Transfer Admission Screening Policy
The environmental sciences program welcomes applications from prospective transfer students. Students should reference assist.org to determine course equivalencies.
To be considered for admission as a proposed ESCI B.S. major, transfer students must complete the following courses or their equivalents prior to transfer, by the end of the spring term for students planning to enter in the fall.
A minimum GPA of 2.00 must be obtained in the courses listed above.
Transfer students planning on attending UC Santa Cruz to pursue an environmental sciences major should contact the undergraduate adviser for transfer preparation information and reference assist.org to determine which courses are equivalent to these required courses. Having this coursework completed prior to transferring allows students greater flexibility in scheduling and completing their major.
One of these options
| Either these courses | ||
| CHEM 3A | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 3B | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 3BL | General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| CHEM 3C | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 3CL | General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| or these courses | ||
| CHEM 4A | Advanced General Chemistry: Molecular Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 4AL | Advanced General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
| CHEM 4B | Advanced General Chemistry: Molecular Structure and Reactivity | 5 |
| CHEM 4BL | Advanced General Chemistry Lab | 2 |
Note: This requirement may also be satisfied with prior completion of CHEM 1A, CHEM 1C, and CHEM 1N or equivalent.
Previous to July 1, 2023, the General Chemistry series, offered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was listed in the General Catalog as CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B and CHEM 1C, with associated laboratories CHEM 1M and CHEM 1N. As of academic year 2023-24, this series was replaced with two distinct series: CHEM 3A, CHEM 3B and CHEM 3C, with labs CHEM 3BL and CHEM 3CL; or CHEM 4A and CHEM 4B with labs CHEM 4AL and CHEM 4BL. Descriptions of these two series are given here.
Plus these courses
| MATH 11A | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| MATH 11B | Calculus with Applications | 5 |
| PHYS 6A | Introductory Physics I | 5 |
| PHYS 6L | Introductory Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
Recommended Courses
In addition, the following courses are recommended prior to transfer to ensure timely graduation:
Students admitted to UC Santa Cruz in a major other than environmental sciences that wish to petition to declare environmental sciences must meet the major screening requirements prior to transferring to UC Santa Cruz and submit a major declaration appeal during the summer session. Within 15 days of receipt of the appeal, the department will notify the student and their affiliated college of the decision. Appeals will be considered on a case-by-case basis and decisions are final. Students may not appeal more than one time.
Getting Started in the Major: Transfer Students
Once you have submitted your intent to register at UC Santa Cruz, here is a step-by-step guide to transferring your coursework and getting enrolled:
- Confirm you are a proposed environmental sciences major.
If you are not sure of your status, log on to your MyUCSC portal to view your proposed major. If your major is proposed environmental sciences you are all set. If the proposed major listed is not environmental sciences, you will need to meet with the adviser for environmental sciences. - Once your courses have been articulated, you will receive an email from the EPS advising office.
This email will include suggestions for summer or fall enrollment, and invite you to make an appointment to talk with the EPS major adviser. - Make an appointment to talk to an adviser.
Your confirmation email will include instructions for scheduling an advising appointment. Appointments are available over Zoom or in person. - Participate in Transfer Orientation and Welcome Week.
Transfer Orientation provides instructions on how to transfer your coursework to UC Santa Cruz, the advising and support available, and how to enroll. Our online transfer orientation provides all the critical information you need to transition to UC Santa Cruz and begin your major coursework. The department also hosts a transfer student welcome in the fall that provides new transfer students an opportunity to meet other transfer students, familiarize themselves with the campus and the available resources. Welcome Week includes presentations on the environmental sciences major, including an overview of the courses offered and an introduction on how to get involved in undergraduate research. - Declaring the environmental sciences major.
In order to declare the environmental sciences major, transfer students entering at the junior level must complete the CHEM 3 series (CHEM 3A, CHEM 3B, CHEM 3BL, CHEM 3C and CHEM 3CL), or the CHEM 4 series (CHEM 4A, CHEM 4AL, CHEM 4B and CHEM 4BL), plus MATH 11A, MATH 11B, and PHYS 6A and PHYS 6L or an approved equivalent course (with a C or better) by the end of their first quarter at UC Santa Cruz and meet with the Environmental Sciences adviser by the declaration deadline.