2016-17 Procedures and regulations
Contact
Engineering Student Services
230 Bechtel Engineering Center # 1702
Berkeley, CA 94720-1702
(510) 642-7594
ess@berkeley.edu
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Please note you are subject to current policies and regulations, regardless of your admission date.
Advising Information
Student’s Responsibilities
- While College staff, faculty and departmental advisers will provide the student with information and advice, it is the student’s responsibility to understand and comply with all policies, and to complete satisfactorily all degree requirements within the allotted time frame. This includes the responsibility to track completion of major University and Berkeley campus requirements, as well to comply with residence, minimum progress and scholarship requirements. For details students should refer to the University’s Academic Policies (pages 74-82 in the General Catalog), the current College of Engineering Undergraduate Guide, and the Center for Student Conduct and Community Standards.
Academic Dishonesty
Cheating, plagiarism, copying all or part of another person’s work, using reference materials not specifically allowed, and other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. A student guilty of academic dishonesty may be assigned an F grade or a zero grade to the subject work, may be assigned an F grade in the course and may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. Students are encouraged to carefully review the campus guide to understanding plagiarism and the Code of Conduct. If you ever have a question on whether something is allowable, check with the faculty person or GSI for the course.
NOTE: Courses for which academic dishonesty has been verified by established campus procedures may not be dropped from the record, and the grading option may not be changed. Grades for such courses will be reinstated to the record when dishonesty is verified.
Enrollment in Courses
- Your enrollment time for each semester can be found on your My Academics page of CalCentral under “Class Enrollment”.
- ADVISING HOLDS: Please check for any holds on your My Academics Page in the “Status and Holds” section. Click on the hold to determine what campus department placed the hold and directions for how to remove the hold.
- CONTINUING students should plan their programs well in advance of the next semester and see their Faculty Adviser to review their planned program. Complete details about Faculty Advising are available on the Register for classes page.
- NEW students will receive an email from Engineering Student Services (ESS), after they have accepted their admission, explaining the process for enrolling in courses for the first semester. All new students will complete an online orientation which will prepare them to choose and enroll in their first semester courses. Your ESS Adviser will review your schedule and release your Advising Hold once your schedule has been approved.
- All Students should read the enrollment information and rules. In particular students should read the “Enroll In/Drop a Class” section to understand the limits during the different enrollment periods (Phase I, II and Adjustment Phase) and learn how to determine any enrollment limitations placed on a particular class. More information about course registration can also be found here.
Adding or Dropping Courses; Change in Grading Option
College of Engineering students are able to add and drop classes or change grading options using CalCentral through the fifth Friday of the semester. Students must meet with their Engineering Student Services Adviser in 230 Bechtel Hall to change their grading option during weeks 6-10. See http://registrar.berkeley.edu/calendar for complete information on schedule deadlines and change fees.
Courses may be dropped by the stated 5th week deadline provided that the student is enrolled in at least 12 units and at least two letter graded technical courses required of the student’s major. Changes to the grading option may be made by the stated deadlines. Technical courses must be taken for a letter grade with one exception: If the course cannot be used to fulfill any requirement for your major at the time that you are taking the course, you may choose to take the course P/NP. The grading option deadline for a technical course that cannot be used to fulfill any requirements for your degree is the fifth Friday of the semester. The grading option deadline for non-technical courses is the tenth Friday of the semester.
Add/Drop/Change in Grading Option Deadlines
The deadlines for College of Engineering undergraduates are as follows:
- Deadline to add courses: 11:59 pm (PST) on Friday of the fifth week of instruction through Tele-BEARS.
- Deadline to drop a course on the early-drop deadline list: 11:59pm (PST) on Friday of the second week of instruction through Tele-BEARS.
- Deadline to drop courses not on the early-drop deadline list: 11:59pm (PST) on Friday of the fifth week of instruction through Tele-BEARS.
- Last day a student can change their grading option using Tele-BEARS: 11:59pm (PST) on Friday of the fifth week of instruction.
- Deadline for a graduating senior (on the official degree list) to elect to take a technical course not required for graduation on a P/NP basis: 11:59pm (PST) on Friday of the fifth week of instruction.
