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Unit Requirements and Restrictions
Enrollment (Add/Drop)
Letter Grades vs PNP
Incomplete Grade Policy
Unit Requirements and Restrictions
Unit Requirements
Students are required to earn a minimum of120 total semester units. This includes transfer credit admitted to the Berkeley record and advanced high school units admitted to the college record. Of the 120 total, the following is required:
36 upper division units (courses numbered between 100-199). Graduate-level courses numbered between 200-299 may also apply those units to the Upper Division Unit requirement.
6 upper division units outside the Education department. This can be included in the 36 upper division total. Units earned in cross-listed courses (indicated by a “C” prefix) for which a student’s major department is one of the sponsors are not applicable.
1/3 Passed (P) Grade Limit:Passed grades may account for no more than one third of the total units completed at UC Berkeley (including Fall Program for First Semester (FPF), UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), or UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC)) toward the 120 overall minimum unit requirement. Transfer credit is not factored into the limit.
Unit Restrictions
Special Studies Courses:No more than 16 units from courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, or 199 may be applied to the degree.
Enrollment (Add/Drop)
Deadline to Add/Drop Courses
Deadline to add/drop/swap/change units for courses is the Wednesday of the 4th week of a given Fall or Spring semester.
Deadline to drop Early Drop Deadline (EDD) courses is the end of the 2nd week of a given Fall or Spring semester.
Students who have missed the deadline to make changes to their class schedule should consult the Late Change of Class Schedule webpage.
Students may be charged fees for adding or dropping courses after certain dates in the semester. See the Office of the Registrar's Enrollment page to learn about fees for adds and drops.
Letter Grades vs PNP
General Education Requirements
This table represents the general policy for grading options required to satisfy general education requirements.
Course | Grading |
|---|---|
Entry Level Writing | Letter Graded Only |
Reading & Composition | Letter Graded Only |
Quantitative Reasoning | Letter Graded Only |
Foreign Language | Letter Graded Only (P/NP okay for first level prerequisite) |
7 Course Breadth | Letter Graded or Pass/No Pass |
American Cultures | Letter Graded or Pass/No Pass |
American History | Letter Graded or Pass/No Pass |
American Institutions | Letter Graded or Pass/No Pass |
Major Requirements | Letter Graded Only |
Guidelines for pass/no pass grades
Pass (P) grades require a level of performance at least equal to a letter grade of C- and will earn units, but no grade points. No pass (NP) grades represent a level of performance at a D+ or lower. No units or grade points will be earned.
Neither P nor NP grades will affect a student’s GPA.
While on academic probation, students must take all coursework for a letter grade unless enrolled in a course that is only offered P/NP.
Passed (P) grades may account for no more than one third of the total units required to reach the 120 overall unit minimum. This includes units completed at UC Berkeley, Fall Program for Freshmen, UCEAP or UCDC, and UCB Extension XB courses.
Courses previously taken for a letter grade cannot be repeated with the P/NP grading option.
Honors and Distinction at Graduation have letter graded unit minimums that must be met to receive these honors designations.
No requests for retroactive grading option changes (grading option changes requested after the Late Change of Class Schedule deadline) will be considered. There is no process to request a retroactive grading option change.
Taking all courses in a semester P/NP
A Fall or Spring semester that does not yield grade points will lead to probation. For example, if a student takes all courses on a pass/no pass basis, receives all incomplete grades, earns all IPs or NRs, or a combination of the above, they will fail to achieve a GPA and will be placed on probation. This does not apply to Summer Sessions.
Incomplete Grade Policy
A grade of Incomplete (noted "I" on the transcript) may be assigned when a student in good standing in a course has completed and passed a majority of the work required for a course but, for reasons beyond the student's control, cannot complete the entire course.
Incomplete grades can only be granted by instructors; instructors are under no obligation to grant students an incomplete grade.
In cases where an instructor agrees to assign an Incomplete grade, it is important for the student to arrive at an agreement about exactly what is required in order to finish the course with the instructor. Review the Office of the Registrar's procedures for Incomplete grades
Semester Incomplete Grade Received | Course Work Completion Deadline | Deadline for Replacement of Incomplete Grade by Instructor (Lapse Date) |
|---|---|---|
Fall semester | 30 days prior to the first day of instruction of the following Fall semester or the instructor-provided deadline, whichever is earlier. | First day of instruction of the following Fall semester |
Spring semester & Summer Sessions | 30 days prior to the first day of instruction of the following Spring semester, or the instructor-provided deadline, whichever is earlier. | First day of instruction of the following Spring semester |
Note: The Incomplete grade has no effect on the GPA until it is converted into a letter grade.
