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Concurrent Enrollment

Enroll in UC Berkeley campus courses without formal admission to the University. More info.

Course Credit and Grades

Academic Standards

All university-level academic credit courses numbered X, XB1–199 and XBW1–199 and the Extension instructors who teach them are reviewed and approved by the appropriate academic department on the UC Berkeley campus and by the Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) of the Academic Senate. The UC Berkeley Academic Senate delegates authority to the Dean of UC Berkeley Extension to approve professional, post-graduate credit courses that are numbered X300–499 and all noncredit courses. This academic supervision by University faculty is assurance of excellence in course content and quality of instruction.

Accreditation

The University of California, Berkeley, is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). UC Berkeley Extension—like all other UC Berkeley schools, colleges and departments—is accredited by WASC through the University.

Academic Credit

UC Berkeley Extension does not grant degrees, but many Extension courses carry academic credit that may be applied toward a degree, professional licensing or other professional requirements, or completion of an Extension professional certificate or specialized program of study.

Application of Credit Toward UC Degrees

Participating in UC Berkeley Extension programs and courses does not in itself provide preference in admission to the University of California. If you are interested in applying to UC, you should refer to the UC Admissions website or the admissions office of the UC campus you wish to attend for details about the admissions process. 

UC Berkeley’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions is located at 103 Sproul Hall. Contact the office online.

The University of California campuses use the same procedures to evaluate and determine the suitability of Extension credit courses to fulfill degree requirements as they do for credits gained at other regionally accredited institutions.

If you are admitted for a future term or have already been admitted to the University of California—including students on leave—you must have prior written approval from the dean of your school or  college or from your academic adviser in order to transfer credit earned at UC Berkeley Extension toward UC degree requirements.

The UC Berkeley Academic Senate Regulation A208 went into effect in fall 2005 and stipulates that as a condition of enrollment in UC Berkeley–equivalent courses (with the XB or XBW designation), the following regulations apply to UC Berkeley–matriculated undergraduate students and students who are enrolled in the Fall Program for Freshmen:

Application of Credit Toward Degrees at Other Institutions

Other institutions may accept UC Berkeley Extension credit toward an undergraduate degree, but acceptance is always determined by the institution to which you are applying. Policies regarding the acceptance of Extension credit toward graduate degrees vary widely among institutions and individual programs. Check with the institution and adviser before enrolling.

Application of Credit or Noncredit CEUs Toward Licensing and Other Requirements

When courses in this catalog have been approved by government agencies, professional associations and other authorities as meeting their educational criteria, a statement to this effect appears with the course listing. In other cases, it is best to check with the organization before enrolling to ensure that the course is acceptable.

This Course Is Under Review for Credit Approval

This designation appears for new courses that are still undergoing review for academic credit approval at the time of catalog publication. For current information about the academic credit approval status of these courses, please see updated information on the course webpage online.

Instructor Approval Pending

This designation appears before an instructor's name if the campus department has not yet approved the instructor. Each time an instructor teaches a new course, approval needs to be obtained. Therefore, this designation may appear before the names of longtime, highly experienced instructors, as well as those new to UC Berkeley Extension.

Credit Courses

If a course is given for credit, the amount of credit offered and the UC Berkeley academic department in which credit may be granted are shown in parentheses after the course number. Credit is in semester units. For courses carrying academic or professional-level credit, the University’s standard formula for one unit of credit is 15 hours of instructional time, plus two hours of study time for each hour of instruction. Thus, a one-unit course is 15 hours of instruction and 30 hours of study outside of class for a total of 45 hours of course effort. Some courses, such as studios or labs, require more instructional time and less study time.

Credit Course Numbers

The title of each credit course is followed by a course number with a letter prefix and sometimes a letter suffix: for example, Analytic Geometry and Calculus XB101A.

X Prefix

The course-number prefix X indicates a course that originates at UC Berkeley Extension.

XB and XBW Prefixes

The course-number prefixes XB and XBW indicates an Extension course that is equivalent to the campus course with the same content, title, number and credit value offered to UC Berkeley students. Note that UC Berkeley courses taken through concurrent enrollment are labeled XB. The course-number prefix XBW indicates an XB course that is offered either fully or predominantly online. Special requirements and deadlines apply to XB and XBW courses.

Course Numbers

The course number indicates the level of instruction as follows:

Letter Suffixes

The course number suffix—usually the letter A, B or C following the number—shows that the course is part of a series. The A portion is prerequisite to the B portion, and so on, unless the course description states otherwise or you have the instructor or academic deparrtment's permission to enroll.

Noncredit Courses

You may take any credit course on a not-for-credit basis. If you opt to change from credit to noncredit, you must do so before the last class meeting, the final online enrollment period, or by the deadlines established for XB and XBW courses. Auditing is not permitted in Extension courses. If you wish to attend the course but do not wish to take the course for credit, you must pay to enroll on a noncredit basis.

