Academic Policies

Academic policies and procedures allow students to clearly understand their rights and responsibilities. They protect the integrity of the UC Berkeley degree and provide fair and transparent guidelines for activities related to teaching and learning across campus.

UC Berkeley students are expected to familiarize themselves with all academic policies. Students seeking clarity on academic policies relevant to or beyond those stated on this website should consult with the appropriate office. 

Please access the tabbed content on this page to learn more about policies relating to student conduct, grades, graduation and more. 

Semester System, Units, & Repetition of Courses

The Semester System

Under the semester system on the UC Berkeley campus, the academic year is divided into two semesters and one summer session. Quarter units, either earned previously at Berkeley or at another institution, are converted to semester units by multiplying by two-thirds (for example, 180 quarter units equal 120 semester units).


Courses and Units

Most University courses are assigned a unit value. One unit represents three hours of work per week by the student, including class attendance, preparation, and outside work.

Course Number Guide

For an explanation of the prefixes, suffixes, and course numbering system used in UC Berkeley's course listings, please see the guide provided below.

Prefixes to Course Numbers

C = Course is cross-listed with another department
H = Honors course
N = Summer-only course not equivalent to a regular session course with the same number
R = Satisfies Reading and Composition (R & C) requirement
W = Offered fully or predominantly online (prefix no longer required for online courses)


Suffixes to Course Numbers

AC = Satisfies American Cultures requirement

Students should check with their major or minor advising unit to verify which courses will satisfy curriculum requirements.


Key to Course Numbers

1-99 = Lower division (undergraduate) courses
100-199 = Upper division (undergraduate) courses
200-299 = Graduate courses
300-399 = Professional courses for teachers and prospective teachers
400-499 = Other professional courses (acceptable toward academic degrees only within limitations prescribed by a college, school, or the Graduate Division)
601 = Individual study for Master’s Degree students
602 = Individual study for Doctoral students


Courses Numbered 24, 39, & 84

Freshman and Sophomore Seminars
For further information, please see the Freshman and Sophomore Seminars at Berkeley website.

Courses Numbered 97

Field Studies (lower division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. Courses with this number are restricted to passed/not passed grading. To take them you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). A written proposal for each Field Studies Course, signed by the faculty sponsor, must receive approval by the Chair of the Department. In certain cases, exceptions to these rules may be granted by the dean of your college or school.

Courses Numbered 98

Organized Group Study (lower division) 
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. Each section of a 98 course must receive approval by the chair of the department, based upon a written proposal submitted by the instructor who is to supervise the course that describes the matter to be studied, the methods of instruction, the number of units to be credited, and methods of evaluation of student performance. A copy of the approved proposal must be submitted for information to the Committee on Courses of Instruction. Only a grade of passed/not passed is to be assigned. In certain cases, the dean of your college or school may authorize exceptions to these limitations.

Courses Numbered 99

Supervised Independent Study by academically superior students (lower division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. You must have a 3.3 GPA and prior consent of the instructor who is to supervise the study, and you must submit a written proposal to the chair of the department (or equivalent) for approval. The proposal must specify the nature of the study, number of units to be credited, and the basis for grading. Only a grade of passed/not passed is to be assigned. In certain cases, the dean of your college or school may authorize exceptions to these limitations.

Courses Numbered 197

Field Studies (upper division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. Courses with this number are restricted to passed/not passed grading. A written proposal for each Field Studies Course, signed by the faculty sponsor, must receive approval by the Chair of the Department. In certain cases, exceptions to these rules may be granted by the dean of your college or school.

Courses numbered 198

Organized Group Study (upper division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. Each section of a 198 course must receive approval by the chair of the department, based upon a written proposal submitted by the instructor who is to supervise the course that describes the matter to be studied, the methods of instruction, the number of units to be credited, and methods of evaluation of student performance. A copy of the approved proposal must be submitted for information to the Committee on Courses of Instruction. To enroll in 198 courses, you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). Only a grade of passed/not passed is to be assigned. In certain cases, exceptions to these rules may be granted by the dean of your college or school.

Courses numbered 199

Supervised Independent Study (upper division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. You must have prior approval of your major adviser, the instructor who is to supervise the study, and the chair of the department. Approval must be based on a written proposal that you submit to the chair that specifies the nature of the study, the number of units to be credited, and the basis for grading. To enroll in 199 courses, you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). Only a grade of passed/not passed will be assigned. In certain cases, the dean of your college or school may authorize exceptions to these limitations.

Courses Numbered 601 & 602

Individual Study (601 – master level, 602 – doctoral level)
You may enroll in no more than 8 semester units of courses numbered 601 or 602 to meet the requirements for a master’s or doctoral degree, up to 4 units per summer session. Only a grade of satisfactory/unsatisfactory will be assigned. Enrollment in these courses must be approved by the student’s graduate advisor. Units earned in these courses may not be used to meet academic residence of unit requirements towards a degree.


