University Requirements

American History and Institutions

Every candidate for a bachelor’s degree must demonstrate knowledge of American history and institutions. Fulfill this requirement in one of the following ways:*

• Achieving a score of 550 or higher on the SAT Subject Examination in U.S. History
• Achieving a score of 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in U.S. History, or by achieving a score of 5, 6, or 7 on the IBH History of the Americas Examination
• Completing a college-level course in U.S. history and institutions
• Certification of completion of the requirement on a transcript from an accredited California institution of higher education
• Completing an acceptable history or government course in high school that satisfies the subject requirement for admission to the university, described in Subject Requirements.

A list of courses that fulfill the American History and Institutions requirement, as well as information for satisfying this requirement outside UCSC, is available here.

Entry Level Writing Requirement

Every candidate for a bachelor’s degree must demonstrate an acceptable level of ability in English composition. Before your fourth quarter of enrollment, you must fulfill this requirement in one of the following ways:

• 30 or better on the ACT, English Language Arts; or
• 30 or better on the ACT, Combined English/Writing (last administered June 2015); or
• 680 or better on the SAT, Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing*; or
• 680 or better on the SAT Reasoning Test, Writing (last administered January 2016); or
• 3 or above on either Advanced Placement Examination in English; or
• 5 or above on an International Baccalaureate Higher Level English A: Literature exam (formerly known as Higher Level English A1 exam); or
• 6 or above on an International Baccalaureate Standard Level English A: Literature exam (formerly known as Standard Level English A1 exam); or
• 5 or above on an International Baccalaureate Higher Level English A: Language and Literature exam; or
• 6 or above on an International Baccalaureate Standard Level English A: Language and Literature exam

California high school seniors who have been admitted to UCSC must take the systemwide UC Analytical Writing Placement Examination, given in May, unless they have already satisfied the requirement. For additional information on fulfilling the requirement, see the Writing Department's program statement.

Residence

Every candidate for a bachelor’s degree must be registered at UCSC for a minimum of three quarters. In addition, of the final 45 quarter credits, 35 must be in regular courses of instruction taken as a registered student at UCSC (including during the summer session). Courses taken through University Extension do not constitute regular courses and therefore do not satisfy residence requirements.*

The credit requirement for residence is applied differently to students participating in one or more of the off-campus study programs approved by the Academic Senate or the division. Participating students may satisfy the requirement in either of two ways:

1. Complete 35 of their final 45 credits before leaving the Santa Cruz campus to participate in one or more off-campus approved study programs. In this scenario, students do not have to return to Santa Cruz for any additional coursework after they have finished the program(s).

2. Complete 35 of their last 90 credits at the Santa Cruz campus, with a minimum of 10 credits completed at UCSC after their return from the approved off-campus study program(s).

A student who takes courses outside UCSC, e.g., at community college, may choose at the time of graduation to have only some of the credits completed outside counted toward the 180-credit graduation requirement in order to meet the residency requirement. Subject credit will still be given for lower-division courses and courses at other campuses of the University of California that are not counted toward the graduation requirement. This will not require a petition, and the credit will be reduced by the Office of the Registrar, in consultation with department or college advisers, or the Admissions Office, as needed.

*Revised: 02/06/20