12-13 Coc Guide v7 - College of Chemistry - University of ...

Academic Policies
Academic Advising and Approval of
Planned Class Schedules
Members of the faculty are assigned as
advisers to assist students in planning their
programs and in pursuing their chosen
interests. During scheduled academic
advising periods, students are required
to meet with their faculty advisers by
appointment.
Undergraduate staff advisers are assigned
to assist students in choosing courses, to
approve students’ petitions, and to advise
students on other academic matters.
Good preparation is strongly advised before
consulting with an adviser. Students should
have at least a tentative idea of the courses
they wish to take and should try to acquaint
themselves beforehand with the course
requirements listed in this guide.
Class Schedule Requirements
Ordinarily students will not be permitted
to enroll in fewer than 13 or more than 19½
units per semester. In addition, ordinarily
students will not be permitted to enroll
in fewer than 12 units of courses that will
satisfy degree requirements per semester.
Chemical engineering freshmen and
students majoring in Chemistry are required
to enroll in a minimum of one chemistry
course each semester. Students majoring in
Chemical Engineering other than freshmen
are required to enroll in a minimum of one
chemical and biomolecular engineering
course each semester.
Students are expected to complete the math
and physics course requirements as soon as
possible, because math and physics courses
are prerequisite to other required courses.
Students are also expected to complete the
Reading and Composition requirement as
soon as possible, so they have a foundation
for courses that require writing skills.
Students must complete a first-level reading
and composition course (e.g., English R1A)
by the end of their freshman year and, for
Chemical Biology and Chemistry majors
only, a second-level course (e.g., Rhetoric
R1B) by the end of their sophomore year.
Changes to Planned Class Schedules
The deadline for adding courses without
a fee is the third Friday after instruction
begins, and the deadline for adding courses
with a fee is the fifth Friday after instruction
begins. The deadline for dropping courses
without a fee and for dropping early-dropdeadline
courses is the second Friday
after instruction begins. The deadline for
dropping courses with a fee is the fifth
Friday after instruction begins. The deadline
for changing grading option is the tenth
Friday after instruction begins. After the
fifth Friday of classes, proposed grading
option changes must be submitted to the
student’s staff adviser on a petition to change
class schedule.
Visit chemistry.berkeley.edu/student_info/
undergrad_info for specific deadlines each
semester.
After the above deadlines the Undergraduate
Dean’s approval is required for class
schedule changes. Late class schedule
changes will be granted only under rare
and exceptional circumstances. All courses
for which a drop is processed after the fifth
Friday of instruction will appear on the
student’s official transcript permanently.
Waiver of the transcript notation is rarely
granted.
Passed/Not Passed Courses
Students in good standing may take some
courses on a passed/not passed basis. Such
courses are acceptable only for free electives
and for the following specific requirements:
• for chemistry or chemical biology majors,
Foreign Language requirement and 15-unit
Breadth requirement except for Reading
and Composition; and
• for chemical engineering majors, 19-unit
Breadth requirement except for Reading
and Composition (4 units).
Courses acceptable in satisfaction of the
University requirements for American History
and Institutions and the Berkeley campus
requirement for American Cultures may also
be taken on a passed/not passed basis.
Credit for passing passed/not passed courses
counts toward graduation, but passed/not
passed grades are disregarded in computing
a student’s GPA.
Students on academic probation (below a C
average, either overall or for the previous
semester) are not allowed to take courses on
a passed/not passed basis with the exception
of recreational physical education courses
and courses offered only on a passed/not
passed basis.
Limit on Semesters
Students in the College of Chemistry who
entered Berkeley as freshmen are allowed
eight semesters to graduate. Chemistry
or chemical biology majors who entered
Berkeley as transfer students are allowed
four semesters to graduate. Chemical
engineering majors who entered Berkeley as
transfer students are allowed five semesters
to graduate. Note: Summer sessions are
excluded when determining the limit on
semesters. Students who wish to delay
graduation to complete a minor, a double
major, or simultaneous degrees must request
approval for delay of graduation before what
would normally be their final two semesters.
The College of Chemistry does not have a
rule regarding maximum units that a student
can accumulate.
Additional Transfer Credit
Students in the College of Chemistry are
subject to the following restrictions concerning
additional transfer credit:
• Before enrolling at another institution in
a course which could satisfy a required
biology, chemical and biomolecular
engineering, chemistry, engineering,
English, math, or physics course, students
are required to request approval from their
staff advisers.
• Students planning to enroll concurrently
at Berkeley and another institution during
the fall or spring semester are required to
request approval from the Undergraduate
Dean before the beginning of the semester.
Approval of concurrent enrollment is rarely
granted.
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