Academic Policies and Procedures
Academic Policies and Procedures Contents:
Academic policies and procedures described in this chapter apply to all students enrolled at UCSB. They include procedures related to enrollment and attendance, examinations, course credit, the grading system, graduation, and student conduct and responsibility.
Additional academic requirements appear in the chapters “Undergraduate Education at UCSB” and “Graduate Education at UCSB.”
Additional information on certain policies and procedures can be found in the Appendix.
Each quarter every UCSB student must register in courses and pay fees and any other outstanding financial obligations; each step must be completed at a specific time. Students use the Gaucho On-Line Data System (GOLD) to enroll on the web. Details of the registration procedure are included in the quarterly Schedule of Classes which is also available online at:
www.registrar.ucsb.edu/soc.htm.
When students are admitted to UCSB, their admission is provisional and contingent upon receipt of final official transcripts that verify information supplied in the admission application. Students who fail to provide the Office of Admissions with final transcripts, as well as students whose transcripts fail to verify information supplied in the admission application, may have their admission revoked. Admission may be revoked even if students have enrolled in, attended, and completed classes at UCSB.
The failure of a student to complete the steps involved in enrollment by the specified deadlines will constitute presumptive evidence that the student has withdrawn from the university. An eligible student who wishes to resume study will be required to file an application for readmission and pay the associated nonrefundable fee. For information concerning readmission, please see the Absence and Withdrawal section of this chapter.
Undergraduate students who are subject to academic disqualification may not officially enroll until and unless they are reinstated on academic probation by the dean of their college or school. Students with outstanding financial obligations to the university have not completed enrollment until their financial obligations have been met or they have enrolled in an Office of Billing, Accounts Receivable, and Collections (BARC) payment plan.
Undergraduates. Minimum Cumulative Progress (MCP) is a policy, effective Fall 2008, designed and approved by the faculty to provide important guideposts to ensure timely degree completion. The MCP requirement establishes a reasonable expectation of student workload. For undergraduates, the average academic study load is 15 units a quarter; the minimum full-time study load is 12 units. For more information concerning MCP requirements refer to the College of Engineering (www.engineering.ucsb.edu/current_undergraduates/mcp/) and College of Letters and Science (www.advising.ltsc.ucsb.edu/mcp.php) Web sites.
Students who are not able to carry at least 12 units a quarter must petition to register in a deficit program (or part-time status) at the time of registration. Students in the College of Letters and Science and the College of Creative Studies may petition for permanent approval of deficit programs. Under certain conditions, reduced fees may be available through the Office of Student Life for undergraduate students who have advance permission to carry 10 or fewer units a quarter.
Warning: Financial aid students who receive a Pell Grant, a Cal Grant A, or a Cal Grant B will have these grants reduced if they receive a fee refund as a result of their deficit load program. In most cases, the financial aid reduction will exceed the fee refund; thus, it is highly recommended that Pell Grant and Cal Grant recipients consult with the Financial Aid Office prior to applying for a deficit load. Students who are approved for a permanent deficit load automatically receive the fee refund and do not have the opportunity to decline it. Students who are on a deficit load program for only one quarter can choose whether to apply for a fee refund.
Even if they don’t file for an approved deficit load and don’t get a fee refund, students receiving Pell Grants or Cal Grant B Access Grants (also know as Cal B Stipends) will have those grants reduced if they are enrolled in less that 12 units. Additionally, students receiving ACG or SMART Grants will have those grants reduced to zero for any quarter in which they enroll for less than 12 units. This enrollment measurement is taken on census date, the 15th class date of each quarter. Please note that “variable unit” course units will be counted as the number of units shown on the student’s registration record on census date. The units that a student may earn by the end of the quarter are not what is used in the unit count. The reductions may include billing the student’s BARC account for the amount of the reduction. If a student’s grant is reduced or cancelled based on census date units, it cannot be increased or reinstated if the student adds more units at a later date.
The maximum number of units allowable for undergraduates each quarter varies among the three colleges; these limits are indicated in the college publications and the Schedule of Classes. Students who wish to enroll in more than the maximum number of allowable units must petition for an excess program at the time of registration.
Graduate students. Continuous registration is required of all graduate students. The minimal full-time load for graduate students is 8 units per quarter, and a course load of 12 units per quarter is strongly recommended. Students must register for at least 8 units per quarter to be eligible for campus and extramural benefits and services—e.g., to be appointed as graduate student researchers or as teaching assistants, to receive financial aid, and to qualify for student housing. There are no reduced fees for graduate students registering for fewer than 12 units. Departments have authority for individual students’ study plans in each major.
Changes in course enrollment. After registration, changes in course enrollment for all students can be made only with necessary approvals and no later than the deadlines published in the Schedule of Classes for that quarter. Such changes include dropping or adding courses and changing grading options. Unapproved withdrawal from or neglect of a course in which a student has enrolled will result in a failing grade.
1. Physicals are required for all intercollegiate athletes and must be completed at Student Health.
2. Tuberculosis (TB) skin tests are required for those admitted to the UCSB teaching credential program and for those identified as international students by their Visa status. Tests may be obtained at Student Health for a fee.
3. State law requires the Hepatitis B vaccination series be complete by the time of enrollment if you are 18 years of age or younger. The vaccination series requires three injections over a period of four to six months. If you have not already completed the full series, it is important that you see your local health care provider now to complete this requirement.
Temporary absence during a quarter. Students enrolled at UCSB who have been or will be absent from classes for a brief period of time for reasons beyond their control should notify their professors as soon as possible. Regardless of the reasons for absence, students will be required to complete all coursework.