Repetition of Courses

You may repeat only courses in which you received a grade of D+, D, D-, F, NP, or U. You may repeat an I grade subject to certain limitations (see Grade I). Courses in which you received a grade of D+, D, D-, or F, and courses that you undertook for a letter grade but for which you received a grade of I, may not be repeated on a passed/not passed or satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Repetition of a course more than once requires approval by the dean of the college, school, or division in which you are enrolled at the time you repeat the course. Without this approval, a course repeated more than once will not be included in the grade point average (GPA), but a passing grade in the repeated course will be accepted in satisfaction of unit requirements for the degree. Degree credit for a repeated course will be given only once, but the grade assigned at each enrollment is permanently recorded. If you repeat courses in which you received a grade of D+, D, D-, or F, the units are counted only once and only the most recently earned grades and grade points are used for the first 12 units repeated. Second repetitions that are approved by the dean of a student's college or school are to be included in the 12-unit limitation. In case of repetitions beyond the 12 units, the GPA is based on all grades assigned and total units attempted. If, however, you receive a grade of I upon repetition of a course, the grade of D+, D, D-, or F will continue to be computed in the GPA until the I grade is replaced.  If you repeat an I in a letter-graded course, the I will lapse to an F unless you have permission from the dean of your college or school to retain the I grade for a longer period.

Grades

The work of all students on the UC Berkeley campus is reported in terms of the following grades: A (excellent); B (good); C (fair); D (barely passed); F (failure); P (passed at a minimum level of C- for undergraduate students); NP (not passed); S (satisfactory, passed at a minimum level of B- for graduate students); U (unsatisfactory); I (work incomplete due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, but of passing quality); and IP (work in progress, final grade to be assigned upon completion of entire course sequence). The grades A, B, C, and D may be modified by plus (+) or minus (-) suffixes.

A course in which the grade A, B, C, D, or P (undergraduate students only) is counted toward degree requirements, as outlined in the regulations of a student's college or major. A course receiving the grade S (graduate students only) is similarly counted subject to Academic Senate regulations. A course in which the grade F, NP, or U is received is not counted toward degree requirements. A course in which the grade of I or IP is received is not counted toward degree requirements until the I or IP is replaced by grade A, B, C, D, P, or S.


Grade Points

Grade points per unit are assigned as follows: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, and F=none. When attached to the grades A, B, C, or D, plus (+) grades carry three-tenths of a grade point more per unit, and minus (-) grades three-tenths of a grade point less per unit than unsuffixed grades, except for A+, which carries 4.0 grade points per unit as does the A.


Grade Point Average (GPA)

Your GPA is computed on courses undertaken in the University of California. Effective fall 2005, XB courses undertaken in UC Berkeley Extension after matriculation count toward your GPA. Grades A, B, C, D, and F are used in determining your GPA; grades IP, P, S, NP, and U carry no grade points and are excluded from all grade-point computations. Grade I, if assigned before fall 1973, is included and is computed as an F; an I grade assigned fall 1973 and later is excluded from computations. For additional information, see the Repetition of Courses section.


Special Provisions: Graduate Students

Only courses graded A, B, C (with or without plus or minus signs), or S are accepted in satisfaction of degree requirements. Courses graded below C- do not yield unit credit toward a higher degree, regardless of your overall GPA. Graduate students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all upper division and graduate coursework undertaken in graduate standing in the University of California or its exchange programs.

Note: Departments, schools, and groups may have a higher performance standard than the minimum B average (3.0 GPA) required by the Graduate Division. You must also work full time at your academic or professional program unless a program with fewer units is approved under special circumstances by your graduate adviser. In addition, you must successfully complete all coursework required by your department, school, or group program, be advanced to candidacy, pass the required examinations, and fulfill other requirements specified for the program.

For a course extending over more than one semester in which evaluation of your performance is deferred until the end of the final semester, provisional grades of In Progress (IP) may be assigned in the intervening semesters. The provisional grades are replaced by the final grade if you complete the full sequence. If you do not complete the full sequence, then you will be given an I grade if the instructor has no other basis for assigning a grade. Further changes will be made according to Academic Senate regulations.

With the consent of the department involved, graduate students may enroll in courses in the 600-series. These courses are evaluated by means of the grades satisfactory and unsatisfactory (S and U). They prepare you for appropriate master’s or doctoral examinations and do not count toward academic residence or the unit requirements for a higher degree. You may earn 1-8 units of 601 or 602 per semester or 1-4 units per summer session toward examination preparation. Units earned in these courses may not be used to meet academic residence or unit requirements for the Master or Doctor's degree. No credit is allowed for work graded unsatisfactory.


