Advising for Microbiology

Students will be able to propose and/or declare the Microbiology B.S. as their major starting on the first day of fall quarter (September 23, 2023).

Getting Started Guides

TBA

Students intending to transfer into UCSC to pursue a Microbiology degree should review the Transfer Information and Policy section of the catalog for the Microbiology B.S. We expect the catalog for this major to be published in the 2023-24 UCSC Catalog.

Students can also review the getting started in the major as a transfer student guide for their major of choice:

• TBA

Students preparing to transfer from a California Community College should also reference assist.org to determine what UCSC coursework they may receive transfer credit for.

General information on transfer credit (including how to have it sent to UCSC) can be found here. NOTE: Unit Credit and satisfaction of GE requirements are processed through admissions. Please see the UCSC advising website for more information.

TBA

Updated 5/19/2023

Enrollment Information such as appointment dates, maximum numbers of credits permitted, waitlist opening and closing dates, etc. is updated and posted quarterly by the Registrar’s Office. Click here to see it!

Fall 2023 Enrollment Updates

• METX 119L will be restricted to Microbiology majors during 1st pass enrollment and then will open up to the other restricted majors in 2nd pass.
  • Are you a non-Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology B.S., Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, or Neuroscience major who wants to enroll in METX 119l? Complete the METX 119L Enrollment Request Form! (Completion of this form does not guarantee enrollment into METX 119L, but it gives you the chance if there is room.)

General Enrollment Information

General Enrollment Information from the Registrar (enrollment appointments, waitlists, min/max credits, etc.)
Enrollment How-To Videos

Students will be able to propose and/or declare the Microbiology B.S. as their major starting on the first day of fall quarter (September 23, 2023). Learn more below!

---

Major Qualification

As will be listed in the 2023-24 catalog, the Microbiology B.S. major qualification criteria are below.

Students must complete the following qualification courses, or their equivalents, each with a grade of C or higher:

• CHEM 1A, 1B, & 1C OR CHEM 3A, 3B, & 3C OR CHEM 4A & 4B
• CHEM 8A
• BIOL 20A
• BIOL 20L
• BIOE 20B
• MATH 11A OR MATH 19A

Students who entered UC Santa Cruz as frosh who have two or more grades of NP, C-, D+, D, D-, or F in the qualification courses are not qualified to declare.

Students with AP credit for MATH 11A or MATH 19A, BIOL 20A, and/or BIOE 20B need only pass the other qualification policy courses with grades of C or better.

Major Declaration Timeline

The major declaration deadlines for each quarter can be found in the academic calendar.

Students who entered UC Santa Cruz as first-year students are required to formally declare a major by the deadline in their sixth quarter on campus.

Students who transfer to UC Santa Cruz are required to declare a major by the deadline in their second quarter on campus.

Major Declaration Process

Students may log into MyUCSC and submit the Petition for Major/Minor via MyUCSC to petition to declare a Chemistry major as soon as they have met major qualification requirements and/or reach their declaration deadline quarter, whichever comes first.

The Petition for Major/Minor declaration form can be accessed by going to MyUCSC and navigating to the Student Homepage and selecting the Undergraduate Student eForms tile > Petition for Major/Minor.

For assistance, please contact Microbiology Advising at microadvising@ucsc.edu.

Major Declaration Appeals

Students may appeal to the major either prior to or after submitting a petition to declare and being denied (in the latter case, appeals must be submitted within 15 days from the date the denial notification was sent). Within 15 days of receipt of the appeal, the department will notify the student and their affiliated college of the decision.

Please note that the information you share in your appeal or with your advisors will be kept confidential and shared only with campus officials as required to serve you in an advising capacity or to process your appeal, except in cases related to potential harm to yourself or others, or sexual assault or abuse. In those cases, we may be required by law to report incidents you disclose to other need-to-know offices on campus such as the Title IX Office and/or University of California Police Department. If you are in need of support for any issues, please consult this list of confidential and/or support resources.

Pursuing a double major that includes a Microbiology major is a highly individual decision, and should be based on a student’s educational and career goals. Because the Microbiology major itself is a rigorous, it should be noted that completing a double major involving Microbiology is difficult (though possible).