If an absence is late in the term and prolonged, making it impossible to complete the coursework on time, a student may petition the instructor to assign an Incomplete (I) grade. To receive an I grade, the student must submit the approved petition to the Office of the Registrar by the last day of the quarter in which the I grade is to be assigned. Refer to “Incomplete Grades” under the “Grading System” section in this chapter for complete regulations. A student who is unable to make this request personally may ask the Office of Student Life to notify each instructor of the circumstances of the absence and to circulate a petition on the student’s behalf. If the instructor agrees that an extension of time for completion of the course is justified and approves the petition, a grade of Incomplete will be assigned.
Complete withdrawal. After paying fees or enrolling in a BARC payment plan, a student wishing to withdraw for a term without completing the enrollment process must first submit a petition to the Office of the Registrar.
An enrolled student who wishes to withdraw from the university during a quarter without completing the quarter’s work must obtain a Petition for Complete Withdrawal from the Office of the Registrar. If the petition and deadline requirements are met and the approval of the college dean is secured, the student’s enrollment will be withdrawn without academic penalty. The deadline for undergraduates in the College of Engineering and the College of Letters and Science to submit a completed petition is the last day of instruction for the quarter. When undergraduate students submit the completed petition after the deadline for course withdrawal for the college in which the student is enrolled, the Office of the Registrar will enter a grade of W for each course in which the student is registered. A student who receives permission to withdraw completely during the early weeks of a quarter may be entitled to a partial refund of fees for that quarter as outlined in the Schedule of Classes. Students who receive Title IV federal aid will be required to return a prorated portion if they withdraw or have their status lapsed before 60% of the quarter has passed. Upon request, the Office of Student Life will process a Petition for Complete Withdrawal for a student who cannot do so personally. If the dean of the college approves the petition, the student’s academic record will reflect the process described above.
Students who enroll and subsequently discontinue work during a quarter without an approved petition for withdrawal will receive an F, NP (not passed), or U (unsatisfactory) grade, as appropriate, for each course in which they are enrolled for that quarter. Such students are ineligible for any refund of fees, and their future registration privileges may be curtailed or revoked.
Before withdrawing, students are advised to seek counsel from faculty, departmental, and college advisors, and from Counseling Services so as to consider the full implications of this action. After withdrawal and before future registration, undergraduates must apply for and receive permission to be readmitted. The application deadlines for readmission or reinstatement significantly precede the start of the quarter. The deadlines are published in the Schedule of Classes. The opening dates for applying for readmission are noted in the calendar. Graduate students should contact the Graduate Division.
Warning. A newly admitted student who completely withdraws during his/her first quarter of enrollment and prior to or during the third week of instruction will not qualify for readmission. Under this condition the student is required to reapply through the Office of Admissions.
Withdrawal from a course. To drop a course after the established deadline for the quarter, students must petition for and obtain the approval of the dean of their college. The dean may direct the Office of the Registrar to enter a grade of W, F, NP (not passed), or U (unsatisfactory), as appropriate, on the student’s record, or may cancel the student’s enrollment. The dean may also stipulate that future enrollment in the same course be subject to approval. Students should be aware that late withdrawals are granted only under exceptional circumstances. Students should not discontinue class attendance on the assumption that the request will be approved.
Lapse of status. Lapse of status is the automatically enforced withdrawal of a student from the university. A student’s status may be lapsed (1) for failure to comply with the conditions for admission, (2) for failure to register and enroll in courses by the deadline stated in the Schedule of Classes, (3) for failure to settle financial obligations when due or to make satisfactory arrangements with the Billing, Accounts Receivable, and Collections Office (BARC) if payment cannot be made, (4) for failure to respond to official university notices (including failure to remove blocks).
Leaves of absence. Graduate students are required to maintain continuous registration. Under extraordinary circumstances graduate students may request a leave of absence from the Graduate Division. For further information concerning leaves of absence for graduate students, consult the section “Graduate Education at UCSB” or the Graduate Division Web site at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu.
Undergraduate students may request leave of absence when studying abroad through a non-UC sponsored program. For more information regarding the non-UC sponsored leave request refer to the Leaving and Returning section online at
www.registrar.ucsb.edu/stu_abr/index.htm.
Readmission–Undergraduates. Eligible undergraduate students who wish to register at UCSB after an absence, a complete withdrawal, cancellation, or lapse of their registration, must file an application for readmission with the Office of the Registrar. Eligibility will be determined at the point of application processing. Applications are available on the Registrar’s Web site at www. registrar.ucsb.edu/read_rein.htm.
Readmission opens November 1 (of the preceding year) for fall quarter; July 1 (of the preceding year) for winter quarter; October 1 (of the preceding year) for spring quarter. Readmission deadlines are:
Fall - the second Monday in August
Winter - the second Monday in November
Spring - the second Monday in February
These deadlines may be closed without notice, pending enrollment restrictions. The non-refundable application fee is $60.
Readmission is generally approved for students who were on regular academic status when they left UCSB provided that any college-level work completed in the interim is satisfactory and space is available. Transcripts of all course work undertaken elsewhere must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar to complete the readmission process.
A newly admitted student who completely withdraws during his/her first quarter of enrollment and prior to or during the third week of instruction will not qualify for readmission. Under this condition the student is required to reapply through the Office of Admissions.