Passed/Not Passed and Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory Grades

If you are an undergraduate in good academic standing (2.0 GPA or better, or in good academic standing under the academic probation regulations of your college or school), you may elect to take letter-graded courses on a passed/not passed basis, and if you are a graduate student in good academic standing, you may elect to take letter-graded courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis with the consent of your department, school, or group. Credit for courses taken on these bases is limited to one-third of the total units that you have taken and passed on the Berkeley campus at the time your degree is awarded. Included in this one-third are any units completed in an Education Abroad program, or on another University of California campus in an intercampus exchange program, or in a joint doctoral program. For graduate degree programs, grades of satisfactory assigned in courses numbered 299 and of the 300, 400, or 600 series are excluded from this computation. If you enroll in a course offered only on a passed/not passed or satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis, you will be graded P/NP if an undergraduate and S/U if a graduate.

A course that is required in or prerequisite to your major may be taken on a P/NP or S/U basis only upon approval of the faculty of your school or college.

If you are a special or limited-status student, you may take courses on a P/NP basis at the discretion of the dean of your college or school. You may not repeat a course on a P/NP basis that you have previously taken on a letter-graded basis.

The option of being graded P/NP or S/U in a course may be cancelled if you are found to be ineligible for the option.

If you want honors at graduation, you should consult your college, school, or division for additional restrictions.

Your level of performance must correspond to a minimum letter grade of C- if you are to receive a passed grade, and to a B- if you are to receive a satisfactory grade.

These rules may be further limited by the faculties of the various schools and colleges and by the Graduate Council.


Grade I (Incomplete)

The grade I may be assigned if your work in a course has been of passing quality, but is incomplete for reasons beyond your control. Prior arrangements must be made with the instructor because in assigning the I grade the instructor is required to specify the reasons to the department chair.

For graduate students, the I grade will remain on the record until the required work is completed. Graduate students should finish the course requirements as soon as possible. The instructor will file a change of grade for Incompletes through CalCentral and Campus Solutions. The method of replacement of the I grade by a final grade will be determined by the Dean of the Graduate Division and the Graduate Council. 

Although I grades are not counted in computing the GPA, it is important to remove them quickly. You should seek the advice of the Graduate Division if you have further questions concerning I grades.

For undergraduate students, the I grade has completion and replacement deadlines. Students must complete the required course work at least 30 days prior to the deadline for replacing the I grade.

Fall Semester: An I grade received in the fall semester must be completed 30 days prior to the first day of instruction of the following fall semester or by the instructor-provided deadline, whichever is earlier. The I grade will be replaced by the first day of the following fall semester.

Spring Semester and Summer Sessions - An I grade received in the spring semester or summer session must be completed 30 days prior to the first day of instruction of the following spring semester or by the instructor-provided deadline, whichever is earlier. The I grade will be replaced by the first day of the following spring semester.

When you complete the required work or deferred examination, grade points will be assigned if you receive a grade of A, B, C, or D. If you repeat the course, grade points will then be assigned to the earned grade only if the dean has given prior written approval to repeat it. If you repeat the course without the approval of the dean, the I grade will be converted to an F and the repeated course will be treated the same as any other course in which you receive an F. The dean of your college or school may extend the deadline for undergraduate completion of an I grade. For undergraduates, except as noted below, any I grade which has not been replaced within the above deadlines will, at the end of that time, be converted to grade F (or NP if taken passed/not passed). After that time, but not retroactively, the grade is counted in computing your GPA.

Exceptions: Within the above deadlines for completing an I grade, undergraduate students may notify the dean that they have not attempted completion and will not complete the work required for removal of the I grade, and may request that the grade not be replaced by an F (or NP). This procedure is limited to a maximum of two courses. Once the decision has been made, it is irrevocable; the course cannot afterward be completed by any means, including repetition of that course or any equivalent course.

If a degree is conferred before the end of the above deadlines following the assignment of an I grade, the grade will not be converted to an F (or NP). However, you still have the option of removing the I grade within the above deadlines.

If you are an undergraduate student with 12 or more units of I on your record, you may not register without the permission of the dean.

You should make arrangements to complete the course 30 days before the deadline. The instructor will file a change of grade for Incompletes through CalCentral and Campus Solutions.


Grade IP (In Progress)

If you take a course extending over more than one term and evaluation of your performance is deferred until the end of the final term, provisional grades of IP (In Progress) are assigned in the intervening term(s). The provisional grades are replaced by one final grade if you complete the full sequence. The IP grade is not included in the GPA. Effective with an IP assigned fall 1973 or later, if the full sequence is not completed as scheduled, the IP will be replaced by a grade of Incomplete. Further changes in your record will be subject to the rules pertaining to I grades above.


