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Undergraduate Education at UCSB Contents:
Admission The Office of Admissions assists students in preparing for, applying to, and gaining admission to the University of California, Santa Barbara. UCSB typically accepts transfer students only at the junior level. Prospective students and their parents are invited to visit the campus to observe firsthand the opportunities available to them. Tour programs—which include a campus video, information about admission, housing, and financial aid, and a walking tour of campus led by a student guide—are offered most weekdays and Saturdays in April and October. All tours leave from the Visitor Center. Students may call (805) 893-8175 for recorded tour information, or may refer to our website at www.admissions.ucsb.edu for application information. Applying for Admission to UCSB The first step in applying for admission to UCSB is to submit a University of California undergraduate application. The Application for Undergraduate Admission is available on-line at UC's PATHWAYS website at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply. Students may apply on-line, or download a copy of the application to mail. When to apply for admission. To ensure admission consideration, students should file their application during the appropriate filing period.
UCSB will accept applications after the filing periods have ended only if the number of applications received to date and the number of enrollment spaces allow. Also, UCSB may not be open to applications for the winter and spring quarters. Students should contact the Office of Admissions at (805) 893-2881 to inquire about the winter and spring quarter filing status. Application restrictions. UCSB accepts applications from international students for fall quarter only. The College of Letters & Science does not accept applications from senior-level applicants with 135 or more transferable units. The following majors accept applications for fall quarter only:
University of California Minimum Admission Requirements All campuses of the University of California have the same minimum admission requirements. These requirements are used to identify the top 12.5 percent of California high school graduates and are based on two principles: (1) that the level of performance in previous academic work is the best predictor of university success, and (2) that the study of certain subjects provides sound preparation for university work. Students who fulfill these minimum admission requirements are UC-eligible. In the event that UCSB receives applications from more UC-eligible applicants than can be accommodated, it admits students using selection criteria that are more rigorous than the minimum admission requirements. Minimum Admission Requirements for Freshmen who are California Residents Students are considered freshman applicants if they have not enrolled in a regular session at any college-level institution since graduating from high school. Enrollment in college summer session immediately following high school graduation does not affect the status of freshman applicants. There are three ways to satisfy the University’s minimum admission requirements for freshman students: eligibility in the statewide context, eligibility in the local context, and eligibility by examination alone. These are the University’s minimum admission requirements; satisfying them does not ensure admission to UCSB. Eligibility in the Statewide Context Eligibility in the Statewide Context is the pathway by which most students will attain UC eligibility. To be eligible in the statewide context, you must satisfy the subject and scholarship requirements described below. For the eligibility index, please refer to the website at: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/scholarshipreq. Subject Requirement To satisfy this requirement, students must complete the high school courses listed below with a grade point average defined by the Scholarship Requirement. This sequence of courses is also known as the “a-g” requirements. Students must take 15 units of high school courses to fulfill the Subject Requirement, and at least 7 of the 15 units must be taken in their last two years of high school. (A unit is equal to an academic year, or two semesters, of study.) Applicants from California high schools: The courses students take to fulfill the “a-g” requirements must be certified by the University as meeting the requirements and must be included on their high school’s UC certified course list. High school counselors or principals will have a copy of this list. The lists are also available at the following website: www.ucop.edu/doorways/list
Scholarship Requirement The Scholarship Requirement defines the grade point average (GPA) students must attain in the “a-g” subjects and ACT Assessment plus Writing or SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Test scores students must achieve to be eligible for admission to the University. If your GPA is 3.0 or above (3.4 for nonresident applicants), you satisfy the minimum Scholarship Requirement if you achieve the test score total indicated in the University of California Eligibility Index available at this website: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/scholarshipreq. The University calculates the GPA in the “a-g” subjects by assigning point values to the grades earned, totaling the points, and dividing the total by the number of “a-g” course units. Points are assigned as follows: A=4 points, B=3 points, C=2 points, D=1 point, and F=0 points. Only the grades earned in “a-g” subjects in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades are used to calculate the GPA. Courses taken in ninth grade can be used to meet the Subject Requirement if the student earns a grade of C or better, but they will not be used to calculate the GPA. Honors Courses:The University assigns extra points for up to four units of University certified honors level and advanced placement courses taken in the last