- Deadline to change the grading option for Hum/SS courses: 4:45pm (PST) on Friday of the tenth week. Form must be submitted to Engineering Student Services in 230 Bechtel Hall by the 4:45pm deadline.
Completion of Lower-Division Requirements
- All students are expected to complete required lower-division courses before beginning upper-division work. Transfer students must complete any outstanding lower-division requirements within the first two semesters after admission.
Course Evaluations
- Because the College of Engineering offers a professional degree in the Bachelor of Science and is accountable to the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), all courses that are not formally articulated must be evaluated for equivalency. Courses that are not articulated must be evaluated by either the department, specific instructor or a committee before a student can receive subject credit. Students who completed work at an institution other than a California Community College should bring a copy of the transcript(s) and syllabi for all courses they want evaluated to their CalSO Orientation.
- Technical courses: Students bring a copy of the course syllabus to their Engineering Student Services Adviser. The ESS Adviser will give the student a course evaluation form that must be taken to a designated office or instructor for review. After evaluation of course content, a determination will be made as to equivalency and subject credit. In some cases, total equivalency is approved, if not, content deficiencies may be made up through bridge courses with the agreement of an appropriate instructor. In some cases, the course must be repeated in its entirety. The student must return all completed forms to their ESS Adviser in 230 Bechtel Hall.
- Humanities/Social Science: Students should bring a copy of the course syllabus or a detailed course description to their Engineering Student Services Adviser. The adviser will review the course for appropriateness and clearance of requirement. Review may sometimes need to be done by the College’s Humanities/Social Science Committee.
Course Load
- Each semester a student must enroll in a minimum of 12 units and two technical subjects (of a minimum of 3 units each) required of their engineering curriculum. For most majors, a student will need to take more than two technical courses each semester to stay on track, and enroll in an average of 15 units. Programs of less than 12 or more than 20.5 units require approval. Students should consult with their ESS Adviser.
Graduate Course Enrollment
- Graduate course enrollment is restricted to students having completed at least 60 units as a college student (does not include units earned through AP/IB exams). Undergraduates who have completed a minimum of 60 units may request permission to enroll in a graduate course from the instructor of record; only the instructor of the course can grant permission to enroll. Generally speaking, a UC Berkeley upper-division technical grade-point average of at least 3.0 is required to enroll in graduate level courses. Use of a graduate course to fulfill a technical requirement is approved only by petition to the Deans Committee (via the ESS adviser assigned to the student). The Head Undergraduate Faculty Adviser of the student’s major first must endorse the petition. Students who would like to petition to use a graduate course to fulfill a technical requirement must consult with their Engineering Student Services Adviser.
- No more than two graduate courses may be used to complete degree requirements.
Substitutions for Required Subjects
- Substitutions for required courses may be approved only by petition. The petition must be submitted well before the student has started the course he/she wishes to substitute. The petition, available in the Engineering Student Services Office, must be endorsed by the Head Undergraduate Faculty Adviser of the student’s major, and the Dean’s Committee. Students who would like to petition a substitution to a technical requirement must consult with their Engineering Student Services Adviser.
Physical Education
- A maximum of 4 units of Physical Education courses are allowed toward the B.S. degree in Engineering.
Grades
Student Grade Reports
- Approximately three weeks after the close of each semester, official grades are available on BearFacts. Official copies of the transcript are then available from the Office of the Registrar in 120 Sproul Hall (ordered via BearFacts). Unofficial transcripts are also available on BearFacts. Students are urged to review their grades each semester to be certain that all work undertaken has been successfully completed. Students who receive an “Incomplete”, “F”, “D”, or “NP” grade should consult their Engineering Student Services Adviser and/or Faculty Adviser to discuss any necessary adjustments to their program.
- If after reviewing grades for a semester a student sees they have not met the minimum standards for the College (an overall UC GPA of 2.0 or higher, a technical GPA of 2.0 or higher, an upper division technical GPA or 2.0 or higher, and a semester GPA of 2.0 or higher), they should immediately contact their Engineering Student Services Adviser.
Transcripts
- Students request an official transcript via BearFacts. Official transcripts are not available for 15-20 working days after the last scheduled date for final examinations each semester, pending the recording of final grades for that semester. Visit http://registrar.berkeley.edu for information on ordering an official transcript.
