The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science (HSSEAS) offers nine four-year curricula listed below (see the departmental listings for complete descriptions of the programs), in addition to undergraduate minors in Bioinformatics and in Environmental Engineering:
The aerospace engineering, bioengineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer science and engineering, electrical engineering, materials engineering, and mechanical engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The computer science and computer science and engineering curricula are accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
Applicants to HSSEAS must satisfy the general admission requirements of the University. See the Undergraduate Admission website at http://www.admission.ucla.edu for details. Applicants must apply directly to HSSEAS by selecting one of the majors within the school or the undeclared engineering option. In the selection process many elements are considered, including grades, test scores, and academic preparation.
Students applying as freshmen or transfers must submit their applications during the November 1 through 30 filing period. In addition, it is essential that official test scores be received no later than the date in January when the December test scores are normally reported.
Applicants must submit scores from an approved core test of mathematics, language arts, and writing. This requirement may be satisfied by taking either the ACT with Writing tests, the SAT Reasoning Test (last administered January 2016), or the SAT with Essay test. Applicants to the school are strongly encouraged to also take the following SAT Subject Tests: Mathematics Level 2 and a laboratory science test (Biology E/M, Chemistry, or Physics) that is closely related to the intended major.
Fulfilling the admission requirements, however, does not assure admission to the school. Limits have had to be set for the enrollment of new undergraduate students. Thus, not every applicant who meets the minimum requirements can be admitted.
Although applicants may qualify for admission to HSSEAS in freshman standing, many students take their first two years in engineering at a community college and apply to the school at the junior level. Students who begin their college work at a California community college are expected to remain at the community college to complete the lower division requirements in chemistry, computer programming, English composition, mathematics, physics, and the recommended engineering courses before transferring to UCLA.
University requirements specify a minimum of three years of mathematics, including the topics covered in elementary and advanced algebra and two- and three-dimensional geometry. Additional study in mathematics, concluding with calculus or precalculus in the senior year, is strongly recommended and typical for applicants to HSSEAS.
Freshman applicants must meet the University subject, scholarship, and examination requirements described at http://www.admission.ucla.edu.
Students may fulfill part of the school requirements with credit allowed at the time of admission for College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations with scores of 3, 4, or 5. Students with AP Examination credit may exceed the 213-unit maximum by the amount of this credit. AP Examination credit for freshmen entering fall quarter 2016 fulfills HSSEAS requirements as indicated on the Advanced Placement (AP) Credit table.
Students who have completed 36 quarter units after high school graduation at the time of the examination receive no AP Examination credit.
Admission as a junior-level transfer student is competitive. The University requires applicants to have completed a minimum of 60 transferable semester units (90 quarter units) and two transferable English courses prior to enrolling at UCLA. In addition, to be considered all applicants to HSSEAS majors must have at least a 3.4 grade-point average in their college work. Many of the majors in the school are impacted. Excellent grades, especially for courses in preparation for the major, are expected.
Completion of the required courses in preparation for the major is critical for admission. Articulation agreements between California community colleges and HSSEAS include college-specific course numbers for these requirements and can be found at http://www.assist.org. Applicants who are lacking two or more of the courses are unlikely to be admitted.
Required preparation for HSSEAS majors:
Transfer applicants may complete courses in addition to those above that satisfy degree requirements. Engineering and computer science courses appropriate for each major may be found at http://www.assist.org.
Chemistry and Biochemistry 20A. Chemical Structure (4 units)
Chemistry and Biochemistry 20B. Chemical Energetics and Change (4 units)
Chemistry and Biochemistry 20L. General Chemistry Laboratory (3 units)
English Composition 3. English Composition, Rhetoric, and Language (5 units)
Mathematics 31A. Differential and Integral Calculus (4 units)
Mathematics 31B. Integration and Infinite Series (4 units)
Mathematics 32A, 32B. Calculus of Several Variables (4 units each)
Mathematics 33A. Linear Algebra and Applications (4 units)
Mathematics 33B. Differential Equations (4 units)
Physics 1A. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Mechanics (5 units)
Physics 1B. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Oscillations, Waves, Electric and Magnetic Fields (5 units)
Physics 1C. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Electrodynamics, Optics, and Special Relativity (5 units)
Physics 4AL. Physics Laboratory for Scientists and Engineers: Mechanics (2 units)
Physics 4BL. Physics Laboratory for Scientists and Engineers: Electricity and Magnetism (2 units)
The courses in chemistry, mathematics, and physics are those required as preparation for majors in these subjects. Transfer students should select equivalent courses required for engineering or physical sciences majors.
