ENVS Frequently Asked Questions
What scholarships and awards are available for ENVS students?
For an at-a-glance resource that lists various scholarships, awards, and funding opportunities, please see this reference sheet. Feel free to contact envsugpc@ucsc.edu if you know of an award that should be added to the list!
What is an enrollment hold? How do I get a hold removed?
An enrollment hold is a block that is placed on your UCSC account that will prevent you from making changes to your schedule for the current or upcoming quarter. There are different kinds of enrollment holds. Some are related to finances, and in those cases, you would need to contact Student Business Services to get information about how to get your hold removed.
Other holds are related to major declaration. If you have a declaration hold, it means you are in your deadline quarter to declare and you need to work with advising to talk about next steps. Don't wait to be in touch -- email your college advisors or envsadvi@ucsc.edu as soon as possible!
Can I take lower division requirements concurrently with ENVS 100/L?
No, you must have all lower division courses complete before 100/L. Please check your corresponding major requirements checklist to see what those requirements are. If you are concerned about progress, please come see us in advising!
How do I get advising? Do I need an appointment?
We have drop-in, appointments, and email advising. Please see our advising page to see what kinds of advising options are available each quarter. Note that appointments during the summer may be limited.
What can I do with an ENVS degree?
Although your prospects for a job are enhanced by graduate training, many of our undergraduates have gone directly into relevant careers. Whether you want to go to graduate school or find a job, the basic rule is to take the initiative and do your homework. Research jobs and schools, and speak with the staff at the UCSC Career Center. Join the Career Advice Network to get ideas from folks out in the working world. Talk with ENVS faculty during office hours. Do an internship. Explore the options. Click here to see positions held by some of our alumni.Do I have to take ENVS courses for letter grades? What about Pass/No Pass?
Most ENVS major courses can be taken for pass/no pass. However, the campus policy is that you may not take more than 25% of your UCSC units for pass/no pass. You can check your percentage of pass/no pass courses by logging into MyUCSC > Student Advising Summary > Statistics tab.
OTHER FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND:
- Students pursuing the ENVS/BIO combined major must take ALL courses for a letter grade.
- Your Senior Exit Requirement must be taken for a letter grade.
- If you wish to be considered for honors in the major, you may take no more than one upper division requirement for pass/no pass.
Please consult with our advising office if you have any questions or uncertainty about these policies.
What's an independent study and how do I set one up?
An independent study is a 2 or 5 credit lower or upper division course designed by you and a faculty sponsor. It could be a lab, field, or library research project. Upper division independent studies or internships taken for 5 credits will apply to the ENVS single major as one of the upper division electives (this does not apply to the combined majors).
Steps to enroll in an independent study:
- Meet with your faculty sponsor to discuss the plan for your independent study.
- Your faculty sponsor will have a google form that you will fill out together and submit to the advising office.
- Once you have submitted this form, ENVS advising will review your request. If approved, you will receive an email with the Course Number in 5-7 business days. Once you receive that Course Number, enrollment in the course is the student's responsibility.
How do I complete the Senior Comp Requirement (aka Senior Exit)?
Please read the Senior Comprehensive Requirement page.What's the best way to get a letter of recommendation from the faculty?
See this document: How to Ask Faculty for a Letter of RecommendationI'm planning to graduate at the end of next quarter; what do I need to do?
Please do the following at least a quarter before you graduate:
Step 1) Meet with your college advisors to complete a graduation check. You'll want to meet with them to see if you have all of your non-major graduation requirements completed, such as your units, GE's, etc.
Step 2) Meet with your major and/or minor advisors to complete a graduation check. You'll want to make sure you see what requirements you have completed or still have remaining.
Step 3) During the quarter you plan to graduate or a quarter before, apply to graduate through your myUCSC portal by the announcing candidcy for degree deadline on the academic calendar.
See Also
