Academic Probation

Probation and Disqualification Policy

Core Values/Guiding Principles

Every student admitted to Cal Poly should have the maximum opportunity to earn a Cal Poly degree. As a university, we provide layers of guidance to achieve this goal. When students find themselves in academic difficulty, we look to create pathways for success, preferably at Cal Poly. Our policies reflect this premise as much as possible. Many students face academic challenges at some point in their career. You are not alone!

Academic Probation

An undergraduate student is automatically placed on academic probation when the grade point average drops below 2.0. This grade point average applies to the current term, the Cal Poly cumulative, or the higher education cumulative. All of these GPAs are available for viewing at https://my.calpoly.edu/

Please read the University Advising information on Academic Probation and Disqualification Policies before applying the instructions below.

CAED Academic Probation Procedures

Students earning a 2.0 term GPA or less will be placed on academic probation automatically. Every student on academic probation in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design is required to participate in a structured intervention as a means of providing support to help ensure student success. Required interventions are listed below.

First-Year Students

New first year students on academic probation for the first time after fall or winter quarter: Must participate in the “First Year Success” program coordinated through the Mustang Success Center.

All Other Students

Meet Faculty Advisor or Department Head:

All students on academic probation will meet one-on-one with their departmental faculty advisor in order to develop an academic success contract that is specific to their individual situation.

Initiate the three quarter Academic Success Contract. This Success Contract should identify what courses students are taking for the current quarter, and the next two quarters and the anticipated grades students will earn in each of these courses. In addition to computing each quarter’s and Cal Poly Cum GPAs, students will need to identify strategies on how they plan to raise their GPA. Students will receive advising from faculty for major and the importance of support course grades which have placed them on academic probation. Please click here for a copy of the Academic Success Contract.

CAED Department Advising:

Meet with an Academic Advisor in CAED Advising Center

Students are required to make an appointment to meet with a CAED Academic Advisor.

To review and receive approval of their Academic Success Contract.
To review the larger path to degree and make students aware of alternative paths.

Please email caedadvising@calpoly.edu to make an appointment or call 805-756-1325

Failure to meet with both a Faculty/Departmental Advisor to complete the Student Success Contract and the CAED Advisor will result in a registration hold on the student’s record.

Campus Support For Students on AP

Retroactive Withdrawal

If poor grades from a previous quarter were a reflection of extenuating circumstances beyond your control, you may want to talk with an Academic Advisor to evaluate if retroactive withdrawal is right for you. Read about retroactive withdrawal on the Office of the Registrar's website.

Disqualification and Dismissal

Students whose GPA has placed them in the academic disqualification status are notified before the beginning of the next consecutive regular quarter. Disqualification is able to be appealed by the student. Disqualified students who do not appeal or whose appeals are rejected are dismissed and removed from all enrolled classes.

Dismissed students may request to establish a path to return to Cal Poly via an academic plan negotiated with their Department Head and Associate Dean, involving coursework and grade expectations at another institution. Click here to print the CAED Re-Admission Consideration Agreement.

All official notifications regarding disqualification will be sent to the Cal Poly email address of the student. It is the student’s responsibility to check their campus email account regularly.

Readmission Process

Former returning students are students who are no longer matriculated at Cal Poly (did not attend for three consecutive quarters and did not submit a request for official leave). Students can break their enrollment by choice in which case their status is indicates as ‘discontinued’, for disciplinary reasons, or by being formally dismissed through disqualification process.

Any former student interested in returning should contact the CAED Advising Center and discuss their return with a CAED Academic Advisor.

For more information visit our Former Returning Students page.

College of Architecture & Environmental Design

Academic Probation

Probation and Disqualification Policy

Core Values/Guiding Principles