FAQs: Undergraduate Students in Computer Science, Data Science, and Statistics

The College of Computing, Data Science, and Society holds drop-in advising via zoom as well as some in-person options. Students are also able to book an appointment with a College advisor. Please refer to our advising services for more information. CDSS policies and requirements are available for additional information. 

CDSS College requirements can be found online. Additional information can be found in the Berkeley Academic Guide.

Briefly, in terms of college course requirements:

• CDSS requires four essential skills:
  • English Reading and Composition
  • Computational Reasoning
  • Human and Social Dynamics of Data and Technology
  • Statistical Reasoning
• CDSS breadth requirements are the same as L&S breadth requirements, with one exception: a second semester foreign language course can be used to satisfy the International Studies breadth requirement. 

The majors in Computer Science, Data Science, and Statistics will continue to be Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees.

Yes, CDSS allows double majors. If you are interested in declaring a second CDSS major, you should contact a major advisor in the second program. Some limitations may apply depending on your choice of a second major. Applications to double major are available through Comprehensive Review. Students should consult with an advisor for their intended major about eligibility to add a major.  

Yes, provided you receive approval from the other major and college. Students wishing to pursue multiple major programs must secure approval from the relevant departments or faculty groups. All degree requirements must be completed by the eighth semester (fifth semester for transfer students). Students must submit a petition for a simultaneous degree at least two semesters in advance of graduation in order to meet all residence requirements. 

Yes, applications to change your major are available through Comprehensive Review.. Students should consult with an advisor for their intended major about eligibility to change their major.  

Yes, CDSS offers minors in Data Science and Statistics. A Computer Science minor is offered in the College of Engineering and requires students to take some classes in the summer. These minors are open to students from any College at UC Berkeley.

Major requirements have not changed.

Students who were admitted prior to Fall 2024 have the option of meeting L&S or CDSS essential skills and breadth requirements. Please see College of L&S requirements and CDSS college requirements to understand the differences. If you are eligible to switch from L&S to CDSS requirements, please submit an APR correction form to CDSS. 

All students admitted in Fall 2024 or later must complete the CDSS essential skills and breadth requirements.

Yes, you can read the CDSS policies here. These policies apply to all students in our college with one exception for students admitted to UC Berkeley prior to Fall 2023:

CDSS uses semesters completed, rather than units completed to determine eligibility to graduate. Students who were admitted prior to Fall 2023 have the option to continue under the L&S semester limit and unit ceiling policy. According to this policy, students are eligible to enroll in an additional semester provided they have not exceeded 130 units as a single major, or 136 units as a double major or simultaneous degree student. 

Students admitted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 or later are subject to CDSS semester limits: 8 semesters for students entering in their first year; and 5 semesters for transfer students.
 

Admitted Before Fall 2023

• If you were admitted to UC Berkeley before Fall 2023, you should remain in your current college until you are eligible to declare a CDSS major. The eligibility requirements will remain the same as the requirements for the year that you were admitted. Please see a major advisor in your new intended major to confirm those requirements. 

Admitted in Fall 2023

• If you were admitted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 and want to declare the Statistics major, you should remain in your current college until you have completed the prerequisites and are eligible to declare. Please see a Statistics major advisor to confirm those requirements.
• If you were admitted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 and selected Computer Science or Data Science on your admissions application, then you have a guaranteed spot in that major, subject to completing prerequisites and maintaining good academic standing. Information about filing a major declaration and Change of College can be found on the CDSS academic policies webpage.
• If you were admitted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2023 and did not select Computer Science or Data Science on your admissions application, you will need to apply to CDSS in order  to pursue these majors. Applications will involve a comprehensive review. Information about the comprehensive review application can be found on the CDSS academic policies webpage. Transfer admits should also consult with an advisor for their intended major about eligibility to change or add majors.  

Admitted Fall 2024 or Later

• If you were admitted to another college at UC Berkeley in Fall 2024 and want to declare a Computer Science, Data Science, or Statistics major, then you will need to apply to CDSS. Applications will involve a comprehensive review. Information about the comprehensive review application can be found on the CDSS academic policies webpage. Transfer students should also consult with an advisor for their intended major about eligibility to change or add majors.  
• All students are encouraged to continue following the major pathway they declared when admitted to UC Berkeley until a new major pathway is approved.

Yes, students currently pursuing a degree in another college at UC Berkeley may  pursue a simultaneous degree with a CDSS major. Simultaneous degree applications must be submitted at least two semesters in advance of graduation in order to meet College residence requirements.  All degree requirements must be completed by the eighth semester (fifth semester for transfer students). Contact the major advisors to discuss your eligibility.

Students admitted to UC Berkeley in Fall 2024 who want to add a degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or Statistics will need to apply to CDSS through a comprehensive review process. Information about the comprehensive review application can be found on the CDSS academic policies webpage. Transfer students should also consult with an advisor for their intended major about eligibility to change or add majors.  

Students admitted to UC Berkeley before Fall 2024 should talk with an  advisor in their major of interest about the process to apply for a simultaneous degree.  
 

The Data Science and Statistics minors are housed in the College of CDSS. These minors are available to any UC Berkeley undergraduate student in any college.

The Computer Science minor is offered in the College of Engineering and currently requires students to take some classes in the summer.
 

Most lower-division classes in CDSS departments are open to students of any major and are widely accessible to all UC Berkeley students. At the upper-division level, some classes may be restricted while others are generally open for non-majors to enroll; this is determined by each department each semester.