Students who are seeking readmission to the College of Letters and Science after having already completed 155 or more units need the approval of the dean. In some cases, they will be required to submit a “Proposed Schedule for Graduation” before readmission will be considered. In general, readmission will be approved only for those students whose proposed schedule leads to graduation within 200 total units. As the proposal must be endorsed by the student’s major department (and minor department if a minor is planned), students should begin this process several months prior to their intended return.
Students in the College of Letters and Science should note the following application deadlines if they are seeking readmission after completion of 155 units or reinstatement after poor academic performance: the second Monday in August for fall quarter; the second Monday in November for winter quarter; the second Monday in February for spring quarter. Those who miss the deadline to apply for their desired quarter will have to apply for readmission (and/or reinstatement) to a later quarter.
Any student returning to UCSB following an absence of three quarters or more (excluding summer) must file a new Statement of Legal Residence (SLR) available online at www.registrar.ucsb.edu/residenc.htm. The deadline for submission of an SLR is two weeks from admission or readmission.
Reinstatement–Undergraduates. Students who were on reinstatement probation, or were subject to academic disqualification, or dismissed by dean’s action when they left the university, will not be considered for readmission unless first reinstated by the dean of their college. The dean will establish the conditions of such reinstatement, if approved.
Reinstatement–Graduates. Students who wish to register after a break in enrollment must petition for reinstatement through the Graduate Division. Reinstatement is not automatic and requires the approval of the student’s academic department; the student’s record will be evaluated in terms of past academic performance and timely completion of the degree. Students seeking to reinstate who have exceeded the time limit for completion of the master’s and/or doctoral degrees must also submit a plan and timetable for degree completion to their department and the Graduate Division for review and approval.
Certain courses may be repeated for credit, and are identified in the course descriptions in this catalog. Repetition of any course other than these is subject to certain regulations, which pertain only to courses completed in the University of California. This policy excludes courses taken through UC Extension, except for UCSB courses completed by Open Enrollment through Extension after spring 2000 and accepted toward the degree. The regulations are as follows:
1. An undergraduate student may repeat only those courses in which a grade of C-, D+, D, D-, F, or NP was awarded. Such courses may be repeated for letter or passed/not passed grades if the courses are so offered and if the student is eligible for that option. In no case, however, shall an NP grade replace an earlier letter grade in the computation of the grade-point average. A course in which an NP has been received may be repeated on a letter-grade basis if so offered.
2. Undergraduates who wish to repeat a course more than once must obtain the prior approval of their college dean at the time of registration.
3. Degree credit for a course will be given only once, but the grade assigned at each enrollment will be permanently recorded on the student’s transcript.
4. In computing the grade-point average of an undergraduate who repeats courses in which grades of C-, D+, D, D-, or F were received, only the most recently earned grade and grade points in each course will be used for the first 16 units repeated (unless the new grade is NP). Second attempts of W graded courses will not be added to this repeat total. In the case of repetitions beyond the 16 units, both initial and repeated grades will be used in the computation of the grade-point average. All grades, however, remain a part of the student’s permanent record.
5. Undergraduate students who plan to repeat a UCSB course at another UC campus, or vice versa, must petition the dean of their college to establish the equivalency of the courses prior to the intended repetition.
6. Undergraduate students must indicate repeats at the time of registration and when adding courses to their study load.
7. Since many graduate courses are routinely repeated for credit or to earn a better grade, graduate students must consult their academic department if they wish to repeat a class for the purpose of substituting the second grade for the first.
Additional Enrollment Opportunities
Concurrent enrollment. Students who wish to enroll simultaneously in undergraduate courses at UCSB and at another non-UC college-level institution must obtain prior approval from the dean of their college. (For concurrent enrollment at other UC’s, see “Simultaneous Enrollment Program” further on in this section.) UCSB offers a very full curriculum, and therefore concurrent enrollment is rarely approved. Normally, such enrollment is approved only for courses that are not available in the curriculum at UCSB. Graduate students may enroll at another college-level institution while pursuing a graduate degree at UCSB without the approval of the dean of the Graduate Division. See the section titled “Transfer of Credit” in the chapter “Graduate Education at UCSB” for information on the rules governing transfer of credit at UCSB.
Simultaneous enrollment by undergraduates in two colleges or schools at UCSB, such as Engineering and Letters and Science or Creative Studies and Letters and Science, is also subject to the approval of the deans of the colleges or schools involved. Graduate students may enroll in courses in two or more colleges or schools at UCSB without the approval of the dean of the Graduate Division.
Intercampus Transfer. Undergraduates may apply for transfer to another University of California campus. The Application for Undergraduate Admission is available online at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply. To ensure admission consideration, students should file their application during the appropriate filing period.
If you are or have been enrolled in a regular UCSB quarter, you may apply for an intercampus transfer to another UC campus provided you have not been registered subsequently in a regular term at another collegiate institution. A $60.00 nonrefundable fee is required at the time you submit your application. Application filing periods are listed in the “Deadlines” section.
Intercampus Visitor Program (ICV). The ICV Program allows qualified undergraduate students at UCSB to take advantage of educational opportunities at other UC campuses. Students may take courses that are not available at their home campus, participate in special programs, or study with a distinguished faculty member at another campus for one quarter. Students must meet the following qualifications:
• Current student in good standing;
• Completed a year at UCSB;
• Maintained a GPA of at least 2.0; and,
• Obtained the approval of their college.
ICV applications are available on the Registrar’s Web site at www.registrar.ucsb.edu/intercampus.htm. For more information, call the Program Coordinator at (805) 893-8905, or email: Reg-Undergrad-Visiting-Programs@sa.ucsb.edu.
