Getting Started: Choosing your Classes

First Term Classes for Freshmen

"Getting Started" Home | Environmental Sciences Home | UC Berkeley

The following fall schedules are designed to get you started on the right foot at Cal. The schedules combine your ES major requirements, a Reading and Composition course (since R&C classes offer essential preparation for other courses at Cal), and electives and/or freshman seminars.

Links on this page

• Introduction
• Course selection
• Sample fall schedules

Introduction

Each student is unique with different experiences and background, skills, and goals. The recommended schedules on this page try to take some of those variations into account. However, students should not hesitate to talk to the ES advisor if they have specific concerns.

This page just deals with what freshmen should take in their first semester. Complete information about degree and major requirements is contained in the main Environmental Sciences main web page.

The links for Math Placement, Subject A, Reading and Composition, the Freshman Seminar Program, Advanced Placement Exams, and Unit Requirements (also at left) explain those areas in greater detail. Course descriptions are in the General Catalog.

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Course Selection

Because ES is a science major, it is important that you start taking chemistry and math early in your college career. Chemistry and math are foundational science courses and are prerequisites for other lower division science requirements such as biology and physics.

Your course selection must be approved by the ES advisor. In general any schedule that meets these criteria will be approved. Be sure to check with the ES advisor about any potential deviations.

• Two of these three introductory ES requirements: (1) Chemistry 1A, (2) a Math class (Math 32, 16A, 16B, 1A, or 1B), and (3) ES 10/10L
• Reading and Composition class
• Freshman Seminar or Elective
• At least 13 units, and not more than 16 units

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Sample Fall Schedules

The five sample plans below are based on the criteria just listed. Plans 1,2, and 3 are for students whose first math class at Cal will be calculus, even if they don't take it in the fall semester. Plans 4 and 5 are for students who are not ready to take college calculus. Choose the plan that best meet your academic background and educational goals.

Be sure you ask the ES advisor if you have any questions about your particular academic situation. Students who place out of math or reading & composition as a result of AP scores should discuss with the ES advisor how to modify these plans. You must take at least 13 units each semester unless you have a documented and approved reason for a reduced load.

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Environmental Sciences
260 Mulford Hall
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-3100
phnoe: 510-643-9479
fax: 510-643-3132
e-mail: es-help@nature.berkeley.edu

Modification Date: 07/27/2005