Grade-Point Computation
For each unit of credit the following grade points apply:
Grade | Point | Grade | Point | Grade | Point |
A+, A | 4.0 | B- | 2.7 | D+ | 1.3 |
A- | 3.7 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 1.0 |
B+ | 3.3 | C | 2.0 | D- | 0.7 |
B | 3.0 | C- | 1.7 | F | 0.0 |
To compute the grade-point average, each unit of work is multiplied by the grade points assigned to the grade, as shown above. The total grade points are then divided by the total units undertaken, excluding P/NP, S, U, IP, or I grades. The resulting figure is the grade point average. Additional grade-point computation examples and information can be found here.
Only grades earned in courses completed on one of the UC campuses are included in the UC Berkeley grade-point computation. Grades earned in XB courses completed through UC Berkeley Extension will also be included in the UC Berkeley grade-point computation unless the student has been dismissed from the College of Engineering. With approval prior to taking the XB courses, a dismissed student may have XB course grades completed through UCB Extension calculated into the UCB grade point average.
Grade-Point Computation – Technical Grade Point Average
- Technical courses include all courses in engineering, mathematics, chemistry, physics, statistics, biological sciences and computer science required for the major. To compute the technical grade point average, the same formula listed above is used. Courses used for the technical grade point average consist of all technical courses taken in satisfaction of major requirements (whether passed or not). Courses used for the upper division technical grade point average consist of all upper division technical courses taken in satisfaction of major requirements (whether passed or not). A 2.0 upper division technical grade-point average is required for graduation. The technical grade-point average represents your major grade-point average.
Repetition of Courses
- You may only repeat courses in which you received a grade of D+, D, D-, F, or NP.
- If you received an NP in a course and you want to repeat the course, you may repeat it on either a Passed/Not Passed basis (P/NP) or a letter grade.
- For the first 12 letter-graded (D+ or lower) units of repeated courses, the grade you receive in the course the second time will replace the original grade in the calculation of your grade-point average (GPA). Your original grade will remain printed on your transcript. The second grade replaces the original grade, even if the second grade is lower. Note: Some professional schools, including law schools, use both grades in calculating your GPA for admission.
- If you have repeated more than 12 units, both the new and original grades are average into your GPA.
- You may not take a course for a third time and receive grade points. A course repeated more than once will not be included in the grade-point average, but a passing grade in the repeated course will be accepted in satisfaction of requirements for the degree.
- If you receive a grade of I upon repetition of a course, the grade of D+, D, D-, or F will continue to be computed in the grade-point average until the “I” grade is replaced.
- If you enroll in a course in which you received an “I” grade, the “I” will lapse to an F.
Incomplete (“I”) Grade
The grade of Incomplete “I” may be assigned by a faculty person if work in a course has been of passing quality, but is incomplete for reasons beyond the student’s control. Prior arrangements must be made with the instructor, because in assigning the “I” grade the instructor is required to specify the reasons to the department chair. The faculty person of record for the course tells the student what must be done, and by when, for the incomplete grade to be removed. The University deadline for completing work for “I” grades is listed below. Faculty may require work to be completed sooner than the University deadline, or may give students an extension of time (subject to the approval of the Dean).
Arrangements should be made to complete the required coursework at least 30 days prior to the deadline for replacement of the Incomplete.
For undergraduate students, an “I” grade received in the fall semester must be replaced by the first day of instruction in the following fall semester. An “I” grade received in the spring semester or Summer Session must be replaced by the first day of instruction in the following spring semester.
Students must provide the faculty person with a form called “Petition to Remove an Incomplete Grade” at the time they finish the work for the course. The petition is submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the faculty person and this is how the grade is recorded. The grade and grade points for a course in which an “I” grade was awarded are entered on the student’s record at the time the petition is filed. The “Petition to Remove an Incomplete Grade” is available at the Office of the Registrar (120 Sproul Hall) or the Engineering Student Services Office, as well as on line at http://registrar.berkeley.edu/GeneralInfo/elecforms.html.
A bachelor’s degree candidate who has received “I” grades in courses needed to satisfy requirements for the degree must complete the “I” grades and file the required petition by the last day of that semester to avoid being dropped from the degree list. If a degree is conferred before the end of the above deadlines following the assignment of an “I” grade, the grade will not be converted to an F (or NP). However, students still have the option of removing the “I” grade within the above deadlines.