three years of high school: A=5 points, B=4 points, C=3 points. A grade of D in an honors or advanced placement course does not earn extra points. The courses must be in the following “a-g” subjects: history, English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science, and foreign language, and they must be certified as honors courses by the University. In these fields, as well as in the fields of computer science, social science, and the visual and performing arts, courses that are designed to prepare students for an Advanced Placement Examination of the College Board or a Higher Level Examination of the International Baccalaureate and college courses that are transferable to the University are acceptable honors-level courses. D and F Grades: D and F grades in the “a-g” courses must be repeated or validated. Students should consult with their counselors to determine how these grades can be improved and how the University will use them in evaluating their scholarship record. Grades for repeated courses in which students initially earned a grade of C or better will not be used. Freshmen applicants must submit scores on an approved core test of mathematics, language arts, and writing. This requirement can be satisfied by taking the following:
Students applying for the fall 2008 term must take the tests no later than the December 2007 test dates. Students should be sure to direct the testing agencies to report their scores to each UC campus to which they plan to apply. For the ACT:
For the SAT Tests:
Eligibility in the Local Context Under the Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) pathway, the top four percent of students at each participating California high school are designated UC eligible and guaranteed admission to one of UC’s eight general campuses, beginning with students entering UC in fall 2001. To be considered for ELC, students must complete 11 specific units of the Subject Requirement by the end of the junior year. With the assistance of each participating high school, the University will identify the top four percent of students on the basis of GPA in the required coursework. The 11 units include: 1 unit of history/social science, 3 units of English, 3 units of mathematics, 1 unit of laboratory science, 1 unit of language other than English, and 2 units chosen from among the other “a-g” requirements. The University will notify ELC students of their status at the beginning of their senior year. If you are designated UC-eligible through ELC, you must submit the undergraduate application during the November filing period and complete remaining eligibility requirements—including the Subject and Examination Requirements—to be considered fully eligible. Fully eligible ELC students are guaranteed a spot at one of UC’s eight undergraduate campuses, though not necessarily at their first-choice campus or to their first-choice major. Eligibility by Examination Alone Freshman applicants who do not meet the requirements for Eligibility in the Statewide Context or Eligibility in the Local Context, may be able to qualify for admission to the University by examination alone by achieving high scores on the ACT Assessment plus Writing or SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests. To qualify for admission to the University by examination alone, students must satisfy the same examination requirement as students who are eligible in the statewide context. Students must achieve a test score total, as calculated according to the UC Eligibility Index (see Students cannot qualify for this path if they have completed 12 or more units of transferable coursework at a college or university after high school, or if they have taken transferable college courses in any subject covered by the SAT Subject Tests. An applicant who is currently attending high school may qualify for admission to the University by examination alone without completing his or her high school program. Minimum Admission Requirements for Freshmen who are NonresidentsThere are two paths to UC eligibility for nonresidents at the freshman level. The first is the same as described above under Eligibility in the Statewide Context and the second is the same as described under Eligibility by Examination Alone, with the following exceptions: Scholarship Requirement: If your GPA is 3.4 or above, you satisfy the minimum Scholarship Requirement if you achieve the test score indicated in the Eligibility Index at: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/scholarshipreq. Eligibility by Examination Alone: Students must achieve a test score total, as calculated according to the UC Eligibility Index, of at least 3550 (see www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/scholarshipreq). Minimum Admission Requirements for Transfer Students UC Santa Barbara typically accepts transfer students at the junior level only. To prepare for entrance as a junior, students are encouraged to identify their intended major as early as possible and take prerequisite courses for their major. All transfer applicants must complete these requirements:
California Community college students who satisfy the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) prior to transferring to UC, may satisfy part 2 of the transfer eligibility requirements. If you were eligible for admission to the university when you graduated from high school – meaning you satisfied the Subject, Scholarship and Examination Requirements, or were identified by the University during your senior year as eligible in the local context – you are eligible for transfer if you have a C (2.0) average in your transferable college coursework. If you met the Scholarship Requirement in high school but did not satisfy the Subject Requirement, you must take transferable college courses in the missing subjects, earn a C or better in each required course and have an overall C (2.0) average in all transferable coursework to be eligible to transfer. Visit www.assist.org for a list of UC-transferable courses at your community