Undergraduate Handbook

Students take time away from their studies for a wide variety of reasons including:

• pursue career-related opportunities
• manage a medical concern
• fulfill a family obligation
• complete military service
• take a break
• work on a political campaign

While interrupting your studies to take time away may seem intimidating, a leave is a means to the successful completion of a degree, not a barrier to graduating. Taking a leave of absence is far more common than most students believe with 5% of the class that graduated in 2013 (125 of 2,521 traditional undergraduates) having taken a leave of at least one semester. Almost all students who take a leave of absence return and complete their degrees.

If you are considering a leave, take time to think carefully about your goals for your time away and for when you return. Speaking with an academic advisor is an important first step. Depending on your circumstances you should get advice from other sources as well. Students taking time away in order to manage a medical condition should discuss the leave with their healthcare provider. Your school advising office will help you connect with other campus resources as you prepare to take a leave of absence, such as Student Financial Services, Housing, and International Student and Scholar Services.

Students typically take a leave for a full academic year. Entering first year students requesting a leave of absence, if approved, must take a leave for a full academic year.  Individual circumstances may require more or less time; the length of the leave is determined by the school. Students on leave should remain in contact with their advisor and update them about changes in plans. The return from leave process supports students in a successful re-entry to academic life at Penn. When preparing to return, students must consult their school advising office to develop a plan that includes connection with appropriate resources.

General questions or concerns regarding Engineering Leave of Absence (LOA) or Return from Leave of Absence (RLOA) policies and procedures should be directed to Office of Academic Services (OAS), Student Affairs via studentaffairs@seas.upenn.edu.

Leave of Absence (LOA) Policies & Procedures

Return from Leave of Absence (RLOA) Policies & Procedures

Dean's List Honors

Effective July 1, 2023, the University of Pennsylvania no longer awards the Dean’s List citation.

Prior to July 1, 2023, the Dean’s List citation appeared on the transcript and was awarded annually to any student who achieved a combined GPA of 3.7 for the fall and spring semesters, provided that during those two semesters, the student:

• Completed 6 or more credit units for letter grades
• Received no grades lower than C
• Completed all courses on time with no Incompletes, NRs, or GRs

A student who received a sanction of probation or greater for a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, the Code of Student Conduct, or the Sexual Violence, Relationship Violence, and Stalking Policy was not eligible for Dean’s List in the academic year in which the violation occurred. The Dean’s List citation will be removed from the transcript if the finding occurs after this honor has been posted or if the violation occurs during the summer term following the academic year in which this honor was awarded.

Graduation Honors (Latin Honors)

In recognition of distinguished academic achievement and high standards of academic integrity, the University of Pennsylvania awards Graduation Honors to undergraduate students based on the cumulative g.p.a. on their transcripts at the time of graduation:

• Summa Cum Laude: 3.80 or higher
• Magna Cum Laude: 3.60 or higher, but less than 3.80
• Cum Laude: 3.40 or higher, but less than 3.60

Students who are found by The Center for Community Standards and Accountability to have violated the Code of Academic Integrity of the University of Pennsylvania or who have received a sanction of suspension or greater for other violations of the Code of Student Conduct are not eligible for Graduation Honors. Notation of Graduation Honors will be removed from the transcript if the finding occurs after this honor has been posted.

If a student on probation, or one who has received an official warning, continues to do unsatisfactory work, they can be dropped by the school.  According to University rules, a student who is dropped ends their affiliation with the University.

In certain situations, the student may appeal the drop decision in writing to the Academic Performance Committee at apcdeci@seas.upenn.edu.  Examples of an extenuating circumstance includes a documented hardship unknown to the Academic Performance Committee or significant improvement in the student’s academic record.

Please note that courses taken elsewhere while on drop status may not be transferred to Penn.

After a minimum of one year, the former student may request a return from academic drop status.

Students not in good academic standing may be placed on academic probation by the Academic Performance Committee. A student on academic probation is not permitted to register for more than 4.5 course units each semester. The Office of Academic Services informs the student of their probation by email. In this correspondence, the student is warned that further unsatisfactory performance, particularly a continued low GPA or lack of progress in clearing grades of failure, may result in being dropped from the University. It is important that the student and advisor inform the Committee early and in writing of any special circumstances related to poor performance. Students in academic difficulty should meet with their advisor immediately to discuss resources appropriate to their needs.

A student may receive a “Warning” when they have less than 4 successfully completed course units per semester or receives one or more Incompletes or GR’s during one semester. Also a decreasing academic performance can result in a warning. Notice that having less than 8 successfully completed course units per academic year, will result in a “Probation” notice.

The Accelerated Master’s (4+1) Program provides motivated students with a head start on their graduate education by allowing them to begin a master's degree while completing their bachelor's. With departmental approval, students can take graduate-level courses alongside their undergraduate coursework. Additionally, up to three course units can be dually applied toward both degrees, with approval, which significantly reduces the time and cost to complete the program. This streamlined academic path not only accelerates a student's progress but also enhances their advanced expertise and prepares them for a competitive job market.

Admissions

We strongly recommend students review their course plan with their undergraduate advisor(s) – both faculty and academic – as they become interested in the AM (4+1) Program and before submitting the application. This will help immensely with the curriculum planning process. Applicants should apply during their sophomore or junior year. Students may submit an application as early as their third semester in the undergraduate degree. For application procedures, deadlines, and eligibility, visit Accelerated Master's (4+1) Programs Admissions.

Academic Policies

The Accelerated Master’s (4+1) Program is designed with the expectation that students complete their undergraduate degree in four years and the master’s degree in a fifth year. Some students may be able to finish both degrees in less than five years if they enter with significant AP or transfer credit, or if they take summer courses. However, students are not permitted to exceed the standard course load (i.e., overload) in any term in order to accelerate completion of the program.
This policy helps ensure students maintain a balanced academic schedule and gain the full educational benefit of both degrees.

Credits and Double Counting Courses
Students may double count up to three course units (CUs) of graduate courses to fulfill both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. This is subject to approval by program chairs/directors.

(Note: Students whose primary undergraduate program is not in Engineering should confirm policies about double-counting with their home school, as they may differ from Engineering’s).

50% Rule: Students admitted in the AM (4+1) program should make sure 50% or more of their enrolled course units (CUs) in a term satisfy requirements for the undergraduate degree. At no time should a student be taking more than four graduate level CUs (5000+ level) in a single term.

• If more than 50% of enrolled CUs in a term are graduate course units that satisfy requirements for the graduate degree only, the student is not eligible for undergraduate financial aid in that term. Students should plan carefully with their academic advisors to avoid this scenario.
  • Example A: For 5 CUs, if 3 CUs are used for undergraduate (UG) requirements only and 2 CUs are for Master's (Grad) requirements only, this follows the 50% Rule.
  • Example B: For 6 CUs, if 2 CUs are used for UG requirements only, 3 CUs are used for Grad requirements only, and 1 CU is double counted between UG and Grad, this follows the 50% Rule.
  • Example C: For 5 CUs, if 1 CU is used for UG requirements only, 3 CUs are for Grad requirements only, and 1 CU is double counted between UG and Grad, this does NOT follow the 50% Rule.

Students may apply a maximum of three course units (CUs) that were taken prior to matriculation in the AM (4+1) degree towards the master’s degree.

• The three graduate level courses taken prior to matriculation into the AM (4+1) must be double counted.
• 4000-level courses taken at Penn before matriculation into the AM 4+1 are allowed to count towards the graduate degree if they are scheduled with (formerly known as cross-listed) a 5000+ level course in the term the course was taken, and the 5000+ level course meets a requirement for the master's degree.
  • Note that any course lower than 4000 level may not be used towards the graduate degree.

After a student matriculates into the AM (4+1), they must only take classes at the 5000 level and above towards the master’s degree. No exceptions.

• No course may be triple counted, i.e., counted for more than two credentials. For example, if a course is counted towards two undergraduate degrees, it cannot be counted towards a graduate degree as well. Certificates are considered credentials so these courses also cannot be triple counted.
  • Minors - Beginning with students admitted in Fall 2026, minors do factor into triple counting. One course CANNOT be counted towards a minor + undergraduate degree + graduate degree, for example. A course counting towards a minor can count towards either the undergraduate degree or the masters’s degree, but not both. A course counting towards a minor and a master’s degree is a double count and will be used as one of the three double counted courses allowed.
• Students will have their graduate level courses reflected on the master’s transcript during the term taken. The Office of Academic Services (OAS) Registrar Team will contact students each term regarding this. Upon matriculation into the AM (4+1) program, students will be contacted to collect any of their double-counted courses (3 CUs) taken prior to the current term. Once a course is finalized, it cannot be altered on the transcript.
• Engineering recognizes matriculation into one Accelerated Master’s program across the schools; there are no dual-degree AM (4+1) programs. An AM (4+1) student may enroll in a graduate certificate, but would need to be careful to avoid triple-counting.

Eligibility

• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required. (BE requires a cumulative GPA of 3.5, BIOT requires a cumulative GPA of 3.5, CIS requires a cumulative GPA of 3.2, and ROBO requires a minimum STEM GPA of 3.2.)
• Both BSE and BAS degree students in Penn Engineering may apply for the Accelerated Master’s (4+1) program. Qualified undergraduates in Penn’s other schools may apply for an Accelerated Master’s (4+1) into any of the Engineering Master’s degree programs, subject to their home school’s rules and regulations.
• Uncoordinated dual degree students are not eligible for the Accelerated Master’s (4+1) degree.
• If a student is unable to apply for the AM (4+1) while the student is an undergraduate, the student can still apply for a Penn master’s program through the standard admissions process as an external applicant following application rules and requirements. If admitted, the student must complete ten graduate level CUs, as double counting rules will not apply.
• Penn Engineering Online does not allow matriculation into their programs through Accelerated Master’s (4+1). Interested students must apply externally to start after completion of the undergraduate degree.

Coursework Completion Requirements

All coursework counting toward the master’s degree must be completed at Penn. Transfer, study abroad, or ‘credit away’ courses are not permitted.

• For single undergraduate degree students, the undergraduate degree must be completed in eight (8) semesters, or the student will not be eligible to continue with the Accelerated Master’s (4+1) degree.
• Students pursuing a coordinated dual degree (e.g., M&T, VIPER) program must complete their Engineering Undergraduate degree in ten (10) semesters.
  • While there is no penalty for completing your undergraduate degree sooner, students are not allowed to overload (7/7.5 CUs) to accomplish this.
• If a student is terminated from the AM (4+1), they will lose the privilege to double count courses between the undergraduate and graduate degrees and must apply to the master’s program externally, submitting all relevant application materials.

Questions? Contact the OAS Grad Advising team at grad-affairs@seas.upenn.edu.

Students may add a class until the end of the Add/Course Selection Period (typically the second full week of the semester). Note: Language classes under the 2000 level and writing seminars may be added only until the end of the first full week of classes. The Add/Course Selection period allows students to visit classes before finalizing their schedules, but students are expected to attend all classes they may wish to add in order to keep up with assignments and material. Even during the add period, instructors may restrict admission to students who have been attending regularly.

Courses may be dropped via Path@Penn  during the Course Drop Period (typically first five weeks of the semester). Find a helpful, quick reference guide (QRG) on how to Add/Drop/Swap courses on the University Registrar's QRG page.

Undergraduate students are responsible for knowing all Course Add, Drop, and Withdrawal deadlines- which can be accessed via the Academic Calendar here.

Note: 

• This process may vary from department to department.  Please consult with your department directly.  This page reflects a general workflow.
• If you are an incoming first year student in your first semester, faculty advisor signoff is not required.  Please consult with your Orientation Peer Advisor (OPA).
• Please be sure to check the Academic Calendar for dates.

Advance Registration in the School of Engineering and Applied Science will be as follows:

Step 1: Meet with your faculty advisor

At any time before and during advance registration you need to meet with your advisor. You should:

• bring a current copy of your unofficial transcript (via Path@Penn)
• review your courses to ensure you are making progress in your major and degree

You and your advisor should discuss your plan of study and, in particular, the courses that you intend to take the coming semester. Be very clear about any courses you intend to register for on a Pass/Fail basis.

