Academic policies and procedures allow students to clearly understand their rights and responsibilities. They protect the integrity of the UC Berkeley degree and provide fair and transparent guidelines for activities related to teaching and learning across campus.

UC Berkeley students are expected to familiarize themselves with all academic policies. Students seeking clarity on academic policies relevant to or beyond those stated on this website should consult with the appropriate office. 

Please access the tabbed content on this page to learn more about policies relating to student conduct, grades, graduation and more. 

Semester System, Units, & Repetition of Courses

Grades

The work of all students on the UC Berkeley campus is reported in terms of the following grades: A (excellent); B (good); C (fair); D (barely passed); F (failure); P (passed at a minimum level of C- for undergraduate students); NP (not passed); S (satisfactory, passed at a minimum level of B- for graduate students); U (unsatisfactory); I (work incomplete due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, but of passing quality); and IP (work in progress, final grade to be assigned upon completion of entire course sequence). The grades A, B, C, and D may be modified by plus (+) or minus (-) suffixes.

A course in which the grade A, B, C, D, or P (undergraduate students only) is counted toward degree requirements. A course receiving the grade S (graduate students only) is similarly counted subject to Academic Senate regulations. A course in which the grade F, NP, or U is received is not counted toward degree requirements. A course in which the grade of I or IP is received is not counted toward degree requirements until the I or IP is replaced by grade A, B, C, D, P, or S.

Grade Points

Grade points per unit are assigned as follows: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, and F=none. When attached to the grades A, B, C, or D, plus (+) grades carry three-tenths of a grade point more per unit, and minus (-) grades three-tenths of a grade point less per unit than unsuffixed grades, except for A+, which carries 4.0 grade points per unit as does the A.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

Your GPA is computed on courses undertaken in the University of California. Effective fall 2005, XB courses undertaken in UC Berkeley Extension count toward your GPA. Grades A, B, C, D, and F are used in determining your GPA; grades IP, P, S, NP, and U carry no grade points and are excluded from all grade-point computations. Grade I, if assigned before fall 1973, is included and is computed as an F; an I grade assigned fall 1973 and later is excluded from computations. For additional information, see the Repetition of Courses section.

Special Provisions: Graduate Students

Only courses graded A, B, C (with or without plus or minus signs), or S are accepted in satisfaction of degree requirements. Courses graded below C- do not yield unit credit toward a higher degree, regardless of your overall GPA. Graduate students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all upper division and graduate coursework undertaken in graduate standing in the University of California or its exchange programs.

Note: Departments, schools, and groups may have a higher performance standard than the minimum B average (3.0 GPA) required by the Graduate Division. You must also work full time at your academic or professional program unless a program with fewer units is approved under special circumstances by your graduate adviser. In addition, you must successfully complete all coursework required by your department, school, or group program, be advanced to candidacy, pass the required examinations, and fulfill other requirements specified for the program.

For a course extending over more than one semester in which evaluation of your performance is deferred until the end of the final semester, provisional grades of In Progress (IP) may be assigned in the intervening semesters. The provisional grades are replaced by the final grade if you complete the full sequence. If you do not complete the full sequence, then you will be given an I grade if the instructor has no other basis for assigning a grade. Further changes will be made according to Academic Senate regulations.

With the consent of the department involved, graduate students may enroll in courses in the 600-series. These courses are evaluated by means of the grades satisfactory and unsatisfactory (S and U). They prepare you for appropriate master’s or doctoral examinations and do not count toward academic residence or the unit requirements for a higher degree. You may earn 1-8 units of 601 or 602 per semester or 1-4 units per summer session toward examination preparation. Units earned in these courses may not be used to meet academic residence or unit requirements for the Master or Doctor's degree. No credit is allowed for work graded unsatisfactory.