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science awards B.S. degrees to students who have satisfactorily completed four-year programs in engineering studies.
Students must meet three types of requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree:
The University of California has two requirements that undergraduate students must satisfy in order to graduate: (1) Entry-Level Writing or English as a Second Language and (2) American History and Institutions. These requirements are discussed in detail in the Undergraduate Study section of the UCLA General Catalog.
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science has seven requirements that must be satisfied for the award of the degree: unit, scholarship, academic residence, writing, technical breadth, ethics, and general education.
To receive a bachelor’s degree in any HSSEAS major, students must complete a minimum of 180 units. The maximum allowed is 213 units.
After 213 quarter units, enrollment may not normally be continued in the school without special permission from the associate dean. This regulation does not apply to Departmental Scholars.
In addition to the University requirement of at least a C (2.0) grade-point average in all courses taken at any University of California campus, students must achieve at least a 2.0 grade-point average in all upper division University courses offered in satisfaction of the subject and elective requirements of the curriculum. A 2.0 minimum grade-point average in upper division mathematics, upper division core courses, and the major field is also required for graduation. Grade point averages are not rounded up.
Of the last 48 units completed for the B.S. degree, 36 must be earned in residence in HSSEAS on this campus. No more than 16 of the 36 units may be completed in Summer Sessions at UCLA.
Students must complete the University’s Entry-Level Writing or English as a Second Language (ESL) requirement prior to completing the school writing requirement.
Students admitted to the school are required to complete a two-term writing requirement--Writing I and engineering writing. Both courses must be taken for letter grades, and students must receive grades of C or better (C- grades are not acceptable).
The Writing I requirement must be satisfied by completing English Composition 3 or 3SL with a grade of C or better (C- or a Passed grade is not acceptable) by the end of the second year of enrollment.
The Writing I requirement may also be satisfied by (1) scoring 4 or 5 on one of the College Board Advanced Placement Examinations in English, (2) a combination of a score of 720 or better on the SAT Reasoning Test, Writing and superior performance on the English Composition 3 Proficiency Examination, (3) completing a course equivalent to English Composition 3 with a grade of C or better (C- or a Passed grade is not acceptable) taken at another institution, or (4) scoring 5, 6, or 7 on an International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination.
Students whose native language is not English may satisfy the Writing I requirement by completing English as a Second Language 36 with a grade of C or better (C- or a Passed grade is not acceptable). Admission into the course is determined by completion of English as a Second Language 35 with a passing grade or proficiency demonstrated on the English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE).
The engineering writing requirement is satisfied by selecting one approved engineering writing (EW) course from the HSSEAS writing course list or by selecting one approved Writing II (W) course. The course must be completed with a grade of C or better (C- or a Passed grade is not acceptable). Writing courses are listed in the Schedule of Classes.
Writing courses also approved for general education credit may be applied toward the relevant general education foundational area.
The technical breadth requirement consists of a set of three courses providing sufficient breadth outside the student’s core program. A list of HSSEAS Faculty Executive Committee-approved technical breadth requirement courses is available in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs, and deviations from that list are subject to approval by the associate dean for Academic and Student Affairs. None of the technical breadth requirement courses selected by students can be used to satisfy other major course requirements.
The ethics and professionalism requirement is satisfied by completing one course from Engineering 183EW or 185EW with a grade of C or better (C- or a Passed grade is not acceptable). The course may be applied toward the engineering writing requirement.
General education (GE) is more than a checklist of required courses. It is a program of study that (1) reveals to students the ways that research scholars in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences create and evaluate new knowledge, (2) introduces students to the important ideas and themes of human cultures, (3) fosters appreciation for the many perspectives and the diverse voices that may be heard in a democratic society, and (4) develops the intellectual skills that give students the dexterity they need to function in a rapidly changing world.
This entails the ability to make critical and logical assessments of information, both traditional and digital; deliver reasoned and persuasive arguments; and identify, acquire, and use the knowledge necessary to solve problems.
Students may take one GE course per term on a Passed/Not Passed basis if they are in good academic standing and are enrolled in at least three and one-half courses (14 units) for the term. For details on P/NP grading, see Grading in the Academic Policies section of the UCLA General Catalog or consult the Office of Academic and Student Affairs.
GE courses used to satisfy the engineering writing and/or ethics requirements must be taken for a letter grade.
General education courses are grouped into three foundational areas: Foundations of the Arts and Humanities, Foundations of Society and Culture, and Foundations of Scientific Inquiry.
