2019- 2020
For Students Admitted to University of California Berkeley Fall
2019 and Later
Download this handbook at:
http://ced.berkeley.edu/ced/students/undergraduate-advising/
forms-documents/
College of Environmental Design
University of California Berkeley
Individual Major
Handbook
The CED Individual Major is undergoing a significant curriculum revision and will not be available for
declaration after October 1, 2019. Students who submit a successful application by this deadline will
be allowed to complete the major.
THE
UNDERGRADUATE INDIVIDUAL MAJOR
The individual major is a program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in an area of study that is appropriate to the
College of Environmental Design but that cannot be accomplished through the four existing majors. Some examples
of individual majors include structures, architectural journalism, visual design, computer applications in architecture,
urban planning, community development, and the social basis of design. Students may also wish to use an existing
CED minor as a foundation for a major.
St
udents proposing an individual major must be in good academic standing, have completed at least one semester
in the College of Environmental Design, and must submit the proposal no later than the first semester of the junior
year.
The s
tudent must propose a detailed program developed in consultation with a faculty member in the College who
agrees to serve as a sponsor (the sponsor must be a member of the Academic Senate, a faculty member with a title
of “Professor,” “Associate Professor,” or “Assistant Professor”). The individual major proposal includes a written
statement of support from the faculty sponsor and conforms to the following guidelines:
1. GPA: A
pplicants must have a 3.0 GPA.
2. Proposal: The proposal must include a student statement describing the content and focus of the proposed
major and thesis.
3. Faculty Sponsor: The faculty sponsor’s statement includes the educational objectives of the major and
shows support for the student.
4. Limits and Requirements: The proposed program does not exceed the College’s semester limit and
includes all College and University requirements, ENV DES 1, ARCH 11A, and ARCH 11B; one Calculus or
Statistics course; all breadth requirements (including ENV DES 4A/B/C), unit requirements, etc. ARCH 11A
and 11B may be waived for proposed majors that are not design-oriented.
5. Upper Division: The 36 required upper division units may be drawn from any department relevant to the
field of study but at least 24 units must be in the College of Environmental Design. These units must be
taken for a letter grade.
6. Course Access: Approval of courses for the major does not guarantee acceptance into the courses; this is
especially true for courses outside of CED. Course prerequisites must be met and regular enrollment
procedures must be followed. The student must present documentation from the relevant academic
departments that s/he will have access to all courses outside CED that are specified in the proposal.
7. Thesis: A two-semester senior thesis course (ENV DES 199 and 195B) is a required part of the major
program. The thesis must be approved by the faculty sponsor and submitted to the Associate Dean for
Undergraduate Studies by the last day of instruction in the term in which the thesis is completed. The faculty
sponsor must grade the thesis, present a final written evaluation, and certify completion of the individual
major requirements to the Associate Dean. See the section on Thesis Guidelines for more information.
The pr
oposal, together with the sponsor’s written statement, and graduation plan must be submitted to the Office of
Undergraduate Advising (250 Wurster Hall). If the proposal meets the general guidelines listed above, it will be
forwarded to the Associate Dean for review.
It
ems to be submitted for consideration for the Individual Major:
1. Change of College/Major Petition for Undergraduate Individual Major
2. Undergraduate Individual Major Student Statement
3. Undergraduate Individual Major Faculty Sponsor Statement
4. Completed graduation plan, indicating specifically how the student will complete all University, College, and
Major requirements within the semester limit. All remaining graduation requirements must be included in this
plan.
5. Undergraduate Petition: Change of College, Major or Curriculum (separate document).
All of the above required forms are available on the CED website at
https://ced.berkeley.edu/advising/undergraduate-advising
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3
UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING
FAC
ULTY ADVISOR
CED Associate Dean for Undergraduate
Studies, Arcus Chair for Gender, Sexuality
and the Built Environment
Professor Greig Crysler
354 Wurster Hall
CED C
areer Counseling
Di
norah Meyer
703 Wurster Hall
Fall
/Spring Hours
Drop-in Hours
Appointments
TBA
Appointments:
http://tinyurl.com/CEDCareerCounseling
CED Personal Counseling
Dr.