If you wish to declare or change your major within Penn Engineering, you should complete the Declare/Update Field of Study Path form (https://srfs.upenn.edu/registrar/forms).

When you have reached an agreement, your advisor will sign off. Please note - Only your assigned faculty advisor may give you permission to register.  

The Course Search tool is available on both Path@Penn and Course Search. The course search and cart options allows you to search through course offerings for an upcoming term, read their descriptions, and view them.  Please visit the Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) for Students via Path@Penn:

• How to request classes during Advance Registration
• Registration Tips and Tricks

If you are a BE or ASBS student, please follow the instructions for registration posted here.

Tips For Preparing For Your Advising Meeting:

• Find out whether your advisor sees students during set office hours or by appointment BEFORE the advance registration period begins. If you wait until the last minute, you run the risk of having a rushed and impersonal appointment or you may even miss the advance registration period completely. This situation is frustrating for both the student and the advisor, but can be easily avoided with planning.
• Take the time to read over degree requirements, rosters and course descriptions before meeting with your advisor. This preparation will enable you to formulate intelligent questions. Remember, your advisor is a resource, but you are responsible for your academic career. Some of the least productive advisor/advisee meetings begin with, "Tell me what I am supposed to take this semester."

Additional Notes:

• If you are planning to transfer out of Penn Engineering, then you must come to 109 Towne during drop-in advising (Monday through Thursday 2-4 pm) to speak with an advisor and receive permission to register.
• Course Timetables and other forms are available via the Registrar. Penn Engineering undergraduate forms are also available online.

Step 2: Enter your course requests via Path@Penn

Once you have advisor sign-off, you will be able to access Advance Registration via Path@Penn and enter your course requests.

• For dates of the Advance Registration Period see the ACADEMIC CALENDAR.

Keep in mind that there is no “priority” assigned to your requests based on when you enter them. All students’ requests are stored and batch processed in random order after the Advance Registration period ends.

Additional Notes:

• If you do not obtain all the courses you need during advance registration, please know that you can use Path@Penn during the regular Course Selection period in order to correct the situation.
• If you make any significant changes in the courses for which you advance register, then you are to meet with your advisor to obtain their approval before the end of the Course Selection period.
• Important note about the Pass/Fail grading option on courses: It is your responsibility to make sure that you have complied with Penn Engineering pass/fail rules. Likewise, you must ensure that each course you take reflects the correct pass/fail status because that status is unalterable after the five-week drop period.
• Changes in Pass/Fail status made before the end of the 9th week of class, or the final day to drop a course, may be done using Path@Penn. It is your responsibility to make sure that the grade mode is correct for each of your courses.
• When selecting courses that are not specified on the course planning guide (e.g. SSH, electives, etc, check the Course Category lists in the Student Handbook to make sure the courses are allowed and fit the particular category).

Concerns regarding AP Credit and Evaluation should be directed to the Office of the Registrar, 150 Franklin Building, 3451 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104; registrar@upenn.edu.

Note that students with AP credit who take the equivalent course at Penn forfeit the AP credit. This applies to EAS 0091 (CHEM 091), PHYS 093/094, PHYS 0050/0051, PHYS 0150/0151, and CIS 1100.

Note: For additional AP information, please visit the Office of Admissions website (https://admissions.upenn.edu/how-to-apply/first-year-applicants/pre-college-credits)

Chemistry

Some Penn Engineering curricula require CHEM 1012, 1022 plus the labs. Generally, AP credit is given only for the lecture parts of the courses (students must still enroll in CHEM 1101,1102). However, the chemistry department may grant "waivers" if students present evidence of equivalent lab experience in high school. Penn Engineering accepts these waivers in lieu of the requirement for the chemistry labs. The waivers do not carry academic credit, and students typically have to make up the science credits by taking other courses.

Students with AP credit for EAS 0091* (CHEM 091) are encouraged to take the placement exam(s) for CHEM 1012 and 1022 offered by the Chemistry Department. Students with EAS 0091* (CHEM 091) AP credit, who have not taken (or have not passed) the placement exam for CHEM 1012, may take CHEM 1022. Students with EAS 0091* (CHEM 091) credit may enroll in CHEM 1101 as a stand alone course. Students should be aware that there are situations where specific credit for CHEM 1012 and 1022 is required as for premed students.

Students with a Chemistry score of 6 or 7 on the Higher Level IB exam can be counted toward EAS 091. Please note the Standard Level exam is insufficient.

Please note: *EAS 0091 is for engineering students only.

Physics

Most Penn Engineering curricula require PHYS 0150 and/or 0151, which consist of lecture and lab, or PHYS 0140 and/or 0141, which are the lectures only. AP credit for physics is given by the Physics Department. Detailed information can be found at: https://www.physics.upenn.edu/undergraduate/credit-certification

MEAM 1100/1470 offered by the Mechanical Engineering Department is the equivalent of PHYS 0150. Students with AP credit in PHYS 0150 should not enroll in MEAM 1100/1470.

EE and CMPE students entering Fall 2023 or earlier:

• If you have taken ESE 1120, it satisfies the prereq for ESE 2150 and ESE 2180 and counts towards your degree.
• If you have taken (or have Penn approved credit for) other previously assumed equivalent physics courses (e.g. PHYS 151 or 171) and review the ESE1120 module and pass the module exam, the course will count towards your degree as a natural science requirement. It also will satisfy the prereq for ESE 2150 and ESE 2180.

EE and CMPE students entering Fall 2024 or later:

• ESE 1120 is mandatory for EE and CMPE students entering Fall 2024 and later.
• Students transferring into EE or CMPE after their first year can use PHYS 151 or PHYS 171 in place of ESE 1120 once the module is completed and the diagnostics exam is passed. The module and diagnostic exam is only for transfer students. No AP credit will count towards the ESE 1120 requirement.
• ESE 1120 is a natural science course in place of Phys 151 (or Phys 171)

Mathematics

Penn Engineering students should refer to the guidance provided by the Math Department regarding Math AP scores.

For additional AP information, please visit the Office of Admissions website (https://admissions.upenn.edu/how-to-apply/first-year-applicants/pre-college-credits)

Academic planning covers a wide range of topics, including choosing a major, registering for classes, and defining career goals. While the ultimate decision rests with you, the student, the Penn Engineering undergraduate advising system is designed to support and guide you while making these important choices.

Penn Engineering undergraduates have many advising resources available to them. The following list outlines the primary resources and how they are differentiated.

You can also review our Quick Access Flow Chart on Who Should I Go To?

Orientation Peer Advisors (OPAs): 

All incoming first-year students are assigned an OPA in the summer prior to their first semester at Penn. OPAs are Engineering upperclassmen who are trained to mentor incoming students and assist with course selection and general questions.

Faculty Advisor:

Every student with a declared major has an assigned faculty advisor. Assignments are distributed around the first day of classes. The faculty advisor is the best source for information about “big picture topics,” such as electives within the major, research opportunities, and options for graduate study. Your faculty advisor’s name and email address can be found in Path@Penn.

Students must meet with their faculty advisor every semester during advance registration to discuss their academic plan for the upcoming semester.

Undergraduate Coordinator:

The Undergraduate Coordinator, usually located in the department office, is familiar with the specific requirements for the major, and has a detailed understanding of how the system at Penn works. They can also advise students on second major and minor options offered by the department. The Undergraduate Coordinators also perform the graduation audits. Undergraduate Coordinators for each department are listed on the Penn Engineering undergraduate website.

Undergraduate Curriculum Chair:

The faculty Undergraduate Chair oversees the curriculum and is an excellent source of information about choosing a major. Undergraduate Curriculum Chairs for each department are listed on the Penn Engineering undergraduate website.

Office of Academic Services (OAS) Advisors:

The advisors in 109 Towne are the ones to take questions about dual degrees, transferring, deviations from degree requirements, and other school-level issues. They also advise curriculum-deferred students. This office oversees school-level policy & procedures, academic performance & student progress. Drop-in advising and more information can be found on the Penn Engineering undergraduate website.

For questions and information regarding study abroad, please reach out to Dr. Sonya Gwak – sgwak@seas.upenn.edu

Career Services:

Penn’s Career Services advisors can help with matters related to professional development such as internship searches, resume best practices and interviewing tips. They have advisors who specialize in Engineering as well as Pre-Professional and Pre-Graduate advisors.

Accelerated Masters:

Students with questions about the Accelerated Master's programs are encouraged to connect with graduate advisors.

Penn Engineering students may not audit classes.

Changing or declaring your engineering major (aka Field of Study) is a simple process. You will need to complete the Declare/Update Field of Study form. You should complete the form following the prompted instructions. You will need to meet with your current academic advisor as well as the Undergraduate Chair of the program into which you are moving.

Note:

The entering year determines the specific requirements to satisfy the BAS or BSE degree.  The entering year is determined from the catalog year that you entered Penn.  Students who entered Penn prior to Fall 2020 will not be allowed to switch to the “Entered Fall 2020 or later” Curriculum.  There will be no exceptions.

Students may not declare Digital Media Design (DMD) or Networked and Social Systems Engineering (NETS).  Students must complete the application process for these limited enrollment majors.

Faculty Advisors are reassigned as necessary to assure a close relation between the areas of interest of the student and advisor. A student may request a change of advisor at any time by seeing their academic department's Undergraduate Coordinator.

Choosing your major does not need to be a daunting task.  Many of our  First Year students enter as Curriculum Deferred (undecided major).  Curriculum Deferred (CD) students must declare by the end of the first year.

It is recommended that undecided students define a list of all possible majors of interest. Based on the requirements for each of these programs, students should select courses that will keep their options open for as long as possible. This is easy to do for the first year, but gets increasingly difficult over time. You should also be sure to meet with the Undergraduate Chair for each of your interested majors.

Each year at pre-registration time, the school offers informational seminars on choosing your major. Watch for announcements concerning these programs. Also, Career Services occasionally offers seminars to help students select a major.

• If you are Curriculum Deferred and you are ready to declare a major/curriculum, click here.
• If you have already declared a major/curriculum but would like to CHANGE to something different, please complete the PATH form - Declare/ Update Field of Study.

Check Out Intro to Engineering 

If you know you want to be an engineer, but need help determining which field of study to pursue, Intro to Engineering (ENGR 1010) is for you. ENGR 1010 is a hands-on introduction to all branches of engineering at Penn. The course centers on a series of laboratory experiences in each department from Bioengineering to Systems Science and Engineering. Use ENGR 1010 to discover what field of engineering interests you most.

Undergraduate Programs By Department

To access a list of Penn Engineering departments and links to their programs, click here.

If a student will miss more than one day of classes due to illness, family emergency, or other issues, they should submit a Course Action Notice for the absence via Path@Penn. In addition, they should notify the Office of Academic Services via email or phone (215-898-7246).

If the student provides proper documentation, an additional notification will be sent to the student’s professors by a representative of the Office of Academic Services. Notifications will be sent to all instructors. Note that during peak advising periods, requests may take more than one day to process. This notification does not constitute an excused absence; students are still responsible for following up with faculty to discuss the completion of missed work. Students should refer to the course syllabus for policies regarding absences.

The Penn Engineering Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony is held once a year in May. The University and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences invite students who graduate in May to attend the Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony the year they graduate. Students who graduate in August or December may attend the May Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony directly following or preceding their graduation.

For more information on Penn Engineering Ceremonies, please visit Penn Engineering Commencement (upenn.edu)

The Absence Notification function within the Course Action Notice system provide students with a method to communicate with their instructors when medical issues, family emergencies, or other concerns necessitate missing class. Once online, students will log in and send a report to one or more instructors, indicating the number of days missed (up to a maximum of five days) and the general reason for the absence.

Absence Notification via Course Action Notices are available for students to submit absence notifications to their instructors when they need to miss class.  Students should access Course Action Notices (CAN) through a link on Path@Penn.  

Each instructor will have a policy on class attendance that will be communicated to students in the course (typically in the Syllabus or on Canvas). Students who submit Absence Notifications are still responsible for following up with the instructor about any missed work. Course Action Notices do not constitute “excuses.”

