Undergraduate Academic Programs

At UC Santa Cruz, the academic year is organized on the quarter system. Three quarters—fall, winter, and spring—constitute the regular academic year. Most UCSC courses are equivalent to 5 quarter credits and require approximately equal amounts of work: about 15 hours per week per course. You are normally expected to enroll in 15 credits each quarter; enrolling in a reduced or expanded course load requires special approval. If you maintain a B average at UCSC, you may enroll in more courses without special approval. For specific information on how courses are organized, see the Programs and Courses section.

You are normally expected to graduate in four years. To do so, you must pass an average of 45 credits per year, for a total of 180 credits. In order to complete certain majors with extensive course requirements, junior transfer students may need to spend more than two years at UC Santa Cruz.

The requirements for a bachelor’s degree are explained in the following section. Your adviser can help you plan a program that ­fulfills these requirements efficiently while meeting your own educational goals (see Advising: From Course Selection to Careers for more information).

Here is what you can expect during four years at Santa Cruz:

During your freshman year, you complete your college core course and satisfy the Entry Level Writing Requirement. You also begin to fulfill the general education requirements, which expose you to a range of disciplines, and you may begin courses in your field.

If you are uncertain about your choice of major, you may explore several fields of study during your first two years at Santa Cruz. You are expected to declare your major by the end of your sophomore year. Students interested in majors requiring heavy course prerequisites, such as music and most majors in the physical and biological sciences and engineering, should be certain they start the appropriate sequences in the first year; contact the department for advising.

During your junior and senior years at Santa Cruz, you concentrate on the upper-division requirements for your major and complete your comprehensive requirement, as well as complete your general education requirements. If you entered UCSC without having fulfilled the requirement in American History and Institutions, you will need to do so before you graduate.

Transfer students should complete any lower-division requirements for their intended major that are offered at their current campus and may also find it helpful to complete courses that fulfill campus general education requirements. The Office of Admis­sions can help you select appropriate courses, and you should also consult with your ­community college adviser.

Graduation Requirements

To qualify for a bachelor’s degree, you must meet the following conditions, which are ex-plained in more detail in the following sections:

• Earn a minimum of 180 credits, each with a grade of D or better (or Pass)
• Satisfy the university requirements in American History and Institutions and in Entry Level Writing (English composition)
• Meet the UCSC residence requirement
• atisfy each of the campus general education requirements with a course graded C or better (or Pass)
• Satisfy requirements of your UCSC college
• Complete an approved major program, including its comprehensive requirement, with grades of Pass, C, or better in all courses satisfying major requirements. In some majors, courses graded Pass may not be used to satisfy major requirements.
• Have a grade-point average of at least 2.0 in all letter-graded courses taken at UCSC and other University of California campuses
• Have no more than 25 percent of your UCSC credits graded on a Pass/No Pass basis. This includes any credits completed in the Education Abroad Program or on another UC campus in an intercampus exchange program. Departments may require that some or all courses used to satisfy the major must be taken for a letter grade.

As a Santa Cruz student, you are responsible for selecting the courses necessary to fulfill graduation requirements and prepare for advanced study or a career. It is essential that you consult regularly with academic advisers about course selection.

Keep copies of your own records, including your transcripts from other institutions, admission test scores, Transfer Credit Summary, UCSC quarterly academic record reports, and performance evaluations.

Transfer students may be able to use some of the courses they completed at other schools to help meet the 180-credit requirement. (Semester-system credits can be multiplied by 1.5 to derive equivalent quarter-system credits.) The UCSC Office of Admissions determines which courses are transferable.

University Requirements

The Santa Cruz campus administers three requirements for graduation from the University of California: (1) American History and Institutions, (2) Entry Level Writing Requirement, and (3) UCSC residence. These requirements are described in detail below.

American History and Institutions
Every candidate for a bachelor’s degree must demonstrate a knowledge of American history and institutions.* You may fulfill this requirement in one of the following ways:†

• By achieving a score of 550 or higher on the College Board SAT II: Subject Test in American History
• By achieving a score of 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in American History, or by achieving a score of 5, 6, or 7 on the IBH History of Americas Examination
• By satisfactorily completing a college-level course in American history and institutions
• By certification of completion of the requirement on a transcript from an accredited California institution of higher education
• By completing an acceptable history or government course in high school that satisfies the subject requirement for admission to the university, described in the Subject requirement a-g section.

Entry Level Writing Requirement (Formerly Subject A)
Every candidate for a bachelor’s degree must demonstrate an acceptable level of ability in English composition. Before your fourth quarter of enrollment, you must fulfill this requirement in one of the following ways:

• By achieving a score of 680 or higher on the College Board SAT II: Subject Test in Writing
• By achieving a score of 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in English, or by achieving a score of 5, 6, or 7 on the IBH English Language A1 Examination
• By achieving a score of 8 or higher on the systemwide UC Analytical Writing Placement Examination
• By demonstrating an acceptable level of proficiency on UCSC’s Writing Placement Examination, given several times each year
• Prior to first enrollment at UC, by completing at another institution an acceptable college-level course of at least 4 quarter credits, or the equivalent, in English composition with a grade of C or better.