Passed/Not Passed and Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory Grades

If you are an undergraduate in good academic standing (2.0 GPA or better, or in good academic standing under the academic probation regulations of your college or school), you may elect to take letter-graded courses on a passed/not passed basis, and if you are a graduate student in good academic standing, you may elect to take letter-graded courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis with the consent of your department, school, or group. Credit for courses taken on these bases is limited to one-third of the total units that you have taken and passed on the Berkeley campus at the time your degree is awarded. Included in this one-third are any units completed in an Education Abroad program, or on another University of California campus in an intercampus exchange program, or in a joint doctoral program. For graduate degree programs, grades of satisfactory assigned in courses numbered 299 and of the 300, 400, or 600 series are excluded from this computation. If you enroll in a course offered only on a passed/not passed or satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis, you will be graded P/NP if an undergraduate and S/U if a graduate.

A course that is required in or prerequisite to your major may be taken on a P/NP or S/U basis only upon approval of the faculty of your school or college.

If you are a special or limited-status student, you may take courses on a P/NP basis at the discretion of the dean of your college or school. You may not repeat a course on a P/NP basis that you have previously taken on a letter-graded basis.

The option of being graded P/NP or S/U in a course may be cancelled if you are found to be ineligible for the option.

If you want honors at graduation, you should consult your college, school, or division for additional restrictions.

Your level of performance must correspond to a minimum letter grade of C- if you are to receive a passed grade, and to a B- if you are to receive a satisfactory grade.

These rules may be further limited by the faculties of the various schools and colleges and by the Graduate Council.

Grade I (Incomplete)

The grade I may be assigned if your work in a course has been of passing quality, but is incomplete for reasons beyond your 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.

For graduate students, the I grade will remain on the record until the required work is completed. Graduate students should finish the course requirements as soon as possible. To remove an I grade from your record, you must file the appropriate petition with the Office of the Registrar. The method of replacement of the I grade by a final grade will be determined by the Dean of the Graduate Division and the Graduate Council. 

Although I grades are not counted in computing the GPA, it is important to remove them quickly. You should seek the advice of the Graduate Division if you have further questions concerning I grades.

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.

When you complete the required work or deferred examination, grade points will be assigned if you receive a grade of A, B, C, or D. If you repeat the course, grade points will then be assigned to the earned grade only if the dean has given prior written approval to repeat it. If you repeat the course without the approval of the dean, the I grade will be converted to an F and the repeated course will be treated the same as any other course in which you receive an F. The dean of your college or school may extend the deadline for undergraduate completion of an I grade. For undergraduates, except as noted below, any I grade which has not been replaced within the above deadlines will, at the end of that time, be converted to grade F (or NP if taken passed/not passed). After that time, but not retroactively, the grade is counted in computing your GPA.

Exceptions: Within the above deadlines for completing an I grade, undergraduate students may notify the dean that they have not attempted completion and will not complete the work required for removal of the I grade, and may request that the grade not be replaced by an F (or NP). This procedure is limited to a maximum of two courses. Once the decision has been made, it is irrevocable; the course cannot afterward be completed by any means, including repetition of that course or any equivalent course.

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, you still have the option of removing the I grade within the above deadlines.

If you are an undergraduate student with 12 or more units of I on your record, you may not register without the permission of the dean.

Summer 2016 and Prior: Students who receive an I grade must file a "Petition for Grade and Grade Points in an Incomplete Course" with the instructor by the appropriate deadline. You may pick up the petition at Cal Student Central, 120 Sproul Hall. You should make arrangements to complete the course 30 days before the deadline. File the petition with the instructor when you have completed the course.

Fall 2016 and later: You should make arrangements to complete the course 30 days before the deadline. The instructor will file a change of grade for Incompletes through CalCentral and Campus Solutions.

Grade IP (In Progress)

If you take a course extending over more than one term and evaluation of your performance is deferred until the end of the final term, provisional grades of IP (In Progress) are assigned in the intervening term(s). The provisional grades are replaced by one final grade if you complete the full sequence. The IP grade is not included in the GPA. Effective with an IP assigned fall 1973 or later, if the full sequence is not completed as scheduled, the IP will be replaced by a grade of Incomplete. Further changes in your record will be subject to the rules pertaining to I grades above.

Changes of Grade

All grades except I and IP above are considered final when assigned by an instructor at the end of a term. An instructor may request a change of grade when a computational, clerical, or procedural error occurred in the original assignment of a grade, but a grade may not be changed as a result of reevaluation of your work. No final grade may be revised as a result of reexamination or the submission of additional work after the close of the term.