The Support Notice function within the Course Action Notice system allow for instructors to send notices to their students (with a copy sent to the student's advisors). A student who receives a Support Notice should speak with their advisor and the course instructor to decide what action to take. Sending a Support Notice is a matter of discretion for the individual instructor, therefore, students are advised to routinely assess their academic performance in class.

Please note: In addition to submitting a CAN, students who will miss more than five days of class should contact the Office of Academic Services (OAS) via phone 215-898-7246 or email: ugadvising@seas.upenn.edu to discuss the impact of this longer absence on their schoolwork.

A normal course load is 5 courses. No student should register for fewer than 4 courses. Students may not register for less than 4 course units (cu) nor more than 5.5 cu without submitting the Faculty Advisor Sign-off form. In general, students with a grade point average below 3.0 are not permitted to take more than 5.5 cu.

First-semester students are not permitted to register for more than 5.5 cu. The maximum course load for second semester may be increased only after the grades for first-semester are posted (usually beginning of January).

Students are not permitted to pre-register for more than 5.5 cu during advance registration. (A 6.5 cu maximum may be granted for dual degree students and seniors who need more cus to graduate on time.) Students may only register for more than 5.5 course units at the start of the new semester after grades and course load from the previous semester are available. The department can increase the maximum load from 5 to 6 cu or 5.5 to 6.5 cu (one cu increment) if the student is in good academic standing (a 3.0 gpa or better and no outstanding incompletes). A request to increase the course load must be received prior to the add deadline, typically two weeks after the start of the semester. Requests to raise course units must be made each semester.

In rare cases, students may request a course load of 7 or 7.5 cu. Such students must submit a Petition for Action which justifies the need to take an excessive course load. A detailed academic plan is required.

Students on probation are limited to a maximum of 4.5 cu.

Summer Course Load

Students taking Summer Courses at Penn may not exceed 4 credit units (CUs) for the 11-Week Session and no more than 2 CUs for Summer Session I or Summer Session II.

Students taking Summer Courses at other universities (Credit Away) may not exceed 4 CUs.

Courses offered through Penn Engineering are numbered according to the following system. Note that many 5000-level courses are available for undergraduates. Some require the approval of the advisor and the course instructor.

4000 level and below - Undergraduate credit only

5000 level -Master’s and UG credit; Seniors can register without permit unless otherwise specified.

6000 level - Masters and Ph.D. credit, Undergraduate credit with permission by instructor

An electronic worksheet and planning document are available through PATH@Penn.   It is a worksheet for keeping track of courses and requirements, and provides a convenient way to plan your academic program.  The entering year determines the specific  requirements (worksheet) to satisfy the BSE or BAS degree for each major.

Students who entered Penn prior to Fall 2020 will not be allowed to switch into the "Entered Fall 2020 or later" worksheet. There will be no exceptions.

The specific course requirements for the BSE and BAS majors are outlined on the electronic worksheets mentioned above. A dual-major or dual-degree candidate must satisfy the degree requirements for both programs.

Note that the SEAS Writing Requirement has been established for all SEAS students beginning with the Class of 2001.

In designing a curriculum, the student builds out a worksheet of planned courses (available on Path@Penn) in consultation with their advisor. The completed worksheet shows the courses which have been elected and indicate how the required and elective courses will be taken semester by semester. In this process, the student should keep in mind that each course unit requires a total effort of eight to twelve hours per week for class, laboratory, research and study. The first planning worksheet is prepared during the first semester of the freshman year and modified as interests change throughout the student's career.

Taking Courses Elsewhere

PENN ENGINEERING STUDENTS MAY TAKE UP TO 4 COURSE UNITS (CUs)* FOR CREDIT AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS (i.e. “credit away”).

Students wishing to apply for "credit away" must obtain approval from the appropriate department at Penn before enrolling in the course. To request credit away through a Penn department, log in to XCAT (External Course Approval Tool) and submit a course syllabus and other supporting materials from the external institution.

After completion of the course, the student must request from the external institution that an official transcript be sent preferably electronically to registrar@seas.upenn.edu, or to the SEAS Office of Academic Services, 109 Towne, 220 S. 33rd St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104.

• A minimum grade of "C" is required for a course to be eligible for "credit away". The grade itself, however, will not appear on the Penn transcript.
• No credit will be granted for courses taken at two-year institutions (e.g. junior or community college).
• Penn summer courses and/or credit away may not exceed 4cu's per summer.
• Online courses are permissible but must meet the rigorous standards of Penn Engineering.
• No credit will be granted for The Green Program (TGP) study abroad
• No credit will be awarded for college-level coursework undertaken at other institutions while a student is enrolled in high school or in the summer after high school.
• Students on Leave of Absence may not take courses elsewhere for transfer into Penn.
• Failed courses may not be cleared by taking a course at another institution. 
• Students who have been Dropped by Penn may not take courses elsewhere for transfer back to Penn.
• Students who have transferred to Penn Engineering from another institution must complete at least one-half of the total courses required for graduation at Penn. Thus, transfer students are not eligible to take courses at another institution if five or more courses have been transferred into Penn.
• *Note: Students who entered before Fall 2020 may take up to 5 course units at other institutions- please see your program coordinator for more details.

Quaker Consortium

Penn Engineering students should note that a special program is available to them so that they may take courses at Quaker Consortium schools: Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore.

Curricular practical training (CPT) may be pursued by Penn Engineering international undergraduates before their graduation. CPT is intended to provide work experience in the U.S. in situations where the work serves as an integral part of a student's academic program and an established curriculum. If you have any questions regarding the CPT immigration status requirements, please email your ISSS advisor (listed on the iPenn page when you log in). Questions on the academic side for Engineering can be directed to registrar@seas.upenn.edu.

Usually completed in the summer term, CPT requires registration for-credit basis as part of the student's degree requirements. Students will be registered for EAS 0099  (0.25 CU, P/F Grade Type). Note that EAS 0099 may be used as Free Elective only, in fulfillment of the student's degree requirements. If the student fails to fulfill the terms of the course/proposal, the student will be issued an "F" for the course.  It is imperative that the student completes the work as proposed/outlined for the course during the CPT authorization period.

Procedures (to be completed in order):

1. Obtain an offer letter from an employer on company letterhead that is signed by your employer (digital signature is okay) that will verify the work you will do. The number of hours you will be working, the start and end date of the employment, and the internship location (onsite physical address or stating remote) must also be listed in the letter. The start date must start on or after the term begins, and the end date must end prior to the start of the next term. (Example: Summer internships must start after the last day of the Spring term and must end before the first day of the Fall term.)
   A sample offer letter can be found here. Please review the CPT checklist and use this as a guide to help you.
2. Identify an Engineering faculty member who will serve as your CPT advisor. Your advisor's area of work and specialization should substantially overlap with your proposed CPT work.
3. Complete and send the Engineering application CPT Form, employer’s offer letter, and your proposal* to your CPT advisor, all as one .pdf file (application form first) for their signature.
   • The project proposal (2 pages maximum) must include the following: an introduction, objective of the internship, results expected, manner of presentation of results (could be a final written report, presentation, demonstration, etc.), method of evaluation for project for grade (decided upon with your CPT advisor), and references (where appropriate).
4. Please submit the final signed documents to the OAS CPT upload page. Please allow a minimum of 7 business days for Engineering’s review of all documents.
   Upon final approval from Engineering, you will be registered for the course credit EAS 0099 (0.25 CU, P/F Grade Type).
5. Once step #4 is complete, you will receive an email to verify Engineering’s approval with the next steps you will need for requesting CPT online through International Student and Scholar Services using the online F-1 Curricular Practical Training Form. Do NOT complete this step until OAS gives you approval via email. Upon receiving Engineerings’s approval email, you must submit your iPenn form within 24 hours. Processing time by ISSS can be up to 7 business days. Students cannot begin work until they receive the CPT authorization from ISSS.

Additional Information

Processing delays: The CPT process can take up to two weeks for processing during the busiest times. Multiple offices and staff are reviewing your CPT at different stages. If all documents are in order sometimes it can take as little as five business days for processing. Please plan accordingly and give yourself at least a two week window prior to your start date to get all documents in and reviewed/approved on time.

Evaluation and grading: Your CPT Advisor will need to evaluate your work done either based on periodic reports submitted by you while undergoing the CPT, or based on such reports immediately after your return from the training. Note that your advisor may require some additional work beyond what was done during training, but the evaluation must be substantially based upon the training experience. CPT courses will be issued either an “P” grade or a “F” grade.

Requirement to Complete: All academic requirements for CPT must be completed within the term for which the student has registered for CPT. Failure to complete the CPT academic requirements would render the student’s employment/CPT “unauthorized” and be a violation of immigration status. For any student who receives a “F” grade, such sanctions may include forfeiture of the post-graduation OPT allotment and the possibility of working in the United States on any other visa.

Registration information: SEAS undergraduates may apply for CPT EAS 0099 more than once. But if a student exceeds 12 months of full-time CPT, their OPT will be forfeited. Please check with ISSS for more details.

Registering for a part-time CPT in Fall or Spring

Students may do a part-time CPT in either the Fall or Spring semesters. (Full-time CPT’s are only allowed during the Summer term. No exceptions.) A part-time CPT is defined as hours ranging from 5-20 hours. During this period, students must register for a full on-campus course load and have room for the 0.25 CU EAS 0099. Students must adhere to the course selection deadline for registration. The start date must be on or after the first day of that specific term and must end no later than the last day of that term. Term deadlines are always listed on the Academic Calendar. Students must follow all steps as outlined above.

Please note: Students are not allowed to participate in CPT in the semester in which they are graduating.

You may combine your BAS or BSE degree with a second degree in one of Penn's other undergraduate schools. A Dual Degree is not to be confused with a "Dual Major," where a student earns two majors within Penn Engineering, or with a "Second Major" where an engineering student also earns a major within the College.

Penn's specialized dual degree programs offer students the opportunity to pursue an integrated curriculum jointly offered by two schools within the university and incorporating interdisciplinary course work. Students receive two degrees upon completion of the specialized curricula. Penn Engineering's programs are described below.

The number of course units required is specific to each program, but the minimum requirement is 46 course units. A student who wishes to pursue a dual degree option should develop a plan of study with the aid of an advisor in the Office of Academic Services and an advisor in the School which will grant the second degree. No course may be triple counted, i.e., counted for more than two degrees/majors. Dual and joint degree programs between Wharton and Penn Engineering require a one-year probability and statistics sequence which may be satisfied with either ESE 3010/4020 or STAT 4300/4310. (SEAS students are not permitted to take STAT 1010 or STAT 1020 which are on the No Credit list.)

Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology (M&T)

In the M&T program, students bridge the management and technical disciplines in this pace-setting program. Receive a BSE or BAS from Penn Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School. This combination enables students not only to understand engineering and business concepts, but also to understand the integration of the two and how this intersection distinctively shapes our world. Management & Technology (M&T) students build on the strengths of these prominent professional schools and on the respected faculty of Arts and Sciences to have a true Ivy League experience with a blend of educational and research opportunities.

Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER)

The Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) enrolls talented, prepared and motivated students who are interested in energy science and engineering. VIPER students earn both a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree and receive instruction and state-of-the-art research experiences, enabling them to pursue advanced degrees in these fields and to establish high caliber research careers as innovators in the discovery and development of sustainable ways to harness, convert and use energy. Candidates for the program apply as they seek admission to the University.

Applying for a Dual Degree (Adding a Penn Engineering Degree)

A student from another school at the University who wishes to apply to add an engineering degree should create a four year academic plan detailing how all degree requirements for the intended engineering major will be completed.  All dual degree applicants must select a major at the time of application.

A student must complete a minimum of eight (8) Penn course units to be eligible. Only students of demonstrated ability and a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher will be considered for dual degree status. Students applying from the Wharton School require a minimum GPA of 3.4 for consideration. A student may not be eligible if his/her record includes uncleared F, I, GR or NR grades. In particular, we look for successful completion of calculus (typically, at least MATH 1410) and physics (typically, PHYS 0150/0151). Course requirements may vary depending on the selected major as well as the number of semesters completed.

