SSHA Academic Policies

Unit Requirements

  • Students must complete at least 120 semester units of coursework, including at least 60 semester units of upper division courses. Courses graded with a P / NP option are limited to one-third of the total number of units required.

General Education

Lower Division General Education Requirements

  • Students must complete all lower-division general education requirements with a “D-” or better.
  • Students are not permitted to take more than 1/3 of lower division general education courses with a pass/no pass grading option.
  • Students are not permitted to take more than 1/3 of lower division general education courses at an institution other than UC Merced.

Upper Division General Education Requirements

  • Students must complete all upper-division general education requirements with a “D-” or better.
  • Students are not permitted to take more than 1/3 of upper division general education courses with a pass/no pass grading option.
  • Students are not permitted to take more than 1/3 of transferable upper division general education courses at an institution other than UC Merced.

Major Coursework

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements

  • Students must complete all major prerequisites with a C- or better.
  • Students must complete all major requirements with a C- or better and maintain a 2.0 GPA in all major course work.

Major Coursework Requirements

  • Students must complete all major requirements with a letter grade option unless the course is only offered on a P/NP basis.

Minor Coursework

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements

  • Students must complete all minor requirements with a C- or better and must maintain a 2.0 GPA in all minor coursework. (ARTS minors must maintain a 2.7 GPA in all minor coursework.)

Minor Coursework Requirements

  • Students must complete all minor courses with a letter grade option.
  • At least three (3) of the courses for the minor must be taken at UC Merced.
  • At least four of the courses for the minor must be upper division.
  • If designated as fulfilling general education, courses in the minor may satisfy general education requirements.
  • Only one (1) course may be used to satisfy both a minor and a major requirement.
  • Only one (1) course may be used to satisfy two minor programs’ requirements.

Coursework at Other Institutions

Course Approvals

  • Students must obtain pre-approval through SSHA Advising for all courses completed at institutions other than UC Merced.
  • All courses completed at institutions other than UC Merced must be worth at least 3 semester units to fulfill major, minor, or general education requirements at UC Merced.