Student Information >> Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

CSUN is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). In addition to WASC, many programs at CSUN also carry additional accreditation from national and international associations and organizations for programs in specific fields. CSUN has been awarded 28 special accreditations in specific fields. You can find accreditation about individual programs on the program pages.

Yes, credits can be transferred from one graduate degree program into our graduate degree program, subject to prior approval from by the program management team. No more than nine units can be transferred in as long as coursework was taken within seven years. The student must have earned a “B” or better in the course.

Tseng College students have access to resources in the Career Library, and are also able to attend any events held by the Career Center, including job fairs. Although career counseling, drop-in advisement and on-campus interviews are not available to Tseng College students, there many online resources offered by the Career Center. Handshake is CSUN’s online job board and career services system, through which students can apply for jobs or internships, and sign up for events. CareerLink houses many newly updated/created online resources. Learn more about the Career Center and career placement resources here.

CSUN is committed to being accessible and inclusive to all students, employees, and visitors. Visit our website for more information on available campus resources.

CSUN graduates do not need to request CSUN transcripts, and should submit only documents related to course work completed after leaving CSUN. In rare cases, additional copies of transcripts may be required after applying, so we encourage all applicants to periodically monitor their CSUN email and MyCSUN portal for updates on their application.

Yes, students can apply to a graduate program if they are completing the undergraduate degree in the summer. We will be able to send their application to the academic department for review with their most current transcripts. However, the applicant, if admitted, will have to provide the official transcripts before starting the fall term.

In general, you should have at least two academic references. The remaining recommendation should come from a professional source; i.e. someone who can attest to your work (your employer or a supervisor). Avoid friends, family or clients you have worked with. Please view the guidelines on letters of recommendations specific to the program to which you are applying to ensure you are including the appropriate recommenders.

When you finish the program, you will receive a diploma from California State University, Northridge. It will not indicate on your diploma that your degree was earned online.

A synchronous online class means that the students and professors meet during live sessions at the same time each week for discussion and learning. Most of our online programs include one weekly synchronous session to facilitate interaction and connection. Asynchronous class sessions are activities that can be done on your own time, and may include components such as discussion boards, videos, class lectures, presentations and other on-demand content.

Students will utilize the Canvas LMS to access their class pages. Through Canvas, students will be able to submit class assignments and receive feedback on these assignments. Where applicable, assignments may utilize state-of-the-art plagiarism detection tools. Course instructors will also post the Zoom meeting information and link that will take students to their virtual synchronous class sessions conducted during the assigned times. Additionally, the Tseng College’s Distance Learning technical support team offers technical support Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

There are minimum hardware and software requirements for online programs, and minimum required technology skills. Participants need their own computers (Windows or Mac), meeting the following specific hardware and software requirements; and Internet access on a high-speed connection such as DSL, cable or faster. You can view the complete list of requirements on our Technical Requirements for Online Programs page.

Our credit-bearing programs conform to Carnegie hours. This means that every one course credit equates to one hour of class time and two hours of homework per week. Our programs usually have six to nine credits per term, so that would equate to 18 to 27 hours per week for all courses that term.

Our courses are taught by esteemed CSUN faculty and leading practitioners in their field. Our online courses are taught by the same faculty who teach on campus. You can see the profiles of the faculty teaching in your program of interest by selecting the specific program from the list of all programs.

Many of our students receive some form of financial aid, and we have a team of financial aid advisers ready to help you explore what options may be available to you. Please visit our financial aid website to see the available options.

International students are issued an I-20 when they are admitted to an on-campus Tseng College program. International students who are admitted into an online program will not be issued an I-20.