college. Minimum Admission Requirements for Nonresident Transfer Students The minimum admission requirements for nonresident transfer applicants are the same as those for residents except that nonresidents must have a grade point average of 2.8 or higher in all transferable college coursework. Admission Requirements for International Students International students are governed by the same undergraduate admission regulations that apply to U.S. students. In addition, nonimmigrant applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate written and oral competence in English by taking one of the following exams: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 (213 on the computer-based exam) or 79 on the IBT (internet-based TOEFL); the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination (academic modules) with a minimum score of 7. UCSB Selection Criteria The University makes every effort to provide a place on one of its campuses for all California resident applicants who meet the minimum eligibility requirements and file an application during the appropriate filing period. If the number of applicants exceeds the spaces available—as is often the case—the campus uses criteria that exceed the minimum requirements to select students. Meeting the minimum requirements, therefore, may not be enough to gain admission. College of Letters and Science and College of EngineeringStudents will be selected on the basis of academic and personal achievement, as assessed through a comprehensive review of the full range of accomplishments presented in the admission application. Criteria for selection include: high school grade point average; academic preparation in college preparatory coursework; quality of the senior year program; honors, AP, IB, and college courses; scores on required standardized examinations; the context in which the student has achieved admission eligibility; evidence of creative or intellectual achievement; diversity of intellectual and social experience; and personal characteristics of the applicant that would demonstrate leadership, initiative, and ability both to contribute to and to benefit from the educational experience at the University. Students are selected by major for all engineering and computer science majors. Only applicants with a solid background in advanced high school mathematics will be considered for admission to engineering. This includes high grades in all math courses through grade 11 and enrollment in pre-calculus or higher in grade 12. A student not selected for the first choice major will be reviewed for admission to a second choice engineering major and also for general admission to UCSB. College of Creative StudiesApplicants must submit work in evidence of talent or letters of recommendation for faculty review. Applicants must submit a College of Creative Studies application (available from the College) in addition to the regular UC undergraduate application. Students will be selected on the basis of academic preparation in college preparatory courses, high school grade point average, performance on required standardized tests and on special talent, outstanding achievement, and capacity for excellence in one of the eight academic areas within the College. College of Letters and Science Students will be selected primarily on the basis of academic preparation and performance, as assessed by review of grades earned in UC-transferable coursework and strength of academic preparation for the intended major. Applicants with senior standing will not be admitted. Some students will be selected on the basis of academic and personal achievement, potential, and experience, as assessed through a comprehensive review of all information provided on the application, including academic performance as described above and academic and personal information, as described in the admission guidelines. UCSB accepts junior-level transfers and will give priority consideration to those from California community colleges. UCSB maintains a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) programs with all California community colleges. TAG programs do not apply in all majors. For specific information about the TAG program in your major, please refer to the articulation agreements by major between UCSB and your community college online at www.assist.org. Major preparation requirements are subject to change without notice. Biological Sciences: All biological science majors must attain a grade point average of 2.70 or better in science and math preparatory courses, complete one year of general chemistry with laboratory, and complete at least one additional yearlong sequence from within the following:
For information, consult the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. Economics: All Economics majors (including all Business Economics and Economics Mathematics majors) must attain a grade point average of 2.75 or better in transferable preparatory courses, complete one principles of Microeconomics course, and one principles of Macroeconomics course. Business Economics majors are also required to complete one transferable course in Statistics and at least on course in Calculus. Economics and Economics Mathematics majors must complete two Calculus courses prior to transfer. For more information, consult with the Economics department. Students will be selected primarily on the basis of academic preparation and performance, as assessed by review of the following: grades earned in UC-transferable coursework, amount of engineering preparatory coursework completed, and grades earned in preparatory coursework. Applicants must complete all required units and prerequisites by the end of the spring term preceding enrollment at UCSB. Preference is given to students who have com-pleted 90 quarter (60 semester) units and who transfer from California community colleges. Students will be selected on the basis of: academic and personal achievement, potential, and experience, as assessed through a comprehensive review of all information provided