School of Physical Sciences

Exceptions to GPA criteria will be considered. Students may be held to specific course completion or grade requirements before or after acceptance into a new major if they do not meet the minimal requirements.

Students with more than 135 units and students wishing to declare a double major have additional requirements. Please contact the School of Physical Sciences academic advising office for further information.

Additional requirements (all majors):

  • After sophomore year, Dean’s review of progress toward degree and of upper-division GPA in the major
  • A maximum of two repeated courses among required courses in math and science.

Change of Major Requirements:

Chemistry
Requirements Description
Cumulative UC GPA

2.00 GPA

Meet recent quarterly GPA of 2.00
Course grades Must meet BOTH requirements:

  • Lower-division chemistry GPA of 2.50, with no grade below a “C” (excluding Chem 1P and Chem 5)
  • Minimum GPA of 2.00 in all mathematics and physics courses taken in satisfaction of chemistry degree requirements
Other Must meet ALL requirements:

  • Minimum of two chemistry lecture courses completed at UCI that count toward the major.
  • Completion of General Chemistry (Chemistry 1A-B-C, 1LC or equivalent).
  • After sophomore year (90 units or more), completion of at least two calculus courses (Math 2A-B or equivalent).

 

Earth System Science
Requirements Description
Cumulative UC GPA

2.00 GPA

Most recent quarterly GPA of 2.00
Course grades Must meet BOTH requirements:

  • 2.50 minimum GPA for all UCI courses that count toward the major.
  • 3.00 minimum GPA for all transfer courses that count toward the major.
Other Completion of:

  • Math 2A-B (or equivalent) and
  • Chemistry 1A-B (or equivalent), or Physics 7C/LC, or Physics 3A-B/LB (or equivalent).
  • One Earth System Science class with grade of “B” or better.

 

Environmental Science and Policy
Requirements Description
Cumulative UC GPA

2.00 GPA

Most recent quarterly GPA of 2.00
Course grades Must meet ALL of the following requirements:

  • Completion of one lower-division course in ESS that counts toward the major with a grade of “C” or better.
  • Completion of UPPP 8 or UPPP 5 with a grade of “C” or better.
  • 2.50 minimum GPA for all UCI courses that count toward the major.
  • 3.00 minimum GPA for all transfer courses that count toward the major
Other While this major is jointly offered by the School of Physical Sciences and the School of Social Ecology, all administrative and advising functions for the students will be administered by the School of Physical Sciences Student Affairs Office, with the exception of Field Study placement/advising which will be administered by the School of Social Ecology Student Affairs Office.

 

Mathematics
Requirements Description
Cumulative UC GPA 2.00 GPA
Most recent quarterly GPA of 2.00
Course grades Must meet BOTH requirements:

  • Minimum GPA of 3.00 for all lower-division math courses that count toward the major.
  • Minimum GPA of 3.00 for all lower-division UCI math courses that count toward the major.
Other Minimum of two math courses taken at UCI that count toward the major.

 

Applied and Computational Mathematics
Requirements Description
Cumulative UC GPA 2.00 GPA
Most recent quarterly GPA of 2.00
Course grades Must meet BOTH requirements:

  • Minimum GPA of 3.00 for all lower-division math courses that count toward the major.
  • Minimum GPA of 3.00 for all lower-division UCI math courses that count toward the major.
Other Minimum of two math courses taken at UCI that count toward the major.

 

Physics
Requirements Description
Cumulative UC GPA 2.00 GPA
Most recent quarterly GPA of 2.00
Course grades Must meet BOTH requirements:

  • Minimum GPA of 3.00 for all lower-division math and physics courses that count toward the major.
  • Minimum GPA of 3.00 for all lower-division UCI math and physics courses that count toward the major.
Other Minimum of two physics lecture courses taken at UCI that count toward the major. Approval of Physics Departmental Chief Academic Advisor.

 

Applied Physics
Requirements Description
Cumulative UC GPA 2.00 GPA
Most recent quarterly GPA of 2.00
Course grades Must meet BOTH requirements:

  • Minimum GPA of 3.00 for all lower-division math and physics courses that count toward the major.
  • Minimum GPA of 3.00 for all lower-division UCI math and physics courses that count toward the major.
Other Minimum of two physics lecture courses taken at UCI that count toward the major. Approval of Physics Departmental Chief Academic Advisor.