Continuing Education Units

Continuing education units (CEUs) are a nationally recognized means of recording noncredit study. They are accepted by many employers and relicensure agencies as evidence of your serious commitment to career advancement and the maintenance of professional competence. The letters ceu and a number following a course title identify a noncredit course in which you can earn continuing education units. One ceu is awarded for 10 instructional hours.

Courses Numbered 800–899

While not offering academic credit, these professional courses may be taken for a letter grade or for continuing education units (CEUs). UC Berkeley Extension does not award both a grade and CEUs for the same course.

Other noncredit courses

Noncredit courses that carry no academic credit, grades or CEU values are not recorded on your transcript. Noncredit courses that carry grades or CEU values are recorded on your transcript.

Grades

Enrolling for Credit

If you enroll for credit, you must meet the attendance, participation and course requirements set by the instructor. An official grade report is sent to you via U.S. Mail. If you have any questions, you should write or call the Registrar's office, UC Berkeley Extension, 1995 University Ave., Suite 110, Berkeley, CA 94704-7000; email registrar@unex.berkeley.edu; or call (510) 642-4111 (option 3).

We assume that if you enroll for credit you want a letter grade, but in some courses you may ask for a passed/not passed grade instead. If so, you must tell the instructor before the final meeting or by the grade-option change dealine if you are enrolled in a UC Berkeley–equivalent course. If you plan to apply credit toward a degree or professional certificate, you should first make sure that a passed/not passed grade is accepted by your home instructor; we cannot change it to a letter grade after recording it.

Letter Grades

A plus or minus may be recorded.

Passed/Not Passed Grades

Other Letter Designations

W—Withdrew without academic penalty. Prior to the last class meeting, complete and submit a petition to withdraw to the Registrar's office. Special drop and withdrawal deadlines apply to XB and XBW courses. A W appears on your permanent student record.

NC—Not for credit. Signifies attendance but not completion of credit requirements.

I—Incomplete; Issued for coursework of passing quality but not finished during the term or enrollment period. If left unresolved, the grade 'Incomplete' (I) in any course becomes part of your permanent academic record.

An "I" designation is issued only if:

  1. You present extenuating circumstances to your instructor for not completing the course by the final class meeting date or by the online course end date.
  2. You must have successfully completed 75% of the assignments (or projects) at least three weeks prior to the final class meeting or online course end date.
  3. You have made prior written arrangements with the instructor(s) to make up any missed work within three months of the final class meeting date or online course end date.
  4. You complete the petition form as documentation of your written arrangement with the instructor(s) and submit it as directed on the form by the final class meeting date or by the online course end date.
  5. Online Students Only: Please note that once enrollment expires or a grade of I or NC is recorded, you no longer have access to the online classroom and the message board. You must coordinate with your instructor to copy or print out any information from the online classroom or the message board that you need for reference as you continue with your coursework beyond your enrollment period. Call the Online department for more information (510) 642-7343.

Please refer to additional policies governing UC Berkeley–equivalent courses (XB) for grade options, add/drop, incomplete and withdrawal deadlines and requirements.

Grade Points and Averages

The University's scale of grade points is: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0. Grades with a plus sign (such as B+) carry 3/10 point more per unit; minus grades (such as A–) carry 3/10 point less. (An A+ counts as 4.0.) Grade-point averages are computed on the basis of grades and number of units.

Final Grade Reviews and Appeals

All student grades except “Incomplete” are final when submitted by the instructor to UC Berkeley Extension at the end of the course. An instructor may request a change of grade when a computational or procedural error occurred in the original assignment of a grade, but a grade may not be changed or revised as a result of reevaluation of student work, student reexamination or the submission of additional student work after the end of the course.

UC Berkeley Extension considers grades to be a matter of academic judgment on the part of the instructor. You may only challenge your grade and request a final grade review in certain circumstances. Grounds for requesting a grade review at the end of the course include:

  1. Application of nonacademic criteria—such as consideration of race, politics, religion or gender—not directly reflective of performance related to course requirements;
  2. Sexual harassment; or,
  3. Clerical or procedural error in the calculation of the student's final grade.

Consult your instructor if you have a question about your final grade. If the matter is not resolved at the instructor level, you should write to your program director within 30 days after receiving your final grade report to request a final grade review. Within your final grade review request, state which of the above three criteria comprises the grounds for the request. The program director conducts the grade review and informs you of his or her decision—including any remedies, if applicable—within 30 days of receiving the request for review.

If, and only if, the above procedures have failed to resolve the matter, you may appeal the program director's decision by submitting a letter addressed to the Dean’s Office, UC Berkeley Extension, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 110, Berkeley, CA 94704-7000. This written request for appeal must be initiated within 30 days after receiving the decision from the program director. The dean’s designee reviews the request for appeal, conducts an investigation and makes a decision—including any remedies, if applicable—within 30 days of receiving the request for appeal. The dean’s designee makes the final decision for unresolved grade appeals for all students enrolled in UC Berkeley Extension courses and programs.

In extenuating circumstances, the above timelines may be extended.

Privacy

View the UC Berkeley Extension privacy policy.