A student may “Freeze” up to two “I” grades so that they remain permanently on the record as an Incomplete (they never lapse to an “F” or NP) by filing the appropriate petition in the Engineering Student Services Office by the appropriate deadline. Once an “I” grade has been “frozen” the course or its equivalent can never be completed or repeated. Thus, a student may not freeze an “I” in a required course.
The deadline to freeze an incomplete is listed below:
- An “I” grade received in the fall semester must be frozen by the first day of instruction in the following fall semester.
- An “I” grade received in the spring semester or Summer Session must be frozen by the first day of instruction in the following spring semester.
Students who accumulate 12 or more semester units of outstanding “I” grades on their records will not be permitted to register until they complete what is outstanding for the courses, and the Petition to Remove an Incomplete Grade has been submitted by the faculty person.
NOTE: The “I” grade is not physically replaced or removed from the academic record. Completion of the work is reflected as a subsequent line entry on the record, and the units and grade points thus earned will be included in the grade-point computations at the close of the next session.
Pass/Not Passed Grading Option
Technical courses (courses in engineering, mathematics, chemistry, physics, statistics, biological sciences and computer science) may NOT be taken P/NP unless the technical course you are taking cannot fulfill any requirements for your degree. If the technical course can contribute to your degree, for example as a technical elective or toward your engineering units, the course cannot be taken P/NP. Students may take most humanities and social science courses, including courses used to satisfy the American Cultures requirement, on a P/NP basis as long as they are in good academic standing; students on academic probation may not take courses on a P/NP basis. NOTE: Courses taken to fulfill the College Reading and Composition requirement may not be taken P/NP. The deadline to change a grading option in a humanities/social sciences course or a non-technical free elective is the tenth Friday of the semester. The deadline to change a grading option in a non-degree technical course is the fifth Friday of the semester.
Students enrolled in degree programs may receive credit for courses graded Passed or Satisfactory to a limit of one-third of the total units undertaken and passed on the Berkeley Campus at the time the degree is awarded.
Assignment of NR
- NR is not a grade; it indicates that no grade was reported by the course instructor to the Registrar. Any student receiving an NR should check with the course instructor immediately.
Change of Grade
All grades except “I” and “IP” are considered final when assigned by an instructor at the end of a term. An instructor may request a grade change only when a computational or procedural error occurred in the original assignment of a grade; no final grade may be changed as a result of re-evaluation of the quality of a student’s work. Only an “I” grade may be revised as a result of examination or the submission of additional work after the close of the term.
Grade Appeal Process
The University regulation that covers student grievances originating in units of instruction and concerning grades can be found in the General Catalog (page 76) or online at the Academic Senate’s website. Grounds for grievances are the application of non-academic criteria such as considerations of race, politics, religion, sex, or evaluation of student work by criteria not directly reflective of performance related to course requirements. Consult the General Catalog or website listed above for procedural information on the Appeal Process and Appeal of Grades in Courses and Examinations.
Petitions
- Petitions for exceptions to policy and regulations are available in the Engineering Student Services Office, 230 Bechtel Hall. Many petitions can also be found on the Engineering Student Services website. Consult with your Engineering Student Services Adviser regarding petitions.
Academic Honors
Honors at Graduation
To be eligible for honors in general scholarship at graduation, the student must have:
- Completed in the University of California a minimum of 50 units, of which 43 units must have been undertaken for a letter grade (for those students who have completed more than 50 units in the University of California, the limit of Passed/Not Passed units is set forth in Regulation 204(A), noted below);
- Completed a minimum of 30 units on the Berkeley campus;
- Achieved a grade-point average ranking in the College or School as follows:
- Top 3% Highest Honors
- Next 7% High Honors
- Next 10% Honors
At the end of each academic year, the Office of the Registrar shall determine for each School and College the minimum grade-point averages of the top 3 percent, the next 7 percent, and the next 10 percent of the students graduating in that year. These grade-point averages shall serve each School and College as minimal criteria for honors during the next academic year.
