Graduation Requirements
Graduation Resources:
Print a Graduation Checklist (pdf)
Finish Your Major in Four Years
Inactive Student Request Form
All Muir College Students must complete the following requirements
in order to graduate:
Muir College General Education
Before graduating, you will be required to complete year-long sequences selected from four different areas. Our general education requirements have been designed to provide a broad and liberal education while still allowing flexibility, breadth, and room for electives. A sequence is three courses, normally in a single subject or discipline (e.g., three courses of American history). An area is a broad area of study such as the humanities or the social sciences.
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U.S. Cultural Diversity Requirement
Muir students must complete one four-unit course that explores some aspect of the diversity of the culture of the United States. There are several ways to meet this requirement. It may be, as appropriate, one of the courses in the general education sequences, OR one of the courses for the major or optional minor, OR an elective, OR one of the eighteen four-unit upper-division courses required for graduation. A complete list of approved U.S. Cultural Diversity courses is available at http://muir.ucsd.edu/academics/cultural.shtml.
Please note that students starting at UCSD in Fall 2011 or later are not required to complete the U.S. Cultural Diversity requirement.
UC Entry Level Writing Requirement
The UC Entry Level Writing Requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways:
- a score of 680 or higher on the SAT Reasoning Test, Writing Section or the SAT II Writing Exam
- a score of 3 or higher on the Advanced Placement (AP) English Language or English Literature Exam
- a passing score on the UC Analytical Writing Placement Exam
- a score of 5, 6, or 7 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level English Exam (Language A)
- a score of 6 or higher on the International Baccalaureate Standard Level English Exam (Language A)
- a score of 30 or better on the ACT Combined English/Writing Test
- a grade of "C" or better in an acceptable UC transferable course in Basic English Composition PRIOR to the first quarter of attendance at UC San Diego.
American History & Institutions
To clear this requirement students must satisfy one of the following:
- graduation from a California high school with a grade of “C” or better in two semesters of American History
- a combination of two semesters of American history and civics or American government (normally fulfills this requirement).
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Requirement
A knowledge of diversity, equity, and inclusion is required of all candidates for a Bachelor's degree who begin their studies at UC San Diego in lower-division standing in Fall 2011 or thereafter, or in upper-division standing in Fall 2013 or thereafter.
- This requirement shall be satisfied by passing, with a grade not lower than C- or P, a one-quarter, four-unit course expressly approved by the Committee on Educational Policy for that purpose. A list of approved courses will be provided in the UC San Diego General Catalog.
- This requirement may be satisfied by presenting proof of having passed a one-quarter, four-unit transfer course, or its equivalent, at a recognized institution of higher education, community colleges included, that has been articulated to one of the courses approved by the Committee on Educational Policy for the purpose of meeting the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion requirement.
A single course may be used to satisfy both the US Cultural Diversity requirement and the Requirement in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion if the course appears on both lists of approved courses.
Muir College Writing Requirement
The Muir College Writing Program (MCWP) emphasizes critical thinking, close reading, and the writing process. Students satisfy the college general education writing requirement by completing a two-course sequence in writing: MCWP 40 and MCWP 50, both of which must be taken for a letter grade. Muir College students are expected to fulfill the writing requirement in their first year of residency and must satisfy the requirement before completing 90 units. The Writing Program staff is available throughout the year to answer questions and offer assistance.
Muir College Writing Program
2346 Humanities and Social Science Building (H&SS)
Hours: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 noon; 1:00–4:00 p.m., Monday–Friday
Phone: (858) 534-3580
Web: http://muir.ucsd.edu/muir-writing
72 Upper Division Units
Complete a total of seventy-two upper division units or eighteen, four-unit upper division courses. Please note that Upper Division courses are UC San Diego courses numbered 100 or higher.
180 Total Units
Students need to complete a minimum of 180 quarter units for a B.A. or a B.S. degree and to graduate from John Muir College. Students may complete a maximum of 200 total units for a B.A. or B.S. degree with the exception of engineering B.S. degrees which allow students a maximum of 230 units.
Senior Residency
You must complete 35 of your last 45 units at UC San Diego as an enrolled Muir College student. If you would like to submit a request to waive this requirement, download a Senior Residency Waiver. You’ll need to fill it out and send it to your major department; they’ll forward it to us. Not sure if you need a waiver? Check with Muir Advising
Pass/Not Pass Grading Percentage
You are allowed to take up to 25% of your total UC San Diego units using the P/NP grading option. Pass/Not Pass courses give you units, but there is no letter grade counting into your grade-point average. Prerequisites to your major and upper-division major courses almost always must be taken for a letter grade.
