About the Program

Bachelor of Science (BS)

The energy engineering major offered through the Engineering Science Program interweaves the fundamentals of classical and modern physics, chemistry, and mathematics with energy engineering applications. A great strength of the major is its flexibility. The firm base in physics and mathematics is augmented with a selection of engineering course options that prepare the student to tackle the complex energy-related problems faced by society. Because the program emphasizes science and mathematics, students are well-prepared to pursue graduate studies in physics or engineering. Energy engineering is a multidisciplinary field requiring an integration of physical principles with engineering analysis, augmented with the realities of policy and engineering economics. The program incorporates courses from many departments on campus to create a discipline that is rigorously based in science, mathematics, and engineering, while addressing a wide variety of environmental issues.

Admission to the Major

Prospective undergraduates in the College of Engineering must apply for admission to one specific major/degree program. For further information, please see the College of Engineering's website .

Admission to engineering via a Change of College application for current UC Berkeley students is very competitive, as there few open spaces in engineering for students admitted to other colleges at UC Berkeley. For further information regarding a Change of College to Engineering, please see the college's website .

Minor Program

The Energy engineering minor has arisen as a natural outgrowth of the large amount of energy-related research in the College of Engineering. For a number of years, courses have been developed across the College of Engineering, and the energy engineering minor is designed to coordinate these courses for students who have an interest in systems that are associated with all aspects of energy systems, such as generation, transmission and consumption. The energy minor, offered through the College of Engineering, is an optional program that encourages coherence in the work students undertake around energy engineering.

For admission to the minor, students must have a minimum over-all grade point average (GPA) of 3.00, and have also completed all of the prerequisite courses. For information regarding the prerequisites, please see the Minor Requirements tab on this page.

After completion of the prerequisite courses, students will need to complete and submit a Petition for Admission form  to the undergraduate staff adviser. Students must apply at least one semester prior to graduation (i.e., students cannot be on the official degree list at the time of application). Students will also need to submit a copy of their transcript and a course plan at the time of application.

Upon completion of the minor requirements, submit a Petition for Completion of the Undergraduate Minor to the undergraduate staff adviser. This must be completed no later than two weeks prior to the end of the semester.

Other Majors offered by the Engineering Science Program

Engineering Mathematics and Statistics
Engineering Physics
Environmental Engineering Science

Visit Program Website

Major Requirements

In addition to the University, campus, and college requirements, students must fulfill the below requirements specific to their major program.

General Guidelines

1. All technical courses (courses in engineering, mathematics, chemistry, physics, statistics, biological sciences, and computer science) must be taken for a letter grade.

2. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student’s major and minor programs.

3. A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required for all work undertaken at UC Berkeley.

4. A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for all technical courses taken in satisfaction of major requirements.

For information regarding residence requirements and unit requirements, please see the College Requirements tab.

For a detailed plan of study by year and semester, please see the Plan of Study tab.

Lower Division Requirements

Upper Division Requirements

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of this major, electives may be approved throughout the year.

Minor Requirements

Minor programs are areas of concentration requiring fewer courses than an undergraduate major. These programs are optional, but can provide depth and breadth to a UC Berkeley education. The College of Engineering does not offer additional time to complete a minor, but it is usually possible to finish within the allotted time with careful course planning. Students are encouraged to meet with their ESS adviser to discuss the feasibility of completing a minor program.

All the engineering departments offer minors. Students may also consider pursuing a minor in another School or College.

General Guidelines

1. All courses taken to fulfill the minor requirements must be taken for graded credit.

2. A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the prerequisite courses is required for acceptance into the minor program.

3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 is required for courses used to fulfill the minor requirements.

4. No more than one upper division course may be used to simultaneously fulfill requirements for a student’s major and minor programs.

5. Completion of the minor program cannot delay a student’s graduation.

Lower Division Prerequisites

Upper Division Minor Requirements

College Requirements

Students in the College of Engineering must complete no fewer than 120 semester units with the following provisions: 

1. Completion of the requirements of one engineering major program  of study. 
2. A minimum overall grade point average of 2.00 (C average) and a minimum 2.00 grade point average in upper division technical coursework required of the major. 
3. The final 30 units and two semesters must be completed in residence in the College of Engineering on the Berkeley campus. 
4. All technical courses (math, science and engineering), required of the major or not, must be taken on a letter graded basis (unless they are only offered P/NP). 
5. Entering freshmen are allowed a maximum of eight semesters to complete their degree requirements. Entering junior transfers are allowed a maximum of four semesters to complete their degree requirements. (Note: junior transfers admitted missing three or more courses from the lower division curriculum are allowed five semesters.) Summer terms are optional and do not count toward the maximum. Students are responsible for planning and satisfactorily completing all graduation requirements within the maximum allowable semesters. 
6. Adhere to all college policies and procedures as they complete degree requirements.
7. Complete the lower division program before enrolling in upper division engineering courses. 

