EECS Major Lower Division Degree Requirements

All major requirements must be completed for a letter grade.

For information on enrollment precedence and procedures, see our EE Course Enrollment Policy and CS Course Enrollment policy.  HKN also offers some helpful course guides.

Lower Division EECS Requirements

Although engineers are becoming increasingly specialized, a broad understanding of general concepts is critical for the successful completion of engineering projects. The following set of lower division courses covers the field broadly and must be taken by all EECS students:

EECS Degree Requirement Worksheet

Math & Science Requirements

Engineers use math and science as tools in their designs. The following requirements ensure that you have the necessary background:

  • Calculus: Math 1A & 1B
  • Multi-variable Calculus: Math 53
  • A two course physics sequence: Physics 7A/7B, or Physics 5A/5B/5BL
    • Students who have fulfilled the first half of the Physics requirement through AP/IB test scores, transfer work, or with Physics 7A, may opt to fulfill the second half with Physics 7B or Physics 5B & 5BL.
    • Completion of Physics 5A and 7B will not fulfill the requirement.
  • A natural science course with lab.
    • Choose from Physics 5C/5CL, 7C; Chem 1A/AL, 1B,  3A/3AL, 3B/3BL, 4A, 4B, or 5; Biology 1A/1AL, or 1B; Astro 7A, or B; MCB 32/32L;
    • or any upper-division, letter-graded course of 3 or more semester units in Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Planetary Science (except EPS 170AC), Integrative Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Physics or Plant and Microbial Biology
      • Courses that do not fulfill the requirement:
        • CHEM 100, 149, 192;
        • EPS C100;
        • INTEGBI C105, 101, 191;
        • PHYSICS 100
      • Physics C191/Chem C191/CS C191 can be counted toward the natural science elective.  Students cannot have the course counted toward the 20 units of upper-division EECS or toward the 4 unit technical elective if counted toward the natural science elective. 
  • 4 unit STEM elective (formerly Math 54 requirement)
    • Choose a lower or upper div 4 unit technical course in one of the following departments: Astro, Chem, Data Sci, EPS, IB, Math, MCB, Physics, PMB, Stat, or any Engin dept. See course lists in the Berkeley Engineering Undergraduate Guide: EECS
    • Cannot include:
      • Any course taken on a P/NP basis;
      • Courses numbered 24, 32, 39, 84, H194, 196, H196A, H196B;
      • BIOENG 100;
      • CHEM 100, 149, 192;
      • CHMENG 185;
      • COMPSCI C79;
      • DESINV courses (except DESINV 15, 22, 23, 90E, 190E);
      • EPS C100, 170AC;
      • ENGIN 125, 157AC, 180, 185, 187;
      • INDENG 95, 185, 186, 190 series, 191, 192, 195;
      • INTEGBI 88, 101, c105, 191;
      • MATH C103, 151, 152, 153, 160;
      • MECENG 191AC, 190K, 191K;
      • PHYSICS 100.
    • Physics C191/Chem C191/CS C191 can count toward the technical elective but is only a 3 unit course. Students will need one more unit to complete the 4 unit STEM elective requirement.  Students cannot have the course count toward the 20 units of upper-division EECS or toward the natural science elective if this course is counted toward the 4 unit STEM elective requirement.

AP Credit

You do not need to retake courses for which you received advanced placement credit (see the Berkeley Engineering Undergraduate Guide).

Technical Engineering Units

Students must complete a minimum of 40 units of technical engineering coursework. This includes the required lower and upper division required courses in EE, CS, and EECS.

The 40 units of engineering courses CANNOT include:

  • any course taken on a P/NP basis
  • courses numbered 24, 39, 84
  • BioE 100
  • ChemE 185
  • CS 70, C79, 195, H195
  • Des Inv courses except (Des Inv 15, 22, 90E, 190E)
  • Engin 125, 157AC, 180, 185
  • IEOR 95, 185, 186, 190 series, 191, 192, 195
  • ME 191AC, 190K, 191K

College Requirements

Students in the College of Engineering must complete no fewer than 120 semester units and meet other College, Campus, and University Requirements.