The student completion deadline is 30 days prior to the lapse date listed in CalCentral. Student completion deadlines and lapse dates only appear for undergraduates. Incomplete deadlines and procedures are different for students who took Fall Program for Freshmen (FPF) courses and those questions should be directed to FPF advisors.
The Incomplete grade will lapse or convert to an F grade (or NP if the course was taken for pass/no pass) if the Incomplete grade is not replaced on or before the lapse date. The F grade will be part of the term and cumulative GPA calculation. Please note, lapse dates will not appear in CalCentral until approximately 6 weeks after the end of the semester for which it is assigned. Incomplete grades will convert to F grades within 4 weeks following the lapse date. Students with questions about the lapse date should open a case via Cal Student Central
Note: Graduating seniors who are on the current degree list and have Incomplete grades in classes required for the degree must complete the coursework by the last day of the term in order to graduate. Students must resolve all incompletes required for graduation by the last day of finals in the term of graduation.If the course is not needed for graduation, the Incomplete will remain on the transcript indefinitely.
Request an Extension for an Incomplete Grade
Requests for an extension of a deadline for completion of an Incomplete grade are subject to instructor approval and require an instructor’s signature. To make a request, students should fill out a Petition to Extend an Incomplete Grade, complete the student portion, and ask the instructor to complete and sign the form. Requests should be made at least 30 days prior to the instructor's deadline to submit this petition. The instructor will then need to submit the signed Incomplete Extension petition to bse-ugrad@berkeley.edu by the deadline. Extensions of Incomplete grades are subject to the approval of the BSE Dean. Requests to extend an Incomplete submitted after the deadline will be automatically denied.
Late Change of Class Schedule Policy & Procedure
The following applies to requests for enrollment changes (add, drop, or grading option change) after the deadline dates for the current semester. See the Office of the Registrar’s Current Student Enrollment Calendar for the relevant dates for the current term.
Policy
Students will be allowed a total of two late changes to their schedule throughout their entire career as a BSE student; this is not two late changes per semester. A late change is one of the following:
A late drop of an Early Drop Deadline (EDD) course after the second week deadline;
A late drop of a course after the fourth week deadline;
A late add of a course after the fourth week deadline;
A late change of grading option after the tenth week deadline.
Students may use both late changes in one semester or use one late change in two different semesters. Additional requests will not be considered.
This policy applies to Fall and Spring semesters only and does not include Summer Session late changes.
Late drops remove courses from your transcript with no notation.
Please consider your request carefully and meet with a BSE Advisor if you have any questions. Research the impact of late action on your financial aid, progress toward degree, or academic standing, understanding that these things will not be checked during petition processing.
Conduct Violations
If you are found responsible for academic misconduct in a course, you are not eligible to make late changes to that course. If late changes are made, they will be reverted (course reinstated to your record or grading option changed back).
Deadline for Submission
Fall/Spring semesters: Last day of classes (Friday before RRR week) at 11:59pm PT
Summer Sessions: Last day of the session at 11:59pm PT
No exceptions to the deadline will be considered, even for technical difficulties.
If your petition requires permission from an instructor or another office, their approval is required before the deadline or your petition will be denied. See more below.
How to Submit Requests
Please read the criteria below and select the appropriate submission method for your situation. Allow three weeks for processing and check your CalCentral for enrollment updates.
Submission Methods for Fall/Spring
CALCENTRAL
Students can submit a late drop, late add, late grading option change, or late variable unit change* by going to the CalCentral "My Dashboard" tab and selecting "Late Schedule Change Petition" in the Student Resources section.
The CalCentral Late Schedule Change “eForm” will be automatically routed to the appropriate offices (Athletics, Berkeley International Office, instructors, etc.) for required signatures.
Special Instructions For The Following Groups:
The following students must submit their Late Change of Class Schedule request through an alternate method:
Simultaneous degree students
Students registered with DSP that have used two late change requests previously
UCEAP Reciprocity students
Please see further instructions listed below. Plan ahead to get necessary approvals and request access to required forms.
