<p>Long story short, I’m currently a third year in Chemical Biology and I’m finding that what I really love is not chemistry or biology, but physics. Basically, I really want to transfer out of CoC and into L&S, doubling in MCB (which I’m one course away from completing) and physics. </p>
<p>After talking to the physics advisor, it’s pretty clear that I’m going to need a 10th semester to complete the program. She said that 9 semesters are guaranteed for double majors, but the 10th is something I’ll have to petition to the college, and my chances depend on the story that I spin for wanting to take extra time.</p>
<p>Does anyone have experience with this process of dealing with the bureaucracy? Any helpful insight would be awesome.</p>
<p>Thanks! : )</p>
<p>Is there any possibility of filling in the gaps over summer?</p>
<p>Chances are, if your reasons aren’t associated with laziness, they’ll let you do whatever you want. They’re very reasonable assuming you have legitimate reasons, and it seems like you do.</p>
<p>I have not had direct experience with this situation, but I’ve dealt with the administration several times and I was always able to get what I wanted (ex: for math, being able to waiver out of math 53, 54, and 55 even though I haven’t taken them officially; being able to become a math 54 UGSI my 2nd year, etc).</p>
<p>Can you arrange your schedule so that you will have no more than 130 units by the end of your ninth semester? If so, you can then take a tenth semester in L&S. But if you have 130.1 or more units by the end of your ninth semester, you will not get a tenth semester without doing some convincing.</p>
<p>[Office</a> of Undergraduate Advising: Unit Ceiling](<a href=“http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/registration/unitceiling.html]Office”>http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/registration/unitceiling.html)</p>
<p>If that does not work, consider using summer sessions.</p>
<p>Physics does have a three semester upper division prerequisite sequence of 137A-111-111, so you will need three more sessions (summer or regular semester, since 137A is offered in the summer), assuming that you have completed 7C. If you have not completed 7C, it is highly desirable for you to take it this summer, either at Berkeley or at a community college, so you can get started with upper division physics courses as soon as possible.</p>
<p>What courses will you have completed by the end of this semester?</p>
<p>Talk to your major advisers, you will probably get the 10th semester. My friend had well over the max amount of units for an extra semester despite her double major, and she easily got the 10th semester. And then she had to drop a major and they still let her keep 10 semesters despite her single major. She’s probably gonna graduate on time though because there’s no point in staying.</p>
<p>Seems like a tenth semester would not be required. Possible schedules:</p>
<p>If 7C completed:</p>
<p>Summer: Physics 137A, other*
Semester 7: Physics 137B, Physics 111, Physics 110A, other*
Semester 8: Physics 105, Physics 112, Physics 111, Physics elective</p>
<p>*other = MCB course and breadth; if more breadth courses are needed, a ninth semester will give space for four more courses</p>
<p>If 7C not completed:</p>
<p>Summer: Physics 7C, other*
Semester 7: Physics 137A, Physics 110A, Physics 105, other*
Semester 8: Physics 137B, Physics 111, Physics 112, other*
Semester 9: Physics 111, Physics elective, other<em>, other</em></p>
<p>*other = MCB course, breadth, optional Math courses.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies guys. Just to clarify, I have not yet taken physics 7C, and summer sessions at Berkeley are not really an option for me. I also need to take another semester of english and one semester of statistics to meet medical school requirements.</p>
<p>The physics major advisor, Claudia, said that she would not allow 3 upper divs per semester (especially with 111) except for VERY special circumstances, which is why she wanted me to take a 10th. </p>
<p>What do you guys think about this? Is 3 upper divs reasonable, considering that I still have to look out for my GPA?</p>
<p>Can you take Physics 7C at a community college in the summer? The semester system community colleges near Berkeley are likely to have the best matches (check Berkeley City College, Laney College, Diablo Valley College, and others nearby).</p>
<p>But you need to be able to either get the tenth semester or take three Physics courses in one semester. Note that if you wait until fall to take 7C, and then can only take up to two Physics courses per semester, you will need an eleventh semester.</p>