on the application, including academic and personal information, as described in the admission guidelines; and, special talent, outstanding achievement, and capacity for excellence in one of the eight academic areas within the College, as assessed by faculty review. All applicants must submit work in evidence of talent or letters of recommendation for faculty review. Applicants must submit a College of Creative Studies application, available directly from the College, in addition to the regular UC undergraduate application. Students may apply to transfer from one UC campus to another by submitting the Application for Undergraduate Admission to the campus of their choice. Applications are available online. Credit from Other Institutions UCSB accepts transferable coursework completed with satisfactory grades at accredited institutions, subject to the limitations described below. Most courses in academic subjects are transferable if UC offers a comparable course. Vocational courses and personal enrichment courses do not qualify for transfer credit. In most cases, UCSB will not grant credit for coursework which students complete at other institutions while they are also enrolled at UCSB. Students may earn unit credit for up to 105 quarter units (70 semester units) of UC-transferable community college coursework. Study abroad programs sponsored by institutions and organizations other than the University of California’s Education Abroad Program (EAP) are of varying quality. In many cases UCSB will not grant credit for completed coursework, even to students who have been issued an official transcript. Bachelor's Degree Requirements To be eligible for a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, students must meet the general University of California requirements and the appropriate college and major requirements. They must also comply with university regulations governing registration, scholarship, examinations, and student conduct. Official degree and major requirements are listed in the catalog. Undergraduate and graduate students are subject to requirements based on a particular catalog, referred to as the student’s “catalog year.” The catalog year is determined for new students as the catalog in effect at the time of their entrance to UCSB, provided there is no significant break in enrollment. It is campus policy to introduce changes in graduation requirements such that students who began their careers with UCSB before the change will not be hindered substantially in the orderly pursuit of their degrees. Changes in requirements that increase the number or distribution of courses required normally will not be applied to students with earlier catalog years, provided there is no significant break in enrollment (see below). For undergraduate and graduate students, the catalog year for university and general education requirements is set as noted above. The catalog year for major requirements is determined by the quarter the major or pre-major is declared, provided there is no significant break in enrollment. Students must petition if they wish to follow a subsequent set of requirements. Students transferring from other institutions may elect either (1) those major requirements in effect at the time of transfer to UCSB; or (2) those in effect up to two years prior to matriculation, provided that their transcripts from earlier schools indicate commitment to the major within that period and that they have adequate preparation for upper-division coursework. Effective for undergraduate students admitted fall 1997 or later, students who interrupt their studies at UCSB with one or more breaks totaling nine quarters or more (excluding summer session) will be required to follow a newer catalog year than that of their initial admission. Upon their return, students who leave the University will normally be required to fulfill requirements as listed in the catalog published no earlier than three years prior to their final return. They must follow the same catalog year for all degree requirements, including:
General University Requirements University degree requirements include the University of California Entry Level Writing requirement (formerly called Subject A), the American History and Institutions requirement, the unit requirement, the academic residence requirement, and the grade-point average requirement.University of California Entry Level Writing Requirement (formerly Subject A) All students entering the University of California must demonstrate an ability to write effectively by fulfilling the entry level writing requirement. This requirement may be met in one of seven ways prior to admission:
Students who have not taken the UC systemwide Analytical Writing Placement Exam and who have not met the entry level writing requirement in one of the other ways listed above will be required to take the examination during their first quarter at UCSB (see the Schedule of Classes for examination time and location). An appropriate score on the examination will satisfy the entry level writing requirement. Only one UC examination may be taken—either the systemwide Analytical Writing Placement Exam while in high school or the examination given at UCSB; and neither may be repeated. Students whose score is unsatisfactory on the UC analytical writing placement examination (systemwide or campus-based) and who enter UCSB without having satisfied the entry level writing requirement in any other way must enroll in Writing 1, 1E, or 1LK within their first year at UCSB. A grade of C or higher in Writing 1, 1E, or 1LK is needed to satisfy the entry level writing requirement. Students who earn a grade of C- or lower in Writing 1, 1E, or 1LK will be required to repeat the course in successive quarters until the requirement is satisfied. Students who are required to complete English as a Second Language courses may satisfy the Entry Level Writing requirement with a grade of C or higher in Linguistics 12. Once students matriculate at UCSB, they may not fulfill the entry level