All Wharton and Engineering dual degree students must complete STAT 4300/4310 or ESE 3010/4020. Notes: STAT 1010/1020 cannot be used toward any engineering requirement.

All dual degrees with engineering require a minimum of 46 course units.

Application Deadlines:

• Fall entry: May 15
• Spring entry: December 15

Applications for dual degree must be made prior to the end of the sophomore year at Penn.

Apply Here

For any course taken pass/fail in Spring 2020 or Fall 2020, please be aware of the following:

If you receive a ‘P’ in a math, science or engineering course taken in Spring 2020 or Fall 2020, you will be eligible to apply. However, the committee will consider the strength of your performance in required courses taken pass/fail to ensure that you meet the standards expected for internal transfer students.

Engineering students interested in applying for dual degree with Wharton should access the following site: https://undergrad-inside.wharton.upenn.edu/dual-degree-wharton/

Engineering students interested in applying for dual degree with the College should access the following site: https://www.college.upenn.edu/dual-degree.

If you have additional questions, please email ddtransfer@seas.upenn.edu.

Students who are interested in pursuing two of the Engineering and Applied Science curricula may apply to expand their program in order to earn a degree with both majors. These students receive one diploma upon completion. In such cases, the student must satisfy three requirements:

1. They must satisfy the requirements for each major. Only one senior design project is required for dual majors in engineering: if the course units required for senior design are the same for both majors, then students may sign up for senior design in either major; if the course units required for senior design are different for the two majors then students must sign up for the senior design with the larger course unit requirement.
   1. CIS students (only) have the option of taking CIS Senior Thesis in substitution of SeniorDesign. Please note engineering students that have more than one engineering major may not substitute two semesters of Senior Thesis for two semesters of Senior Design within their non-CIS major.
2. They must take a minimum of 22 Engineering courses.
3. No more than one 1000-level class from outside the two majors can be included in the list of 22 Engineering courses.

Note:

• ARIN students are not eligible for dual majors with ASCS, CSCI, NETS, or SSE.
• BAS students are not permitted to dual major within engineering.

To apply for dual engineering major status, a student must prepare an academic plan showing how the requirements for both majors will be satisfied. The academic plan must be submitted for approval first to the student’s academic advisor and the undergraduate curriculum chair for each program and fill out a Declare/Update Field of Study form requesting a second major. This process should be completed no later than the beginning of the junior year or the accumulation of 20 course units of relevant work.

The program should show evidence of intellectual purpose and not be merely a manipulation of overlapping requirements for the sole purpose of satisfying two separate engineering majors. No course may be triple counted, i.e., counted for more than two degrees/majors. Only students of demonstrated ability, generally a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher, will be permitted to register for dual major status.

Some SEAS students may wish to consider a second major in the College of Arts and Sciences. All College majors are open to engineering students as a second major. Please stop by the College Advising Office in Claudia Cohen Hall for further information.

The following courses can be used as Engineering Courses - all undergraduate and 5000-level graduate courses (including ENGR, TCOM, and NETS courses) offered by Penn Engineering. (Exceptions are listed below.) *The following course is also counted in the Engineering category: Naval Science 3010.

The following courses DO NOT COUNT:

• Any engineering course numbered 2960 or 2970*
• BE: 5130
• CIS (CSE): 1050, 1060, 1070, 1250, 1600,  2610, 3333, 4230, 5230, 7980
• EAS: Any courses
• ENGR: 5020
• ENM: Any courses
• ESE: 2030, 3010, 4020, 5300, 5670
• IPD: 5090, and courses cross-listed with ARCH, EAS or FNAR
• MEAM: 110, 147
• MCIT: MCIT courses may not be taken for credit by SEAS Undergraduates.
• MSE: 2210 cannot be used as an engineering course.

Notes:

• For students who entered Fall 2019 and earlier: dual and joint degree BAS students are allowed to count up to two non-engineering linking courses in the engineering category. At present the only linking courses approved for this substitution are MGMT 2350 and MGMT 2370. Others may be approved by petition.
• Students in the VIPER program can use VIPR 1200/1210 as an Engineering Requirement, subject to any other conditions or restrictions in a major (Also, this fulfills the Ethics Requirement for VIPER students for any major.)
• CIS 2620 counts as an Engineering course for those entering Fall 2020 and later.
• IMUN 6090 and REG 6180 are included as specific options for the BE concentration they are affiliated with only; and would count as either an engineering elective or tech elective.

* All engineering courses numbered 2970 (e.g., ESE 2970) denote engineering course credit received from study abroad that do not qualify for the "Engineering" category. These courses may NOT be used in the "Engineering" category. They may however be used in the "Technical Elective/Application Focus" category. (Please note that many engineering course credits may be earned from study abroad that count as "Engineering" category credit. In cases where no exact equivalent credit is given, a course number of 2980 will be assigned and these may be used in the Engineering category.)

*Credit  will not be issued for The Green Program (TGP) study abroad/ credit away.

*All engineering courses numbered 2960 (e.g., BE 2960) denote engineering course credit received from study abroad that do not qualify for the "Engineering" category. These courses may NOT be used in the "Engineering" category. Also, they may not be used in the "Technical Elective/Application Focus" category. 2960 numbered courses may be counted as Free Elective. Also, via petition, they may be considered as Social Science.

** EAS courses below 0800 may be used only as free electives.

EAS 0097 is not counted in the Engineering category, but where appropriate, may be counted (up to one course unit) in the Technical Electives category. It may also be counted as a free elective.

Beginning with the Class of 2017 (those entering in Fall 2013), Penn Engineering students must fulfill the Engineering Ethics requirement. The Ethics Requirement will not necessitate the completion of any additional course units in the existing BAS or the BSE degrees, as the requirement may be double-counted from the student's SS/H/TBS course requirements. This requirement may be taken P/F so long as it fulfills SS/H/TBS/Free Elective.

The Engineering Ethics requirement can be satisfied by taking EAS 2030 Engineering Ethics - an approved social science course. Students are strongly encouraged to take the Ethics Requirement course during the sophomore year.

Notes:

1. BE and ASBS students should refer to their curricula for a list of approved courses.
2. CMPE majors should refer to their curriculum for a list of approved courses.
3. VIPER students may use VIPR 1200/1210 to satisfy the Engineering Ethics Requirement in any major.
   • Starting Spring 2019 and later VIPER students who drop to single degree may fulfill the ethics requirement with VIPR 1200/1210.  VIPR 1200/1210 cannot be used in the social science and humanities category.
4. CIS 4230/5230 Ethical Algorithm Design can fulfill the engineering ethics requirement for ASCS, BE, CMPE, CSCI, DMD and NETS students only.

Path Forms

Visit the SRFS Path Forms page for the following actions:

• Academic Program Requests
  • Grade Mode Change
  • Declare / Update Field of Study (Remove or Add Curriculum)
    • Declare a Second Major for Non-SEAS Students
    • Declare a Minor
    • Declare a Concentration
    • Drop Dual Degree
  • Max CU Increase
  • Withdraw from a Course
• Petitions & Exceptions (sometimes known as "Petition for Action")
  • Registration Changes:
    • Request an exception to the Add, Drop, Grade Mode Change, or Withdraw deadlines.
  • Undergraduate SEAS Petition
    • Part-Time Status
    • Course Substitution for math, natural science, social science/humanities, or free electives
    • Other:
      • Request Withdrawal from the University

Engineering forms

Note: some of the forms below are fillable PDFs.

• Accelerated Master’s Application
• Accelerated Master’s Course Planning Form (PDF)
  • Accelerated Master's [into The School of Arts & Sciences] Course Planning Form (PDF)
• Applied Senior Project – Academic Credit Request (PDF)
• Core Substitution Forms (Department Specific)
  A core substitution is for the required Engineering courses in a student’s major.
  • ARIN Core Substitution form
  • BE Core Substitution form (PDF)
  • CBE Core Substitution form (PDF)
  • CIS Core Requirements Substitution form
  • ESE – CMPE Core Requirements Substitution form (PDF)
  • ESE – EE Core Requirements Substitution form (PDF)
  • ESE – SSE Core Requirements Substitution form (PDF)
  • MEAM – Core Requirement Substitution Form (PDF)
  • MSE – Core Substitution form (PDF)
• Course Substitution Form (use the UG SEAS Petition form)
  Course substitutions are for school-level approvals (i.e., Math, Natural Science, or SS/H/TBS electives).
• Expected Graduation Date Update Form
• Independent Study Application (PDF)
  • CIS 0099 Independent Study Application
  • CPT Independent Study Application (PDF)
• Request to take a Leave of Absence (LOA)
• Request to Return from a Leave of Absence (RLOA)
• Request for a Letter
  There are several types of letters students may need to request; many are written by offices across the university (please see guidance below):
  • Learned course material for specific courses and what was learned in that course. This must be requested by the student’s program.
  • Invitation letters to the May Commencement Ceremonies. International Students may follow instructions on the ISSS webpage for a visitor template to use and further information on what you should do to invite guests.
  • Travel Letters for international students returning to the US from overseas. This must be requested from the student’s program.
  • Credentialing information, enrollment verification, degree verification, accreditation information, tuition & fees information, and/or loan information. These types of requests can be made to the Office of the University Registrar, and they will work with university partners to complete them.
  • For all other letter requests, please submit a request to OAS. Please use this link here.
• Request for External Credit (study abroad, summer away, pre-college coursework)
• Return from Academic Drop Request
• Time Conflict Form (PDF; NOTE: you must submit a Permit Request in PATH in addition to this form)
• Transfer to the DMD Program (PDF)
• Transfer to the M&T Program

Any course offered by the University to undergraduates may be taken as a free elective unless it is in the No Credit list.

No Credit List:

Penn Engineering undergraduates may not use courses on this list toward their degree:

• Astro 0001
• CHEM 1011, 001 (Note: not permitted for students entering Fall 2018 or later)
• CIS (CSE) 100/101
• EAS 5030 (SEAS UG students may register for EAS 4030 for TBS credit)
• EAS 5050 (SEAS UG students may register for EAS 3010 for TBS credit)
• Education (inter-session courses)
• Math 1510, 1700
• MCIT courses
• MEAM 091, 092, 093, 094, 095
• Military Science
• Naval Science (except 102, 201, 2020, 301*, 401, 4020)
• Organizational Dynamics (DYNM) courses
• Physics 1100, below 140 except PHYS 0500, 0510, 093, 094
• Statistics below 4300 (Note: effective Fall 2021 STAT 4050 and STAT 4220 can only be used as free electives)
• Perelman School of Medicine (MED courses)
• Wharton Global Youth Pre-Baccalaureate courses
• The Green Program (TGP) study abroad

* Also counts as engineering

The grades assigned in a course are solely the discretion of the instructor; any student with questions about a particular grade should take their concern directly to the instructor who assigned the grade. Grade changes are submitted electronically by the instructor and are approved by the school before being noted on a student record (i.e. transcript). The University does not permit grade changes after graduation.

Grading Scale

The grading scale is as follows:

Pass/Fail

Pass/fail courses are not included in the GPA calculation if the course has been passed; incomplete grades are not included in the GPA calculation unless they have turned to failures (F); course withdrawals are not included in the calculation- but appear on the transcript. 

Failure (F) or Unsatisfactory (U)

A student may not graduate with an uncleared failure or unsatisfactory on their record, and thus failed courses must be cleared by repeating the same course or an equivalent course the next time it is offered. Failed specified courses are made up by repeating the course. If a student wishes to substitute another successfully completed course for the failed or unsatisfactory specified course, they must submit a Petition for Action. A student is not permitted to take a course having as a prerequisite a course which they failed. Failed courses remain on the transcript and are included in the cumulative grade point average even after they have been cleared.

Incomplete Grades (I and NR)

Incomplete
The decision to grant an Incomplete is at the sole discretion of the instructor teaching the course.

The notation “I”, for Incomplete, may be assigned to the student who has performed well all semester, but who, for extenuating reasons, is unable to complete the requirements of the course by the end of the term.

