Switching from BioEngineering to EECS

<p>Hey, I was recently admitted for Cal Class of 2015 as a BioEngineering major. I'm so excited for Berkeley. The problem is, I've been slowly drifting towards pursuing a major in EECS over BioE.</p>

<p>I'm not naive, and I know that EECS is an extremely competitive major with a ton of smart and hardworking people. But coming from BioE in the College of Engineering, how hard would it be to transfer to EECS after the first semester? Frankly, after doing some research and programming, EECS is something I've become extremely interested in, and I don't want to attend a college where I would feel compelled to graduate with the major I applied for as a senior in high school -- fully knowing that people change as they become older.</p>

<p>In terms of transferring to EECS from BioE, what courses would I take first semester? pre-reqs for EECS or BioE? And could anyone give some detail in regards to the competitiveness and difficulty of the issue?</p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

<p>If you look up the requirements and sample programs of study for both majors, you should be able to construct the first semester or few such that you can complete either major without delay, especially if you enter with useful AP credit (e.g. 5 on AP Calculus, 4 or 5 on AP English, and whatever else the CoE or either major accepts AP credit for).</p>

<p>@ucbalumnus: Thanks! yea I am looking over that now, but how difficult would an internal transfer from BioE to EECS be as I’ve heard that switching into EECS is almost “impossible.” Can someone give some input?</p>

<p>Here is some information you may want to read:</p>

<p>[Change</a> of Major — UC Berkeley College of Engineering](<a href=“http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/degree-options/change-of-major.html]Change”>http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/degree-options/change-of-major.html)</p>

<p>[Change</a> of College: Thinking About Applying — UC Berkeley College of Engineering](<a href=“http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/prospective-students/admissions/change-of-college/pagewithsidebar.2009-12-03.4603602715]Change”>http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/prospective-students/admissions/change-of-college/pagewithsidebar.2009-12-03.4603602715)</p>

<p>thanks, i have already looked over the documentation, but I was just wondering if someone has some personal experience in changing majors within the College of Engineering :/</p>

<p>I switched from Nuclear Engineering to EECS. It’s not that hard to do it assuming you’ve been taking the right classes and have a good GPA. I think EECS just needs a 3.2.</p>

<p>If you take CS61A your first semester and have at least a 3.2, you should be fine.</p>

<p>ah, thanks! can anyone else offer some additional input? bumping this up</p>

<p>hi does anyone know if there is a certain limit on each major for example: only 50 people allowed each year in EECS, after which no one can switch in?</p>

<p>@ballpointpen: There is no upper limit of the number of people allowed to switch into EECS. </p>

<p>If you want to get into EECS, simply take the courses that EECS majors would take in your first year (CS 61A, etc.), get a decent GPA, go to 240 Bechtel/info sessions, and you will be fine. No need to get nervous already as surviving in EECS is another story in addition getting into EECS.</p>

<p>Here’s the course sequence <a href=“https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoe.berkeley.edu%2Fstudents%2FEngAnn_5-13-10.pdf[/url]”>https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoe.berkeley.edu%2Fstudents%2FEngAnn_5-13-10.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>what other courses should I take besides CS61A ??</p>

<p>For EECS, besides CS 61A, you’ll want to take the following, since they are part of prerequisite chains leading to upper division EE courses:</p>

<ul>
<li>Math 1A, 1B, H1B, 53, 54, or H54 [depending</a> on your AP credit<a href=“you%20can%20take%2053%20and%2054%20in%20either%20order;%20the%20H%20courses%20are%20honors%20courses”>/url</a></li>
<li>Physics 7A or H7A if you are in Math 1B or higher (note: College of Engineering does let you skip 7A and go to 7B if you have a 5 on AP Physics C Mechanics; 7B also requires Math 53 concurrently or previously)</li>
</ul>

<p>In addition, you may want to consider filling in the rest of your schedule with some of the following:</p>

<ul>
<li>Reading and Composition (R&C B if you have a 4 or 5 in AP English, R&C A otherwise)</li>
<li>Other [url=&lt;a href=“http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/advising/HSS%20MASTER%20List%202011-12%20%203-30-11%20FINAL.pdf]humanities”&gt;http://coe.berkeley.edu/students/current-undergraduates/advising/HSS%20MASTER%20List%202011-12%20%203-30-11%20FINAL.pdf]humanities</a> or social studies](<a href=“http://math.berkeley.edu/courses_AP.html]depending”>http://math.berkeley.edu/courses_AP.html) course (which can also fulfill American Cultures).</li>
<li>EE 20N if you have completed Math 1B or equivalent (5 on AP Calculus BC)</li>
<li>CS 70</li>
<li>EE 24 (1 unit freshman seminar)</li>
</ul>