Senior Residence Requirements

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). 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).