Unit Requirement—College of Engineering
Other Pages In College Undergraduate Degree Requirements
In order to be eligible for graduation, students must complete at least 180 total units. Some majors in the College of Engineering require more than 180 units (see descriptions of individual majors on the page for the appropriate department). Students must earn a specified number of these units while in residence at UCSB. See the "Academic Residence Requirement" page in the “Undergraduate Education” section for details. The unit differences between the total number of units specified for the baccalaureate degree and the number of units specified for the preparation for the major, the major, and general education are designated as free elective units. Students may choose from any course offering open to them to meet this requirement.
215 Unit and Quarter Enrollment Limitations
The college expects students to graduate with no more than 215 units. College credit earned before high school graduation does not count toward the 215-unit maximum. This includes credit for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate examinations, and also college or university credit earned while still in high school. Students who are admitted as freshmen and remain continuously enrolled will be assessed after 12 regular quarters at UCSB, and transfer students admitted as juniors will be assessed after 9 regular quarters at UCSB, irrespective of whether they earn more than 215 units during that period. Summer session does not count as a regular quarter in this calculation, but units earned in summer session do apply toward the 215-unit maximum. With the exception of summer sessions, if students leave UCSB and earn a large number of units at one or more other academic institutions while they are away, the number of quarters allowed at UCSB will be reduced in proportion to the number of terms completed elsewhere. College policy requires students to secure specific approval to continue enrollment beyond the quarter and unit limits noted above. Students who think they may exceed both the quarter limitations and 215 units may submit a Proposed Schedule for Graduation for consideration by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, but they should understand that approval is granted in limited circumstances. Note: The College of Engineering will not accept students from the College of Creative Studies or the College of Letters and Science after they have completed 105 units, regardless of their expected unit total at graduation.