Grade Appeal Process

If you have a grievance about a grade, you should first try to speak with your instructor and/or the student ombuds. If that does not resolve your grievance, you may formally appeal. The following are grounds for appeal: the application of non-academic criteria, such as the consideration of race, politics, religion, sex, or other criteria not directly reflective of performance related to course requirements; sexual harassment; or improper academic procedures that unfairly affect your grade. Formal procedures may not be activated unless you (the student) and the instructor in charge have failed to resolve the dispute informally. You (the student) may opt to include an ombuds (or any mutually accepted third party) and/or the department chair in assisting in informally resolving the dispute informally. The formal process must be initiated within one calendar year from the last day of the semester in which the final grade for the course was posted. The formal process, once initiated, is to be completed at the unit level within 20-working days and at the Senate level within 40-working days if both parties are in residence and the University is in regular session (excluding summer session).

Formal Appeal of Grades in Courses and Examinations

Each department or other instructional unit shall establish a standing grievance committee chair who is not the chair of the department. For each case, the grievance committee chair will appoint an ad hoc grievance committee composed of three faculty members—only two of whom can be from the same unit—and two students in good standing appointed by the student association of the unit. If no student association exists, the students are to be appointed by the ASUC or the Graduate Assembly. (The student members must have passed courses or an examination in the unit at least at the level of the disputed course or examination and have been in residence for at least one year.) The ad hoc grievance committee will review all the required materials (from the student and instructor) and make a recommendation regarding a resolution to the grievance. The ad hoc grievance committee’s recommendation to the Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI), including any minority views, must be given in writing.

If COCI finds in the student’s favor, it may change a failing grade to a P or S, drop a course retroactively, retain the course but eliminate the grade from the GPA, or adopt the letter grade, if any, that was recommended by four of the five members of the grievance committee of the unit(s).

For a complete copy of current grade grievance procedures, please see the COCI page on the Academic Senate's website. Here is a complete copy of Berkeley Division Regulation A207, which governs grade appeals.

Credit by Examination

Undergraduate Students

You may earn credit by examination in two ways:

1. If you are a new or re-entering undergraduate student, on the recommendation of the Board of Admissions you may be allowed credit by examination for knowledge that you acquired since graduation from high school, either by independent study or at another institution, and for which you have not been allowed advanced standing credit. You should apply to the Office of the Registrar for credit.
2. If you are a student in good standing and currently registered in a regular session, you may qualify for course credit by examination. You may apply for credit to the dean of your college or school on the “Petition for Credit by Examination,” obtainable from the Office of the Registrar. You may apply for credit by examination in any course listed in the current bulletin that pertains to the regular sessions at UC Berkeley. However, the subject in which you want to be examined should be one in which, in the opinion of the instructor in charge or the department, knowledge can be tested by examination. You must file a separate petition for each course. In certain laboratory, field, or practice courses, neither a written nor an oral examination may be a satisfactory test.

You may not receive credit by examination:

1. If the credit would duplicate credit that you presented for admission to the University.
2. In elementary courses in your native language if it is not English.

The examination must cover the entire course and be administered at one sitting of no longer than three hours. It may be the regularly scheduled final examination for the class, provided that the examination meets the foregoing criteria. The result of the examination may be reported to the Office of the Registrar only as passed or satisfactory, according to the regulations governing the assignment of these grades. Further information concerning credit by examination may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.

Graduate Students

If you are a graduate student in residence, you may petition to receive a limited amount of course credit toward your degree by passing examinations on material covered in certain courses in lieu of taking those courses. Laboratory courses, graduate seminar, and research courses are excluded. You must be registered for at least 4 units of upper division and/or graduate coursework at the time you take the examination and you must be in good academic standing (3.0 GPA or better). The final result of the examination will only be reported as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. You may obtain the petition from the Office of the Registrar. Approval to take these examinations must be given by the dean of the Graduate Division and by the course instructor, or, if no instructor is designated, by the department chair.