Residence
Every candidate for a bachelor’s degree must be registered at UCSC for a minimum of three terms. (A term is a fall, winter, or spring quarter in which a student completes 6 or more credits. Each UCSC Summer Session in which you complete at least 2 credits is the equivalent of half a term’s residence.) In addition, of the final 45 quarter credits, 35 must be in regular courses of instruction that you have taken as a registered student at UCSC. No more than 18 of the 35 credits may be completed in Summer Session. Courses taken through University Extension or the Intercampus Visitor Program do not constitute regular courses and therefore do not satisfy residence requirements.

The credit requirement for residence is applied differently to students participating in the Educa- tion Abroad Program (EAP) and the University of California in Washington, D.C. (UCDC), program. Students may satisfy the requirement in either of two ways. The first way is for students to complete 35 of their final 45 credits before leaving the Santa Cruz campus to participate in EAP or UCDC. In this scenario, students do not have to return to Santa Cruz for any additional course work after they have finished EAP or UCDC. The second way to fulfill the residence requirement is for students to complete 35 of their last 90 credits at the Santa Cruz campus, with a minimum of 12 credits completed at UCSC after their return from EAP or UCDC.

General Education Requirements

The general education requirements are designed to introduce you to various kinds of information, reasons for learning, and approaches to acquiring knowledge, as well as to promote responsible use of what is learned. Obviously, general education requirements alone cannot achieve these ends. You are urged to look for as many opportunities as possible to gain a richer understanding of your own cultural heritage and social situation; insight into countries, societies, and eras besides your own; proficiency in another language; under-standing of the nature of ethical and moral choice; and expanded knowledge of science and technology. The formal requirements described here should be considered foundations for exploration.

There are nine categories of general education requirements (see table below, Types of General Education Requirements). Each category has a general education code associated with it, and only those courses carrying that code satisfy the requirement. The codes appear in the course descriptions in this catalog and in the Schedule of Classes. A list of Courses That Fulfill General Education Requirements appears in the Courses That Fulfill General Education Requirements section. The list is subject to change. You should check the Schedule of Classeseach quarter for the most up-to-date information.

Some courses satisfy more than one general education requirement, so the total number of required courses may be 10 to 15.

Introductions to disciplines (IH, IN, and IS codes). These courses introduce a discipline’s content, scope, and methodology. Introductory courses from two different departments are required in each of three academic areas: humanities and arts (IH code), natural sciences and engineering (IN code), and social sciences (IS code). Only one language course may be used to satisfy an IH requirement, as all languages are considered to be part of the same discipline. Similarly, only one literature course may be used, and English (transfer) courses are considered to be literature. Only one of the two IH courses may be from the arts (art, film and digital media, history of art and visual culture, music, and theater arts). Transfer courses designated IN from Anatomy, Botany, Physiology, and Zoology Departments are considered to be “biology” courses for general education purposes.

Topical courses (T code).These courses expose students to introductory-level themes of broad social or intellectual relevance. Three courses are required, no more than one from each academic area. For information on which disciplines are
in each area, see Arts; Engineering; Humanities; Physical and Biological Sciences; and Social Sciences; see also the list of Courses That Fulfill General Education Requirements. College core courses are labeled topical and carry the designation of the appropriate academic area.

Quantitative course (Q code). These courses provide methods for acquiring quantitative reasoning that involve use of advanced algebra, statistics, or calculus. One course is required.

Writing courses (C, C1, C2, and W codes). These courses stress explicit attention to the craft of writing. Having satisfied the Entry Level Writing Requirement by the end of your first year of enrollment at UCSC (see description of the Entry Level Writing Requirement), you must complete two–three courses in writing. One of these must be a writing-intensive course (W code) that provides instruction and extensive practice in writing applied to a particular subject. For some courses, only certain sections are writing intensive (look for the “W” in the Schedule of Classes when enrolling). You must take this course at UCSC.

Students satisfy the other part of the writing requirement through a placement exam, by passing a composition course (C code), or by passing two composition courses (C1 and C2 codes). You must fulfill the composition requirement before you can enroll in a writing-intensive course.

Arts course (A code). These courses provide the exposure to creative or artistic expression necessary for a liberal arts education. One designated arts course is required; most are offered through art, film and digital media, history of art and visual culture, music, and theater arts.

Ethnic minorities/non-Western society course (E code). These courses are intended to increase knowledge of ethnic minorities in the United States and non-Western cultures, improve cross-cultural awareness, and explore relationships between ethnicity and other aspects of a liberal arts curriculum. One course is required. For additional ways to pursue ethnic studies, see the Ethnic Studies department section.

