviewed beyond the initial four submissions. 

Portfolios are reviewed by Pacific Oaks College Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).  Submitted portfolios that meet the identified portfolio development requirements and adequately demonstrate a mastery of the identified Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) will be granted three units of lower division BA level credit.  Submitted portfolios that fail to meet the aforementioned requirements will not be granted any units.

Graduate Admissions

Application to Pacific Oaks College’s graduate programs is open to any person who has an official transcript of a conferred bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, all official transcripts from any other graduate programs, and who meets other admission requirements, as required by a specific program.

All official transcripts from which student received a conferred Bachelor’s degree and graduate transcripts from all accredited post-secondary institutions attended are expected to be on file prior to the applicant’s program start. Applicants who do not have official transcripts on file before the end of their first Add/Drop will be removed from any courses they have been registered for and placed in a No Show status.

In certain extenuating situations a 30-day extension may be granted. Until all relevant official transcripts are on file a registration and financial aid hold will be placed on a student’s account.  These holds prevent a student from registering for any additional classes, or receiving any financial aid. Students who do not submit all official transcripts within 30 days, will be removed from courses and will no longer be considered an active student.  Students who wish to re-apply may do so for the following term/semester.

Please see the application for detailed instructions and information regarding application requirements and application deadlines. Applications must be submitted with a $55.00 (USD) application fee in order to be evaluated. Applicants may apply online or download an application from http://www.pacificoaks.edu/Apply.

Upon acceptance, all personal statements will be assessed for writing ability.  Based upon that assessment, students may be required to successfully complete the Academic Writing Seminar within the first 2 semesters/4 terms of their enrollment.

Graduate International Student Admissions

Based on U.S. Homeland Security regulations, international students must be enrolled full-time to be eligible for campus-based study in the United States under a student (F-1) visa. International applicants who wish to complete a degree online are not eligible for issuance of a student (F-1) visa.

International applicants must have non-U.S. transcripts evaluated by a NACES-approved (www.naces.org) evaluation agency.

The transcript evaluation must include:

1. A detailed report (course-by-course evaluation)
2. A U.S. degree equivalency
3. A U.S. Grade Point Average (GPA) equivalency

Transcript evaluations are not required from American universities operating overseas, provided the institution is accredited by a regional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, with grades reported on a U.S. 4-point scale.

International students are required to demonstrate final pre-requisite degree conferral. An international student who is conditionally admitted with proof of final degree conferral pending will be permitted until the start of the second term to provide required degree conferral documents.

All international applicants for whom English is a second language, with the exception of applicants who have an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or 60 transfer credits from a university in which the language of instruction is English, must submit official scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum score of 79 TOEFL or 6.5 IELTS is required for admission. Scores must be no more than 2 years old.

Students in a non-immigrant status are not eligible for U.S. financial aid. Upon gaining acceptance to a campus-based program, accepted applicants who request sponsorship for a student visa (F-1) must submit a New Student Information Form and supporting documentation before a certificate of eligibility for non-immigrant students (I-20) can be issued. For current information on minimum financial requirements and how to obtain an I-20, please visit the international admissions page of the Pacific Oaks website.

Graduate Enrollment Status Requirements

Graduate enrollment at Pacific Oaks College is defined as follows:

Graduate Transfer Credit Policy

Each School determines transferability of graduate level coursework. Graduate transfer credit guidelines by School are:

1. Courses must be graduate level and must have been completed at a regionally accredited graduate institution.
2. Courses must adhere to the Course Time Limit Policy and be completed within seven (7) years of the date of enrollment at Pacific Oaks College. (See Course Time Limit Policy)
   1. For the School of Cultural and Family Psychology, courses completed within ten (10) years of the date of Pacific Oaks enrollment are acceptable.
3. Courses must be graduate level and the institution must be regionally accredited.
   1. Institution must be approved by the Board of Behavioral Sciences and regionally accredited for the School of Cultural and Family Psychology.
4. All official transcripts are required to be on file prior to student’s program start.
5. Courses must be completed with a grade of B or higher (3.0 on a 4.0 grade scale).
   1. Credits for courses in which the student earned a grade below B or took a non-letter grade such as a pass/fail or credit/not credit are not transferable.
6. Credits applied to meet the requirements of a previously earned degree of any type at another institution are ineligible for use as transfer credit.
7. Courses must be completed prior to entry into the POC graduate program. Courses completed while concurrently enrolled at another institution will not be accepted for transfer credit.
8. Only courses that qualify for graduate credit by the transferring institution can be transferred.
9. Courses must be graduate level and completed in regular, non‐extension formats.