Midterm & Final Examinations

The number of midterm examinations varies at the discretion of the instructor. Deficient grades for undergraduate students whose work at midterm is of D+, D, D-, F, or NP quality are posted on CalCentral during the ninth week of the semester. 

Final examinations are required in all undergraduate non-laboratory courses, with the exception of courses that the online Schedule of Classes indicates do not require a final examination. This requirement allows you to demonstrate mastery of course material while providing the instructor with written evidence for evaluation. The examination may last no longer than three hours and must be administered at the time announced in the online Schedule of Classes. Any deviation from this announced time requires approval from the Committee on Courses of Instruction or, as appropriate, the department chair. This requirement guarantees you ample prior notice of the examination time and eliminates conflict with other examinations.

It is the responsibility of instructors and/or departments to return to students their final examinations or copies of them, or to retain students’ final examin­ations or copies of them, for 13 months after the dates of such examinations.

Here is information on faculty, student, and University responsibilities regarding final exams.

Go to the Registrar's website to find out about final exam schedule dates.

For further information regarding final examinations, including alternative methods of final assessments and changing the method of final assessment offered in a course, please see:
Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) handbook, section 2.1.3 and section 3.2.1
Alternative Methods of Final Assessments, Center for Teaching and Learning

Accommodation of Religious Creed and Exam Scheduling

For information regarding the accommodation of religious creed and exam scheduling, please see the Religious Creed Policy.

Degree Progress

Undergraduate Students

Progress Toward a Degree

At the close of each semester, the courses, units, grades, and grade points earned are added onto your cumulative University record. From this record, you may determine your progress toward a degree.

In working for a degree, you should keep in mind the various levels on which you must satisfy requirements-- University, campus, college or school, and department-- as well as the kinds of requirements you must fulfill: course, unit, grade point, and amount of upper division work. You may receive additional counsel in these matters from your adviser.

Academic Probation

Regulations and procedures governing academic probation vary with each college and school. For specific details, consult your college or school announcement. Students on probation may not take courses on a passed/not passed basis.

Academic Dismissal

Regulations and procedures governing academic dismissal vary with each college and school. For specific details, consult your college or school.

If you are dismissed, you may appeal for a hearing by formal petition to the dean of your college or school, but the action of dismissal is normally considered final. If you are dismissed and want to transfer to another college or school at Berkeley, you may petition the dean of that college or school.

Minimum Progress

For undergraduates, normal progress toward a degree requires 30 units of successfully completed coursework each year. If you fail to achieve minimum academic progress, you may continue to be enrolled only with the approval of the dean of your college or school. To achieve minimum academic progress, you must have successfully completed a number of units no fewer than 15 times the number of semesters, less one, in which you have been enrolled on the Berkeley campus. Summer session is not counted as a semester. A course load of 15 units per semester is considered normal. Minimum course load requirements, however, vary by college or school; see the specific college or school announcement for details. If you enroll in a course load of fewer units than the minimum, you will need to have your schedule approved by the dean of your college or school.

Graduate Students

Probation and Dismissal

Graduate students are subject to probation and dismissal for academic deficiencies by the Graduate Division under the policies established by the Graduate Council of the Academic Senate. Probation may be initiated by the Graduate Division or by recommendation of the head graduate adviser of your major. The most common reasons for probation are a low GPA and failure to make adequate and timely progress toward the degree. If your probationary status is not rectified within the specified time allowed, you may be subject to dismissal.  If a student has advanced to doctoral candidacy and fails to make adequate progress toward completing the dissertation, probation takes the form of “lapsing” the student’s candidacy. This probationary status must also be resolved and the student’s candidacy reinstated to avoid dismissal.

There are circumstances which allow you to appeal dismissal from graduate standing. The “Graduate Appeal Procedure” is available on the Graduate Division website. The procedure may not be used for complaints regarding actions based solely on faculty evaluation of the academic quality of a student’s performance, or decanal evaluations of a student’s appropriate academic progress, unless the complaint alleges that those actions were unduly biased by non-academic criteria.