Checking On Your Calcentral Submission
If your CalCentral Late Schedule Change Petition “eForm” isn't processed within 24 hours, it has likely been routed for permissions. Learn how to check on your CalCentral eform. While you may request changes to units in variable-unit courses after the deadline on your CalCentral eform (ex: if a course is offered for 1-4 units, changing your units for the course from 2 to 3), these changes do not count toward the late change limit. Requests to change variable units are due by the same deadline as late change requests.
Submission Methods for Summer Sessions
While the session in which you wish to use a late change is active, use the following online form.
Late changes of class schedule during a UC Berkeley Summer Session do not count toward the two late changes limit. Students will still be able to submit two late change requests during Fall or Spring semesters. Similarly, if a student has already submitted two Fall/Spring Late Change of Class Schedule requests, they may still submit a Summer Session Late Change of Class Schedule
Summer Drops Vs. Withdrawals
Withdrawing from a Summer Session
If a student wishes to drop their only course in a UC Berkeley Summer Session (or all of your courses in a single session), they must submit a withdrawal request for that session.
Students can withdraw from one session (ex: Summer Session A) without withdrawing from the entire Summer.
To withdraw from the entire Summer, students need to submit a withdrawal request for each session in which they are enrolled. Submit a withdrawal request by going to CalCentral’s “My Dashboard” tab and selecting “Add a Withdrawal Request” under “Student Resources”.
The deadline for withdrawal is the last day of the Summer Session the student wishes to withdraw from.
Dropping a Course Within a Session
If a student has multiple courses in a single session (ex: Summer Session A) and wishes to drop some, but not all of the classes in that session, check the deadlines for drops on the Summer Sessions website. Students can submit a drop through the CalCentral Enrollment block of the Academics tab before the deadline. After the deadline, students should submit a Summer Late Change of Class Schedule petition (see the “How to Submit” above).
Simultaneous Degree Students
The late change of class schedule policy is for BSE students only. If you are a simultaneous degree student, your other college will also have to agree to late changes to your schedule.
See your other college and if they approve. You may submit your request(s) through the CalCentral Late Schedule Change petition “eForm”. Your late action request(s) will be routed to both colleges for final approval.
DSP Students
Students registered with the Disabled Students’ Program (DSP) might be eligible for a late change of class schedule that is separate from the regular policy if they are requesting a late change related to the impact of their disability. A DSP related late change does not count toward the two late changes granted to all BSE students. DSP late changes of class schedule can only cover:
Late drops and
Late changes of grading options to P/NP
To submit a DSP-related late drop or grading option change, complete the following steps:
Contact the DSP Specialist to determine the options available to address disability-related concerns.
If it is determined that a DSP late change of class schedule is appropriate, the DSP Specialist will write a verification letter that will include the student’s name, SID, action requested, and the course department and number. This letter is required in order for the late change to be considered a DSP late change.
Submit the request through the CalCentral Late Schedule Change eForm. Verification letters must be submitted along with the late drop or late grading option change request. Proper documentation from DSP will ensure that this late change request does not count against the two late changes limit.
Approved late drops of course work will not result in a tuition reduction since that process has a firm deadline of the Wednesday of the fourth week of the semester.
Students Accessing Support through Path to Care
If you are a student who is working with the Path to Care office and their office supports a late change of schedule, the process is similar to the DSP process for requesting a late schedule change:
Contact the Path to Care advocate to determine the options available to address any personal circ*mstances.
If it is determined that a Path to Care late change of class schedule is appropriate, the Path to Care advocate will write a verification letter that will include the student’s name, SID, action requested, and the course department and number. This letter is required in order for your late change to be considered a Path to Care exception and will not include any details of personal circ*mstances beyond the Path to Care recommendation of the late schedule change.
Submit the request through the CalCentral Late Schedule Change eForm. Verification letters must be submitted along with the late drop or late grading option change request. Proper documentation from Path to Care will ensure that this late change request does not count against the two late changes limit.
Requesting a Change Due to Documented Department or Administrative Error
If a student can demonstrate that the request for a late change is the direct result of a documented department or administrative error, including a late start date or late enrollment action from the department, the late change petition may allow an exception outside of the two free late changes. Students will have the opportunity to select this as an option within the form and submit any supporting documentation. If approved as an exception, a departmental or administrative error does not count against the two late changes limit.
Students Who have Already Used Two Late Schedule Changes
DSP students, those students working with the Path to Care office, and students who are requesting petitions due to administrative error who have already used two late schedule changes may not be able to access the CalCentral Late Schedule Change eForm. Please contact bse-ugrad@berkeley.edu to request the drop.
