Crafting an effective degree program at UCLA is an individual planning effort enabled by your own hard work and bolstered by the support of campus staff and faculty. From the summer prior to your first fall quarter of classes until you graduate, we encourage you to avail yourself of the advising resources – both online and in our offices – available to you. As any UCLA alum will tell you, you’ll be wearing academic regalia before you know it, and when you turn that tassel to the left side of your mortar board, signaling your status as a graduate of UCLA, we want you to be confident in the caliber and richness of the degree you have earned.
UCLA has many resources available to you as you pursue your degree planning.
- For most students, New Student Orientation will provide the first opportunity to work with trained counselors on your degree plans. New Student Advisors will assist you with course planning and major plans during your session, and New Student Mentors during the school year can provide ongoing academic support including connecting you with your departmental and school/college counselors.
- Early in your academic career, you should introduce yourself to the academic advisor assigned to your major. These staff members are located in departmental offices. As you move through your academic program, check in periodically to make sure you are on track.
- The College of Letters and Science and each professional school have advising offices. The professional staff members located in these offices are available to you:
- Students eligible for the Academic Advancement Program can work with the staff located in Campbell Hall for academic advising, graduate school mentoring, peer learning, and other programs designed to help students succeed.
- Members of College Honors can work with College counselors in Murphy Hall for academic advising to ensure they meet the requirements of the program while completing their degree requirements.
Should I plan for three or four years at UCLA?
Four years
To fulfill a four-year degree at a highly selective research university such as UCLA is a badge of honor and a singular and noteworthy achievement. With only a few exceptions, all UCLA undergraduate degrees are designed to be completed with 180 units taken across 12 quarters of enrollment. By planning for four years you can assume:
- Standard financial obligations
- Single or, with planning, a double major and minor options
- Extensive curricular and co-curricular enrichment activities
- Minimal need for AP/summer sessions/community college credits required
Three years
To fulfill a four-year degree in three years is a grueling, accelerated schedule that should only be pursued in extenuating circumstances. During each quarter of enrollment, students will have to take more courses than the majority of the other students in their classes. There are no unique privileges to students pursuing a three-year path. However, some high-achieving UCLA students do successfully complete all of their graduation requirements in three years. By planning for three years you can assume:
- Significantly reduced financial obligations
- Single major unchanged from first year
- Strategically selected curricular and co-curricular enrichment activities
- Extensive AP/summer sessions/community college credit is often required
What do Bruins do with their summers?
About 80% of UCLA students enroll in Summer Sessions during their academic career. Summer provides great opportunities for you to fulfill GE requirements, enroll in impacted courses, complete your graduation requirements sooner, and more. Here are some of the opportunities and reasons you may want to consider taking courses during summer.
Academic Advantages
During Summer Sessions, you get the same high-quality, credit-earning courses offered during the academic year. In the summer, the courses are generally shorter (usually six weeks), and intensive, giving you an immersive educational experience. Summer provides an avenue to enroll in impacted or otherwise crowded courses.
By enrolling in summer, undergraduates can improve their chances of academic success by focusing on only one or two classes at a time. Leverage the summer term to help you lighten your course load during the academic school year and ensure you remain on your academic plan. For students who change majors, summer is a great time to catch up and remain on track to graduate.
Intellectual Opportunities
Summer is a great time to explore interesting classes unrelated to your major or classes usually closed to non-majors during the regular school year. This time can also be used to explore a minor. Summer provides opportunities to study alongside diverse students whom you might not otherwise meet during the academic year.
Financial Opportunities
Students who need just one or two more classes to graduate may be able to take a needed course during the summer and save a full term’s tuition. Financial aid is also available during the summer. Travel Study programs also provide numerous scholarships for qualified students. Additionally, online courses can provide students with the flexibility to work during the summer.
Travel Opportunities
Bruins often use the summer term to travel abroad and experience new countries and cultures. Travel Study programs combine the excitement of study abroad with the academic rigor of classes taught by UCLA faculty.
