All of the following must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) and documented in the student’s record.
Courses taken outside the English department
With the approval of the DUS, students may count up to two upper-division courses in departments other than English for the major. To submit a course for consideration, please use this online petition form: Petition for Courses Outside the UC Berkeley English Department after you've received a letter grade in the course. The student’s request for course approval will include a course syllabus and a compelling intellectual rationale, explaining how the student’s work for the English major will be enriched through the inclusion of the outside course the student wishes to include. There is no pre-approved list of courses and students must complete the course before submitting a petition.
- Note: Only one such course may be taken during the summer
Education Abroad Programs
The DUS determines credit toward the major for coursework completed through an Education Abroad Program on a case-by-case basis. Upon returning to campus, students must provide documentation (a syllabus including a course description, completed exams, papers, and a reading list) to demonstrate that the education abroad course is comparable in coverage, rigor, and substance to a UCB upper-division course. There is no official limit on the number of courses transferred from education abroad programs, but students commonly submit 1 or 2 courses for consideration. To submit a petition, please use this online form: Petition for Courses Outside the UC Berkeley English Department.
- We strongly advise you to also speak to an advisor in the College of Letters and Science to review non-major requirements and total units in your courseload.
Additional Exceptions
For courses taken elsewhere that are not covered above, students may reach out to an English advisor to submit a petition by providing documentation, including a course syllabus and a transcript showing the completion of the course. A course taken elsewhere during the summer may only satisfy an elective for the major.
With the approval of the DUS, additional exceptions to the English major requirements may be approved. These exceptions must be noted on the student's APR. Exceptions are only granted based on documented student needs and goals.