While college staff, faculty, and advisers will provide you with information and advice, it is your responsibility to understand and comply with all academic policies and to complete all degree requirements on time. This includes tracking your completion of major, university, and Berkeley campus requirements, as well as complying with senior residence, minimum progress, and scholarship requirements.
Academic Misconduct
Students found responsible for violating university academic dishonesty policy in a course may not change the grading option or drop the course. If changes are made, student will be reinstated in the course as originally scheduled.
Dept. of CBE
The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering's Academic Misconduct Policy can be viewed here.
Class Schedule Requirements
Minimum & Maximum Unit Limits / Semester
- Minimum units per semester – 13
- Maximum units per semester – 20.5
Reduced Course Load (RCL)
Students who are approved for a reduced course load (by DSP or for other reasons) must meet these requirements:
- RCL of 8-12 units: schedule must include a minimum of 2 required technical courses
- RCL of 7 or below units: schedule must include at least 1 required technical course
Students should consult with their adviser if needed.
Exceeding the Unit Maximum
Students in good academic standing who wish to exceed the unit maximum may request permission from their College Adviser. If approved, students will be allowed to add additional units beginning the Monday of the second week of classes of the relevant semester, not before.
Additional Enrollment Requirements
- 12 units of course work each semester must satisfy degree requirements
- Chemical Engineering first-years are required to enroll in at least one chemistry course each semester, and in at least one chemical engineering course each semester thereafter
- Chemistry majors must enroll in a minimum of one chemistry course each semester
- All majors are expected to complete the lower-division math and physics requirements as soon as possible because they are prerequisite to other required courses
Reading & Composition
- Chemical Engineering majors – A-level R&C course (e.g., English R1A) by end of the first year
- Chemical Biology and Chemistry majors – A- and B-level courses by end of the second year
Double Majors, Simultaneous Degrees, and Minors
Students who wish to pursue double majors or simultaneous degrees
- must submit the appropriate paperwork before what would normally be their final two semesters
- may use no more than two upper division courses to satisfy requirements of both majors
- must have a GPA of at least 2.5
-
may not drop then re-add the same major at a later time
Double majors in Chemistry (B.S. and B.A.) and Chemical Biology are not permitted.
Students with majors in two different colleges/schools at UC Berkeley are pursuing simultaneous degrees. For application instructions, please carefully review the Petition to Declare Simultaneous Degrees packet. The packet includes supplemental application materials (if applicable), and the simultaneous degree application form.
- College of Chemistry students: Complete the forms and submit for initial approval to your staff adviser. Then submit the CoC-approved forms to the second college for final review and approval.
- Non-CoC students: Submit the completed forms to your home college for initial approval. Then submit the home-college-approved forms to Maura Daly (121 Gilman; please make an appointment) for final review and approval.
Minors: College of Chemistry students who wish to pursue a minor must follow the overlap rules of the department or unit which sponsors the minor.
Late Class Schedule Changes
*Required technical courses must be taken for a letter grade. Permission to change the grade option to P/NP in required technical courses will not be granted except in very rare circumstances to be approved by the Undergraduate Dean.
The deadline for this petition is 11:59 pm on Friday, the last day of classes. No late petitions will be accepted.
Late drop policy for Summer Session courses and courses in Fall and Spring that are shorter than 16 weeks:
- Students must submit late drop requests at least one day before the final exam/project. Requests must include a link to the course syllabus, with a clear indication of the final exam date.
- If there is no final exam/project, late drop petitions must be submitted on or before the last day of the session, regardless of whether the grades have been posted.
Late Schedule Changes Due to Extenuating Circumstances
College of Chemistry undergraduates may request a late schedule change due to documented extenuating circumstances (e.g., serious illness, accident, mental health issues, etc.). If approved, late schedule changes due to extenuating circumstances will NOT count as your one-time ("free") late action.
Please use the Late Schedule Change Petition (CalCentral portal > My Dashboard > Student Resources (column 3) > Late Schedule Change Petition) to request a late action due to extenuating circumstances. You will be required to upload relevant documentation.
The deadline to submit this form is 11:59 pm on Friday, the last day of classes. No late forms will be accepted.
