2020-2021 Undergraduate Programs

The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science offers 10 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:

  1. Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering
  2. Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering
  3. Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
  4. Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
  5. Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
  6. Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
  7. Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering
  8. Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
  9. Bachelor of Science in Materials Engineering
  10. Bachelor of Science in Mechanical 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. The undergraduate program in computer engineering, established in fall 2017, will be submitted to ABET for accreditation during the next ABET visit in 2024.

Admission

Applicants to UCLA Samueli must satisfy the general UC admission requirements. See the undergraduate admission website for details. Applicants must apply directly to the school by selecting one of the majors within the school or the undeclared engineering option. In the selection process many elements are considered, including grades 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.

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 UCLA Samueli 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.

Admission as a Freshman

UC 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 UCLA Samueli.

Freshman applicants must meet the UC subject, scholarship, and examination requirements described on the undergraduate admission website.

Credit for Advanced Placement Examinations

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 2020 fulfills UCLA Samueli requirements as indicated on the 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.

Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science Advanced Placement (AP) Examination Credit

All units and course equivalents to AP examinations are lower division. If an AP examination has been given UCLA course equivalency (e.g., Economics 2), it may not be repeated at UCLA for units or grade points.

 

Advanced Placement Score-to-Credit Conversion
AP Examination Score UCLA Lower-Division Units and Course Equivalents Credit Allowed for University and GE Requirements
Art History 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
Art, Studio 8 units maximum for all tests
   Drawing Portfolio 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
   Two-Dimensional Design Portfolio 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
   Three-Dimensional Design Portfolio 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
Biology 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
Chemistry 3 8 excess units No application
4 or 5 4 units (may be applied toward Chemistry 20A) plus 4 excess units No application
Computer Science
   Computer Science A Test 3, 4, or 5 2 excess units No application
   Computer Science AB Test 3, 4, or 5 4 excess units No application
   Computer Science Principles 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
Economics
   Macroeconomics 3 4 excess units No application
4 or 5 Economics 2 (4 excess units) No application
   Microeconomics 3 4 excess units No application
4 or 5 Economics 1 (4 excess units) No application
English 8 units maximum for both tests
   Language and Composition 3 8 excess units Satisfies Entry-Level Writing requirement
4 or 5 English Composition 3 (5 units) plus 3 excess units Satisfies Entry-Level Writing requirement
   Literature and Composition 3 8 excess units Satisfies Entry-Level Writing requirement
4 or 5 English Composition 3 (5 units) plus 3 excess units Satisfies Entry-Level Writing requirement
Environmental Science 3, 4, or 5 4 excess units No application
Geography, Human 3, 4, or 5 4 excess units No application
Government and Politics
   Comparative 3, 4, or 5 4 excess units No application
   United States 3, 4, or 5 4 excess units Satisfies American History and Institutions requirement
History
   European 3 4 excess units No application
4 or 5 8 excess units No application
   United States 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units Satisfies American History and Institutions requirement
   World 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
Languages and Literatures
   Chinese Language and Culture 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
   French Language 3 French 3 (4 units) plus 4 excess units No application
4 French 4 (4 units) plus 4 excess units No application
5 French 5 (4 units) plus 4 excess units No application
   French Literature 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
   German Language 3 German 3 (4 units) plus 4 excess units No application
4 German 4 (4 units) plus 4 excess units No application
5 German 5 (4 units) plus 4 excess units No application
   Japanese Language and Culture 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
   Latin 8 units maximum for both tests
      Latin Literature 3 Latin 1 (4 units) No application
4 or 5 Latin 3 (4 units) No application
      Vergil 3 Latin 1 (4 units) No application
4 or 5 Latin 3 (4 units) No application
Spanish Language 3 Spanish 3 (4 units) plus 4 excess units No application
4 Spanish 4 (4 units) plus 4 excess units No application
5 Spanish 5 (4 units) plus 4 excess units No application
Spanish Literature 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
Mathematics 8 units maximum for both tests
   Mathematics AB Test: Calculus 3 4 excess units No application
4 4 excess units No application
5 4 units May be applied toward Mathematics 31A
   Mathematics BC Test: Calculus 3 8 excess units No application
4 4 excess units plus 4 units 4 units may be applied toward Mathematics 31A
5 8 units Mathematics 31A plus 4 units that may be applied toward Mathematics 31B
Music Theory 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
Physics 8 units maximum for all tests
   Physics 1 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
   Physics 2 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
   Physics B Test 3, 4, or 5 8 excess units No application
   Physics C Test: Mechanics 3 4 excess units No application
4 or 5 4 units (may be applied toward Physics 1A) No application
   Physics C Test: Electricity and Magnetism 3, 4, or 5 4 excess units No application
Psychology 3 4 excess units No application
4 or 5 Psychology 10 (4 excess units) No application
Statistics 3, 4, or 5 4 excess units No application

 

Admission as a Transfer Student

Admission as a junior-level transfer student is competitive. The University of California 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 UCLA Samueli 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 UCLA Samueli include college-specific course numbers for these requirements and can be found on the ASSIST website. Applicants who are lacking two or more of the courses are unlikely to be admitted.

Required preparation for UCLA Samueli majors:

  1. Mathematics, including calculus I and II, calculus III (multivariable), differential equations, and linear algebra. The Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering majors do not require differential equations, but it is recommended
  2. Calculus-based physics courses in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and waves, sound, heat, optics, and modern physics
  3. Chemistry, including two terms of general chemistry. Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering majors are also required to complete two terms of organic chemistry. The Computer Science and Computer Science and Engineering majors do not require chemistry. Electrical Engineering majors must complete only one term of chemistry
  4. Computer programming: applicants to the Computer Science, Computer Science and Engineering, and Electrical Engineering majors may take any C++, C, or Java course to meet the admission requirement, but to be competitive the applicant must take a C++ course equivalent to UCLA Computer Science 31. Applicants to Chemical Engineering may take any C++, C, Java, or MATLAB course to satisfy the admission requirement, but lack of a MATLAB course equivalent to UCLA Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering M20 or Civil and Environmental Engineering M20 will delay time to graduation. Applicants to all other engineering majors may take any C++, C, Java, or MATLAB course to satisfy the admission requirement, but the MATLAB course equivalent to Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering M20 or Civil and Environmental Engineering M20 is preferred
  5. One year of biology for applicants to the Bioengineering major is recommended
  6. English composition courses, including one course equivalent to English Composition 3 at UCLA and a second UC-transferable English composition course

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 on the ASSIST website.

Lower-Division Courses in Other Departments

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.