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Graduate Program Policies

Transfer of Credits from Another University

Subject to the recommendation of the appropriate bodies and the approval of the Dean/Director, graduate courses taken by a student in another university may be credited towards the master’s program provided that:

  1. these courses were taken within five years prior to admission;
  2. these were validated through appropriate means by the MS CaRE Graduate Committee; and,
  3. the total number of credits transferred shall not exceed three-eighths (3/8) of the total number of units in the student’s Master’s course requirements.

*However, condition (2) shall not apply if the courses were taken in an institution with which the University of the Philippines has a special academic arrangement and if these courses are part of the student’s approved Program of Study.

Subject to the recommendation of the appropriate bodies and the approval of the Dean/Director, graduate courses taken by the student under another program of the University of the Philippines may be transferred for credit to the new Master’s program provided that these courses:
  1. were taken during the last five (5) years prior to the student’s admission or transfer to the Master’s Program;
  2. have not been credited to a degree previously obtained by the student; and,
  3. are relevant to the MS CaRE program.
Transfer of credits shall be done within the first semester of the student’s admission into the program. The course/s credited shall be specified in the student’s record (Program of Study) by the MS CaRE Graduate Program Coordinator. A copy of the approval shall be sent to the Office of the University Registrar, through the Office of the College Secretary.
The Cumulative Weighted Average Grade (CWAG) shall be based on all Master’s level courses taken by the student in his/her approved Program of Study, including those credited from other University of program in UP Baguio, if there’s any; and those taken in compliance with the Maximum Residence Rules, if applicable. To remain in good standing, a student must maintain a CWAG of “2.0” or better in his/her course work at the end of each academic year until the completion of the Program of Study.  This CWAG shall be computed by the Graduate Program Coordinator.A student who fails to satisfy the CWAG of “2.0” at the end of an academic year shall be disqualified from the Master’s program unless the Dean/Director decides to waive the disqualification on justifiable grounds upon the recommendation of the student’s Graduate Program Coordinator and endorsement of the MS CaRE Graduate Program/Committee, through channels. A notice of dismissal from the program will be issued by the Graduate Committee through the Department Chair. If a student fails the defense of his/her Master’s Thesis, he/she may submit him/herself to a second master’s defense within one academic year after the first defense. Failure to pass the second defense disqualifies the student from his/her current master’s program.
A leave of absence should be requested in a written petition to the Dean, and accompanied by the Leave of Absence form. The petition should state the reason for the leave and specify the period of the leave. The leave should not exceed one year, but may be renewed for at most another year. For leave of absence availed by an enrolled student during the second half of the semester, the faculty members concerned shall be required to indicate the class standing (passing or failing) of the student at the same time of the application for the leave. No application for leave of absence shall be approved without the instructors concerned indicating the student’s class standing. This, however, should not be entered in the official Report of Grades. Students who withdraw after ¾ of the total number of hours prescribed for the class standing at the time of their withdrawal was below 3. Students who are not intending to enroll, can file a leave during the regular enrollment No leave of absence shall be granted later than two weeks before the last day of classes during the semester. If the inability to continue with classes is due to illness or similar justifiable causes, the student’s absence during this period shall be considered excused. In such cases, the student shall be required to present an excuse slip to the concerned faculty members. Students who withdraw from the College without formal leave of absence shall have their registration privileges curtailed or entirely withdrawn.

One-year Residence before Graduation

The student must be officially enrolled for residence for at least one (1) academic year prior to the conferment of the Master’s degree.

Maximum Residence Period

The time limit for completion of all master’s requirements shall be five (5) years. The counting of the period of residence shall start from the student’s first enrollment in a graduate course after admission into the master’s program and shall include semesters when the student was in a Dismissal or Permanently Dismissed status. Except for semesters prior to the 2nd Semester, AY 2022–2023, approved Leaves of Absence (LOA) shall not be counted toward the Maximum Residency Rule. The regular period for completion for a graduate student transferring from another university shall be reduced by one (1) semester. If there are courses taken by the student prior to his/her admission to the program and credited to his/her course requirements, then his/her allowed period of completion will be reduced by a number of semesters equivalent to one semester for every nine (9) units of courses credited to his/her program. In exceptionally meritorious cases, extensions of residence beyond the above regular period of completion may be approved by the Dean/ Director upon the recommendation of the appropriate bodies. This extension shall be for a period not exceeding one (1) calendar year at a time, but in no case shall the extensions exceed more than five (5) years. The student granted an extension shall take additional units of graduate courses (penalty course) in his/her discipline or area during the extension period at a rate of three (3) units for every two (2) years of extension or a fraction thereof. Penalty courses cannot be taken in advance i.e. before reaching Maximum Residency Any student who fails to complete all requirements of the degree within the regular period and any approved extension thereof shall be disqualified from the master’s program.

