TIME TO DEGREE
In order to encourage on-time graduation and support a quality education that is accessible, undergraduate students in the College are allowed to enroll through Spring or Summer of their fourth year (for direct entry admits) or Fall of their third year (for transfer admits). Students may request an exception from their academic advising unit by submitting a petition for additional time if needed based on documented extenuating circumstances.
Please note that approval is not guaranteed, and in some cases, the College may approve an alternate plan. Because staying longer is a significant exception, we encourage you to explain as fully as possible why you need to enroll in additional terms. If extenuating circumstances prevented you from doing well or completing classes, please include a chronology of events, and provide supporting documentation if possible. If you are adding or changing your program, you should also discuss why you are interested in your requested academic program, how this program fits with your future plans, and how might your goals be impacted if this request is denied. Please be as specific as possible while also being concise, and limit your explanation to 2500 characters (approximately 2 pages double spaced). Documentation can also help support your explanation. We recommend drafting your explanation in Word or other text-based format in preparation for submitting this request.
You will need to attach a Degree Plan Contract, signed by advisors for each major/minor/specialization that you wish to complete, even if you are not yet eligible to be admitted to those programs. Please note that the Degree Plan Contract only indicates what courses would be required to complete those programs if admitted and does not guarantee admission; each department and program has its own eligibility requirements. You can find contact information for your department(s) here .
You will be asked if you are planning to change your program, double major, or switch into the College. Please select all that apply.
- I am not requesting a program change and am currently in the pre-major or major and any minor(s) I intend to pursue. Select this option if you are already in the program(s) (e.g., pre-major or major, minor) you intend to complete.
- I am planning to change my major and/or add a minor. Select this program if you are not yet in the major/minor you intend to pursue. If approved, contact your department regarding admission to the major/minor. Please note that approval of this request does not guarantee admission to the major/minor; contact the department for eligibility requirements.
- I am planning to double major but am not yet eligible to apply at this time. Select this option if you have not yet completed all of the preparation requirements for both majors and 2 upper division major courses for each major.
- I am requesting to declare a double major, and have completed all the preparation for both majors and at least 2 UD major courses for each major. Select this option if you are eligible to apply for the double major at this time. You will need to submit the Departmental Approval for Double Major/Minor Form along with the Degree Plan Contract; if approved, your Double Major will be processed.
- I am requesting to change into the College from another School. You must submit the Program Change Petition with this request; if approved, your program change will be processed. If you are currently in the Herb Alpert School of Music, School of Arts and Architecture, or Luskin School of Public Affairs, your School must also sign the Program Change Petition and approve the change.
Forms that you may or will need:
- Degree Plan Contract: required for all requests. Must be signed by all departments for your major(s) and any minor(s). Departmental signature is intended only to indicate what courses would be required if admitted to the major and does not constitute a guarantee that you will be admitted; please contact the department for eligibility requirements if you are not already admitted to the major/minor. Please see our Departmental Advisors Directory for contact information for departments.
- Departmental Approval for Double Major/Minor form : submit this if you are eligible to apply for the double major (completed all preparation requirements for both majors and 2 upper division major courses for each major). Must be signed by all departments for your majors.
- Program Change Petition : submit if you are requesting to change into the College. Must be signed by department if requesting to change into a major or pre-major. Students switching from the Herb Alpert School of Music, School of Arts and Architecture, or Luskin School of Public Affairs must also have approval from their current School to switch into the College.
Ready to submit your request?
Please select your advising unit to ensure that your request is routed correctly. If you select the wrong unit, your petition will not be reviewed, and you will be asked to resubmit it to the correct advising unit. Your advising unit is indicated on your DARS in the upper right hand corner.
Please note that petitions are normally processed within 10-15 business days of submission. Students may check the status of their petition on MyUCLA via the “Academics” tab → “Petitions” after the petition has been processed.