Changes of Grade

All grades except I and IP above are considered final when assigned by an instructor at the end of a term. An instructor may request a change of grade when a computational, clerical, or procedural error occurred in the original assignment of a grade, but a grade may not be changed as a result of reevaluation of your work. No final grade may be revised as a result of reexamination or the submission of additional work after the close of the term.


Grade Appeal Process

If you have a grievance about a grade, you should first try to speak with your instructor and/or the student ombuds. If that does not resolve your grievance, you may initiate a formal appeal through the academic department where you received the grade. The following are grounds for appeal: the application of non-academic criteria, such as the consideration of race, politics, religion, sex, or other criteria not directly reflective of performance related to course requirements; sexual harassment; or improper academic procedures that unfairly affect your grade. Formal procedures may not be activated unless you (the student) and the instructor in charge have failed to resolve the dispute informally. You (the student) may opt to include an ombuds (or any mutually accepted third party) and/or the department chair in resolving the dispute informally. The formal process must be initiated within one calendar year from the last day of the semester in which the final grade for the course was posted. The formal process, once initiated, is to be completed at the unit level (academic department) within 20-working days and at the Senate level within 40-working days if both parties are in residence and the University is in regular session (excluding summer session).


Formal Appeal of Grades in Courses 

Each department or other instructional unit shall establish a standing grievance committee chair who is not the chair of the department. For each case, the grievance committee chair will appoint an ad hoc grievance committee composed of three faculty members—only two of whom can be from the same unit—and two students in good standing appointed by the student association of the unit. If no student association exists, the students are to be appointed by the ASUC or the Graduate Assembly. (The student members must have passed courses or an examination in the unit at least at the level of the disputed course or examination and have been in residence for at least one year.) The instructor of record for the course in dispute cannot be a member of this committee. The ad hoc grievance committee will review all the required materials (from the student and instructor) and make a recommendation regarding a resolution to the grievance. The ad hoc grievance committee’s recommendation to the Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI), including any minority views, must be given in writing.

If COCI finds in the student’s favor, it may change a failing grade to a P or S, drop a course retroactively, retain the course but eliminate the grade from the GPA, or adopt the letter grade, if any, that was recommended by four of the five members of the grievance committee of the unit(s).

For a complete copy of current grade grievance procedures, please see the COCI page on the Academic Senate's website. Here is a complete copy of Berkeley Division Regulation A207, which governs grade appeals.


Grade Reports and Transcripts

Grades are available at CalCentral and will post the next day after approval by the instructor. Registered students may order a transcript online through CalCentral. Alumni and students who are not registered may order transcripts online by following instructions on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Credit by Examination

Undergraduate Students

You may earn credit by examination in two ways:

  1. If you are a new or re-entering undergraduate student, on the recommendation of the Board of Admissions you may be allowed credit by examination for knowledge that you acquired since graduation from high school, either by independent study or at another institution, and for which you have not been allowed advanced standing credit. You should apply to the Office of the Registrar for credit.
  2. If you are a student in good standing and currently registered in a regular session, you may qualify for course credit by examination. You may apply for credit to the dean of your college or school on the “Petition for Credit by Examination,” obtainable from the Office of the Registrar. You may apply for credit by examination in any course listed in the current bulletin that pertains to the regular sessions at UC Berkeley. However, the subject in which you want to be examined should be one in which, in the opinion of the instructor in charge or the department, knowledge can be tested by examination. You must file a separate petition for each course. In certain laboratory, field, or practice courses, neither a written nor an oral examination may be a satisfactory test.

You may not receive credit by examination:

  1. If the credit would duplicate credit that you presented for admission to the University.
  2. In elementary courses in your native language if it is not English.

The examination must cover the entire course and be administered at one sitting of no longer than three hours. It may be the regularly scheduled final examination for the class, provided that the examination meets the foregoing criteria. The result of the examination may be reported to the Office of the Registrar only as passed or satisfactory, according to the regulations governing the assignment of these grades. Further information concerning credit by examination may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.

Graduate Students

If you are a graduate student in residence, you may petition to receive a limited amount of course credit toward your degree by passing examinations on material covered in certain courses in lieu of taking those courses. Laboratory courses, graduate seminar, and research courses are excluded. You must be registered for at least 4 units of upper division and/or graduate coursework at the time you take the examination and you must be in good academic standing (3.0 GPA or better). The final result of the examination will only be reported as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. You may obtain the petition from the Office of the Registrar. Approval to take these examinations must be given by the dean of the Graduate Division and by the course instructor, or, if no instructor is designated, by the department chair.

Midterm & Final Examinations

The number of midterm examinations varies at the discretion of the instructor. Deficient grades for undergraduate students whose work at midterm is of D+, D, D-, F, or NP quality are posted on CalCentral during the ninth week of the semester. 

