• Complete the Math Preparation and placement process. You can review your math skills for free to prepare you for placement or your next course. It takes up to three business days for ALEKS PPL placement to be posted in your student record. Completing the assessment by August 5 will ensure your placement is posted before enrollment begins for fall.

• Students with programming experience who wish to bypass the introductory programming course (CSE 20) should take the online CSE 20 testout exam on Wednesday, July 16, 3-6pm PDT. This test requires that students register by12:00pm PDT on Tuesday, July 15. See CSE 20 Testout Exam for more information and to register.

• Review the General Catalog, especially the sample academic plans and major qualification policy:

  • Computer Science B.A.

  • Computer Science B.S.

• Students with college-level transferable courses must 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.

Please DO NOT enroll in Math 11A, AMS/Econ 11A or MATH 16A. Only MATH 19A, 19B, and AM 30 or 23A are acceptable calculus requirements for these majors. AM 30 is recommended over Math 23A for most Engineering majors. Students who want to take AM 30 must have completed Math 19B and AM 10 before enrolling.

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

Option 1:

• One Math Course:

  •  MATH 2 College Algebra
    OR 

  • MATH 3: Precalculus 

AND

• One Programming course: 

  • CSE 20, Beg. Programming in Python (if you have little or no programming experience)

Option 2:

• One Math Course: 

  • MATH 19A: Calculus for Sci, Eng, Math
    OR 

  • MATH 19B: Calculus for Sci, Eng, Math

AND

• One Programming Course: 

  • CSE 20, Beg. Programming in Python  (if you have little or no programming experience )
    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.

Additional considerations when developing your first quarter enrollment plan can be found in the First Quarter Enrollment Advising Guide 2025-26.

Baskin Engineering Undergraduate Advising

bsoeadvising@ucsc.edu

BE Undergraduate Advising Office, 225 Baskin Engineering