Graduation

Graduation from Berkeley: Undergraduate Students

Declaration of Candidacy

Registered undergraduates with eight or more terms (four or more terms for junior transfer students) completed on their record will be automatically added to the degree list. Students placed on the degree list will see a note indicating that they are in their final term, e.g. "Fall 2018 is your Final Term," appearing in the Notifications section of their CalCentral dashboard. This note does not mean that current enrollments have been verified as satisfying their remaining degree requirements, only that the student has been placed on the Fall 2018 degree list.

Both registered and unregistered students who plan to graduate but did not get automatically added to the degree list should contact their college advising office to be added before the deadline.

Students will not graduate if they are not on the degree list, even if they have met all degree requirements. Students who miss the deadline may be added to the degree list in the following term.

Confirmation of Candidacy

To verify that your name is on the degree list for the appropriate term, please check CalCentral.

Opting Out of (Dropping From) a Degree List

Graduation from Berkeley: Graduate Students

To receive a graduate degree, students must successfully complete all coursework required, pass the requisite examinations, advance to candidacy, and fulfill other requirements specified for the degree. For detailed procedures and requirements, students should consult their department, school, or graduate group, and become familiar with the Graduate Division website. General information regarding degree requirements and degree progress can be found in the Graduate Education section of this bulletin.

Commencement

Campuswide commencement exercises are held each year in May to honor students who have earned baccalaureate and graduate degrees and to give recognition and awards to students graduating with distinction. Students who have earned their degrees the previous fall semester or in summer sessions are welcome to participate as well. There are also department ceremonies held by individual schools and colleges or, in case of the College of Letters and Science, by individual departments. There are about 60 department graduation ceremonies each year, typically consisting of speakers, the presentation of degrees and awards, and post-ceremony receptions.

The campus also offers a campuswide ceremony in December for graduates from all departments who wish to participate in commencement proceedings at the end of the fall semester.

For further information on campuswide commencement and individual department graduations, visit the Berkeley Commencement website.

Diplomas

Diplomas are not given out at Commencement but are available approximately four months afterward.

Diplomas will be mailed automatically without a fee. Degree candidates should update their diploma mailing addresses on CalCentral prior to the end of the term in which the degree is to be awarded. If a diploma address is not supplied, the diploma will be mailed to the student’s home address.

For further information, please see the Diploma page on the Office of the Registrar's website.

Student Conduct

Student Conduct

When you enroll in the University, you assume an obligation to conduct yourself in a manner compatible with the University’s function as an educational institution. Rules concerning student conduct, student organizations, use of University facilities, and related matters are set forth in The Code of Student Conduct available online at the Center for Student Conduct's website. 

Academic Misconduct, Cheating, or Plagiarism

Achievement and proficiency in subject matter includes your realization that neither is to be achieved by academic misconduct. An instructor has the right to give you an F on a single assignment produced by engaging in academic misconduct without determining whether you have a passing knowledge of the relevant factual material. That is an appropriate academic evaluation for a failure to understand or abide by the basic rules of academic study and inquiry. An instructor has the right to assign a final grade of F for the course if you plagiarized a paper for a portion of the course, even if you have successfully and, presumably, honestly passed the remaining portion of the course. It must be understood that any student who knowingly aids in plagiarism or other cheating, e.g., allowing another student to copy a paper or examination question, is as responsible as the cheating student.

If a student is found responsible for academic misconduct there will be a sanction applied. Sanctions range from a non-reportable warning through dismissal and may also include educational sanctions such as reflective writing assignment, activities, and workshops.

Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

The Berkeley campus actively monitors and supports full compliance with the official University of California Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment, which states: "The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. Every member of the community should be aware that the University prohibits sexual violence and sexual harassment, retaliation, and other prohibited behavior (“Prohibited Conduct”) that violates law and/or University policy. The University will respond promptly and effectively to reports of Prohibited Conduct and will take appropriate action to prevent, to correct, and when necessary, to discipline behavior that violates this Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (hereafter referred to as Policy)."