Pre-College Opportunities
Incoming Bruin freshmen can enroll in the College Summer Institute (CSI). This six-week program is specifically designed to help new students enroll in high-demand classes and make new friends, all while getting to know the campus before everyone else arrives for the Fall Quarter. This early start during the summer helps students adjust to the tempo of college life with one or two classes rather than a full course load, get a jump on GE courses, and explore or pick a major.
What do Bruins do with their summers?
One of the ways to build on your degree is by taking advantage of the wide array of programs available at UCLA.
Travel Study
UCLA has many study programs in the United States and around the world. If you are considering studying in another country, there are opportunities to do so during the school year or summer through the International Education Office. If you are thinking about programs in the United States, there is the Quarter in Washington program. Many departments have their own study programs for students in those majors as well.
Internships
The Center for Community Engagement provides students with internship opportunities for academic credit. The Career Center can help you with many internship opportunities as well as more study abroad options.
Volunteer
There are many avenues for gaining volunteer experiences; the Volunteer Center can be a great starting point. For students interested in volunteering in the health sciences, several UCLA Health centers offers opportunities as well. Additionally, there are numerous student groups (see “Get Involved”) who engage in regular volunteer work in Los Angeles.
Research
Research opportunities for undergraduates abound at UCLA; some are as easy as asking one of your professors, and others are available through the Undergraduate Research Centers.
Employment
Many students at UCLA are employed to support themselves as well as to gain professional development. Students can be employed both on- and off-campus and develop career enhancing skills for graduate and professional schools as well as careers. UCLA Alumni also offers career programs to connect undergraduates to alumni in the careers they seek.
Start Something
UCLA Students are developing and launching their own startups. Startup UCLA offers a ten-week summer accelerator for teams to develop their digital startups, with a full program designed to help cultivate your idea into a business. The Blackstone LaunchPad at UCLA connects students in the initial stages of a venture—from high tech to nonprofit—with people and resources to turn your ideas into a viable business.
Get Involved
With over 1200 student organizations at UCLA, there are lots of ways to get involved, meet other students, and gain on- and off-campus experience. Through the Student Organizations, Leadership and Engagement (SOLE) site, you can find organizations that interest you, or start a new group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my intended major suited to a three or four year degree?
Our data on student time to degree shows that students who graduate in less than four years tend to stick to the major that they initiated their fall quarter freshman year. The majors identified on this list can be completed in less than four years. This list is not intended to be exhaustive. We encourage you to see a counselor if you intend to pursue a major in under four years.
As a rule, highly structured majors that are dependent upon many prerequisites and sequenced courses are far more difficult to complete in three years than less rigid ones.
If I don’t have AP or community college credit can I still graduate in three years?
Yes, the majors we have outlined in this list are all based on the assumption that the student has not earned any eligible credit prior to entering UCLA. However, your regimen will be less demanding if you are able to apply external credit.
Will the College Summer Institute (CSI) enable me to accelerate my path to graduation?
Yes, CSI is designed to provide courses relevant to many curricula during the summer before the Freshman year and to give students a head start to their college careers.
Do I have to take Summer Sessions to finish in less than 4 years?
You don’t have to but we believe it certainly helps students to catch up, keep up, or get ahead. Approximately 80% of all UCLA undergraduate students enroll in Summer Sessions at least once during their academic career.
Do I have to make a formal commitment to finishing in four years?
No. We encourage you to seek the advice of a counselor if you embark on such a plan but there is no formal commitment required of you.
Can I get preferred registration if I plan to graduate in three years?
No. Your registration status remains the same. However, you will likely be accumulating units at a much higher rate than your colleagues so your course registration priority will improve quickly.
Are their financial advantages to graduating in three years?
Yes. At this time, your fees per quarter are the same, no matter how many classes you take. Thus if you accumulate enough units to qualify for a UCLA undergraduate degree in less than 4 years, you will likely spend less money for your education.
Can I take advantage of other important activities such as Study Abroad, or civic engagement and undergraduate research if I pursue a three-year degree?
Yes, but you will likely have to engage in these activities in moderation.
Will there be services available to me if I find my schedule too stressful?
Yes. We encourage all students to use our free counseling services if the weight of their academic schedule becomes excessively onerous.
For additional questions, visit the Center for Academic Advising in the College or email advising@college.ucla.edu