Note: The host campus pays the visiting student’s financial aid. If you are a financial aid recipient, you must have a copy of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) sent to the host campus. To make this change, access your FAFSA information online at
www.fafsa.ed.gov/.
Intersegmental Cross Enrollment Program (ICE). Undergraduate students enrolled in any of the California Community Colleges, a California State University, or a University of California may enroll without formal admission in a maximum of one course per academic term at a campus of either of the other systems.
Qualifications for this program include:
• Completion of one term at the home campus;
• 6 unit minimum enrollment at home campus;
• 2.0 GPA at home campus;
• Registered/paid at home campus;
• Prerequisite requirements met; and,
• California resident.
UCSB students should note that credit toward the degree is rarely allowed for coursework taken at a community college or California State University while the student is simultaneously enrolled at UCSB. ICE applications are available on the Registrar’s Web site at www.registrar.ucsb.edu/intercampus.htm. For more information about the ICE Program, call the Program Coordinator at (805) 893-8905, or email:
Reg-Undergrad-Visiting-Programs@sa.ucsb.edu.
Simultaneous Enrollment Program.UC undergraduate students may enroll, without formal admission and without payment of additional University fees, in courses at another UC campus on a space available basis at the discretion of the appropriate campus authorities on both campuses. Qualifications for this program include:
• Completion of a minimum of 12 units as a matriculated student at the home campus;
• Combined enrollment at both campuses in the current term for a minimum of 12 units as a matriculated student;
• In good standing; and,
• Appropriate academic preparation as determined by the host campus.
For more information, call the Program Coordinator at (805) 893-8905, or send email to:
Reg-Undergrad-Visiting-Programs@sa.ucsb.edu.
Intercampus Exchange Program for Graduate Students (IEPGS). IEPGS allows qualified graduate students at UCSB to take advantage of educational opportunities at other UC campuses. If approved for IEPGS, students may take courses not available at UCSB, participate in special programs, or study with a distinguished faculty member at another campus for one quarter. Students must meet the following qualifications to be eligible to participate:
• Current student in good standing;
• Completed a year at UCSB;
• Maintained a GPA of at least 3.0;
• Obtained approval of their home department;
• Exchange approved by the Graduate Division.
Enrollment in UC Extension courses. A student who wishes to complete courses through UC Extension must obtain prior approval by petition to the dean of the student’s college. With the exception of UCSB Open Enrollment courses, Extension courses are not included in determining grade-point averages. If accepted toward a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree, UCSB courses completed by Open Enrollment through Extension in fall 2000 or later will be used to calculate a student’s UC grade-point average. Courses completed through Extension do not apply toward academic residence requirements.
Undergraduates are not eligible to complete courses by Open Enrollment through UC Extension if they were subject to disqualification or dismissed from the university at the end of their last regular quarter at UCSB. UC Extension courses in the X1-X199 series shall be accepted in fulfillment of unit requirements upon petition to the Registrar’s Office. University Extension credit courses X300 and X400 shall be accepted toward the B.A., B.S., or post-graduate programs leading to recommendations for teacher credentials only within the limitations prescribed by the various colleges and schools. Transfer of these units for fulfilling subject requirements will be determined by the usual procedures governing evaluation of credits gained at other acceptable institutions. Degree credit is not given for Extension courses in the X800 series.
Extension courses may apply to graduate degrees only if approved by the Graduate Council. Extension courses other than courses taken through Open Enrollment may apply to graduate degrees only with the prior approval of the Graduate Division and the academic department. See the section titled “Transfer of Credit” in the chapter “Graduate Education at UCSB” for information on the rules governing the transfer of credit from UC Extension.
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Final examinations
Final examinations are required in all undergraduate courses. The official dates and times of all final examinations are published in the Schedule of Classes. No instructor is authorized to change these times without maximum unless it has been predetermined by the Disabled Students Program that this is an appropriate accommodation for which the student is eligible. The maximum time for a final in a non-laboratory course is three hours. Individual exceptions from finals are not permitted except in the case of comprehensive examinations.
Comprehensive examinations
At the end of a quarter in which an undergraduate student expects to graduate, the major department may (1) examine the student’s competency in the major field, (2) exempt the student from final examinations in courses offered by the department during that quarter, and (3) with the approval of the Undergraduate Council, assign a credit value to such a comprehensive examination.
Credit by Examination
Students currently registered in any regular term who by reason of advance preparation believe themselves to be adequately grounded in the materials and principles of a given course may petition for credit by examination for any course offered at UCSB, or in any other subject appropriate for inclusion in a University curriculum. If credit is sought in a course not regularly offered at UCSB, the petition must be approved by the Undergraduate Council.
Because of the nature of graduate degree requirements, the credit by examination option is not normally used by graduate students. Under no circumstances can a graduate course be completed through the credit by examination option. Questions may be directed to the Graduate Division.
Students may elect, at the time their petition is initiated, to take the examination on the Passed/Not Passed basis, provided they are eligible for enrollment in a course on that basis during that term and P/NP grading is offered for the course, and they will be assigned the grade they earned in the examination. Failure to pass the examination will be recorded as an F, NP, or U, whichever is appropriate, in the student’s record.
Certain courses, by reason of special features of the instruction, such as extensive laboratory work, may not be considered appropriate for obtaining credit by examination. In addition, credit by examination will not be approved in the following circumstances: (1) if the student has had prior instruction in the topic (including during high school), (2) for the purpose of repeating a course, (3) for courses in subjects in which the student has completed more advanced work, (4) for elementary and intermediate courses in a student’s native language, or (5) for granting credit for a course which the student has attended or audited. All petitions for credit by examination must be approved by the dean of the appropriate college in advance of the date of the examination. Accordingly, each petition for credit by examination must be submitted to the dean at least three weeks prior to the examination. Ordinarily, credit by examination is limited to 12 units.