Limit on Semesters
- Students who entered as freshmen – 8 semesters
- Chemistry & Chemical Biology majors who entered as transfer students – 4 semesters
- Chemical Engineering majors who entered as transfer students – 5 semesters
Students who wish to delay graduation should request approval before what would normally be their final two semesters. Requests for additional semesters are usually approved for students wishing to pursue a simultaneous degree, to study abroad, to participate in an internship, or who are dealing with documented medical issues, though all requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Undergraduate Dean.
- Summer sessions are excluded when determining the limit on semesters.
- The College of Chemistry does not have a rule regarding maximum units that a student can accumulate.
Passed/Not Passed Courses
Students in good standing may take some courses on a passed/not passed basis. Such courses are acceptable only for free electives and for the following:
- Foreign Language requirement
- Breadth requirement (excluding Reading and Composition)
Courses which satisfy the American History and Institutions and the American Cultures requirements may also be taken on a passed/not passed basis.
Required technical courses must be taken for a letter grade. Permission to change the grade option to P/NP in required technical courses will not be granted except in very rare circumstances to be approved by the Undergraduate Dean.
Credit for passing passed/not passed courses counts toward graduation, but passed/not passed grades are disregarded in computing a student's GPA.
Students on academic notice (below a C average, either overall or for the previous semester) are not allowed to take courses on a passed/not passed basis with the exception of recreational physical education courses and courses offered only on a passed/not passed basis.
Students found responsible for violating university academic dishonesty policy in a course may not change the grading option or drop the course. If changes are made, the student will be reinstated in the course as originally scheduled.
Taking Classes at Other Institutions
Once you begin your education in the College of Chemistry, completing lower division requirements at institutions other than UC Berkeley requires permission. If you wish to take classes at another school over the summer, or during a semester in which you are not enrolled at Berkeley, consult with your CoCUSS adviser after completing the steps below.
Reasons why your request may be denied:
- Your technical GPA is below 3.0
- You do not need to take summer classes because you are on track in the curriculum
- You are a Chemical Engineering major; your request must be reviewed by Undergraduate Dean Roya Maboudian (send request to your adviser)
Students who are eligible for financial aid may apply for funding to cover Summer Sessions tuition and housing in Berkeley. Go to Cal Student Central > Services & Support > “Open a case” to confirm eligibility.
Upper division requirements must be fulfilled at Berkeley (though students participating in a sanctioned study abroad program may request a waiver of this requirement on a case-by-case basis).
Instructions for requesting permission to take lower-division requirements at other institutions
California Community Colleges
If you wish to take math, physics, biology, or Reading & Composition courses at a California community college, use Assist.org to determine course equivalency. Take a screenshot of the equivalency and send it to your adviser for review.
All Other Institutions
If you wish to take math, physics, or biology courses at another school, you must have the course evaluated for equivalency, using the guidelines below. Forward the results of the evaluation to your CoCUSS adviser.
Math
Follow the Math Department's Course Equivalency Instructions.
You must provide a detailed syllabus / course outline and information about the course textbook.
Physics
Complete this Physics Course Evaluation Request form. You will be required to provide a course description and textbook info, and to upload a copy of the course syllabus, which must include a weekly list of topics. The evaluation process can take up to six weeks.
Please note that to be eligible for equivalency to Physics 7 or 8, the course must have a lab component and be calculus-based.
Contact Kathleen Cooney in Physics Student Services for more info (kathleen.cooney@berkeley.edu; (510) 664-7557).
Biology 1A/L
Submit your syllabus for evaluation to Mike Meighan, the Bio 1A coordinator (mmeighan@berkeley.edu).
Reading & Composition
Use the Transfer Courses (by Institution) tool to determine whether your non-CA community college reading and composition course is equivalent to R1A and/or R1B at Berkeley. If your course is not listed, it has not been evaluated and will not be considered equivalent.
Other Humanities & Social Science breadth courses
Virtually all other humanities and social science classes can be used to satisfy the College of Chemistry’s breadth requirement, though please confirm with your adviser.
Taking non-UC Berkeley courses during the academic year
Students who are enrolled at Berkeley are not usually allowed to enroll at another institution during the fall or spring semester. Consult with your CoCUSS adviser to discuss whether your specific circumstances warrant simultaneous enrollment.
Withdrawal, Cancellation, & Readmission
See the Withdrawal, Cancellation, & Readmission webpage for information.