Graduate Admission for Pacific Oaks B.A. Students

Pacific Oaks B.A. students applying for a Pacific Oaks master’s degree must have completed their B.A. degree or be fully admitted to the B.A. degree program and be enrolled in their final semester.

Matriculation Policies

Students admitted/readmitted for Fall 2017, Spring 2018, and Summer 2018 will be governed by this Catalog.

Applicant Notification

Pacific Oaks College reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Academic Department and applicants will be notified regarding the admission decision.

Re-Admission and Re-Entry Policies

Returning Students: 364 days or less since last withdrawal date (Re-Entry): Any students returning to Pacific Oaks in good academic and school standing after a lapse in enrollment of 364 days or less are considered Re-Entries. Students seeking re-entry to the College must complete a Re-Entry Form through the Registrar’s Office. Re-Entry students who completed coursework during their absence must provide the Registrar’s Office with official transcripts in a sealed envelope for transfer credit consideration. Non-satisfactory academic performance may nullify the student’s ability to reenter.

Returning Students: 365 or more days since last withdrawal date (Re-Admission): Any students returning to Pacific Oaks in good academic and school standing after a lapse in enrollment of 365 or more days are considered re-enrollments. Re-enrolling students are required to reapply for admission through the Admissions Office. Re-admitted students who have completed additional coursework must submit official transcripts for review of transfer credit. Students who have been away from the college for more than five (5) years must provide official transcripts from all institutions attended. To expedite readmission, official transcripts should be submitted in the original sealed envelopes along with the admission application. Non-satisfactory academic performance may nullify the student’s ability to reenroll. Students being readmitted who only require thesis completion will be evaluated by the academic department to determine the current status of their work.

Returning from Dismissal or Probation Status

Students seeking to return after leaving in a probationary status must complete a Re-Admission application or Re-entry Form, as determined by their last date of attendance. Students who have been dismissed from the College for failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements may apply for re-admission after 365 days from the term of dismissal.

In addition to the Re-entry or Re-Admission application, students will need to complete the following documents for enrollment consideration:

• Academic recovery plan developed with their faculty advisor,
• A student statement addressing their absence from the College and reasons for returning, and
• Official transcripts in sealed envelopes from institutions attended while separated from the College.

The Re-Admission application or Re-Entry Form, along with the student statement, academic recovery plan and official transcripts, must be submitted to the Registrar Office and will be reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee for determination. Favorable consideration will be based upon evaluation of the reasons for previous separation, evidence of improved academic standing, improved conduct, and increased personal maturity. Non-satisfactory academic performance may nullify the student’s ability to be readmitted. All students returning after dismissal or probation will be re-admitted on a probationary status. Students who have been dismissed from Pacific Oaks College for ethical or behavioral reasons will not be readmitted.

Readmission for Military Students

POC recognizes that military students may be temporarily unable to attend classes and/or be required to suspend their studies in order to perform their military service. Therefore, POC does not deny readmission to military members for reasons relating to their military service. Students who meet the appropriate criteria will be readmitted with the same academic status as the student had when he or she last attended the College. This policy is in accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008.

Military service for the purposes of readmission is defined as service, whether voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including service by a member of the National Guard or Reserve, on active duty, active duty for training, or full-time National Guard duty under federal authority, for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 consecutive days. The cumulative length of all absences for uniformed service (service time only) must not exceed five years.

The student must notify the college by providing written notice of such service to the Office of the Registrar as far in advance as is reasonable under the circumstances.  This notice does not have to indicate whether the student intends to return to POC.  No notice is required if precluded by military necessity such as service in operations that are classified or would be compromised by such notice.

Any service member in a U.S. military reserve unit should provide a copy of all training orders as far in advance as possible. In addition, any military student who did not give advance written or verbal notice of service to a college official may meet the notice requirement by submitting, at the time the student seeks readmission, an attestation and documentation that the student performed service in the uniformed services that necessitated the student’s absence from the College.

An affected service member must, upon the completion of a period of service in the uniformed services, notify POC of his or her intent to return to the college not later than three (3) years after the completion of the period of service. However, a student who is hospitalized for or convalescing from an illness or injury incurred in or aggravated during the performance of service in the uniformed services must notify a college official of his or her intent to return to POC not later than two years after the end of the period that is necessary for recovery from such illness or injury. A student who fails to apply for readmission within the required period does not automatically forfeit eligibility for readmission, but is subject to all college policies and practices.

