Academic Policies and Procedures
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.
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the steps involved in enrollment by the specified deadlines will constitute presumptive evidence that the student has withdrawn from the university. A student who wishes to resume study will be required to file an application for readmission and pay the associated nonrefundable fee.
Undergraduate students who are subject to academic disqualification may not officially enroll until and unless they are reinstated on academic probation by the dean or provost 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 officially deferred by the Office of Billing, Accounts Receivable, and Collections (BARC).
Enrollment limits. Continuous registration is expected of all graduate students. Although the normal courseload for graduate students is 12 units per quarter, they must register for at least 8 units per quarter to be eligible for many campus and extramural benefits and services-i.e., to be appointed as graduate student researchers or as teaching assistants, to receive many forms of financial aid, and to qualify for student housing. For undergraduates, the average academic study load is 15 units a quarter; the minimum full-time study load is 12 units. Undergraduate 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. There are no reduced fees for graduate students registering for less than 12 units.
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. Except as authorized by their departments, graduate students should not enroll in more than 12 units of strictly graduate work-i.e., courses numbered in the 200s and/or 400s-or in more than 16 units of upper-division coursework, or in a combination of upper-division and graduate course work which exceeds these maximums.
Changes in course enrollment. After registration, changes in course enrollment 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.
Examinations. The university recommends that students have a physical examination by a physician within one year prior to the first day of classes at UCSB. Physicals are required for all Intercollegiate Athletes and must be completed at the Student Health Service. Measles, mumps, rubella, and all other childhood immunizations should be completed and up-to-date prior to entering the university. TB skin tests are required for those admitted to the UCSB teaching credential program and for those born outside the U.S. Tests may be obtained at the Student Health Service for a fee.
AIDS/HIV infection. It is university policy to base admissions on academic criteria, not medical information. Students with AIDS or HIV infection are encouraged to apply for admission and, if accepted, should attend classes and participate in all aspects of campus life. Whenever possible, reasonable accommodations will be made for students with HIV infection. Information and counseling services concerning AIDS may be obtained at the Student Health Service. Telephone: (805) 893-3434.
Insurance. Although health insurance is required only for international and graduate students, it is strongly recommended for all students. Purchase of the mandatory Graduate Student Health Insurance (GSHIP) or completion of the waiver process is required for international and graduate students to complete the quarterly enrollment process. An optional accident and sickness insurance plan for undergraduates, which supplements the services offered by the Student Health Service, is available. Please call the Student Health Service insurance office for more information. Telephone:(805)893-2592.
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. Once fees have been paid or officially deferred, or after a financial aid agreement has been signed for a particular quarter, students then wishing to withdraw for that term without completing the enrollment process must do so by petition to the Office of the Registrar.
An enrolled student who withdraws 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 requirements are met and the approval of the college provost or dean is secured, the student's enrollment will be withdrawn without academic penalty. 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. Upon request, the Office of Student Life will process a Petition for Complete Withdrawal for a student who cannot do so personally. If the provost or 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, or college advisors, or from the Counseling Center 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. Graduate students should contact the Graduate Division.
Withdrawal from a course. To withdraw from a course after the established deadline each quarter, students must petition for and obtain the approval of the provost or dean of their college. The provost or 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 provost or 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 for any of these reasons: (1) failure to register by the deadlines stated in the Schedule of Classes; (2) failure to settle financial obligations when due or to make satisfactory arrangements with the Billing, Accounts Receivable, and Collections Office if payment cannot be made; or (3) failure to respond to official university notices. Students who have had their status lapsed are required to pay a prorated portion of all assessed fees up to the date of such lapse, in accordance with the fee refund schedule in the Schedule of Classes.
Leaves of absence. Continuous registration is required of all graduate students. 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 chapter "Graduate Education at UCSB" or the Graduate Division web site at http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu (will open in a new browser window)
Readmission. Undergraduate students who wish to register at UCSB after an absence, or after complete withdrawal, cancellation, or lapse of their registration, must file an application for readmission with the Office of the Registrar. Official transcripts of any work undertaken elsewhere in the interim must be submitted. The opening dates for applying for readmission are noted in the calendar at the beginning of this catalog. The application periods, which are also published in the Schedule of Classes, may be closed earlier without notice, pending enrollment restrictions.
Undergraduates who were on reinstatement-probation or who were subject to academic disqualification or dismissed by dean's action when they left the university will not be considered for readmission unless they are reinstated by the provost or dean of their college, who may establish the conditions of such reinstatement.
Students who are seeking readmission to the College of Letters and Science after having already completed 155 or more units 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.
Graduate students who wish to register after a break in registration of six quarters or less must petition for reinstatement through the Graduate Division. If the break in registration is longer than six quarters, they must apply for readmission. Neither readmission nor reinstatement is automatic; the student's record will be evaluated against those in the current applicant pool.
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 provost or 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. 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 provost or 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, graduate students must consult the Graduate Division and their academic department if they wish to repeat a class for the purpose of substituting the second grade for the first.
