MHR Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the MHR Department Office?

Building #94, Room 275 is on the 2nd floor inside courtyard, on the South end of the Building, toward Building #6. The phone number is 909-869-2414. Drop by and introduce yourself to our department secretary, Ericka Olguin. Billboards outside the office provide information about faculty office hours, new courses and internship opportunities. Great place to drop by every once in a while. Even numbered offices face outside the building, and odd numbered offices face the inner courtyard.

How many units do I have to have in order to graduate?

In order to graduate with our Bachelor of Science Degree you will need 180 units, and the courses will need to meet requirements in a number of areas. The CBA and department are committed to you having a well rounded education with good background in many areas. Up to 105 units may be transferred to Cal Poly Pomona from a community college. In addition, 36 units from extension programs can also be applied to your degree.

How many classes should I have left before I apply for a grad check?

When you have 10 or fewer courses required to graduate, it's time to apply for a grad check.

How do I apply for my grad check?

The first step is to drop by the MHR office and pick up the 3-part Career Form and visit the department advisor of your choice. Please take your evaluation sheet and a copy of the curriculum sheet for your year to your advisor who will help to allocate your course units in preparation for Evaluations. You will need to have in mind the courses you will need or want to take in order to graduate. The yellow copy of the 3-part form should be dropped off at the MHR office for inclusion to your personal record file. Then take the white copy and go to the Evaluations office to complete their Preliminary Grad Check Petition form.

How long before I receive the grad check back?

The answer depends partly on how busy Evaluators are at the time you leave them your paperwork, but they surely can be busy, especially during Spring quarter as they help us all prepare for graduation. It often takes up to 7 weeks before you will be mailed a copy of their findings, which generally just confirm your own plans.

What if I can't take a course which appears on my grad contract?

Time to see your faculty advisor! They can help you choose a course to substitute for the one you can't take. You and your advisor will record your course substitution on a "Changes in Career Goal" form andvailable in the MHR office or on our website.

How many units do I have to have in order to have senior standing?

Senior standing is achieved once you've successfully completed 135 units of academic credit. Congratulations!

Can I take them at a community college and transfer them back?

The university catalog requires residency for at least three quarters at the university, two of these preceding graduation. But if your situation is unusual, your faculty advisor may allow a curriculum deviation. Toward the end of educational careers, students often need to complete upper division courses -- those numbered over 300. There are cases though where students have moved or needed to be closer to work, and where having met the 3-quarter residency requirements, they have been allowed to graduate with transfer credits from other universities. Please see an advisor in the Student Services Center.

How do I find out which classes I have left?

When you enter the university, or transfer to Cal Poly Pomona, you should have been provided an evaluation sheet noting both courses you have taken and units which you've received which can be allocated to categories of requirements in collaboration with your faculty advisor. Save this evaluation sheet and check off the classes which you have taken. It's sound advice to keep this and other department advisory materials, together with grade reports, in an academic planning folder. If perchance you lose your records, copies are always available for your inspection at the MHR office.

What's the difference between Upper Division and Lower Division?

These terms are often used to describe course levels. Generally the higher the number, the more advanced the course. Lower Division courses number in the range up to 300, and may be substituted by community college work. Upper division courses are numbered 300 and above and are not offered at junior colleges.

In group B are any business courses acceptable or do they all need to be Upper Division?

Group B are "Career Related Electives". These could be upper or lower division courses including computer proficiency units. Work with your faculty advisor in this area, since your "career" may be broader than "business". Students interested in public service, for instance, may want to include courses related to their unique career vision from Political Science, Urban Planning, or Recreation Management.

Do I still need to take classes listed if they are no longer required?

When you enter Cal Poly Pomona your units are allocated to requirements in place at the year of your entry. This is a contract between you and the university. if you opt to graduate based on that curriculum sheet, you would take all courses listed. There is, however, another option. Students may opt to graduate against the curriculum sheet in force at the time of their graduation. One would need to observe all differences in requirements.. courses added, and courses dropped, before making one's decision. It's also true that some courses are dropped from the curriculum, and without being informed, you might be watching for a course which doesn't exist! When courses are dropped, revised versions of the curriculum sheet for each year are updated and available at the MHR office.