If the student has not completed their work, and if the instructor of the course has not submitted a grade by the following dates, the “I” notation will be replaced by an “F” grade on the student’s record:

• Incomplete Fall grades: the Thursday of the fourth full week of the following Spring semester
• Incomplete Spring or Summer grades: the Thursday of the fourth full week of the following Fall semester

A student may not graduate with an uncleared “I” on their record.

Note: The following policy applies to all undergraduate courses offered by Penn Engineering beginning with the Summer 2026 term. Any incomplete work for Penn Engineering undergraduate courses must be completed by the Grade Mode Change Deadline of the following semester in which the student is enrolled. Instructors must submit a change of grade for a grade of ‘I’ by the Grade Mode Deadline of the following semester in which the student is enrolled. Otherwise, the ‘I’ grade that converts to a 'F' four weeks into the following semester will become a permanent ‘F’ grade that may not be changed by the instructor.

Students with two or more Incomplete grades will be expected to meet with their instructor/s to discuss plans to complete each course and share these plans with an Office of Academic Services (OAS) academic advisor.

Repeating an Incomplete Course
The Incomplete designation may not be used to allow a student to repeat the course in a subsequent semester. If a student must repeat a course in order to complete the work for it, the instructor will assign a grade of F for the initial semester, and the student must re-register for the course for credit in a subsequent semester.

Consequences of Incompletes

• Incompletes affect the number of credits earned in the short term and can have an impact on financial aid, athletic eligibility, or visa status for international students.
• Students with multiple Incompletes may be subject to academic action, including probation or academic drop.
• An incomplete grade may impact the ability to register for course/s (if the incomplete is a prerequisite or co-requisite requirement).

NR

An “NR” notation indicates no grade was submitted by the Instructor or if the student could not be confirmed as participating in the course. If the “NR” notation is not updated by the following dates, it will be replaced by an “F” grade on the student’s record:

• Fall NR notation deadline: the Thursday of the fourth full week of the following Spring semester
• Spring or Summer NR notation deadline: the Thursday of the fourth full week of the following Fall semester

A student may not graduate with an uncleared “NR” on their record.

GR

Note: The GR grade is no longer used in Penn Engineering. In the past, a “GR” notation was used to indicate that the instructor had not submitted a grade. If the “GR” notation was not updated by the following term, it was replaced by an “F” grade on the student’s record.

Auditing Courses

In accord with University policy, Penn Engineering students may not audit classes as of the Fall 1999 semester.

Many 5000-level courses are available for undergraduates. Some require approval of the advisor and the course instructor. To take a 6000 or higher level course, the student must submit a Permission to take a Course form with the required signatures. To take a 7000 level course, the student must also obtain the signatures of the Graduate Group Chair and the Associate Dean for Education. Taking such a course is a special privilege reserved for particularly capable students.

Note: 50% Rule - Undergraduate students should make sure 50% or more of their enrolled course units (CUs) in any single term satisfy requirements for their undergraduate degree. At no time should a student be taking more than half of their CUs at the graduate-level (5000+ level) in a single term. If more than 50% of enrolled CUs in a term are graduate-level course units, the student is not eligible for undergraduate financial aid in that term. The student may also run into issues with VISA and international compliance. Students should plan carefully with their academic advisors to avoid this scenario.

Independent Study is designed to provide the student with a unique learning experience not achievable by ordinary course work. You must identify a member of the University's Standing Faculty who is willing to direct your independent study and take responsibility for issuing your final grade.

Occasionally, you may wish to (or need to) undertake Independent Study credit as part of an Internship experience, in which case you must still produce a tangible, academically-based product for your grade and credit at the end of the internship. If approved, you will be registered for a "0099" course within your academic department (e.g. MEAM 0099) for 1.0 CU of credit, for a grade (not PF).

You must submit an application for Independent Study by the end of the Add/Course Selection period. Please access the Application for Independent Study on the forms page here.

Students are limited to 2.0 CUs of Independent Study within an Undergraduate Degree.

Note: In order to be eligible for a Penn Engineering Independent Study, students must be actively enrolled in an Engineering degree and/or major. Penn Engineering Independent Studies are not available to non-Engineering students or those only pursuing an Engineering minor.

Students who wish to undertake a senior design project that incorporates team members from multiple SEAS departments may pursue an Inter-Departmental Senior Design (ISD) project.

Deadline: August 15th before your senior year

Faculty Coordinator: Sid Deliwala

To Apply for an ISD Project

1.  Seek out and discuss your intended project with your project advisor. An advisor is a subject matter expert who provides technical or high-level guidance for the project. Often, they are faculty or staff associated with the host department. Reach out to the design leaders from your intended host department if you need help securing a project advisor.
2. Discuss your project theme and team composition with the design leader(s) from the intended host department. See the design leaders contact information section below for email addresses. You are encouraged to start these conversations early in the project identification and team formation process.
3. Discuss your team composition and project thrusts with the design leaders from the home department(s) of the ISD member(s).
4. Complete this ISD Declaration.docx. The document identifies the teammates (typically 3-5 recommended), host department, problem statement, potential solutions, and relationship between ISD student major(s) and project thrusts. The form requires endorsement from the host department design leader(s), the design leader(s) from the home department(s) of ISD students, and the project advisor. Endorsement may be in the form of signature or approval email.
5. Submit your ISD Declaration with signatures and/or email approvals attached to the end of the document as a single pdf file to seas-senior-design-leaders@lists.seas.upenn.edu. The subject line of the email should read “ISD Declaration - <Project Name> - <Host Department>”. For example, “ISD Declaration – Dynamic Materials for Acoustic Walls – MSE.” The pdf should be named similarly.
6. Teams combining only ESE and CIS majors and the related majors of CMPE, NETS, and SSE do not require ISD approval. Please reach out to the ESE and CIS design leaders to determine the most appropriate host department.

Design Leaders Contact Information

The following are contacts for all SEAS design leaders. General inquiries can be sent to seas-senior-design-leaders@lists.seas.upenn.edu

Course Enrollment, Grading, and Special Considerations

The entire team will register for the senior design course series (fall and spring) of the host department. The ISD team will follow the deliverables, presentations, and grading scheme of the host department’s senior design course series.

Teams combining only ESE and CIS majors and the related majors of CMPE, NETS, and SSE do not require ISD approval. Please reach out to the ESE and CIS design leaders to determine the most appropriate host department.

The CBE department will be unable to host ISD projects. If you are a CBE major participating in ISD, you must still take CBE 4000 in the fall semester of your senior year. You must also register for the host department’s senior design course in the fall semester. You may use this credit toward any engineering elective requirement in the CBE program. In the spring, you will enroll in the second senior design course in the host department, which will replace CBE 4590.

To request a leave of absence from Penn Engineering, use the form found on the Undergraduate Forms page.

• Note:
  • While on leave, you cannot receive Penn transfer credit for courses taken at another institution. There may be some circumstances that permit requests to transfer credit while on leave. Specific requests must be made in writing to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education prior to doing so.
  • If you are not in good academic standing when requesting a leave, you will have the same status when you return (e.g. academic probation.)
    • CU enrollment will be limited for students on probation.
  • If you receive financial aid, you should determine the financial aid impacts of a leave by looking at the Student Financial Services website and speaking with your assigned financial aid counselor.
  • If you have campus housing or a university dining plan, you will need to contact those offices as you prepare for leave.
  • There may be other offices on campus you need to connect with as you take a leave, such as Student Health and Counseling and the Center for Community Standards and Accountability, more information can be found at the following site: https://srfs.upenn.edu/student-records/withdrawals-leaves
  • If taking a leave of absence for medical reasons, we expect you to seek appropriate treatment to address the health concerns that have precipitated this separation. You will be expected to submit documentation to Student Health and Counseling upon your return. Please see the RLOA Policies & Procedures page for more information.
• Discontinuance of study without permission from the University does not constitute a leave of absence.
• The maximum time allowed for a Leave of Absence is two academic years, or four academic semesters, not including summer sessions. Students may request an extension beyond two years as needed. Students who do not contact the Office of Academic Services (OAS) prior to the two-year period to request an extension will be automatically withdrawn from the University.
• The use of University facilities is not permitted while on a leave of absence. Additionally, access to certain software (Zoom, Microsoft, etc), email (SEAS Gmail), and library resources may be disrupted while a student is on leave of absence.

To return from a leave of absence, please review the Return from Leave of Absence (RLOA) policies and procedures.

Engineering undergraduate students are permitted to take courses in the College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS). SEAS students are advised to discuss their course registration options with their advisor prior to registering. Note that some spaces may be reserved for LPS students until the first week of classes, and some classes have restricted enrollment for LPS students only.

Permits to register, if required, are usually available through LPS (Academic Advising 215-898-7326 ) rather than the academic department offering the course. SEAS students may direct questions about LPS enrollment policies for specific courses to the LPS office.

Penn Engineering undergraduates pursue majors in either Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) or Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) programs.

A BSE degree is for a student who wishes to practice engineering after graduation or is interested in more technical coursework relating to the engineering field. The BAS program is designed for students who do not plan to work as professional engineers but rather want a customized education that combines other interests and technology in a manner unique to their career goals.

• List of BSE Majors
• List of BAS Majors
• Curriculum Deferred Information
• Academic Department Links
• Undergraduate Program Contacts

The following courses can be used to fulfill the mathematics requirement:

• CIS ⁽⁴⁾: CIS/ENM 1600, CIS/ENM 2610, CIS 3333
• ECON: 2300
• ENM: All courses. ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾
• ESE: ESE 2030⁽⁵⁾, ESE/ENM 3010, ESE 4020⁽¹⁾, ESE 5300
• MATH: Any course from MATH 1400 or above ⁽⁵⁾, except the following: 1700, 1720, 1800, 2100⁽³⁾, 2800,
• PHIL: 1710, 4723
• STAT⁽¹⁾: 4300, 4310, 4320, 4330

GENERAL NOTES:

• Students may not receive credit for two courses at the same level where the content is similar. Several forbidden pairs of courses are listed in the MATH Course Catalog.
• Students who wish to take an honors math class should consult with their department/program to determine if an honors math class will fulfill their degree requirements (e.g., MATH 1610 instead of MATH 1410 or MATH 2600 instead of MATH 2400).
• Freshman Seminars may not be used to fulfill the SEAS Mathematics Requirement.

FOOTNOTES:

(1) STAT 4300/4310, ENM 3750, and ESE 3010/4020 are considered equivalent courses. Students should consult with their department/program on the appropriate course, as only one may be taken.

(2) Students who take ENM 2510 cannot take MATH 2410 since the courses are considered equivalent. Note: If your major requires you to take MATH 2410, you can replace it with ENM 2510 without a petition since both are equivalent (and vice versa).

(3) MATH 2100 may not be used to fulfill a Math requirement.

(4) CIS 2620 counts as an Engineering (not Mathematics) course for those entering Fall 2020 and later.

(5) Students can’t take both ESE 2030 and MATH 2400. Students should consult with their department/program on which course is appropriate.

To remain in good academic standing, Penn Engineering students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 throughout the undergraduate program while making academic progress toward their declared curriculum. In addition, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in "the major." The major is defined as all math, science, and engineering courses. Academic progress is defined as averaging a minimum of eight successfully completed course units each academic year.

Explore additional disciplines and complement your current area of focus by adding to your educational repertoire a minor from any of the Penn Engineering departments (with the exception of Bioengineering) or one of the many subject areas in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Departmental Programs

• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Computer and Information Science
• Digital Media Design
• Electrical and Systems Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering - email the coordinator for more information.
• Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Interdisciplinary Options

In addition to the minors associated with specific Penn Engineering departments, several minors are offered which intersect several departmental boundaries.

DATA SCIENCE MINOR (DATS)
Data Science applies core concepts in computer science, statistics and mathematics to problems in a wide variety of fields, from physical, social, biomedical, and behavioral sciences to arts and humanities. The minor targets students with strong analytical abilities and some existing programming experience, and requires courses in statistics, data-centric programming, data management, and data analysis. It also points to courses across the University that deal with data in areas of importance to Data Science. To apply for a DATS minor, students should complete the Application for a Minor form online. If you have questions about the minor email: (datsmast@seas.upenn.edu) Learn more.

