<p>Once you have declared a major in one of the schools - say engineering, are you allowed to take upper division courses in another school - say arts and sciences?</p>
<p>for some courses yes, most courses no</p>
<p>So does this mean that all your courses in your junior and senior years are from your major? That must get awfully old to take all engineering courses for two years with no upper level poly sci or history course to break it up.</p>
<p>No they arent all from your major, but you cannot just take any course outside your major. There are different classes every quarter that are open to all students. You just have to search and find them.</p>
<p>There will be open classes from history, etc that you can take, dont worry</p>
<p>It depends what you mean by “allowed”. Southpasdena has painted too bleak a picture. Not too many classes in letters and sciences are restricted to majors-only, and most don’t have required prerequisites. So from that point of view, even as an engineer you can sign up for most other classes and the registrar will allow you to enroll.</p>
<p>However engineering requires a certain number of units you must take for your distribution requirements (General Ed, or GE), and furthermore they have a list of what classes you are allowed to take for those units. Junior and senior year the program allows for one free elective or GE each quarter, although realistically most of them will need to be GE’s to finish in 4 years. There is room for taking some free electives not on the list, but not all that many. So it all depends on what you have in mind. </p>
<p>Take a look at the links on <a href=“http://www.ece.ucsb.edu/undergrad.shtml#degree[/url]”>http://www.ece.ucsb.edu/undergrad.shtml#degree</a> to see how many free electives you have to choose from and what classes are approved for the distribution requirements. The docs are “College of Engineering General Education Requirements”, and "2007-2008 “College of Engineering Announcement” for sample curriculums.</p>
<p>Yes, I have been looking at the required courses and my son will be entering with some transfer credits and some AP credits and so will have extra slots. He is interested in both computer science and economics, and I was wondering if he will be allowed to take some of the interesting economics courses after he finishes micro and macro which appear to be the only courses below the 100 level.</p>
<p>He will be allowed to take anything for which he has completed the prerequisites. See <a href=“http://www.econ.ucsb.edu/undergrad/undergraduate_prereqs.htm[/url]”>http://www.econ.ucsb.edu/undergrad/undergraduate_prereqs.htm</a></p>
<p>For anyone considering engineering or CS, I advise considering taking 5 years to get the degree. Out of a lifetime, one extra year in college isn’t that much and gives a few advantages. The coursework is tough so planning from the start to take 5 years allows a bit more relaxed courseload and the opportunity to take courses for interest that someone hustling to finish in 4 years won’t have the time/energy to take. It’s become harder to do this than when I as at a UC; they have bumped up the minimum progress requirements to cope with the crush of kids from the baby boomers. so you’ll need to read the requirements carefully to see if this is still feasible. However the AP credits may help since they count towards graduation but not towards the maximum amount of units you are allowed to take while enrolled as an undergrad.</p>
<p>Actually at least half, if not more of the classes in the college of letters and science are restricted to major only</p>
<p>Pretty much all of the poli sci classes are major only
History has about 3/4 major only with nearly all requiring a history undergrad prereq</p>
<p>So no i am not painting to bleak of a picture. I cannot even take a damn intro comp sci class, for major only.</p>
<p>Oh and he will not be able to take the more interesting economics classes. A few here or there will be allowed, but that may add up to 1 per quarter. Mikemac, are you a student at UCSB or no because you are giving false information.</p>
<p>southpas, I was trying to be polite before and not directly point out your ignorance and blatantly incorrect statements, but clearly anything except direct statements are lost on you.</p>
<p>So here it is – you do not know what you’re talking about. The sad thing is, the info that shows you’re clueless is right there online for everyone to see. A few years ago people might have had to take your word until they could call the college and get a catalog, but not anymore. If you are really a student at ucsb, you are one of the most uninformed ones walking around. </p>
<p>Since you obviously don’t understand what to look for in the catalog to identify a restricted course, let me enlighten you. The catalog will say (this is an actual example from the catalog) “Prerequisites: Computer Science 20, 40 and 60; PSTAT 120 or ECE 139; open to computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering majors only.” Read carefully, you will observe wordage like this is NOT present before History and Poli Sci courses.</p>