Yi Du
For information and to schedule an
appointment in Wurster Hall:
http://ced.berkeley.edu/ced/students/co
unseling-psychological-services
STAF
F ADVISORS
Off
ice of Undergraduate Advising
250 Wurster Hall
510-642-4943
https
://ced.berkeley.edu/advising/
undergraduate-advising
Director of CED Undergraduate Advising
Susan H
agstrom
250 Wurster
510-642-4943
510-642-0408 (direct)
Coll
ege Evaluator
(transfer work evaluation)
Heat
her Grothjan
250 Wurster
510-642-4943
510-642-0928 (direct)
FL19 – SP20 Updated 4.18.19
4
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Sum
mary of Degree Requirements
A. Univ
ersity and Berkeley Campus Requirements
B. CED College Requirements
C. Individual Major Requirements
D. General Electives (optional to reach 120 units)
E. Unit and Semester Requirements
A. Uni
versity and Berkeley Campus Requirements
Al
l undergraduate students at UC Berkeley must complete:
• Ent
ry-Level Writing Requirement
• American History and Institutions
• American Cultures
B. CE
D College Requirements
1. Reading & Composition A & B. See the CED Advising website for more information on R&C course
placement. Must be completed with a letter grade of C- or better.
2. Seven Course Breadth Requirement. Up to two CED courses or courses cross-listed with CED may be
used to complete Seven Course Breadth (students admitted to UCB FL 13 and later only). See
paragraph below for detail.
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Physical Science
• Biological Science
• International Studies
• Arts and Literature
• Historical Studies
• Philosophy and Values
Only Lower Division ENV DES courses (ENV DES 1, 4A, 4B, 4C) and Lower Division Major
Requirements may simultaneously fulfill Seven Course Breadth. A course used to fulfill an Upper
Division Major Requirement may not also satisfy Seven Course Breadth. Upper Division CED courses
that are not fulfilling another upper division requirement may fulfill Seven Course Breadth.
No m
ore than two courses from any one academic department may be used to satisfy breadth
requirements.
A S
even Course Breadth class that is also being used to complete another CED requirement must be
completed with a letter grade of C- or better.
Only one of the remaining Seven Course Breadth may be taken on a Passed/Not Passed basis.
Fo
r a list of courses that fulfill the Seven Course Breadth Requirement, see
https://ls.berkeley.edu/advising/degree-requirements/seven-course-breadth-archive
International Studies breadth may be satisfied by participation in the UC Education Abroad Program or
a recognized equivalent program.
FL19 – SP20 Updated 4.18.19
5
CED students may apply high school exam credit (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate,
A-Level Exam) towards many of the above requirements. See the CED website section on High School
Exam Credit for more information: https://ced.berkeley.edu/advising/forms-documents
Students who have been away from the University for five or more years are held to the college and
major requirements that are in place when they re-enroll at UCB.
3. Lower Division Environmental Design (3 courses total). Must be completed with a letter grade of C- or
better.
• ENV DES 1 People and Environmental Design
• ENV DES 4A Design and Activism, 4B Global Cities, 4C Future Ecologies (complete 2 of 3)
Lower Division ENV DES courses (ENV DES 1, 4A, 4B, 4C) and Lower Division Major Requirements
may simultaneously fulfill Seven Course Breadth. However, no more than two CED courses or courses
cross-listed with CED may be used to complete Seven Course Breadth.
Transfer students are exempt from the ENV DES 4ABC requirement.
4. Upper Division College of Environmental Design Courses Outside of the Major (3 courses total). Must
be completed with a letter grade of C- or better.
T
hree upper division CED courses must be taken outside the Individual Major (nine units minimum).
Each of the three courses must be at least two units and must be within the 100-299 course number
range (197, 198, 199 are excluded). This requirement can be fulfilled with courses in Architecture,
Environmental Design, Visual Studies, Landscape Architecture, and City and Regional Planning. A
course used to fulfill this requirement may not also be used to fulfill the Individual Major or the Seven
Course Breadth.
C. Individual Major Requirements
A
ll paperwork, including a detailed list of major requirements, must be pre-approved by the student’s
faculty sponsor and by the CED Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies. The proposed course plan
m
ust include the following:
1. Lower Division Major Requirements:
These courses must be completed with a letter grade of C- or better. Courses taken to fulfill Lower
Division Major Requirements may also be used to fulfill Seven Course Breadth.
• ARCH 11A Introduction to Visual Representation and Drawing
• ARCH 11B Introduction to Design
• MATH 16A, MATH 1A, STAT 2, STAT C8, STAT 20, STAT 21, STAT 25, or STAT 131A (one
course)
* A
RCH 11A and/or 11B may be waived for proposed majors that are not design-oriented.