Courses of fewer than 5 credits. Students usually meet the general education requirements with 5-credit courses. Several related arts courses of fewer than 5 credits with the same code may be used to satisfy the arts (A) general education requirement if they total at least 5 credits.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examinations

The university grants credit for College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations on which a student scores 3, 4, or 5 and for International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IBH) Examinations on which a student scores 5, 6, or 7. The university does not grant credit for IB standard or subsidiary level exams. Students completing the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a score of 30 or higher receive 30 quarter credits. The credit is applied toward the total credits required for graduation and toward the UCSC campuswide general education requirements, as indicated in the table below, Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IBH) Examinations. Students should be aware that AP, IB, and college-level courses will not be granted duplicate credit. In these cases, the university will award credit for only one.

AP and IBH Examination Credit toward Degree Requirements

Certain departments also allow prospective majors to obtain waivers for prerequisite courses. (Please see table below.) In all cases, a student should contact the particular department to discuss his or her plans with an adviser. Please note that approval is not automatic; a petition must be filed with most departments.

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Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IBH) Examinations: Prerequisite Course Waivers, 2006–07

Certain departments allow prospective majors to obtain waivers or substitutions for prerequisite courses. Please note that approval is not automatic; petition must be filed with most departments. In all cases, students should contact the department adviser as early as possible to discuss their academic plans. The following departments and programs will not waive courses: History, Language Program, Legal Studies Program, Literature, Music, Physics, and Politics. The following departments offer placement tests to determine appropriate course level and enrollment: Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Language Program, Mathematics, and Music.

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General Education Requirements
Transfer students may apply courses taken at other institutions toward the general education requirements with two exceptions: The writing-intensive course (W code) must be taken at
UCSC. Also, transfer courses are not applied to the topical requirement (T code), but topical courses are waived at entrance according to the following formula: 45–83.9 transferable quarter credits, one course waived; 84–104.9 transferable quarter credits, two courses waived; 105 or more transferable quarter credits, all three courses waived. If one topical course is required in residence at UCSC, it may be chosen from any of the three academic areas (humanities and arts, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences). If two are required, they must be from two different areas.

If you are currently attending one of the California community colleges, consult with the UCSC Office of Admissions or your current counselor to determine which college courses satisfy UCSC general education requirements.

Transfer students who have satisfied the general education or breadth requirements of another UC campus prior to transfer will be considered to have completed the UCSC general education requirements. Completion of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) prior to enrollment at UCSC will also be accepted in lieu of the campus general education requirements.

Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) is a series of courses prospective California community college transfer students may complete to satisfy the lower-division breadth/general education requirements at any University of California or California State University (CSU) campus (see table, this page). This curriculum is the result of an agreement, by the University of California, the California State University, and the California community colleges, aimed at simplifying the transfer process for community college students. The IGETC is intended exclusively for California community college transfers and is not an option for continuing UCSC students or for students transferring from four-year colleges or universities.

Students must complete the IGETC prior to transfer or they will be required to satisfy the UCSC general education requirements. All courses must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better. A grade of Credit or Pass may be used if the community college’s policy states that it is equivalent to a grade of C (2.0) or better.

IGETC is not recommended for majors that require extensive course preparation, such as any major in the Jack Baskin School of Engineering or the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences.

IGETC Subject and Unit Requirements

Subject Area	Courses Required	Units/Credits Required
1. English Communication One course in English composition and one course in critical thinking/English composition. (Students transferring to CSU must take an additional course in oral communication.)	2 courses	6 semester units or 8-10 quarter units
2. Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning	1 course	3 semester units or 4-5 quarter units
3. Arts and Humanities Three courses with at least one from the arts and one from the humanities.	3 courses	9 semester units or 12-15 quarter units
4. Social and Behavioral Sciences Three courses from at least two disciplines or an interdisciplinary sequence.	3 courses	9 semester units or 12-15 quarter units
5. Physical and Biological Sciences One physical science course and one biological science course, at least one of which includes a laboratory.	2 courses	7-9 semester units or 9-12 quarter units
6. Language Other Than English Proficiency equivalent to two years of high school in the same language. (Not required of students transferring to CSU.)	Proficiency	Proficiency
Total	11 courses	34 semester units

Source: Student Academic Services, Office of the President, University of California, 1991.

Major Requirements and Course Prerequisites
Students who believe they have taken courses at other institutions that satisfy major requirements or UCSC course prerequisites should contact the sponsoring department for review.

College Requirements

You must fulfill the requirements of your college in addition to those of your major and of the university. Each college has established a core course, which all first-year students and some incoming transfer students are required to complete. Students admitted as lower-division transfer students who prior to enrolling have completed at least one UC-transferable college English composition course with a minimum grade of C (2.0) or better are exempt from the core course requirement. College requirements are outlined below. The core courses are described more fully in the individual college descriptions, see college descriptions.