Auditing Courses
During the regular academic year, students may audit a course (sit in unofficially) with the permission of the instructor. During summer sessions there are more formal procedures to follow, as described in the Summer Sessions catalog. Auditors are not expected to do assignments, take examinations, or participate in classroom discussion, and no record of the audited class appears on the student’s quarter schedule or UCSB transcript. Students will not be permitted to earn credit by examination in courses which they have audited.
Dead Week
“Dead Week” is the week prior to final examinations. The purpose of dead week is to allow students time to begin preparation for final examinations without academic obligations beyond the normal class meetings. The giving of any examinations is, therefore, strongly discouraged, especially giving two examinations in the same course within the time span of dead week and finals week.
Further, the scheduling during dead week, by faculty or departments, of non-instructional events for which student participation is mandatory, is also strongly discouraged, and requires advance approval by the Office of Student Life.
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Credit for academic work at UCSB is expressed in units. Generally, the value assigned to a course is determined at the rate of 1 unit for every 3 hours of student work required each week during a 10-week term. The unit value assigned to a course is determined by the number of class meetings each week and by the student’s class preparation time.
Class Level
Undergraduate class level is determined by the number of units completed, as
follows:
Class Level Units Required Lower Division Freshman 0.0 - 44.9 Sophomore 45 - 89.9 Upper Division Junior 90 - 134.9 Senior 135.0 or more
The following grades are used to report on the work of UCSB students:
Undergraduate Courses Graduate Courses A (excellent) A (excellent) B (good) B (good) C (adequate) C (adequate) D (barely passing) D (barely passing) F (not passing) F (not passing) P (passed) S (satisfactory) NP (not passed) U (unsatisfactory) I (incomplete) I (incomplete) IP (in progress) IP (in progress) W (withdrawal; undergraduate
students only)
The grades A, B, C, and D may be modified by plus (+) or minus (-) suffixes. Grade points for each unit are assigned by the registrar as follows:
A+ = 4.0 A = 4.0 A- = 3.7 B+ = 3.3 B = 3.0 B- = 2.7 C+ = 2.3 C = 2.0 C- = 1.7 D+ = 1.3 D = 1.0 D- = 0.7 F, I, IP, P, NP, S, U and W = 0
Unit credit, but not grade-point credit, is assigned for P and S grades. For a description of the grading system in the College of Creative Studies, see the College of Creative Studies section.
The grade Incomplete (I) may be assigned when a student’s work is of passing quality but is incomplete.
Petitioning process. An Incomplete grade may be placed on a student’s record only if the completed Petition for an Incomplete Grade is signed by the instructor and is on file in the Office of the Registrar by the last day of the quarter. In the absence of the petition or of a specific grade other than I, the registrar will record a grade of F, NP, or U. A $5 Incomplete Grade Processing fee is charged to the student’s BARC account for each Incomplete grade.
Completion deadline. The student is entitled to have the grade of Incomplete replaced by a passing grade as determined by the instructor concerned, and to receive unit credit and appropriate grade points, upon satisfactory completion of the coursework. Coursework must be completed by the end of the term following the term in which the I grade was reported, whether or not the student is enrolled for the quarter or the course is offered. Unless the work is completed and a grade is reported to the Office of the Registrar by the deadline, the I will be changed automatically to F, NP, or U, as appropriate.
If the instructor is unavailable, the chair of the department in which the course was offered is authorized to supervise completion of the work and to make the appropriate grade change. The instructor and chair also have authority to extend the deadline for completion in the event of unusual circumstances that would clearly impose an unfair hardship on the student if the original deadline were maintained.
An Incomplete grade on the student’s record at the time of graduation in a course not necessary for the fulfillment of degree requirements may be removed only up to the end of the fifth week of the term following the date of graduation. An I grade may be removed by the student’s submission of completed coursework to the faculty member for the assigning of a new grade. If not removed, the I grade remains an I permanently.
Grade changes to Incomplete. A grade may be changed to an I only with the approval of the dean of the student’s college and successful completion of the petitioning process.
Graduate students. Graduate students should consult “Academic Eligibility for Graduate Students” below, for details on the possible ramifications of I grades.
The In-Progress grade (IP) may be assigned provisionally in all but the last term of special courses extending over more than one term. In the last term, the grade assigned by the instructor replaces the provisional IP grades for all prior portions of the course. If a student fails to enroll in or complete the final course of a sequence in the next quarter in which it is offered, the IP grades will be replaced by the grade of I. Further changes of that grade will be subject to the conditions covering Incomplete grades. IP designations are not included in the computation of grade-point averages. Courses graded IP are identified in the Schedule of Classes.
Passed/not passed grades (P/NP) are not included in the computation of university grade-point averages. Courses graded P, however, are acceptable for unit and appropriate degree credit. P grades will be assigned only for coursework equivalent to a C or better on the letter-grade basis. NP grades will be assigned for work equivalent to a C- or below. No credit is given for courses graded NP.
Some undergraduate courses may be offered exclusively on a P/NP basis. These courses are identified in the Schedule of Classes. Undergraduate students on academic probation, as well as those in good standing, may take such courses without special approval. Graduate students may take undergraduate courses P/NP with the approval of their graduate advisor, provided the course is offered P/NP.
Undergraduate students may elect the P/NP grading option for courses provided they meet the following conditions:
They are in good academic standing (i.e., not on academic probation).