Energy and Sustainability (ENSU)
Penn Engineering offers a Minor in Energy and Sustainability, providing students with a broad coverage of technical and societal issues confronting the world and in-depth treatment of selected topics in technical areas relevant to energy and sustainability. The ENSU Minor will require that students use some or all of their free electives to satisfy course requirements. Energy policy courses will be used solely to satisfy SEAS degree requirements in the “Technology in Business and Society” (TBS) category.  Learn more.

Engineering Entrepreneurship (EENT)
Penn Engineering offers a Minor in Engineering Entrepreneurship (EENT), complementing the core engineering disciplines. This minor is designed for students majoring in engineering and applied science. However, it is open to all University undergraduates, subject to available class space. Non-engineering students should check with their home schools to determine their eligibility to take the EENT minor. All courses for the EENT minor must be taken for a grade (no pass/fail). Minor approval forms for EENT must be approved by Dr. Thomas Cassel.

Cognitive Science
Penn Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences together offer a special minor in Cognitive Science. This minor is aimed at a wide range of students in either the College or Penn Engineering, and permits a number of options. Students must choose at least six courses corresponding to the parent disciplines of computer science, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. Students must take a prescribed number of Introductory and Foundational courses, but they are free to choose one of the five tracks and also to choose their advanced courses.

Applying for a Minor – Engineering Students

Process: An Engineering student who wishes to minor in a special subject area should complete an “Declare/Update Field of Study” form and have the proposed selection of courses approved by the  department in which you wish to obtain your minor. Should the selection of courses you wish to take to complete the minor change, an approved and updated form must be submitted so the transcript reflects the approved selection of courses for the minor area. The minor form must be submitted and the courses completed by the end of the student’s final undergraduate semester.

Requirements: Engineering minors consist of at least 6 course units, all of which must be taken for a grade. A maximum of two courses may be double-counted between the engineering minor and designated, named requirements in the student’s major (e.g., MATH 1400). Courses that fulfill broad or flexible requirements in the major (e.g., Technical Electives or general elective categories) do not count toward this two-course limit and may be applied to both the major and the minor. Any course that is approved within the engineering category for a major is eligible to count toward the minor, subject to the double-counting rules above.

Applying for a Minor – Non Engineering Students

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences, Nursing, or Wharton may also pursue a minor in the School of Engineering. The “Declare/Update Field of Study” form is used to apply for the Engineering minor. Non-engineering students are also advised to speak with their academic advisor regarding how the courses for the Engineering minor will be counted in their overall course plan. Please note that engineering minors consist of at least 6 course units, ALL of which must be taken for a grade.

The following courses can be used to fulfill the natural science requirement:

• Astronomy and Astrophysics: 1211, 1212, 1250, 3392
  • Note: Astronomy 0001 may not be taken by Penn Engineering students.
  • Note: Other courses numbered below Astronomy 0011 can be taken as free electives only.
• Biochemistry: Any course
• Bioengineering: 3050, 5130
• Biological Basis of Behavior: Any course
• Biology: 0992 and any course numbered above 1000 except 2510
• Biophysics: Any course
• Cellular and Molecular Biology: Any course
• Chemistry: Any course except CHEM 1000, 1011, 1200, 0250
  • Note: AP credit for Chemistry (CHEM 091 or EAS 0091) is equivalent to CHEM 1012. Some departments may not accept AP credit for Chemistry - see individual curricula.
  • Note: Students are permitted to take CHEM 1012 or CHEM 1151, but not both.
• Computer and Information Science: CIS 3980 (Only CIS Majors may count this as a Natural Science or Engineering elective).
• Earth and Environmental Science: EESC 1000, 1030.  Any course above 2000 pending approval by faculty committee (Currently approved: EESC 2120, 2500, 3300, 3600, 4200, 4320, 4360, 4440, 4630). EESC 3003 does not count as a Natural Science
• Electrical and Systems Engineering: ESE 1120
  • Note: If ESE 1120 is taken, PHYS 0151 is not allowed.
• Genomics and Computational Biology: Any course
• Materials Science Engineering: MSE 2210
  • Note: MSE 2150, 2210, 2600, 3300, and 4300 may be counted as Natural Science or Engineering if taken prior to Spring 2015.
• Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics: 1100, 1470
  • Note: If MEAM 1100 and MEAM 1470 are taken, PHYS 0150 is not allowed since these are equivalent.
• Neuroscience: Any NRSC course- except NRSC 0050, 0060, 1159, 1160, 2217, 2227, 2249, and 4417
• Physics: 0050, 0051, 0140, 0141, and courses numbered 0150 and above.
  • Note: PHYS 1100, 3314, 3360, and 5500 are not allowed.
  • Note: If you take the honor's equivalent of a required Physics course, there is no need to petition for it (e.g. you can take PHYS 0170 in place of PHYS 0150; or PHYS 0171 instead of PHYS 0151 without having to petition).
• Psychology: 1210

Freshman Seminar courses can not be used to fulfill the natural science requirement.

The Online Accelerated Master’s (4+) Program enables qualified undergraduates to take up to three residential graduate-level courses during their undergraduate degree, which may then be applied toward a Penn Engineering Online master’s program upon admission and matriculation. Students complete the remaining graduate requirements (typically seven additional courses) fully online, within three years, and from anywhere in the world. This model allows for the opportunity to optimize academic planning, reduce time and cost to degree completion, and acquire advanced technical expertise beyond the undergraduate experience.

This program is also available for students who are currently enrolled in the Residential Accelerated Master’s (4+1) program but are unable to complete it due to professional obligations or other post-graduation commitments. Residential Accelerated Master’s (4+1) students may request a change of degree into one of the Online Accelerated Master’s (4+) programs.

The Online Accelerated Master’s (4+) Program is designed with the expectation that students will complete their undergraduate degree with up to three residential graduate-level courses that may be double-counted toward an online master’s degree. Once Online AM (4+) students matriculate into an Online Graduate program, they must complete the degree within three years. The Online Accelerated Master’s (4+) Program is designed so that students can learn at their own pace and customize their course load with our completely online, asynchronous course options.

Note: Students enrolled in the Online Accelerated Master’s (4+) program will not be eligible for visa sponsorship or CPT/OPT opportunities.

Full information about the program and its policies can be found on the Online Accelerated Master’s Tab of the Online Student Handbook.

Application and Admissions information can be found on the Online Accelerated Master’s page.

Penn Engineering offers undergraduates only a full-time program of study, for which the normal minimum course load is 4 course units (CU) per term. Occasionally, a student may take a reduced course load of 3.5 or 3.0 CU. Such a reduced course load is considered full-time by Student Financial Services; therefore, such a student is still billed at the normal full-tuition rate. Note that this reduced course load may jeopardize both state and federal financial aid. Also, international students should check with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) (international students have to enroll in a minimum of 3 CUs per semester).

Additionally, registering for fewer than 4 CU per term may affect other considerations, such as visa status, athletic eligibility and/or insurance coverage. Please check carefully to ensure that you know the enrollment requirements of relevant organizations and/or agencies to avoid jeopardizing your standing as a student. Also, keep in mind that satisfactory academic progress in SEAS assumes 8 CU per academic year.

On rare occasions, students are allowed to carry 2.5 or fewer CU in a given term. In order to be granted part-time status, a student must petition for approval. Graduating seniors in their final semester may petition for part-time status by carrying 2.5 or fewer CU, if at that time they need only 2.5 or fewer CU to graduate. Without this permission, students will be billed at the full-time rate.

The purpose of Pass/Fail is to permit the student to elect courses from unfamiliar disciplines.

Penn Engineering students may take a total of four course units on a Pass/Fail (P/F) basis. A total exceeding 4 P/F courses is permissible only for students electing more than the minimum courses required for the degree.

No more than one course per term may be taken on a P/F basis. If you are taking an overload (i.e., more than 5.5 course units), you may take more than one course P/F that term by submitting a "Petition for Action" to the Office of Academic Services.

The Pass/Fail option can be used only for courses in the Social Sciences, Humanities, Technology Business & Society (TBS), and Free Elective categories of the course planning guide.

An earned grade of "D" or better will be issued as a "P" on your transcript, and it is not counted in computing the grade-point average; if you earn an "F," the "F" is counted. If you fail a course under a P/F grade, you may not repeat it on a Pass/Fail basis.

You can change the Pass/Fail status of a course by going to Path@Penn with the exception of writing courses that require you to make a request to the OAS Office via email.

Directions on how to update your grade mode during the enrollment period are on the SRFS website.  If changing your grade mode after the enrollment period, you must submit a request to change a course to Pass/Fail via Path Forms.  THIS MUST BE DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE NINTH FULL WEEK OF THE TERM OR JUST BEFORE ADVANCE REGISTRATION, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.

Please refer to the University Academic Calendar for dates.  After this date, the P/F status is unalterable. It is the student’s responsibility to verify the Pass/Fail status of courses using Path@Penn.

*In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, specific divisions within the University of Pennsylvania granted alternate grading options for academic terms that were impacted.  See University Catalogs for details.  Dean's List honors were suspended for 2019-2020 & 2020-2021.  

Deviations from Penn Engineering course requirements and special requests require the submission of a" Petition for Action" form.

All actions require review by the parties noted on the form.  Final submission via the workflow is to the Petitions Committee where a final decision is made.

NOTE:

• If a substitution for a required engineering or technical elective is requested, a completed Core Sub Form must be submitted to the department for review.
• Students in single degree programs should address their petitions to their schools. Dual- and joint-degree students should address their petitions for degree requirement exceptions to the school(s) whose degree requirements are affected; in some cases, a petition to both schools will be required. All other petitions for exceptions (e.g. late drop, late add, late withdrawal, late change of grade mode) should be submitted to the home school. Students submitting a Petition for Action requesting late withdrawal from a course must complete the online petition process.

The University observes the following holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and New Year’s Day.

The University also recognizes that several religious holidays affect large numbers of University community members, including Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first two days of Passover, and Good Friday. In consideration of their significance for many students, no examinations may be given and no assigned work may be required on these days. Students who observe these holidays will be given an opportunity to make up missed work in both laboratories and lecture courses. If an examination is given on the first class day after one of these holidays, it must not cover material introduced in class on that holiday.

The University further recognizes that there are other holidays, both religious and secular, which are of importance to some individuals and groups on campus. Students who wish to observe such holidays must inform their instructors within the first two weeks of each semester of their intent to observe the holiday even when the exact date of the holiday will not be known until later so that alternative arrangements convenient to both students and faculty can be made at the earliest opportunity.

See the University’s complete policy on holidays.

Penn Engineering students may enroll in courses at Bryn Mawr, Haverford or Swarthmore College during the fall and spring terms of the academic year. These three schools along with Penn constitute the Quaker Consortium and have a reciprocal agreement for course credit and tuition, i.e., grades will appear on the student's Penn transcript, and no additional tuition will be charged.

The TriCollege Course Guide lists course offerings at the three schools.

Students from Bryn Mawr, Haverford or Swarthmore College wishing to enroll in Penn Engineering courses should do so through the College of Liberal and Professional Studies. Registration instructions are available online.

Registration takes place twice a year: in November for the following Spring semester, and in March for the Summer and the following Fall. Failure to pre-register means that you may be closed out of a course or a section. No Penn Engineering student will be closed out of a course required for their curriculum. Students experiencing trouble registering for a class should come to Room 109 Towne for assistance.

Detailed instructions for advance registration are available in the handbook. In brief, all students must meet with their faculty advisor before registering for courses. In order to have a productive session with your advisor, bring a current copy of your unoffical transcript, a list of questions, and be prepared to discuss the courses you intend to take.  After discussing your program with you and you have reached agreement, your advisor will sign-off and you will be able to register via Path@Penn.

A student is not permitted to take a course which repeats a substantial part of a course previously taken. Each course should have a higher level content then any related course already completed. A student may not repeat a course already passed (D or better).

Below are groupings of links to resources provided by Penn Engineering and the University, listed alphabetically.