2. Upper Division Major Requirements, (approx 9-12 courses):
These courses must be taken for a letter grade. Students must earn a 2.0 average in Upper Division
Major Requirements. A course used to fulfill an Upper Division Major Requirement may not also be
used to fulfill Seven Course Breadth.
• 36 upper
division units from any department relevant to the field of study, including at least 24
upper division units from the College of Environmental Design and:
• ENV DES 199 (Introduction to Methods and Thesis Preparation)
FL19 – SP20 Updated 4.18.19
6
• ENV DES 195B (Thesis Research and Writing)
EN
V DES 199 and 195B count towards the 36 required upper division units.
T
hesis Guidelines: An individual major thesis should consist of approximately 30 pages of double
spaced 12-point text, with endnotes, bibliography, etc. bringing the total to approximately 45 pages. The
thesis should be written using a University-approved style, as determined by the faculty sponsor. The
Environmental Design Library has a large number of excellent resources on writing theses. Consult the
reference librarian for more information.
T
hesis Deadlines: A typical thesis completion schedule is as follows. Outline and Bibliography are due
to the sponsor by the end of week four of the term in which the thesis is written. Students may also
submit an initial draft to the sponsor at this time. A full draft of the thesis is due by the end of the 10
th
week. The completed thesis is due on the Friday of the second-to-last week of full instruction during the
semester in which ENV DES 195B is taken, or the date specified by the sponsor. The thesis must be
submitted to the Associate Dean by the last day of instruction.
E
ach student’s plan will vary, depending on interests. See your adviser if you are interested in applying for
graduate school, studying abroad, attending summer school, pursing a minor or second major, etc.
S
tudents who have been away from the University for five or more years are held to the college and major
requirements that are in place when they re-enroll at UCB.
D. General Electives
S
tudents may need to take additional courses to reach the 120 units required for graduation.
E. U
nit and Semester Requirements
The Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Environmental Design requires the successful completion of
at least 120 semester units of courses subject to certain rules:
• A maximum of 16 units of Special Studies coursework (courses numbered 97, 98, 99, 197, 198, or 199)
is allowed towards the 120 units; a maximum of four is allowed in a given semester; only upper divisi
on
s
tudents (60 or more units completed) may enroll in 197, 198, or 199 coursework.
• A maximum of 4 units of Physical Education from any school attended will count towards the 120 units.
• Students may receive unit credit for courses graded P (including P/NP units taken through EAP) up to a
lim
it of one-third of the total units taken and passed on the Berkeley campus at the time of graduation.
• No more than 60 units from a single department can be used towards the 120 minimum.
Unit Minimum
CED students must enroll in at least 12 units each fall and spring semester. (Students entering UCB with
no prior units would need to complete 15 units per semester to graduate in four years.)
Semester Limit
Students admitted as freshmen must graduate within eight fall/spring semesters at UC Berkeley. Students
admitted as transfer students must graduate within four fall/spring semesters at UC Berkeley. EAP and
UCDC count towards this semester limit; summer session, UC Extension, and study abroad through non-
UC programs do not. Students approved for simultaneous degrees in two colleges may be granted an
additional semester.
Senior Residence Requirement
FL19 – SP20 Updated 4.18.19
7
After reaching senior status (with 90 semester units earned), students must be registered in the College of
Environmental Design and must complete at least 24 of the remaining 30 units in at least two semesters in
residence at UC Berkeley as CED students. To count as residence, a semester must consist of at least six
passed units.
Students may use Berkeley Summer Sessions
to satisfy one semester of the Senior Residence
Requirement, provided that six units of course work are completed. Units completed through UC Berkeley
“W” web-based courses do apply towards Senior Residence.
Excluded from Senior Residence: Intercampus Visitor Program, Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), UC
Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC), Berkeley Summer Sessions completed abroad, UC Berkeley
Extension courses (X and XB), and non-UC Berkeley online classes.
Modified Senior Residence Requirement
Participants in the UC Berkeley-Washington Program (UCDC); a fall, spring or summer
UC Education
Abroad Program (UCEAP); Berkeley Summer Abroad; or the Berkeley Global Internship program may
meet the Modified Senior Residence Requirement by completing 24 of their final 60 semester units
(excluding EAP or UC Extension) in residence. Note that these programs must consist of at least six
passed units to meet the requirement. At least 12 of the 24 units must be completed after senior status (90
units) is reached.
