Student Affairs Visitation Policy

UCI ID Card Policy

All students MUST present their UCI Student ID card in order to receive services from our office. This Includes walk-in advising, appointments, questions at the front desk, obtaining signatures, etc. Please make sure you have your UCI ID card with you at all times. If you do not have it, you will be asked to retrieve it or get a new card in the UCI bookstore.

Enrollment Policies

Week 2 Add/Drop Policy

The School of Biological Sciences strictly observes the University’s add/drop policies.

Requests to add or drop courses after Week 2 are only permitted due to extenuating circumstances which prevent a student from attending and/or completing a course. Students who feel they have a justifiable reason for making such a request should submit an Enrollment Exception application via Student Access. Students should be prepared to provide supporting documentation of their extenuating circumstances.

***ALL Upper-Division Labs, Bio Sci 100, and Bio Sci D170 have an earlier drop deadline.  PLEASE CHECK THE SCHEDULE OF CLASSES FOR THE SPECIFIC DEADLINE EACH QUARTER.***

Requests will not be considered if submitted for any of the following reasons:

  • The student did not know the deadlines, or did not understand the Add/Drop process
  • The course is not required to meet Major, School, or University requirements
  • The student did not meet the proper prerequisites for the course
  • The student is receiving a poor grade because of difficulties with the course material or is under a heavy course/work load

 

Submit an Enrollment Exception Request on Student Access.

Upper Division Bio Lab Drop Policy

***Upper-Division Labs, Bio Sci 100, and Bio Sci D170 have an earlier drop deadline. Late drops will not be granted.  Please check the SOC for these dates

Bio Sci Lab Enrollment Policy

Enrollment in Bio Sci Upper Division labs beyond what is needed for degree requirements is available based on space. We plan enough labs seats each year to ensure that Bio Sci majors can take a third lab as needed for professional schools. However, when space limitations prevent all majors from enrolling in the required number of labs they need to graduate, students may be restricted from enrollment in excess beyond 2 or 3 labs (depending on the specific requirements of their major).

Repeat Policy

For all classes at UCI, you may repeat only if your most recent grade was C- or below.

For the first 16 units you repeat, the new grade replaces the old grade in the calculation of your GPA (even if the new grade is lower). The old grade still shows up on your UCI transcript, but it no longer affects your UC GPA. After the first 16 units of repeat, both grades are averaged.

If you are retaking a course that was originally for a LETTER GRADE, you must retake the course for a LETTER GRADE ONLY – there are no exceptions.

Many departments restrict students from enrolling in repeat courses until later in the registration period. Please check the department comments section on the Schedule of Classes for the repeat policy.

Overlapping Course Policy

Bio Sci will not allow students to enroll in classes with overlapping times; students need to ensure they do not enroll in classes that have overlapping final exam periods.

Grade Option Change Policy

The School of Biological Sciences strictly observes the University’s change of grade option policy. Changes in grade option are only permitted during Week 1 through Week 10 of each quarter. Requests for change of grade option during Week 3 through Week 10 must be submitted as an Enrollment Exception application via Student Access.

Science courses required for School of Biological Sciences majors (i.e. Bio Sci, Chem, Math, and Physics courses) must be completed for a grade. Intention to take other eligible courses or change one’s major out of the School of Biological Sciences does not justify a late change of grade option.

Approval to change the grade option for an upper-division Bio course will only be approved if all major requirements the class could satisfy are already complete.

Bio Sci Math Requirement Policy

Bio Sci majors are required to take the Math 5 series (Calculus for Life Sciences I & II). Students who take Math 2A and/or Math 2B instead of Math 5A and/or Math 5B while declared as a Bio Sci major must take one of the following additional math courses: Bio Sci M123 or Math 2D or Math 3A.

Coursework Outside of UCI Policy

Can I take classes for my School of Bio Sci major at other schools outside of UCI?

  • Bio majors may take classes other than Writing and Biology Courses outside of UCI.
  • Before enrolling outside UCI, it’s very important to meet with a Bio Sci advisor to discuss your options and whether classes from another school will count toward your degree.
  • Please consider the possible complications below, make an appointment to talk with an advisor, then fill out our “Coursework Outside UCI” form before you enroll in your class: Forms – UCI Biological Sciences Undergraduate
    • 105 transfer units from community colleges can count toward the 180 you need to graduate; additional classes will check off requirements but not count toward your 180.
    • Classes taken outside the UC system do not impact your UCI GPA.
    • Repeating a class outside UCI will not replace the grade from your first attempt in your UC GPA. If you want to raise your GPA, repeating classes at UCI is one of the most effective ways.
    • Classes must be articulated in Assist.org, or approved to transfer by the School/Department that offers the equivalent class here.
    • UCI requires full-time enrollment, and Financial Aid requires full-time enrollment. If you want to enroll in a class outside UCI during the school year, please talk with an advisor and a financial aid counselor about your plans.
    • You will not fulfill prereqs for other courses until the transfer credit has posted to your UCI record. Departments/schools may not approve you to register for the next course in a series based on CC enrollment (ie: you may not enroll in 51C at UCI until 51B is complete and transferred to UCI.) This could significantly delay your enrollment.
    • If applying to grad/professional school, some schools and admissions committees prefer courses taken at UCI rather than a community college. This is not always the case, but important to consider.
  • After your course is complete: Please submit your official transcript to UCI, submit the Current Student Update (uci.edu), and notify Bio Sci Student Affairs.