Final examinations are required in all undergraduate non-laboratory courses, with the exception of courses that the Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) has approved to offer an alternative form of final assessment or as exempt from a final examination. This requirement allows you to demonstrate mastery of course material while providing the instructor with written evidence for evaluation. The examination may last no longer than three hours and must be administered at the time announced in the online Schedule of Classes. Any deviation from this announced time requires approval from COCI or, in temporary changes, the department chair. This requirement guarantees you ample prior notice of the examination time and eliminates conflict with other examinations.

It is the responsibility of instructors and/or departments to return to students their final examinations or copies of them, or to retain students’ final examin­ations or copies of them, for 13 months after the dates of such examinations.

Here is information on faculty, student, and University responsibilities regarding final exams.

Go to the Registrar's website to find out about final exam schedule dates.

For further information regarding final examinations, including alternative methods of final assessment and changing the method of final assessment offered in a course, please see:
Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) handbook, section 2.1.3 and section 3.2.1


Accommodation of Religious Creed and Exam Scheduling

For information regarding the accommodation of religious creed and exam scheduling, please see the Religious Creed Policy.

Degree Progress

Undergraduate Students: Progress Toward a Degree

At the close of each semester, the courses, units, grades, and grade points earned are added onto your cumulative University record. From this record, you may determine your progress toward a degree.

In working for a degree, you should keep in mind the various levels on which you must satisfy requirements-- University, campus, college or school, and department-- as well as the kinds of requirements you must fulfill: course, unit, grade point, and amount of upper division work. You may receive additional counsel in these matters from your adviser.

Minimum Progress

For undergraduates, normal progress toward a degree requires 30 units of successfully completed coursework each year. If you fail to achieve minimum academic progress, you may continue to be enrolled only with the approval of the dean of your college or school. To achieve minimum academic progress, you must have successfully completed a number of units no fewer than 15 times the number of semesters, less one, in which you have been enrolled on the Berkeley campus. Summer session is not counted as a semester. A course load of 15 units per semester is considered normal. Minimum course load requirements, however, vary by college or school; see the specific college or school announcement for details. If you enroll in a course load of fewer units than the minimum, you will need to have your schedule approved by the dean of your college or school.


Undergraduate Students: Probation and Dismissal

Academic Probation

Regulations and procedures governing academic probation vary with each college and school. For specific details, consult your college or school website. Students on probation may not take courses on a passed/not passed basis.

Academic Dismissal

Regulations and procedures governing academic dismissal vary with each college and school. For specific details, consult your college or school.

If you are dismissed, you may appeal for a hearing by formal petition to the dean of your college or school, but the action of dismissal is normally considered final. If you are dismissed and want to transfer to another college or school at Berkeley, you may petition the dean of that college or school.


Graduate Students: Probation and Dismissal

Graduate students are subject to probation and dismissal for academic deficiencies by the Graduate Division under the policies established by the Graduate Council of the Academic Senate. Probation may be initiated by the Graduate Division or by recommendation of the head graduate adviser of your major. The most common reasons for probation are a low GPA and failure to make adequate and timely progress toward the degree. If your probationary status is not rectified within the specified time allowed, you may be subject to dismissal.  If a student has advanced to doctoral candidacy and fails to make adequate progress toward completing the dissertation, probation takes the form of “lapsing” the student’s candidacy. This probationary status must also be resolved and the student’s candidacy reinstated to avoid dismissal.

There are circumstances that allow you to appeal dismissal from graduate standing. The “Graduate Appeal Procedure” is available on the Graduate Division website. The procedure may not be used for complaints regarding actions based solely on faculty evaluation of the academic quality of a student’s performance, or decanal evaluations of a student’s appropriate academic progress, unless the complaint alleges that those actions were unduly biased by non-academic criteria.

Graduation

Undergraduate Students: Graduation from Berkeley

Declaration of Candidacy

Registered undergraduates with eight or more terms (four or more terms for junior transfer students) completed on their record will be automatically added to the degree list that aligns with their Expected Graduation Term (EGT) as posted on CalCentral. To verify that your name is on the degree list for the appropriate term, please check CalCentral. Students placed on the degree list will see a note indicating that they are in their final term, e.g. "Spring 2023 is your Final Term," appearing in the Notifications section of their CalCentral dashboard. This note does not mean that the student is necessarily eligible to graduate (see confirmation of candidacy below), only that the student has been placed on the Spring 2023 degree list.

Both registered and unregistered students who plan to graduate but were not automatically added to the degree list, should contact their college advising office at the beginning of the semester, to be added to the degree list before their college deadline.

Students will not graduate if they are not on the degree list, even if they have met all degree requirements. Students who miss the deadline may be added to the degree list in the following term.