Most students automatically fulfill the residence requirement by attending classes here for four years. In
general, there is no need to be concerned about this requirement, unless you go abroad for a semester or
year or want to take courses at another institution or through University Extension during your senior year.
In these cases, you should make an appointment to see an adviser to determine how you can meet the
Senior Residence Requirement.
Fulfilling Requirements with Transfer Coursework
Students may use transfer work, including courses taken via Study Abroad, to fulfill CED requirements,
within the following limits
(please consult your major advisor for more information):
• Upper Division Major Requirements: Up to two courses taken elsewhere may be applied, if deemed
transferable by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and approved by the faculty adviser for your
major.
• Upper Division CED Outside the Major: Up to two courses taken elsewhere may be applied, if deemed
t
ransferable by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and approved by CED’s Dean’s Conference.
• Upper Division CED Minor Requirements: Up to two courses taken elsewhere may be applied, if
deemed transferable by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and approved by the faculty adviser
for your minor.
• CED Breadth Requirements: All requirements can be potentially fulfilled by courses taken elsewhere,
if deemed transferable by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and approved for breadth by t
he
c
ollege (courses must be at least three units each).
To submit a request, please refer to the CED Forms & Documents
page and complete the form located
under Transfer Credit Evaluation: "CED Course Substitution Process-Current Students (Including Study
Abroad)."
FL19 – SP20 Updated 4.18.19
8
S
AMPLE GRADUATION PLAN
FRESHMAN
Fall Semester
Units
Spring Semester
Units
R&C A
4-6
R&C B
4
ENV DES 1: People and Environmental
Design
3
ENV DES 4A/B/C*
3
MATH 16A or STAT 2
3-4
Breadth #2
3-4
Breadth #1
2-4
Breadth #3
3-4
TOTAL
12-17
TOTAL
13-15
SOPHOMORE
Fall Semester
Units
Spring Semester
Units
ENV DES 4A/B/C*
3
ENV DES 4A/B/C*
3
ARCH 11A: Introduction to Visual
Representation and Drawing
4
ARCH 11B: Introduction to Design
5
Breadth #4
3-4
Breadth #6
3-4
Breadth #5
3-4
Breadth #7
3-4
TOTAL
13-15
TOTAL
14-16
*Complete 2 of 3 from ENV DES 4A, 4B, 4C
JUNIOR
Fall Semester
Units
Spring Semester
Units
Major Concentration
3-4
Major Concentration
3-4
Major Concentration
3-4
Major Concentration
3-4
Major Concentration
3-4
Major Concentration
3-4
CED Upper Division Outside Major #1
2-4
CED Upper Division Outside Major #2
2-4
TOTAL
12-16
TOTAL
12-16
SENIOR
Fall Semester
Units
Spring Semester
Units
ENV DES 199: Introduction to Methods
and Thesis Preparation
3
ENV DES 195B: Thesis Research and
Writing
3
Major Concentration
3-4
Major Concentration
3-4
Major Concentration
3-4
Major Concentration
3-4
CED Upper Division Outside Major #3
2-4
Elective, if needed
0-4
TOTAL
12-18
TOTAL
12-15
E
ach student’s plan will vary, depending on interests. See your adviser if you are interested in applying for
graduate school, studying abroad, attending summer school, pursing a minor or second major, etc. See end of
Major Handbook for sample plan including study abroad sophomore year.
G
RADE REQUIREMENTS
• A 2.0 UC GPA is required for graduation.
• A 2.0 GPA within the major is required at time of graduation.
GRADUATING WITH HONORS
• To graduate with distinction, you must meet the grade-point average (GPA) requirement and complete
at
least 50 units in residence at Berkeley (this may include UCB Extension XB units and up to 20 units
from UCDC or EAP), of which 43 units must be letter-graded (not including physical education activities
courses). Transfer students must make sure they complete 50 units at Berkeley to qualify for honors.
FL19 – SP20 Updated 4.18.19
9
• Your GPA in all letter-graded courses taken at Berkeley must be equal to or higher than the GPA
established for honors in the year in which you graduate. These GPA cut-offs change slightly each year
and are posted on the CED website.