Five courses (24 units minimum) are required. Engineering writing requirement courses also approved for GE credit may be applied toward the relevant GE foundational areas.
Students must meet with a counselor in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs to determine the applicability of GE Cluster courses toward the engineering writing or GE requirements.
Courses listed in more than one category can fulfill GE requirements in only one of the cross-listed categories.
Two 5-unit courses selected from two different subgroups:
Literary and Cultural Analysis
Philosophical and Linguistic Analysis
Visual and Performance Arts Analysis and Practice
The aim of courses in this area is to provide perspectives and intellectual skills necessary to comprehend and think critically about our situation in the world as human beings. In particular, the courses provide the basic means to appreciate and evaluate the ongoing efforts of humans to explain, translate, and transform their diverse experiences of the world through such media as language, literature, philosophical systems, images, sounds, and performances. The courses introduce students to the historical development and fundamental intellectual and ethical issues associated with the arts and humanities and may also investigate the complex relations between artistic and humanistic expression and other facets of society and culture.
Two 5-unit courses, one from each subgroup:
Historical Analysis
Social Analysis
The aim of courses in this area is to introduce students to the ways in which humans organize, structure, rationalize, and govern their diverse societies and cultures over time. The courses focus on a particular historical question, societal problem, or topic of political and economic concern in an effort to demonstrate how issues are objectified for study, how data is collected and analyzed, and how new understandings of social phenomena are achieved and evaluated.
One course (4 units minimum) from the Life Sciences subgroup or one course from Bioengineering CM145/Chemical Engineering CM145, Chemistry and Biochemistry 153A, or Civil and Environmental Engineering M166/Environmental Health Sciences M166:
Life Sciences
This requirement is automatically satisfied for Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering majors. The requirement is satisfied for Civil Engineering majors by the natural science requirement.
The aim of courses in this area is to ensure that students gain a fundamental understanding of how scientists formulate and answer questions about the operation of both the physical and biological world. The courses also deal with some of the most important issues, developments, and methodologies in contemporary science, addressing such topics as the origin of the universe, environmental degradation, and the decoding of the human genome. Through lectures, laboratory experiences, writing, and intensive discussions, students consider the important roles played by the laws of physics and chemistry in society, biology, Earth and environmental sciences, and astrophysics and cosmology.
Creating and maintaining a general education curriculum is a dynamic process; consequently, courses are frequently added to the list. For the most current list of approved courses that satisfy the Foundations of Knowledge GE plan, consult an academic counselor or see http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/Academics/GE-Requirement.
Transfer students from California community colleges have the option to fulfill UCLA lower division GE requirements by completing the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) prior to transfer. The curriculum consists of a series of subject areas and types of courses which have been agreed on by the University of California and the California community colleges. Although GE or transfer core courses are degree requirements rather than admission requirements, students are advised to fulfill them prior to transfer. The IGETC significantly eases the transfer process, as all UCLA GE requirements are fulfilled when students complete the IGETC courses. Students who select the IGETC must complete it entirely before enrolling at UCLA. Otherwise, they must fulfill the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science GE requirements. The school does not accept partial IGETC.
Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science departments generally set two types of requirements that must be satisfied for the award of the degree: (1) Preparation for the Major (lower division courses) and (2) the Major (upper division courses). Preparation for the Major courses should be completed before beginning upper division work.
A major requires completion of a set of courses known as Preparation for the Major. Each department sets its own Preparation for the Major requirements; see the Departments and Programs section of this announcement.
Students must complete their major with a scholarship average of at least a 2.0 (C) in all courses in order to remain in the major. Each course in the major department must be taken for a letter grade. See the Departments and Programs section of this announcement for details on each major.
Degree requirements are subject to policies and regulations, including the following:
Students should take advantage of academic support resources, but they are ultimately responsible for keeping informed of and complying with the rules, regulations, and policies affecting their academic standing.
Study lists require approval of the dean of the school or a designated representative. It is the student’s responsibility to present a study list that reflects satisfactory progress toward the Bachelor of Science degree, according to standards set by the faculty. Study lists or programs of study that do not comply with these standards may result in enforced withdrawal from the University or other academic action.
Undergraduate students in the school are expected to enroll in at least 12 units each term. Students enrolling in less than 12 units must obtain approval by petition to the dean prior to enrollment in courses. The normal program is 16 units per term. Students may not enroll in more than 21 units per term unless an Excess Unit Petition is approved in advance by the dean.
Full-time HSSEAS undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 36 units in three consecutive terms in which they are registered.