The course is open to all qualified students on this basis and is so designated in the Schedule of Classes.
The course is not required or accepted for the student’s major or minor. Courses in the major or minor, whether lower- or upper-division, in or outside of the major department, must be taken for a letter grade. With prior approval of appropriate faculty committees, a department may specify that certain “major” or “minor” courses may be taken P/NP. Courses for which such approval has been granted are identified in the department entries in this catalog.
They elect this option at the time of registration or thereafter, but not later than the end of the seventh week of classes. Students are responsible for determining whether they are qualified to enroll in courses on a P/NP basis according to the requirements stated here.
At the time of graduation, they will have completed at least 120, or two-thirds, of their units earned in residence at UCSB on a letter-grade basis. There is no limit on the number of courses that may be taken P/NP during a single quarter. The limitation on the number of units taken P/NP does not apply to students who are majoring exclusively in Creative Studies.
They have not been restricted or prohibited from the use of the P/NP option due to having earned an excessive number of NP grades. Students with more than 8 units of NP grades in one quarter or with more than 20 units of NP grades in all terms of university enrollment combined may be so restricted. In the case of repeated courses in which the initial grade was NP, the original NP will not be included in this 20-unit total.
Students who take courses in their major department in excess of minimum major or minor requirements may elect the P/NP option for those courses.
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grades
Graduate students may take graduate courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis provided the course is so offered and their graduate advisor approves. (Courses numbered 200-599 are eligible to be graded S/U, while courses numbered 1-199 are eligible to be graded P/NP.) S grades will be assigned for coursework equivalent to a B or better on the letter-grade basis. U grades will be assigned for work equivalent to a B- or below. In some departments, classes required for the degree must be taken for letter grades. Students electing the S/U grading option should discuss this issue with their graduate advisor.
For undergraduate students, the W grade will be assigned when a student withdraws from the university or receives permission to drop a course after the deadline for dropping courses established by the Executive Committee of the college or school in which the student is enrolled. The W grade will be assigned for each course affected, including graduate courses when an undergraduate student has been approved to enroll in a graduate course and subsequently withdraws. Courses in which a W has been entered on the student’s record will be disregarded in determining a student’s grade-point average and will not be considered as courses attempted in assessing the student’s grade-point average for graduation. W grades are not assigned to graduate students. When graduate students successfully withdraw from a course, it is permanently removed from their transcript.
All grades except I and IP are final when submitted to the registrar by the instructor, subject to the provisions noted in “Contested Grades” (below). Thereafter, an instructor may report a grade correction only in the case of clerical or procedural error.
An instructor also may change a grade in the quarter following that in which the original grade was received if the basis for the change is found in work previously accomplished in the course as a part of the student’s regular participation in class activity. However, such changes must not create inequities to others whose grades remain unaltered. No final grade (except I) may be revised by reexamination or additional coursework. Further, no letter grade may be changed to P/NP, and no P or NP may be changed to a letter grade unless the change is approved by the dean of the student’s college. All grades changed to Incomplete must be accompanied by the necessary Incomplete Grade Petition endorsed by the dean of the student’s college.
A student may challenge a grade on grounds that it was based on criteria not directly reflective of coursework. Full appeal procedures and review authorities are described in detail in the Appendix.
www.registrar.sa.ucsb.edu/ts.htm
Official transcripts are printed on security paper and display the entire academic history of a student at UCSB. They may be ordered from the Office of the Registrar. Transcripts are sent first class U.S. mail. Current prices for both transcripts and verifications are available on the Registrar’s Web site at
www.registrar.sa.ucsb.edu/ts.htm.
Currently registered students may also order Official Transcripts by accessing the GOLD system at: http://my.ucsb.edu. The fee will be billed to the student’s BARC account when ordered through GOLD. Transcripts will not be released if the student has outstanding financial obligations to the university. It currently takes 3-4 working days to process a standard transcript request. Additional information is available on the Office of the Registrar’s Web site at: www.registrar.ucsb.edu/ts.htm, or by calling (805) 893-3135.
Official Transcript Orders Paid by Credit Card
Non-current students may order Official Transcripts through our third party credit card vendor using any credit card. Students will need to furnish their seven-digit permanent ID (PERM) or social security number. This service is available only by Web site; the additional expenses incurred through this vendor involve service charges for credit card use. Our credit card vendor can be reached from our Web site at: www.registrar.sa.ucsb.edu/ts.htm.
Verifications of Student Status
Official Verifications are printed on security paper with specific statements verifying a student’s enrollment, degree status, overall GPA, etc.
If you wish to expedite the delivery of your Verification, call (805) 893-3135 for more information.
Arrangements for Rush and Federal Express services need to be made in advance with the Registrar’s Office.
Currently registered students may also order verifications by accessing GOLD. The fee will be billed to the student’s BARC account when ordered through GOLD.
Enrollment and degree information of most students is now also available on the UCSB Registrar’s Web site at no charge. This service is available for students whose records have been converted to our new computer system. This includes all students enrolled from 1990 on and many students from previous decades. The Web site is http://gnet.ucsb.edu/verification/. This Web site is designed to be used by employers and businesses who just need to verify information without obtaining an official document. To access this information, it will be necessary to have the student’s last name and also two of these three pieces of information: first name, first five digits of the student’s social security number or birth day and month. Through this Web site the student’s dates of attendance and status at UCSB, the student’s major and address information and the date the student’s degree was awarded can be verified.