DEADLINES AND POLICIES
See the CED advis
ing website for the most up-to-date
information: https://ced.berkeley.edu/advising/undergraduate-
advising
CED MINORS
Minors offered by the college of Environmental Design include:
• A
rchitecture
• City & Regional Planning
• E
nvironmental Design and Urbanism in Developing Countries
• G
eospatial Information Science and Technology (College of Natural Resources for paperwork and
advising)
• History & Theory of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning
• H
istory of the Built Environment
• S
ocial & Cultural Factors in Design
• S
ustainable Design
Minors generally c
onsist of five upper division courses plus any lower division prerequisites to those courses.
Any c
ourse taken for your minor may also be used to fulfill major and upper division CED non-major
requirements. Courses used to fulfill a breadth requirement may also be used to satisfy a minor requirement.
Students may use the non-CED version of an approved CED cross-listed course to complete a minor.
The “CED Minor Declaration Form” is available in the Minors section of Major & Minor Requirement of the
CED website. The form is required to declare a minor. You must add/declare your minor no later than the
term before your final semester. CED students may pursue minors in any of the other undergraduate schools
and colleges at UC Berkeley.
CED students may pursue minors in any of the other undergraduate schools and colleges at UC Berkeley.
ACADEMIC PROGRESS REPORT (APR)
Track your degree progress via your Ac
ademic Progress Report in CalCentral (calcentral.berkeley.edu). If
you notice any errors in your Academic Progres
s Report, notify your CED adviser immediately.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
CED values the health and wellness of our students. We encourage all students to take care of themselves as
they learn and progress through the ac
ademic rigor of their respective majors. To take advantage of personal
c
ounseling or coaching services, students have the option of meeting with our in-house mental health
c
ounselor OR seeking counseling at the following on-campus offices:
U
niversity Health Services (Tang Center): https://uhs.berkeley.edu/counseling
Drop-In Counseling at EOP: https://uhs.berkeley.edu/counseling/satellite/chavez
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10
CED Counseling Services in Wurster Hall: https://ced.berkeley.edu/students/counseling-psychological-
services
COST OF ATTENDANCE ADJUSTMENT (FINANCIAL AID BUDGET APPEALS)
Students are allowed to submit a request to the Financial Aid Office to increase the size of their standard
budget for certain expenses that are above the standard amounts: housing, a computer (once every three
years), uninsured medical/dental/optical expenses, and child care.
In addition, CED students who are enrolled in a studio course may submit a Cost of Attendance Adjustment
request (“budget appeal”) for additional loan or work-study to help cover studio-related expenses. To request
additional financial aid to help with studio expenses, you will need to include with your appeal the “Estimated
Undergrad Studio Expenses for Financial Aid Appeals” document, available on the CED website:
https://ced.berkeley.edu/advising/forms-documents
For more information on the Cost of Attendance Adjustment, see http://financialaid.berkeley.edu/cost-
attendance-adjustment.
CED FEE WAIVERS
CED has a limited amount of funding available for facility access fee waivers each year. CED students who are
eligible to receive either a Pell Grant or Dream Act Scholarship may apply for a waiver by the established
deadlines.
UC BERKELEY FOOD PANTRY
The Food Pantry provides emergency nonperishable food to UC Berkeley students while they explore campus
food security resources. http://pantry.asuc.org/
CED PRIZES AND AWARDS
One of the many financial resources available to CED students is the Prizes and Awards program. For more
information see https://ced.berkeley.edu/resources/awards-scholarships-and-fellowships
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11
PLAN FOR SOPHOMORE YEAR STUDY ABROAD
Fall Semester First Year
Units
Spring Semester First Year
Units
R&C A
4-6
R&C B
4
ENV DES 1: People and Environmental
Design
3
ENV DES 4A/B/C*
3
MATH 16A or STAT 2
3-4
Breadth #2
3-4
Breadth #1
2-4
Breadth #3
3-4
TOTAL
12-17
TOTAL
13-15
Fall Semester Second Year
Units
SPRING STUDY ABROAD
Units
Summer
ENV DES 4A/B/C*
3
Breadth #6
3-4
ARCH 11B
ARCH 11A: Introduction to Visual
Representation and Drawing
4
Breadth #7(International Studies; no
course)
0
Breadth #4
3-4
Elective
3-4
Breadth #5
3-4
Elective
3-4
TOTAL
13-15
TOTAL
12
*Complete 2 of 3 from ENV DES 4A, 4B, 4C