The campus has complaint procedures designed to facilitate the prompt and equitable resolution of sexual violence and sexual harassment and other discrimination complaints. If you believe that you have been a target of sexual violence and/or sexual harassment, have questions about the policy or about the complaint resolution procedures, you may address your inquiries to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, ask_ophd@berkeley.edu or 510-643-7985. Here is the full text of the University Policy and further information.

Sexual Harassment/Assault Peer Education Program

Student Grievance Procedure

The Berkeley campus Student Grievance Procedure gives you an opportunity to resolve complaints alleging discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical condition (e.g., cancer-related), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a veteran or special disabled veteran. The procedure is also available for the resolution of complaints alleging inappropriate application to a student of any other rules or policies of the Berkeley campus resulting in injury to the student. The procedure is not applicable to certain kinds of complaints for which other appropriate appeals procedures exist. For example, the procedure does not apply to a grade appeal based on the application of non-academic criteria. (See Formal Appeal of Grades in Courses and Examinations on the Grades page of the Academic Policies section of the Berkeley Academic Guide for a description of the grade appeal process.) 

It is the intent of this procedure that student complaints should be resolved, if at all possible, in the department or unit where they arise. The procedure contains important time limitations and provisions about the interrelationship between this procedure and other campus complaint procedures. Copies of the procedure are available online or in 102 Sproul Hall.

Graduate Student Appeals

Through the Graduate Appeal Procedure, graduate students have the right to appeal academic or administrative decisions that have materially hindered their degree progress or resulted in dismissal from their graduate program.

Students must first initiate an appeal with the academic unit (the department, school, or graduate group) responsible for the alleged action under dispute. The Graduate Council requires each instructional unit to maintain copies of its current internal appeal procedure for information and use by its graduate students.

The academic unit and the student must make all reasonable efforts at resolving the difficulty, as outlined in the Graduate Appeal Procedure, before the student may take the matter to the next level, which is the Graduate Division. Students may also consult with the Ombuds for Students at 510-642-5754 for assistance with informal resolution.

If attempts to resolve the matter with the student's home unit were unsuccessful, the student may submit a formal appeal to the Graduate Division, after carefully following the guidelines and deadlines in the Graduate Appeal Procedure. The Graduate Appeal Procedure Form must accompany the appeal.

Other Policies

Grade Reports and Transcripts

Grades are available at CalCentral and will post the next day after approval by the instructor. Registered students may order a transcript online through CalCentral. Alumni and students who are not registered may order transcripts online by following instructions on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Cal 1 Card Photo ID

The Cal 1 Card is the official campus photo ID. Cal 1 Card issuance requires that you:

1. Submit a compliant photo with a plain white background online. Enhanced photos (e.g. photoshop, filters, etc.) will be rejected.

2. Present an original valid government-issued photo ID (e.g. driver license, state ID, passport) at the time of issuance.

The Cal 1 Card will allow you access to various campus services, facilities, and events and can also be used as a debit card to pay for goods and services at multiple campus dining facilities, library printing locations, as well as many other merchant locations.

The AC Transit EasyPass Clipper Card is a separate card allows you to access the Class Pass for unlimited ridership privileges on AC Transit bus lines.Accepting custody of the AC Transit EasyPass Clipper Card, which comes loaded with your Class Pass, constitutes acceptance of the corresponding Clipper Cardholder Agreement and Privacy Policy stipulations.

If you encounter any problems successfully uploading a compliant Cal 1 Card photo or obtaining a valid government-issued photo ID prior to your arrival on campus, please provide the pertinent details in an email to cal1card@berkeley.edu for additional support.

Change of Address

Changes to your local or permanent address or telephone number can be entered directly at CalCentral. 

Change of Name

If you change your legal name, stop by Cal Student Central, 120 Sproul Hall, and complete a “Petition for Change of Name” form and provide appropriate documentation. For further information on the Name Change Policy, please see the Office of the Registrar's website.

Preferred Name

You may designate a preferred name via CalCentral. Your preferred name is the name you would like to be referred to in the classroom and elsewhere on campus. It is different than your legal name, which will still be used for financial aid, diplomas, transcripts, payroll documents, and other documents. For further information on Preferred Name, please see the Office of the Registrar's website.