Dean’s Honors List
The Dean’s Honors List recognizes outstanding academic achievement each fall and spring semester. Requirements include completing 12 or more letter-graded units in that semester; a semester and overall GPA in the top 10% of all College of Engineering undergraduates; no grades of “I”, Not Pass or NR; and no courses for which a grade wasn’t submitted. Students must meet all eligibility criteria at the time the award is bestowed each semester (three weeks after the semester ends); there are no retro-active add to the Dean’s Honors List as a result of a grade change or late posting of grades to a record. Students who were repeating courses they previously did not pass are not eligible. This honor is noted on a student’s transcript.
Honors to Date
Students must have completed a minimum of 12 units undertaken for letter grades on the Berkeley campus to be considered for the award of semester honors. Students receiving semester honors shall be those who have achieved an overall grade-point average equal to or greater than the grade-point average as determined for their College or School by the method in the section above on Honors at Graduation (top 20%).
The notation of honors appears after the grades on a student’s Berkeley record for each semester in which the student earns semester honors.
Subject to Dismissal
A student needs to maintain an overall UC grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher, a technical GPA or 2.0 or higher, an upper division technical GPA of 2.0 or higher, and earn a GPA each semester of 2.0 or higher. Students are subject to dismissal if at the end of any fall or spring semester they do not meet any of the above minimum GPA requirements.
Students should always review their grades at the end of each semester and if they determine they have failed to meet the minimum academic standards they should contact their Engineering Student Services Adviser immediately. If there are extenuating circumstances that contributed to the academic difficulty students should discuss these issues with their Engineering Student Services Adviser.
At the end of each semester, the records of all students subject to dismissal are reviewed. Advisers encourage students to write a letter explaining the nature of their difficulties and their plans to return to good academic standing to be included in their file at time of review. After careful review of the file, the College determines whether a student is dismissed or continued on probation. Students who are dismissed may not continue their studies at UC Berkeley. Because of the timeline for posting of official grades, students may not be notified of their dismissal for several weeks after the end of the semester in question. Regardless of when a student receives official notification of the dismissal action, students will not be allowed to continue in classes in the following semester once they are dismissed.
Academic Probation
Students who are not dismissed are placed on academic probation and are then required to return to good academic standing (an overall, semester, technical, and upper division technical GPA of 2.0 or higher) by the end of their probationary semester. Students placed on probation must meet with their Engineering Student Services Adviser to develop a plan to return to good standing, discuss what courses they should be taking, and be aware of the grades they need to clear their probationary status. Students on probation may not take courses on a pass/not passed basis (unless it is the only option for that course). If a student does enroll in a course on a pass/not passed basis, the grading option will be changed by the Office of the Registrar and a letter grade will be recorded for that course.
Withdrawal and Readmission
Withdrawal
If circumstances arise which require withdrawal from the semester, the student must see their Engineering Student Services Adviser as soon as possible. Students may be granted a withdrawal at any time during the semester up through the last day of instruction. If they withdraw between the first day of class and Friday of the eighth week of classes, they may be eligible for readmission the following term. If they withdraw after the eighth week of classes they will be subject to the “semester-out” rule meaning they are not eligible to enroll at UC Berkeley the following semester. The deadline to withdraw is the last day of instruction for a semester. A prorated refund of registration fees will be processed according to the calendar published on the Office of the Registrar’s website. Fee refunds are based on the date that the adviser processed the withdrawal, not when the student stops attending classes so students considering withdrawal should see an adviser as soon as possible. Special rules regarding refunds apply to students on financial aid; visit this website for details and consult with a financial aid counselor before withdrawing. Students withdrawing for medical reasons may be advised to consult with University Health Services/Tang Center to discuss the possibility of medical withdrawal. Students who withdraw from the College while on academic probation would likely have to meet readmission conditions to return. Students in this situation should consult with their ESS Adviser.
Readmission
Any student who is absent from the University for a semester (whether voluntarily or not) must apply for readmission to return. Students who are granted withdrawal and those who elect to take time off are required to apply for readmission in order to resume study in a future semester. (Students participating on a UC sponsored Study Abroad (EAP) do not need to apply for readmission.) Readmission applications must be turned in by the deadline (June 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester).