<p>The link to the poli-sci web page is <a href=“http://www.catalog.ucsb.edu/2008cat/depts/polsci.htm#PoliSciCourses[/url]”>http://www.catalog.ucsb.edu/2008cat/depts/polsci.htm#PoliSciCourses</a> Not a single class says “restricted to majors only”. About the only one that even mentions this is 104 “Introduction to Research” that says it is designed for majors. Many require a lower-division class as a prerequisite, no biggie; and you can ask the prof to waive it (in advance of signing up, of course). So if “Pretty much all of the poli sci classes are major only” care to show some proof or are we just supposed to take your anonymous word for it? I’m giving links to official ucsb pages; you’re just spouting nonsense and made-up percentages.</p>
<p>The online catalog for the History dept is at <a href=“http://www.catalog.ucsb.edu/2008cat/depts/hist.htm#UpperDivision[/url]”>http://www.catalog.ucsb.edu/2008cat/depts/hist.htm#UpperDivision</a> More of these classes have prequisites, but NONE that I see require being a history major. Care to show one that does?</p>
<p>p.s. you aren’t uninformed enough to think that when the catalog says “upper-division standing” it means that you have to be in the major, are you? It just means that you have enough units to be considered a junior.</p>
<p>AGAIN…do you got to UCSB?</p>
<p>You use GOLD to sign up for classes. It so happens that i have access to this. and apparently you do NOT</p>
<p>the 3 intro classes are open to anyone obviously and are lower division</p>
<p>BUT</p>
<p>Here is a list of EVERY Poli-sci classes for winter quarter.
104
106FP
106RI
106SL
106W
115
118
121
124
135
147
150B
170
171
185
189
192
196
197B
197E
199
199RA</p>
<p>GUESS WHAT???</p>
<p>All are LIMITED TOO POLI SCI OR PRE POLI SCI MAJORS ONLY. When you click on class information it plainly tells you, poli sci or pre poli sci ONLY. Can’t be any clearer than that. Even a dim wit could discern that this statement is rather straightforward. Who knew it could confuse such an intelligent person as yourself</p>
<p>so please note where I was either ignorant or blatantly wrong??? You do not go here and you are trying to correct me. I have tried to take classes outside of my major and I AM SORRY TO SAY the selection is VERY LIMITED. </p>
<p>here is the political science dept number so you may ask yourself
Phone: (805) 893-3432
tomorrow is friday so they will be open until 5 and be on lunch between 12-1.</p>
<p>You are not informed.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the information from both of you. It sounds like this is something my son should investigate further before going to a UC.</p>
<p>soutpas, I guess they didn’t completely explain to you how enrollment works, or you don’t remember the details. I’m guessing you are a frosh or xfer student, so the only time you’ve registered for classes was during orientation. One of the perks of attending orientation is a simplified registration process. Now you are in the same system everyone else uses.</p>
<p>Go to <a href=“http://www.registrar.ucsb.edu/soc.htm[/url]”>http://www.registrar.ucsb.edu/soc.htm</a> and click on the link that says “Winter 2008 Schedule of Classes”. When the link opens, scroll down to page 109 where Poli Sci begins. You will notice the comment at the right that says “Pass 1 restricted …”</p>
<p>You appear not realize this from your comments above, but registration is a multiple-pass system. Hence your misguided belief that you will not be allowed to register for Poli-Sci courses. You get 3 times to register. Pass 1. Pass 2. Pass 3. It is common for departments to restrict enrollment during pass 1 so that their kids get first crack at enrolling in a class. The don’t fill up, though, and then they’re thrown open to anyone for the next 2 passes. You are looking at what the computer tells you for pass 1. Just like the Schedule of Classes link above promises, the Poli Sci classes are restricted to majors/pre-majors. To reiterate, this is only because it is pass 1; the restriction will be lifted for the next 2 passes.</p>
<p>Many school websites explain how this works. Here is one example.
If you are still puzzled by the registration process you can talk to your RA, you can go see the advisors in Letters & Science Advising (1117 Cheadle Hall, Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday). Or send me a message and I will try to help you.</p>
<p>In the future I suggest you post about topics you have actually experienced, or on which you’ve talked to people that have experienced them. A quick conversation with any junior or senior would explain the registration system, and you’d have first-hand confirmation that you can take classes in almost any department. You do a disservice to those considering UCSB by passing out wildly incorrect information.</p>
<p>ricegal, the system seems a bit confusing from the outside but most continuing students don’t find it difficult to comprehend (if not a little frustrating, just like registration is going to be at any large U).
