Academic Affairs Overview

Owned by Eliese Maxwell
Last updated: Apr 10, 2024 by Kelsey Darvin
3 min read

GEPA is broken up into different units: Academic Affairs, Financial Support, Admissions, Student Affairs, & the Dean’s Office.

  • The Academic Affairs unit assists graduate coordinators/departments/programs with academic and degree-related matters
  • We have separate advisors for the various degree types:
    • Academic master’s (MS/MA/MFA)
    • Professional and joint doctoral degrees (MF, MBA, MEd, MAS, DMA, AuD)
    • PhDs

You will need access to the following systems (in addition to general campus systems):

  • GEPA Student Database (Student DB)
  • uAchieve for academic and professional master’s only (click “Degree Audit” after pulling up the student in TritonLink/Blink – “Find a Student”)

Resource:  Academic Affairs Collab page (See the “Student Database” and “uAchieve” subsections for further instructions)
Resource:  Collab Page: Academic Affairs Listservs (Subscribe to Gradcoords-l for all general information regarding Academic Affairs, Admissions, Financial Support, and Student Affairs)

For assistance with technical issues, please email grad-help@ucsd.edu 

GEPA Advisors are here to help you with:

Degree Completion

  • Applications to Candidacy (for academic master's only, “APPC” – a degree check) | We process APPCs after you submit them to us via DocuSign
  • Preliminary meetings with students completing a thesis or dissertation to check formatting of the thesis/dissertation
  • Final Report Forms (“FRF” – the form needed to award the degree) | We process FRFs after you submit them to us via DocuSign
  • Professional master's degree programs use the uAchieve audit as the final degree form once all grades are posted | We process uAchieve final forms after you submit them to us via DocuSign

Resource:  Preparing to Graduate page
Resource:  Collab page: DocuSign Forms
Resource:  Steps to MA/MS/MFA Degree Completion: APPC & FRF

Assisting students with Thesis/Dissertation Formatting

  • We meet with students between advancement and graduation to review the format of their thesis or dissertation (“Preliminary meetings”)

Resource:  Dissertation/Thesis Formatting Manual (Click the yellow “View Manual” button | Share this link with students so they are always accessing the most up-to-date manual)

Master’s Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Defense Committees

  • Answering committee questions/assisting with exceptions
  • We are the final approver of committees after you submit them in the online tool in the Student Database

Resource:  Committee Information
Resource:  Collab page: Doctoral and Master's Committees

Assisting departments with uAchieve degree audit questions/issues

  • Answering basic uAchieve questions*
  • Updating existing/creating new uAchieve degree audits

*NOTE: For advanced training, such as processing exceptions, please contact Ken Keziah in the Registrar’s Office. To report an issue, contact the uAchieve team at uAchieve@ucsd.edu.

Resource:  uAchieve Instructions
Resource:  How to Process uAchieve Exceptions
Resource:  Collab Page: uAchieve

Processing various student / department requests and forms

  • Academic Master’s only: Email requests for late/retroactive advancement (APPC) to appropriate GEPA advisor
  • Doctoral Advancement to Candidacy (for PhD/DMA students, including joint doctoral programs) | We process advancements after you submit them to us via DocuSign (or Adobe Sign for SDSU JDPs)
  • General Petitions (via DocuSign) for: readmission, transfer credit, undergrad credit waivers, exceptions to policy (see below)
  • Intercampus Exchange to enroll in classes at other UC campuses and San Diego State
  • Online forms (“Apps”) in the Student Database for: change major/degree aim, half-time study, in absentia, leave of absence/withdrawal, repeat course
  • Spring Evaluations for doctoral and MFA students

Resource:  Student Database - “Apps” list on the right side of the page
Resource:  Policies and Procedures (information is also found in the General Catalog)
Resource:  Collab page: DocuSign Forms
Resource:  Visiting & Exchange Students
Resource:  Steps to MA/MS/MFA Degree Completion: APPC & FRF

Assisting departments with requests for exception to policy, such as:

  • Retroactive Degrees (late FRF)
  • Retroactive Withdrawal
  • Retroactive Course Add or Drop
  • Late or Retroactive Grade Changes/Grade Option Changes
  • Retroactive LOA/WD/Half-time request
  • Extension of Incomplete Grades
  • Extension or Recalculation of Time Limits (doctoral students only)
  • LOA/Readmission/Graduation with GPA below 3.0
  • Academic Senate Policy Information/Interpretation
  • Guidance surrounding Letters of Exception
  • Presentation of requests to the Senior Associate Dean/EPC for review

Resource:  Senate Regulations
Resource:  Petitions/Letter of Exception Requirements (from Academic Senate website)
Resource:  EPC Petition Deadlines and Meeting Schedule
Resource:  Collab Page: Exception Letters and Petitions (How to submit an exception to policy request)
Resource:  UCSD Registrar: Schedule of Refunds
Resource:  UCSD Registrar: Academic Calendar (with deadlines) 

*NOTE: For assistance with course registration/the EASy system, please contact the Registrar’s Office

For assistance with technical issues, please email grad-help@ucsd.edu 

Past Campus Partner Meetings

Fall 2022 New Graduate Coordinators Orientation Slides

Fall 2022 New Graduate Coordinators Orientation Recording

Fall 2021 Annual Graduate Coordinators Meeting Slides

Fall 2021 Annual Graduate Coordinators Meeting Recording

Fall 2020 New Graduate Coordinators Orientation Slides

Fall 2020 Annual Graduate Coordinators Meeting Recording

Fall 2020 Annual Graduate Coordinators Meeting Agenda

Fall 2020 Annual Graduate Coordinators Meeting Recording

Fall 2020 International Students & Programs Office (ISPO) Slides