College Eight

• College Eight 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: Environment and Society, fall quarter or College Eight 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Environment and Society, fall quarter

College Nine

• College Nine 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: International and Global Issues, fall quarter, or College Nine 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: International and Global Issues, fall quarter
  

College Ten

• College Ten 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: Social Justice and Community, fall quarter, or College Ten 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Social Justice and Community, fall quarter

Cowell

• Cowell 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: Imagining Justice Past and Present, fall quarter, or Cowell 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Imagining Justice Past and Present, fall quarter

Crown

• Crown 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: Ethical Issues in Emerging Technologies: Transgenics, Clones, Cyborgs, and AI, fall quarter, or Crown 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Ethical Issues in Emerging Technologies: Transgenics, Clones, Cyborgs, and AI, fall quarter

Kresge

• Kresge 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: Power and Representation, fall quarter, or Kresge 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Power and Representation, fall quarter

Merrill

• Merrill 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: Cultural Identities and Global Consciousness, fall quarter, Merrill 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Cultural Identities and Global Consciousness, fall quarter

Oakes

• Oakes 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: Values and Change in a Diverse Society, fall quarter, or Oakes 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Values and Change in a Diverse Society, fall quarter

Porter

• Porter 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: Writing Across the Arts, fall quarter, or Porter 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Writing Across the Arts, fall quarter.

Stevenson

• Stevenson 80A, Introduction to University Discourse: Self and Society, fall quarter, or Stevenson 80B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Self and Society, fall quarter
• Stevenson 81A, Self and Society 2, winter quarter, or Stevenson 81B, Rhetoric and Inquiry: Self and Society 2, winter quarter

Major and Minor Requirements

To qualify for a bachelor’s degree at UCSC, you must complete the minimum requirements for a major program, as well as satisfy university, campus, and college requirements.

At UCSC, you have the option of pursuing a single major, a double major, or a combined major. The minimum requirements for an established major program are set by the sponsoring department. (If you are a transfer student, the department will determine which of your transferable courses may be used to satisfy major requirements.) Only courses in which you earn a grade of Pass, C, or better satisfy major or minor requirements.

Declaring a Major
The field of interest you indicate on your application to UCSC does not automatically place you in a major. You are advised to declare your major as soon as possible, at least by the end of your sophomore year. You are required to file a study plan and declare a major no later than the beginning of your junior year, in consultation with the appropriate academic advisers. Certain majors have a limit on the number of students they can serve. Be sure you are aware of all necessary criteria. It is wise to apply for major status as soon as you feel sure of the field you wish to enter. You will not be allowed to enroll in classes for the second quarter of your junior year until you have de­clared a major. Junior transfer students must file a study plan and declare a major during their second quarter at UCSC by the deadline printed in the Academic and Admin­istrative Calendar in the Schedule of Classes.

You should determine the requirements for possible major choices as soon as possible because certain majors require substantial preparation, with many interlocking course sequences. If you intend to pursue such a major, you should start work toward it early in your undergraduate career. (Review majors that interest you in the Programs and Courses section) Academic advisers can offer assistance in selecting courses appropriate to your individual needs (see section on Advising: From Course Selection to Careers).

Comprehensive Requirement
Every major at UCSC includes a senior exit requirement designed to integrate the knowledge and skills learned throughout the curriculum. This capstone requirement may be a senior thesis, senior seminar, comprehensive examination, or some other integrative experience designed for the major. Choices for satisfying this requirement are specified with the requirements for each major.

Double Major
To complete a double major, you must fulfill all of the requirements for both majors declared, including the comprehensive requirement for each major. In general, a single thesis may not be used for more than one major. In meeting the minimum number of upper-division courses required for each major, you may count any course for one major only unless otherwise approved by the sponsoring program. A double major may include an individual major or consist entirely of established majors.

The diploma of a student who has completed a double major in history and music, for example, would read “Bachelor of Arts with Majors in History and Music.”

Combined Major
A combined major allows you to complete a course of study involving two disciplines offered as regular programs at UC Santa Cruz.

Examples of combined majors include environmental studies/economics and Latin American and Latino studies/politics. A combined major is designed by faculty representatives from both disciplines. In general, fewer courses are required than for a double major, and ­students complete the comprehensive requirements as specified for each combined major. Combined majors currently available are listed in the Fields of Study section.

The diploma of a student who has completed a combined major in environmental studies and economics, for example, would read “Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Environmental Studies/Economics.”

Individual Major
Students may also work with three faculty members to define an individual major specific to his or her academic goals. Proposals for individual majors require considerable effort to develop, and students are advised to consider double major, combined major, and major/minor alternatives. College advising offices can provide information on the individual major proposal and approval process.

Minor Programs
See Fields of Study for undergraduate minors currently offered at UC Santa Cruz. Completion of a minor is optional. If you wish, you may complete more than one minor.
The sponsoring department establishes the course requirements for a minor. The minor involves substantial work in the discipline and normally requires no fewer than 25 upper-division or graduate credits. You may not design your own minor program. The minor appears on your official transcript but not on your diploma.

Catalog Rights
Effective for all undergraduates who entered in fall quarter 1993 or after, students may follow the degree requirements from either the UCSC General Catalog published at the time of entering UCSC or subsequent catalog(s). Students need not follow a catalog in its entirety but may elect to follow different catalog years for their college requirements, university and general education requirements, requirements of their major(s), and requirements of any minor(s).