Access to Records

You are entitled by law and University policy to examine and challenge most of the records that the University maintains on you. These records may be confidential and in most circumstances may be released to third parties only with your prior consent. Such matters are detailed in the Berkeley Campus Policy Governing Disclosure of Information from Student Records.

Classroom Note-Taking and Recording Policy

The University encourages students to take notes in class and other instructional settings as part of their education. Note-taking is a means of recording information and helps students absorb and integrate what they learn. Note-taking or other recording of an instructor’s presentation can also facilitate further discussion of the material with students and the instructor. However, class notes and recordings are based on the intellectual effort of the instructor, who has an interest in protecting this effort and ensuring the accuracy of any public representation of his or her work. Prior approval of the instructor is required for the recording of course notes and the sharing of course notes and other class materials beyond the students enrolled in the course. Only a course note-taking service authorized by the campus may make course notes available commercially. Here are the relevant policies for note-taking services.

Disability-Related Policies and Guidelines

In compliance with the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Public Law 93-112) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336), University of California policy prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability in its programs, services, and activities.

The University of California's system-wide Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students can be found on the UC Office of the President's website.

For further information regarding services for students with disabilities, please see the Disabled Students' Program website.

Course Number Guide

For an explanation of the prefixes, suffixes, and course numbering system used in UC Berkeley's course listings, please see the guide provided below.

Prefixes to Course Numbers

C = Course is cross-listed with another department
H = Honors course
N = Summer-only course not equivalent to a regular session course with the same number
R = Satisfies Reading and Composition (R & C) requirement
W = Offered fully or predominantly online

Suffixes to Course Numbers

AC = Satisfies American Cultures requirement

Students should check with their major or minor advising unit to verify which courses will satisfy curriculum requirements.

Key to Course Numbers

1-99 = Lower division (undergraduate) courses
100-199 = Upper division (undergraduate) courses
200-299 = Graduate courses
300-399 = Professional courses for teachers and prospective teachers
400-499 = Other professional courses (acceptable toward academic degrees only within limitations prescribed by a college, school, or the Graduate Division)
601 = Special study for graduate students in preparation for master's examination
602 = Special study for graduate students in preparation for doctoral qualifying examination

Courses Numbered 24, 39, & 84

Freshman and Sophomore Seminars
For further information, please see the Freshman and Sophomore Seminars at Berkeley website.

Courses Numbered 97

Field Studies (lower division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 198, and 199 for a single semester. Courses with this number are restricted to passed/not passed grading. To take them you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). A written proposal for each Field Studies Course, signed by the faculty sponsor, must receive approval by the Chair of the Department. In certain cases, exceptions to these rules may be granted by the dean of your college or school.

Courses Numbered 98

Organized Group Study (lower division) 
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 198, and 199 for a single semester. Each section of a 98 course must receive approval by the chair of the department, based upon a written proposal submitted by the instructor who is to supervise the course that describes the matter to be studied, the methods of instruction, the number of units to be credited, and methods of evaluation of student performance. A copy of the approved proposal must be submitted for information to the Committee on Courses of Instruction. Only a grade of passed/not passed is to be assigned. In certain cases, the dean of your college or school may authorize exceptions to these limitations.

Courses Numbered 99

Supervised Independent Study by academically superior students (lower division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 198, and 199 for a single semester. You must have a 3.3 GPA and prior consent of the instructor who is to supervise the study, and you must submit a written proposal to the chair of the department (or equivalent) for approval. The proposal must specify the nature of the study, number of units to be credited, and the basis for grading. Only a grade of passed/not passed is to be assigned. In certain cases, the dean of your college or school may authorize exceptions to these limitations.

Courses Numbered 197

Field Studies (upper division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. Courses with this number are restricted to passed/not passed grading. To take them you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). A written proposal for each Field Studies Course, signed by the faculty sponsor, must receive approval by the Chair of the Department. In certain cases, exceptions to these rules may be granted by the dean of your college or school.