Readmission is not guaranteed and is based upon a student’s academic record at the time of withdrawal and upon any coursework taken during his/her absence from UC Berkeley. Students whose records were satisfactory at the time they discontinued, who have been absent no more than two terms, and who were making normal progress toward their degree should expect favorable action on an application for readmission. Students whose records were not satisfactory at the time they discontinued enrollment (low GPA; not making satisfactory academic progress; on academic probation (or a history or being on probation), should not expect favorable action on an application for readmission.
While not enrolled at UC Berkeley, courses taken at other colleges must be approved prior to taking the course. Students should consult with their Engineering Student Services (ESS) Adviser. If students have attended other institutions during the period of their absence from the University, an official transcript of record from each college must be presented before readmission will be considered.
A student returning to the University after an absence must meet the requirements of his/her degree program in effect at the time of readmission. Students must submit an academic plan with their readmission application showing what courses they expect to take each semester through graduation.
Readmission Policy for Dismissed Students
In limited situations, if you have been dismissed from the College of Engineering you may be considered for readmission for a future semester. You will be required to take at least a year break from UC Berkeley, and at least a semester break from your academics. After a year or more, the Dean’s Committee may consider readmission applications from students who can demonstrate that they used their break from academics to identify, and take tangible steps to address, the challenges that led to their academic difficulty. After one semester away from your academics, if you believe that you have successfully addressed these challenges and you wish to enroll in courses at another institution, or at Berkeley through concurrent enrollment, contact your ESS Adviser to discuss whether or not this would be an appropriate option. Readmission after dismissal is never guaranteed. In some instances, it may be best to apply for readmission to another college on campus or to pursue your education at another institution. If you are interested in discussing readmission after dismissal, you should schedule an appointment with your Engineering Student Services Adviser by calling (510) 642-7594.
UC Extension Coursework
Units earned in UC Berkeley Extension XB courses, and those completed through the UC Extension Concurrent Enrollment program will be counted toward a student’s degree only in the following circumstances:
- Students who, after 120 units and with approval of the College, need to complete academic requirements for graduation; Students who have permission from the College prior to taking courses; Dismissed students who have developed an academic plan with the College as a condition for being re-admitted.
Grades earned in UC Berkeley Extension XB and Concurrent Enrollment courses will be included in the UC Berkeley grade-point computation unless the student has been dismissed from the College of Engineering. With the College’s approval prior to taking the courses, a dismissed student may have XB grades completed through UC Berkeley Extension calculated into the UCB grade point average.
NOTE: Students enrolled in UC Extension are not part of UC Berkeley and units completed are not considered “in residence”. International students will no longer be eligible to remain on the UC Berkeley F-1 status and I 20 which may result in a loss of optional practical training eligibility. Students may apply for a new I-20 issued by UC Extension, however, these students may not be eligible for practical training.
Taking courses through UC Extension
- Students meet with their Engineering Student Services Adviser (230 Bechtel Hall) to request approval to take courses through UC Extension’s Concurrent Enrollment Program.
- After gaining approval from the College to take courses through UC Extension, students enroll in the classes online. Visit http://extension.berkeley.edu/info/concurrent.html#application for details on how to register.
- Approval for enrollment must then be received from the course instructor and the department chair. This is done electronically. Students are expected to discuss the possibility of enrolling with the instructor during the first week of classes. Enrollment is based on availability of space in the class.
- Once approved to take the course(s), grades for most students will be automatically sent to the Office of the Registrar. Students who have been dismissed must have a copy of their official UC Extension transcript sent to their Engineering Student Services Adviser, 230 Bechtel Hall #1702, Berkeley, CA 94720-1702 as soon as possible.
Student Records
The policy of the College of Engineering regarding the release and disclosure of student records is outlined in the statement here.
Internships
Students in good academic standing are allowed to take a semester leave to participate in an internship with a professional company that does work relevant to the student’s major. Students wishing to do an internship must submit a written petition to their Engineering Student Services (ESS) Adviser and attach the original offer letter from the company.
If the petition is approved students must cancel their registration for the semester they will be away on the internship and apply for readmission for the semester after. Readmission applications must be submitted by the deadline dates (June 1st for Fall semester and November 1st for Spring semester.)
Students whose internships are approved will be allowed to complete the degree requirements they were held to at the time they left to do the internship.