The minimum senior residence requirement for a bachelor’s degree at the University of California is one academic year (three quarters). Thirty-five of the final 45 quarter units completed by each candidate must be earned while in residence on the UC Davis campus (UC Regulations of the Academic Senate 630)¹. Each summer session in which a student completes a course of at least 2 quarter units may be counted as half a quarter’s residence.

Regularly approved courses (laboratory, field, or other individual work) done outside of a regular session but under the direction of a department of instruction may be accepted upon the recommendation of the department in partial fulfillment of the senior residence requirement for the bachelor’s degree. Registration is with the consent of the instructor only.

UC Davis Continuing & Professional Education (CPE) courses are not accepted as part of the senior university residence requirement.

There are additional senior residence requirements for students enrolled in the College of Letters & Science. If you are planning to study abroad during your senior year, you should consult your college dean's office or the Biology Academic Success Center.

With the approval of the dean of a student’s college or school, a candidate for the bachelor’s degree who was in active service in the armed forces of the United States in the year preceding the awarding of the degree may be recommended for the degree after only one quarter of university residence in which the candidate completes at least 16 units or passes a comprehensive examination in the major or field of concentration (UC Regulations of the Academic Senate 614)².

¹ UC Regulations of the Academic Senate 630; General Requirements

UC Regulations of the Academic Senate 630

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section and SR 614, 35 (or 24 semester) of the final 45 (or 30 semester) units completed by each candidate for the bachelor's degree must be earned in residence in the college or school of the University of California in which the degree is to be taken. (Am 9 Mar 83; Am 23 May 01)
2. When two or more campuses of the University of California have approved a joint program of study, a student enrolled in such a program may meet the requirement stated in paragraph (A) above by completing the requisite number of units in courses offered at any or all of the participating campuses. The student's program of study must be approved by the Provost, Dean, or equivalent officer of the School of College in which the degree is to be awarded. (En 13 May 97; Am 10 Nov 04)
3. A further exception to the rule stated in paragraph (A) above is made in the case of students who meet the residence requirement as provided in SR 614. (Am 10 Nov 04)
4. Except when Divisional Regulations provide otherwise, a student in the Education Abroad Program, the UC Washington, D.C., Program, the UC Center in Sacramento Program, or the NRS California Ecology and Conservation Course, which are systemwide courses, may meet the residence requirement in accordance with the following provisions: (Am 27 May 99; Am 10 Mar 04; Am 10 Nov 04; Am 10 Apr 17)
   1. A student who completes the graduation requirements while in a systemwide course may satisfy the requirements stated in paragraph (A) in the final 45 (or 30 semester) units preceding the student's entrance into a systemwide course. (Am 9 Mar 83; Am 10 Mar 04; Am 10 Apr 17)
   2. Subject to the prior approval of the department concerned, a student who is enrolled in a systemwide course may satisfy the residence requirement by earning 35 (or 24 semester) of the final 90 (or 60 semester) units, including the final 12 (or 8 semester) units, in residence in the college or school of the University of California in which the degree is taken. (Am 7 Jun 72; Am 9 Mar 83; Am 10 Mar 04; Am 10 Apr 17)
5. Each undergraduate student must complete a campus experience requirement. A minimum of six units of course credits per quarter (or semester) for three quarters (or two semesters) completed by each candidate for the bachelor’s degree must be earned in courses designed to deliver to any enrolled student at least 50 percent of in-person instructional hours on any campus of the University of California or physical locations affiliated with programs listed in SR 630.D or in prison environments. To satisfy this requirement, at least two quarters or one semester must be completed during the regular academic year, with no more than one quarter or semester completed during the summer. “In-person” means instructors and students are in the same physical location. “Instructional hours” refer to time when instructors are presenting to or interacting with students during designated class times (e.g., lecture, laboratory, discussion, field work, problem sessions). For the purposes of this regulation, instructional hours do not include office hours, or recorded lectures provided as a supplement to designated hours interacting with students. Individual Divisions may maintain a higher threshold for required in-person course credits per term or for the number of terms in which a threshold applies. (En 8 Feb 23)

² UC Regulations of the Academic Senate 614; Residence

UC Regulations of the Academic Senate 614

614. With the approval of the dean of the candidate's college or school, a candidate for the Bachelor's degree who was in active service in the armed forces of the United States in the year preceding the award of the degree may be recommended for the degree after only one term of University residence in which the candidate completes at least 16 units or passes a comprehensive examination in his/her major or field of concentration.