Catalog year will initially be set for the first year of enrollment at UCSC. Students may elect to follow requirements from other catalog year(s) when filing the Proposed Study Plan/Declaration of Major/Minor. All requirements for graduation outlined in the catalog(s) selected must be met before graduation. Changing catalog year(s) is done by submitting a new Proposed Study Plan/Declaration of Major/Minor.

Students transferring from other collegiate institutions may elect to meet as graduation requirements one of the following:

• those in effect at the time of transfer to UCSC;
• those subsequently established; or
• those in effect when the student entered a previous collegiate institution, provided that entry was not more than three years prior to the time of transfer to UCSC.

Students who seek readmission to UCSC after a break in attendance greater than two years (six regular quarters) must adhere to the graduation requirements in effect at the time of readmission or those subsequently established.

Students who entered prior to 1993 should see an adviser. Their catalog year(s) for graduation, whether the year they entered UCSC or subsequent year(s), will be decided at the discretion of their major department and/or their college.

Institutional Responsibility

Undergraduate students who have made significant progress toward a degree in a specific major can assume that a degree will be granted if they meet all catalog degree requirements and maintain continuous enrollment and progress.

Should UCSC find it necessary to discontinue a specific major, every effort will be made to allow currently enrolled majors to complete their degrees within a reasonable period of time. This may include (1) movement to a similar or related degree track; (2) substitution of requirements; (3) development of an individual major proposal; or (4) completion of courses at another University of California campus through the Intercampus Visitor Program. Students with questions concerning this policy should contact their major and college advising offices.

In all cases, any financial obligations are the responsibility of the individual student involved.

Evaluating Academic Performance

UC Santa Cruz has one of the more comprehensive systems for evaluating students’ academic performance of any research university in the United States. The evaluation system consists of two major components: the assignment of a final grade in the course and an accompanying evaluation of your performance.

Evaluations

In each course for which you receive a grade of D or better (or P), you should receive an evaluation of your academic performance. An evaluation may

• describe the strengths and weaknesses of your performance in the various areas of class activity (discussion, laboratory work, term papers, examinations)
• assess your general understanding of the course content
• recognize additional or particularly outstanding work
  

Evaluations are used at UCSC in academic advising, reviewing scholarship applications, and awarding College Honors and Honors in the major. Evaluations are a permanent part of your academic record. All students may request transcripts either with or without evaluations.

Grades

At the end of each course, you will receive one of the following grade notations:

The grades of A and B may be modified by a plus (+) or a minus (-). The grade of C may be modified by a plus only. You will not receive credit for graduation in any course in which you receive a final grade of F or NP. The grades I and IP are temporary grades used in special circumstances. The final notation W indicates that you officially withdrew from the course before completing it.

Grade Points

Grade points are assigned to a letter grade as follows:

4.0 = A+
4.0 = A
3.7 = A-
3.3 = B+
3.0 = B
2.7 = B-
2.3 = C+
2.0 = C
1.0 = D
0.0 = F

The grades P and NP are not included in calculating your GPA and so are not assigned grade points. Courses in which the interim grades I and IP are assigned earn no grade points or credit until the interim grade is replaced by a final letter grade.

Grade-Point Average (GPA)

Undergraduates entering UCSC in fall 2001 and thereafter have a UCSC cumulative grade-point average calculated from UCSC courses, courses taken through the Education Abroad Program, and courses taken at another UC campus as part of the Intercampus Visitor Program.

A grade-point average is determined by dividing the number of grade points earned by the number of units attempted for a letter grade. In calculating your UCSC GPA, the interim grades IP and I are not included in the computation because you do not earn those credits until they are replaced with a final grade. (However, when checking for whether you have satisfied the 2.0 UC GPA requirement for graduation [see the section on Graduation Requirements], these interim grades are included and counted as courses with grade F [or NP]).

If you repeat a course in which you have received a D or F, only the last grade recorded shall be computed in your GPA for the first 15 credits of repeated work. After the 15 credit maximum is reached, the GPA will be based on all grades assigned and total credits attempted.

Undergraduates who entered UCSC for the first time in or after fall 1997 and before fall 2001 have a UCSC cumulative grade-point average only if they have elected letter grades in at least two-thirds of the cumulative credits attempted. Undergraduates who entered UCSC prior to fall 1997 cannot have an official UCSC grade-point average calculated.

Pass/No Pass Option

Students in good academic standing may request to take specific courses on a Pass/No Pass basis. Students receive a P (Pass) for work that is performed at C level or better. Work performed at below a C level receives a notation of NP on the student’s transcript, and no academic credit is awarded for the course. Requests for Pass/No Pass grading must be submitted and confirmed by the Grade Option deadline printed in the Academic and Administrative Calendar (reg.ucsc.edu/calendar). If you request P/NP grading in a course and you are later placed on academic probation, your P/NP grading request will be canceled.