If the student is readmitted to the same program, for the first academic year in which the student returns, the student will be assessed the same tuition and fee charges that the student was or would have been assessed for the academic year during which the student left the institution.

If the student is admitted to a different program, and for subsequent academic years for a student admitted to the same program, the student will be assessed no more than the tuition and fee charges that other students in the program are assessed for that academic year.

If POC determines that the student is not prepared to resume the program, or will not be able to complete the program, the college will make reasonable efforts at no extra cost to the student to help the student become prepared or to enable the student to complete the program, including but not limited to providing refresher courses at no extra cost to the student.

Second Bachelor’s Degree with First Degree Earned at Pacific Oaks

Pacific Oaks College Bachelor’s Degree Graduates are allowed to re-enter the institution to complete a second bachelor’s degree, if it is in another discipline. A student must apply for readmission to seek a second bachelor’s degree. All re-admitted students are held to current Catalog/degree requirements.

Enrollment in a Second Academic Program

Concurrent enrollment in two degree-seeking programs is not permitted. A student that wishes to enroll in a new academic program must complete all degree requirements in their current program and have their degree conferred to be eligible to start a new academic program. Degree conferral must occur either on or prior to the Add/Drop deadline. Students must also be in good academic, financial, and programmatic standing and must be meeting all financial obligations to the institution at the time of application and at the time of enrollment, if accepted. Students must also complete the standard admission process for the new program, please see the Admissions Policies for more information.

A student who wishes to transfer from their current academic program to a different academic program at the same degree level must contact their Faculty Advisor and the Office of the Registrar. Students must meet all admission requirements for the new academic program and be in good academic and financial standing. Please refer to the Pacific Oaks Program Changes policy for more information.

Reapplication for Admission after Denial Decision

Applicants who previously applied to Pacific Oaks and were not accepted must wait a minimum of one (1) year after the original application to reapply. For reconsideration, applicants must submit an updated application form and new information (i.e., new recommendation letter, new entrance exam scores, additional course-work, evidence of improved writing skills, etc.). Reconsideration of applications without additional information will not be conducted.

Course Time Limit Policy

Pacific Oaks College welcomes the return of students who for a variety of reasons have not completed their degree or credential. Courses completed either at Pacific Oaks or in transfer from a regionally accredited institution that are more than the course time limits prior to the date of readmission will not be counted towards graduation requirements or completion of credential. The content of these courses may no longer be current or required for a degree or credential.

Previously earned credit will be awarded, when appropriate, to meet content distribution areas and degree-specific requirements. Time limits are in place to ensure that transfer credits meet present-day academic standards. General guidelines for time limit on transfer credit are noted below.

General Education Courses

Any courses that fulfill student’s general education requirements do not have a course time limit. Refer to General Education Requirements for course listings.

School of Human Development

Pacific Oaks College will not consider credits earned more than 10 years prior to the date of enrollment. Students looking for re-admittance into the School of Human Development will also adhere to the 10 year requirement including credit completed with Pacific Oaks College. Courses completed with Pacific Oaks College 10 years or more prior to re-admittance will not be eligible for transfer and students will be required to complete new curriculum. An approved Leave of Absence does not alter the 10 year period for completion of degree requirements.

School of Cultural and Family Psychology

Cultural and Family Psychology Courses: Pacific Oaks College will not consider credits earned more than 10 years prior to the date of enrollment. Students looking for re-admittance into the School of Cultural and Family Psychology Courses will also adhere to the 10 year requirement including credit completed with Pacific Oaks College. Courses completed with Pacific Oaks College 10 years or more prior to re-admittance will not be eligible for transfer and students will be required to complete new curriculum. An approved Leave of Absence does not alter the 10 year period for completion of degree requirements.

School of Education

Early Childhood Education Courses: Pacific Oaks College will not consider credits earned more than seven (7) years prior to the date of enrollment. Students looking for re-admittance into the School of Education will also adhere to the 7-year requirement including credit completed with Pacific Oaks College. Courses completed with Pacific Oaks College 7 years or more prior to re-admittance will not be eligible for transfer and students will be required to complete new curriculum. An approved Leave of Absence does not alter the 7-year period for completion of graduate degree requirements.