To declare a double major program, a student must obtain an academic plan showing that they are able to complete both degrees within the maximum number of quarters of enrollment available at UCSC.  Therefore, the steps to pursue Microbiology as a second major are as follows:

1. Create and review a major academic plan for your first major and have it signed by the appropriate UCSC major advisor.
2. Make an appointment with the Microbiology major advisor and send the link to your signed academic planning form to microadvising@ucsc.edu.
3. The Microbiology major advisor will review your major academic plan and will add the Microbiology major courses to your plan, if it is viable to do so per double unit counting, enrollment limitations, and time-to-degree guidelines.
4. The Microbiology major advisor will discuss the double major plan with you during your appointment. If the plan is viable, it will be approved and signed by both yourself and the Microbiology major advisor.
5. Once you have an approved & viable double major plan, log into MyUCSC and submit the Petition for Major/Minor via MyUCSC to petition to declare Microbiology as a second major. The Petition for Major/Minor declaration form can be accessed by going to MyUCSC and navigating to the Student Homepage and selecting the Undergraduate Student eForms tile > Petition for Major/Minor.

More general information on Double Majors may be found on the Registrar Office’s website.

Below are some particularly useful resources for students seeking academic support. Please visit the science.ucsc.edu website for a full list of academic support resources

• ACE – The Academic Excellence Program provides discussion sections in biology, pre-calculus, general and organic chemistry and physics. Sections meet for 4 hours each week with professional teaching staff and take the place of the required secondary discussion section for your math or science lecture.
• Chemistry Learning Center (CLC) – The Chemistry Learning Center in PSB 209 is officially open! This space is meant specifically for any General Chemistry student in CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, or CHEM 1C to come for help. TAs and instructors will be there to offer help to ANY student who needs it. General Chemistry students should check their Canvas courses for the current Chemistry Learning Center schedule.
• College Scholars Program (CSP) – The UC Santa Cruz College Scholars Program (CSP) offers a congenial and stimulating academic home for a select group of well-prepared first-year students at UC Santa Cruz. This enriched program of study includes special courses, seminars, colloquia, and other events during each quarter of the student’s first academic year and fall of the student’s second academic year.
• DRC – The Disability Resource Center assists the UCSC campus with equal educational access for students with disabilities.
• EOP – Academic and personal support for students who have been granted EOP status.
• LSS – Learning Support Services offers Modified Supplemental Instruction (MSI) and tutoring services.
• MSI – Modified Supplemental Instruction gives students the opportunity to learn together in small groups led by advanced Student Learning Assistants.
• Navigate Slug Success – You can use Navigate Slug Success to:
  • Set alerts and reminders. Stay on top of your to-do list and important deadlines.
  • Locate campus resources. Connect to resources and support throughout campus.
  • Sync your class schedule with your phone calendar. See your whole schedule in one calendar view.
  • Make an appointment. Instantly schedule a Slug Success meeting with an academic advisor or other campus staff.
• STEM Diversity – The UCSC STEM Diversity Programs encompass a variety of programs that support underrepresented students in STEM fields.
• STEM Hub – The STEM Hub is a place for Small Group Tutoring from Learning Support Services (LSS), study space, and peer advising, centrally located on Science Hill to support the retention and graduation of low-income, first-generation, EOP, and Latinx STEM students at UCSC. All students are welcome.
• Study Group – Students are encouraged to create study groups for themselves with fellow students in their classes!
  • How does one form a study group?:
    • “If there is a class discord, ask if anyone wants to create an in-person study group in the general chat. Ask the people that sit near you in class if they want to form a study group, and share contact information with them so a group chat can be made. Ask them to invite anyone they would like to join, too.” – advice from Sean Tierney, a 3rd year Chemistry major in 2022
    • Navigate Slug Success also has a Find Study Buddies feature that can be used to create or join a study group with other students from your classes.
• Technology Resources – Our campus recognizes the importance of digital equity. The Division of Student Affairs and Success has developed a list of resources available to students who seek assistance with tech needs (computer labs, low-cost internet, library loaners, etc.).