Verifications of enrollment for a given academic term cannot be released until the student has registered and is in paid status for that term. Additional information is available on the Office of the Registrar Web site at www.registrar.ucsb.edu/ts.htm or by calling (805) 893-3135.
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Academic probation. Undergraduate students in the College of Creative Studies, the College of Engineering, and the College of Letters and Science are placed on academic probation if their cumulative grade-point average in the University of California falls below 2.0 (C average) at the end of any quarter. While on academic probation, students are under the supervision of the dean of their college. Students on academic probation will be returned to regular academic status if they raise their cumulative average to 2.0 or above by the end of their second quarter on academic probation.
Academic disqualification. Any of the following conditions make undergraduate students in the College of Creative Studies, the College of Engineering, and the College of Letters and Science subject to academic disqualification from further enrollment at UCSB:
1. At the end of any quarter their grade-point
average is less than 1.5 for that quarter.
2. Their grade-point average for any quarter falls below 2.0 while they are on academic probation.
3. After two consecutive quarters on academic probation they have not raised their cumulative UC grade-point average to 2.0 or better.
4. While on reinstatement-probation their quarter grade-point average is below 2.2 and their cumulative grade-point average is below 2.0.
Students who are subject to academic disqualification are not eligible to register again at UCSB until and unless they are reinstated on probation by the dean of their college. Students should refer to the college publications for further information concerning academic disqualification.
Reinstatement. Undergraduate students subject to academic disqualification may appeal to the dean of their college for reinstatement on probationary status. The dean will decide if a student may be reinstated and may set conditions for reinstatement. Reinstated students may register at UCSB under the conditions set by their dean and will be subject to the dean’s supervision until they have regained regular academic status.
In order to transfer either from one UC campus to another or from one school or college to another on the same campus, students who are on academic probation or subject to academic disqualification must obtain the approval of the dean of the college or school to which transfer is requested. Upon completion of the transfer, the student is subject to the supervision of the dean of that college or school.
Academic Eligibility for Graduate Students
Academic standards for graduate students at UCSB are determined by the Graduate Council and by individual academic departments. Students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 (B) to remain in good standing in the Graduate Division at UCSB and to be awarded a graduate degree. (Note that some departments set a standard higher than 3.0.) Students must also complete university and departmental requirements in a timely manner to remain in good standing. Students with lower grade-point averages are subject to dismissal. On the academic department’s recommendation, the Graduate Dean either places such students on academic probation or dismisses them from graduate status. Graduate students carrying more than 12 units of Incompletes, No Record, and/or No Grades may be placed on academic probation and become subject to dismissal. For information concerning academic standards for graduate students, consult the chapter “Graduate Education at UCSB” or the Graduate Division Web site at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/academic.
In addition to the basic standards of scholarship detailed above, doctoral students who cannot develop a satisfactory dissertation research proposal or form a faculty committee of three members to supervise the dissertation research are subject to dismissal from graduate standing for failure to make satisfactory progress toward the degree. Doctoral students who fail to advance to candidacy within four years of admission become subject to academic probation and possible dismissal. Master’s students have four years to complete their degree; doctoral students have seven years. Students must make timely progress toward degree completion to avoid becoming subject to academic probation and possible dismissal.
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Office of the Registrar
College of Creative Studies
Graduate Division
Undergraduate students are responsible for reviewing records carefully to ensure that they are completing all degree requirements. To assist in preparing for graduation, students should review the following records located in the Academic History section within GOLD.
New Student Profile listing degree requirements and any transfer credit earned is available online to students soon after they are admitted to UCSB.
Credit Memo is a summary available to UCSB students who earned transferable credit from another institution.
Progress Check is an evaluation of how completed courses and exams are applied toward University and college requirements. This does not include major requirements.
Degree Audit is an evaluation of how completed courses and exams are applied to University, college, and major requirements.
A graduation check is performed by the Office of the Registrar when an undergraduate declares candidacy for graduation. As the graduation check is a final review of records, it occurs too late to be of assistance in deciding which courses to take during the last quarter.
For assistance in reviewing major requirements, students should consult their major department advisor.
Students in the College of Creative Studies are expected to consult with their assigned advisors on a quarterly basis to monitor progress, both in the major and toward graduation.
Graduate students must declare their candidacy for a graduate degree with both their academic departments and the Graduate Division at the beginning of the quarter they intend to complete the degree. A graduate degree cannot be awarded until the student has fulfilled all relevant university and departmental degree requirements, as determined by degree checks conducted by the student’s academic department and the Graduate Division. The degree candidate is responsible for correcting any deficiencies found during a final degree check.
Schedule of Classes
GOLD
Graduate Division
All candidates for undergraduate degrees must announce their candidacy for graduation on GOLD no later than the second week in the quarter in which the degree is anticipated. (See specific deadlines in the Schedule of Classes.) In order to graduate at the end of a given quarter, students must complete all work necessary for the fulfillment of degree requirements (including transfer work and any Incomplete grades) by the last day of the quarter. Students who find that they are not eligible to graduate as planned must withdraw candidacy for that quarter on GOLD. Students must declare candidacy on GOLD for the new date of graduation. The student will not be considered a candidate for a degree until such action is taken.
Graduate students must communicate their intent to graduate with their academic department in order to begin the process of a degree check. This process is finalized by the Graduate Division.
Although there are four possible dates of graduation each year (December, March, June, and September), commencement ceremonies are held only once a year in June. Undergraduate students whose names are on the degree list for one of the quarters in the current academic year (including spring and summer candidates for the degree) and who have completed or plan to complete all degree requirements, are eligible to participate in these ceremonies. Information concerning commencement will be sent to potential candidates during spring quarter. Undergraduate students with questions about commencement ceremonies are asked to phone (805) 893-8289. Graduate students may call (805) 893-2277. Graduate students can find information and register for the Graduate Division Commencement Ceremony at
www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/commence. This Web site is updated around February 1 each year.