At least 75 percent of your UCSC credits applied to graduation (including Education Abroad Program and Intercampus Visitor Program credits) must be taken for a letter grade. Students must be careful about the use of the Pass/No Pass option. Some courses may only be taken Pass/No Pass, and therefore count against the 25 percent Pass/No Pass limit. Several majors require all or most major requirements to be taken for a letter grade; read the major requirements section carefully before using the Pass/No Pass option for any course in a major you are considering.

Incomplete

The notation I may be assigned when your work for a course is of passing quality but for which some specific required work has not been completed. You must make arrangements with the instructor before the end of the course in order to receive an Incomplete. To remove the Incomplete, you must submit the remaining course work and file a petition by the deadline printed in the Academic and Administrative Calendar (generally the end of the following quarter). If you do not meet the deadline, the Incomplete lapses to a No Pass or an F, depending on the grading option selected at the beginning of the quarter.

The notation IP (In Progress) is reserved for a single course extending over two or three terms of an academic year. The grade for such a course may be awarded at the end of the course and shall then be recorded as applying to each of the terms of the course. A student satisfactorily completing only one or two terms of a course extending over two or three terms of an academic year will be given grades for those terms. The grade option selected in the first quarter of the multiple-term sequence applies to all quarters of the sequence.

Grade changes (except for I and IP, as above) are allowed only to correct clerical or calculation errors by the instructor and must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the instructor in charge of the course within one year from the close of the quarter for which the original grade was submitted.

Student Responsibility

Students are responsible for using the Academic Information Systems (AIS) to set and confirm choices for grading options and for ensur ing timely completion of all requirements. Students view their schedule at MyUCSC.

Course Loads

The usual course load for UCSC undergraduates is 15 to 19 credits, most often as three 5-credit courses and associated laboratories and sections. After the advanced enrollment period, students with a UCSC GPA of 3.0 may enroll in up to 22 credits without special approval and may seek approval for higher loads from their college advising office. Students in their first quarter or with a lower GPA must seek approval from their college advising office for enrollment in more than 19 credits.

College approval is required to carry fewer than 15 credits.

Academic Progress

Academic progress is a measure of the completion of courses with a D or better, or Pass. Colleges monitor academic progress to ensure you are progressing toward your degree, which must be earned within five years.

Minimum progress is based on length of time at UCSC. The minimum acceptable progress is completion of 36 credits for each academic year, 12 credits for each additional full-time term, and four-fifths of credits attempted for each part-time term. Progress is measured cumulatively, not term by term. For example, a full-time student must complete 48 credits by the end of the first quarter of the second year.

If you do not maintain minimum progress, your college may require you to take higher course loads, complete Summer Session courses, or make other adjustments to your study plan.

Academic Standing

Academic standing is a measure of performance in completed courses. You must maintain a 2.0 UCSC GPA in order to remain in good academic standing.

If your UCSC term or cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 at the end of any term, you will be placed on academic probation for the next term. You will need to work with your college and major advisers to determine the best way to return to good academic standing. Be sure to take full advantage of the many learning support services available at UCSC.

If your UCSC GPA for any term falls below 1.5, or if you are on academic probation and your cumulative GPA at the end of a term is below 2.0, you are also subject to disqualification. This means that your enrollment at UCSC may be barred for a specific period of time, or you may be disqualified indefinitely from attending the University of California. In many cases, a specific study plan can be developed with your college that will enable you to remain enrolled at UCSC.

For students who entered UCSC prior to fall 2001, academic standing and progress are calculated differently. Contact your college office or see The Navigator (reg.ucsc.edu/navigator) for more information.

Maximum Credits and Years

Students are expected to complete their degree objective(s) within at most 225 credits and five academic years (Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate units are not counted). Students who transfer with advanced standing are expected to complete their degree objective(s) within at most 135 UCSC credits and three academic years.

Colleges may make exceptions to the credit maximum for students in certain cases. Such exceptions are conditional on maintaining academic standing, minimum progress, and progress toward the degree objective(s).

Students in danger of exceeding the credit limit or the five-year or three-year limit may be required to modify their degree objective, such as by completing a major without a minor or double major, or completing a related major with fewer course requirements.

Repeating Courses

Undergraduates may repeat courses in which they earn a D, F, or No Pass. Courses in which a D or F is earned may not be repeated on a Pass/No Pass basis. Courses in which a grade of No Pass is earned may be repeated on the same basis or for a letter grade. For the first 15 credits of repeated courses, the original grade and corresponding grade points earned are excluded in calculating the GPA, and only the grade and grade points from the repetition are used. After the 15­-credit maximum is reached, the GPA will be based on all grades assigned and grade points earned. However, credit is not awarded more than once for the same course. The grade assigned each time the course is taken will be permanently recorded on the official transcript. Repetition of a course more than once requires approval of the student’s college.

