Graduation Preparation

As students enter their senior year, we encourage them to think about how to make the most of their final semesters at Cal.  If you are at that point in your academic career, here are some questions to consider:

• Which courses do you want to take? 
• Which campus resources should you tap into now?
• How can you prepare for what comes next for you after graduation?

• Check your progress to make sure you’re on track

  There is a lot of information and several great resources for you in CalCentral. First and foremost, verify that your expected graduation term (EGT) is correct. If it’s not correct, work with the College of L&S to get it changed.

  Run your Academic Progress Report (APR) to view all degree requirements for graduation. Keep in mind that there are UC, UC Berkeley, College of L&S requirements in addition to the Psychology major requirements. If you have questions or concerns about what’s posted on your APR, please contact the student services team at psychsso@berkeley.edu. 

  Keep in mind that all prerequisite courses and upper-division courses that apply to the major must be taken on a letter grade basis and receive a D- or above.  Major requirements will not count towards the major progress if a course is taken Pass/No Pass (See COVID-19 Policy for more info about exceptions made during the remote learning period). Major courses can only be taken as Pass/No Pass once a student has completed all major requirements. Additionally, the University requires that students maintain a 2.0 grade point average in all courses (lower and upper division) required in the major program, as well as a 2.0 grade point average in all upper division courses that apply to the major.  Any student who does not meet the minimum grade point average in the major will be placed on probation.

  As you enter the semester of your EGT, a Graduation Checklist will be loaded into your CalCentral dashboard. While it’s not a comprehensive list, it’s a great place to start. 

• Plan for your final semester enrollment

  Once you have run your APR, you will have a good idea of which requirements you still need to take. When enrolling for your final semester of classes, you should prioritize enrollment in whatever courses you need to finish those requirements.

  If you still have some Psychology courses you need to take, we encourage you to join a course suggestion workshop. These are offered by the Psychology peer advisors every semester a couple weeks before enrollment opens.

  If you still have room in your schedule after signing up for required courses, we encourage you to take a class for fun or interest. Is there a specific class you’ve always wanted to take? Or why not take a class taught by a world-renowned professor or on a topic specific to Cal.

  Another option would be to consider taking a reduced course load. This option is available to students in their EGT. To take advantage of the option, you will work with the L&S advising team.  

• Tap into campus resources while you're a student

  Your student fees pay for several resources on campus to help you prepare for career, graduate school, or professional school! The Career Center has many career events to get you connected with prospective employers, can review resumes and help students with application packets for graduate/professional schools, and can help you strategize to make your transition to your next step go as smoothly as possible.

  If you're feeling lost about your options or are having second thoughts about whether you're heading in the right direction, you're not alone! Visit the Career Counseling Library to do some exploration. This is also a good time to reach out to faculty about writing letters of recommendation, to connect with the SLC to review drafts of your personal statement for grad school apps, or to plug into other opportunities to prepare for graduate school and/or job applications.  

• Attend an online "preparing for graduation" information session

  Each semester we hold a pre-graduation workshop. We encourage you to join a workshop during the semester before your EGT. If you can't come to the workshop when it's offered, we invite you to watch a recording of it or request a copy of the slides. Just email us at psychsso@berkeley.edu and we can send you a link.  

• Commencement Ceremonies

  While students often use “graduation” to mean multiple things, the university uses the following terms:

  Graduation refers to you officially earning your B.A. degree and finishing your time as an undergraduate student. Formal review for degree completion will begin at the end of your EGT term by the various offices that oversee requirements - notably the College of L&S, the Psychology department, and the Office of the Registrar.

  Commencement refers to the ceremonies students attend to celebrate graduation. There is a general commencement ceremony for all students held at the end of every semester. In addition, many departments and organizations hold their own ceremonies. The Psychology department graduation ceremony is held in May the week after the general commencement ceremony. Stay tuned for updated information on our website for more information. We encourage you to participate in as many ceremonies as you would like.  

  The next Psychology department graduation ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 in Zellerbach Hall at 7PM.  More details coming in the Spring semester. 

• Plan ahead to stay connected to Cal

  Once you have officially graduated, we hope you’ll stay connected to Cal. Here are a few different opportunities for you to consider:

  • Join the Cal Alumni Association.
  • Claim your bmail so you can be @berkeley.edu for life. (wait until your degree is conferred)
  • Take advantage of the Career Center alumni services.
  • Wait patiently for your diploma to arrive and then display it proudly.
  • Stay connected with Cal Psychology!
  • You will be included in our Psych Majors bCourse and continue to receive updates as long as you have access to CalNet.
  • The Weekly Opportunities are posted on our website publicly so we encourage you to check back to those as long as you’d like while you’re beginning your career journey.