Some portions of Advanced Placement (AP) Examination credit are evaluated by corresponding UCLA course number. If students take the equivalent UCLA course, a deduction of UCLA unit credit is made prior to graduation. See the AP Table.
Credit earned through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) may not be applied toward the bachelor’s degree.
After students have completed 105 quarter units (regardless of where the units are completed), they do not receive unit credit or subject credit for courses completed at a community college.
No credit is granted toward the bachelor’s degree for college foreign language courses equivalent to quarter levels one and two if the equivalent of level two of the same language was completed with satisfactory grades in high school.
For undergraduate students who repeat a total of 16 units or less, only the most recently earned letter grades and grade points are computed in the grade-point average (GPA). After repeating 16 units, the GPA is based on all letter grades assigned and total units attempted. The grade assigned each time a course is taken is permanently recorded on the transcript.
HSSEAS students in good academic standing may be permitted a minor or double major. The minor or second major must be outside the school (e.g., Electrical Engineering major and Economics major). HSSEAS students are not permitted to double major with two school majors (e.g., Chemical Engineering and Civil Engineering). Students may file an Undergraduate Request to Double Major or Add Minor form at the Office of Academic and Student Affairs. The school determines final approval of a minor or double major request; review is done on a case by case basis, and filing the request does NOT guarantee approval.
While HSSEAS considers minor or double major requests, specializations are not considered at this time. Students interested in a minor or double major should meet with their counselor in 6426 Boelter Hall.
It is mandatory for all students entering undergraduate programs to have their course of study approved by an academic counselor. After the first term, curricular and career advising is accomplished on a formal basis. Students are assigned a faculty adviser in their particular specialization in their freshman year.
In addition, all undergraduate students are assigned, by major, to an academic counselor in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs who provides them with advice regarding general requirements for the degrees and University and school regulations and procedures. It is the students’ responsibility to periodically meet with their academic counselor in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs, as well as with their faculty adviser, to discuss curriculum requirements, programs of study, and any other academic matters of concern.
Students normally follow the curriculum in effect when they enter the school. California community college transfer students may also select the curriculum in the catalog in effect at the time they began their community college work in an engineering program, providing attendance has been continuous since that time.
Students admitted to UCLA in fall quarter 2012 and thereafter use the Degree Audit system, which can be accessed via MyUCLA. Students should contact their academic counselor in 6426 Boelter Hall with any questions.
Students admitted to UCLA prior to fall quarter 2012 use the HSSEAS Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) and are able to view the credit they have received and determine which of their degree requirements are left to complete.
HSSEAS undergraduate students following a catalog year prior to 2005-06 should schedule an appointment with their academic counselor in 6426 Boelter Hall or by calling (310) 825-9580 to review course credit and degree requirements and for program planning.
The student’s regular faculty adviser is available to assist in planning electives and for discussions regarding career objectives. Students should discuss their elective plan with the adviser and obtain the adviser’s approval.
Students should also see any member or members of the faculty specially qualified in their major for advice in working out a program of major courses.
Students are assigned to advisers by majors and major fields of interest. A specific adviser or an adviser in a particular engineering department may be requested by logging in to MyEngineering and clicking on the “My Advisors” link.
Academic counselors in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs assist students with University procedures and answer questions related to general requirements.
Students following the engineering curricula are eligible to be named to the Dean’s Honors List each term. Minimum requirements are a course load of at least 15 units (12 units of letter grade) with a grade-point average equal to or greater than 3.7. Students are not eligible for the Dean’s Honors List if they receive an Incomplete (I) or Not Passed (NP) grade or repeat a course. Only courses applicable to an undergraduate degree are considered toward eligibility for Dean’s Honors.
Students who have achieved scholastic distinction may be awarded the bachelor’s degree with honors. Students eligible for 2016-17 University honors at graduation must have completed 90 or more units for a letter grade at the University of California and must have attained a cumulative grade-point average at graduation which places them in the top five percent of the school (GPA of 3.884 or better) for summa cum laude, the next five percent (GPA of 3.802 or better) for magna cum laude, and the next 10 percent (GPA of 3.642 or better) for cum laude. The minimum GPAs required are subject to change on an annual basis. Required GPAs in effect in the graduating year determine student eligibility.
Based on grades achieved in upper division courses, engineering students must have a 3.884 grade-point average for summa cum laude, a 3.802 for magna cum laude, and a 3.642 for cum laude. For all designations of honors, students must have a minimum 3.25 GPA in their major field upper division courses.