Academic Integrity

The university is dedicated to the unhindered pursuit of knowledge and its free expression. It is essential that faculty and students pursue their academic work with the utmost integrity. This means that all academic work produced by an individual is the result of the sole effort of that individual and acknowledges the contributions of others explicitly. It is the responsibility of students and faculty to be absolutely clear about what constitutes plagiarism, cheating, or other violations of academic integrity. Violations of academic integrity by students result in both academic sanctions (e.g., failing the course) and disciplinary sanctions (e.g., suspension or dismissal). Consult Appendix G of the campus’s Student Policies and Regulations Handbook (www2.ucsc.edu/judicial/) for more discussion and information.

Honors

Honors at UCSC
There are a variety of opportunities for advanced work at UCSC, ranging from independent studies with a professor, to internships, departmental programs, and programs at the colleges. An extensive list of these opportunities is available online at admissions.ucsc.edu/discover/honors.

College Honors
The faculty of your college may confer College Honors at graduation if they determine that your academic performance is of outstanding quality throughout your undergraduate career. This notation appears on your transcript and on your diploma.

Honors in the Major
At graduation, the department sponsoring your major program may confer Honors or Highest Honors in the major. This notation appears on your transcript as well as on your diploma.

Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa—an honorary society founded in 1776—advances scholarship and recognizes excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. The United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa authorized the establishment of a chapter at UCSC in 1985. Each year the chapter elects a few outstanding students to membership.

To be elected to Phi Beta Kappa, you must (a) be majoring in one of the liberal arts or sciences, (b) have demonstrated a knowledge of mathematics and a foreign language “at least minimally appropriate for a liberal education,” (c) be noteworthy for the number and variety of courses you have taken outside your major, and (d) be judged by members of the chapter to be distinguished in cultural interests, scholarly achievements, and excellence of character.

The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by passing three one-quarter courses in a language at UCSC, or the equivalent at another university, or by demonstrating close knowledge of another culture (which may include speaking another language at home). The mathematics requirement may be satisfied by a single course in mathematics or statistics or by a science course that requires mathematics. See your college academic preceptor for details. (Notice of membership in Phi Beta Kappa does not appear on your transcript or diploma.)

Transcripts

Academic records are kept at the Office of the Registrar, which will issue an official transcript only on your written request. It normally takes 10 working days to process a transcript. Tran-scripts without evaluations are available about two weeks following the end of the quarter. Transcripts that include evaluations for the most recent quarter are not issued until about six weeks after the quarter ends.

Transcripts for courses taken in the summer are available approximately two weeks following the end of each session. Official transcripts, which may include evaluations, are available at the beginning of October.

For information on ordering transcripts, please refer to the following URL: reg.ucsc.edu.

If you have outstanding financial obligations to the university, a hold may be placed on your transcript. The Office of the Registrar does not provide unofficial copies of transcripts.

Transcripts for UCSC Extension courses should be requested from UCSC Extension Records, 1101 Pacific Avenue, Suite 200, Santa Cruz, CA 95060-4536 (831) 427-6600.

Privacy of Records

UCSC students are informed annually of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and its provisions. This act, which the institution follows, was designed to protect the privacy of education records and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Students also have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the act.

UCSC policy explains in detail the procedures to be used by the institution for compliance with the provisions of the act. Copies of the policy can be found in the Offices of the Registrar and of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. The policy is available in The Navigator, the student handbook. The full text of the University of California policies applying to the Disclosure of Information from Student Records is online: reg.ucsc.edu/guidelines_gqr.htm.

Questions concerning the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may be referred to the Office of the Registrar, 190 Hahn Student Services Building.

Advising: From Course Selection to Careers

T ranslating your goals and interests into a coherent academic program requires careful planning. Advising can help you make decisions at the university—selecting courses, choosing a major, deciding on a career, or determining prerequisites for graduate school. UC Santa Cruz offers many forms of academic and career advising tailored to various student needs. In addition, the student handbook called The Navigator and the quarterly Schedule of Classes—both online at reg.ucsc.edu—answer most procedural and administrative questions.

Attending summer orientation is one of the most important steps a new student takes in preparing for the transition to university life. Summer orientation provides the academic advising you need to make informed decisions about classes and majors, and the opportunity to ask questions regarding financial aid and housing.

In addition to facilitating initial advisement, orientation is designed to provide you a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of UCSC. While at orientation, you will be introduced to continuing students, faculty, and staff who will collectively assist in your academic as well as personal success at the university.

Summer orientation occurs six times over the course of the summer. Separate programs for first-year and transfer students help to better meet the needs of each group. Families play an important role in the academic and personal success of students; UCSC has designed programs for parents and family members to better support their student’s transition to the university.

Reservation brochures are mailed to new students as soon as they submit their Statement of Intent to Register at UCSC. These brochures provide details on the summer program and allow students to make a reservation. New students who have advising questions over the summer but are unable to attend summer orientation should contact their college office.

Fall Welcome Week, occuring during the first week of fall quarter, is the next step in your orientation and advising process. It provides you with an opportunity to settle into life at UCSC, take advantage of important services, and continue your academic advising.