Extension of Residence

In meritorious cases, extensions of residence beyond the regular period of completion may be approved by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs upon the recommendation of the appropriate bodies. This extension shall be for a period not exceeding one (1) calendar year at a time. In no case shall the extension exceed more than five (5) years. The student granted extension shall take additional units of graduate courses in his/her discipline or area (i.e., penalty course) at a rate of three (3) units for every two (2) years of extension or a fraction thereof.</div.
Any student who, by the end of a semester, must maintain certain academic standing required under the MS CaRE Program or must meet the MS CaRE retention policy.  Any student who fails to meet the retention policy will be dismissed from the MS CaRE Program.  Such students are given one year to shift to another program in UP Baguio or transfer to another University/State College. However, students can apply for readmission into the MS CaRE Program.
At the end of each semester, every graduate student must maintain the required academic standing. Based on their academic performance, students may be placed under Warning, Probation, Dismissal, or Permanently Dismissed status.  Graduate students placed under Dismissal or Permanently Dismissed status are considered to have severed their ties with the University and consequently, cannot enroll in the semester in which such status takes effect.  However, students may apply for readmission, subject to applicable University rules and requirements.
Applications for readmission in the graduate level, must be filed with the Committee on Admission, Readmission, and Student Progress for proper action and recommendation to the Chancellor. The deadline for such applications is identified in the academic calendar and is usually set one month before the 1st day of every regular registration period. Application for readmission in the MS CaRE Program must be forwarded to the MS CaRe Graduate Committee through the MS CaRE Graduate Program Coordinator. The application deadline follows the deadline for readmission to the University.
A student in good standing who desires to sever connection with the University shall present a written petition to this effect to the University Registrar, signed by his/her parent/guardian if applicable. If the petition is granted, the student shall be given honourable dismissal. Generally, honourable dismissal is voluntary withdrawal from the University with the consent of the University Registrar or his/her representative. All indebtedness to the University must be settled before a statement of honorable dismissal can be issued. The statement indicates that the student withdrew in good standing as far as scholastic performance is concerned. If the student has been dropped from the rolls on accounts of poor scholarship, a statement to that effect may be added to the honourable dismissal. Students who leave the University for reasons of suspension, dropping, or expulsion due to disciplinary action shall not be entitled to honourable dismissal. Should they be permitted to receive their transcript of records or the certification of their academic status in the University, it shall contain a statement of the disciplinary action rendered against them.

Academic and Curriculum Requirements

To qualify for graduation, a student must satisfy the following requirements:
  1. complete a minimum of twenty-seven (27) units of coursework, two (2) units of seminar course, and six (6) units of Master’s thesis; maintain a Cumulative Weighted Average Grade (CWAG) of “2.0” or better in his/her graduate courses at the end of each academic year;
  2. successfully defend a Master’s Thesis; submit at least two (5) bound copies and online copy of the certified and approved Master’s Thesis; and 
  3. submit a publishable form of a research paper based on the MS thesis (student as lead author) to a peer-reviewed or ISI/SCOPUS-listed journal.

Application Process and Requirements

Only students who have completed or are in their final term of completing all academic and curriculum requirements are eligible to apply for graduation. Students who have applied previously are no longer required to apply again. Students must apply for graduation to the University Registrar through the College Secretary by submitting the following forms and attachments:
  1. Application for graduation
  2. Alumni card
  3. Data privacy consent form
  4. Program checklist
  5. Copy of Form 5
  6. Proof of payment of the alumni and graduation fees (to follow if Form 5 is unavailable before the deadline)