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).

Penn Engineering students may not audit classes.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 following courses can be used to fulfill the mathematics requirement:

• CIS ⁽⁴⁾: CIS/ENM 1600, CIS/ENM 2610, CIS 3333
• ENM: All courses. ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾
• ESE: ESE 2030⁽⁵⁾, ESE/ENM 3010, ESE 4020⁽¹⁾, ESE 5300
• Mathematics: Any course from MATH 1400 or above ⁽⁵⁾, except the following: 1700, 1720, 1800, 2100⁽³⁾, 2800,
• Philosophy: 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.

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 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.

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).

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.

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.

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.