Questions can be directed to the Office of Campus Orientation Programs at (831)
459-5468, or via e-mail to orientation@ucsc.edu. Web: admissions.ucsc.edu/orientation.

Important information on particular majors may be viewed on individual departmental web sites. The sites will give you contact information and office hours. Advisers provide detailed information regarding requirements for the major and assist you in planning a program of study. The department adviser can also assign you to an appropriate faculty adviser who may serve as a mentor in your field, recommending courses and helping you refine your educational goals.

It is also important to seek departmental advising for assistance in planning your overall academic program. For transfer students and for students in many majors (such as those in the physical and biological sciences, engineering, arts, and environmental studies), it is necessary to obtain departmental advising prior to or at the start of the first quarter on campus.

For more general academic questions, make an appointment with a college adviser. Each college has specialized staff members, called academic preceptors, who advise students on everything from general education requirements to choosing a major.

For help in assessing career interests and exploring and choosing career options, contact the Career Center. The staff also will assist with resume preparation, interviewing skills, applying for an internship, and job-search strategies. Many students find that participation in internships and field programsgives them a practical basis for making career decisions. The Career Center offers workshops, an online database, and publications on many internship opportunities. The office’s Career Advice Network (CAN) will connect you with UCSC alumni professionals who help students achieve their career goals.

If you plan to go on to graduate school, consult with faculty in your major. Faculty advisers are the best people to ask about the quality of graduate programs in your field of interest. In addition, the Career Center offers advising and workshops on applying to graduate school. A letter-of-reference service enables you to maintain your recommendation letters at the Career Center.

If you intend to pursue graduate study in a field not offered as a major at Santa Cruz, you can prepare for your intended program through one of the campus’s regular majors. You must plan your studies carefully, however, and advising will be especially important. The Career Center library has information that will help prepare you for graduate and professional programs. The following are some fields in which UCSC alumni have pursued graduate study and successful careers:

Architecture
Business
Conservation
Film
Finance
Guidance and counseling
High-tech industry
Human resources
Industrial and labor relations
International relations
Law
Marketing
Museum administration
Public administration
Urban planning

If you plan to pursue a career in medicine or another health-related field (including dentistry, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacology, physical therapy, public health, and veterinary medicine), contact the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences’ Health Career Resource Office at (831) 459-2954. Ethnic-minority students may also be eligible for the MARC/MBRS Programs, described below.

If you are interested in the field of law, the prelaw adviser for UCSC is at the Career Center, (831) 459-2957.

A number of programs provide additional academic advising and comprehensive support services to students with specific needs. Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP), Services for Transfer and Re-Entry Students (STARS), the Disability Resource Center, and International Programs are described below. If you need assistance in another area, check to see if it is listed in the Index. For additional information, check with your college office or consult The Navigator or Schedule of Classes (reg.ucsc.edu).

Counseling on personal and family issues is available through Counseling and Psychological Services.

Career Center

UC Santa Cruz graduates find success in many different career fields, and their superior education is the foundation for this success. The staff at the Career Center will help you link your educational experience to the world of work. The center provides a variety of employment and career-development services to help students obtain rewarding and successful careers.

Students are encouraged to visit the Career Center early during their first year on campus. The first step is to meet with a career adviser to begin developing a focused career plan. Simply sign in at the reception desk for a drop-in advising appointment. Your career adviser will show you how to research and discover the many opportunities that are available to UC Santa Cruz students and graduates. Workshops offered by the Career Center include Selecting an Internship, Resume and Cover Letter Writing, Job-Search Skills, Job-Interviewing Techniques, the Graduate and Professional School Information Workshop, Work Opportunities Abroad, Applying to Law School, and special workshops on specific majors or career fields.

Your college experience is likely to include a part-time job or internship in your area of interest. The Career Center has hundreds of opportunities available. Off-campus and on-campus employment opportunities (both work-study and non-work-study) are posted on the Career Center’s web site. For your convenience, you may apply for on-campus jobs online.

An internship is one of the best ways to gain practical work experience in your area of interest. The Career Center has a database with over 1,000 internship opportunities in a wide variety of career fields. The center’s resource library contains some of the best internship directories available, listing local, national, and international opportunities. While visiting the center, be sure to check out the Professions Training Program (PTP) and the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program (CUIP). These two unique internship programs are designed to give participants a professionally enriching work experience in the community (PTP) or directly on campus (CUIP) in one of the university’s colleges, administrative units, or academic departments. For information, visit the web: intern.ucsc.edu.

Another interesting and challenging position is the UC Student Regent, with an annual recruitment process. For information, e-mail cyndi@ucsc.edu or visit the web: www2.ucsc.edu/careers/jobs/regent.html.

The Career Center’s resource library contains material organized in the following manner: Career Exploration, Graduate and Professional Schools, Job Search, Career Fields, Internships, and Employer Information. A computer lab links you to the top career-development sites on the web. However, the most exciting part of the computer lab is the Career Advice Network database. The Career Advice Network (CAN) contains career profiles of over 700 UCSC alumni. The members of the