Courses numbered 198

Organized Group Study (upper division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 198, and 199 for a single semester. Each section of a 198 course must receive approval by the chair of the department, based upon a written proposal submitted by the instructor who is to supervise the course that describes the matter to be studied, the methods of instruction, the number of units to be credited, and methods of evaluation of student performance. A copy of the approved proposal must be submitted for information to the Committee on Courses of Instruction. To enroll in 198 courses, you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). Only a grade of passed/not passed is to be assigned. In certain cases, exceptions to these rules may be granted by the dean of your college or school.

Courses numbered 199

Supervised Independent Study (upper division)
You may use no more than 16 semester units of courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, and 199 to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree. You may aggregate no more than 4 units of credit for courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 198, and 199 for a single semester. You must have prior approval of your major adviser, the instructor who is to supervise the study, and the chair of the department. Approval must be based on a written proposal that you submit to the chair that specifies the nature of the study, the number of units to be credited, and the basis for grading. To enroll in 199 courses, you must be in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or better). Only a grade of passed/not passed will be assigned. In certain cases, the dean of your college or school may authorize exceptions to these limitations.

Courses Numbered 601 & 602

Individual Study (601 – master level, 602 – doctoral level)
You may enroll in no more than 8 semester units of courses numbered 601 or 602 to meet the requirements for a master’s or doctoral degree, up to 4 units per summer session. Only a grade of satisfactory/unsatisfactory will be assigned. Enrollment in these courses must be approved by the student’s graduate advisor. Units earned in these courses may not be used to meet academic residence of unit requirements towards a degree.

Fall 2019 Fire Related Measures

Due to wildfire threat in Fall 2019 and PG&E’s public safety power shutoffs, UC Berkeley canceled instruction Wednesday, October 9 - Friday, October 11, 2019 and on Monday, October 28 resulting in the loss of 4 instructional days. The University of California Office of the President granted an exception to the required 73 days of instruction in Fall 2019 due to the state of emergency. Instructors were permitted but not encouraged to directly transfer class meetings and content to the corresponding days of Reading/Recitation/Review (RRR) week when necessary to ensure the integrity of instruction.

Spring 2020 COVID-19 Measures

In response to the unusual and challenging circumstances that instructors and students have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UC Berkeley implemented a number of emergency measures for the spring 2020 semester: 

• Effective Tuesday, March 10, 2020, the campus moved to remote instruction which will remain in place through the end of Summer Sessions 2020. 

• The default grading basis for all undergraduate enrollment in the spring 2020 semester was changed to Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) effective March 20, 2020. Undergraduates have the option of reverting back to a letter grade until the Friday before final exams. Classes taken P/NP in spring 2020 will not count against the undergraduate ⅓ limit on P/NP courses.

• Graduate students may change the grading of their courses to Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) until the Friday before final exams. Graduate programs may increase the fraction of S/U courses that can count toward degree requirements beyond the existing cap of 1/3.

Spring 2020 Transcript Notations

A notation will appear on the official transcript under the Spring 2020 term for all students who were enrolled for the semester. 

Undergraduate notation:

The COVID-19 global pandemic required mid-semester changes to enrollment deadlines and grading policy. All graded classes were converted to passed/not passed with the option to revert to letter grade prior to final exams. Students were encouraged to retain the passed/not passed option.

Graduate notation:

The COVID-19 global health pandemic resulted in mid-semester academic policy changes in respect to enrollment deadlines, milestone completion, and grading.

Additional Resources

• Grading Policies for Spring 2020
• Grading Principles for Spring 2020
• Student FAQ: Grading for Spring 2020
• Instructor FAQ: Grading for Spring 2020
• COVID-19 Information for Graduate Students

Undergraduate College-Specific Policies

• College of Chemistry: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Changes in College of Chemistry Policies & Procedures for Spring 2020
• College of Engineering: Spring 2020 COVID-19 FAQs
• College of Environmental Design: Spring 2020 Academic Policy Updates
• College of Letters and Science: Spring 2020: Policy Updates and FAQs
• Haas School of Business: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information
• Rausser College of Natural Resources: Changes in Policies and Procedures for Spring 2020

Summer 2020 COVID-19 Measures

Due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic, UC Berkeley announced on April 3 that all summer instruction would be remote. No changes made to the grading policy.