Office of the Registrar
Graduate Division
Diplomas are mailed several months after graduation. Students who need official verification of graduation before the diploma is ready may order transcripts from the Office of the Registrar. The degree earned must be indicated on the transcript request. If all degree requirements have been completed prior to the official date of graduation, and if immediate proof that requirements have been met is needed, undergraduate students may request a letter of verification from the Office of the Registrar. Graduate degree candidates who need proof of degree completion prior to receipt of their final transcript should request a letter of degree verification from the Graduate Division.
Undergraduate honors at graduation
UC Extension
College of Letters and Science Honors Program
To be eligible for honors at graduation an undergraduate student must have completed at least 76 letter graded units within the University of California, including summer session but excluding UC Extension. UCSB courses taken by open enrollment through Extension, beginning Fall 2000, will be included in UCSB’s GPA. If all graduation requirements are met, honors are awarded by each college as approved by the Undergraduate Council. Honors are awarded to the top 20% in the following order:
Top 2.5% Highest Honors
Next 6% High Honors
Next 11.5% Honors
The grade-point average thresholds for the above honors categories are calculated based on the population of graduates from the preceding academic year.
Distinction in the Major is awarded to students who successfully complete a project or thesis with distinction as part of a departmental senior honors program.
College Honors are awarded to students in the College of Letters and Science who have completed 135 or more graded units in the University of California with a grade-point average of at least 3.85.
The Certificate of Academic Excellence is presented to students who have completed the College of Letters and Science Honors Program.
Because of the advanced nature of graduate degree work, no additional honors are assigned for the award of a graduate degree.
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Students registered in the University of California assume an obligation to act in a manner compatible with the university’s function as an educational institution. The publication titled Campus Regulations Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students, available from the Office of Student Life, describes policies and regulations concerning these issues.
Allegations of violations of campus or university regulations will be investigated by appropriate officials. The university reserves the right to make the final determination in any case of student discipline. All disciplinary actions are administered by virtue of authority vested in or delegated by the chancellor.
The core of a university’s integrity is its scholastic honesty. Academic dishonesty vitiates the university’s educational role and defrauds all who comprise its community. It is expected that students understand and subscribe to the ideal of academic integrity and are willing to bear individual responsibility for their work. Materials submitted to fulfill academic requirements must represent a student’s own efforts. Any act of academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism or other forms of cheating, is unacceptable and will be met with disciplinary action.
Schedule of Classes
Office of the Registrar
Each student is responsible for compliance with the regulations printed in the General Catalog, college publications, and the Schedule of Classes, and with official notices published in the campus newspaper or posted on official bulletin boards. Changes of name or address or both must be reported to the Office of the Registrar immediately.
All material, of whatever nature, submitted by a student in satisfaction of all or any portion of a course requirement is the property of the university and is not subject to any claim on the part of the student who has submitted it. Any material produced by a student independent of any course requirement must be removed from university premises no later than the last day of the quarter in which the work was produced. The university assumes no obligation to hold or safeguard such material, and the risk of possible destruction, loss, or other disposition is assumed solely by the student.
Each instructor has the authority to determine whether a student is sufficiently prepared to enter upon or to continue in the study of that instructor’s subject. However, an instructor may not exclude a student from a course on political grounds, or for reasons of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, ethnic origin, disability, or for other arbitrary or personal reasons. A student who believes that such criteria were used may challenge the instructor’s decision by means of the grievance procedures set forth in the Appendix.
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Being a student at a world-class institution confers privilege, prestige, and unique opportunity, but it also obligates you to meet a set of standards and to fulfill certain expectations. I ask only three things from you as a student in our academic community: scholarship, leadership, and citizenship. If you deliver these and hold to the values articulated below, your time at UCSB will be more meaningful and what you take away at graduation will be infinitely more valuable.
Integrity in Academic Pursuits
In an institution where the search for knowledge and truth is the primary goal, integrity in teaching, learning, research, and scholarship is paramount. Dishonesty undermines our common missions. This translates into the obvious: write your own papers, take your own tests, do your own work.
Respect and Consideration in Interactions with Others
The real test of this value comes when we encounter people whose backgrounds, beliefs, and world views differ from our own. If your educational experience is all that it should be, you will graduate prepared to navigate a society that comprises many different kinds of people. You will also graduate having seen and understood different world views, and will perhaps expand your own. These are the key skills of the new century, and your education will be incomplete if you graduate without these abilities.
Mutual respect is a non-negotiable. What this means is that there are some boundaries that should not be crossed. Intolerant and disrespectful behavior, especially regarding race, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity, and religion, compromises our sense of community and our ability to live and learn together.
Free, Open, and Respectful Exchange of Ideas
Our community requires the respectful exchange of ideas. People should be passionate about what they believe and how they express that belief, but they must also be civil in both word and deed. This principle is particularly important when a community encompasses people who have different backgrounds, world views, etc. I am not talking about political correctness, I am talking about basic respect — about how people treat one another, not about what people think or believe.
Contributions to and Participation in the Community
We should all serve the campus and community while we are here. Contributing to the community can take the form of simply being a good citizen, being considerate of neighbors, cleaning up the campus and community, volunteering at a school or social service in town, or helping to raise money for charity.
Michael D. Young
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs