Last updated: August 22, 2024
Please check the following information for updated policies pertaining to Transfer Student applicants for the College of Letters & Science. For general prospective student applicant support, including for transfer applicants, please visit ls.berkeley.edu/prospective-students.
For Transfer Admission Requirements, visit the UC Berkeley Admissions website for more information. Review L&S specific requirements under “College of Letters and Science."
While preparing for transfer admission, it is helpful to familiarize yourself with the basic structure of the L&S degree program as outlined in the chart below. L&S intends for you to apply most of your transfer coursework toward the satisfaction of degree requirements in order to enter UC Berkeley as a junior.
To accomplish this, and ensure timely progress toward completing your degree, it is highly recommended that in addition to the UC 7-Course Pattern, students complete individual courses or a general education (GE) curriculum at the community college that will also satisfy degree requirements upon admission. This includes one of the following:
UC IGETC (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum)
Cal-GETC (California General Education Transfer Curriculum)
Transfer course work directly articulated to individual L&S GE requirements
In many cases, it is possible to complete a California community college course that will satisfy both UC 7-Course Pattern and UC IGETC/Cal-GETC requirements or individual L&S GE requirements. See FAQs below for instructions on how to navigate assist.org.
| Note: This chart is not a comprehensive list of the L&S rules and regulations; it is designed to serve as a summary of the requirements and how they are satisfied. | |
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| UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS: Must be satisfied by all University of California Students | |
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Students admitted as transfer students will have satisfied this requirement via the English composition courses completed for transfer admission eligibility. |
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The American History and Institutions (AH&I) requirements are based on the principle that students graduating from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States. |
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CAMPUS REQUIREMENT |
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The American Cultures (AC) requirement was intended to introduce students to the diverse cultures of the United States through a comparative framework. For a complete list of approved American Cultures at California Community Colleges, please see Approved AC Courses at Other Colleges |
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L&S DEGREE REQUIREMENTS |
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Reading and Composition (R&C) provides a solid foundation in reading, writing and critical thinking for work in the major. The College requires two semesters of lower division work in composition— R&C, Parts A and B, in sequential order. |
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The Quantitative Reasoning requirement is designed to ensure that students graduate with basic understanding and competency in mathematics, statistics, or computer science. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or completion of an approved course. |
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The Foreign Language requirement may be satisfied by demonstrating proficiency in a foreign language equivalent to the second semester college level. The requirement may be satisfied by exam or by completion of an approved course. |
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As the foundation of the L&S liberal arts education, breadth courses give students a view into the intellectual life of the University while introducing them to a multitude of perspectives and approaches to research and scholarship. |
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MAJOR REQUIREMENTS |
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UPPER DIVISION UNIT REQUIREMENTS |
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RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS |
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120 SEMESTER UNITS (minimum) |
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2.0 GPA OVERALL (minimum) |
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L&S only accepts full certifications of UC IGETC and Cal-GETC toward the completion of the College’s general education requirements as summarized in the chart below. Cal-GETC satisfies most L&S GE requirements, with the exception of the Foreign Language requirement. It is highly recommended that students pursuing Cal-GETC also satisfy the Foreign Language requirement prior to transferring to UC Berkeley with approved courses in the assist.org General Education agreement.
Note: L&S does not accept partial Cal-GETC/ UC IGETC certification.
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UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS: Must be satisfied by all University of California Students | ||
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Requirements satisfied with Cal-GETC |
Requirements satisfied with UC IGETC |
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Yes |
Yes |
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No |
No |
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No |
No |
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CAMPUS REQUIREMENT |
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Cal-GETC |
UC IGETC |
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No |
No |
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L&S GENERAL EDUCATION DEGREE REQUIREMENTS |
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Cal-GETC |
UC IGETC |
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Yes |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
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Foreign Language |
No |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
If you do not plan to complete full UC IGETC/Cal-GETC certification, upon admission to Berkeley, it is still possible to satisfy individual requirements on a requirement by requirement basis. Review the FAQs on this page for instructions on how to navigate assist.org to choose articulated courses that will satisfy L&S General Education requirements.
Transfer students who are offered admission to L&S in the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 academic years, and have selected one of the majors below on their application, will be directly admitted into the major. These students will not have to go through an additional internal process to apply or officially declare their major because they will have already been admitted (or declared) into their major. Visit the L&S Direct Admission to Major Transfer Pilot website to learn more about this program.
| Ancient Greek & Roman Studies | Geography | Music |
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Applied Mathematics |
Geology |
Planetary Science |
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Art Practice |
Geophysics |
Physics |
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Atmospheric Science |
History |
Social Welfare |
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Cognitive Science |
History of Art |
Sociology |
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Dance and Performance Studies |
Interdisciplinary Studies Field (ISF) |
South and Southeast Asian Studies |
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Environmental Earth Science |
Mathematics |
Theater and Performance Studies |
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Gender & Women's Studies |
Marine Science |
Students admitted fall 2026 and thereafter cannot satisfy the L&S Foreign Language Requirement with three years of high school course work (approved AP and IB scores are still acceptable). Students can satisfy the FL requirement with college-level credit any time prior to graduation; however, we strongly recommend that transfer students complete the FL requirement prior to transferring to L&S to ensure timely graduation.