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Getting started in Computer Engineering: 2023-2024 Entering Frosh

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Students are admitted to UCSC with a "proposed major" in most cases, and later petition to officially declare the major. Admission to UCSC does not guarantee acceptance into a particular major. Students must be declared in a major by the end of the second year (or equivalent), so learning about and preparing for a major is a primary goal for first-year students.

Importance of an early start:

This is a course-intensive and/or sequential program, and students who intend to pursue this major must begin taking classes for the major in their first year at UCSC.

Qualification requirements and/or prerequisites for the major:

Review Major Qualification Requirements in the General Catalog.

Frosh who intend to pursue this major should do the following things prior to the beginning of fall term...
  • Students with college-level transferable courses must mail or email a copy of the transcript to Baskin Engineering Undergraduate Advising by July 1, in addition to providing the official transcript to the UCSC Admissions Office. 
  • Complete the Math Preparation and placement process. You have 15 free hours of math skills review to prep you for placement or your next course. It takes up to three business days for ALEKS PPL placement to post in your student record. Completing the assessment by August 2 will ensure your placement is posted before enrollment begins (although depending on your enrollment appointment, you may have more time!).
  • Students with programming experience who wish to bypass the introductory programming course (CSE 20) should take the online CSE 20 testout exam on July 19 at 6:00pm PDT. This test requires that students register by 5:00pm PDT on July 18. See CSE 20 Testout Exam for more information and to register.

...and should take these courses their first term:

Please do NOT enroll in Math 11A, AMS/Econ 11A. Only MATH 19A, 19B, and 23A (or AM 30) are acceptable calculus requirements for this major. AM 30 is recommended over Math 23A for most Engineering majors. Students who want to take AM 30 must first complete Math 19B and AM 10 before enrolling.

The option you choose below will depend on your Math and Programming Placement.

Option 1)

  • MATH 2 College Algebra OR MATH 3: Precalculus
  • Programming course :
    • CSE 20, Beg. Programming in Python  (if you have little or no programming exp.) 

Option 2)

  • MATH 19A: Calculus for Sci, Eng, Math
  • Programming course :
    • CSE 20: Beg. Programming in Python  (if you have little or no programming exp.) OR
    • CSE 30: Programming Abstractions in Python (requires passing of CSE 20 testout exam)

Option 3)

  • MATH 19B: Calculus for Sci, Eng, & Math
  • Programming course :
    • CSE 20: Beg. Programming in Python  (if you have little or no programming exp.) OR
    • CSE 30: Programming Abstractions in Python (requires passing of CSE 20 testout exam) 

If you only have room in your schedule to take one course for this major then we recommend that you prioritize Math coursework, particularly if you have placed into MATH 2, MATH 3 or MATH 19A. 

Special enrollment procedures:

All classes being used for major requirements must be taken for letter grades.

Sample Academic Plan:

Review the Sample Academic Plan in the General Catalog.

Other Information:

Be sure to attend the BE orientation during Fall Welcome Week!

Links to Review:

Program Description (Catalog)
Department Website
BE Undergraduate Advising

Advisor Contact Information:

Baskin Engineering Undergraduate Advising

(831) 459-5840 or bsoeadvising@ucsc.edu
BE Undergraduate Advising Office, 225 Baskin Engineering

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