I have courses (or special foreign language clearance evidence/credits) I would like to petition towards Global Studies major requirements; how do I get started?

• Basic steps you'll follow (links and resources below):

1. Verify that the course you are looking at can count towards the area of the major requirements using the petitions criteria sheet, and if necessary, an email to (or quick drop-in conversation with) an advisor to verify.

2. Save all syllabi and course materials (final papers, projects, etc) from the course, especially UCEAP courses (especially if you changed your course plans from those you listed on your Academic Planning Form and for which you received an initial approval signature)

3. When you have a final grade on the course (or by the end of week 7 during that course, if you are a graduating senior in that quarter), submit your petition request using the Google Form linked below

4. Important timing notes (more details below):

• Important for UCEAP folks and/or students petitioning transfer courses - we can only process petitions for courses once you see a final grade in GOLD/in your progress check (look in the "all credit accepted" section.)
  • UCEAP grades can take 3-4 months beyond the end of your program to appear in your UCSB records; you are welcome to fill out the petition form (linked below) and carefully check the petition criteria sheet (also linked below) to get clarity about how those courses will be accepted for next-quarter scheduling plans, but we can't process the petition(s) until those final grades are there.
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• If you submit your petition request by the end of week 7, it will be processed the same quarter. If you submit it in week 8 and beyond, it will likely wait until the following quarter.
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  • If you are a graduating senior, your petition will be approved in time for that quarter's graduation as long as you submit it by the end of week 7
     
  • If you are a graduating senior petitioning a course(s) past this deadline during the same quarter you plan to graduate, please email us at global-advising@ucsb.edu so we know to look for the petition request on our form. You will still be "safe" for graduation as the Registrar builds in some extra time after the quarter ends for finishing petitions, but please be in touch with us asap.
     

• We process all petitions in a big batch once a quarter, typically starting around week 8, and it can take some time for final confirmation of the petition's acceptance by the College of Letters and Science to appear (in your email and on your Major and GE Progress Check), but as long as you've done your research on the petitions criteria carefully, you can be very confident that your course(s) will be accepted in that area.

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  Petitions resources you'll use:

• This document provides criteria for petitions and overall directions.

  • Special additional instructions here for native speakers/international students trying to clear some or all of their foreign language requirement for Global Studies. 

  • Students taking Spanish/Portuguese upper division courses: if you would like to take an upper division course that is taught in English but use it towards the Global Studies language requirement, you'll have to make a deal with the instructor to complete all of your coursework in that language besides English. Use this form to make that happen, and upload a copy when you submit your petition request for the course using our Google Form (linked below).

• This form is what you'll use to submit your petitions request(s) (due date is end of week 7 for petitions processed in the same quarter; please email global-advising@ucsb.edu if you are graduating in the current quarter AND submitting later than week 7)

• We also have a video on our YouTube channel that provides an overview of the full petitions process (when to do it, how to do it, etc)
   

• Basic criteria for courses you're considering petitioning (whether taken at UCSB or on a study abroad program):

  • The course has to be completed for a letter grade, and unless it's your last quarter at UCSB, you should wait to request the petition until after the final grade appears in the "all credit accepted" section of your Major and GE Progress Check on GOLD

  • You can only petition upper division courses towards upper division major requirements, but you can petition upper division courses towards lower division/prep for the major areas (esp. the foreign language requirement). 

    • Be extremely careful when choosing UCEAP courses to make sure that you are selecting upper division courses if you intend to petition them for upper division major requirements (or to use them for general upper division elective credits). We cannot override university policy on this even if the content of the course is a good fit for our major requirement content areas. Not sure if a course counts for upper division units? Check the UCEAP Course Catalog for your program, or ask the advisors in the UCSB EAP office.

  • If you're trying to petition courses into GE areas, contact the College of Letters and Sciences advisors.

  • Click here for a document explaining how to judge whether a course will be approved for various parts of our major requirements - as long as you follow the criteria on this page closely, you can be pretty confident that the course will be approved and you can plan your future quarter schedule(s) accordingly.

  • Depending on the type of foreign language clearance, it may or may not automatically appear in your Major and GE Progress Check on GOLD. Check there first before requesting a petition, but generally:

    • Most placement test credits will not require a petition - they usually appear automatically in your progress check, but know that it takes some time for the different computer systems to link up, so be patient.

    • Petition requests using a high school transcript for any part of the requirement OR a signed waiver = use the linked petitions form and process above

      • For a high school transcript, make sure it's been sent to the Office of Admissions as a sealed, official copy. Address can be found here. Once it is added to your records (this can take some time), we can look for it in your records, but go ahead and request the petition asap (just know we will not process it until we see the high school transcript in your records.)

      • For a signed fluency waiver from an instructor that teaches the language, attach the document to the form when you fill it out OR email it to global-advising@ucsb.edu along with your name and perm #.

• Petitions timing:

  • Ideally, submit your petition request no later than 2 quarters before the quarter in which you plan to graduate (or by week 7 of your final quarter, if you'll be finishing the course during that quarter.) You can submit the petition earlier than that; however, declared graduates' petitions are processed first.
     

  • If you submit your petition request by the end of week 7, it will be processed the same quarter. If you submit it in week 8 and beyond, it will likely wait until the following quarter.

  • If your petition request is submitted beyond week 7 AND you have declared candidacy for graduation that quarter, please email global-advising@ucsb.edu to let us know so we can watch out for it

  • After that, it goes to the College of Letters and Science for approval; once approved, which can take several days to several weeks, you will see the change in your Major and GE Progress check. It will be approved in time for the Office of the Registrar to process your final degree as long as you submit the request before the end of the quarter