Navigating Graduation Requirements at UCR: A Comprehensive Guide to Credits and Academic Policies

For students at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), understanding the graduation requirements, including credit accumulation per semester and relevant academic policies, is crucial for a successful academic journey. This article aims to provide a detailed overview of these requirements, encompassing degree options, foreign language proficiency, appeal procedures, and other essential academic regulations.

Degree Options and Credit Requirements

UCR offers both Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in most majors. The specific credit requirements vary depending on the chosen degree and major.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

The B.A. degree is designed as a flexible liberal arts degree. The B.A. requires 70 units of lower division (27 Physics, 15 Chemistry, 24 Math, 4 Computer Science), and a minimum of 41 units of upper division Physics, totaling 111 units in the major and 68 units of breadth, totaling 179 units.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Several specialized B.S. tracks are available, each tailored to specific career paths and academic interests. These tracks often have distinct credit requirements and course structures. Here's an overview:

Standard Track: This track is designed for students who primarily wish to work in industry in STEM fields or prepare for graduate school in Physics, Astronomy or Engineering. The program consists of 70 units at lower division (27 in Physics, 15 chemistry, 24 math, 4 computer science) and a minimum of 57 units at upper division, totaling 127 units in the major and 40 units of breadth. A minimum of 165 units is required to fulfill program requirements.

Read also: Enrollment at Notre Dame
Applied Physics and Engineering Track: This track is designed for students who primarily wish to work in the industry in physics, computer, or engineering sectors or prepare for graduate school in Physics, Applied Physics or Engineering. The program consists of 70 units at lower division (27 in Physics, 15 chemistry, 24 math, 4 computer science) and a minimum of 57 units at upper division, totaling 127 units in the major and 40 units of breadth requirements. The minimum total units is 165.
Biophysics Track: This track is designed to prepare students for careers or graduate school in biophysics, bioengineering, biomaterials, biotechnology or health-related fields. The requirements satisfy medical school admissions requirements. The track requires 95 lower division units (27 in Physics, 27 in Chemistry, 24 in Math, 13 in Biology, 4 in Computer Science) and a minimum of 49 upper division units, totaling 144 units. There are 36 units of CNAS breadth.
Astrophysics Track: This track is for students who primarily wish to work in industry in STEM or data science fields or prepare for graduate school in Astronomy. The lower division program is identical to the standard track. It consists of 70 units at lower division (27 in Physics, 15 chemistry, 24 math, 4 computer science) and a minimum of 60 units at upper division, totaling 130 units in the major and 40 units of breadth. A minimum of 170 units is required to fulfill program requirements.
Physics Education Track: The Physics Education option is available for those who are interested in a pursuing a teaching career. The program requires 76 units at lower division (27 in Physics, 15 chemistry, 24 math, 4 computer science, 6 education), a minimum of 41 units of upper division Physics courses, 8 units of upper division Education courses, and 40 units of breadth requirements, for a total of 165 units.

Foreign Language Requirement

Proficiency in a foreign language is a general education requirement for all majors in the College of Letters and Science. The requirements vary depending on the degree pursued:

B.A. Degree: For the B.A. degree, students must complete 16 quarter units in a foreign language. This requirement may be satisfied by completing four quarters of foreign language with a minimum grade of C or demonstrating equivalent proficiency, or completing 8 quarter units in each of two foreign languages with a minimum grade of C or demonstrating equivalent proficiency. Biology and Neuroscience majors must complete four quarters of one language.
B.S. Degree: For the B.S. degree, the foreign language requirement may be satisfied by completing with a minimum grade of C the third quarter or the equivalent of one language at UCR or another college or university; or demonstrating proficiency at the third-quarter level on the foreign language placement examination administered by the UCR Department of Comparative Literature and Foreign Languages and Department of Hispanic Studies. Courses in American Sign Language may be used to meet this requirement.

Students who are pursuing a B.A. degree and who have not completed a foreign language course may enroll in a level-one foreign language course. However, students must take a placement exam if they plan to take a course in the same foreign language that they studied in high school.

Alternative Ways to Meet the Language Requirement

Score 3, 4 or 5 on any College Board Advanced Placement Examination in a language other than English.
Passing a college course comparable to the second semester of a foreign language as taught at UC Berkeley.
For many students who attended high school outside of the United States, where English is not the language of instruction, then English may be your foreign language.
For prospective transfer students following the Cal-GETC pattern, the optional LOTE certification may satisfy a campus' LOTE graduation requirement.

Academic Appeals Procedures for Graduate Students

UCR provides procedures for graduate students to appeal academic decisions that affect their progress. These procedures include both informal and formal resolution processes.

Grounds for Appeal

A student may appeal a decision based on the following grounds:

Evidence of special mitigating circumstances beyond the student's control (such as documented severe illness to self or immediate family, or death in the family) not properly taken into account in a decision affecting the student's academic progress. In order to seek relief under "special mitigating circumstances," the student must have raised the issue with the program contemporaneously with the mitigating circumstances, or as soon as possible and no later.