Can I participate in graduation ceremonies even if I may not have completed all my courses?

Yes, if you will have only 8 units to go after the Spring Quarter, you are encouraged to "walk" and take credit for all that hard work with all of your friends.

How do I choose which Career Emphasis Program is best for me?

The interests of MHR students and faculty are broad, and fall generally into four areas. Use this Internet site to start learning about the differences between career track programs, or pick up Career Track Guidelines, and advising packet available at the office. Faculty advisors are pleased to explore your thoughts and goals as they relate to careers, and have suggestions for course sequencing which might help you clarify your career goals. There are many ways to explore career interests. Cal Poly Pomona's Career Center provides many useful services for exploring career options. Joining student chapters of national organizations here on campus can be a great way of exploring professional interests. Internship opportunities can also clarify career aspirations. Once you have career goals in mind, you should also be aware that the Career Track elective requirements as they appear on your yellowsheet can often be changed to suit your goals. Courses in one track may be substituted for those in another; unlisted MHR upper-division courses can often be substituted for listed requirements. You will find faculty advisors flexible in tailoring requirements to you unique career goals and aspirations.

Do I have to do an Internship?

Internships are a wonderful way of gaining career experience and evidencing capacity for professional contributions. You are strongly encouraged to seek out internship opportunities though these are not required. Be aware that some careers (e.g. Human Resources) are very difficult to enter upon graduation without practical experience. Students may earn up to 8-units of internship credit. They could satisfy the internship/senior-project requirement and also complete 4 units of upper division Area B work on the back of the yellow sheet.

Do I have to do a Senior Project?

Students are required to complete either a Senior Project or 4 units of Internship. They may opt to do both, carrying 4, or even 8 units of upper division Internship credit to the back of the yellow sheet.

How do I choose an advisor?

In MHR, selection of an advisor is left up to the students. Generally you will want to work with an advisor who can also serve as a mentor in your career area. Advisors, their hours, and their areas of specialty are published on the bulletin boards outside of the department office. At this Internet site, most faculty have homepages which they invite you to visit. You may learn of their professional interests and are encouraged to introduce yourself via e-mail links.

Can I get advice from more than one advisor?

Yes, you certainly may. Chances are the first advisor you meet may be an instructor in a course which you have. Later as your career goals come further into focus you are encouraged to find and advisor with whom you share career interests. MHR faculty do not see advising as a simply matter of rules interpretation; they are interested in providing career mentoring.

Why are some courses only offered once a year?

Many MHR courses are taught to a broad audience of students from the College of Business Administration and from across the university. Higher level courses often have a far lower subscriber base, and finding staff resources to teach highly specialized courses can be difficult. It's important for students moving into their final year to do long range planning of the courses which they will take. Each year the department publishes an advising sheet which projects the number of sections of each course it anticipates teaching, and whether the courses will be offered during days or evenings. Please download a copy of the MHR 3-year course offering sheet as you plan your curriculum.

Do I need to get a C or better for each core class, whether or not it is a prerequisite?

No. The MHR department allows any passing grade for any prerequisite to the courses it offers so long as these courses are taken at Cal Poly Pomona. Students may have problems transferring junior college courses where they received less than a C grade. Students must have a cumulative GPA of "C" in all core courses including Group A and Group B courses. Students whose gpa falls below these standards will be informed that they are on academic probation, which involves an advising contract to meet with an MHR faculty advisor regularly to review progress.

Why can't we get at least one "D" in one of the MHR classes and not have to retake it?

You can, though we don't encourage the practice! Students must have a cumulative GPA of "C" in all core courses including option courses. There may be situations, however, where there are College of Business Administration courses in the core which are taught by other departments where university regulations allow departments to define appropriate passing grades for prerequisites.

How many courses can I retake in order to improve my GPA?

You may retake 4 courses and have the new grades fully substituted on your transcript for the original grades. That is, only the new grades are considered in calculating gpa. Past these 4 courses, new grades on retaken courses are averaged with the original grades in GPA calculations.There are serveral petitions involved here. First you'll need to pick up a petition to apply to retake the course. Once you have retaken the course and are satisfied with your new grade you'll need to fill out a Repeated Course Notification Form to have the GPA calculations drop consideration of the first grade.