Humanities and Social Science (H/SS) Requirement

To promote a rich and varied educational experience outside of the technical requirements for each major, the College of Engineering has a six-course Humanities and Social Sciences breadth requirement , which must be completed to graduate. This requirement, built into all the engineering programs of study, includes two reading and composition courses (R&C), and four additional courses within which a number of specific conditions must be satisfied. Follow these guidelines to fulfill this requirement:

1. Complete a minimum of six courses from the  approved Humanities/Social Sciences (H/SS) lists . 
2. Courses must be a minimum of 3 semester units (or 4 quarter units).
3. Two of the six courses must fulfill the college's Reading and Composition (R&C) requirement. These courses must be taken for a letter grade (C- or better required) and must be completed by no later than the end of the sophomore year (fourth semester of enrollment). The first half of R&C, the “A” course, must be completed by the end of the freshman year; the second half of R&C, the “B" course, must be completed by no later than the end of the sophomore year. View a detailed lists of courses that fulfill Reading and Composition requirements, or use the College of Letters and Sciences search engine to view R&C courses offered in a given semester. 
4. The four additional courses must be chosen within College of Engineering guidelines from the H/SS lists (see below). These courses may be taken on a Pass/Not Passed basis (P/NP).
5. Two of the six courses must be upper division (courses numbered 100-196).
6. One of the six courses must satisfy the campus American Cultures requirement. For detailed lists of courses that fulfill American Cultures requirements, visit the American Cultures  site. 
7. A maximum of two exams (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or A-Level) may be used toward completion of the H/SS requirement. View the list of exams that can be applied toward H/SS requirements.
8. Courses may fulfill multiple categories. For example, if you complete CY PLAN 118AC that would satisfy the American Cultures requirement and one upper division H/SS requirement.
9. No courses offered by any engineering department other than BIO ENG 100, COMPSCI C79, ENGIN 125, ENGIN 157AC, MEC ENG 191K and MEC ENG 191AC may be used to complete H/SS requirements.
10. Foreign language courses may be used to complete H/SS requirements. View the list of language options .
11. Courses numbered 97, 98, 99, or above 196 may not be used to complete any H/SS requirement
12. The College of Engineering uses modified versions of five of the College of Letters and Science (L&S) breadth requirements lists to provide options to our students for completing the H/SS requirement. No courses on the L&S Biological Sciences or Physical Sciences breadth lists may be used to complete H/SS requirements. Within the guidelines above, choose courses from any of the lists below.

• Arts and Literature
• Foreign Language
• Historical Studies
• International Studies
• Philosophy and Values
• Social and Behavioral Studies

Class Schedule Requirements

• Minimum units per semester: 12.0.
• Maximum units per semester:  20.5.
• Minimum technical courses: College of Engineering undergraduates must enroll each semester in no fewer than two technical courses (of a minimum of 3 units each) required of the major program of study in which the student is officially declared.  (Note: for most majors, normal progress will require enrolling in 3-4 technical courses each semester).
• All technical courses (math, science, engineering), required of the major or not, must be taken on a letter graded basis (unless only offered as P/NP).
• A student's proposed schedule must be approved by a faculty adviser (or on approval from the dean or a designated staff adviser) each semester prior to enrolling in courses.

Minimum Academic (Grade) Requirements

• A minimum overall and semester grade point average of 2.00 (C average) is required of engineering undergraduates. A student will be subject to dismissal from the University if during any fall or spring semester their overall UC GPA falls below a 2.00, or their semester GPA is less than 2.00. 
• Students must achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.00 (C average) in upper division technical courses required of the major curriculum each semester. A student will be subject to dismissal from the University if their upper division technical grade point average falls below 2.00. 
• A minimum overall grade point average of 2.00, and a minimum 2.00 grade point average in upper division technical course work required of the major is needed to earn a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.

Unit Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, students must complete at least 120 semester units of courses subject to certain guidelines:

• Completion of the requirements of one engineering major program  of study. 
• A maximum of 16 units of special studies coursework (courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, or 199) is allowed towards the 120 units; a maximum of four is allowed in a given semester.
• A maximum of 4 units of physical education from any school attended will count towards the 120 units.
• Students may receive unit credit for courses graded P (including P/NP units taken through EAP) up to a limit of one-third of the total units taken and passed on the Berkeley campus at the time of graduation.

Normal Progress

Students in the College of Engineering must enroll in a full-time program and make normal progress each semester toward the bachelor's degree. The continued enrollment of students who fail to achieve minimum academic progress shall be subject to the approval of the dean. (Note: students with official accommodations established by the Disabled Students' Program, with health or family issues, or with other reasons deemed appropriate by the dean may petition for an exception to normal progress rules.) 

Plan of Study

For more detailed information regarding the courses listed below (e.g., elective information, GPA requirements, etc.), please see the College Requirements and Major Requirements tabs.