Confirmation of Candidacy

Students will be confirmed to be candidates for graduation if they are on the degree list and have completed all the requirements for graduation: they are in good academic standing, have at least 120 cumulative units and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0, and all their grades have been received. In addition, in order to graduate, students must have completed all the University of California requirements, all the requirements for their schools or colleges, and all the requirements for their majors and/or minors. Consult with your college advising office to learn more about confirming completion of graduation requirements. Students with degrees from two different colleges, must consult with both colleges to confirm completion of all college graduation requirements.

Opting Out of (Dropping From) a Degree List

Students who believe they were added to a degree list in error, or who wish to appeal to graduate in a later term, should contact their college adviser to discuss options for changing their Expected Graduation Term (EGT).


Graduate Students: Graduation from Berkeley

To receive a graduate degree, students must successfully complete all coursework required, pass the requisite examinations, advance to candidacy, and fulfill other requirements specified for the degree. For detailed procedures and requirements, students should consult their department, school, or graduate group, and become familiar with the Graduate Division website. General information regarding degree requirements and degree progress can be found in the Graduate Education section.


Commencement

A campuswide commencement is held each year in May to honor all students, in every school and college, who have earned undergraduate and graduate degrees and to recognize students graduating with distinction. Students who earned their degrees the previous fall semester or in summer sessions are also welcome to participate. The ceremony includes speeches from a keynote, the Chancellor, and University Medalist (the top graduating senior), as well as the conferring of degrees. Graduate names are not read at the spring campuswide event.

Many schools/colleges, departments, and student organizations also hold individual ceremonies in the spring semester only. Participating in either the campuswide ceremony and/or individual ceremonies is up to each student. 

Berkeley also offers a campuswide commencement in December for all graduates who wish to participate in a ceremony at the end of the fall semester. 

For information, visit the Berkeley Commencement website.


Diplomas

Diplomas are not given out at Commencement but are available approximately four months afterward.

Diplomas will be mailed automatically without a fee. Degree candidates should update their diploma mailing addresses on CalCentral prior to the end of the term in which the degree is to be awarded. If a diploma address is not supplied, the diploma will be mailed to the student’s home address.

For further information, please see the Diploma page on the Office of the Registrar's website.

Student Conduct

The University of California at Berkeley is a community of scholars committed to maintaining an environment that encourages personal and intellectual growth. It is a community with high standards and high expectations for those who choose to become a part of it, including established rules of conduct intended to foster behaviors that are consistent with a civil and educational setting. Members of the University community are expected to comply with all laws, University policies and campus regulations, conducting themselves in ways that support a scholarly environment. The Code of Student Conduct available online at the Center for Student Conduct's website.


Academic Misconduct, Cheating, or Plagiarism

The high academic standard at the University of California, Berkeley, is reflected in each degree that is awarded. As a result, every student is expected to maintain this high standard by ensuring that all academic work reflects unique ideas and/or properly attributes the ideas to the original sources. Individual departments often have their own expectations for citing and attributing work, which are often based on citation style manuals or industry standards, so it is the responsibility of each student to seek that information out if it is not otherwise provided through a syllabus, course website, or other means.

Faculty members may choose to informally resolve incidents of academic misconduct through the Faculty Disposition process or may refer complaints to the Center for Student Conduct. See this Academic Misconduct Resource Sheet for Instructors with helpful information to guide instructors through their options. If the student has a history of prior misconduct at the University, the Center for Student Conduct will investigate the matter and issue formal academic misconduct charges. 

If, upon discussion, the student agrees that there was a violation and to the proposed academic penalty, the instructor should confirm with the Center for Student Conduct that the student has no prior history of academic misconduct. The instructor may then work with the student to complete and submit a Faculty Disposition Form and may then impose an appropriate academic penalty. If the student does not agree that there was an academic misconduct violation or consent to the academic penalty proposed by the faculty member, or if the student has prior academic misconduct, the matter will be administered through the Center for Student Conduct. 

If a student is found responsible for academic misconduct through the Center for Student Conduct’s process there will be a resolution plan, which will include University sanctions. Sanctions range from a non-reportable warning through dismissal from the University. In most cases, resolution plans will also include educational sanctions such as reflective writing assignment, activities, and workshops. Academic penalties may only be imposed by faculty members and include but are not limited to resubmitting assignments, grade adjustments, or even failing the assignment or course.

The Center for Student Conduct is available for consultation by calling 510-643-9069 or emailing studentconduct@berkeley.edu.


Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

The Berkeley campus actively monitors and supports full compliance with the University of California Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment. This Policy addresses the University’s responsibilities and procedures related to sexual violence, sexual harassment, retaliation, and other prohibited behavior as those terms are defined in this Policy (together, “Prohibited Conduct”) in order to ensure an equitable and inclusive education and employment environment. The Policy defines Prohibited Conduct and explains the administrative procedures the University uses to resolve reports of Prohibited Conduct.