writing requirement by enrolling at another institution. Further, transfer courses equivalent to Writing 2 or 50 will not be accepted for unit or subject credit unless the entry level writing requirement has already been met. Students will only be allowed to meet the Area A requirement of the General Education Requirements with courses taken after satisfying the entry level writing requirement. The entry level writing requirement must be completed by the end of the third quarter of matriculation. Students who do not meet this deadline will be blocked from further enrollment at UCSB (ESL students should consult with the Writing Program). American History and Institutions Requirement The American History and Institutions requirement is based on the principle that American students enrolled at an American university should have some knowledge of the history and government of their country. Students may meet this requirement in any one of the following ways:
Courses used to fulfill the American History and Institutions requirement may also be applied to General Education or major requirements, or both where appropriate. Equivalent courses taken at other accredited colleges or universities, in UC Extension, or in summer session may be acceptable. Students who transfer to UCSB from another campus of the University of California where the American History and Institutions Requirement has been considered satisfied will automatically fulfill the requirement at UCSB. International students on a nonimmigrant visa may petition for a waiver of this requirement through the Director of International Students and Scholars. A minimum of 180 quarter units is required for graduation. (Some students in the College of Letters and Science will need at least 184 units to graduate; see General Education Requirements, Area B—Foreign Language for details.) Some majors in the College of Engineering require more than 180 units (See individual majors in the College of Engineering section). These units must be distributed according to the requirements set forth by the faculty of the various colleges, as explained in the following sections of this catalog and in the publications of the colleges. The acceptability of transfer courses for unit credit is determined by the Office of Admissions. The applicability of such courses toward specific requirements is determined by the college provost or deans and/or department chairs. Academic Residence Requirement Candidates for a bachelor’s degree must be registered in the university for at least three terms to fulfill the university’s academic residence requirement. A term is a regular quarter, including summer session, in which a student completes six or more units of resident (on-campus) courses. Each UC summer session in which a student completes at least two units but fewer than six is the equivalent of half a term’s residence. In this context, summer session refers to the entire summer session period of twelve weeks and not to an individual summer mini-session. At least 35 of the final 45 units must be taken in the college or school in which the degree is to be awarded. Courses taken in UC Extension do not satisfy residence requirements.
Grade-Point Average Requirement At the time of graduation, students in the College of Engineering and the College of Letters and Science must have at least a 2.0 (C) grade-point average in (1) all courses undertaken at the University of California (UC) except those graded passed/not passed; (2) all UC courses required and acceptable for the student’s overall major program, both lower- and upper-division; and (3) all UC courses required and acceptable for the student’s upper-division major program. Courses undertaken at any of the UC campuses (with the exception of UC Extension courses) are included in the computation of the grade-point average (GPA). UCSB courses taken by concurrent enrollment through Extension, beginning Fall 2000, will be included in UCSB’s GPA. Courses appropriate for satisfying major requirements must be used in the computation of the grade-point average even if they are in excess of the minimum requirements of the major program. Students who wish to receive recognition for completion of a minor must have earned a grade-point average of at least 2.0 in all courses required and acceptable for the minor, and in all courses required or acceptable for the upper-division major. Courses graded Incomplete, except those taken on a passed/not passed basis, will be included as F grades in final computations. Certain courses designated as remedial are offered for workload credit only and do not figure in calculation of the GPA. Students in the College of Creative Studies must, at the time of graduation, have a grade-point average of at least 2.0 (C) in all UC courses that have been undertaken for letter grades. Students are required to meet requirements appropriate to their chosen degree, and described under each Colleges' sections in this online catalog. To be eligible for graduation, all undergraduates must complete the requirements for a departmental or interdepartmental major in their college with the required grade-point average. As space permits, students may elect any approved major program for which they have met the stated prerequisites. Major departments and/or committees may require auditions, placement examinations, proposals, specified courses, and/or grade-point averages to determine whether students are qualified for specific courses or for entrance into or continuation in a major. Students in the College of Engineering and the College of Letters and Science normally must complete the major requirements in effect at the time they declare their major, though they may petition to follow a subsequent set of requirements. Changes in major requirements that increase the number or distribution of courses required normally will not be applied to students continuing in such majors provided there is no significant break in enrollment.
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