Frequently Asked Questions for Degree Candidates

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Academic Residence - What is the academic residence requirement?

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.

Commencement- Who is eligible to participate in HSSEAS Commencement?

More information can be found here.

Commencement- Where do I find the info?

Credit Issue with my DARS Web Audit?

Please refer to the DARS FAQ here

Credit issue with my Degree Audit (pdf emailed to you)

If the credit issue is with the degree audit we emailed you, then send a message via message center: https://sa.ucla.edu/MessageCenter/OneStop/Home/PostMessage?topicId=466 with a brief description of the issue.

Declare Degree Expected Term – How do I declare it?

Degree Audit – I have not received my degree audit, what should I do?

You must filed a Statement of Degree Candidacy form (SDC) and wait approximately 15-20 business days. Then you will receive an audit of your requirements to the email address on MyUCLA. Only if it has been more than 20 business days since you filed your SDC and you still have not received your audit, Please send a message center to https://sa.ucla.edu/MessageCenter/OneStop/Home/PostMessage?topicId=466

Degree Audit – Important Information if you received your Degree Audit.

Degree Candidates are advised to review their transcripts before degree completion and immediately upon posting of final term grades. You must immediately notify your HSSEAS Degree Auditor degree_auditor@seas.ucla.edu of any failed, non-passing, incomplete or “DR” grades OR of any changes to your academic record. Your degree will be awarded upon successful completion of final coursework. On degree conferral, the undergraduate record is closed. Students may not graduate in one term and then retroactively add majors, minors, or specializations or complete course work or add/drop courses, and so forth.

Degree Expected Term – What is this?

Your degree expected term is the year and quarter that you plan to complete all your major requirements for your bachelor’s degree.

Degree Verification – What are my options?

Degree Completion Letter – If you need degree verification before transcripts are available, then you may submit an Degree Completion Letter Request ONLY after you have completed the degree audit process and verified through myUCLA that final grades are available. FEES: The first certificate of completion is free of charge. A $15.00 fee is charged to your BruinBill account for each additional copy. Transcripts See the section below about Transcripts. Diplomas See the entry below about Diplomas.

Diplomas – How and when can I get mine?

Diplomas are available approximately three to four months after your degree award date. You will find info about ordering your diploma and diploma FAQs here. To check the status of your diploma, you may call the diploma hotline at 310-825-8883.

Can I enroll in less than 12 units?

As a HSSEAS degree candidate, you are eligible to enroll in less than 12 units during one of your last three academic terms before degree completion. You may also be eligible for a Fee reduction. Please read Fee Reduction eligibility below for more information. For more information on the petition process send a message center.

Eligibility for the Fee Reduction

As a HSSEAS student, you may be eligible for a fee reduction if you are a degree candidate and in any one of your last three academic terms before degree completion and are enrolled in 10 units or less in that term. If you choose to file this petition in a quarter prior to your final term, then you will not be approved for a fee reduction in your final term. You may only receive a fee reduction once in your last three academic terms on the basis of being a degree candidate.The deadline to file for a fee reduction is Friday of second week of the quarter. If you are eligible and wish to receive a fee reduction you must submit the fee reduction request through Workflow . You will be required to pay your full fees by the University’s deadlines. If the Fee Reduction Request is approved you will receive a fee refund. The refund is a reduction of the Tuition by one-half and a reduction of the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition Fee by one-half.  If you wish to have a fee reduction for your final term, you must first: 1.Follow the degree audit process and 2.Receive confirmation from the degree auditor that you need no more than 10 units to complete your degree requirements and that you will be completing your degree at the end of the quarter in question. The degree auditor will inform you of the necessary paperwork to be filed. Or if you wish to have a fee reduction for one of your last three academic terms (not your final term), send a Message Center for more information on the petition process. You may also be eligible for a fee reduction if you are a student who is not able to manage full time enrollment for reasons of family responsibilities or for health reasons and intends to enroll in 10 units or less. It is presumed that your part-time student status is of a long-term nature and valid documentation must be provided for fee reduction consideration. Students who work 20 hours or more may petition to drop below the minimum term enrollment requirement of 12 units; however, not normally granted a fee reduction.

Grade Point Average (GPA) – What is the minimum GPA to complete my degree?

The required minimum grade-point average is 2.000 for all course work completed (Cumulative GPA), all upper division course work used for the major (Major Field Upper Division GPA), and all required upper division course work (Upper Division GPA) completed at any UC campus.

Latin Honors Eligibility – What is the minimum GPA?

A list of Latin Honors Eligibility can be found here.

Statement of Degree Candidacy Form – What is the Process of filing a HSSEAS Degree Candidacy Form?

More information for filing a degree candidacy form can be found here.

Order Transcripts

You can find information about ordering transcripts here.

Transcript submission from other Institutions for Degree Candidates

Warning: Before you enroll in coursework at another institution you must first: 1) Email the Degree Auditor at degree_auditor@seas.ucla.edu with an update of your plans AND 2) Follow all the instructions at the Course Equivalence site here to make sure that you will receive credit for your planned course. AND 3) When you complete transfer coursework, send your transcripts as soon as they become available to: Attn: HSSEAS Degree Auditors UCLA HSSEAS OASA 6426 Boelter Hall 405 Hilgard Ave Los Angeles, CA 90095-1601 AND 4) Then check for any new credit to post to your DARS AND email  as soon as you see any new credit appear on your DARS.
degree_auditor@seas.ucla.edu