The campus has complaint procedures designed to facilitate the prompt and equitable resolution of sexual violence and sexual harassment and other discrimination complaints. If you believe that you have been a target of sexual violence and/or sexual harassment, have questions about the policy or about the complaint resolution procedures, please contact the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, email ask_ophd@berkeley.edu, or call 510-643-7985. Here is the full text of the University Policy and further information.


PATH to Care Center

The PATH to Care Center leads efforts to transform UC Berkeley into a community that is free from sexual violence, sexual harassment, relationship violence, and stalking through prevention, advocacy, training, and healing initiatives. The PATH to Care Center serves staff, faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, and visitors to the campus.

Confidential advocates offer free, affirming, empowering support for those who have experienced sexual harassment, relationship violence, sexual violence, and stalking. Confidential advocates bring a non-judgmental, caring approach to exploring all options, rights, and resources. To schedule an appointment, call 510-642-1988. For urgent 24/7 support, call the Care Line: 510-643-2005. To learn more about PATH to Care Center services and programs visit, care.berkeley.edu.        

The PATH to Care Center also works to promote positive norms of respect, consent, and inclusivity in order to prevent violence and harm before it happens. There are a number of ways you can promote prevention on campus, for example: by being an active bystander when you notice concerning behavior; interacting with respect and civility with peers and colleagues; or earning a T.R.A.I.L. Prevention and Response Certificate


Graduate Student Appeals

Through the Graduate Appeal Procedure, graduate students have the right to appeal academic or administrative decisions that have materially hindered their degree progress or resulted in dismissal from their graduate program.

Students must first initiate an appeal with the academic unit (the department, school, or graduate group) responsible for the alleged action under dispute. The Graduate Council requires each instructional unit to maintain copies of its current internal appeal procedure for information and use by its graduate students.

The academic unit and the student must make all reasonable efforts at resolving the difficulty, as outlined in the Graduate Appeal Procedure, before the student may take the matter to the next level, which is the Graduate Division. Students may also consult with the Ombuds for Students at 510-642-5754 for assistance with informal resolution.

If attempts to resolve the matter with the student's home unit were unsuccessful, the student may submit a formal appeal to the Graduate Division, after carefully following the guidelines and deadlines in the Graduate Appeal Procedure. The Graduate Appeal Procedure Form must accompany the appeal.

Other Policies

Cal Student Central

Cal Student Central is your destination for information related to financial aid, fees and billing, payments, disbursements, registration and university enrollment status, as well as other campus systems and activities. Visit the help desk at 120 Sproul Hall, call (510) 664-9181, or visit their website if you need assistance. 


Cal 1 Card – Your Photo ID and Much More

The Cal 1 Card is the official campus photo ID card. It is used for identity verification purposes as well as to access various campus services, facilities, and events. It is also linked to a debit account in which you may deposit funds and then use them to pay for goods and services at multiple campus library locations and dining facilities as well as other merchant locations (which now include placing Grubhub+ orders). Visit this page to learn how to get a Cal 1 Card.

The AC Transit Student EasyPass Clipper Card is separate from the Cal 1 Card and entitles eligible students to free unlimited transit on AC Transit buses (including Premium Express Transbay service to San Francisco). Eligible students will receive their initial EasyPass Clipper Card concurrently with issuance of the Cal 1 Card.  Accepting custody of the AC Transit EasyPass Clipper Card with the associated Class Pass constitutes acceptance of the corresponding Clipper Cardholder Agreement and Privacy Policy stipulations. Learn more about the Student EasyPass Clipper Card.

Questions may be sent via email to c1c_notifications@berkeley.edu.


Change of Address

Changes to your local or permanent address or telephone number can be entered directly at CalCentral


Change of Name

If you change your legal name, stop by Cal Student Central, 120 Sproul Hall, and complete a “Petition for Change of Name” form and provide appropriate documentation. For further information on the Name Change Policy and an alternative method to going to Sproul Hall in person, please see the Office of the Registrar's website.


Preferred Name

You may designate a preferred name via CalCentral. Your preferred name is the name you would like to be referred to in the classroom and elsewhere on campus. It is different than your legal name, which will still be used for financial aid, diplomas, transcripts, payroll documents, and other documents. For further information on Preferred Name, please see the Office of the Registrar's website.


Access to Records

You are entitled by law and University policy to examine and challenge most of the records that the University maintains on you. These records may be confidential and in most circumstances may be released to third parties only with your prior consent. Such matters are detailed in the Berkeley Campus Policy Governing Disclosure of Information from Student Records.


