District Policy

The requirements for degrees, certificates, and general education may change during the time a student attends MiraCosta College, and these changes are reflected in the catalog.

Catalog rights are established when a student first takes classes at MiraCosta, and they are maintained through continuous enrollment at the college. These rights protect students from being held responsible for changes made to their academic programs in the years that follow their initial enrollment. To be considered continuously enrolled, a student must have received a letter grade (including "W") for each semester. A one-semester leave, however, will not negate a student's continuing status.

The catalog used to determine graduation eligibility is the catalog operating at the time the student began continuous enrollment at MiraCosta unless the student's petition requests a different catalog. Students whose continuous enrollment has lapsed and who need remaining units in order to satisfy all degree requirements may be evaluated under the last semester of attendance or any catalog during the last period of continuous enrollment. 

Students wishing to be awarded a degree, following completion of all degree requirements, may petition for a degree at any time. The degree will be awarded based on the last semester of attendance or any catalog during the last period of continuous enrollment.