What</a> it comes down to is an attempt by the U to have a fair process, letting students in a major be sure to get the classes they need to stay on progress to graduate in 4 years. You may have read accounts in the papers of kids at various schools such as the Cal-State system complaining they can’t get the classes they MUST have to complete their major. The pass restrictions are a solution to this; by preventing kids outside the major from signing up before kids in the major do in pass 1, you’ll be able to get the classes you must have. In pass-2 you then sign up for the classes you’d like to have that were restricted and fill out your study list to get to 16 units; you may not get your first choice here, but if you use foresight you have a list of a bunch of classes you want to take as an undergrad so you can get into some of them each quarter. Pretty much everyone has to use the 2nd pass – they can’t sign up for 16 units in the 1st pass so they need to add a class to get there. Some classes, like that intro CompSci class southpas whined about not getting in post #8, are restricted the 1st 2 passes; had he read the schedule of classes he would have seen that and realized he could still sign up on pass 3.</p>
<p>I’m sorry for the confusion southpas has caused you about what classes your son will be able to take if he decides on UCSB. Each UC school has its own version of registration and you should keep in mind most of them have switched to a multi-pass system to give kids a shot at the classes they really want/need. At UCLA they have a priority pass for up to 10 units (open only to athletes and kids in honors programs) and then 2 passes for everyone else. See page 20 of the catalog at <a href=“http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/[/url]”>http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/</a></p>
<p>BTW the reason southpas is confused about PoliSci is that UCSB is still in pass 1 where restrictions noted in the Schedule of Classes apply, and that’s what the GOLD system is telling him. He won’t see this change in GOLD until 11/13
</p>
<p>The restriction for MAJOR ONLY changes for only a few classes, not all . EVERY single economics class is major only, regardless of the pass. Some goes for the majority of sociology classes. It denotes under the restriction tab if it is restricted for a certain major and if that restriction pertains to only one pass period. Poli-Sci is for pass 1 only, but every single class except 154 is full/closed. And there are still 6 more days to pass 1 and only 10 spots left. Yes you will be able to get classes outside your major, but again you are limited.</p>
<p>This must be a joke…seriously. </p>
<p>it is 13.5 for pass 1, not 12. Again i ask…do you got to UCSB? Or are you generalizing your experience from another UC.</p>
<p>
The info I gave was taken directly from the web page at <a href=“http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/academics/reg_instructions.html[/url]”>http://www.bren.ucsb.edu/academics/reg_instructions.html</a> I guess they owe you an apology for using the round number of 12 and not the exact number of 13.5 Also read post #13 and you can see that I passed along the 13.5 number from the registrar. But lets not quibble over 1.5 units; the OP doesn’t care, nobody cares. Tiny details just aren’t that important to getting a general understanding of how the registration process works.</p>
<p>Earlier you said
Still standing by those claims?</p>
<p>1.5 units is important to the general understanding of the registration. An extra unit is given for the occasional 5 unit class and the .5 unit there because sports are recommended. </p>
<p>So you are taking data from a college that has nothing to do with undergraduates. Why? Their policies may vary. </p>
<p>I stand by my claims that classes are LIMITED. I cannot tell you every restriction blah blah blah. I will take back my statement for history only. After reviewing course histories, etc, most are not restricted and are fairly easy to get. But poli sci - good luck, all classes are already closed for winter and the first pass is not up, and economics - besides intro classes you will not be taking ANY econ classes unless your an econ major. Any other classes, just ask.</p>
<p>It seems as if you are a bit to optimistic</p>
<p>And you have still failed to answer if you go to UCSB?</p>
<p>I think it’s time to lay off. I have followed the UCSB threads for some time, being an alum myself, with a daughter who is soon to graduate from UCSB as well. During that time, I have found Mikemac to be an invaluable resource, quite knowledgeable about how things are run. He has been a voice of reason, citing pages from the UCSB catalog and web site to back up his advice, which I have found to be valid. Is it really so important to be “right”?</p>
<p>Citing an internet resource vs actual experience…i am sorry, which has more pertinence to the original question? Whether he has been an invaluable resource is besides the question. I am saying it is limited. Ask your daughter, check gold yourself. I am being called out as ignorant because I am telling the op how it is, how it actually is, instead of reading it off of a web page. And i need to lay off?</p>