FAQs
What is the difference between a lower division class and an upper division class?
Lower division classes are introductory courses. They tend to cover a lot of information without as much depth. Upper division courses tend to cover smaller sections of information in much greater detail and using deeper analysis. Usually, lower division courses are prerequisites for upper division courses, which means that you need to take them first. Most general education classes are lower division courses.
What is the difference between general education requirements and major requirements?
General education requirements (GEs) are the courses that all students must take to graduate from a school regardless of their major. Major requirements are the classes that are needed to graduate with a certain major. For example, all of the students who went to my college had to take the same writing, foreign language, art, science, and math requirements to graduate, but the classes that I took to gain a degree in Political Science were different from the ones my friend took to get a degree in Human Development.
Why do I have to know if my school is on the quarter or semester system?
You need to know this because a school on a quarter system will have three sets of classes during the school year, and a school on the semester system will have two sets of classes. Quarter classes are shorter (10 weeks) than semester classes (14-16 weeks).
Why can't I look up programs of study in the Graduate section?
You need to have an undergraduate degree (BA or BS) before you can go to graduate school. You can't get a BA in medicine, veterinary science, law, or pharmacology. UC San Francisco is soley a graduate school. You can't go there without having graduating from college first.
Why do I have to use the course catalog and not the general website?
Colleges often change their courses of study. Your course catalog is your proof that you were following the program of study that was in place when you enrolled. It can make it so you don't have to take extra classes later on. Besides, the course catalog has all of the information that you can possibly need.
More questions?
Send me an email on School Loop. I will post answers that everyone will be able to use.