Withdrawal Policy

Students have the option to withdraw from the entire quarter — Withdrawing from one course is not possible. You may withdraw from the University during any quarter, before finals week (Friday of Week 10). If you withdraw after the 6th week of a quarter, a grade of “W” will appear on your transcript for each course.

Readmission Policy

  • If a student was on contract when they withdrew, then a student will be readmitted on an academic contract for initial remaining terms.
  • If a student is in good standing, then a first readmission request will be granted.
  • If the readmission is a second request or beyond, then the student must wait one full quarter before readmitting.

Majors and Minors

Change of Major Policy

Bio Sci, Bio/Education, and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology: Change of Major (COM) requests will be reviewed during the first two weeks of every quarter.  

Biochem & Molecular Bio, Dev & Cell, Exercise Sci, Genetics, Human Bio, Micro & Immuno, and Neurobiology: Changes will be reviewed in summer only, in two rounds:

For requests submitted by this date: Decision will be sent by this date:
Round 1 – Spring
June 21, 2023 (Wed)
By July 14, 2023 (Fri)
Round 2 – Summer
September 18, 2023 (Mon)
By Sept 29, 2023 (Fri)

Important advising notes for Biochem & Molecular Bio, Dev & Cell, Exercise Sci, Genetics, Human Bio, Micro & Immuno, and Neurobiology:

  • COM requests submitted by the Round 1 deadline will be reviewed after Spring grades post, and decisions will be sent by the end of July. This is prior to when major restriction lifts, so new students can change their schedule before Bio classes open to all students. Check our Enrollment Updates for the date major restriction lifts. 
  • COM requests submitted in mid-summer will be reviewed after Summer Session II grades post, and decisions will be sent during Week 1 of fall quarter. This allows students to complete requirements over summer. However, since the major restriction will lift before these decisions are made, space in required courses may be limited. 

Learn more here: changeofmajor.uci.edu

Change of Major - Normal Progress Benchmarks

Students interested in changing their major to Bio Sci must be on track to meet the following requirements:

1) Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0

2) Complete Bio Sci 93-94 with passing grades by the end of your 2nd year (or 6th quarter) – minimum grades of D- to progress.

3) Complete Chem 1A/1B/1C-1LC with passing grades by the end of your 2nd year (or 6th quarter) – minimum grades of C- required to progress.

4) Complete Bio Sci 97-98-99 with passing grades by the end of your 3rd year (or 9th quarter) OR 2nd year for transfers – minimum grades of D- to progress.

5) Maintain cumulative and Bio Sci GPAs of 2.0 (this Bio Sci GPA includes only Bio Sci courses required for your degree).

Unit Requirements and Progress

Graduation Policy

Due to high demand for upper-division Bio Sci labs, we advise submitting your graduation application a year in advance, as soon as the graduation application becomes available for your intended graduation term. Graduation applications are used to assess lab seat needs and lab enrollment eligibility.

The application to graduate is located on the Registrar’s homepage: Student Access>Applications>Graduation

Students majoring in the School of Biological Sciences must apply to graduate by the following deadlines:

  • Fall: Friday of 9th week Fall
  • Winter: Friday of 6th Week Winter
  • Spring: Friday of 6th Week Winter
  • Summer: Friday of 9th Week Winter

Intent to Graduate in the 5th year: If you intend to stay at UCI for five years (or four years for transfer students), we encouraged you to meet with an academic counselor to discuss your plans.

Normal Progress within BioSci

In order to remain a Biological Sciences major, students must meet the following benchmarks:

  • Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
  • Maintain a minimum Bio GPA of 2.0 (this GPA includes only Bio Sci courses required for your degree)
  • Complete Chem 1A-1B-1C/1LC, with minimum grades of C- by the end of Spring quarter of your 2nd year
  • Complete Bio 93-94 with minimum grades of D- by the end of Spring quarter of your 2nd year
  • Complete Bio 97-98-99, with minimum grades of D-, by the end of Spring quarter of your 3rd year. (Although a D- is required to progress within Bio Sci courses, please keep in mind that grades consistently below a C will negatively impact your GPA.)

If you are unable to complete these courses by the time specified, you will be required to change your major out of the School of Biological Sciences.

*If you entered UCI as a freshman, you must complete the Bio Sci degree within five (5) years.

*If you entered UCI as a transfer, you must complete the Bio Sci degree within four (4) years.

**It is your responsibility to confirm your eligibility for financial aid through all quarters, if you are a financial aid recipient.

Part-Time Study Petition

Students are expected to attend UCI full-time.  Part-time is only granted for the following three reasons: occupation, health, or family responsibilities.  Students will need to provide documentation supporting the reasons cited, which will be subject to approval by Bio Sci Student Affairs.

  • Additionally, students in their final quarter of attendance (with a received graduation application on file), may be granted part-time study.
  • Approved petition forms must be physically in the University Registrar Office, no later than 5PM, Friday of the third week of classes.