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CATALOG RIGHTS

A student has catalog rights when meeting requirements for graduation. These requirements include general education/breadth requirements, major or certificate requirements, competency requirements and other requirements within the power of the College, unless superseded by a higher authority such as state code.

Based on the regulations described below, you may elect to meet catalog requirements for an associate degree, certificate program or transfer breadth pattern from any of these three choices:

  1. The Merced College catalog in effect at the time you began continuous enrollment leading to graduation or certificate completion at any California Community College or regionally accredited university, or

  2. The Merced College catalog in effect at the time you began attending Merced College, or

  3. The Merced College catalog in effect at the time of your graduation or certificate completion.

Your catalog rights are protected based on the following regulations:

  1. Catalog rights are preserved by maintaining continuous enrollment. Continuous enrollment is defined as an official transcript entry in one regular semester or two regular quarters of each calendar year at an appropriately accredited college or university. Any lapse in attendance of one calendar year or longer will break a student's continuous enrollment status.

  2. Once catalog rights have been established, absence related to an approved educational leave shall not be considered an interruption, providing the absence does not exceed two years.

  3. Active military duty will maintain your continuous enrollment status provided you enter the military from an accredited college or university campus and return at the first registration for a regular semester or term following your release. The dates of military service must account for all of the time not in attendance.

  4. If your catalog outlines an earlier version of an associate degree or certificate program in which the division has discontinued or modified required courses, the division may authorize appropriate substitutions.

  5. If your catalog outlines an earlier version of a transfer breadth pattern in which course options have been modified, you should expect to be held to the transfer breather pattern requirements (1) in effect at the time the modification was first listed; or (2) in effect at the time of transfer.

  6. If, while enrolled, a new associate degree, certificate program, or transfer breadth pattern is listed in the catalog and you wish to graduate with that associate degree, certificate program or transfer breadth pattern, you should expect to be held to the associate degree, certificate program or transfer breadth pattern requirements (1) in effect at the time the associate degree, certificate program or transfer breadth pattern was first listed; or (2) in effect at the time of graduation or transfer.

Whether you choose option (1) or (2) concerning your associate degree, certificate program or transfer breadth pattern, you will continue to be held to all other requirements listed in the Merced College catalog for which you claim catalog rights as defined above.