Penn Engineering Resource Links

• CETS (Tech Support)
• Cora Ingrum Center for Community and Outreach
• Drop-in Advising
• Engineering Alumni Society
• Engineering Library
• Engineering Operations Services
• Faculty Expertise Directory
• Health + Safety Contacts
• Office of Academic Services (109 Towne)
• Penn Engineering Senior Staff & Leadership
• Student Engagement
• Undergraduate Research

Penn Resource Links

• Academic Calendar
• Billing and Fees
• Canvas
• Career Services
• Center for Community Standards and Accountability (CSA)
• International Student and Scholar Services
• Learning Resources (Weingarten)
• Office of the Ombuds
• The Penn Book
• Penn Directory
• Path@Penn
• Penn Portal
• Penn Recreation
• Penn Tutoring Center (Weingarten)
• Pre-Med Advising
• Public Safety (DPS)
• Scholarly Commons@Penn
• Student Financial Services
• Student Health and Counseling
  • Medical Care
  • Counseling 
• Student Health Insurance
• University Registrar

To request a return from a leave of absence for Penn Engineering, use the form found on the Undergraduate Forms page.

The Return forms must be received by:

• July 15 for enrollment in the fall semester
• November 15 for enrollment in the spring semester
• April 15 for enrollment in any summer sessions

• Two weeks before the beginning of the relevant Advance Registration period, if wishing to advance register.

The return from leave of absence process supports students in a successful re-entry to academic life at Penn. When preparing to return, students should consult their school’s advising office (OAS) and/or their department to develop a plan that includes connecting with appropriate resources. A student’s return form will need to include a plan of study and may include required consultations with campus resources, depending on the conditions of the leave. In addition, students returning from leave are limited to the standard course load of 5.5 CUs.

Students may need to contact various offices (Financial Services, Housing, Dining, Student Health & Counseling, and others) to prepare for their return.

When requesting a return from leave for medical reasons, you must submit documentation from your healthcare provider to Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) in addition to the Penn Engineering RLOA request form. You may also be required to consult with SHAC and other university resources/offices as needed. Please list Kendall Johnson (studentaffairs@seas.upenn.edu) as your school/program’s leave of absence contact on the form.

To request a leave of absence, please visit the Leave of Absence policies and procedures.

Return from academic drop is not guaranteed.  A student who has been dropped may be considered for readmission upon recommendation from the Academic Performance Committee.  Applications for return from drop are rarely considered earlier than one year after the student has been dropped.

In order to be considered, the former student should complete and submit the Return from Academic Drop Request available on the Forms page.  All requests should be made at least 30 days in advance for consideration. Please ensure you have the following prepared to complete your request:

• A letter stating reasons why the student should be approved for a return from drop status, including an explanation of the steps taken by the student to address/remedy the circumstances that lead to the drop so as to ensure successful academic performance upon return
• A detailed academic plan (Fall and Spring Semesters) showing how the student will complete all degree requirements, with a minimum cumulative gpa and major gpa of 2.0, by their date of graduation
• A letter/s of recommendation from non-family members who observed the candidate while they were away from school
• If applicable, a transcript of any courses at another institution while on drop status (even though courses may not be transferred back to Penn)

Please note: If approved for return from drop status, the student will be on academic probation, and the total course load for the first semester will be limited to 4.5 course units.

Should you have additional questions, please email apcdeci@seas.upenn.edu

Eligible for Students Enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences

College students can apply for a second major in the programs listed below. This will result in a single degree from the College with two majors. To enroll, students must complete the Application for a Second Major for Non-SEAS Students. Follow the links to see the requirements for each second major:

• Biomedical Science
• Computer Science
• Electrical Science
• Materials Science

Penn Engineering students may find the second major an attractive alternative to the dual degree. Qualified students may pursue a second major in any major offered through the College of Arts & Sciences. It is important to note that this program results in a single degree (from Engineering) with two majors. Students must satisfy the degree requirements for both their Engineering curriculum and those of the second major.

Students seeking admission to the second major should contact directly the Department that offers the major.

An integral part of an undergraduate engineering education involves exposure to the study of the broader contexts within which technology and engineering practice operates. The Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) requirements engage engineering undergraduates in course work that will provide this broad exposure. This includes an extensive array of study areas offered by Penn's outstanding liberal arts community of scholars, and provides the student with structured opportunities to understand such topics as: Human behavior; civil society; geopolitical phenomena; the creative, artistic, linguistic, philosophical, and symbolic cultural endeavors throughout human history; social, economic, and political conflict; and challenges surrounding global health, poverty, and the inner city.

In the SSH category, a student should choose courses of personal interest which will provide in-depth study (2 or more courses) of at least one subject and which will include several subjects so that reasonably broad insight is achieved in the social and behavioral sciences and in the humanities. Because of the importance of good communication skills to success in all endeavors, each student should seek to enhance these skills by the choice of SSH courses.

For the purposes of planning your Social Science and Humanities courses (SSH), a humanities course or social science course is one within the broad areas of the humanities (including foreign languages) or the social sciences. This definition encompasses such fields of study as (in the humanities) history, English, philosophy, foreign languages, classics, history of art, and (in the social sciences) sociology, psychology, economics, and political science. Your SSH course work must provide both breadth and depth and not be limited to a selection of unrelated introductory courses. Unacceptable for SSH credit are courses that are not about either humanities or social science; for example, courses in the business discipline, military science, any course that is primarily a study of mathematics or a physical science or any course designed primarily to impart skills --- such as written or oral communication or computer usage.

The writing courses (WRIT) are categorized as humanities, social science, or free elective based on the department in which the course in offered.

Students interested in the relationships between technology, business and society may choose to substitute up to two of social science and humanities courses with approved courses from the Technology in Business and Society course category.

To ensure breadth, you are required to select two courses in the social sciences and two in the humanities.

Please note that below the Humanities list, there is a separate list of courses offered in programs that are cross-listed with "SS" or "H" departments.

All Departmental-based topics courses must be approved for use in this category.

NOTE: The policy requiring two social sciences and two humanities courses within their General Electives category only applies to SEAS Curricula with 40 CU requirements. Students with the 37 CU requirements need an overall 7 CUs from social sciences and humanities. Please consult your worksheet and/or department for specifics.

Social Sciences

Courses which qualify for Social Science (SS) include any course numbered below 6000 from the following departments, except where noted. Freshman Seminar courses offered by these departments can be used to fulfil the requirements.

• ASAM – Asian American Studies (except where cross-listed with AMES, ENGL, FNAR, HIST, or SARS)
• COMM – Communications
• CRIM – Criminology
• ECON – Economics (except ECON 2300 and ECON 2310)
• GSWS – Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies (formerly GSOC)
• HSOC – Health and Societies
• INTR – International Relations
• Linguistics (LING) (except language courses which can be used as Humanities electives and LING 0700 which can be used as a free elective)
• PPE – Philosophy, Politics and Economics
• PSCI – Political Science
• PSYC -Psychology (except statistics, probability, math, and natural sciences courses)
• SOCI – Sociology (except statistics, probability, and math courses)
• STSC -Science, Technology and Society
• URBS – Urban Studies

The following individual courses may also be counted as social science:

• Anthropology (ANTH) 0330
• Business Economics & Public Policy (BEPP) (formerly BPUB) 1000, 2010, 2020, 2030, 2080, 2110, 2140, 2200, 2300, 2330, 2500*, 2610, 2630, 2650, 2800, 2840, 2890, 3050
• Education (EDUC) 2140
• Eng & Applied Science (EAS) 2030
• Earth and Environmental Science (EESC) 1060, 2300, 3003
• Energy Management & Policy (ENMG) 5120
• Environmental Studies (ENVS) 4250
• Finance (FNCE) 1010
• History and Sociology of Science (HSSC) (taken prior to Fall 2004)
• Legal Studies (LGST) 1000, 1010, 2120, 2150, 2200
• Neuroscience (NRSC) 1159, 2227, 2249, 4417
• Nursing (NURS) 3130, 3150, 3160, 3300, 5250
• Operations, Information, and Decisions (OIDD) 2900

* Note: BPUB 2500 may be used as SS Depth along with ECON 0110

Humanities

Courses which qualify for Humanities (H) include any course numbered below 6000 from the following departments, except where noted. Freshman Seminar courses offered by these departments can be used to fulfill the requirements.

• Any foreign language course
• ANTH – Anthropology
• ANCH – Ancient History
• ARTH – Art History
• ASAM – Asian American Studies (cross-listed with AMES, ENGL, FNAR, HIST, and SARS only) — 1520
• ASLD – American Sign Language
• BIOE – Bioethics 
• CLST – Classical Studies (ANCH, CLST, LATN, GREK)
• COML – Comparative Literature and Literary Theory
• DSGN – Design 0010, 1010, 1020, 1030, 2010, 1040, 2030, 2040, 5001, 2510, and 1050
  • Note these courses were previously approved FNAR
• EALC – East Asia Languages and Civilizations
• ENGL – English
• FNAR – Fine Arts
• FOLK – Folklore
• HIST – History
• HSSC – History and Sociology of Science
• JWST – Jewish Studies
• LALS – Latin American and Latino Studies
• MUSC – Music
• MELC – Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures (formerly NELC)
• PHIL – Philosophy (except 5710, 4723, and all other logic courses)
• RELS – Religious Studies
• South Asia Studies (SARS and SAST)
• THAR – Theatre Arts
• VLST – Visual Studies

The following courses may also be counted as humanities:

• AFRC – Africana Studies 2321
• ARCH – Architecture 1010, 2010, 2020, 3010, 3020, 4010, 4110, 4120
• CIMS – Cinema and Media Studies: 1002, 2850
• CIS – Computer & Information Science 1060 (ANTH 2580)

Courses From Academic Programs With All Multi-Listed Courses

The following programs offer courses that are ALMOST entirely cross-listed with other academic departments. Students taking courses offered in these programs must use the “SS” or “H” designations according to their cross-listed academic department as listed above. Courses without a cross-listing will be determined as SS or H on a case-by-case basis. Students should contact their Undergraduate Coordinator (in their Major/Department) to start the review process.

• AFST – African Studies
• AFRC – Africana Studies
• AAMW – Art and Archeology of the Mediterranean World
• CIMS – Cinema Media Studies
• GSWS – Gender, Sex, and Women’s Studies

Writing Seminar Course

Writing Seminar (WRIT) courses offered may be used to satisfy “SS” or “H” requirements according to this list.

On October 8, 1998, the Undergraduate Affairs Committee approved the following change in the SSH depth requirement. This is in effect for classes graduating after August, 1999. In order to demonstrate depth, a student must take a second course in any of the departments used to satisfy one of the other six SSH requirements. The usual strictures on what constitutes a humanities and social science apply.

NOTE: This policy only applies to SEAS Curricula with 40 CU requirements.

School of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Pennsylvania September, 2001 (Effective as of 1/02)

The mission of the Engineering School’s (SEAS) Code of Ethics (“Code”) is to promote the growth of ethically responsible students and future professionals in engineering and other fields through adherence to the highest standards of academic integrity and overall ethical conduct, to develop a sense of individual responsibility on the part of each member of the SEAS community to participate actively in maintaining such standards, to foster an environment of honor and trust within the SEAS community, and to engender respect for the ethical standards of the engineering graduate. Fulfilling this mission is a collective responsibility of the members of the SEAS community. Striving for adherence to high standards of ethics will enhance the quality of the SEAS experience, will enrich the image of SEAS and strengthen the reputation of the SEAS degree, and will reinforce the societal norms of moral responsibility.

While representing themselves as a member of the SEAS community, the SEAS student will maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity. The student will strive for these standards in his or her representations, academic pursuits, and respect for the property and individual rights of others; will uphold the specific principles described in the Code; and will actively support the Code. Standing in the SEAS community will be subject to adherence to these basic principles of ethics.

In addition to this Code, all students are expected to know fully the University’s Code of Conduct and Code of Academic Integrity. Likewise, the SEAS student is expected to read and understand the following professional codes of ethics:

• IEEE Code of Ethics
• NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers
• ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

The Code will be administered and maintained by Penn Engineering’s Office of Academic Services office, in consultation with the Undergraduate and Graduate Affairs Committees, and in close collaboration with the University’s Center for Community Standards and Accountability (CSA). If a student fails to adhere to the Code, the student may be referred to the University’s Center for Community Standards and Accountability (CSA) for adjudication.

