Academic Credit Units of CreditAcademic work at the university is measured by “units of credit.” In conjunction with the letter grade you receive from the course instructor, units of credit give a fairly accurate evaluation of the amount of time you have devoted to a given subject. Units of credit also make it possible to anticipate the amount of work involved in a particular course and enable you to transfer from one campus or university to another without undue difficulty. To convert quarter units to semester units, multiply by 0.66; from semester to quarter units, multiply by 1.5. Units of credit are assigned to courses based on 1 unit of credit for three hours of work by the student per week. Usually this means one hour of lecture or discussion led by the instructor and two hours of outside preparation by the student. In laboratory courses, two or three hours of work in the laboratory are normally assigned 1 unit of credit. In most courses at UC Davis, the standard procedure prevails, so that a 3-unit course meets for three hours a week, a 4-unit course for four hours and so on. Courses that are an exception to this pattern may require additional class time or give more demanding assignments. If you have questions about the number of units assigned to a course, you should check the expanded course descriptions (available at your college, department, or on the Internet) or ask the instructor what is required in terms of outside reading, term papers, problem sets or field trips. These are not always spelled out completely in the General Catalog. By knowing the amount of work that will be required, you can plan your course load more systematically and realistically. Credit by ExaminationUnder certain prescribed conditions, currently registered students in good standing may receive course credit by taking an examination without formally enrolling in a course. You may obtain a petition and a copy of the prescribed conditions from the Office of the University Registrar. The petition is subject to the approval of the instructor giving the examination and the department involved. The completed petition, accompanied by a fee of $5.00, must be presented for final approval to the dean of your college or school, or if you are a graduate student, to the dean of Graduate Studies. The credit received for the examination may not duplicate any credit you have already earned toward your degree. You may not use credit by examination to repeat any course you have taken previously, regardless of the grade you received in that course. The final results will be reported to the Office of the University Registrar, which will assign the appropriate grade and grade points to you. Since failure to pass the examination will be recorded as an F, you are encouraged to prepare fully for such an examination before attempting it. You may also receive credit for learning in nonacademic settings through credit by examination. Concurrent Credit from Another InstitutionA student may not obtain transfer credit for courses taken at a non-University of California campus in a term during which the student is registered as a full-time student at UC Davis. A variance can be obtained only by petitioning the dean of your college well in advance of the desired registration. When a variance is granted, units earned are counted toward minimum progress for the term in which the dual registration occurs. Summer Session courses are exempt from this regulation. Students may gain credit for courses taken during the summer at other institutions, provided the courses parallel those given in the University of California. Assurance that such credit will be accepted, however, can be given only after the courses have been completed. You should arrange to have the transcripts of your Summer Session grades sent to Undergraduate Admissions for evaluation. Intercampus Visitor ProgramQualified undergraduates may take advantage of educational opportunities on other University of California campuses as an Intercampus Visitor (ICV). This program enables students who have completed at least one year in residence on their home campus and have maintained a grade point average of at least 2.000 to take courses not available on their home campus, to participate in special programs, or to study with distinguished faculty members on other campuses of the university. Students who meet the above requirements should complete an application available in the Office of the University Registrar. Summer Sessions207 3rd Street Suite 220 Every summer, many students earn units, complete their undergraduate degrees, expand their knowledge, do research, take special study courses, meet prerequisites or take courses that are often over-enrolled during the academic year by participating in Summer Sessions at UC Davis. Summer Sessions offers more than 700 lower and upper division course sections in a wide range of subject areas that provide full university credit transferable to most campuses. Since admission is open to virtually all adults, Summer Sessions traditionally attracts students from universities and colleges, high school graduates and many other qualified applicants. Admission to a summer session, however, does not guarantee or imply admission to the university's regular academic quarters. Summer offerings include Special Programs that either occur off-campus or take place outside the normal six-week terms. Summer session dates are listed in the Academic
Calendar, at http://summer-sessions.ucdavis.edu and in the Class Schedule
and Registration Guide (CSRG). UC/CSU/Community College Cross EnrollmentIf you are interested in taking a particular class at a nearby California State University or community college campus, you may now do so through the Intersegmental Cross Enrollment program. Enrollment is limited to one course per term and participating students need the approval of both the home and the host campus. Please note that the Los Rios Community College district is not participating in the program. Senate Bill 361 requires that UC, CSU and the California Community Colleges permit students to enroll in one course per term at a campus of either of the other two systems on a space available basis at the discretion of the two campuses. This program aims to encourage community college students to enroll concurrently in courses offered at local universities, potentially increasing the number of community college transfers, including students from underrepresented groups. Students must meet certain qualifications and be certified by their home campus as to eligibility, residence, fee, financial aid and health status. Generally, students will be allowed to add a class, if space is available, after the add/drop period on the host campus. To add a course, students must obtain the faculty member’s approval and signature on a Cross-Enrollment form, available at their home campus Registrar’s Office. The student takes the signed form to the Registrar’s Office at the host campus for processing. If you are interested in participating, come to the service counter at the Office of the University Registrar in 12 Mrak Hall for more information. Open Campus (Concurrent) ProgramUC Davis Extension Most of the classes taught at UC Davis are available to members of the public through the Open Campus (Concurrent) Program on a space available basis. The enrollment limitations, deadlines and fee schedule are available in the Open Campus brochure-obtained online, by mail or from the UC Davis Extension office. Students registered at UC Davis may not enroll through Open Campus (Concurrent) until twelve months after withdrawing from UC Davis except with permission of the student's College Dean's Office. Upon admission or readmission to regular student status at UC Davis, the units and grade points earned when enrolled in Open Campus courses will count toward both the 180-unit undergraduate degree requirement and the UC GPA. UC Davis Extension1333 Research Park Drive As the outreach arm of UC Davis, UC Davis Extension provides adult continuing education in numerous professional and academic fields. Details on the courses available from Extension may be obtained by visiting the Extension Web site, calling or coming to the Extension office. Students enrolled at UC Davis who wish to use UC Davis Extension courses other than Open Campus (Concurrent) towards degree requirements must obtain written approval from the dean's office of their college before enrolling in the Extension courses. Upon approval students may apply a limited number of credits towards the 180-unit undergraduate degree requirement. |
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Updated: February 18, 2009 2:51 PM