Program Level Appeals

Informal Resolution: Students are strongly encouraged to pursue informal resolution of disputes over academic decisions before moving to a formal appeal. Informal resolution involves further communication among the affected parties (e.g., a student and the chair of the exam committee), perhaps in the presence of a third party if desired.
Formal Appeal: If a mutually satisfactory informal resolution cannot be reached, a program level formal appeal may be initiated. The formal appeal should be addressed in writing to the Graduate Advisor. Alternatively, if there is a conflict of interest, the appeal may be addressed to the Department Chair or Program Director. Formal appeals must be initiated by a written statement indicating the action(s) being appealed and the date(s) the action(s) occurred, the grounds upon which the appeal is based (Section 2), and the relief requested.
Faculty Hearing Panel: A panel of faculty appointed by the Graduate Advisor or Designee (such as the program's graduate committee) will serve as the Faculty Hearing Panel. The Panel must have at least two members. Only faculty who were not involved in making the decision under appeal may sit on this panel. The Panel will make a decision within 60 days of the initiation of the formal appeal. The standard of review to be employed by the Panel shall be the "clearly erroneous" standard. If the appeal is approved by the Panel, Graduate Division will ensure the prompt corrective action is taken.

Graduate Division Appeals

A student may formally appeal the decision by the Panel or the validity decision by the Graduate Advisor or Designee to the Graduate Division.

Initiating the Appeal: The formal written appeal must be received in the Office of the Dean of the Graduate Division within 21 days of the notification of the result of the Appeal at the Program Level decision. Formal appeals must be initiated by a written statement indicating the action(s) being appealed and the date(s) the action(s) occurred, the grounds upon which the appeal is based, and the relief requested. The written statement may include a request for a personal appearance before the investigative officer, if desired, and notice to the Graduate Division if the student bringing the appeal will be represented by counsel or other representative. The written statement should also include a description of the results of the appeal at the program level, and any background information that the student deems pertinent to the case. All written material must be submitted prior to the time frames stated in Section 4A.
Investigation: Formal Appeals will be investigated according to the following procedures. The Dean of the Graduate Division will arrange for a personal appearance by the student if requested in the written statement initiating the appeal. The scope of the personal appearance shall be limited to matters that were raised by the written appeal or the responses that are within the jurisdiction of this procedure. The student shall be provided 14 days notice of the time and place of the personal appearance. If the student wishes to be represented by counsel or other representative, the student must notify in writing, at least 7 days prior to the date of the personal appearance. The notice should include the name, title of, and contact information for the counsel or representative.
Decision and Standard of Review: The Dean of the Graduate Division will notify the student of the Formal Appeal decision within 60 days of the receipt of the written statement initiating the appeal. When reviewing the validity of an appeal, the standard of review to be employed by the Dean of the Graduate Division shall be under "abuse of discretion" standard. When reviewing the determination of the Faculty Hearing Panel, the standard of review to be employed by the Dean of the Graduate Division shall be under an "arbitrary and capricious" standard.
Reconsideration: Students must submit their request for reconsideration in writing to the Office of the Dean of the Graduate Division. The request must be received within 21 days following the date of the notification to the student of the final decision on the Formal Appeal.

Graduate Division Level Appeals

These procedures include informal and formal resolution processes for appeals regarding actions originating within the Graduate Division. For appeals regarding actions originating within the Graduate Division, the student is strongly encouraged to initiate informal resolution with the Dean or Associate Dean of the Graduate Division.

Formal Appeal: Formal appeals must be initiated by a written statement indicating the action(s) being appealed and the date(s) the action(s) occurred, the grounds upon which the appeal is based, and the relief requested. The written statement may include a request for a personal appearance before the investigative officer, if desired, and notice to the Graduate Council if the student bringing the appeal will be represented by counsel or other representative. The written statement should also include any background information that the student deems pertinent to the case. All written material must be submitted prior to the time frames stated in Section 5B.
Graduate Council Review: For appeals regarding actions originating with the Graduate Division, the appeal will be referred to the Graduate Council for final action in all matters. The Chair of the Graduate Council, or designated member of the Council, will be in charge of the Council's investigation and final action.
Investigation: Formal Appeals will be investigated according to the following procedures. The Chair of the Graduate Council shall arrange for a personal appearance by the student if requested in the written statement initiating the appeal. The scope of the personal appearance shall be limited to matters that were raised by the written appeal or the responses that are within the jurisdiction of this procedure. The student shall be provided 14 days' notice of the time and place of the personal appearance.
Decision and Standard of Review: The Chair of the Graduate Council shall notify the student of the final decision on the Formal Appeal within 60 days of the receipt of the written statement initiating the appeal. When reviewing the determination of the Graduate Division, the standard of review to be employed by the Graduate Council shall be under an "arbitrary and capricious" standard.
Reconsideration: Students must submit their request for reconsideration in writing to the Graduate Council. The request must be received within 21 days following the date of the notification to the student of the final decision on the Formal Appeal.

Matters Outside the Scope of These Procedures

Examples of actions not covered by this process include, but are not limited to, appeals regarding denial of admission, student records, grades in courses of instruction, academic integrity, accommodation for disabilities, student employment, student conduct and discipline, auxiliary student services (such as housing, child care, etc.), and whistleblower complaints.

Time Frames

All time frames are defined in terms of calendar days, excluding campus holidays and summer session, starting the day the student either knew or reasonably should have known of the actions leading to the appeal. The Dean of the Graduate Division may extend time frames for good cause upon notice to all parties involved in the appeal.

Additional Considerations

Minor in Physics: The minor in Physics consists of 26 upper-division units in Physics. At least 10 units from any upper-division Physics courses not chosen in the first tier.
Study Abroad: Students can take 12 credits every quarter. UCR offers multiple comfortable housing options, from studio to 2-bedroom apartment on -campus to all students. All students residing in student accommodation are enrolled in UCR meal plan.
Academic Advising: Students should consult with their academic advisor to ensure they are meeting all requirements for graduation.

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