How many classes can I take Pass/No Pass at UC Berkeley and still graduate?
I'm a current high school senior and just got accepted to UC Berkeley (super excited!) but I'm a little worried about how hard some of the classes might be in my first year. I've been looking into grading policies and saw that there's an option to take classes pass/no pass, but I can't really find clear information about how many of those classes actually count toward graduation or your major requirements.
Does anyone here know if there's a maximum number of pass/no pass units you can take at Berkeley? Will it hurt my chances for things like grad school or internships if I take too many classes this way? I just want to make sure I'm making good choices while also managing my workload.
If any current Berkeley students have personal experiences or advice, that would be really helpful. Thanks in advance for any info you can share!
Does anyone here know if there's a maximum number of pass/no pass units you can take at Berkeley? Will it hurt my chances for things like grad school or internships if I take too many classes this way? I just want to make sure I'm making good choices while also managing my workload.
If any current Berkeley students have personal experiences or advice, that would be really helpful. Thanks in advance for any info you can share!
2 weeks ago
•
41 views
Kathy Jayanth
• 2 weeks ago
Advisor
Congratulations on your acceptance to UC Berkeley!
At Berkeley, the number of Pass/No Pass (P/NP) units you can take is limited if you want those classes to count towards your graduation requirements. Generally, a maximum of one-third of your total units completed at Berkeley can be taken P/NP. However, there are important restrictions: major requirements, college requirements, and certain breadth classes often require you to take classes for a letter grade to count them toward your degree.
For example, if you’re in the College of Letters and Science (the largest college at Cal), almost all major requirements and college breadth requirements need to be completed for a letter grade. Only electives can typically be taken P/NP without issue, and even then, you should check with your major advisor because some departments are stricter than others.
Let’s say you graduate with 120 units (the Berkeley minimum). Only 40 of those could be Pass/No Pass. But if most of your core and major classes require letter grades, you might find that only a handful of electives end up being available for P/NP.
It’s also smart to consider future plans. Graduate programs and some internships might prefer or even require letter grades, especially in foundational or major-related courses. If you take too many P/NP courses, it might raise questions about your academic preparation. For example, a friend of mine took two general electives P/NP to manage a heavy STEM course load, which was fine, but made sure all her core science requirements had letter grades since she wanted to go to med school.
A good strategy is to use P/NP for classes unrelated to your major or ones truly outside your academic comfort zone. If you’re struggling in a required course, talk to your advisor before switching because it could delay progress toward your degree if it doesn’t count for credit.
To sum up: • No more than one-third of your total units can be P/NP • Major and college requirements usually need to be letter-graded • Check policies for your college/department • Be cautious if you plan to apply to grad school or competitive internships
If you have specific classes you're considering, college advisors or upperclassmen in your intended major are great resources. Balancing your workload is smart, and using the P/NP option sparingly for electives is totally normal!
Wishing you a great start at Cal!
At Berkeley, the number of Pass/No Pass (P/NP) units you can take is limited if you want those classes to count towards your graduation requirements. Generally, a maximum of one-third of your total units completed at Berkeley can be taken P/NP. However, there are important restrictions: major requirements, college requirements, and certain breadth classes often require you to take classes for a letter grade to count them toward your degree.
For example, if you’re in the College of Letters and Science (the largest college at Cal), almost all major requirements and college breadth requirements need to be completed for a letter grade. Only electives can typically be taken P/NP without issue, and even then, you should check with your major advisor because some departments are stricter than others.
Let’s say you graduate with 120 units (the Berkeley minimum). Only 40 of those could be Pass/No Pass. But if most of your core and major classes require letter grades, you might find that only a handful of electives end up being available for P/NP.
It’s also smart to consider future plans. Graduate programs and some internships might prefer or even require letter grades, especially in foundational or major-related courses. If you take too many P/NP courses, it might raise questions about your academic preparation. For example, a friend of mine took two general electives P/NP to manage a heavy STEM course load, which was fine, but made sure all her core science requirements had letter grades since she wanted to go to med school.
A good strategy is to use P/NP for classes unrelated to your major or ones truly outside your academic comfort zone. If you’re struggling in a required course, talk to your advisor before switching because it could delay progress toward your degree if it doesn’t count for credit.
To sum up: • No more than one-third of your total units can be P/NP • Major and college requirements usually need to be letter-graded • Check policies for your college/department • Be cautious if you plan to apply to grad school or competitive internships
If you have specific classes you're considering, college advisors or upperclassmen in your intended major are great resources. Balancing your workload is smart, and using the P/NP option sparingly for electives is totally normal!
Wishing you a great start at Cal!
Kathy Jayanth
Berkeley, CA
UC Berkeley | Economics & Slavic Studies
Experience
5 years