Classroom Note-Taking and Recording Policy

The University encourages students to take notes in class and other instructional settings as part of their education. Note-taking is a means of recording information and helps students absorb and integrate what they learn. Note-taking or other recordings of an instructor’s presentation can also facilitate further discussion of the material with students and the instructor. However, class notes and recordings are based on the intellectual effort of the instructor, who has an interest in protecting this effort and ensuring the accuracy of any public representation of his or her work. Prior approval of the instructor is required for the recording of course notes and the sharing of course notes and other class materials beyond the students enrolled in the course. Only a course note-taking service authorized by the campus may make course notes available commercially. Here are the relevant policies for note-taking services.


Disability-Related Policies and Guidelines

In compliance with the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Public Law 93-112) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336), the University of California policy prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability in its programs, services, and activities.

The University of California's system-wide Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students can be found on the UC Office of the President's website.

For further information regarding services for students with disabilities, please see the Disabled Students' Program website.

Course Number Guide

For an explanation of the prefixes, suffixes, and course numbering system used in UC Berkeley's course listings, please see the guide provided below.

Prefixes to Course Numbers

C = Course is cross-listed with another department
H = Honors course
N = Summer-only course not equivalent to a regular session course with the same number
R = Satisfies Reading and Composition (R & C) requirement
W = Offered fully or predominantly online (prefix no longer required for online courses)


Suffixes to Course Numbers

AC = Satisfies American Cultures requirement

Students should check with their major or minor advising unit to verify which courses will satisfy curriculum requirements.


Key to Course Numbers

1-99 = Lower division (undergraduate) courses
100-199 = Upper division (undergraduate) courses
200-299 = Graduate courses
300-399 = Professional courses for teachers and prospective teachers
400-499 = Other professional courses (acceptable toward academic degrees only within limitations prescribed by a college, school, or the Graduate Division)
601 = Individual study for Master’s Degree students
602 = Individual study for Doctoral students


Courses Numbered 24, 39, & 84

Freshman and Sophomore Seminars
For further information, please see the Freshman and Sophomore Seminars at Berkeley website.

Courses Numbered 97

Field Studies (lower division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. Courses with this number are restricted to passed/not passed grading. To take them you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). A written proposal for each Field Studies Course, signed by the faculty sponsor, must receive approval by the Chair of the Department. In certain cases, exceptions to these rules may be granted by the dean of your college or school.

Courses Numbered 98

Organized Group Study (lower division) 
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. Each section of a 98 course must receive approval by the chair of the department, based upon a written proposal submitted by the instructor who is to supervise the course that describes the matter to be studied, the methods of instruction, the number of units to be credited, and methods of evaluation of student performance. A copy of the approved proposal must be submitted for information to the Committee on Courses of Instruction. Only a grade of passed/not passed is to be assigned. In certain cases, the dean of your college or school may authorize exceptions to these limitations.

Courses Numbered 99

Supervised Independent Study by academically superior students (lower division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. You must have a 3.3 GPA and prior consent of the instructor who is to supervise the study, and you must submit a written proposal to the chair of the department (or equivalent) for approval. The proposal must specify the nature of the study, number of units to be credited, and the basis for grading. Only a grade of passed/not passed is to be assigned. In certain cases, the dean of your college or school may authorize exceptions to these limitations.

Courses Numbered 197

Field Studies (upper division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. Courses with this number are restricted to passed/not passed grading. A written proposal for each Field Studies Course, signed by the faculty sponsor, must receive approval by the Chair of the Department. In certain cases, exceptions to these rules may be granted by the dean of your college or school.

Courses numbered 198

Organized Group Study (upper division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. Each section of a 198 course must receive approval by the chair of the department, based upon a written proposal submitted by the instructor who is to supervise the course that describes the matter to be studied, the methods of instruction, the number of units to be credited, and methods of evaluation of student performance. A copy of the approved proposal must be submitted for information to the Committee on Courses of Instruction. To enroll in 198 courses, you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). Only a grade of passed/not passed is to be assigned. In certain cases, exceptions to these rules may be granted by the dean of your college or school.

Courses numbered 199

Supervised Independent Study (upper division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 for a single semester. You must have prior approval of your major adviser, the instructor who is to supervise the study, and the chair of the department. Approval must be based on a written proposal that you submit to the chair that specifies the nature of the study, the number of units to be credited, and the basis for grading. To enroll in 199 courses, you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). Only a grade of passed/not passed will be assigned. In certain cases, the dean of your college or school may authorize exceptions to these limitations.

Courses Numbered 601 & 602

Individual Study (601 – master level, 602 – doctoral level)
You may enroll in no more than 8 semester units of courses numbered 601 or 602 to meet the requirements for a master’s or doctoral degree, up to 4 units per summer session. Only a grade of satisfactory/unsatisfactory will be assigned. Enrollment in these courses must be approved by the student’s graduate advisor. Units earned in these courses may not be used to meet academic residence of unit requirements towards a degree.

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