Change of Major

ALL students enter the Department as a Pre-Chemistry major regardless of which full major they will declare. Students who meet all of the Pre-Chemistry major requirements described on the Pre-Chemistry Major Sheet will be eligible to declare a full major. Please note that you must receive a cumulative 2.0 GPA per sequence. There are 6 unique sequences for the pre-major. 

Please note that Math 6A and Physics lab courses will need to be completed before enrolling in Year 3 courses. See the major sheets for reference.

Prerequisite - Prerequisites are strictly enforced. Most Chemistry courses build upon prerequisite or preparatory course work. Students who have not successfully completed the prerequisites for a course will not be allowed to register.
  • Specific course prerequisite information can be found on GOLD or in the UCSB Catalog. If you are unsure if you meet a prerequisite or need to repeat a course, please email us at ugrads@chem.ucsb.edu.

How to Declare Your Major

Pre-Chemistry BA or BS

  1. Students must complete 2 quarters of Chemistry, Math, and Physics courses at UCSB to be eligible to declare the Pre-Chemistry Major.

Note: Sudents who are not admitted as Pre-Chemistry will have to complete the change of major petition twice; first to be admitted to the Pre-Chemistry Major and then to advance to the full major.

Full Major - Chemistry BA, Chemistry BS, or Biochemistry BS

  1. Students must complete each Pre-Chemistry area requirement with a 2.0 GPA or higher to declare a full major.
Note: Your petition will be declined if you submit a Major Change petition prior to all applicable grades being reported on GOLD. Therefore, do not submit your petition until you have received all your grades and they are present on GOLD. Please run a major progress check on GOLD to check course completion.
 
Students completing the Pre-Chemistry Major during the Spring or Summer quarters, please expect an email from ugrads@chem.ucsb.edu in the Spring to initiate your change of major process.

Double Major

If you are planning to double major, please first visit our advising staff during our walk-in hours where we will review the double major process with you.

Transfer Students

Department policy requires that all incoming transfer students, even those who have successfully completed all the pre-major requirements, enter the University as a Pre-Chemistry major. Advancement to full major status is only permitted after:
  1. The Pre-Chemistry major requirements have been satisfied
  2. The student has completed one-quarter of coursework at UCSB, with a minimum GPA of 2.0 achieved in major courses.

Once eligible, please click here to begin the Change of Major process.

For quesitons about this, please email us at ugrads@chem.ucsb.edu.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long will it take for my major to change on GOLD?

A: Once all required departments approve, your new major(s) will automatically be updated on GOLD within 24 hours. Please check the "Registration" tab on GOLD to view your major change.

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Q: I am currently a Pre-Chemistry major. How do I know if I can declare a full major?

 
A: Our department offers three full major options, Chemistry B.A., Chemistry B.S., and Biochemistry B.S. Once you have completed all six (6) sequences of the Pre-major, with a UC GPA of a 2.0 or higher, you are then eligible to declare a full major. 
 
Click here to use the UCSB GPA calculator to calculate your GPA per sequence. 
 
For example, a student received a B in Chemistry 1A, an A- in Chemistry 1B, and a C+ in Chemistry 1C. The average of these grades totals a 3.0 GPA. Therefore, for this sequence, the student would have satisfied the 2.0 GPA minimum. This standard is needed for all six (6) sequences. 
 
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Q: How do I know which full major is best for me?
 
A: This is a great question and multiple factors will need to be considered to best answer this. These factors include prospective careers, graduate/professional schools, desired graduation timeline, and interest in the subject. We recommend that you connect with a faculty advisor to discuss which major might be best for you. They have great insight into what directions your degree can take you. We also recommend you connect with your career services counselor for additional helpful insight. See below for useful links to help you make your decision. 
 
Resources:

Declaring Candidacy to Graduate

You must declare your candidacy in order to graduate. Declaring candidacy for graduation is a separate process from participating in commencement ceremonies. Please click here to follow the instructions provided by the Office the Registrar.