Create a Long-Term Program Plan

We find the Program Plan & Degree Requirement Worksheet found on our Forms and Petitions webpage is a simple and visual way to plan out your time. It’s a tool that’s familiar to advising staff across campus and makes it easy for Advisers to check whether you’ll meet unit totals (or be permitted extra time). 

You can use more than one if you’re comparing plans!

You may also use the schedule planning tool available to you on CalCentral, which has great, interactive features. 

Major requirements require the most careful planning, so plan these first:

1. Start with the website for your intended or declared major(s), review information about major requirements, and outline a plan you like to the best of your ability. 
2. Next, meet with the Undergraduate Major Adviser for that department to look over your plan and to discuss any questions that have come up for you about declaring or planning for the major.

Figure out which general education (GE) requirements (including UC, Campus, Essential Skills, and Seven-Course Breadth) you have left to fulfill. (For support, check out the Assess my Progress page. You may also review the Degree Requirements page for a full understanding of all L&S requirements.)

If you think your major courses could overlap with some of your remaining GE areas, you can use classes.berkeley.edu to see if there are any that have overlapped in the past. Remember though, you will need to confirm these courses still cover the same GE requirements when you take the course, as how courses cover requirements can change over time. That said, doing this research can give you an idea whether overlap is likely.

Once you have outlined the classes you want, check whether your plan covers your unit requirements and add more courses if necessary. 

Your undergraduate experience is made up of more than just your classes. You might also hope to plan in opportunities like research, internships, or study abroad. While you don't need to have every opportunity figured out before you meet with an L&S College Adviser (they can help point you to some good options), it can be helpful to have some ideas when going into a program planning appointment. That way, if you know you want to keep your summers free for internships, or know you plan to study abroad for your junior year, they can take that into account when helping you outline what your schedule could look like. 

Check out our Discover Opportunities and Connect on Campus page to explore options for your undergraduate experience. 

To get ideas for summer options in particular, read our mini-article, "What to do with your summer." 

An L&S College Adviser can help you assess whether your plan covers college requirements. L&S College Advisers can also help you reflect on whether you have left enough time for key experiences that can help you reach your big picture goals, identify other opportunities you may not have considered, and discuss time to graduation. You also may find you have room left in your plan and feel unsure of how to fill it. An L&S College Adviser can help you consider opportunities or coursework to get the most out of your time at Cal. 

If your plan requires time beyond your allowed semesters, having your plan sketched out with units will help an L&S College Adviser assess whether this is possible within the unit ceiling or if it may be achievable through another route.

1. Read the instructions on page 1 carefully before beginning.
2. Include all courses and requirements in your plan, both those you are currently enrolled in and those planned for future semesters.
   1. This should cover major requirements as well as university, college, second major or minor, and any other required coursework.
   2. Use placeholders if you do not yet know the exact course (e.g., “Major course (UD)”), and include estimated units to keep your totals accurate.
3. Start filling out your program plan with the current semester and work forward.
4. List all courses you are taking this semester.
5. Indicate whether each course is lower-division or upper-division.
6. Specify which requirement each course fulfills (e.g., major, minor, breadth, university, or college requirement).
7. Enter the exact number of units for each course.
8. Continue planning each semester through your Expected Graduation Term (EGT).
9. Obtain signatures from your Major Adviser(s).

1. Log onto CalCentral and open your Academic Progress Report to review all University, Campus, and L&S requirements.
2. For each requirement (completed, in progress, or planned), provide the following information:
   1. Course Department & Number
   2. Units earned
   3. Term: Semester and year the course was taken or will be taken
   4. Grade: Enter a letter grade for completed courses
      1. If the course is in progress or planned, leave this blank
3. If a course has not been completed or is only planned, leave the grade field blank.
4. If an AP or IB exam satisfies a requirement:
   1. Enter the exam name in the “Course” field
   2. Leave Units, Term, and Grade blank
5. If IGETC or Cal-GETC satisfies a requirement:
   1. Enter “IGETC” or “Cal-GETC” in the “Course” field
   2. Leave Units, Term, and Grade blank
6. Ensure all fields are filled out completely. Incomplete forms cannot be processed and will need to be resubmitted.

You do not need to specify the reason for a reduced course load on your program plan.

If you are unsure whether you will qualify for a reduced course load in a given semester, you can stop by our Virtual Front Desk or meet with an L&S College Adviser to confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements.

If you are planning to extend your Expected Graduation Term (EGT), you can indicate this on the L&S Undergraduate Program Plan by:

1. Updating the Expected Graduation Term on page 1 to reflect your new EGT.
2. Listing all courses you plan to take through your updated EGT on page 2.

An L&S College Adviser will review your Program Plan to ensure that you remain within the unit ceiling up until your new Expected Graduation Term.