Academic advising
Undergraduates
For undergraduate advising, information, or referrals, contact your school or college below.
Haas School of Business: S450 Student Services Building; haas.berkeley.edu; uginfo@haas.berkeley.edu; 510/642-1421.
College of Chemistry: 420 Latimer Hall; chemistry.berkeley.edu; undergrad@cchem.berkeley.edu; 510/642-5060.
College of Engineering: 308 McLaughlin Hall; coe.berkeley.edu/current_students/advising.html; 510/642-7594.
College of Environmental Design: 232 Wurster Hall; ced.berkeley.edu; cedugoffice@berkeley.edu; 510/642-4942.
College of Letters and Science: 113 Campbell Hall; ls-advise.berkeley.edu; KpasaLnS@berkeley.edu; 510/642-1483.
College of Natural Resources: 260 Mulford Hall; cnr.berkeley.edu; cnrteaching@nature.berkeley.edu; 510/642-0542.
Whether or not you have an assigned academic adviser depends on what school or college and department you've been admitted to, and your status (declared or undeclared). This person helps with academic planning and is available for general consultation.
College advisers provide general information and advising. In addition, they offer special assistance to students on academic probation, as well as specialized workshops. The college advisers act as the representatives of the dean of the college in reviewing student petitions. For more information about advisers or academic planning, you should read your College Announcement or Guide (see here).
Major advisers provide guidance on pursuing and completing a major. Students who enter Cal with a declared major work with major advisers to do academic planning. Undeclared students who have narrowed their field(s) of interest should direct questions regarding preparing for and declaring a major to the major adviser.
Undergraduates in the College of Letters & Science can access advising information and services in a variety of ways. Newly admitted first year students are assigned to L&S advising teams stationed in the Academic Service Centers in the residence halls. First years who are not living on campus can find their advising team housed in 113 Campbell Hall. Sophomores, transfer students, juniors, and seniors can still find advising help at 113 Campbell Hall (MTuThF 9am-4pm, W 10am-4pm). Scheduled appointments or drop-in sessions, offered on a first come, first served basis, are provided daily (ls-advise.berkeley.edu; 113 Campbell Hall; KpasaLnS@berkeley.edu; 510/642-1483).
Graduate students
Most new graduate students are assigned a graduate adviser in their department when they first arrive on campus. This faculty member helps students decide which courses they need to take. A major adviser who will direct a graduate student's research and thesis or dissertation is usually chosen by the student, rather than assigned, after the first year of graduate school.
Undergraduate majors
Every student must select a field of concentration and pursue a major, normally by taking a minimum number of units in one school or department. Occasionally-as in Business Administration or Optometry-the school and the department are the same. Admission to these schools is at the upper division level (after completing 60 units of lower division requirements for Business Administration, or 90 units for Optometry). In Chemistry, Engineering, Environmental Design, and Natural Resources, you are admitted to the major you indicated on your application.
In Letters & Science (L&S), enrollment limitations require you to seek admission to a major program after entering the University. You may declare your major once you have completed the prerequisites and obtained approval from the major adviser. You must declare a major before the beginning of your junior year, or the College may block your registration. Junior transfer students must declare a major by the start of their second semester.
Currently seven L&S majors are "capped" (e.g., admission to the major is restricted due to very high student interest and demand): Computer Science, Economics, Mass Communications, Psychology, Public Health, Operations Research & Management Science, and Social Welfare. You must apply for these majors when you have reached less than or equal to 80 total units (including work in progress, but excluding high school enrichment units, e.g., Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or other college units earned prior to high school graduation). If you are a junior transfer (i.e., you had 60 or more units completed at the time of transfer), you will be given one semester-your first on the Berkeley campus-to apply for a capped major (ls-advise.berkeley.edu; 113 Campbell Hall; 510/642-1483).
Minors
While each student must complete a major, graduation with a minor is optional. The purpose of minors is to foster coherence in the academic work students complete outside their majors and to provide official recognition by the University for such work.
There are currently more than 60 minors in the College of Letters & Science, 10 minors in the College of Environmental Design, two in the College of Chemistry, and one in the School of Education. Information on the various minors may be obtained from the school or college, and from participating departments.
DARS
DARS (Degree Audit Report System) is an online service that enables undergraduate students to monitor their progress toward meeting major, college, UC, and campus requirements. Students can see which requirements have been completed and which have not, and which courses can fulfill those unmet requirements. You can even try out different majors to see how close you are to meeting their prerequisites. DARS can be accessed through Bear Facts (bearfacts.berkeley.edu).
Student Life Advising Services (SLAS)
SLAS provides students with guidance and resources to enhance their academic progress, personal development, and attainment of their educational and career goals. SLAS makes every effort to provide students with the information necessary to develop the skills required to succeed at Berkeley and beyond. Their target population consists of Educational Opportunity Program students (low-income, first-generation college), underrepresented students, and students who participated in outreach programs. Among some of the services provided are:
Counseling and Advising
Housing Assistance
Peer Advising
Student Life Achievement Awards
Discretionary Grants
Fee Waivers/Reductions
Transitional Workshops and Seminars
For more information, contact SLAS (slas.berkeley.edu; 119 Cesar Chavez Student Center; 510/642-7224).
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Support Services
EOP is a comprehensive support service that differs somewhat among UC campuses, but generally include five basic types of programs and services:
Transitional services aimed at helping students to acclimate to the campus
Academic counseling, including personal and career counseling
Networking and referrals to campus resources including academic enrichment programs
Mentorship and graduate school preparation
Instructional activities, including academic skills enrichment and tutoring
EOP is open to all students who meet the eligibility requirements (low-income, first-generation college, California resident). Students who did not apply for EOP sponsorship during the admission process may apply directly at the Student Life Advising Services (slas.berkeley.edu; 119 Cesar Chavez Student Center; advising@berkeley.edu; 510/642-7224).