UC Berkeley recommends 13 units for freshmen, but my classes below are all 4 units, adding up to a total of 16.
Math 10A
Chemistry 1A/1AL
Asian American Studies R2A
Theater, Dance, and Performances 5
Math and Chem are my major requirements, ASAMST is my R&C requirement, and Theater is for my Arts and Literature Breadth requirement. Only Math and Chem have final exams. Theater is 6 hrs of class per week, no discussions, but would probably have a lot of presentations. Does anybody have an opinion on this course? Would it be too time-consuming for a freshman?
Should I take a 1-3 unit seminar instead of Theater?
You need to average 15 units per semester to graduate in 8 semesters with 120 units. So 16 units is closer to that normal full time course load than 13 units.
Nominally, 1 unit means 3 hours of work per week (including in-class and out-of-class time), but actual workloads are probably less. However, lab courses (e.g. Chemistry 1AL) and studio courses (Theater 5) are likely to have higher workload per unit than other courses. But, given your apparent major in MCB or IB, you need to get used to having two high workload courses per semester, due to the number of lab courses you will be taking (chemistry, biology, physics).
Would it be correct to assume that you have had high school precalculus/trigonometry math and high school chemistry, and have satisfied the Entry Level Writing Requirement?
I think you’ll be just fine.
Usually R1A’s are not that time consuming because they only require you to write 2-3 essays per semester.
I doubt that Theater will be that time consuming, but I can’t really say for sure.
Chem 1A/1AL doesn’t have that much outside of class work, but you will have to study a bit before midterms.
Math 10A will probably be your most time intensive class because homework is consistent and can sometimes require a lot of time. But having one class like this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
Just make sure you pick the R1A you want which can make your semester significantly more pleasant. There should be at least one R1A class out of hundreds that meets your interest and a good class time. It’s worth checking out the department website and read each syllabi if they’re available.