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 provost or 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.
Enrollment in UC Extension courses. A student who wishes to complete courses through UC Extension must obtain prior approval by petition to the provost or dean of the student's college. Extension courses are not included in determining grade-point averages and do not apply toward academic residence requirements. UC Extension courses in the 1-199 series may be counted toward undergraduate degrees upon petition. Degree credit is not given for Extension courses in the X300, X400, and X800 series.
Extension courses may apply to graduate degrees only if approved by the Graduate Council. Extension courses other than courses taken through concurrent 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.
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 Committee on Undergraduate Courses, assign a credit value to such a comprehensive examination.
Credit by Examination. Students currently registered in any 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 Committee on Undergraduate Courses.
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 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. Ordinarily, credit by examination is limited to 12 units.
| Units Required | |
| Freshman | 0.0 - 39.9 |
| Sophomore | 40.0 - 83.9 |
| Junior | 84.0 - 134.9 |
| Senior | 135.0 or more |
| Undergraduate Courses | Graduate Courses |
| A (excellent) | A (excellent) |
| B (good) | B (good) |
| C (adequate) | C (adequate) |
| D (barely passing) D | (poor) |
| 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) |
W (withdrawal; undergraduate
students only) |
| 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 |
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 chapter in this catalog.
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 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 chair also has 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.
Graduate students carrying more than 12 units of Incompletes and/or No Grades may be placed on academic probation and become subject to dismissal for failing to make timely progress toward degree completion. To be eligible to advance to candidacy for either a master's or doctoral degree, graduate students must remove all Incomplete and No-Grades from their records. Master's degree candidates who are continuing on to a doctoral program must remove all Incomplete and No-Grades to be eligible to be awarded a master's degree.
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.
These deadlines do not apply to the following graduate courses: 597, 598, and 599. Incomplete grades in these courses must be replaced by a letter grade or S or U, as appropriate, by the end of the last quarter the student seeks to advance to candidacy, or by the end of the last quarter in which the student is registered prior to receipt of the master's or doctoral degree.
Grade changes to Incomplete. A grade may be changed to an I only with the approval of the provost or dean of the student's college and successful completion of the petitioning process.
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:
1. They are in good academic standing (i.e., not on academic probation).
2. The course is open to all qualified students on this basis and is so designated in the Schedule of Classes.
3. The course is not required or accepted for the student's major. Courses in the major, 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" courses may be taken P/NP. Courses for which such approval has been granted are identified in the major department entries in this catalog.
4. 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.
5. 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 Creative Studies majors.
6. 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.
7. Students who take courses in their major department in excess of minimum major requirements may elect the P/NP option for those courses.
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, and no letter grade may be changed to or from P/NP. All grades changed to Incomplete must be accompanied by the necessary Incomplete Grade Petition endorsed by the provost or dean of the student's college.
If the designated authorities determine that a grade reflects unacceptable criteria, as specified earlier, they will (1) authorize retroactive withdrawal from the course, or (2) authorize the change of the contested grade, or (3) if it was offered in the College of Creative Studies, change the unit value of the course.
Transcripts of the official record may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. Requests for transcripts must be signed by the student and accompanied by $5 per copy. For additional information call (805) 893-3135. Arrangements for mailing transcripts using any mail service other than first class must be made in advance with the Office of the Registrar.
Students with financial obligations to the university will have transcripts withheld until such obligations have been officially cleared or extended. Transcripts of work completed at any UC Extension, another campus of the university, or at another institution must be requested directly from the campus or institution concerned.
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 provost or 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 provost or dean of their college for reinstatement on probationary status. The provost or 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 provost or dean and will be subject to the provost's or 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 provost or 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 provost or dean of that college or school.
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 admitted fall 1995 or later must advance to candidacy within four years or be subject to dismissal.
Students in the College of Engineering who have completed 130 units should request a Progress Evaluation from the College's Office of Undergraduate Studies. This statement will indicate the student's progress in fulfilling university and college requirements, as well as major requirements.
Students in the College of Letters and Science who have completed between 84 and 134.9 units may request a Progress Evaluation from the college office. Students who have completed at least 135 units and who have not declared candidacy for graduation may request a Progress Evaluation from the Office of the Registrar. Only one such request will be honored for each student. These statements indicate the student's progress in fulfilling university and college requirements. 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.
Undergraduate students may obtain information on progress and/or degree checks from their college office.
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 remedying any deficiencies found during a final degree check.
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.
Diplomas are not available for several months after graduation. Graduate students should complete a Diploma Request form with the Office of the Registrar indicating the appropriate address. 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 by using the appropriate request form when they declare their candidacy for a graduate degree.
Undergraduate honors at graduation. 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. If all graduation requirements are met, honors are awarded by each college as approved by the Committee on Undergraduate Scholarships, Honors, and Prizes. 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. In exceptional circumstances, students not meeting these criteria may petition the Committee on Undergraduate Scholarships, Honors and Prizes for special consideration.
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.
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.