A. Representations

The SEAS student is expected to represent themselves honestly in all oral or written statements. The student will not knowingly misrepresent any material fact to other students, faculty, staff, prospective employer, or anyone else while representing himself or herself as a member of the SEAS community, especially through, but not limited to:

1. Lying to prospective employers, either directly through oral or written statements or indirectly through misrepresentation of background in resume;
2. Misrepresenting any material fact on a SEAS application, financial aid form, or other official document; or
3. Lying to a fellow student, a faculty member, or an administrator in order to gain preferential treatment.

B. Academic Pursuits

The SEAS student is expected to represent their academic product honestly and fairly. The student will not knowingly use any dishonest method to gain an unfair advantage over other students in academic pursuits, especially through, but not limited to:

1. Giving or receiving any unauthorized aid on an assignment or exam, including preferential treatment from teaching assistants or working in groups on any assignment that has been designated as individual by the professor;
2. Misrepresenting the originality of one’s work (plagiarism), particularly through failing to footnote the contributions of another, except as permitted by the instructor;
3. Continuing to write after time has been called on an exam; or
4. Submitting substantially the same work for credit in more than one class, except with prior approval of the instructor.

C. Property

The SEAS student is expected to respect the materials, data, and property of other members of the SEAS community. The student will not misuse or misappropriate the materials, data, or other property of another, especially through, but not limited to:

1. Accessing, removing, or destroying any information, materials, or other property from another student’s or student organization’s premises, locker, computer files, or mail folder without prior permission;
2. Accessing or removing without prior permission, or hiding or destroying any corporate records, files, job postings, or academic materials from the library, the career planning office, or any other administrative office;
3. Divulging proprietary or confidentially provided information obtained for class assignments; or
4. Utilizing for commercial gain any material, systems, websites, or software provided to or by SEAS specifically and restrictively for educational purposes without prior permission of the provider.

D. Individual Rights

The SEAS student is expected to respect the individual rights of others. Specifically, SEAS students will observe the University of Pennsylvania’s policies against harassment and discrimination. Any complaint of a violation of these policies brought to the attention of the Office of Academic Services will be referred to the appropriate body of original jurisdiction within the University.

JD Degree Program in Penn Law

Penn's Law School offers an opportunity for qualified juniors in Penn Engineering to apply early to the Law School and submatriculate into the JD program beginning their fourth year. The program is designed as a 3-year + 3-year accelerated program for highly qualified Engineering undergraduates either in the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) or Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree programs. The details of this program are as follows:

• If admitted, the student's entire fourth year will be registered as primary enrolled in Penn Law, spending that year as a full-time student in the Law School with the first year class and taking only Law courses. Prior to applying, BSE degree students must obtain permission from their Undergraduate Chair and the Engineering Academic Programs Office to complete the required senior year courses in their fifth and sixth years.
• The Law School Admissions Committee will select students for admission as submatriculants. The rigorous selection process for the JD submatriculation program is designed to assure that each candidate is evaluated in terms of their academic promise and potential contribution to the intellectual life of the law school community. Applicants to the program should have superior communicative and analytical skills. The Admissions Committee considers factors such as the academic record, which includes course selection and grades, either a LSAT, GRE, or GMAT  score, letters of recommendation, community service, extra-curricular activities and the applicant's examples of written expression.
• Submatriculants will be allowed to use Law courses to satisfy the unrestricted Free Electives (3 CU) and/or the Social Science and Humanities requirements where appropriate.
• Students must satisfy all of the requirements for the JD degree during their fourth, fifth and sixth years.  Following their matriculation in the law school, however, submatriculants may apply up to four (4) engineering or other 1 CU courses taken at the 5000 level or above during the fifth and sixth years of the program, to double count for both degrees.
• Submatriculants may file for graduation from the undergraduate program at the end of the term in which they will have satisfied all requirements for the BSE or BAS degree from Penn Engineering. (Note that students may participate with their original undergraduate class graduation ceremonies, regardless of when they actually complete all of the degree requirements.) All students in the program must have completed all the requirements for the undergraduate degree before they may receive their law degree.
• Please note that for submatriculants, the primary school at Penn will be the Law School. As such, those who receive undergraduate financial aid will terminate their undergraduate aid package. However, submatriculants will be eligible to apply for graduate financial aid.

Procedures for students interested in this opportunity are as follows:

Engineering-related: Meet with an advisor in the Office of Academic Services (OAS). Please be prepared to discuss your interest in this program, during which time an up-to-date detailed academic plan should be completed and discussed. You must show how you will meet graduation requirements within the double-counting limitations described above. (For BSE degree students, this is also when permission must be sought to defer senior year requirements into the 5th and 6th years.)

Law-related: Review the application procedures for the JD. Submit the completed application with all requested materials by March 1. For additional information, contact the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, Penn Law School. (Tel: 215-898-7400 | Email: contactadmissions@law.upenn.edu).

Students must complete the requirements for the BAS or BSE within an eight-year calendar period after matriculation, i.e., the first term listed on the transcript. If they do not complete the degree within this time period, they forfeit the right to complete the degree and will be withdrawn from the University. Students may petition for action for an extension as warranted. If granted, the student’s coursework and their full record will be evaluated, and additional or replacement coursework may be required in order to complete the degree.

Students interested in the relationships between technology, business, and society may choose to substitute up to two of the required social science and humanities courses with approved courses from the Technology in Business and Society course category. If a course is not on the list below as an approved TBS course, do not assume it will count as a TBS course. If you are considering a new course to count as a TBS course, please consult with the OAS Office and/or the undergraduate chair in your department prior to taking the course.

Note that students who choose this option are still required to take at least two social science and two humanities courses and must fulfill the depth and writing requirements for their major. Courses in this category may not be counted as engineering courses.

This category includes:

• CIS (CSE): 1070, 1250, 4230, 5230
• DSGN: 0020
• EAS:  0010, 2020, 2040, 2200, 2210, 2220, 2230, 2240, 2250, 2260, 2270, 2280, 2900, 3010, 3060, 3200, 4010, 4020, 4030, 4080, 5010, 5020, 5050*, 5070, 5100, 5120, 5410, 5430, 5450, 5460, 5470, 5490, 5900, 5950
• ENGR: 5020
• ENVS: 3700, 5810
• IPD: 5090, 5450 (cross-listed with EAS)
• LGST: 2220, 2440
• LAWM: 5060
• MGMT: 2370, 2640, 2650
• MKTG: 2270, 2470
• NURS: 3570
• OIDD: 2360, 2340 (.5 cu)*, 2550, 3140, 3150
• PFP Free (approved for entered Fall 2020 and later)
• WH: 1010 (.5 cu)*

*OIDD 3990 (.5 cu) + WH 1010 (.5 cu) count for one CU of TBS for M&T.

*EAS 5050 cannot be applied toward Accelerated Master's.

*EAS 2420 will no longer count as TBS starting in Spring 2025.

A student who wishes to transfer into Penn Engineering from another school at the University should create a four year academic plan detailing how all degree requirements for the intended engineering major will be completed. All internal transfer students must select a major at the time of application.  The entering year determines the specific requirements to satisfy the BSE or BAS degree for each major.  Students who entered Penn prior to Fall 2020 will not be allowed to switch into the "Entered Fall 2020 or later" catalog year. There will be no exceptions.

A student who entered Penn from another college or university (external transfer student) is ineligible to apply for internal transfer.

A student may not transfer into Penn Engineering if their transcript shows that good performance in a Penn Engineering program is unlikely, or if the record includes uncleared F, I, GR or NR grades. A student must first complete a minimum of eight (8) Penn course units to be eligible. The minimum gpa for consideration is 3.0; different criteria are used for entry into dual degree programs. In particular, we look for successful completion of calculus (typically, at least MATH 1410) and physics (typically, PHYS 0150/0151). Course requirements may vary depending on the selected major as well as the number of semesters completed.

Application Deadlines:

• Fall entry: May 15
• Spring entry: December 15

Applications for internal transfer must be made prior to the end of the sophomore year at Penn.

If you have additional questions, please email ddtransfer@seas.upenn.edu.

For any course taken pass/fail in Spring 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 please be aware of the following:

• If you receive a ‘P’ in a math, science or engineering course taken during the semesters indicated above, you will be eligible to apply. However, the committee will consider the strength of your performance in required courses taken pass/fail to ensure that you meet the standards expected for internal transfer students.

Note: This application is currently open.

Apply Here

The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science has no policy restricting transfer to another school within the University. However, each undergraduate school sets its own criteria for accepting transfer students; thus, a student contemplating transfer should discuss their transfer with someone in the Dean's Office of the receiving school:

• College of Liberal and Professional Studies, 3440 Market St., Ste 100, 215-898-7326
• Nursing School, Office of Student Services, Suite M-18, Claire M. Fagin Hall, 215-898-6687
• School of Arts & Sciences, 120 Claudia Cohen Hall, 215-898-6341
• Wharton School G95 JMHH, 215-898-7608.

A student who wishes to transfer from an engineering or applied science program to another school within the University should complete the online transfer application for the appropriate school. A student may not transfer from Penn Engineering if their record includes uncleared I, GR or NR grades.

Freshmen are not permitted to transfer out of Penn Engineering until they have completed 8 course units at the University. They should, however, notify an advisor in the Office of Academic Services of their wish to transfer, and they may register for courses appropriate to their proposed school. Students on a transfer roster should have their Permission to Register form approved in 109 Towne. Penn Engineering students may not register for a non-engineering roster for more than two semesters. Students who have not facilitated a transfer within this time may be dropped.

Students who wish to withdraw from their degree program and the university should discuss this decision with their academic advisors and/or departmental coordinators. If a student wishes to continue with the withdrawal from the University, they must complete a Petition for Action (Undergraduate SEAS Petition), a link to which may be found on the Forms Page.

If/when your withdrawal from the University is approved, please review the Checklist for Withdrawal to ensure you connect with all applicable offices to clear any balances or outstanding tasks.

Once complete, withdrawal from the University is an official and final decision.

This is similar to dropping a course; however, the course remains on the record with the notation "W" placed in the grade column of the student's transcript. The "W" is not considered in the computation of the grade point average. Students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science are permitted to "Petition for Withdrawal" from a course until the end of the tenth week of classes (https://srfs.upenn.edu/withdraw-from-a-course).

Students are not permitted to withdraw after the end of the tenth week except in extraordinary circumstances. In such cases, requests for late withdrawal must go through the online petition workflow (Petition for Action) explaining the nature of the extraordinary circumstances.

The writing requirement should be completed by the end of freshman year (and no later than the second semester sophomore year).

The following courses can be used to fulfill the writing requirement:

Read More about The Writing Requirement.

Beginning with the Class of 2001, Penn Engineering has implemented a Writing Requirement. The Writing Requirement will not necessitate the completion of additional course units. Students can easily satisfy the requirement without altering the existing constraints of BAS or the BSE degrees.

Students are strongly encouraged to fulfill the Writing Requirement during the first year of study (and no later than the second year) because it becomes increasingly difficult to schedule first-year courses as one moves through the curriculum.

The Writing Requirement differs somewhat between each of the four undergraduate schools at Penn. For Penn Engineering students, the requirement can be satisfied by taking a critical writing seminar:

• Any WRIT course may be used to fulfill this requirement and is included in the 7 CU General Elective requirement, unless the course is designated as a Free Elective. The WRIT courses are categorized as either humanities, or social science, or technology, business, and society (TBS), and free elective depending on the department in which they are taught. Writing course descriptions and information about The Critical Writing Program are available on-line here.

Note:  Students may not use A.P. credit to satisfy the writing requirement. Courses used to satisfy the writing requirement may be taken pass/fail. The request for grade type must be made to the School Registrar at registrar@seas.upenn.edu no later than the end of the drop period. Dual degree students must take the writing requirement for a grade.