Subject to Disqualification

To Business Aggies, 

If you’re viewing this page, you may be going through the subject-to-disqualification process. This can be a stressful and uncertain time, and it’s natural to feel concerned about what comes next. Many UC Davis students face academic challenges and experience this process. Please know that its purpose is to help you return to good academic standing and identify a path forward. Your advisor is here to support you, address your concerns, and work with you to create a plan for future success.

Overview

Students can be Subject to Disqualification due to Grade Point Average (GPA), Minimum Progress (MP), or both. The following situations will result in each academic status:

• Subject to Disqualification (SD) for GPA: This can result from one or more of the following:
  • An overall or term GPA below 1.500 (i.e. 1.499 or lower)
  • Accumulating over 16 units of Incomplete "I" grades
  • An overall or term GPA between 1.500 to 1.999 for three consecutive terms
• Subject to Disqualification (DQ) for Minimum Progress: This is a result of a student's Degree Progress Average (DPA) falling below 12 for four consecutive full-time quarters.

Academic status is determined at the end of each regular term (Fall, Winter, Spring) upon submission of final course grades to the Registrar’s Office. Once instructors have submitted grades, the Registrar will begin "end-of-term" processing and academic status for the term will be updated.

Navigating the Subject to Disqualification Process

The following information will cover each of the steps of the subject-to-disqualification process in the Graduate School of Management:

Notifications

You will receive a message via the UC Davis message center notifying you of your status. Included in this message are specific instructions on how to schedule and prepare for your required appointment. It is very important that you read the message carefully as soon as you receive it and take action immediately. Failing to take action may result in being dropped from your courses.

In general, notifications will be sent on the following timeline:

• Fall quarter — First week of Winter quarter (early January)
• Winter quarter — First week of Spring quarter (late March/early April)
• Spring quarter — About 1–2 weeks after Spring quarter ends (mid-June)

Scheduling an Appointment

You will be required to meet with an academic advisor in the Business Advising Office (BAO) of the Graduate School of Management to discuss your status and potential continuation at UC Davis. Your notification will include a specific link to schedule your appointment with an advisor in our office. 

It is critical that you book the first available appointment. Failure to schedule your required appointment or respond to subsequent notifications will result in disqualification.

Preparing for an Appointment

Once you have scheduled your appointment, you should take the following steps in preparation for meeting with an advisor.

Complete the Subject to Disqualification Questionnaire

This is your opportunity to describe your experience in your own words, including any extenuating circumstances you may have faced. As you prepare for your appointment, please take time to reflect thoughtfully on the challenges you encountered and provide your advisor with context about your situation. Offering detailed and thoughtful responses in the questionnaire helps us better support you and partner with you on your path to academic success at UC Davis. We also understand that there may be sensitive topics you are hesitant to include in writing; please know that you will have the opportunity to discuss any additional circumstances with your advisor during your appointment.

Continue to attend and study for your classes

Make sure you are taking a reasonable and appropriate course load. If you received a D or F in a series course, you should not enroll in the next course in the sequence (for example, do not register for MAT 19B if you earned a D in MAT 19A). Instead, plan to repeat the necessary courses to improve your GPA.

If you have been pursuing the business major without success, adjust your schedule to reflect a viable alternative major. 

Please note that students who are not in good academic standing may not elect Optional P/NP grading.

Engage in thoughtful reflection

Before meeting with an advisor, we encourage students to reflect on the following questions:

• What are your academic goals and do you feel they are realistic? Are they truly your goals?
• Is UC Davis meeting your academic and personal needs?
• Are you ready to continue your studies at UC Davis or do you feel a break from school could be beneficial? Would time off allow you to address specific issues (ie: health, financial, personal, or family)?
• What specific actions can you take to improve your academic situation? Examples include:
  • Reducing unit load
  • Working fewer hours at your job
  • Changing your living environment
  • Committing to utilizing campus resources on a regular basis

What to Expect During Your Appointment

During the appointment, your advisor will:

• Explain your current academic status and review your academic progress
• Discuss circumstances that may have impacted your academic performance
• Identify resources and services to support your academic success
• Help you create a realistic plan toward your academic goals
• Determine whether you will be permitted to continue or be disqualified from UC Davis

If permitted to continue

Your advisor will review specific expectations for the upcoming quarter and establish a personalized agreement for continuation outlining your responsibilities. If you do not meet the established agreement by the end of the quarter, you will be disqualified from the University. 

Note: you will be expected to contact your advisor if circumstances arise that may impact your ability to meet your agreement.

If disqualified

Your advisor will review important information regarding your disqualification. Your name will be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar and you will be dropped from your current courses. Your advisor will establish an agreement for readmission with clear instructions for returning to UC Davis. If applicable, your advisor will discuss ways to address specific academic deficiencies such as GPA or Minimum Progress. This may include attending UC Davis summer sessions or community college.

Steps to take if you are disqualified

• Review the Exit Resource form provided by your advisor and contact other campus units as needed (i.e. Financial Aid, Student Housing, Services for International Students and Scholars etc.).
• Review your agreement for readmission for detailed instructions for returning to UC Davis, including readmission application deadlines.
• If required, explore options for enrolling at UC Davis Summer Sessions. If you wish to attend Summer Session at another UC or through UC Online, you must contact your advisor before enrolling.
• If required, contact a local community college to begin the enrollment process. Note: most community colleges are on semesters which do not correspond to UC Davis quarter, so contacting them in a timely manner may be critical.
• Stay in contact with your advisor and contact them if you have questions.